This time, boarding the train wasn't as easy as when she'd returned.
Of course, the return journey hadn't been particularly simple either, but it was at least better than now.
As the year end approached, the population of the entire nation was migrating from corner to corner, to and fro, the crowds dense and swarming everywhere. Even at this remote, decrepit train station, starting her journey, He Qing had struggled immensely to get on board. God knows it had been perilously close when she bought her ticket, but fortunately, with good character, she had successfully snagged the last seat!
By then, she felt that there were advantages to the station's decrepitude; as a starting point, there weren't as many people on the train as in the developed cities. Though the aisle was still crowded, she could, at least, navigate through it.
This time, she sat on the side with seats for two, facing three young girls.
