Familiar figures, meeting old friends!

Zhao Dongchuan, with his satchel on his back, slowly got off the train with the crowd and arrived at the platform.

On the platform, people carrying large and small bags were slowly walking forward, while uniformed staff pushed carts selling local snacks like melon seeds and pastries, likely station employees. The entire platform was bustling and lively.

Zhao Dongchuan followed the crowd step by step to the Luohu Station exit, where a long queue had formed. He slowly shuffled forward, waiting to have his ticket checked and exit the station.

Several uniformed public security officers scrutinized every passenger for anything unusual, occasionally randomly checking luggage.

Before long, he exited the station. After a few steps, he saw a figure flash by.

He couldn't help but stop. The figure gave him a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had seen it somewhere before?

By the time he looked again, the person had already disappeared into the vast crowd!

"Dongchuan Ge!!!"

Just as he was trying to recall where he had seen that figure, a shout came.

He turned his head to see that the person was none other than Hu Jianjun, whom he hadn't seen in over half a year.

"Jianjun, you're here!" Zhao Dongchuan greeted him.

Hu Jianjun was wearing a green military uniform with short hair. Although his face was a bit darker, he looked much more energetic than before.

"I received your telegram and knew you'd be arriving around this time, so I've been waiting for you!" Hu Jianjun said with a grin.

"Let's go, I drove here today! Your little brother will take you for a spin!"

"You've made something of yourself, kid. You're a team leader in the transport team now, that's impressive!"

"How can I compare to you? You're a great writer! I heard you published a new poem. That's something roughnecks like us can't compare to!"

As the two were chatting and reminiscing, a clear female voice came: "Sorry, Dongchuan Ge, I'm late!"

A woman in a red jacket and khaki pants ran over, pushing a bicycle and panting.

"It's alright, and thank you for coming all this way. You didn't have to rush. We could have met up after I settled in!" Zhao Dongchuan said with a slight smile.

"How can that be? You're a guest from afar, of course I have to come pick you up!" Li Yuer said, patting her still-heaving chest.

Hu Jianjun looked at the noisy crowd around them and said, "Alright, let's not chat here. Let's get in the car and find a place to welcome Dongchuan Ge!"

Li Yuer had come by bicycle. Her father had been very busy lately and didn't have time to send a car for her.

So, Zhao Dongchuan and Hu Jianjun together put her bicycle in the back of the truck, and Zhao Dongchuan and Li Yuer sat in the passenger seat.

The passenger seat was larger than a typical car's, so it wasn't too crowded. At that time, no one cared how many people sat in the front.

Li Yuer, with a slightly flushed face, sat between the driver and passenger seats, with Zhao Dongchuan on the outside. The three chatted along the way and soon arrived at the entrance of a state-run restaurant in Bao'an.

They got out of the car and went inside the restaurant. Looking at the blackboard menu on the wall, they ordered a few dishes and sat at a table to wait.

"How long are you planning to stay this time?" Li Yuer asked, looking at Zhao Dongchuan with a faint smile.

"Hahaha, the only reason I was able to come this time was thanks to the invitation letter you sent me. I came under the guise of cultural exchange!"

"Hehe, that was an invitation letter I got from my dad. But my dad took it seriously. If he hadn't been so busy today, he would have come himself. He had originally notified the Cultural Bureau to send someone, but I stopped them. I took the initiative to come myself! You won't blame me for being meddlesome, will you...?" Li Yuer suddenly thought that what she did seemed a bit childish and said with some unease.

Zhao Dongchuan was also rendered speechless.

Since a proper invitation letter had been sent, regardless of the initial reason, it should indeed be handled more formally.

However, this should be a semi-official invitation, and with only him coming, it wasn't quite a formal, officially organized exchange activity.

Of course, he himself didn't care about these things.

He was just surprised that Li Yuer's father had arranged for someone from the Cultural Bureau to come, but Li Yuer had turned them away. It seemed Li Yuer...

Zhao Dongchuan looked thoughtfully at Li Yuer and said with a slight smile, "It's nothing. My main purpose this time is to take this opportunity to come and see you all!"

Seeing him so relaxed, Li Yuer also breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Dongchuan Ge, I've read a lot of literary works in the past six months! I feel like I'm half a poet myself! When you have time, could you guide me?"

"I'm not very good at writing myself, so how can I mislead others? But we can exchange ideas and learn from each other!"

Hu Jianjun and Li Yuer both thought this was Zhao Dongchuan's modesty, never imagining that it was all true and that the poems Zhao Dongchuan wrote were all borrowed.

Only his novels could barely be considered original, having only referenced a story outline.

Before long, the dishes were served. The three immediately ate and chatted, and a simple lunch was quickly finished.

Hu Jianjun eagerly paid the money and tickets.

"Are you planning to go directly to our Cultural Bureau or to the guesthouse first?" Li Yuer asked with concern.

"Let's go to the guesthouse first. I need to take a shower and wash up. I've been on the train for several days, and I smell!"

Immediately, Hu Jianjun drove the truck and took Zhao Dongchuan to a guesthouse in the county.

Zhao Dongchuan, carrying his satchel, took out his letter of introduction and work ID to register for a room (it wasn't a special economic zone yet, so no border pass was needed!).

He quickly completed the procedures and got the key.

"Do you two want to come up with me and sit for a bit?" Zhao Dongchuan asked Hu Jianjun and Li Yuer with a smile.

"Uh, no, I have to go pull freight this afternoon, so I need to leave!" Hu Jianjun scratched his head.

"I... I..." Li Yuer wanted to stay but was afraid of gossip.

"Oh, right, aren't you still going to the Cultural Bureau? I'll wait for you to wash up and then lead the way!" Li Yuer suddenly thought cleverly.

Zhao Dongchuan nodded noncommittally and led the way inside to find his room.

Hu Jianjun, with an expression that said 'I understand,' drove off with a chuckle.

Li Yuer's face immediately flushed red, and she secretly looked at Zhao Dongchuan. Seeing that he had already gone upstairs into the guesthouse, she quickly followed. The guesthouse front desk, clearly experienced, smiled knowingly.

Zhao Dongchuan found his room by number, opened the door, and walked in. He placed his bag on the stool and said to Li Yuer, who had followed him in hesitantly and timidly, "You sit for a bit, have some water. I'll wash up, it'll be quick!"

"Oh..." Li Yuer nodded.

For a girl of that era, entering a guesthouse room with a man was a very bold thing to do.

However, Li Yuer had seen a lot with her father and was not someone bound by tradition, so although conflicted, she still sat down, poured herself a glass of water, and waited outside.