On the evening of August twenty-ninth, a heavy rain fell over Shanhai City. The water washed the heat from the ground and left everything cool and refreshing. By the next day, the air was so fresh that a single breath seemed to clear the mind. Wang Cheng had originally planned to return to Guanjia Village that evening, but the rain changed his plans.
On the morning of the thirtieth, Mama Wang stayed home to watch the house, and the fragrant pig was temporarily left in her care. Papa Wang personally brought Wang Ziyu into the city to meet Wang Cheng. Their flight was scheduled for two in the afternoon. Since none of them had ever flown before and they were worried some mistake might keep them from boarding, Wang Cheng had told them to come early.
It was not Papa Wang’s first time in the city. His children were all accomplished, so even Mama Wang had visited several times before.
Wang Ning’an’s apartment, however, was new to them.
The place was luxurious, imposing, and unmistakably upscale, with modern extravagance everywhere. At night, the balcony overlooked a dazzling cityscape. Living somewhere like this really was a kind of enjoyment.
Wang Ziyu excitedly looked around everywhere.
Papa Wang was much calmer. At their age, money no longer mattered quite as much. A big city might be prosperous and lively, but its environment still could not compare with the countryside. It was just like how many people, once they had money, gradually began pursuing a better living environment.
Wang Ziyu had not brought much luggage. Her suitcase was black because they had prioritized something that would not show dirt when buying it. It was medium-sized but could hold plenty of clothes.
At noon, Wang Cheng personally went into the kitchen to make lunch for them.
Papa Wang told him something simple would be enough and that he did not need to make too much.
Wang Cheng had planned the same thing, though he had another reason as well. Since this would be his first time flying too, he had looked up some information online beforehand.
Airlines served food to passengers, but online reviews said it was not very good, so he planned to bring some food himself. He packed cooked food in an insulated container, things like dumplings, steamed buns, and shumai. They had happened to eat dumplings the night before, so Wang Cheng had made extra.
After the three of them ate lunch, they rested for an hour and then set out.
Shanhai City’s subway system was still incomplete, so they could only take the bus. Once Wang Cheng got his driver’s license, driving himself would be much more convenient.
The trip from Ningjing Residential Complex to Shanhai Airport took only half an hour. It was very hot at that time of day, but plenty of people were already moving through the terminal. The moment they entered, a wave of cool air-conditioning washed over them, instantly making them feel much more comfortable.
This was only Wang Cheng’s second time at the airport, so he was still unfamiliar with it. Fortunately, they had an hour. Following the airport signs, they wound their way around until they finally found the gate for their flight. By then, only twenty minutes remained before departure, and boarding would begin in five minutes. Passengers were already lining up at the gate.
“Good thing Second Brother had the foresight to leave early. Otherwise, we really might have missed it.” Wang Ziyu let out a relieved breath.
Papa Wang could not go any farther, so he had parted from them earlier and taken the bus home by himself.
“Enough talking. Sit down and rest for a few minutes. We’ll be boarding soon.” Wang Cheng pulled the suitcase over and found an empty seat.
Wang Ziyu followed close behind. She did not understand any of this and could only follow her second brother. In her eyes, even if Second Brother knew nothing either, she still felt as though he knew everything. When the time came, they lined up to board. There were many people heading to the capital, and quite a few seemed to be like them, students traveling there to attend university, except most had their parents accompanying them.
Once aboard, they found their seats. One was by the window, which they gave to Wang Ziyu, who had been looking around curiously ever since stepping onto the plane. Wang Cheng sat beside her, while a foreign man occupied the aisle seat. The roar during takeoff was loud, and there was a sensation of weightlessness similar to the first moment an elevator started moving.
The flight from Shanhai City to the capital took more than two hours. After landing, they would still have to travel to Jing University and would very likely run into the evening rush. If they arrived by a little after five, they would be doing well. In a developed city like the capital, traffic during commuting hours could be terrifying. Shanhai City had already given Wang Cheng a month or two of firsthand experience.
A little after three, Wang Cheng took out the dumplings he had made.
The insulated container worked very well. The dumplings were still warm when he opened it, and he had packed dipping sauce with them. A little sauce made them far better than airplane food.
Several nearby passengers caught the aroma and looked over in surprise. Most people brought steamed buns or crackers, while some simply brought nothing at all. Very few carried fragrant dumplings, since they did not taste good after sitting too long. The smell was enough to make mouths water.
“Smells wonderful.” The foreign man looked at the glossy dumplings in Wang Cheng’s container and praised them without hesitation. He spoke Chinese, though his intonation was slightly unusual.
“Thanks.” Wang Cheng gave his sister a few dumplings, then noticed the foreign man looking at them enviously and asked, “Would you like to try some?”
“May I? Thank you so much.” The man looked delighted.
Wang Cheng smiled and gave him several.
After finishing the dumplings, the foreign man praised them repeatedly, saying they were the best dumplings he had eaten since arriving in Shanhai City: flavorful and generously filled. After chatting for a while, Wang Cheng learned that he had come to Shanhai City as a tourist.