Sitting on the returning train, Hexia hugged the gift box in front of her, feeling as if she was in a dream.
This was her first time traveling far alone, and then going to a strange and fresh place to attend an event. The last time was when she was very young, when she was held by her father on their way to her sister's academy to watch their winter festival evening party.
Outside the train window was the endless and empty Gobi wilderness, with the evening breeze gently blowing, bringing a bit of coolness and refreshment into the train, bathed in an orange halo light from the twilight-covered world outside.
The rhythm of the train's wheels on the tracks sounded out a regular beat, while some students nestled in their seats for a nap, others whispered among companions, and still others opened their personal terminals to browse through information and pages, creating a somewhat quiet environment.
