Chapter 5 Tokyo
Five o'clock in the evening, Ueno Station, Tokyo.
"Siguoyi, this is Tokyo."
As soon as he got off the car, Kotaro opened his arms and turned around, looking at everything around him with curiosity.
It was also Shirakawa Kaede's first time in Tokyo, but he was still amazed by the modern facilities in the station.
Bright lights, floors that reflect people's shadows, various vending machines, ticket machines...
These are very common in China among millennials.
But it’s only 1978 now, and we haven’t even entered the 1980s.
Compared to my home town in Akita in the northeast, this place is the ultimate embodiment of civilization, and it feels like a century has passed between the two.
"It's really amazing," Baichuan Feng exclaimed sincerely. No wonder so many people in the Northeast would rather abandon their land and live in big cities.
Most of the people who got off the bus with them were from the northeast of Honshu Island. Some of them, like them, were visiting Tokyo for the first time. Faced with modern civilization, they were a little at a loss, or even shocked.
Some of them were obviously not here for the first time. As soon as they got off the bus, they skillfully greeted their companions and asked them to follow them.
Ueno Station is almost a must-go place for those who come to Tokyo from the Northeast, especially for those who come from the Northeast.
They held big dreams, endured hard work, and traveled back and forth between Ueno Station and their hometown countless times.
For some people, seeing the round clock on the platform of Ueno Station is like seeing their mother's face.
The thin young man who was rescued by Kotaro on the way was looking at the round clock, listening to the local accent, and crying as he walked.
Seeing Baichuan Feng from a distance, he lowered his head and wiped it twice, then bowed slightly to Baichuan Feng.
Baichuan Feng smiled and nodded, then politely withdrew his gaze.
"Shirakawa-kun, remember to contact me if you have any questions. There is nothing that I, Yamada, can't solve."
"Thanks for your care, Mr. Ota."
When Ota was leaving with his younger brothers, he did not forget to say goodbye to Shirakawa Kaede and the others.
Watching the travelers gradually disperse, Shirakawa Kaede and Kotaro also left the platform through the passage.
…
The lights of Tokyo come on in the evening, presenting a completely different look from that during the day.
The streets were full of neon lights, people and cars were coming and going, the bold and passionate girls, the shining and dancing billboards, all of which made the country boy who had just arrived feel very curious.
However, no matter how novel it is, it will become boring after watching it for an hour.
"Xiao Feng, did Uncle Kashiwagi forget to pick us up?"
The two people squatting on the street looked at the busy streets with boredom.
“Maybe I’m too busy at work.”
Baichuan Feng couldn't tell whether this fellow uncle from the same hometown whom he hadn't seen for almost a year had forgotten that he had the mission to pick someone up today.
Entrusted by Shirakawa Hayato, the father of Shirakawa Kaede, someone should have picked them up when they left the station.
But they waited there foolishly for more than an hour, and no one paid any attention to them.
"Gurgle," Kotaro touched his stomach a little embarrassedly, and saw Shirakawa Feng looking at him, "I haven't eaten much for a day."
No need to ask, he confessed honestly.
"Let's not wait any longer, let's go eat something first." Baichuan Feng stood up, intending to fill his stomach first. At the very least, two grown people couldn't be lost. They were not illiterate.
"Ah, I hope Uncle Kashiwagi won't be worried if he can't see us later."
Although he said this, Kotaro had already stood up and even put the luggage on his shoulders.
"Haha," Shirakawa Feng laughed heartily, "Don't worry, I think Kotaro's stomach is more important."
"Haha, Xiao Feng didn't expect you to be so stupid."
The two of them carried their luggage and walked along the street, carefully looking at the places where the restaurants were concentrated.
Not far away, they were soon attracted by a unique sign.
"50 yen restaurant"
Kotaro looked at the sign and nodded seriously, "Well, although Tokyo looks prosperous, the prices are still quite cheap."
Shirakawa Feng was also a little puzzled when he saw such a sign. No way, there is such a cheap restaurant in Tokyo? It doesn't match its impressive metropolitan aura.
Before Shirakawa Kaede could mutter, Kotaro had already taken the lead in lifting the white curtain at the door and entering the store.
This guy's body reactions are always faster than his brain.
Shaking his head, he also entered the store.
The shop was not big, and half of the customers were already seated inside. After putting their luggage at the foot of the table, the two were attracted by the pictures of food in .
There are a variety of dishes on it, including pork chop rice, fried shrimp rice, beef rice, and egg rice, all for 50 yen.
After taking a look around, Shirakawa Feng noticed other customers in the store. After paying 50 yen, the food was served soon and they started to devour it.
"Xiao Feng, look, there's an eel."
"Um?"
Kotaro pointed at the menu, which was filled with a large piece of eel, and his expression was full of excitement.
Although RB is close to the sea, there is no shortage of seafood. However, eels and saury are not the same.
For them who come from the inland countryside, there is obviously no chance of paying more for such a high-end dish as eel.
Kotaro swallowed and called for the waiter.
"Hello, two servings of eel rice."
"Hai" When the waiter heard the names of the dishes ordered by Torataro, he looked a little strange, but still wrote them down respectfully.
The shop is not big. When the customers heard Kotaro's order, some curled their lips, while others lowered their heads and endured something.
Baichuan Feng frowned. He always felt that the eyes around them were a little frivolous.
Soon the food was ready, and with two "dong" sounds, it was placed on the table in front of Baichuan Feng and the others.
The two men separated their chopsticks and opened the lid of the bowl with hope. They saw a piece of eel the size of an elementary school student's eraser on the rice.
"Ah", Shirakawa Kaede and Kotaro couldn't help but scream, their voices full of disappointment.
Tsk~tsk~, the others who had been waiting for this moment were trying hard to hold back their laughter.
These two guys are so ungrateful. They can have a big bowl of egg rice for 50 yen.
You insisted on ordering the most expensive eel rice, how could he make it for you? The big piece in the picture is a lie.
Under the ambiguous gazes of the crowd, even Baichuan Feng, who had lived one life, felt a little uncomfortable.
As for Kotaro, his eyebrows were raised and he couldn't help but stand up and attack.
"Koutaro, please sit down."
"But……"
"Do you remember what Aunt Miki told you when you set out?"
When Kotaro heard Shirakawa Kaede mention his mother, he sat down again dejectedly.
Kotaro's mother knew her son's character and specifically told him to listen to Shirakawa Kaede in everything when they arrived in Tokyo.
And Kotaro only listened to what Shirakawa Kaede said.
The people in the store who were laughing at them looked down on them with contempt when they saw their old-fashioned clothes and the luggage bags next to the table legs.
I don’t know where this country boy came from, but he must have been dazzled by his first visit to Tokyo.
With such a strange atmosphere, Baichuan Feng and the others were destined not to stay for long. They quickly cleaned up the rice in the bowl, picked up their luggage, and walked out the door without looking back.
Ignoring the faint laughter behind him, Baichuan Feng walked forward heavily on the road.
The impetuous wind whistled past my face, and the rough, bitter dust filled my nostrils.
Not far away, tower cranes stand faintly in the lights, and the construction of the city is still going on.
Is this the Greater Tokyo, the "Flower City" that countless people long for?
Baichuan Feng saw those two different faces in front of his eyes, and he felt choked up.
No, this is fucking Tokyo!
It is also the end point where countless people’s dreams come true and are shattered.
"Baka!" Kotaro cursed while standing on the side of the road. His red face gradually returned to normal.
“Kotaro, remember that Tokyo is not Akita, and certainly not Fawn.
Here no one cares what you do or think, you have to rely on yourself for everything.
When you stand high enough, you can appreciate Tokyo from the best angle and see the most beautiful Tokyo. "
Shirakawa Kaede's voice was very calm, but Kotaro seemed to see something in his eyes that had never appeared before.
"Yeah," Kotaro nodded heavily.
