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墨書 Inktalez
Due to the train delay, there were many passengers stranded on the platform. Some were families with children, carrying large bags and kitchenware, preparing to return home as migrant workers. Others were dressed in formal attire, wearing suits and ties, holding briefcases, exuding an air of confidence as social elites. There were elderly individuals with gray hair sitting on their luggage while reading newspapers, as well as curious young children being pulled along by their parents. Among them was a straight-backed veteran in military uniform and a group of eccentric youths with unique hairstyles. In short, the platform was bustling with crowds and filled with noise.
Chuyang's attention was drawn to a group of young men and women just a few meters away. They appeared to be graduates from a university in Rongcheng, gathered to bid farewell to their classmates. The scene was emotional, with students hugging each other and sobbing.
"On that day when I knew you were leaving,
We didn’t say a word.
When the midnight bell tolled,
It struck the heart of parting,
Yet could not open your deep silence.
On that day I sent you off until the end,
We didn’t leave a single word.
As the crowded platform
Crushed the farewell crowd,
It could not erase my deep sorrow of separation.
I know you have thousands of words,
You have myriad thoughts,
Yet you won’t speak them out loud.
You know I worry so much,
I feel so sad,
Yet I dare not say it aloud.
When you shouldered your bag,
And laid down that honor,
I could only let my tears stay in my heart,
With a faint smile on my face,
Waving my hand vigorously,
Wishing you a smooth journey.
As you step onto the platform,
From now on walking alone,
I can only deeply bless you,
Deeply bless you..."
"Your singing is terrible," Andrea Doria said with a look of disdain at Chuyang.
"......" Chuyang was merely expressing his feelings, looking at the group of students and recalling the song from his previous life. However, why did everyone else have classmates to send them off while he...
Perhaps it was because they had received their official appointment letters, and each of them was eager to rush to their respective Naval Bases. After yesterday's meeting, all the graduates of the 17th class from Rongcheng Naval Academy left the school in a hurry with their Fleet Girls. Even Chuyang's good friend Ye Zhengyang didn't even say goodbye before darting off, leaving the large conference room empty in an instant, with only Chuyang left feeling dejected in front of the rows of empty seats. The cleaning hadn't even been done yet...
"Dad, don't worry, your off-key singing isn't that hopeless. Once we get to the Naval Base, Firefly will teach you how to sing," Firefly said with a look that screamed "I'm a good child."
As for Firefly's way of addressing Chuyang, this had been arranged in advance. According to Zhang Jianlin, inland areas are not like coastal regions; Admirals and Fleet Girls are considered endangered species there. Many people have no idea what an Admiral or a Fleet Girl looks like. Therefore, if he didn't want to be treated like Sun Wukong under everyone's scrutiny, it was best not to reveal his identity as an Admiral or a Fleet Girl.
He had it easy with Lexington; after all, they were married! As for Firefly and Andrea Doria, Chuyang initially wanted them to call him "brother," referring to himself as their older brother. However, when Firefly looked at him with her big, adorable eyes and said she wanted to call him "dad," Chuyang couldn't bring himself to refuse.
With the mindset that one sheep is let go and two sheep should also be let go, Chuyang wanted Andrea Doria to call him "dad" as well. Whether he had some mischievous thoughts in mind remained unknown. Unfortunately, Andrea Doria coldly rejected him and reluctantly called him "brother."
As for why two young adults who looked no older than twenty-five would have a daughter around seven or eight years old, there was nothing strange about it; he and Lexington had married young! Or perhaps they just took good care of themselves and looked youthful. Both excuses were plausible.
Due to the sparse population in this world, the government has set the legal marriage age at eighteen. It is quite common for people younger than that to marry and have children. Thus, it is not unusual for a couple in their twenties to have a child around seven or eight years old.
The explanation of taking good care of oneself is more credible than marrying young. Both Chuyang and Lexington appeared very young but had mature and stable temperaments. Chuyang had indeed reached that age over two lifetimes. Lexington's aura was quite unique; she could easily be mistaken for a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl or a woman in her twenties. It wouldn't be wrong to see her as a mature elder sister in her thirties either. In any case, within that age range, one could find qualities in her that matched whatever type they perceived her as.
As for the names of the three Fleet Girls, they couldn't just call Lexington and Firefly by their names in front of outsiders! That would give them away. As the saying goes, one must complete the act thoroughly; for Lexington, even if she wasn't called "wife" or "madam," calling her Lin Qing would suffice. Andrea Doria was already named Andrea Doria, so there was no need for change. Firefly previously didn't have an alias, so Chuyang shamelessly gave her the name "Chuying," which conveniently matched their father-daughter identity. However, they overlooked one point...
The train did not arrive as quickly as expected but wasn't excessively delayed either. After waiting for an hour, accompanied by a long whistle sound, a steam locomotive belching thick black smoke slowly pulled into the station with several green carriages trailing behind.
After another ticket check by the conductor, Chuyang finally boarded the train heading to Tongcheng with Lexington and the others.
The interior of the train was similar to those seen in television dramas set in the Republican Era, with luxurious decorations. The floor was covered with a thick red carpet, and the spacious soft seats were upholstered in goose down, soft and comfortable.
As Chuyang and his three companions settled into their seats, a staff member approached them eagerly to prepare tea and coffee. The service was even better than that of flight attendants on airplanes in his previous life.
However, considering the era they were in and the class of the carriage they were occupying, Chuyang felt somewhat relieved. After all, this was a world where technology was not very advanced, and the development of rail transportation had not reached the level of his previous life. Although trains had become the preferred mode of transportation for most people traveling long distances, the high ticket prices were far beyond what an average person could afford.
Take this train, for example; the starting ticket price for the lowest class, Third-Class Carriage, was 200, while Second-Class Carriage was 500. The First-Class Cabin where Chuyang was seated required 2000 as a starting price, and this was just the base fare. As the distance increased, ticket prices would continue to rise. For instance, Chuyang and his companions spent 18,000 just for four tickets, which was due to half-price tickets for children. This meant that a single ticket cost 6,000. It should be noted that a salaried worker in Rongcheng earned only about 4,000 a month, making train tickets prohibitively expensive for most ordinary people. Those who could afford to sit in the First-Class Cabin typically held significant status, which explained the staff's enthusiastic service.
"Clack, clack..."
With a slight sound of wheels striking the tracks, the train heading towards Yang Tong City slowly departed from the platform and left the train station, racing towards the vast western horizon.
Goodbye, Rongcheng.
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