Is there a place in the world where people can hide their sorrow without fear? One is heaven, which we will eventually go to; the other is Lijiang, where my dream begins!
I would like to write this article to commemorate my first spontaneous trip in my life
Section 1, "A Person's End of the World"
"Dear travelers Please note that the K230 train from Xiamen to Kunming has begun to check in and get on the train..." The announcer's crisp voice came from the station waiting hall, reminding passengers to hurry up and get on the train. I stood up from the seat in the waiting hall, picked up my backpack, walked to the ticket gate, handed the ticket to the ticket inspector, and walked slowly into the station entrance.
The station is a big stage in life, where countless reunions and partings are performed every day. It is both the starting point and the end point, both the end point and the starting point. When I was standing on the platform preparing to get on the bus, I stood there for a long time. Looking at the strangers seeing them off and being seen off, I couldn't help but wonder: "Is it only at the moment of separation or death that people are willing to express their true emotions?"
As I stared and pondered, I couldn't help but wonder. Do you know if there are people like me who are alone, still hesitating in their hearts whether to leave or stay? If someone said to me at this moment: "Tang Feng, don't leave." Maybe I would choose to stay. It's a pity that no one will say this to me, because no one knows that I am leaving today, leaving this familiar and unfamiliar city that I have lived in for more than 20 years. I know that from this moment on, every inch of land here will become my hometown; every friend here will become an old friend. From now on, this place will also have another name in my heart - hometown.
I walked straight into the carriage without looking back, found a berth, put my luggage, sat on the stool by the window, looked out the window, and waited for the train to leave.
Ten minutes later, the train set off on time. The platform outside the window was getting further and further away, and the whistle sounded like the voice of my heart, mixed with sadness and reluctance. I muttered silently in my heart: "Goodbye, Xiamen! Goodbye, my hometown! Goodbye, my past self."
This is the first real journey in my life. When I was studying, serving in the military, or traveling, I never had the experience of traveling alone. Andrews said: "There must be at least two impulses in a person's life, a desperate love, and a trip that just leaves." I understand that I do not have such feelings, and I don't know whether I will leave this time. I will come back again, so it’s more like a wandering and exile than a trip.
I forgot when I fell asleep while lying on the bunk. When I woke up, it was already midnight, and the passengers in the entire carriage were already asleep.
It was a bit cold in the late spring night. I walked to the connection between the carriages alone, lit a cigarette, and looked at my watch - it was 2:45 in the morning. He took out his phone to see if there were any missed calls or messages. There was none, not even a spam message, and he put the phone back in his pocket. This is fine, but I feel at ease. I will eventually become a forgotten person, and I can walk the path I want to take without any worries and heartlessness.
At this time, there was no scenery visible outside the car window, only darkness. I like this kind of night, it is mysterious and solemn, and it also allows me to think quietly. But the cold wind outside kept roaring, passing through the narrow cracks in the iron car, and the air flow rushed towards me, making my whole body creak and tremble. The cigarette in my hand burned out quickly. I wanted to have another one, but I felt unable to resist the cold wind. Forget it, I just hid in bed and slept quietly.
When I woke up again, it was already noon and the train entered Maoming East Station in Guangdong. I was woken up by passengers getting on and off the train. Only then did I realize that several people who got on the bus at the same time had already left, and the new passengers had not yet boarded the bus. We had never had any conversation with the previous few people, but their departure made me think about a question about life: "On the long road of life, how many people will we meet, and who can accompany you to the end?" Who?" With this question, I argued with myself in my mind for a long time. It wasn't until I arrived in Lijiang that I found the answer I wanted.
I climbed down from the upper bunk just as other passengers were getting on the bus.
"Sorry, please give me a moment." A clear female voice said behind me. I was standing in the middle of the aisle of the carriage.
Looking back, I saw a young girl with flowing hair and pure appearance. She was holding her suitcase and standing behind me. When our eyes met, I smiled slightly and gave way.
The girl took two steps forward, looked up at the empty space in the luggage rack, held up the suitcase with both hands, stood on tiptoes and tried to stuff it into the luggage rack. After trying it a few times, she looked helpless and embarrassed and wanted to try again. Seeing this scene, I decisively approached the girl.
"I'll do it." I said.
She seemed to be relieved, put the suitcase on the ground, and said shyly: "Thank you!"
She was 1.83 meters tall to do this. After the incident, the girl thanked me again and took out a bottle of mineral water from her small backpack and handed it to me to drink.
"No, no, no, I'm not thirsty." I excused myself and did not take the bottle of water.
"Here, you just helped me, you have to give me a chance to express your gratitude." The girl insisted on giving me the bottle of water.
"It's just a simple task, why bother." I declined again.
"Young man, just take it. This girl likes it." At this time, an elder sister next to him spoke.
"Yes, here!" The girl handed the water to my hand again, and this time I did not refuse.
"Then I'm welcome, thank you!" After saying this, I took the water and sat by the window.
The girl put her small backpack on her bunk. She slept in the middle bunk, I slept in the upper bunk, and there was a middle-aged brother who was less than fifty years old in the lower bunk. The bottom bunk of the opposite bunk is the lady who just spoke, and the other two bunks are a young couple. Then the girl sat down opposite me.
The train sets off again.
"Snack lunches, beer, drinks, mineral water..." A long series of hawking sounds came from the other end of the carriage.
At this time, my stomach was growling. I had not eaten a meal since I got on the train. I looked around and saw a train staff pushing a trolley in our direction.
"How to sell lunch boxes?" I asked.
"Twenty yuan a box." The other party replied.
I took out my wallet and was about to pay, but I felt something was wrong. Then I remembered that the girl was sitting opposite me. "Do you eat?" I asked the girl.
"No, I already had it before I got in the car, thank you!" The girl declined politely.
"I want one, thank you!" I said to the staff selling box lunches.
When I opened the lunch box, there was only a poached egg, a few green vegetables, and a little bit of minced meat. I was a little nauseous at first, and I thought to myself: "Can this be eaten?" In the end, I ate it. . At that meal, I finally understood what it means to "not choose food when hungry, and not choose clothes when cold", and I actually ate everything.
As the saying goes, a cigarette after a meal makes you as happy as a god. After finishing the meal, I walked to the connection between the carriages, lit a cigarette as usual, and looked at the passing scenery outside without thinking.
"What are you thinking about?" It was the girl's voice, and she unexpectedly appeared behind me again. I turned around and saw that it was her.
"Think nothing, just look at the scenery." I responded.
"Come out alone?" she asked.
"Well, I'm alone."
"Where are you going?" she continued to ask.
I put out the cigarette butt in my hand: "Lijiang."
"Lijiang? Men all like that place." She smiled.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"The capital of romance!" She paused for two seconds and continued: "To be precise, it should be a paradise for men and dogs."
About the rumors about romance in Lijiang, I I have heard a lot about it and read some related posts on the Internet. But today this girl said that Lijiang is a paradise for men and dogs, which puzzled me. I found it quite interesting, so I decided to follow the clues and continue to explore.
"Beauty, please explain, why is it said to be a paradise for men and dogs, rather than a paradise for women and pigs, cats, sheep, and cows?" I deliberately asked in a humorous tone.
As soon as she finished speaking, she covered her mouth and kept laughing. Seeing her smile so innocently and brightly, I couldn't help but laugh stupidly too. At that moment, I clearly heard my own laughter. I forgot how long it had been since I laughed. Even if there were, it would not be as comfortable as it is today.
"Sorry! Sorry! I don't have a good sense of humor, so I'm a little lost." She was still laughing at my question just now.
"Girls who love to laugh are beautiful." I praised her casually, she was indeed beautiful.
"Handsome, you are good at chatting." She finally stopped laughing, "I can guarantee that people like you will be favored by many beauties in Lijiang."
< p> "How do you say this?""It can only be understood, not expressed in words." She told me about it.
"Okay, then you haven't answered me yet, why do you say Lijiang is a paradise for men and dogs?" I brought the topic back to the original point.
"Most of the talk about the city of romance is a gimmick for business promotion and folk hype." She began to explain to me: "Lijiang is a historical city that combines natural beauty, national culture and literary and artistic atmosphere. The ancient city, with the rapid development of domestic tourism in recent years, Lijiang has benefited from it and become famous, so it has attracted a large number of tourists, the largest number of whom are young men and women. Many people regard Lijiang as their first trip. One stop. There is a huge disparity in the ratio of men to women. Among the ten young people who travel to Lijiang, about 70% are women, while only less than 30% are men. Many of them go there for a romantic encounter. As long as you have the will, you don't have to worry about not getting what you want. Everything depends on your own thoughts. So do you think Lijiang should be regarded as a paradise for men?" After saying this, she looked at me.
"Is that really true?" I was a little dubious, "What does that have to do with dogs?" Basically every household in Lijiang has a dog. People who wait to die in Lijiang spend their days either walking their dogs or looking for them. When you see them with your own eyes, you may sigh that you might as well be a Lijiang person. A dog." Her vivid explanation made me burst into laughter. It also gave me a better understanding of Lijiang. I didn't do any strategy before I set off. I like unknown things, which can bring fear and surprise to people.
"How do you know Lijiang so well?" I asked.
"I have been there and stayed for more than a month."
"Do you like it there?"
"I like it."
"Why don't you stay?" I chased after him.
"Do you have to answer?" When she said this, her expression was very serious and slightly sad, completely different from the funny and talkative woman just now.
"Did I say something wrong?" I was a little at a loss.
"No." She was silent for a while, "I went there with my boyfriend, and then I came back alone."
"What about him?"< /p>
"Stay in Lijiang."
This answer shocked me. I finally understand why she said in the beginning that men all like that place, maybe this is the reason.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it." I apologized quickly.
"It's okay. Everyone has the right to choose the path they want to take, and no one has the right to interfere. Besides, those things are in the past, and I have got out of the haze of that relationship." She calmly said responded to me.
"Where are you getting off?" I changed the subject.
"Yulin, we got off at the stop ahead."
"So fast? What a pity!"
"What a pity? What do you mean? ...? "
"Don't get me wrong, I just met and we are about to break up again. It's a pity that we meet such a good friend, and I feel a little bit sad."
"I can't tell you're quite sentimental. What's your name?" she asked me with a smile.
"Don... call me crazy." I originally wanted to say my real name, but after thinking about it, I decided to let it disappear with my past self.
"Crazy? This name is really special." While speaking, she stretched out her right hand, "My name is Yang Hongxue, nice to meet you.
"
"Nice to meet you. "We shook each other's hands politely.
"First trip, right? "She asked me.
"Can this be seen? "I looked at her in surprise.
"It's simple, because you are not used to saying goodbye. "
"Get used to saying goodbye? "I'm confused.
"You will easily meet all kinds of friends during the journey, but most of them are just passers-by. They may be together one moment and may be separated the next. , such as us today. "At this moment, I felt that she was like a philosopher. I did not interrupt her and listened to her continue: "The so-called travel is to say goodbye to time, scenery, and friends who meet by chance. Getting together is fate, looking back is a dream, and in the end, the only thing left is yourself. "
"Brilliant! profound! It seems that the world is so big, it’s right to come out and have a look. "
"Children can be taught. "Her words fell to the ground, and we laughed happily again.
"Come on, let's go back to the carriage and chat with me. You have been standing for a long time. "I said.
"Let's go together! ”
The two of us returned to the carriage, sat in the seat next to the window, and chatted about some innocuous topics. The train was about to arrive at the station, and I helped her take off the suitcase from the luggage rack. , she thanked me again. Good times are always so short and fleeting. The moment she left, I actually wanted to ask: "Will we meet again?" "But he hesitated to say anything. Let's gather and disperse according to circumstances, maybe as she said: "The so-called travel is to keep saying goodbye." I am satisfied that this is the first encounter during the journey.
Night came again, and after Yang Hongxue left, I lay on the bunk alone and read Milan Kundera's masterpiece - "The Unbearable Lightness of Being". I hadn't read a book for a long time, and I went to the bookstore to buy it before I left. I wanted to read two books to pass the time in the car.
After reading for a few hours, my eyes were a little tired. I was about to close the book and go for a walk, when my phone rang. The call was from Cao Xiaoxuan. Cao Xiaoxuan was a friend of mine in Xiamen. We met in a small bar that night. I was in a bad mood and went to drink alone. He happened to be at the table next to me. We got together by chance. From then on, we met every once in a while, and we were seen getting drunk in various places in Xiamen. At this time, I guessed that I was invited to drink.
“Hey. "I picked up the phone.
"Where is it? I'm in Jinzun, come here quickly. "There was constant singing on the other end of the phone. It seems that what I expected was right.
"I'm not in Xiamen. Have fun, don't drink too much, and go home early. "
"Hey! Are you the crazy person I know? Why does it feel wrong to me when I hear this? Where are you? . "He walked out of the box as he spoke, and the noise on the other end of the phone disappeared.
"It's me. I'm on the train now. "
"Where are you going? "Cao Xiaoxuan asked.
"Leave Xiamen for a while and walk around. "
"Where to go? " He asked again.
"Lijiang. "
"Lijiang? What to do? "
"Come out for a walk and relax. Don't worry if it's okay. I'll have a drink with you when I get back. "
"Wait a minute, I'll give you a call. An old classmate of mine is in Lijiang for several years. When you get there, call him and I'll ask him to entertain you." ”
“No, I’ll just walk by myself.” "I declined politely.
A moment later, Cao Xiaoxuan's voice came from the other end of the phone: "Please remember, 139500XXXXX, his name is Ami, just tell me my name, I'll wait for you. Give him a call. ”
“Old Cao, you really don’t need to go to such trouble.” ”
“It’s okay, just hang up like this. I’ll give him a call first.” "After that, he hung up the phone.
Thirty hours later, this was the first phone call I received. I immediately felt a sense of presence. It seemed that I was not completely forgotten. < /p>
Five minutes later, Cao Xiaoxuan called again: "Hey, I told Ami that he will call you later. If you need anything when you get there, you can call him. "
"Okay, Lao Cao, thank you.
"I'm a little embarrassed. I'm naturally afraid of troubling others, but I can't refuse the kindness, so I can only nod in agreement.
"What are you talking about, do you still think of me as your friend? "
"That's for sure. ”
“Okay, let’s not say more. We won’t come back until we get drunk when we come back to Xiamen.” ”
“You will not return until you are drunk.” "I hung up the phone.
As soon as I hung up, another unknown phone call came in: "Hello, who is this? "
"Are you crazy? My name is Ami, Cao Xiaoxuan’s friend. "The other party was very polite.
"Hello, hello, it's me. "
"When will you arrive in Lijiang? "Ami asked.
"I will go to Kunming tomorrow morning and Lijiang the day after tomorrow. ”
“Okay, call me when you get there and I’ll pick you up.” ”
“It’s okay, just give me the address and I’ll go there by myself.” ”
“Call me first when you arrive, and we’ll talk about the arrangements then, okay?” "Ami said.
"Okay, thank you, I won't bother you when the time comes. "
"Don't say that, Cao Xiaoxuan's friends are my friends. "
"Okay, thank you, that's it for now. "
"Okay, bye! ”
After hanging up the phone with Ami, I fell asleep faintly. The next morning I was woken up by the conductor. She came to ask me to exchange my ticket. The train left in less than an hour. We are about to arrive at Kunming Station. The passengers on the bus have already packed their luggage. I have nothing else but a black travel bag with two simple sets of clothes and the background music on the radio is playing "Colorful Clouds". "South", and there was a female voice explaining the cultural customs of Yunnan.
I got off the upper bunk, and there was someone sitting near the window. I saw that it was the couple, and they were discussing their travels. route. I saw the middle-aged brother sitting alone on the bunk, so he smiled at me and said hello.
"Brother, where are you?" "I asked casually.
"I will go to Dali first, and then go to Lijiang. "The other party has a Hong Kong accent.
"I'm going to Lijiang too. ”
“Great, are you alone?” "He was full of enthusiasm.
"A person. ”
“How about we go together and have someone to take care of us on the journey?” "The other party extended an invitation to me.
Having worked in marketing for many years, this is not the first time I have dealt with strangers. I used to organize some gatherings of netizens in Xiamen, so naturally I have experienced it. Bai Zhan. It was just the first time I was invited to accompany me on the way, but I still felt unsure.
Seeing that I seemed to be worried, the middle-aged brother spoke again: "Is the younger brother not happy? ”
“No, no, I am also a person. It is good to have someone to look after each other on the road.” "I didn't hesitate any more and agreed.
"Awesome! "As he spoke, he stretched out his right hand: "JACK. "
I also extended my right hand and responded: "Madman. "
"Crazy? Haha, such a unique name. ”
We have to live life like a madman in order to forget the bumps life has given us.
I don’t know when my friends started calling me mad, but gradually I'm just used to it. Most of the time, I prefer people to call me this. If I can really live like a madman, wouldn't it be a relief?
When I was talking to Brother JACK, someone stood next to me. The man in the couple suddenly interjected: "Are you also traveling to Yunnan? "
I looked up and said nothing. Brother JACK took over: "Yes, what about you? ”
“We are too, can we come together?” "The other party extended an invitation to us.
"As intended, the more people there are, the more lively it will be. "Brother JACK readily agreed.
"Great, then we can eat, drink and have fun along the way. The other party was very interested. "My name is Chen Haisheng, and this is my girlfriend, Xiaomin." "
"JACK" After brother JACK introduced himself, he put his hand on my shoulder and introduced to them: "This is a madman. "That's how a few of us got to know each other.
A few of us started to discuss the itinerary. Originally, the three of them planned to go to Dali first. Because of my reasons, I just wanted to go to Lijiang. After a short discussion, we came to the result. Chen Haisheng and Xiaomin went to Dali first, and Brother JACK changed the route and went with me.
I was a little surprised. Did they always make friends like this during the trip? Shouldn't this kind of scene appear in martial arts novels? In the cities we live in, whenever we meet a stranger and say hello, or even just ask for directions, we will immediately suspect whether the other person has ulterior motives and immediately raise our alertness to the highest level, fearing that something unexpected will happen. Today, a few strangers agreed to go together with each other after just a few words. Is this appropriate? Are there any traps? What happened later proved that my worries were unfounded. There are many things in life, if you don't try, you won't know what you are missing.
At 10:20, after the train arrived at the terminal, the four of us walked out of the platform side by side. There are many aunts and sisters on the roadside soliciting customers, trying their best to stuff business cards into us, selling tourist routes and hotels. We ignored him and the four of us took a detour into the ticket hall of the train station and booked tickets for tonight's train from Kunming to Dali and Lijiang. We booked the same flight, so that meant we could still spend one day together.
We found a restaurant nearby and ordered a few plates of stir-fries. Chen Haisheng suggested that he drink some wine to cheer him up. Brother JACK said that he could drink a little. I am a person who is born to drink alcohol, so naturally I will not spoil the fun.
After the food and wine were served, Chen Haisheng was the first to raise his glass and toast to us, "Nice to meet you two."
"It's such a rare fate, cheers everyone." Brother JACK said.
"Cheers!" The four said in unison.
"Madman, why do you only go to Lijiang? Don't you plan to go anywhere else?" Chen Haisheng asked me.
"I just want to go out and relax alone, find a quiet place, and don't want to be in a hurry." I said.
"How about coming with us to Dali first, and then we go to Lijiang together? Then the four of us can go together." Chen Haisheng greeted me warmly.
I suddenly couldn't find any reason to refuse, but I just wanted to go to Lijiang. At this time, Cao Xiaoxuan called.
"Excuse me, let me answer the phone." I said to the three of them, then walked aside and picked up the phone: "Hello, Lao Cao."
"Are you here? Where are you?" Cao Xiaoxuan seemed to be still drunk and spoke weakly.
"We've arrived in Kunming. The train goes to Lijiang tonight and should arrive before noon tomorrow."
"Then call Ami when you arrive. Have fun. It's okay. Just come back soon. I hung up." Dududu, Cao Xiaoxuan hung up the phone before I answered. It seemed that he really hadn't woken up yet.
"Sorry, everyone!" I returned to the table and apologized to them.
"It's okay, it's okay. Have you decided to go to Dali with us?" Chen Haisheng asked again.
"A friend of mine is waiting for me in Lijiang. He has been calling me since yesterday. I'm really sorry." My head lit up and I found a shield.
"If that's the case, then there's no need to force it." Chen Haisheng seemed a little disappointed.
"When will we drink your wedding wine?" Brother JACK teased Chen Haisheng and the others.
Chen Haisheng and Xiaomin smiled at each other. I don't know if it was because of drinking or shyness, but Xiaomin's face was red.
Chen Haisheng said: "We plan to get married at the end of this year. If you have time, you must come over."
"Great, congratulations!" Brother JACK raised his wine glass and blessed Two newcomers.
"Congratulations! Congratulations!" I echoed.
Seeing the lovers in love with happy expressions on their faces, I felt really happy for them. It was also at that moment that I felt lost. I was already a person with no love left in my life. Love was too far away for me. Maybe I could only look forward to the next life.
We ate that meal for more than three hours. It was the first and last time the four of us got together. We found a coffee shop later and played cards to kill time together. We didn’t eat dinner until nearly 11 o’clock in the evening, when I finally boarded the train bound for Lijiang.
Section 1 (End)