The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Chapter 124 This peaceful and beautiful era.

On a train that wasn't during a holiday, the crowd was unexpectedly dense. The moment the train crossed the border of Jiangsu Province, the scene inside the carriages was astonishing. New passengers poured in, but there wasn't a single empty seat. The aisles were packed with luggage and exhausted passengers, leaving almost no room to move.

The space under the seats was transformed into makeshift "beds," with passengers huddled together, trying to find the most comfortable position possible. The train carriage resembled a giant sardine can, with everyone compressed like a canned fish, unable to move.

Sitting in his seat, Wang Jie looked at the chaotic and crowded scene before him and couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.

He held it in until his bladder felt like it was about to burst, then he finally stood up and squeezed through the luggage and crowd. Every step felt incredibly difficult, like charging into battle. He carefully avoided the passengers lying on the floor, afraid of stepping on them. Finally, he reached the restroom, only to find a long queue. He could only wait patiently until it was his turn.

During the next 21-hour drive, he tried to drink as little water as possible to reduce the frequency of needing to urinate, and each time he swallowed, it was as if he was telling himself to endure it.

After a long and arduous journey, Wang Jie finally arrived at the final stop in Beijing and got off the train.

He checked the time; it was 7:30 in the morning. It was still early. In the bathroom, he changed into a clean shirt that he had prepared beforehand, and then used the sink faucet to wash his hair. The fatigue from the night was instantly dispelled. Then, he dried his hair under the hand dryer.

He then stood in front of the mirror to examine himself. The reflection showed a refreshed, clean, and energetic face, a far cry from the disheveled appearance he had during his journey. At that moment, he was full of confidence.

Following the route I had planned in advance, I changed buses twice and arrived at the embassy's visa section at the agreed time...

The visa interview went smoothly. Apart from verifying his basic information, the visa officer didn't ask any other questions, and he didn't need to use the questions and answers he had prepared in advance.

Zhou Yanruo had been attending classes for a week. The students were all performing artists, and their lively personalities, coupled with their shared love of art and literature, made them quickly become acquainted.

Today is Friday, and there are no classes this afternoon. Most of the students in the class came to Beijing from other places, and some of them were here for the first time. So, they agreed to take advantage of this rare free time on the weekend and go for a stroll in the Royal Garden together.

This was the first reunion of the training program since its inception, but Zhou Yanruo couldn't attend. She had arranged to meet Wang Jie today, a meeting she had been looking forward to for a whole week.

She declined her classmates' invitations and decided to go see Wang Jie as soon as her morning classes ended.

The training center was located outside the city center, a bit far from the meeting place she had arranged with Wang Jie. Before leaving, Zhou Yanruo went to the restroom, and in the stall, she overheard a conversation between two female classmates.

One of the girls said, "Sigh, the locals just have a sense of superiority. They don't even participate in the first group activity."

Another girl responded, "She probably doesn't find it strange. She's from Beijing, so she's probably been to all sorts of places."

"But this is different. It's not just a trip for fun. Everyone wants to take this opportunity to get to know each other better so that we can work together more smoothly in the future, right?"

Zhou Yanruo didn't want to explain further; in her heart, nothing was more important than seeing Wang Jie.

She didn't come out of the cubicle until she heard the footsteps of the two girls fading into the distance.

Wang Jie sat on the No. 300 bus, which was traveling along the Third Ring Road. He turned his head to look out the window and admired the autumn scenery, as if he were in a distant world.

The morning's rush had left him no time to think about anything else. Only now, as he calmed down, did he realize that he had finally returned to Beijing. He had thought he would never be able to come back, but a simple train ticket had brought him back so easily. However, this was not the Beijing he remembered, but a Beijing of 1999 that he had never seen before.

The autumn scenery in Beijing is like a golden scroll painting, and the clear, crisp autumn air makes people feel exceptionally comfortable. There are few cars and pedestrians on the road, and people's faces do not show anxiety, but rather show calm smiles, often radiating happiness.

Compared to the capital city he knew, it was always bustling with people, the roads and sidewalks congested. Everyone's face was etched with weariness and desire, their eyes darting around, their bodies on high alert, ready to face any challenge life might throw at them.

Wang Jie couldn't help but smile. He felt extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to experience Beijing in 1999. He gradually grew to love this peaceful and beautiful era.

After getting off the bus at Xueyuan Road, following Zhou Yanruo's description, it was easy to find the "Qingxinzhai" restaurant on the side of the road. Such an elegant name, yet it was a home-style restaurant. The restaurant was not large, with about eight or nine square tables, and the decoration style matched the name "Qingxinzhai" very well, with an antique feel.

It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was quite crowded. Wang Jie looked around and found a relatively quiet spot facing the entrance. He estimated the time; Zhou Yanruo's morning classes would have ended around noon, and she wouldn't have arrived here from the suburbs by then.

As soon as we sat down, a waiter came over and asked, "How many of you are there?"

"Both of you."

The waiter removed two sets of cutlery from the table and handed him a thick menu.

Wang Jie said, "I'll order in a bit; my friend hasn't arrived yet."

The waiter nodded. "Okay, call me in a bit."

After saying that, he made a cup of tea and turned to leave, but Wang Jie stopped him, "Excuse me, could you leave the kettle here? So you don't have to run back and forth to pour the tea."

The waiter gently placed the teapot on the table and politely said, "Please feel free to call me if you need anything."

Wang Jie hadn't drunk much water all day and was extremely thirsty. He finally let out a heavy sigh of relief after drinking three cups of tea.

Not long after, Wang Jie caught a glimpse of Zhou Yanruo appearing at the restaurant entrance.

She had just stepped inside from the bright outdoors and stood in the doorway, looking around.

It had only been a little over half a month since I last saw Zhou Yanruo, and she seemed to have lost some weight. Her round cheeks had thinned out to reveal a pointed chin, and her eyes looked bigger and rounder. Even her short hair had grown noticeably longer.

Seeing this, Wang Jie quickly stood up and waved to her: "Here!"

Zhou Yanruo's gaze immediately fell on Wang Jie, her lips curled up into a bright smile, and then she lightly skipped to Wang Jie's side.