Lunar New Year 2002
WHITE winter sonata covered the northwestern land. Autumn went by fast and the freezing winter knocked on the door. As expected, winter in Northern land was dry and colder than in southern, and since Xian located somewhere around Northwestern part, winter will be longer and colder. Brace with the cool winter, Yi Ling walked briskly to the bus station. Last month, she bought the train ticket to Shanghai as her father asked her to visit him during the Lunar New Year. Yi Ling wanted to spend her first Lunar New Year with her aunt and her maternal grandparents in Xian. So Yi Ling bought the train ticket during second day of Lunar New Year.
It will take her about twenty minutes to reach the train station from the bus station. Yi Ling could've rode her bike, but the winter and snow fall made her impossible to brace the weather. And her aunt was reluctant for Yi Ling to leave her bike parked inside the train station, as there was one time Yi Ling bike got stolen.
The Lunar New Year 2002, was a little different from the previous year. Usually her mother would come back during the new year and would spend time with her family. Since that year her mother had to work and was unable to take a long leave, Yi Ling's mother came back during the Christmas break instead. After two weeks staying with her mother, when it was time for her to fly back to New York, Yi Ling had silently shedding her tears that night. Yi Ling spirit during the Lunar New Year was a little forlorn. She wanted to spend the new year with her mother. However, at the same time Yi Ling understood the nature of her mother's job. Still, having the chance to see her once in a year, Yi Ling often misses her mother's presence. At the thought of spending three days in Shanghai with her father's new wife and children, Yi Ling found herself unsettled. Her father's new wife is a good woman, and she treated Yi Ling nicely whenever she comes by. Her step-brother, which two years older than her, was rather a little uncomfortable whenever Yi Ling staying with them. A year ago, Yi Ling's step mother gave birth to a baby boy. Yi Ling had seen her half brother once after few days he was given birth. Then there was the distant relationship Yi Ling shared with her father. Just with the thought made her feel dejected and dispirited.
It was snowing heavily outside the bus station and the winds were more violent. Yi Ling shivered from the freezing winter. She wore her thick black winter jacket and she wore her dark brown woolly thick scarf tucked tightly around her neck to keep her warm. With such weather, while waiting for the bus, Yi Ling eyes heavy with sleepiness. Last night she slept earlier than her usual routine. Because of the cool weather, Yi Ling could sleep like a log all day along. Yi Ling looked up at the somber sky, dark with cloudiness because of the snow fall. Gone was the bright azure sky during the summer. Yi Ling looked at the time on her watch her mother brought for her from New York. It was still five minutes away before sharp nine in the morning. Yi Ling train board at eleven. she still have the time and she wasn't late.
Yi Ling wasn't the only person who was waiting for the bus to arrive. Then a familiar figure caught her attention. He was looking down and reading his book while sitting on the bench with Jin Sing. Yi Ling wasn't sure if Cheng Yang saw her or not. Yi Ling did not approached them. Just then, the bus approaching its way to their direction. Yi Ling waited for the passengers to get off from the bus first before boarding. Yi Ling and the others boarded the bus and she sat at the end of the row. Just then, her two classmates noticed her.
'Eh, Classmate. Where are you going?' Jin Sing asked as both Cheng Yang and him filled the empty seats beside her. Yi Ling looked at the two of them and returned her gaze watching the watch her mother had gotten for her.
'Train station.' Yi Ling's voice almost coming out as if she was whispering. Cheng Yang still had his book with him. She notice he was reading a classic Chinese novel. Truly, the mind of A's student was different from the mind of average student like her. While Cheng Yang likes to read during his free time, Yi Ling would follow around loitering with An Ran in the game stations. Yi Ling would only took the initiative to study her school textbook whenever exam nearing by. Otherwise, the book will be left untouched.
'Train station? Where are you going?' Jin Sing asked her.
Yi Ling sighed and became a little depressed with the thought of spending three whole days with her father's new family. 'Shanghai.'
Jin Sing's eyes lit. 'All alone? Surely, our classmate Ling free as a bird. My mother wouldn't even let me go to Beijing alone. Let alone to Shanghai!'
Yi Ling didn't want to speak so much. She was already in solemn mood. The thought of other children get to spend every day of their life with their parents, both parents caring for them, made her feel a sense of loss and longing for parental care and love. Both of her parents gotten their divorced when Yi Ling was still very young. Even before the divorced, Yi Ling had been living with her maternal grandparents since both of her mother and father had to go to work out station and often travels from one place to another. Then after the divorced her mother got offered a job in New York and without hesitation she accepted the job and her father got remarried. Now her maternal grandparents were old and their health deteriorating, her aunt and third uncle took her to live with them under their roof. And that was when Cheng Yang came into her life. When he was seven years old, his family had move in nearby her aunt's house district. He was originally came from Shanghai. His father was a politician and transferred to Shaanxi Province and that was how Cheng Yang and his family ended up living in the same district as her.
Jin Sing faced his friend. 'Cheng Yang, aren't you a Southerner?'
Cheng Yang nodded. He didn't speak much. after nodding, her return his attention back to the book. 'Which Southern part?' Jin Sing keep asking.
'Shanghai.' This time the quiet boy answered his chatty friend's question.
'So coincident? Is this what we call fate eh?' Cheng Yang smacked his left hand to Jin Sing head. Yi Ling felt abashed and didn't dare to meet with Cheng Yang's gaze. She didn't dare to speak much.
'You are good in talking nonsense. Why not use the capacity to improve your grade instead?' Cheng Yang retorted and he hit the spot, making Jin Sing became quiet and didn't bother to continue with the chat. Like that, they fell into silent. The bus stopped in front of the train station after twenty minutes drive. Both Cheng Yang and Jin Sing still didn't get off from the bus. She didn't know where they both heading. Before she get of the bus, Yi Ling remembered to greet them a new year wishing.
'Happy New Year.' with that Yi Ling get off from the bus without looking back.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YI Ling board her train. She showed her ticket to the security uncle earlier. She had her breakfast earlier. Her aunt had give her 500 yuan earlier and told Yi Ling to spend the money whenever necessary only. Before boarding the train, carrying her back pack, Yi Ling bought steam buns and boil egg in front of the train station. Buying food inside the train will cost her so much, and buying outside from the train station way more cheaper. Since the journey to Shanghai will take her about more than fifteen hours, Yi Ling bought more of boil eggs and some snacks with her. She didn't bring anything much with her, only two pairs of shirt and long pants inside her bag and some of her school books.
Yi Ling looked at the time on her watch. Thirty minutes to go before her train board from the station. The thought of spending more than fifteen hours inside the train all alone made her feel depressed. She wanted to bring along An Ran but her friend had to go back to Guangdong to meet her maternal grandparents. Since it was a holiday season, the train packed with passengers. Yi Ling was lucky she get to seat on the train coach. She saw some people were standing since they didn't get to book the coach. Two elderly were sitting beside her.
'Little girl, are you all alone?' An old lady who was in her late forties spoke to her as the lady noticed there was no trace of her parent's presence with the girl.
Yi Ling nodded. 'Yes auntie.'
The lady beside her who was peeling a boil egg heard their conversation and became interested. Yi Ling wasn't surprise anymore when passerby asked her why she was travelling all alone. she had been doing this since she was ten years old. Yi Ling knew the route very well by now. 'You are not running away from home, aren't you?' the auntie beside her asked.
Yi Ling wanted to giggled hearing the lady's question. It lifted up her previous solemn mood. Then she shook her head. 'No auntie. I am not running away from home. I'm heading to Shanghai to meet my father for the new year.'
The two women smiled. The earlier lady who was peeling an egg, offered Yi Ling to take the peeled egg. 'Auntie, earlier i bought from the shop outside. Thank you, but you can have it.' Yi Ling wanted to refuse but the lady insisted. At the end Yi Ling took the peeled boil egg from the lady.
'Thank you, auntie.' Yi Ling didn't forget to thank her.
The lady smiled. 'Such a young girl. How come you are travelling alone? Why don't your father come and see you instead?'
Yi Ling took a bite of her egg. She chewed the egg and swallowed first before answering the lady. 'Ah, my father is very busy with his work. So I come to see him instead since I don't have school during New Year.'
The lady looked at the girl with such sympathetic. 'Then where is your mother?'
Hearing someone asked about her mother's whereabouts, suddenly Yi Ling felt a little sad. She took another mouthful bite of the egg before answering the lady. 'New York.'
The lady who asked the question was surprised. Immediately, she understood the girl's family situation. the other lady who was eating her buns asked where is New York located. When she learn that New York located in the U.S, her eyes became wide and she didn't say anything more. Yi Ling heard both ladies whispering 'Such a pitiful girl'. Just like that, time passed by and there was an announcement that their train about to board from the station. Since Yi Ling was able to seat nearby the window coach, she was able to see the scenery outside more clearly. The train board with a loud sound, the door closed and locked preventing passengers from getting out. They ride the railway, and slowly the view of Xian distancing from her view. They passed by the vast forest, which was covered in thick snow during winter and filled with warmth greenery view during summer. Yi Ling stared outside with her small eyes. 'Time, please pass by. I want to grow up.' she whispered deep inside from her heart.