Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 73 The train heads south, setting sail for Hong Kong

The green train roared south across the vast North China Plain. The sleeper carriages were filled with a complex mix of smells—dry rations, sweat, and tobacco—yet also brimming with the vibrant energy of everyday life.

There were six people in Lin Yan's private room. Besides the three of them, the person in the lower bunk opposite them was a quiet, elderly-looking cadre dressed in a clean Zhongshan suit; the person in the middle bunk was a talkative middle-aged woman carrying large and small bags of local specialties who was going to visit relatives in Guangzhou; and the person in the upper bunk was a young technician who looked like he was on a business trip.

Lin Yan leaned weakly against the lower bunk, his face pale and his lips occasionally turning slightly purple, covered with a thin blanket. His sickly appearance, coupled with his delicate features, easily drew the sympathy and attention of his fellow passengers.

The kind-hearted older woman was particularly lively, grabbing handfuls of roasted peanuts and handing Wang Cuihua an apple one after another: "Oh my, this young man is so handsome! But his complexion... sigh, it's a real pain. How old are you? Do you have a girlfriend?" Her eyes lingered on Lin Yan, growing more and more fond of him, and she couldn't help but lower her voice to say to Wang Cuihua, "Sister, my daughter's in the Guangzhou Cultural Troupe, she's incredibly beautiful! How about..."

Wang Cuihua's heart tightened, and she quickly waved her hand, forcing a distressed expression on her face: "Auntie, please don't say anymore... My Xiaoyan's health... he was born with a heart condition, it's called... Tetralogy of Fallot. The experts at Peking Union Medical College Hospital all said... that it's difficult to treat... We're going back to Guangzhou just to try anything, how can we even think about getting married? Don't hold back a good girl..."

Upon hearing "heart disease" and "difficult to handle," the woman's eagerness instantly cooled, replaced by deep regret. She sighed repeatedly, "Oh dear! Look at the mess this has made... What a pity... Such a handsome young man... Alas, God is truly blind..." She stopped mentioning her daughter, but grabbed two more handfuls of red dates and stuffed them into her hands, saying, "Give the child some nourishment, poor thing..."

The older cadre opposite him adjusted his glasses and said gently to Lin Gang, "Comrade, don't be discouraged. Medical conditions in Guangzhou are still better than in the north. Have hope." The technician on the upper bunk also leaned down and handed over a bag of biscuits: "These are what I brought. They haven't been touched. Give them to your younger brother."

Lin Gang and Wang Cuihua thanked him repeatedly, but they were inwardly both amused and exasperated. They could only explain their illness over and over again, accepting the kind feeding from strangers. Lin Yan, on the other hand, nodded and smiled weakly throughout, occasionally coughing, displaying superb acting skills.

Around noon, Lin Gang went to the dining car to get his lunch. The connecting area between the carriages was packed with people, and the dining car attendant was pushing his cart and struggling to sell boxed lunches. While Lin Gang was in line, his sharp eyes suddenly noticed a small, thin figure nimbly weaving through the crowd, one hand seemingly unintentionally reaching into other people's pockets.

Soon, the thief spotted an old man dressed as a farmer who was engrossed in counting his money to buy food. A razor blade flashed, and the money the old man had sewn into his inner pocket was about to be lost.

Lin Gang frowned. He couldn't shout loudly and alert the enemy, nor could he personally make a move and reveal his skills. He subtly turned to the side, just in time to block the view of a patrolling police officer behind him, and then "accidentally" bumped into a fat passenger next to him with the enamel mug he was holding.

"Hey! Watch out!" the chubby passenger grumbled, not making a sound, but it made the train police officer glance over in their direction.

With just one glance, the train police officer's professional instincts immediately made him notice the thin man's hand, which was about to retract, holding a razor blade!

"What are you doing!" the train police officer shouted, stepping forward and grabbing the thief's wrist. A commotion erupted in the surrounding crowd. The old man belatedly checked his pockets, breaking out in a cold sweat, and repeatedly thanked the officer.

Lin Gang, already carrying his food, acted as if nothing had happened, head down, and squeezed through the crowd back to his private room. The whole process was silent; no one noticed his subtle movements.

The three-day, three-night journey passed in this atmosphere. The people in the carriage chatted, shared food, played cards, and showed the utmost sympathy and care for the handsome young man who appeared seriously ill but was remarkably polite. Lin Gang and Wang Cuihua carefully responded, maintaining their carefully constructed persona.

The train finally pulled slowly into Guangzhou Station. The platform was bustling with people, and the Cantonese accents were everywhere. The air was humid and warm, a stark contrast to the dry cold of the north.

Lin Gang and Wang Cuihua helped Lin Yan out of the station with difficulty, following the flow of people. They found a small, inconspicuous guesthouse near the station, booked a room with a letter of introduction, and said they would stay there first and then go to the hospital to inquire the next day.

However, in the early hours of the morning, Lin Gang and Wang Cuihua vanished from the guesthouse room and were taken into Lin Yan's spatial storage.

Lin Yan's eyes sharpened, and his aura suddenly changed, completely erasing any trace of his previous frailty. He pushed open the window, and his lightness technique, enveloping him like a wisp of green smoke, blended into the night. His body, tempered after the training, possessed strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, and his speed was astonishing. He avoided the main roads, speeding along secluded streets and alleys towards what was roughly Shekou, Shenzhen.

In less than an hour, he was standing on the secluded shore of Shekou. The night was deep, and the waves were gently lapping. He took out an ordinary small wooden boat that he had prepared beforehand from his spatial storage and silently pushed it into the sea.

He jumped onto the boat, needing no oars at all. With a slight release of his spiritual energy, he propelled the small boat like an arrow, slicing through the dark sea and speeding towards Yuen Long, Hong Kong, on the opposite shore. This distance would take him no more than half an hour.

On a desolate beach in Yuen Long, Lin Yi and Lin Er had been anxiously waiting for some time. When they saw Lin Yan's figure approaching from the sea like a ghost and steadily stepping ashore, the two excitedly rushed forward, bowed deeply, and exclaimed with barely suppressed excitement, "Master! You've finally arrived!"

"Hmm, no need for formalities," Lin Yan said calmly, waving his hand to put the small wooden boat back into his spatial storage, as if nothing had happened. He glanced at the faint lights in the distance. "Let's go."

"The car is ready, please, master!" Lin Yi quickly led the way.

A black sedan was parked in a secluded spot. The three got in, the car started, and smoothly drove away from the beach, speeding towards Deep Water Bay on Hong Kong Island. The hardships and pretense of the north were completely left behind; the prosperity of Hong Kong and a new stage lay ahead.

Volume 1 Completed