Chapter 23: Jumping from a Train

"Dahua, your family must have had someone highlight the key points for you. Lend them to me for a look."

"Here!"

Hearing Li Aiguo's request, Zhang Dahua didn't hesitate for a second. She stuffed her cornmeal bun into her mouth, flipped open her canvas bag, took out a notebook, and handed it over.

Li Aiguo took it and glanced at it, only to find that the questions were far too simple for his own level. He let out a sigh of relief and handed the notebook back. "Thank you, Zhang Dahua."

"What kind of relationship do we have? Why are you being so polite! It would be even better if you could give me two cornmeal buns."

"Sorry, I didn't bring any dry rations today."

"I was just saying. Given our relationship, I'd help you even without the buns."

Zhang Dahua pretended not to care, casually pulled another bun from her canvas bag, and started gnawing on it. Looking at the bulging state of her bag, there were at least seven or eight more inside.

Li Aiguo was used to this; he squatted on the ground and narrowed his eyes slightly. A moment later, a loud whistle blew. The wheels screeched against the tracks, emitting a rhythmic clattering sound. Li Aiguo felt the train begin to move.

The twenty-mile journey passed in the blink of an eye. As the train slowed, brick walls became visible on both sides of the tracks. Painted on them in white lime were slogans: "Exert all your energy, strive for the best, and build the motherland with greater, faster, better, and more economical results."

The train's speed dropped lower and lower, crawling to nearly ten miles per hour. Train Captain Cao Wenzhi crushed his cigarette butt, stood at the door, and waved at the carriage. "Hurry, we're almost at the main section. Everyone, get over here! If you're late, you bunch of brats will have to walk the rest of the way on your own two legs."

Students of the Railway Secondary School were no strangers to jumping off trains. They lined up and began jumping off one by one, like dumplings being dropped into a pot. Jumping off a high platform was something anyone could do, but landing gracefully without a splash was not so simple. Some students landed flat on their bottoms, while others stumbled forward a few steps.

The most polished technique belonged to Zhang Dahua. She took two running steps, lunged out like a long jumper, and landed steadily in a standard stance without even a wobble. This was what they called "using force to overcome ten techniques"—as long as you run faster than the train, it can't catch up to you.

"Perfect!"

After landing firmly, Zhang Dahua put her hands on her hips and let out a triumphant shout, looking quite proud.

However, when she saw Li Aiguo land lightly on the ground with a graceful, acrobatic flip, her expression dimmed.

Captain Cao Wenzhi, who was busy organizing the students, felt a flash of admiration in his eyes. As a veteran train driver, he knew better than anyone the technical difficulty behind that leap. To jump like Zhang Dahua, one only needed enough strength and speed. But to land as lightly and stylishly as Li Aiguo did—that was something that required eight or ten years of practice.

Liu Erfeng, who had been staring at Li Aiguo, saw this, twitched his mouth, and turned his head away, pretending he hadn't seen it.

"Smack!"

Liu Erfeng felt a slap on his forehead. He rubbed his head and glared at Zhang Dahua. "Zhang Dahua, how did I offend you?"

"Nothing, I just think you look shady and it makes me feel uncomfortable."

Zhang Dahua struck a "what are you going to do about it?" pose, and Liu Erfeng really couldn't do anything to her. Her aunt was the director of the Education Office, but her grandfather was a founding veteran of the main engineering section; even the bureau leaders had to call him "Master." A mere Education Office director was nothing to sneeze at.

Liu Erfeng rubbed his sore spot with a sheepish grin and quietly slunk to the side. Zhang Dahua tilted her chin at Li Aiguo and held up two fingers, signaling that she had settled the score for him and he now owed her two cornmeal buns. Li Aiguo gave a helpless smile and gave her a thumbs up.

...

"Alright, everyone, hunch your backs and follow me. Don't let the track inspectors from the main section see us."

After counting heads, Cao Wenzhi signaled for the students to hunch over and walk along the tracks toward the section. They said "don't let them see us," but the main section was only a few hundred meters away; the leaders there could see everything clearly from their office windows. Everyone in the railway industry had jumped a train or two in their time; hunching over was just a matter of giving each other face.

...

When Cao Wenzhi led the candidates to the meeting point, Liu Chunhua was nowhere to be seen. He checked his watch, and his rough, dark face immediately darkened. "The exam is about to start, and Director Liu hasn't arrived yet. We aren't waiting for her."

Liu Erfeng, who had been lurking nearby, chimed in, "Don't do that, Master Cao. Director Liu hasn't arrived yet, and since she's the director of the Education Office, she’s supposed to be leading the team. Don't you think we should wait?"

"What? If Director Liu doesn't show up today, are all these candidates supposed to skip the exam?" Cao Wenzhi frowned.

"That's not what I meant, I just think we should wait a bit longer, after all, Director Liu is..."

"Enough!"

Cao Wenzhi waved at the candidates. "Let's go, everyone. Into the exam hall."

Just then, a bicycle sped toward them and blocked their path. The person riding it was none other than Liu Chunhua. In just a few minutes, she had changed her hairstyle from braids to loose, shoulder-length hair. Li Aiguo could faintly smell the scent of shampoo.

Cosmetics existed in this era. For instance, in the department stores of the capital, one could buy "Butterfly" brand shampoo produced by the Shanghai Household Industry Co-op, or "Xiefuchun" osmanthus hair oil. However, they were expensive, and women of this era generally valued the natural look of the working class, so few used such products.

Liu Chunhua parked her bike, tossed her hair, and gave a charming smile. "Sorry, I ran into an acquaintance on the way and chatted for a bit."

Cao Wenzhi caught the scent of her perfume and frowned in dissatisfaction. "Director Liu, today's exam concerns the future of these children. I hope you can take it seriously."

The smile vanished from Liu Chunhua's face. She widened her eyes and said indignantly, "How am I not taking it seriously? Besides, I'm not late, am I?"

Seeing the two about to quarrel, the candidates looked at each other in dismay. One was the director of the Education Office, in charge of ideological studies, and the other was the captain of the drivers, who managed the train operators. Neither could be offended.

Li Aiguo saw that candidates from other sections were already entering the hall, so he stepped forward and said with a smile, "Leaders, the exam is about to start. Can we go in now?"

"Ah... yes, of course. I almost forgot." Cao Wenzhi scratched his head and waved his hand. "Everyone, go in."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Chunhua hurried to the front and led the candidates toward the exam hall. Watching Liu Chunhua’s plump hips swaying in the sunlight, Cao Wenzhi spat on the ground. "Just because a leader from the main bureau is inspecting the exam site today, look at how excited you are, you little vixen."

Liu Erfeng, trailing behind, heard this, and his face turned as dark as ink.