Chapter 23: Jumping off the Train

"Dahua, I bet someone went through your books and highlighted the key points for you. Let me borrow them."

"Here!"

Hearing Li Aiguo's words, Zhang Dahua didn't hesitate for a second. She stuffed a steamed corn bun into her mouth, opened her canvas bag, and handed him a notebook.

Li Aiguo took it and scanned it. He realized that, given his current level, the questions in the notebook were actually quite simple.

Relieved, he handed the notebook back. "Thanks, Zhang Dahua."

"What kind of relationship do we have? Why are you being so polite! It would be even better if you could give me two corn buns."

"Sorry, I didn't bring any dry rations today."

"I was just joking. Given our relationship, I'd help you even without the corn buns."

Zhang Dahua feigned indifference, casually pulled another corn bun from her canvas bag, and went back to munching on it.

Judging by how bulging her bag was, there were at least seven or eight more buns inside.

Li Aiguo was used to this. He squatted on the ground and narrowed his eyes slightly.

A moment later, a loud whistle sounded.

The friction between the wheels and the rails produced a loud, screeching noise.

Li Aiguo felt the train begin to move.

The journey was only about twenty li, and in the blink of an eye, the train slowed down. Brick walls could be seen on both sides of the tracks.

On the brick walls, slogans painted in white lime read: 'Exert full effort, strive for excellence, and build the motherland better with more, speed, quality, and economy.'

The train's speed continued to drop until it was nearly ten yards per hour.

The train captain, Cao Wenzhi, stubbed out his cigarette and stood by the door, waving to the carriage. "Quick, we're almost at the main section. Everyone, get over here! If you're late, you boys will have to walk the rest of the way on your own two legs."

The students from the railway school were no strangers to jumping off moving trains. They lined up and jumped off one after another, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

Jumping from a high platform is something anyone can do, much like diving into water.

But landing without making a splash was not so simple.

Some students landed hard on their butts, while others stumbled and ran a few steps to steady themselves.

Zhang Dahua had the most professional form.

She took a couple of running steps, charged forward like she was performing a long jump, and landed firmly on the ground with a standard posture, without even a single wobble.

This was a case of "strength overcoming skill"—as long as you ran fast enough, the train couldn't catch you.

"Perfect!"

After landing steadily, Zhang Dahua put her hands on her hips and let out a loud shout, looking quite proud of herself.

However, when she saw Li Aiguo land lightly on the ground with a graceful "hawk-flip" maneuver, her expression instantly dimmed.

Cao Wenzhi, the train captain who was busy calling the students to assemble, had a flash of admiration in his eyes.

As an old train driver, he understood the technical difficulty of that leap better than anyone.

To jump down like Zhang Dahua, one only needed enough strength and speed.

But to land as lightly and gracefully as Li Aiguo—that required years of practice.

Liu Erfeng, who had been staring at Li Aiguo, twitched his mouth and turned his head away, pretending not to see.

*Slap!*

Liu Erfeng took a smack to the forehead.

He rubbed his head and glared at Zhang Dahua. "Zhang Dahua, how did I offend you?"

"Nothing. I just think you look too shady, and it makes me feel uncomfortable."

Zhang Dahua put on an "it is what it is" attitude, and Liu Erfeng truly couldn't do anything about her.

His sister was the director of the Education Office, but Zhang Dahua's grandfather was a veteran of the main workshop; even the bureau leaders had to call him "Master."

A mere director of the Education Office was nothing to mention.

Liu Erfeng gave a sheepish smile, rubbed his sore head, and quietly retreated to the side.

Zhang Dahua jerked her chin toward Li Aiguo and held up two fingers, signaling: *I just stood up for you, so you owe me two corn buns.*

Li Aiguo looked helpless, gave a thumbs-up, and nodded.

"Alright, everyone, keep your heads down and follow me. Don't let the track inspectors from the main section see you."

After taking roll call, Cao Wenzhi signaled the students to walk along the tracks toward the workshop with their backs hunched.

He said "don't let them see," but they were only a few hundred meters from the main workshop. The leaders of the main workshop could see everything clearly from their offices.

They were all railway people; who hadn't jumped off a train a few times?

Hunching over was just a matter of mutual courtesy.

When Cao Wenzhi led the candidates to the meeting point, he didn't see Liu Chunhua.

He lifted his wrist to check the time, and his rugged, dark face immediately darkened.

"The exam is about to start, and Director Liu hasn't arrived. We won't wait for her."

Liu Erfeng, who had been hiding nearby, crept over. "Don't do that, Master Cao. Director Liu isn't here yet. She's the director of the Education Office, and she was supposed to lead the team for this exam. Don't you think we should wait a bit longer?"

"What, so if Director Liu doesn't show up today, all these candidates just won't take the exam?" Cao Wenzhi frowned.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just thought we should wait, after all, Director Liu is..."

"Drop it!"

Cao Wenzhi waved his hand at the candidates. "Let's go, everyone, into the exam hall."

Just then, a bicycle sped toward them, blocking their path. The rider was none other than Liu Chunhua.

In just a few short minutes, she had actually changed her hairstyle.

Her hair had gone from braided pigtails to long, flowing hair draped over her shoulders.

Li Aiguo could faintly smell the scent of shampoo.

Cosmetics did exist in this era. For instance, in the department stores in Beijing, one could buy Butterfly brand shampoo and Xie Fu Chun osmanthus oil produced by the Shanghai Family Industrial Cooperative.

However, they were expensive, and since women of this era valued the natural look of the working class, few people used cosmetics.

Liu Chunhua parked her bicycle, brushed back her hair, and gave a charming smile. "Sorry, I ran into an acquaintance on the way and chatted for a bit."

Cao Wenzhi also smelled the fragrance and frowned in dissatisfaction. "Director Liu, today's exam concerns the future of these children. I hope you can take it more seriously."

The smile vanished from Liu Chunhua's face, and she glared back indignantly. "How am I not taking it seriously? Besides, I'm not late, am I?"

Seeing the two about to argue, the candidates looked at each other uneasily.

One was the Director of the Education Office, in charge of ideological study, and the other was a Train Captain, in charge of a whole bunch of train drivers.

Neither was someone they could afford to offend.

Seeing that candidates from other sections had already begun entering the hall, Li Aiguo stepped forward and said with a smile, "Two leaders, the exam is about to start. Can we enter the hall now?"

"Ah, right, right, right. I almost forgot about that."

Cao Wenzhi scratched his head and waved his hand. "Everyone, enter the hall."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Chunhua hurried to the front, leading the candidates toward the exam hall.

Watching Liu Chunhua's fleshy hips swaying in the sunlight, Cao Wenzhi spat on the ground. "Just because some bureau leaders are coming to inspect the exam hall today, you're acting like such a vixen."

Liu Erfeng, trailing behind, heard this, and his face turned as dark as ink.

(End of Chapter)