The train began boarding half an hour early. Since the station was remote, there weren’t as many passengers as expected. The couple had no luggage, only some snacks and a change of clothes for the journey.
Nan Sheng held their daughter’s hand and walked ahead, with Sizhe in the middle, while Lin Han brought up the rear, carrying all the food.
The sleeper section was more than half empty. Lin Han had managed to secure two lower berths and one middle berth. The family quickly settled into their assigned spots.
It was the children’s first time on a train, and everything fascinated them. They pressed their faces against the window, especially when the train started moving—Siqi was utterly amazed.
"Mom, the trees outside are running away on legs!"
Sizhe, trying to sound composed, said, "Silly little sister, it’s us who are moving. When we ride a bike, don’t the trees on the sides move backward too?"
Mention of the bike reminded Sizhe of their own. "Mom, won’t our bicycle get stolen if we leave it at home?"
"It won’t. I already sold it," Nan Sheng replied.
For their age, they sure worried about everything!
At first, the children were thrilled, but as the train made frequent stops and more passengers boarded, their excitement waned.
Three-quarters of the berths were now occupied, and the compartment was filled with a mix of food smells and body odor. Siqi and Sizhe pressed their faces against the window, breathing in the fresh air with pitiful expressions.
"Dad, how much longer until we reach Rongcheng?"
"We’ll arrive the evening of the day after tomorrow," Lin Han answered, accustomed to long journeys. He pulled out two washed apples from the bag, split them, and handed half to each child.
The sweet-and-sour apples perked them up a bit.
Lin Han kept a close eye on Nan Sheng and the kids. "Honey, you’re not feeling motion sick, are you? If you feel unwell, let me know. I’ll ask the attendant for some medicine."
Nan Sheng couldn’t help but laugh. "Do people even get motion sickness on trains?"
Back when she first started taking buses, she had suffered from motion sickness for two or three years—especially sensitive to the smell of gasoline. An empty stomach made it worse.
But after commuting daily, she grew accustomed to it. Now, she could even scroll through her phone without feeling dizzy. Her motion sickness was long gone.
With nothing else to do, Lin Han entertained the children with stories from his military days. Nan Sheng listened intently too, and before they knew it, it was time to sleep.
The sleeping arrangements were simple: the middle berth went to Sizhe, since children were more agile and less likely to be disturbed. Lin Han took the lower berth on the right, holding Siqi, while Nan Sheng slept alone on the left lower berth. The food bag was placed on Sizhe’s bunk.
In the middle of the night, the train stopped at a major station, and more passengers boarded their compartment. Among them were the occupants of the upper and middle berths nearby. Lin Han, ever vigilant, woke at the disturbance but kept his eyes closed, feigning sleep.
"It’s your fault for buying tickets so late! How am I supposed to climb all the way up there? Go ask the attendant to switch me to a lower or middle berth!"
The newcomers were a young couple, dressed smartly. They had only managed to get two upper berths, and the wife, Ye Yu, was complaining to her husband, Zhang Rong.
The other middle berth passenger was a man with just a small bag. He took off his shoes, climbed up, and promptly fell asleep using the bag as a pillow.
Zhang Rong, patient as ever, told his wife to watch their luggage. "Wait here. I’ll go ask."
Before he could take more than a few steps, the attendant entered to check tickets, ensuring no one without a sleeper ticket had sneaked in.
"Where are you going? Everyone, return to your berths—we’re checking tickets now!"
Zhang Rong seized the opportunity. "Comrade, we have tickets for this compartment, but my wife can’t climb to the upper berth. If there are any empty spots, could we switch? We’re willing to pay extra!"
After verifying the tickets, the attendant softened. "The hard sleeper section is full. There’s no way to switch. If you had an official letter, you might be able to upgrade to a soft sleeper compartment."
Zhang Rong was speechless. A soft sleeper? That was beyond their means.
He returned to his wife and shrugged. "No vacancies. After the ticket check, I’ll take you to the restroom. Once you sleep, morning will come quickly. If it’s stuffy, we can sit on the foldable chairs in the aisle."
The attendant moved on without further delay—there were still many compartments to check.
Ye Yu stood fuming. Zhang Rong knew exactly what she was thinking.
He glanced at the passengers already settled in. The lower berth on one side was occupied by a woman—not someone they could easily disturb. The other lower berth had a man with a child, also inconvenient.
The middle berth had a man and a boy. Following the principle of respecting the young, Zhang Rong approached the new male passenger.
"Excuse me, comrade. Could I trouble you to switch berths with my wife? She really can’t manage the height. I’ll compensate you for the inconvenience."
In those days, few who could afford sleeper tickets were strapped for cash. The man refused outright.
"Sorry, but the upper berth is too cramped for a grown man. You’ll have to ask someone else."
Lin Han heard Nan Sheng turn over in her sleep and decided to wake Sizhe to offer the woman their middle berth—just to avoid further disturbance.
But before he could speak, Ye Yu huffed and climbed up to her assigned berth. Truthfully, she wasn’t much bigger than Sizhe—she just wanted more comfort.
With his wife no longer making a fuss, Zhang Rong relaxed.
He stowed their large bag under the berth and climbed up to his own spot. Finally, the compartment quieted down.
