Chapter 3 The Road Ahead
A farewell ceremony was held for the station, and I truly experienced the unique beauty of the end of life of the RB people. Shirakawa Feng also began to pack his bags and prepare for his "East Drift" trip.
"Is everything ready?"
"Um"
"Remember to prepare more warm clothes. I wonder if Tokyo is cold?"
"Um"
Under the dim light, Kazuko knelt at the table, packing her luggage silently. Her long shadow swayed slightly on the mottled wall as her busy hands did.
Shirakawa Hayato put down his wine glass and wanted to say something else, but when he saw his wife, who had become unusually quiet, he didn't know where to start.
There was no more chattering from the wife, nor the sound of the husband drinking. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the rustling of clothes being put away.
"Um... Can Xiaofeng really do it alone?" Finally, Hezi couldn't help it and raised her head to look at her husband hopefully.
"What are you talking about?" Shirakawa Hayato said with a fake smile, "He will be eighteen soon. At this age, I can go hunting in the mountains alone."
Kazuko nodded silently, but the worry in her eyes did not ease at all because of her husband's comfort. "But, this is his first time traveling far away. He has never left Akita, let alone been to a big city like Tokyo..."
A mother worries about her son even when he is far away. Although Kazuko also understands that her son is only going to Tokyo to study and is not going to struggle in the society, there shouldn't be any big problems.
But understanding is one thing, but if we can figure out everything just because we understand the truth, then human society would be too harmonious.
"Don't worry," Shirakawa Hayato said, resting his hands on his knees. "He's not alone. There's also Kotaro. And there will be fellow villagers to pick them up in Tokyo."
Many people in the village had already left for the big city, and Shirakawa Hayato had written to them in advance, hoping that they would go to Tokyo and take care of his son for the sake of being from the same hometown.
He understood what his wife meant. She just wanted him to send his child to study in Tokyo so that he could have someone to take care of him along the way.
But the spring planting season is coming soon, and people are needed to work in the fields. It is impossible to rely on Kazuko alone, as most of the family's income will go there. Especially in order to support Shirakawa Kaede's studies, the spring planting cannot be delayed.
So even though he was worried in his heart, Shirakawa Hayato could only let go and let his child face it alone.
"A young bird will eventually leave the nest." Shirakawa Hayato picked up the wine glass and muttered again, not knowing whether he was comforting his wife or himself.
Lying on the tatami in the room and listening to his parents' chatter, Shirakawa Feng sighed slightly. He was originally excited about experiencing the scenery of Tokyo in this era, but now he felt a little melancholy.
Strictly speaking, he was not a native of the mountains, but more like an alien. But in just a short period of time, he was still moved by the simple folk customs here.
Simple and enthusiastic fellow villagers, carefree yet unexpectedly reliable childhood playmates, and parents who say little but show their care for them.
All these helped him, who was nervous when he first arrived, to quickly integrate into the place and get used to their presence.
Outside the window, the sound of unknown birds chirping echoed in the woods. Shirakawa Kaede rested his head on his arms and was lost in thought. Life in the mountain village was easy and leisurely, but the prosperity of Tokyo was also extremely tempting.
After all, he is young now.
…
As April approaches, the weather gradually warms up. Although the snow on the top of the mountain is still clearly visible, the gray-black mud has already appeared on both sides of the road.
Because Xiaolu Station had just closed, the only way to get to the city was to walk for an extra half hour to the next station to catch the tram.
After waving goodbye to his parents in a nonchalant manner, Shirakawa Kaede and Kotaro packed their bags and set foot on the path paved with black coal slag, heading towards a place far away from their hometown.
Whether in his past life or this life, Baichuan Feng didn't like the atmosphere of parting. Even if it was a friend he didn't know well, the word "farewell" alone made him feel full of melancholy.
Therefore, in order to reassure his parents and not allow himself the chance to immerse himself in that 'pretentious' atmosphere, Baichuan Feng walked forward without wanting to look back.
In addition, Shirakawa Kaede was a little excited because he was about to see the colorful world of Tokyo. So overall, he was in a good mood.
As for Kotaro, this guy didn't know what sadness was. The excited look on his face made his mother, who came to see him off reluctantly, feel at a loss whether to cry or laugh.
"Xiao Feng looks a lot more mature." Shirakawa Hayato, with his arms folded, looked at his son walking away and whispered to his wife beside him.
"Huh?" Kazuko was still immersed in the reluctance and lamentation of her child's first long journey. She looked at her husband with some confusion.
Shirakawa Hayato shrugged. "I thought there would be a tear-jerking farewell scene between a loving father and a filial son, but who knew it would be just like this?"
Hezi rolled her eyes at her husband in reproach, and then couldn't help but think, Yeah, how come my son looks like nothing happened, he is so heartless.
Not to mention that their parents, who were gradually getting smaller, were still standing at the intersection behind them, Shirakawa Kaede and Kotaro had already begun to look forward to the upcoming metropolitan life.
It was mainly Kotaro who was talking and Shirakawa Kaede who was listening. In his previous life, he had seen all kinds of metropolises, but now he was more curious about the exotic customs.
Kotaro was really excited. He had heard about the glamorous world outside. Tokyo was like a beautiful girl. Now he was finally going to get close to her. He couldn't stop the excitement in his heart.
The journey was supposed to take more than half an hour, but the two of them reached their destination in less than half an hour.
After getting on the train and putting their luggage at their feet under the seats, Shirakawa Kaede and Kotaro both breathed a sigh of relief.
Although I am young and full of energy, I have been running around all the time, and now I still feel a little tired after sitting down.
Baichuan Feng turned around and looked around casually . There were not many people on the bus. Most of them were wearing traditional clothes like coarse cloth kimonos, and they looked middle-aged or older. Some people, like them, also had a lot of luggage.
"Are you two going on a long journey?"
Just when Baichuan Feng and the others were relaxing, they heard a gentle conversation behind their ears.
Baichuan Feng turned his head and what came into his sight was an old couple with white hair and kind eyes.
Looking at the kind smiles on their faces, Baichuan Feng couldn't help but smile and nod.
"Dad, you guessed right. We are going to Tokyo."
There was no need for Shirakawa Kaede to explain, as the anxious Kotaro had already proudly told the old man where he was going in a rather boastful tone.
That look was as if going to Tokyo was a big deal.
"Let's go to Tokyo. It's really amazing."
The old man's admiring tone also made Kotaro look satisfied. His thick eyebrows raised slightly, and he looked indescribably proud.
Not only the old man, but even the other people in the carriage subconsciously looked at them when they heard Kotaro's voice.
Some people looked envious, some looked disdainful, and some had no expression on their faces.
But Kotaro accepted them all. In his eyes, they all had the same expression, which was jealousy.
Baichuan Feng smiled bitterly. This guy didn't know what it meant to be low-key. He had to be more restrained in Tokyo, or he would suffer.
Not to mention that society will teach him how to behave, it would probably not be so easy to talk to the yakuza if he met them.
"Judging from the accents of the two young men, they must be locals from nearby."
"That's right, Dad. We are from Xiaolu Village."
The outgoing Kotaro has already started chatting with the old man.
"Oh, it's Bambi Village."
"It's not Bambi, it's Fawn!"
"I know, I know~ Bambi."
Ever since Disney's "Bambi" became popular all over the world, the name "Bambi" has become a household name.
Especially for Japan, which worships the West and began to completely westernize after the war, "Bambi" has almost become synonymous with deer.
But Kotaro seems to be a little unhappy about his village being called Bambi.
"It's Fawn, not some weird name like Bambi."
"Oh, everyone knows it, Bambi."
“……”Totaro’s thick eyebrows began to move again.
All along the way, Shirakawa Feng could hear the quarrel between Kotaro and the old man. It was more like a constant emphasis and a constant forgetfulness.
"Ma Dongmei", "Ma what Mei?"
Baichuan Feng couldn't help but recall scenes from movies in his previous life, and a smile appeared on his face unconsciously.
Outside the car window, green mountains and clear waters passed by quickly. I don't know when I will see such a scene again.
But for most people on the bus, this corner of the deep mountains is so remote that even the corrupt modern material civilization avoids it and is unwilling to visit it.
The beautiful scenery, vast space, fresh air, and unpolluted water of their hometown could not keep those young people.
Now Baichuan Feng has become one of them.
Outside the car window he seemed to see again the rice pounding machine singing monotonously by the stream, the farmhouse with a fir bark roof, the terraced fields, and the life with oil lamps at night.
As the tram gradually went away, everything in my hometown gradually became blurred and more and more hazy.
