Chapter 136: The Difficulty of Booking Tickets

Fortunately, Lu Kun and his companions managed to catch the last late-night bus back to the city; otherwise, they would have had to find a place to stay in the small town for the night.

At the hotel.

"Everyone, hurry back to your rooms, take a hot shower, and get some good rest. Tomorrow evening, we'll take the train back to Angui," Lu Kun said while looking back at Cheng Yuan, Cheng Hao, and Li Changfu as they walked.

As for their driver, Xiao Wu, he had separate accommodations and was not staying at the same hotel as Lu Kun and his group.

"Really?!"

The men exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with joy. To be honest, they had struggled to adapt to the climate in Guizhou. Hearing that they could return home as early as tomorrow, they were almost unable to contain their excitement.

"Of course it's real. Why would I lie to you about something like this?" Lu Kun smiled, answering them candidly under their expectant gazes.

With a cheer, the men scattered like birds and beasts. Back in his hotel room, Lu Kun immediately changed out of his mud-stained clothes. Earlier at the hotel entrance, they had been stopped by the receptionist. Fortunately, they had been staying there for several days, and the hotel staff recognized them, eventually allowing them inside.

"Hello, Brother Ji, you aren't asleep yet, are you?" Lu Kun checked his watch; it was nine o'clock in the evening, which he figured was still early.

"Not yet, I'm busy with work! Is there something you need, Brother Lu?" Ji Keliang cleared his throat as he replied.

Hearing the hoarseness in his voice, Lu Kun guessed that he must have smoked too much today.

"You really are dedicated," Lu Kun said politely, then continued, "I've been out for quite a while now, and there’s quite a backlog of work at the company and at home, so I’m planning to head back tomorrow to take care of things."

Lu Kun did not hide his intentions and spoke plainly about his departure and return to Angui.

"So soon? I was hoping to finish up the work over these next two days and then find a way to take a few days off to show you and your friends around Guizhou. You're..." Ji Keliang sounded surprised on the other end of the line.

"Heh, it’s not really that soon. I’m planning to leave tomorrow. It’s been nearly a month all told," Lu Kun politely declined.

"But... I’ve already made arrangements. I was thinking of finding a time to introduce you to some of my old friends," Ji Keliang said after a moment of silence, urging him to reconsider.

Lu Kun wasn't entirely sure if Ji Keliang was sincere about introducing him to friends. Thinking of Liu Liping at home, who was nearing her due date, he felt a sense of unease and was terrified that something might happen to her. After a quick moment of reflection, he decided to decline the invitation.

"Brother Ji, I truly appreciate your kindness. However, the day my wife is due to give birth is drawing closer, and I simply cannot put my mind at ease. Besides, Brother Ji, you work for the public sector and have a heavy workload; if you were to spend your time escorting us around to see the sights, there’s no telling what kind of gossip it might invite."

Lu Kun’s resolve to return home only grew firmer.

"I see..." On the other end of the line, Ji Keliang pondered for a long while before continuing, "Very well. Once the Moutai distillery is on the right track, I will personally visit Angui, and we can continue our brotherhood then. I apologize for my poor hospitality this time. Furthermore, I wish you a healthy baby in advance, and may you find success in both your family and your career!"

"Brother Ji, you must keep your word. I’ll be waiting for your arrival in Angui," Lu Kun laughed. He genuinely hoped Ji Keliang would visit Angui soon. After all, Ji Keliang held a high rank; had he not been so devoted to the cause of the Moutai distillery, a top leadership position in a prefecture-level city would have been well within his reach.

"As for the train tickets, I'll have Xiao Wu deliver them to you first thing tomorrow morning."

"That would be a great help, Brother."

...

At that time, buying soft-sleeper train tickets was actually not easy. Of course, this difficulty was only relative to later generations; compared to the past, it was much easier. Before the 1990s, many soft-sleeper tickets were simply not accessible to the average person. It wasn't a matter of money; those tickets were reserved for officials and department leaders. Even if the berths were empty, they would not be sold to the public. Consequently, before the 1990s, most of the national railway system operated at a long-term loss.

It wasn't until the 1990s that the railway authorities began to shift their thinking and gradually initiate market-oriented reforms. Of course, it was still too early to discuss that then. At that time, voices calling for market reforms within the railway system were not yet strong. After all, reform is often accompanied by enormous risks. Those who could thrive in officialdom were all clever operators; nobody was willing to offend others or take risks for no personal benefit.

...

Lu Kun and his companions boarded the soft-sleeper carriage early.

"There are so many people," Cheng Hao couldn't help but remark as he watched the crowd outside the window swarming like a plague of locusts. The others nodded in agreement.

"This isn't even that many," Lu Kun smiled. The "Spring Festival travel rush" during the era of the migrant worker boom was truly terrifying.

People who had spent the year toiling away abroad migrated like birds across the vast land of China. "Rich or poor, head home for the New Year"—no matter how far they traveled, they had to return home for the Spring Festival reunion. Every year around the first lunar month, massive armies moved north and south, east and west, creating a "travel rush" that lasted for over a month, with railways and buses overflowing like water.

In those days, tickets were incredibly hard to buy; some people had to queue for days just to get one. "The ground as a bed, the sky as a quilt"—the plaza in front of the train station became a temporary home. There were even rumors of pregnant women giving birth right there in the plaza.

...

The scarcity of train tickets even spawned a variety of satirical jokes.

"No gifts for the holidays this year, I only accept train tickets."

"I used to think the most heartbreaking words were 'Let's break up' or 'I've fallen for someone else,' but in the end, I realized it should be, 'None left! Not even a standing ticket!'"

"Spring Festival has arrived again, across the land of China, the rich fly, the poor stand. Looking beyond the Great Wall, bags large and small; looking across the rivers, migrant workers flow. Rising early and sleeping late, working through the night, trying to outdo the rest. Need cash, look at the sea of people, a ticket is hard to secure. Tickets are so hard to get, causing countless heroes to bow their heads. Pity the Qin Emperor and Han Wudi, who would flee at this sight. The Tang and Song emperors would also be at a loss. Even the legendary Genghis Khan would have to ride a horse back home..."

"When will the tickets return? I gaze at the iron window, wrapped in my quilt. I know not how many tickets remain inside today. I wish to leave through the snow, but fear all my efforts will be in vain; my body is cold, but my heart is even colder..."

Even for those who managed to buy a ticket, there was no hurry to celebrate. "The furthest distance in the world is when I am on the train, but you didn't manage to squeeze on."

...

"Whoo, whoo, whoo..."

As the train began to move slowly, the thoughts of the men were pulled back to reality.