She decided to go out; with no one home for a long time, Liang Hongmei asked her uncle to help handle things and sold the pigs, chickens, and ducks at home, making about a dozen yuan.
The remaining piglet was given to her uncle’s family. The house key was also given to her uncle, asking them to help look after the house. The family’s three-plus acres of land were given to the big uncle’s family.
A month after the letter was sent, her brother wrote back, saying he had found a house over there and asked her and Mom to come. It was already getting hot in June and July, so she and Mom went to S City with two large pieces of luggage.
There was no direct bus from their place to S City, so they had to change buses once. Before leaving, Lin Wan boiled a dozen eggs from home into tea eggs.
She also made a few egg pancakes to eat along the way. The weather was hot, so she didn’t dare make too much.
Her uncle drove the donkey cart borrowed from the village and took them to the train station. As soon as she and Mom got on the train, the smell of chickens, ducks, and smoke mixed together was so bad that she almost vomited.
They brought two large bags with them when they left, one containing a quilt and the other containing season’s worth of clothes for her and Mom. There was also a small handbag filled with food for the journey.
The train was packed. She and Mom finally found a seat and spent half a day managing to put the two large bags on the luggage rack.
She definitely didn’t want to be like those people who randomly placed their luggage and had nowhere to step.
Once Lin Wan sat down, she leaned her head against the window, otherwise she would feel sick along the way.
At mealtime on the train, there was food for sale, but most people ate what they brought with them. Only a few who didn’t bring food would buy cheap black bread with water to fill their stomachs. Black bread wasn’t just cheap; it also didn’t require a ticket, but was limited to one per person.
At noon, she and Mom ate two pancakes and drank some hot water. In the evening, they simply ate a few eggs.
Things spoil easily in summer, so they tried to eat the items that spoil first.
On the first day, people on the train ate well, but by the second day, at mealtime, she could smell that some people’s food was spoiled, yet they couldn’t bear to throw it away.
After two days and two nights on the train, the last few eggs they had got spoiled. Mom took one and wanted to eat it, but Lin Wan wouldn’t allow it.
Eventually, they bought two black breads, spending fifty cents. Things on the train were expensive. Normally, fifty cents could buy four at home, but these were still the cheapest on the train.
Enduring four days and three nights, they changed trains in H City and then spent another three days reaching S City.
In the unfamiliar yet familiar city, Lin Wan felt excitement mixed with a trace of sadness and regret.
After getting off the train, Lin Wan led Liang Hongmei out of the station with ease. Not far away, she saw her brother pacing back and forth in the hall.
"Brother, we’re here," Lin Wan excitedly waved at him.
Lin Yinghui saw them and happily waved, running over with large strides.
"Mom, little sis," Lin Yinghui had instructed them to take this train in his letters, so he wouldn’t miss them.
"Ah Hui," Liang Hongmei hadn’t seen her son for months, and her eyes turned red with emotion.