roccoschili Chapter 127 The plan cannot keep up with the changes
Chapter 127 The plan cannot keep up with the changes
An elderly couple strolled leisurely through the park, chatting as they passed by. The man clicked his tongue softly, "Young people these days are so open-minded." The woman replied sentimentally, "They're dating, they look so well-matched. Let's hurry on and not disturb them."
Upon hearing the sound, Wang Jie and Zhou Yanruo almost simultaneously released their embrace and sat up a little awkwardly. A blush unconsciously rose on their faces; the elderly couple's presence had inadvertently stirred up feelings of youthful shyness and awkwardness within them.
Wang Jie coughed softly, trying to conceal his subtle emotions, and looked at Zhou Yanruo with tenderness. "Ruoruo, I came in a hurry this time, so I won't go to see Professor Yang, is that alright?"
Zhou Yanruo tidied her hair, recalling how Wang Jie had run away in fright at the gates of Tsinghua and Peking Universities, and couldn't help but laugh. "Why were you so nervous? Don't expect to see my mom so easily in the future. But, seeing how hard you've worked today, I'll grant your request this time."
"By the way, where are you staying tonight? Have you booked a hotel?"
"I booked a hotel near the train station for two nights."
Zhou Yanruo said softly, with a hint of reluctance, "Oh, so you're going back to Xichuan on Sunday?"
Wang Jie explained, "I bought a train ticket for Sunday night, so I can stay in Beijing for both Saturday and Sunday. You don't have classes these two days, right?"
Zhou Yanruo nodded, "Yes, I don't have any classes these two days, so we can spend a good two days together."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Yanruo sighed softly again.
Wang Jie asked with concern, "Why did you suddenly sigh?"
"Before you came, I looked forward to it every day. Now that you're finally here, I'm thinking that you'll be going back in a couple of days, and I don't know when we'll see each other again." Zhou Yanruo's words were tinged with melancholy as she lamented the parting after their brief reunion.
Wang Jie gently took Zhou Yanruo's hand, stroking it softly, and comforted her, "Don't overthink it. Let's plan how to spend these next few days. Tell me, where are you planning to take me? Besides, I'm not going abroad until the end of the year, so I still have two and a half months. I do have a plan, do you want to hear it?"
Zhou Yanruo was delighted by Wang Jie's words, "What plan? Tell me, tell me quickly."
"I'd like to enroll in an English conversation course in Beijing for two months of intensive training to improve my spoken English."
"You mean you're going to come to the capital to attend cram schools?"
"There is such a plan."
“That’s great! That way, we can be together before you go abroad.” Zhou Yanruo said excitedly, her voice clear and bright. “I can help you find an oral English training class. I’ll talk to my mom tonight and ask her to help me find a reliable training school.”
"No, no need to trouble Professor Yang, I can find it myself. I can't decide yet, I need to discuss it with my grandfather when I get back to Xichuan."
"Grandpa will definitely support you, it's no big deal."
“Grandpa hasn’t been feeling well these days and needs someone to take care of him. I asked Jian Zheng to help me look after him when I came to Beijing this time.” “Oh, that’s true. But, as you always say, ‘there’s always a way,’ right? At worst, we can bring Grandpa to Beijing with us and find a good hospital to see a doctor.”
“That’s a good idea. I was just thinking of taking Grandpa to see a doctor before I go abroad.”
“Let’s do it this way.” Zhou Yanruo’s smile returned. “Tonight, I’ll take you to the central square. The night view there is especially beautiful, and it’s close to the train station. After that, you should get some rest, and we’ll go to the Royal Gardens tomorrow.”
Wang Jie smiled and agreed, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say, 'Landlord'."
Zhou Yanruo punched Wang Jie, "Don't be annoying, what landlord? It sounds like someone who's fat and stupid."
As the two were talking, Wang Jie's pager suddenly went off. He took the pager out of his pocket and said with a smile, "It must be Jian Zheng. I promised him I would text him as soon as I got my visa, I almost forgot. He also asked me to give you my regards and congratulate you on achieving your wish."
He turned on his pager and, sure enough, it was a message from Jian Zheng. After glancing at the message, Wang Jie's smile froze instantly, and his expression turned serious.
Seeing this, Zhou Yanruo quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
Wang Jie handed the pager to Zhou Yanruo. She looked down and saw on the screen: "Grandpa is critically ill, return immediately."
Zhou Yanruo exclaimed, "What should we do? Wang Jie, you need to get back to Xichuan right away!"
Wang Jie paused for a moment, then suddenly stood up. "Yes, I have to go back. I'll go to the train station to buy a ticket right away."
"Wang Jie, Wang Jie, don't panic. You might not be able to buy tickets now. In Beijing, you need to buy tickets at least three days in advance."
"I'll go to the train station first; maybe someone will cancel their ticket."
Zhou Yanruo also stood up. "Okay, you go to the train station first, I'll go home and talk to my mom to think of a solution, and we'll meet at the train station tonight."
"Okay, that's all. See you in a bit." Wang Jie turned and left...
When Wang Jie arrived at the train station, it was already past 4 PM. He found the ticket window, where a train timetable was posted on the wall above it. He looked for the Beijing-Shanghai line; the earliest departure time was 7:50 PM, with Haicheng as the final stop—a direct express train taking 17 hours. He then checked the intermediate stops and found no Xichuan station. Taking the slow train he had taken there, which departed at 10:15 PM, would take 21 hours and he wouldn't arrive in Xichuan until the following evening.
Wang Jie had already planned on his way here: he would choose the next train that departed, and if he couldn't buy a ticket, he would buy a platform ticket, board the train first, and then try to buy a full ticket later. Since the express train didn't have a Xichuan station, it seemed he would have to buy a ticket for a slow train.
Just then, a man and a woman turned to leave from the ticket window. The man was cursing under his breath: "Damn it! What kind of bullshit rules are these? They change every day. Why aren't they selling platform tickets anymore?"
The woman followed behind and asked, "Why can't we take them anymore? What are we going to do with all of Mom and Dad's luggage?"
The man angrily said, "How the hell should I know what to do? You always pack them a lot of stuff, big bags and small bags every time. You might as well just move our whole house away."
The woman retorted loudly, "Why are you yelling at me? You won't let me see you off at the station, so why are you taking it out on me?"
Wang Jie wondered if the Beijing-Shanghai line was no longer selling platform tickets. He leaned closer to the window and said, "I'd like to buy a platform ticket for the 10:15 train."
Ticket seller: "We don't have platform tickets."
Wang Jie then asked, "Aren't you selling platform tickets anymore? Why aren't you selling them?"
Ticket seller: "It's the rule."
Just as Wang Jie was about to ask another question, the ticket seller suddenly pulled down the window panel, which read "Tickets Sold Out".
Just as he was getting anxious, his pager went off. He was startled, fearing it was a bad message from Jian Zheng. Looking down, he was relieved to see it was from Zhou Yanruo: "I found the tickets. We'll meet at the ticket office in half an hour at the train station."
Wang Jie breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that he should contact Jian Zheng.
He found a public phone, sent a message to Jian Zheng, and waited for him to call back.
A moment later, Jian Zheng called. "Wang Jie, when can you get back?" Jian Zheng asked anxiously as soon as the call connected.
Wang Jie said, "I'm at the train station right now, but I haven't gotten my ticket yet. I probably won't be able to get on the train to Xichuan until tomorrow night. How is Grandpa?"
Jian Zheng said in a low voice, "Grandpa's condition is very bad. You should hurry back. If you're too late, I'm afraid... You just said you haven't bought a ticket yet?"
Wang Jie said, "Zhou Yanruo said she found the ticket through someone, but I haven't received it yet. I'm waiting for her to come over at the train station."