Chapter 52: Fragrant Grass Editorial Department

Hankou Railway Station.

"Woo-woo-woo---"

The train slowly pulled into the platform, and the roar of iron gradually subsided.

On the platform, bursts of cold wind rushed forward, and the air was filled with a biting chill.

People squeezed off the train, rubbing shoulders and treading on each other's heels; though orderly, the scene appeared somewhat chaotic.

Cheng Kaiyan was unexpectedly among them. When he stepped onto the reinforced concrete platform carrying a green canvas shoulder bag and holding his luggage, a down-to-earth feeling instantly welled up in his heart, bringing an exceptional sense of reassurance and stability.

The low ceiling at the top of the railway station cast a heavy shadow, with a few sparse lights hanging down, each surrounded by a ring of green glass casing. They swayed slightly in the wind amidst the thin mist, casting a hazy, ghostly green light and shadow.

Hoo---

Cheng Kaiyan took a deep breath and walked towards the exit.

The weather in Jiangcheng was of the kind where summers were scorching and winters were bitterly cold.

Although he was wrapped in a thick Type 65 military overcoat, complete with gloves and a scarf, he could still feel the cold wind piercing through his clothes, bringing freezing currents that cut across his face like knives.

The cold air mixed with the white vapor exhaled from the passengers' mouths, forming a delicate mist that enveloped the upper part of the station.

"Comrades from out of town, come over here! Have your introduction letters and identification documents ready for registration."

A woman in a black uniform shouted through a megaphone at the crowd. Beside her stood a small room resembling a modern security booth, with a sign reading "Jiangcheng Hotel Referral Office."

Contrary to popular impression, Jiangcheng was also a heavy industrial station.

It possessed countless factories, with numerous manufacturing plants located here.

Places like the nationally renowned Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation, the Jiangcheng Marine Machinery Plant, and the Jiangcheng Bristle Factory meant that many people traveled here on business and for work.

Even later that year, national leaders and policy makers would come to Jiangcheng to conduct research and investigations at the Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation.

At the exit platform, Cheng Kaiyan spotted a sign that read "Jiangcheng Hotel Referral Office."

In this era, traveling meant staying at guesthouses, and people required an official introduction letter from their work unit or commune to check in. Without an introduction letter, not only was it impossible to secure lodging, but one might even be detained and repatriated as a "vagrant."

Quite a few business travelers were waiting in line at the referral office, holding out their introduction letters for the staff to inspect.

However, one could not freely choose which guesthouse to stay at. After inspecting the documents, the staff member would hand over a slip of paper with the name of a designated guesthouse written on it.

Only by holding both the introduction letter and this slip could one go to the assigned place for lodging.

......

Cheng Kaiyan had presented a letter from the *Fangcao* Editorial Department, so naturally, he was assigned there.

Seven o'clock in the morning.

Cheng Kaiyan followed the crowd out of the station. The fresh morning air and the pale, mild sunlight fell upon his face, finally warming up his icy body.

After traveling by train for an entire day and a night, he had finally arrived at the Hankou Railway Station in Jiangcheng this morning.

"What a stark contrast."

Cheng Kaiyan took in the scene before the station plaza. This railway station had been built over a hundred years ago in a quintessential European Renaissance architectural style.

Situated in the bustling heart of the city, the Beijing-Guangzhou railway line ran right through the urban area—which was both convenient and inconvenient.

Some jokingly remarked that only those living near the Beijing-Hankou railway were authentic locals of Jiangcheng, while everyone else was an outsider.

The new Hankou Railway Station, located in Jiayidun, would not begin construction until 1989, and this Dazhimen Railway Station would be preserved as a historical landmark.

He hailed a rickshaw in the morning and headed off in accordance with the address on the letter.

Half an hour later, he finally arrived at the location of the *Fangcao* Editorial Department.

"Ten cents, mister."

"Here you go."

......

At the entrance of the *Fangcao* Editorial Department.

"Hello, comrade! I am looking for Editor Chen Shanshan. I'm here to revise a manuscript, and these are my identification documents and introduction letter."

Cheng Kaiyan leaned over the window of the small guardhouse at the entrance and called out to the elderly comrade who was dozing inside.

"Eh? What did you say?"

The old man asked with a bewildered expression, seeming somewhat hard of hearing.

"Never mind, go back to resting."

Cheng Kaiyan gave a wave of his hand, picked up his luggage, and sat down wherever he could find a spot.

He checked the delicate women's wristwatch on his wrist; it was half-past seven in the morning, and the editorial department hadn't started work yet.

This watch belonged to his aunt. Before his departure, Jiang Ting had lent her women's wristwatch to Cheng Kaiyan because traveling without a timepiece was truly inconvenient.

"Young man, let me see your introduction letter. Where are you from?"

After letting him sit by the entrance to catch the breeze for a while, the old man inside woke up and walked out. After inspecting the documents, he invited Cheng Kaiyan inside and poured him a cup of hot tea.

"Hoo-hoo~"

Cheng Kaiyan sat on a stool leaning against the wooden door frame, blowing on the steaming tea, holding a book, and quietly waiting for the workday to begin.

The gatekeeper old man glanced at him and nodded, thinking, "Indeed, he is a man of letters."

At eight-thirty, Cheng Kaiyan's stomach began to rumble with hunger. At that moment, a middle-aged man in his forties suddenly arrived from outside.

"Editor-in-Chief Yang, this young man is here to revise a manuscript. Could you take a look and arrange things for him?"

Grandpa Chen, the gatekeeper, poked his head out of the window and said.

"Alright, Grandpa Chen, go ahead with your work. I'll take care of it."

Yang Shuan nodded, feeling unsurprised.

The literary reputation of Jiangcheng was quite significant; although it couldn't reach nationwide dominance, it ranked among the top two in Hubei Province, and people came to the editorial department to revise manuscripts at regular intervals.

He was merely curious as to why this young man had arrived so early. Could it be that he had come straight from the train station?

He looked up, and a young man came into view. He had clear eyes and red lips, stood tall and straight, and wore a Type 65 military overcoat. His slender, upright spine leaned against the doorframe, naturally emanating an aura of heroic elegance.

Glancing downward, a book with its cover hidden rested on his lap, and the young man's slender, fair fingers gently turned the pages. At that moment, a broken ray of sunlight filtered through the glass window of the guardhouse, quietly falling upon the young man's profile. His amber eyes seemed to gleam with light, and the white vapor rising from the tea cup enveloped his face, adding a touch of mystery.

It caused Yang Shuan's breath to catch. Even a man in his forties like him couldn't help but inwardly praise: What a handsome young fellow!

"Little comrade, little comrade, where are you from?"

Yang Shuan first straightened his hair and collar by checking his reflection in the glass window, then walked closer to Cheng Kaiyan and asked in a gentle voice.

Hearing the commotion, Cheng Kaiyan looked up and said with a smile, "Are you the editor-in-chief? I'm from Beijing."

Beijing?

Hearing this answer, a thought inevitably popped into Yang Shuan's mind.

Could it be...

"Could you possibly be Cheng Kaiyan?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes, you know of me? I am Cheng Kaiyan, and I'm looking for Editor Chen Shanshan."

Cheng Kaiyan put down his book and stood up to answer.

Sitting down while talking to someone else didn't seem very polite.

Judging by the editor-in-chief's words, did he actually recognize him?

Presumably, he had already read *Fangcao*, right?

"Tsk... Simply incredible. I thought you were an older author around my age. Forgive me, forgive me. I am Yang Shuan, the deputy editor-in-chief of *Fangcao*. It's a pleasure to meet you, Teacher Cheng."

Yang Shuan took a deep breath, thinking to himself that it really was him. Although the young man before him was indeed much younger than he had imagined, this was the reality.

As a veteran in the field, he naturally wouldn't look down on Cheng Kaiyan because of his age, especially since he was the author of the upcoming work in *Fangcao*.

One must know that the editorial department had been studying this short novel for many days, and they were planning to feature it as the main highlight for the February issue. Some editors had even raised slogans to launch an aggressive promotional campaign for *Fangcao*!

They wanted to make the name of *Fangcao* ring out with a single stroke!

"The honor is mine, Teacher Yang is far too polite."

Hearing himself addressed repeatedly as "Teacher Cheng," Cheng Kaiyan felt genuinely pleased and beamed with continuous smiles.

Heaven be praised!

I, Cheng Kaiyan, am finally a teacher!

Students like Ji庆兰 (Ji Qinglan) didn't quite count; this man was an editor-in-chief!

Wait... huh?

How is this the same as Lin Xiaohong?

"When did Teacher Cheng arrive? So quickly—calculated by the time, it was only mailed a few days ago, right?"

Yang Shuan suppressed the urge burning in his heart to discuss the literary work *Fangcao* and started chatting with Cheng Kaiyan at the entrance of the guardhouse.

After all, Teacher Cheng had traveled a long way by train; offering warmth and hospitality was the proper course of action.

"I just arrived. The moment I received your letter, I hurried to buy a ticket and came right over. With the Spring Festival approaching, getting this matter settled sooner rather than later is best, isn't that right, Teacher Yang?"

"Indeed. Let me first take Teacher Cheng to your lodging. You might not know it, Teacher Cheng, but our guesthouse standards are quite high! You are in for a treat."

Yang Shuan nodded and led Cheng Kaiyan to a dormitory building within the courtyard.

Though called a guesthouse, it was actually the internal dormitory of the *Fangcao* Editorial Department.

A single room to oneself with a large bed—it was very nice.

Meals were provided by the editorial department's cafeteria, and if one wasn't accustomed to that, Liberation Avenue was just a short walk away, where numerous state-run restaurants stood outside.

After settling his luggage, since it was now official working hours, Yang Shuan led Cheng Kaiyan to the editorial office.

"Comrades, let me introduce everyone. This is the author who has newly arrived at our department to revise a manuscript. Can everyone guess who this is?"

Yang Shuan introduced him to the staff with a mysterious smile on his lips.