After leaving the Yu family’s house, Baolan carried a basket on her arm, and Dingqing carried one too. Aside from a change of clothes, the rest were gifts prepared by Aunt Lingzhi: eggs, a bit of brown sugar, and the peach pastries Dingqing had bought yesterday.
Dingqing happily hooked her arm through Baolan’s as they walked out together.
Once they had gone some distance, Baolan poked her. “What did you promise me yesterday?”
Dingqing grinned. “If I hadn’t said that yesterday, would I have been able to come out with you today? Anyway, my parents agreed! My mom even gave me five yuan. I’ve got eleven here—add your fourteen, and we’ve got a grand total of twenty-five yuan!”
“It’s my first time holding this much money,” she added.
Baolan was infected by her excitement and said, a little energized, “Me too!”
“Then let’s take a boat to the town?”
Baolan gritted her teeth. “We’ll take the boat.”
The two took a boat to the town first, went to the goods depot, and sold the twenty fresh eggs Dingqing had brought, earning fifty-four cents.
Then they went to the pier and took another boat to Qingjiang County. Only from Qingjiang County could they catch a boat or bus to Mingfeng City.
This time, the wooden boat was bigger than the small three-plank boats on the Taoxi River. It could carry more than a dozen passengers at once. The boat was state-owned, and the fare was more reasonable than the private boats on the Tao River—only five cents per person.
Baolan felt that she had been the one who stirred Dingqing’s desire to go to the city, so she took responsibility for her safety, holding tightly onto her arm the whole way and never letting her out of sight.
In fact, Dingqing was a few months older than Baolan.
After arriving in the county town, the two went straight to the ferry ticket hall to buy tickets to the city.
Both of them could read, so they quickly found the ticket window for Mingfeng City. Baolan prepared the introduction letter and money, nervously inching forward with the line.
“Dingqing, hold onto my clothes.”
“I am.”
When it was Baolan’s turn, she handed over the introduction letter with trembling hands. “Comrade, two tickets to Mingfeng City.”
Two young girls looking tense and trying hard to appear alert—there was clearly nothing suspicious about them. The ticket seller only glanced briefly at the letter. “Seventy-nine cents and two li per person. Two tickets—one yuan fifty-eight.”
Baolan quickly counted out the money and handed it over, receiving two tickets in return.
“Phew.” Clutching the tickets, she whispered to Dingqing, “I thought it’d cost two or three yuan per person. Thank goodness—it’s cheaper than I expected.”
Dingqing said casually, “Then our money is more than enough.”
Baolan immediately covered her mouth. “Shh, shh, shh!”
Dingqing’s eyes curved as she smiled and nodded rapidly like a pecking chick.
It was their first time taking such a “proper” passenger ship, and they wished they could look at every corner of the station.
Following the signs and the crowd, they walked all the way to the pier to wait for the ship.
At ten o’clock, the ship arrived, and the two of them boarded the passenger ferry bound for Mingfeng City, holding hands.
Only when they stood on the deck did it truly sink in—they were actually sneaking off to Mingfeng City behind their parents’ backs.
It felt unbelievable.
Baolan and Dingqing clutched each other’s arms, finding everything fascinating.
“Baolan, are you nervous?” Dingqing asked.
“A little.”
“You can’t tell at all! I’m so nervous.”
Baolan: “…” She really couldn’t see any sign that Dingqing was nervous at all.
Before long, a long whistle sounded over the river—the ship was about to depart.
The two country girls leaned on the railing, watching the pier gradually recede, the churning waves beneath the ship, and the lush green scenery along both banks.
“Oh my, it’s my first time realizing our mountains are so beautiful.”
“Exactly! Layers upon layers of mountains and forests, and so many wildflowers.”
From Qingjiang County to Mingfeng City, the boat ride took only one hour and fifteen minutes. Their tickets were for the general seating cabin with no berths, so there were no assigned seats. The two found an empty spot in the aisle. Baolan took out a handkerchief and spread it on the floor. “Come sit—there’s still a while to go.”
Dingqing set her basket beside her. “You sit. I’ll go look around.”
Baolan reached out. “Hey!”
But Dingqing had already twisted away and run off.
“…” Watching her disappear after a few turns, Baolan stamped her foot but didn’t dare leave, afraid Dingqing wouldn’t find her when she came back.
The aunt sitting across from her laughed. “Child, don’t worry. It’s very safe on this boat. There are transport police, and there’s a loudspeaker. If your sister can’t find her way back, they can make an announcement and you’ll meet up again.”
Hearing this, Baolan relaxed a little. “Alright, alright, that puts me at ease. If you hadn’t told me, Auntie, I wouldn’t have known how things worked here.”
“It’s your first time on a boat, right? It’s fine—you’ll get used to it after a few trips.”
The uncle lying half-reclined across from them propped his chin and added, “That’s right. Look at us—we’re just like at home.”
Baolan sat down, occasionally glancing toward where Dingqing had disappeared.
“Child, what are you going to Mingfeng for?” the aunt asked.
“To visit relatives. What about you, Auntie?”
With a hint of pride, the aunt said, “I’m going to join my youngest son. He graduated from a technical secondary school and was assigned to a job at the salt chemical plant. The boy’s filial—he said, ‘Mom, farming in the countryside is too hard. You must come live with us in the city.’”
The uncle chimed in, “Oh, your son’s already been assigned a work unit? That’s great. Studying really is good—the state assigns jobs.”
Hearing the word “job,” Baolan immediately perked up and joined in, “Auntie, your son is really capable. Getting into a technical secondary school means he must be very smart—he takes after you at a glance.”
The aunt was clearly pleased by the flattery and thought the girl spoke very nicely. Looking more closely, Baolan even had a face that suggested good fortune. If her son weren’t already married, she might have considered a match.
She lifted her chin slightly and said modestly, “Ah, we only know how to farm. It’s all thanks to his own efforts.”
“That’s also because you were willing to support him,” Baolan replied. “Where we’re from, there’s a family whose son got into a technical school, but they refused to pay the tuition and let him go. They wasted the child’s future for nothing.”
“What kind of parents are those? So short-sighted. That poor child, being born into such a family,” the aunt said.
“Exactly. Auntie, you’ll be enjoying life from now on. I’ve heard the benefits at salt factories are especially good.”
She didn’t actually know what the benefits were like, but praising it couldn’t go wrong.
Sure enough, the aunt looked proud.
The uncle added, “That’s right. The old salt factory used to be privately run—workers were treated worse than animals. After it became state-owned, things changed. Shifts follow strict schedules, wages are higher, and there are gifts during holidays.”
The aunt asked, “You seem knowledgeable, brother. Where do you work?”
The uncle waved it off. “Us? No work unit. Just doing hard labor at the docks.”
Baolan carefully observed his expression and noticed that although he spoke as if it were nothing, there was satisfaction and pride in his eyes. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Uncle, do you work at the port?”
She didn’t really know what kind of unit the docks or port belonged to—she just asked casually.
“Work? I’m just a temporary worker.”
“Temporary workers can become permanent—it’s all the same,” Baolan said enviously. “Uncle, are they still hiring at the docks?”
“They do need people,” the uncle said, looking her up and down before shaking his head. “But they only take men—for carrying loads. Girls like you won’t do.”
“So, girl, are you looking for a job?” the aunt asked.
Baolan nodded and smiled shyly. “I’m already this old. If I can find a job and earn money, I can help ease the burden on my parents. I’ve got a younger brother and sister still in school, and there are many expenses at home.”