104. Interlude on the Trackless Trolley (Fourth Update)

The bus station of today was nothing like those in later years, bustling with shops and stalls selling food; thus, the two could only make do with a few pieces of “Peach Blossom Cake” to stave off their hunger.

Gao Shen unscrewed his military canteen, pouring water into two small cups. Before they left, Jing Qingxin had filled the canteen with spring water, prepared for the journey ahead.

After eating two pieces of cake and half a cup of water, Jing Qingxin found she had little appetite left. A breakfast of porridge was gentler on the stomach. She reached into her military bag, closed her hand around something, and brought it to Gao Shen’s lips, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Gao Shen opened his mouth, and something fragrant landed inside—fresh, juicy, and delicious. As he chewed, he smiled and gazed at the woman beside him.

Jing Qingxin grinned mischievously, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, “It’s a strawberry. They’re still very rare these days, so we’ll have to eat them quietly.”

With that, she popped a strawberry into her own mouth. The taste was indeed wonderful; she should have started growing fruits and vegetables earlier. She had been too lazy before, busying herself with flowers and secret recipes in her “Radiant Brocade,” and had wasted that piece of empty land.

Then began her feeding ritual: one for Gao Shen, one for herself, alternating until they had each eaten seven or eight strawberries, stopping only when their stomachs felt full.

The entire coach was quiet now; most passengers had fallen asleep, having risen early to catch the bus. Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen sat near the back, so no one noticed their little gestures.

The bus rocked and swayed—there were no smooth highways as in later years. Riding in it felt almost like being rocked in a cradle. After eating and drinking her fill, Jing Qingxin felt drowsiness creeping in.

“Rest against me for a while,” Gao Shen said, wrapping his arm gently around Jing Qingxin, inviting her to lean on his shoulder. He still remembered how uncomfortable she had been in yesterday’s ride.

Jing Qingxin made no protest, obediently settling against his broad shoulder and closing her eyes in peace.

**

Around ten in the morning, Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen stepped out of the Ningshi bus station.

Gazing at Ningshi before her, Jing Qingxin couldn’t help but sigh, “Indeed, the provincial capital is different—so vibrant and full of life!”

The bus station was located in a lively part of the city, on a bustling street lined with broad concrete roads and multi-story buildings. Standing by the roadside, watching the crowds and bicycles weaving past, Jing Qingxin finally felt the true sense of the city.

“Let’s go,” Gao Shen said, looking at the city that was both familiar and strangely distant, letting out a deep breath.

Jing Qingxin sensed the shift in his mood and quietly followed. She knew this was where the Gao family had lived for generations. Now, the clan was fractured, their ancestral home destroyed and occupied. Here lay their memories—both joyful and painful.

Gao Shen led Jing Qingxin toward the address left by his mentor. Out in public, he could no longer hold her hand, and kept a half-arm’s distance between them.

Ningshi was two or three times larger than the county town; walking to their destination would take at least an hour. Gao Shen didn’t mind—such a walk was nothing compared to his usual training. But things were different now; with Jing Qingxin by his side, everything revolved around her comfort. He couldn’t bear to make her walk so far, so he brought her to the city bus stop.

In this era, only families with better means or those working at state institutions could afford to take the bus; ordinary people rarely spent money on it, preferring to walk everywhere.

Looking up, Jing Qingxin saw a tangle of electric cables suspended overhead, like laundry lines strung across the street without the support of poles. At wide intersections, the cables resembled spider webs.

Soon, a blue-and-white minibus marked “Route 3” slowly approached. Its front was square, and two long wires extended from its roof. Jing Qingxin had wondered about the cables overhead, and suddenly realized that in 1974 Ningshi was still using trolleybuses!

Curiosity stirred in her again. She had never seen a real trolleybus before; to think that crossing through time would let her experience it firsthand! She remembered her history lessons and had always wondered how the buses followed the wires, and how they navigated intersecting routes at wide junctions.

Those questions no longer mattered. What mattered was the chance to ride a trolleybus herself.

Gao Shen shielded Jing Qingxin as they boarded, finding a spot with some space. The bus was full; people sat and stood, though it wasn’t crowded.

Once Jing Qingxin gripped the back of a seat, she noticed many glances directed their way; this had followed them since their ride from the town.

There was no helping it—Gao Shen’s military-green uniform was eye-catching. In these times, soldiers were highly respected, the favored people of society.

Adding to that, Gao Shen was tall and handsome, his features striking, his uniform worn with impeccable dignity. He embodied the image of a soldier—upright and imposing.

Jing Qingxin didn’t realize that the attention wasn’t just for Gao Shen, but for both of them together.

Their pairing was indeed a striking sight: the man tall and handsome, the woman delicate and graceful, both dressed in outstanding attire, naturally drawing the gaze of onlookers.

Faced with this lively curiosity, Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen remained composed. Jing Qingxin, raised in a different era, was unaffected—she would not lower her head and blush in shyness like the women of these times.

Gao Shen, even less so. Eight years in the army taught him to remain unflappable in any circumstance; such looks were nothing to him unless they provoked real discomfort.

Of course, his life now had an exception—at least before her, he could no longer take pride in himself.

Beside them, an elderly woman seated by the window had her gaze fixed on Gao Shen, her eyes probing as she smiled and said, “Comrade soldier, are you home on leave to visit family?”

In these days, everyone knew that soldiers only wandered the city when on family visits; retired soldiers wouldn’t wear their uniforms.

Gao Shen saw it was an elderly lady and nodded politely. “Yes.”

The old woman was surprised by his brief reply, momentarily at a loss. After a pause, she laughed awkwardly and tried again, “And the young lady beside you—is she your sister?”