[A man changes once he’s home,] s419 muttered silently, [When clearing copies, when do you ever peacefully head home this early? It’s not even nine yet, Lord Host. Ah, love makes people blind.]
When Bai Lixin returned home, he saw the commercial car that Dijia had driven out in the morning. He held his forehead and chuckled. His eyes softened instantly. [Love also makes people more gentle and stronger, but it’s definitely not a bad thing. My husband is waiting at home, how can I stay out all night?]
S419: [Hmph.]
Bai Lixin pushed the door open and walked in. Dijia was sitting on the living room sofa watching TV.
The windbreaker hung on the coat rack, and Bai Lixin could only see the man’s back.
He wore a dark gray shirt, and his arms were resting on the sofa’s armrest, making his already broad back appear more robust. The shirt couldn’t completely hide the man’s well-built physique. Bai Lixin could even vaguely see the muscular lines through the shirt.
‘So good-looking.’
Bai Lixin walked over and sat next to Dijia, speaking casually, “When did you get home?”
The TV was playing a travel documentary. Dijia glanced at Bai Lixin, “About five or six minutes before you. You’re back, have some fruit.”
Bai Lixin picked up a sugar orange from the fruit tray and started peeling it. As he peeled, his attention shifted to the TV.
The documentary showcased a train trip, and the camera captured the excited eyes of the tourists. Then the camera turned to the outside, revealing a vast, shimmering lake surrounded by greenery.
“Is this the train trip you mentioned on the phone?” Bai Lixin asked. His slender fingers quickly peeled a sugar orange, split it open from the middle after removing the meridians, and naturally handed it to Dijia’s mouth. “It looks pretty good.”
Dijia stared at the sugar orange in front of him for two seconds, then he opened his mouth to take a bite. His lips accidentally brushed against the young man’s smooth fingertips, and Dijia couldn’t decide if the sugar orange in his mouth was sweeter or if the young man’s finger on his lips was more fragrant.
Juice burst in his mouth, swallowed down the throat, and then Dijia spoke, “It’s quite good.”
Bai Lixin: “Is it sweet?”
Dijia nodded, “Sweet.”
‘The fingers are sweet.’
This documentary was filmed on a speeding train. It could be seen that the filmmaker has excellent skills. Even on the bumpy train, the footage remained stable and beautiful. The sunlight outside the train was bright, the sky blue, the water clear, and the trees green – just like a paradise.
Dijia pointed at the lake on the TV, “This is Qingcheng Lake, also one of the highlights of this route. The train travels from here to the northern border, taking a total of three days, with three stops along the way.”
Bai Lixin: “What’s the significance of people choosing train travel? Sitting in a train and unable to sightsee freely doesn’t seem like a good choice. The train is not only bumpy but also has narrow space.”
“Wait, and you’ll see,” Dijia picked up the remote control, fast-forwarding about ten minutes of the documentary’s duration, and stopping when the scene suddenly changed.
The train entered a tunnel, and the surroundings instantly turned into a blue ocean.
Bai Lixin blinked.
This train tunnel actually led to the sea.
A long tunnel made of cylindrical transparent plastic formed a pathway, and fish swam around continuously. Those fish seemed so close that it felt like one could touch them if they reached out.
Dijia: “You are right, the train is bumpy and quite turbulent.”
“But in three days, you can appreciate all these landscapes. It’s challenging to achieve this with other methods.”
“Also, this train is divided into graded compartments: first-class, middle-class, and economy, catering to various preferences.”
Dijia looked at Bai Lixin, “There’s more; let me show you the rest.”
After saying that, he dragged the progress bar again.
The scene changed again, and this time, instead of the underwater world, the train was passing through a forest of cherry blossoms.
A few seconds later, the surrounding green suddenly turned into a sea of pink. The train’s windows were open, allowing many petals to blow in.
If the previous underwater world was immersive, this cherry blossom forest was completely assimilated.
“Up ahead is a station, a big one. The train will stop there for about two hours. And this station is located within this cherry blossom forest; many tourists come for this cherry blossom forest.”
“We’re just watching from the screen, but if we were on-site, they say we would continuously smell a faint floral fragrance along this route.”
“This train will eventually stop at the foot of the snowy Cang Mountains, another famous tourist attraction. Many people stay and explore for a while before taking the return train.”
The man spoke a lot today. After carefully introducing the itinerary map of the train trip, he asked, “Are you interested?”
Bai Lixin nodded, “It’s quite good, I really like it.”
“So, shall we go?” the man asked. “There’s a train the day after tomorrow. I’ve got two first-class tickets in a private compartment. This train runs only once a month, and now is the best weather. If we wait until next month, the scenery will be significantly discounted due to the colder weather.”
After speaking, he looked at Bai Lixin with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Bai Lixin felt conflicted.
He wanted to agree with Dijia, but he hadn’t forgotten that he was currently in the midst of a game. Although he speculated that this sudden train trip might be related to the train mentioned in the first game, it was just speculation.
He wasn’t a fortune-teller; he couldn’t guess right every time. In case he boarded the train and the little black furry monster suddenly appeared, instructing him to go somewhere, he might not be able to complete the task.
However…
He couldn’t bear to refuse Dijia either.
After all, who could resist a big German shepherd wagging its tail?
But Bai Lixin’s dilemma didn’t last long. The timely appearance of the little black furry monster solved his worries.
“Heeheehee,” it was the familiar opening and the familiar scent. The little black furry monster blinked its big eyes in front of Bai Lixin. “Not bad, lucky player! I didn’t expect you to complete the fourth game so quickly. I underestimated you!”
“But don’t be too happy, the real challenge is just beginning!”
“In two days, a train will depart from this city! This will be the arena for your final game. After completing this game, you will go back to your game lobby with enviable rewards. However, if the game fails, you’ll be forever stuck on that train forever!”
“The tickets for that train are hard to come by; you’ll have to figure out a way to get tickets for that train. This is also one of your challenges.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you, the name of that train is xx-4948.”
‘4948…if it’s to die, let it die.…what kind of bullshit homophone is this? It’s too ominous.’
Bai Lixin looked at the little black furry monster, then at Dijia on the opposite side. “Uh, let me ask, what is the identification number of this train?”
Dijia frowned slightly, then rewound the TV’s footage to the beginning. A train with a somewhat British style gradually approached from a third-person perspective. At the front of the train, a row of numbers was prominently displayed.
—XX-4948.
Bai Lixin quickly gave his answer, “Let’s go, we must go!”
‘Heh! My sixth sense was indeed unmatched!’
…
There was a significant temperature difference from this city to the far north.
The next day, they prepared essential clothing, medicines, and other items, almost busying themselves for a whole day.
Even if they left for several days, there was no need to worry about the house. They could entrust everything to the AI robot.
The train was scheduled to depart at nine in the morning, and the driver and secretary sent them to the train station early the next morning.
The secretary looked at Bai Lixin, then at Dijia, who had changed into casual clothes, and he blushed uncontrollably.
‘You say you are just friends but you pamper him and take him on a train trip – is this what adult romance is about?’
‘Who said President Dijia was a stone that oil couldn’t be squeezed out of? Isn’t he too good?
A bumpy train with unfamiliar passengers and cramped compartments. isn’t this the easiest place to foster an illicit affair?!’
Dijia frowned at his strange secretary, coldly saying, “Once you put the things in the compartment, you can leave.”
As the sought-after sponsor, the travel company prepared the most luxurious compartment for Dijia on this train. There was even a huge window, almost floor-to-ceiling, allowing a clear view of the outside scenery without going outside.
Bai Lixin walked into the compartment and surveyed the surroundings.
Indeed, money can make the devil turn the grindstone; with enough money, you can even carve flowers from the cracks in the stone.
This room could rightfully be called the presidential suite, with a luxurious king-sized bed, high-end carpets, and opulent decorations. It screamed luxury.
‘Wait a moment. Luxurious king-sized bed?’
Bai Lixin’s gaze finally settled on the sole large bed.
Delicate red roses were scattered on the big white bed, which was ambiguous no matter how you looked at it.
Dijia was also dumbfounded, recalling the somewhat ambiguous smile of the travel company’s president when he requested two first-class tickets.
That clever guy.
To prevent any misunderstanding, Dijia quickly explained, “I didn’t know it was a couple’s room. Let me find the hotel manager and change the room!”
He took out his phone, dialed the number on the opposite side, and said, “Hello, there’s been a mistake with the room. I didn’t ask for a couple’s room. Can we change it?”
The person on the other side paused for a moment, and then said in a rather ambiguous tone, “Oh, change rooms? I understand, I understand.”
Then the other person lowered his voice and said, “Is your lover feeling shy? No problem, consider it done.”
The next second, the voice on the other end became louder again, “Sorry, President Dijia, there are few first-class compartments, and they’ve been booked for a long time! Not only are the first-class compartments sold out, but the second-class compartments are also long gone!”
Dijia’s hand holding the phone trembled slightly.
‘You understand nothing!’
He glanced at Bai Lixin cautiously, and silently entered the bathroom to make the call.
Two minutes later, he came out of the bathroom and explained somewhat helplessly, “I just asked, there really are no compartments available for exchange. We…”
“This place is fine,” the young man interrupted the man’s concerns, “It’s just a double bed. It’s just a double bed, and it’s not like we haven’t slept in one before. Didn’t we also spend the night in the big bed in room 1719 of the hotel. It’s okay, I’m not that particular.”
Dijia: “…”
‘Can that be the same?’
In the hotel, it was just for one night, and that night they experienced a lot; neither of them slept well.
But here, it’s different. They will be together in this enclosed room for three days and three nights.
How is that any different from a honeymoon?
Dijia shook off the inappropriate and weird thoughts in his mind. “Well, it can only be like this. I won’t make this mistake again when we come back.”
A loud whistle rang out, and the train slowly started moving.
As it was a travel train, its speed wasn’t high.
Actually, it was an old-fashioned train modified into this, so it couldn’t run fast, probably to squeeze out the last bit of value from the old train.
Despite the slow speed and the slightly bumpy ride, the old-fashioned train had its merits. The windows could be rolled down, and the doors could be opened, allowing passengers to step onto the narrow deck outside and feel the refreshing breeze.
Bai Lixin walked to the window to look outside.
This train seemed quite popular; when they boarded, the platform was lively and crowded. His only regret was not seeing Zhou Guang and Li Cangshan among these people.
The little black furry monster said that he could meet Zhou Guang and Li Cangshan in the fifth game.
He didn’t know if he missed them at this station or if they would board at another platform.
As the train started, people on the platform began to disperse.
Dijia: “We are now preparing to leave X City. The scenery along the way is nothing special. If you feel bored, you can wander around the train. To keep passengers entertained, the travel company put some effort into the train’s décor. We are currently in the third carriage, and in the fourth carriage, there’s a dining room and a leisure area.”
Bai Lixin planned to explore other carriages, hoping to find Zhou Guang and Li Cangshan.
After packing up, Dijia still had some work to handle so he took out his laptop, sat at the desk, and started working. Bai Lixin had nothing to do, so he took his ticket and walked out.
All the compartments in the third carriage were first-class, with a long corridor covered in high-quality carpet. The windows provided a clear view outside.
Even in the high-end carriage, the corridor was quite narrow, just enough for a single person. If two people met face to face, they would most likely need to sidestep to pass each other.
The scenery in X City wasn’t particularly attractive. Train stations are usually built in areas far from the city center, surrounded by either old buildings or farmland.
Bai Lixin glanced at the old houses flying by outside the window, then turned and went towards the fourth carriage.
After walking for a short while, the door at the end of the carriage opened, and someone walked in.
The person was dragging luggage, checking their ticket while searching around. It seemed they were a guest in the first-class carriage.
As the two approached, Bai Lixin discreetly assessed the person.
A young man of not-too-advanced age, tall with long legs, dressed casually, appearing to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
He was initially focused on finding the compartment and didn’t notice Bai Lixin. As they got closer, he turned with an apologetic expression, “Sorry, I was too busy looking for my compartment, and I…”
Midway through the young man’s words, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he stiffened for a moment.
Then he quickly regained his composure, and smiled dryly, “I’ll make way for you; you can go first.”
Bai Lixin looked at the young man thoughtfully and then turned to walk towards the fourth carriage.
Judging by the young man’s expression, he seemed to know him.
But was it him he recognized? Now in the eyes of outsiders, did he have Xiao Tou’s face or his own face?
So, this man knew Xiao Tou?
Bai Lixin stopped the young man, “Which room are you looking for? Do you need help?”
The young man happened to stop in front of a door. Bai Lixin glanced at the room number, A-3.
Smiling at Bai Lixin, the young man said, “No need, I’ve found it. But thanks for offering to help.”
Bai Lixin narrowed his eyes, “You seemed surprised when you saw me just now. Do we know each other?”
“No, no, we don’t,” the young man waved his hands nervously, “You look a lot like a friend of mine. I got a bit confused for a moment. But you can’t be him.”
Bai Lixin frowned, “Why are you so sure I can’t be him?”
The young man scratched his head, “Uh, well… because my friend died a few years ago, and I helped with the funeral.”
Bai Lixin asked, “How did he die?”
An awkward expression appeared on the young man’s face, “Sorry, I don’t want to talk about that topic. By the way, are you also a guest in the first-class carriage?”
Bai Lixin nodded, “Yes, I’m in A-1.”
“Haha, great! Can I visit you when I have free time? This journey will take three days and three nights, and it gets boring staying alone.”
Bai Lixin glanced at the young man’s luggage and the camera bag hanging on it, “Are you a photographer?”
The young man smiled shyly, “You could say that. Actually, I’m a location scout. People hire me, and I capture beautiful scenery for them. This time, someone paid me handsomely to shoot a series of landscapes with the theme of ‘Green Wonderland’ on this journey. The client is quite generous, not only were they generous, they also provided me with a first-class carriage. Otherwise, with my financial situation, I wouldn’t be willing to stay in a first-class carriage.”
“It’s not that I can’t afford it, but I feel it’s unnecessary to waste money on such things. I’m quite comfortable in a second-class carriage, there’s no need for a first-class carriage.”
The young man kept talking, perhaps suddenly realizing he was being a bit verbose, he smiled with embarrassment, “Sorry, I got carried away when I saw you, and unintentionally spoke too much, wasting your time.”
“It doesn’t matter, this trip was originally for leisure, and there’s not much else going on. I’m Bai Lixin, may I ask for your name?”
The young man replied, “I’m Li Qiuzhi, but everyone likes to call me ‘Zhiliao.’ I also quite like this name. Just call me ‘Zhiliao.’”
Bai Lixin smiled, “Hello, Zhiliao, nice to meet you. I hope you have a pleasant journey this time.”
“By the way, I have a question. Is your friend named Zhai Tuo?”
Zhiliao shook his head in confusion, “Zhai Tuo? I’ve never heard of that name. My friend goes by a different name. Sorry, brother, I’m a bit tired. I’ll go rest for a while. See you.”
After bidding farewell to Li Qiuzhi, Bai Lixin turned and walked towards the fourth carriage.
Upon reaching the fourth carriage, the polished glass reflected Bai Lixin’s striking and aggressively attractive facial features.
He hesitated for a moment, and stared at his reflection in the glass.
If his friend wasn’t called Zhai Tuo, could it be that his face had changed again after entering this train?
[A man changes once he’s home,] s419 muttered silently, [When clearing copies, when do you ever peacefully head home this early? It’s not even nine yet, Lord Host. Ah, love makes people blind.]
When Bai Lixin returned home, he saw the commercial car that Dijia had driven out in the morning. He held his forehead and chuckled. His eyes softened instantly. [Love also makes people more gentle and stronger, but it’s definitely not a bad thing. My husband is waiting at home, how can I stay out all night?]
S419: [Hmph.]
Bai Lixin pushed the door open and walked in. Dijia was sitting on the living room sofa watching TV.
The windbreaker hung on the coat rack, and Bai Lixin could only see the man’s back.
He wore a dark gray shirt, and his arms were resting on the sofa’s armrest, making his already broad back appear more robust. The shirt couldn’t completely hide the man’s well-built physique. Bai Lixin could even vaguely see the muscular lines through the shirt.
‘So good-looking.’
Bai Lixin walked over and sat next to Dijia, speaking casually, “When did you get home?”
The TV was playing a travel documentary. Dijia glanced at Bai Lixin, “About five or six minutes before you. You’re back, have some fruit.”
Bai Lixin picked up a sugar orange from the fruit tray and started peeling it. As he peeled, his attention shifted to the TV.
The documentary showcased a train trip, and the camera captured the excited eyes of the tourists. Then the camera turned to the outside, revealing a vast, shimmering lake surrounded by greenery.
“Is this the train trip you mentioned on the phone?” Bai Lixin asked. His slender fingers quickly peeled a sugar orange, split it open from the middle after removing the meridians, and naturally handed it to Dijia’s mouth. “It looks pretty good.”
Dijia stared at the sugar orange in front of him for two seconds, then he opened his mouth to take a bite. His lips accidentally brushed against the young man’s smooth fingertips, and Dijia couldn’t decide if the sugar orange in his mouth was sweeter or if the young man’s finger on his lips was more fragrant.
Juice burst in his mouth, swallowed down the throat, and then Dijia spoke, “It’s quite good.”
Bai Lixin: “Is it sweet?”
Dijia nodded, “Sweet.”
‘The fingers are sweet.’
This documentary was filmed on a speeding train. It could be seen that the filmmaker has excellent skills. Even on the bumpy train, the footage remained stable and beautiful. The sunlight outside the train was bright, the sky blue, the water clear, and the trees green – just like a paradise.
Dijia pointed at the lake on the TV, “This is Qingcheng Lake, also one of the highlights of this route. The train travels from here to the northern border, taking a total of three days, with three stops along the way.”
Bai Lixin: “What’s the significance of people choosing train travel? Sitting in a train and unable to sightsee freely doesn’t seem like a good choice. The train is not only bumpy but also has narrow space.”
“Wait, and you’ll see,” Dijia picked up the remote control, fast-forwarding about ten minutes of the documentary’s duration, and stopping when the scene suddenly changed.
The train entered a tunnel, and the surroundings instantly turned into a blue ocean.
Bai Lixin blinked.
This train tunnel actually led to the sea.
A long tunnel made of cylindrical transparent plastic formed a pathway, and fish swam around continuously. Those fish seemed so close that it felt like one could touch them if they reached out.
Dijia: “You are right, the train is bumpy and quite turbulent.”
“But in three days, you can appreciate all these landscapes. It’s challenging to achieve this with other methods.”
“Also, this train is divided into graded compartments: first-class, middle-class, and economy, catering to various preferences.”
Dijia looked at Bai Lixin, “There’s more; let me show you the rest.”
After saying that, he dragged the progress bar again.
The scene changed again, and this time, instead of the underwater world, the train was passing through a forest of cherry blossoms.
A few seconds later, the surrounding green suddenly turned into a sea of pink. The train’s windows were open, allowing many petals to blow in.
If the previous underwater world was immersive, this cherry blossom forest was completely assimilated.
“Up ahead is a station, a big one. The train will stop there for about two hours. And this station is located within this cherry blossom forest; many tourists come for this cherry blossom forest.”
“We’re just watching from the screen, but if we were on-site, they say we would continuously smell a faint floral fragrance along this route.”
“This train will eventually stop at the foot of the snowy Cang Mountains, another famous tourist attraction. Many people stay and explore for a while before taking the return train.”
The man spoke a lot today. After carefully introducing the itinerary map of the train trip, he asked, “Are you interested?”
Bai Lixin nodded, “It’s quite good, I really like it.”
“So, shall we go?” the man asked. “There’s a train the day after tomorrow. I’ve got two first-class tickets in a private compartment. This train runs only once a month, and now is the best weather. If we wait until next month, the scenery will be significantly discounted due to the colder weather.”
After speaking, he looked at Bai Lixin with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Bai Lixin felt conflicted.
He wanted to agree with Dijia, but he hadn’t forgotten that he was currently in the midst of a game. Although he speculated that this sudden train trip might be related to the train mentioned in the first game, it was just speculation.
He wasn’t a fortune-teller; he couldn’t guess right every time. In case he boarded the train and the little black furry monster suddenly appeared, instructing him to go somewhere, he might not be able to complete the task.
However…
He couldn’t bear to refuse Dijia either.
After all, who could resist a big German shepherd wagging its tail?
But Bai Lixin’s dilemma didn’t last long. The timely appearance of the little black furry monster solved his worries.
“Heeheehee,” it was the familiar opening and the familiar scent. The little black furry monster blinked its big eyes in front of Bai Lixin. “Not bad, lucky player! I didn’t expect you to complete the fourth game so quickly. I underestimated you!”
“But don’t be too happy, the real challenge is just beginning!”
“In two days, a train will depart from this city! This will be the arena for your final game. After completing this game, you will go back to your game lobby with enviable rewards. However, if the game fails, you’ll be forever stuck on that train forever!”
“The tickets for that train are hard to come by; you’ll have to figure out a way to get tickets for that train. This is also one of your challenges.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you, the name of that train is xx-4948.”
‘4948…if it’s to die, let it die.…what kind of bullshit homophone is this? It’s too ominous.’
Bai Lixin looked at the little black furry monster, then at Dijia on the opposite side. “Uh, let me ask, what is the identification number of this train?”
Dijia frowned slightly, then rewound the TV’s footage to the beginning. A train with a somewhat British style gradually approached from a third-person perspective. At the front of the train, a row of numbers was prominently displayed.
—XX-4948.
Bai Lixin quickly gave his answer, “Let’s go, we must go!”
‘Heh! My sixth sense was indeed unmatched!’
…
There was a significant temperature difference from this city to the far north.
The next day, they prepared essential clothing, medicines, and other items, almost busying themselves for a whole day.
Even if they left for several days, there was no need to worry about the house. They could entrust everything to the AI robot.
The train was scheduled to depart at nine in the morning, and the driver and secretary sent them to the train station early the next morning.
The secretary looked at Bai Lixin, then at Dijia, who had changed into casual clothes, and he blushed uncontrollably.
‘You say you are just friends but you pamper him and take him on a train trip – is this what adult romance is about?’
‘Who said President Dijia was a stone that oil couldn’t be squeezed out of? Isn’t he too good?
A bumpy train with unfamiliar passengers and cramped compartments. isn’t this the easiest place to foster an illicit affair?!’
Dijia frowned at his strange secretary, coldly saying, “Once you put the things in the compartment, you can leave.”
As the sought-after sponsor, the travel company prepared the most luxurious compartment for Dijia on this train. There was even a huge window, almost floor-to-ceiling, allowing a clear view of the outside scenery without going outside.
Bai Lixin walked into the compartment and surveyed the surroundings.
Indeed, money can make the devil turn the grindstone; with enough money, you can even carve flowers from the cracks in the stone.
This room could rightfully be called the presidential suite, with a luxurious king-sized bed, high-end carpets, and opulent decorations. It screamed luxury.
‘Wait a moment. Luxurious king-sized bed?’
Bai Lixin’s gaze finally settled on the sole large bed.
Delicate red roses were scattered on the big white bed, which was ambiguous no matter how you looked at it.
Dijia was also dumbfounded, recalling the somewhat ambiguous smile of the travel company’s president when he requested two first-class tickets.
That clever guy.
To prevent any misunderstanding, Dijia quickly explained, “I didn’t know it was a couple’s room. Let me find the hotel manager and change the room!”
He took out his phone, dialed the number on the opposite side, and said, “Hello, there’s been a mistake with the room. I didn’t ask for a couple’s room. Can we change it?”
The person on the other side paused for a moment, and then said in a rather ambiguous tone, “Oh, change rooms? I understand, I understand.”
Then the other person lowered his voice and said, “Is your lover feeling shy? No problem, consider it done.”
The next second, the voice on the other end became louder again, “Sorry, President Dijia, there are few first-class compartments, and they’ve been booked for a long time! Not only are the first-class compartments sold out, but the second-class compartments are also long gone!”
Dijia’s hand holding the phone trembled slightly.
‘You understand nothing!’
He glanced at Bai Lixin cautiously, and silently entered the bathroom to make the call.
Two minutes later, he came out of the bathroom and explained somewhat helplessly, “I just asked, there really are no compartments available for exchange. We…”
“This place is fine,” the young man interrupted the man’s concerns, “It’s just a double bed. It’s just a double bed, and it’s not like we haven’t slept in one before. Didn’t we also spend the night in the big bed in room 1719 of the hotel. It’s okay, I’m not that particular.”
Dijia: “…”
‘Can that be the same?’
In the hotel, it was just for one night, and that night they experienced a lot; neither of them slept well.
But here, it’s different. They will be together in this enclosed room for three days and three nights.
How is that any different from a honeymoon?
Dijia shook off the inappropriate and weird thoughts in his mind. “Well, it can only be like this. I won’t make this mistake again when we come back.”
A loud whistle rang out, and the train slowly started moving.
As it was a travel train, its speed wasn’t high.
Actually, it was an old-fashioned train modified into this, so it couldn’t run fast, probably to squeeze out the last bit of value from the old train.
Despite the slow speed and the slightly bumpy ride, the old-fashioned train had its merits. The windows could be rolled down, and the doors could be opened, allowing passengers to step onto the narrow deck outside and feel the refreshing breeze.
Bai Lixin walked to the window to look outside.
This train seemed quite popular; when they boarded, the platform was lively and crowded. His only regret was not seeing Zhou Guang and Li Cangshan among these people.
The little black furry monster said that he could meet Zhou Guang and Li Cangshan in the fifth game.
He didn’t know if he missed them at this station or if they would board at another platform.
As the train started, people on the platform began to disperse.
Dijia: “We are now preparing to leave X City. The scenery along the way is nothing special. If you feel bored, you can wander around the train. To keep passengers entertained, the travel company put some effort into the train’s décor. We are currently in the third carriage, and in the fourth carriage, there’s a dining room and a leisure area.”
Bai Lixin planned to explore other carriages, hoping to find Zhou Guang and Li Cangshan.
After packing up, Dijia still had some work to handle so he took out his laptop, sat at the desk, and started working. Bai Lixin had nothing to do, so he took his ticket and walked out.
All the compartments in the third carriage were first-class, with a long corridor covered in high-quality carpet. The windows provided a clear view outside.
Even in the high-end carriage, the corridor was quite narrow, just enough for a single person. If two people met face to face, they would most likely need to sidestep to pass each other.
The scenery in X City wasn’t particularly attractive. Train stations are usually built in areas far from the city center, surrounded by either old buildings or farmland.
Bai Lixin glanced at the old houses flying by outside the window, then turned and went towards the fourth carriage.
After walking for a short while, the door at the end of the carriage opened, and someone walked in.
The person was dragging luggage, checking their ticket while searching around. It seemed they were a guest in the first-class carriage.
As the two approached, Bai Lixin discreetly assessed the person.
A young man of not-too-advanced age, tall with long legs, dressed casually, appearing to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
He was initially focused on finding the compartment and didn’t notice Bai Lixin. As they got closer, he turned with an apologetic expression, “Sorry, I was too busy looking for my compartment, and I…”
Midway through the young man’s words, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he stiffened for a moment.
Then he quickly regained his composure, and smiled dryly, “I’ll make way for you; you can go first.”
Bai Lixin looked at the young man thoughtfully and then turned to walk towards the fourth carriage.
Judging by the young man’s expression, he seemed to know him.
But was it him he recognized? Now in the eyes of outsiders, did he have Xiao Tou’s face or his own face?
So, this man knew Xiao Tou?
Bai Lixin stopped the young man, “Which room are you looking for? Do you need help?”
The young man happened to stop in front of a door. Bai Lixin glanced at the room number, A-3.
Smiling at Bai Lixin, the young man said, “No need, I’ve found it. But thanks for offering to help.”
Bai Lixin narrowed his eyes, “You seemed surprised when you saw me just now. Do we know each other?”
“No, no, we don’t,” the young man waved his hands nervously, “You look a lot like a friend of mine. I got a bit confused for a moment. But you can’t be him.”
Bai Lixin frowned, “Why are you so sure I can’t be him?”
The young man scratched his head, “Uh, well… because my friend died a few years ago, and I helped with the funeral.”
Bai Lixin asked, “How did he die?”
An awkward expression appeared on the young man’s face, “Sorry, I don’t want to talk about that topic. By the way, are you also a guest in the first-class carriage?”
Bai Lixin nodded, “Yes, I’m in A-1.”
“Haha, great! Can I visit you when I have free time? This journey will take three days and three nights, and it gets boring staying alone.”
Bai Lixin glanced at the young man’s luggage and the camera bag hanging on it, “Are you a photographer?”
The young man smiled shyly, “You could say that. Actually, I’m a location scout. People hire me, and I capture beautiful scenery for them. This time, someone paid me handsomely to shoot a series of landscapes with the theme of ‘Green Wonderland’ on this journey. The client is quite generous, not only were they generous, they also provided me with a first-class carriage. Otherwise, with my financial situation, I wouldn’t be willing to stay in a first-class carriage.”
“It’s not that I can’t afford it, but I feel it’s unnecessary to waste money on such things. I’m quite comfortable in a second-class carriage, there’s no need for a first-class carriage.”
The young man kept talking, perhaps suddenly realizing he was being a bit verbose, he smiled with embarrassment, “Sorry, I got carried away when I saw you, and unintentionally spoke too much, wasting your time.”
“It doesn’t matter, this trip was originally for leisure, and there’s not much else going on. I’m Bai Lixin, may I ask for your name?”
The young man replied, “I’m Li Qiuzhi, but everyone likes to call me ‘Zhiliao.’ I also quite like this name. Just call me ‘Zhiliao.’”
Bai Lixin smiled, “Hello, Zhiliao, nice to meet you. I hope you have a pleasant journey this time.”
“By the way, I have a question. Is your friend named Zhai Tuo?”
Zhiliao shook his head in confusion, “Zhai Tuo? I’ve never heard of that name. My friend goes by a different name. Sorry, brother, I’m a bit tired. I’ll go rest for a while. See you.”
After bidding farewell to Li Qiuzhi, Bai Lixin turned and walked towards the fourth carriage.
Upon reaching the fourth carriage, the polished glass reflected Bai Lixin’s striking and aggressively attractive facial features.
He hesitated for a moment, and stared at his reflection in the glass.
If his friend wasn’t called Zhai Tuo, could it be that his face had changed again after entering this train?
