Once on the train, Feng Qingxue quickly understood why many people refrained from making long journeys unless necessary.
The train moved at a snail’s pace, frequently stopping for maintenance. Major repairs could delay the journey for over a dozen hours. If the destination was far off, passengers had to spend countless days and nights on the train. In such circumstances, eating, drinking, and attending to nature’s call were nothing short of torments.
This was one aspect; secondly, the train tickets were not cheap, relatively speaking, considering the current wage levels.
She wasn’t short of money, so she bought a sleeper ticket. The hardships of those who could only afford seating, or even no seat at all, were clear to see.
The sleeper compartments of the present were not like those of the 21st century, which had partitions and private cabins. They housed either four or six berths in a room, clean and sanitary. Present-day sleepers were rows of bare bunks, accommodating both men and women.
Although it was almost the busy farming season and there weren’t many people in the sleeping compartment, the heat was oppressive, making the smell of sweat and stinking feet particularly pungent.
There were passengers clad only in large shorts and bare-chested, as well as those picking at their feet.
Through her observations, Feng Qingxue noted that most people in the sleeper compartments were officials.
She was not surprised at all. Higher salaries granted officials the luxury of sleeper services on the train, with more frequent deliveries of hot water and food by the train staff, who were also noticeably more courteous in their service.
However, not all officials were the same. Some were refined and polite while others were ostentatious and boisterous.
Those who picked their feet and wore large shorts were of the latter sort, even going as far as eating black bread without washing their hands first. The former, on the other hand, wore long pants with shirts or vests and seldom engaged in any uncultured behavior.
Black bread did not require a ticket; each person was allowed to purchase one each day.
Feng Qingxue, who was not short of food, did not hesitate to buy one every day to stave off hunger.
If the black bread was not enough, she would use her grain ticket and money to buy meals on the train. The main dishes were steamed buns, noodles, or rice. She would also buy a vegetable dish and occasionally an egg. Although it was not pricey, costing two to three Sanmao for a full meal, the taste was mediocre.
Due to the heat, it was inconvenient to bring cooked food on board the train, so she had no option but to buy.
When the heat became unbearable, she would take the opportunity to cleanse herself with a basin of lukewarm water from her space while going to the washroom. She was very cautious and did not undress, simply extending a wrung-dry wet towel into her clothes to wipe herself. Luckily, she wore loose, oversized trousers and an oversized shirt, and the dirty water was promptly thrown away.
She didn’t dare reveal her true appearance at home, let alone on the train. So, every day, after brushing her teeth and washing her face, she continued to put on her ugly makeup. The inability to wash her hair, however, meant that she constantly felt a foul odor emanating from her two braids.
Her skin was very fair, almost luminescent, smooth, and delicate. Even though she constantly wore long-sleeved shirts, the occasional glimpses of her hands and neck, that were not covered with dark, long-lasting foundation, still gave people a hint of her true appearance. This was especially true for the passengers whose berths were adjacent to Feng Qingxue’s. Fortunately, the passengers to her left and right were also female, one in her forties and the other around thirty-five or six, both sharp and competent-looking officials.
When the sleeper compartment was not filled to capacity, everyone had a common understanding. Male passengers stayed together while female passengers occupied adjacent bunks, everyone minding their own business to minimize the inconvenience of cohabitation between the sexes.
The two female passengers, noticing Feng Qingxue’s disguised appearance, both smiled. The older one greeted Feng Qingxue,
"Young girl, what’s your name? I notice your accent is similar to mine. Where are you planning to go, traveling all by yourself?"