Free Web NovelChapter 381: Chapter 381: All Within the Four Seas Are Friends
According to Old Master Tate, demand now outstripped supply. The supply chain had a serious gap, and domestic supply couldn’t meet the people’s daily needs. A black market was bound to emerge; it had been this way since ancient times.
For example, the Dawnlight Dynasty had always banned maritime trade, yet shipping continued to flourish. The common people never lacked for rare and curious goods from overseas. This was because there was demand—and exorbitant profits to be made. As a result, plenty of people were willing to risk beheading to smuggle goods from abroad. Naturally, it was the same now.
The south was full of port cities and was also close to HK. There was sure to be a group of bold people there, and Adrian Hawthorne wanted to find them.
When Tang Xiaonan woke up, she was already on a train. The CLANKETY-CLANK of the wheels made her feel a little nostalgic. She used to ride this kind of old, green-painted train when she was little. It was dead slow, but it had a certain charm, a warmth from a bygone era.
"You’re awake, Xiaonan. Do you want something to eat?" Goldie Thorne asked.
"Water."
Tang Xiaonan licked her lips, which were a bit dry. Goldie Thorne handed her the water flask and helped her drink a few sips. Only then did she feel fully awake. The train car was quiet and didn’t have any particular smell. The people in the sleeper car were all very civilized. At this point in time, those who could afford a sleeper ticket were mostly public officials on business trips, so their behavior was generally quite refined.
"Want an egg?" Jim Thorne asked, peeling one.
Tang Xiaonan shook her head. She really didn’t like boiled eggs. Jim Thorne popped the egg into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. Then he started peeling another one. He had run out of the house without eating breakfast. freeweɓnovel.cøm
The sleeper compartment was quite clean and could sleep four people. They occupied three of the berths, with one top bunk still empty. Someone would probably board later to take it. Tang Xiaonan leaned against the window, curiously watching the scenery pass by. ’It’s so slow,’ she thought. ’I really miss high-speed trains and planes. A trip to the south would only take a few hours with those.’
After finishing his eggs, Jim Thorne couldn’t sit still. He paced back and forth in the train car, finding everything novel. ’So this is the green caterpillar my sister saw in her dream! Next time, I have to ride that flying iron bird. Then I’ll have some real bragging rights. I’ll have actually flown in the sky!’
「At Aurelia Station」, a heavyset man in his thirties boarded and came to their empty bunk. His hair was slicked back and gleaming with pomade. He wore a white shirt tucked into slacks, his large belly straining against the fabric. A black briefcase was tucked under his arm, and he carried a leather suitcase. His leather shoes were shined to a gleam. One look at him and you could tell he was a government man.
The man’s bunk was the one above Jim Thorne’s. He offered a smile as he came in, placed his small suitcase on the bed, and then, with much HUFFING and PUFFING, struggled for a long time to climb onto the top bunk. Watching from below, Tang Xiaonan wished she could just climb up for him. ’This just strengthens my resolve to lose weight,’ she thought.
The man lay in his bunk for a moment, then grabbed a towel, intending to go wash his face. But it was like climbing a mountain—getting up was easy, but getting down was hard. No matter which foot he tried to move first, it felt wrong. The man got stuck halfway, suspended in an awkward limbo, unable to go up or down.
"Sir, don’t worry, just let go! We’ve got you!"
Goldie Thorne was a warm-hearted man. He called Jim Thorne over, and together they positioned themselves to catch the man, telling him to just let go. The heavyset man was out of strength. He closed his eyes, braced himself, and released his grip. For a moment his body was suspended in mid-air, and then his feet touched the ground.
"Thank you... Thank you so much."
"Don’t mention it! It was nothing. Say, sir, why don’t you just take the lower bunk? My nephew can sleep on top. He’s like a little monkey, scrambles up and down with no trouble at all." Goldie Thorne was incredibly enthusiastic; he loved making new friends.
The heavyset man was a little embarrassed. "How about I pay you the difference? The top and bottom bunks are different prices. I can give you extra."
