The cold wind whistled in the sky, and feather-like snowflakes rolled down from the gray clouds, covering the entire land and mountains with a layer of silver clothing.
Youzhou Province was in the north of Taixia Country. As for Youzhou Province in winter, all the traffic tools in the sky would lose their functions in some days. The sharp and strong northwest wind would make airships unable to move in the air. The cold current and low temperature in the high altitude might freeze the wings and engines of airplanes. On this occasion, the traffic tools on the ground became precious.
"Woo …"
The whistle at the head of the train gave off a white mist. In the mist, the melodious whistle reverberated across the mountain range. With the quakes of "Puchi … Puchi … Puchi …", the snow on the pine trees on both sides of the railway started to fall off one after another. As for a stubborn train running in the mountain range, it was like someone was sprinkling snowflakes on both sides of the railway to welcome the arrival of the train.
At this moment, in the dining compartment near the front of the train, a boy of about 11 or 12 years old and a girl of about 8 or 9 years old were lying on two seats. Their blue eyes were wide open, and their whole bodies were tightly pressed against the double-layered glass of the compartment. They were watching the snowflakes falling from the pine trees outside the train excitedly.
For children, all of this was extremely interesting. The scene of large patches of snow falling from the pine trees could only be seen in the carriage close to the front of the train. If it was at the back of the train, all they could see was the pine trees shaking off the snow. Such an interesting scene could not be seen at all.
It was three o 'clock in the afternoon, past lunchtime, so there were relatively fewer people in the dining car. Apart from the two children lying by the window of the dining car, there were not many other people. Half a carriage away from the two children, there were seven or eight adults gathered at the bar counter of the dining car. Each of these seven or eight adults ordered a glass of wine and then gathered together, listening with relish to an old man in his sixties or seventies who was holding a glass of wine. His hair and beard had already turned white, but he still looked quite spirited.
"... Hoorn Republic, you must have not heard about this name. However, this name was very famous in Waii Sub-continent. Because the entire Hoorn Republic was a fan of glider flying. In the holy war, before Waii Sub-continent collapsed, many of my friends and I served in a glider base in Selnes Theater of Operations. We were responsible for logistics. I still remember that the head of our base was called Halson, a colonel. You could never imagine who I saw in that base one day..." The old man gulped down a mouthful of liquor as his cheeks blushed.
"Haha, did you see that guy..." a person on one side of the old man asked unbelievably, "That guy also served in Selnes Theater of Operations. Everybody knows that..."
The one didn't mention that person's name; however, given his respectful tone, everybody at present knew that he was referring to that person. That person's name had already become a legend and monument in the 3rd holy war. Almost everybody knew him.
"This possibility is too low …" Someone shook his head in disbelief.
The white-haired old man put down his glass as he revealed a calm smile, "There are not too many things in the glider base, especially engineers like us. That day, when I was sleeping in my dormitory, my door was kicked open from outside. Colonel Halson sent an order to us. He told us to gather in the No. 1 hangar of the base. It's time to win honor for the Hoorn Republic. After hearing this order, I put on a coat and rushed towards the No. 1 hangar of the base as fast as possible. When I arrived there, I saw a Hua teenager in there and proposed a strange modification request to us..."
As the white-haired old man explained slowly, all the onlookers widely opened their eyes and revealed an excited look. When the old man proudly took out a treasured recruitment propaganda card, all the onlookers were in an uproar.
That recruitment propaganda card was clipped in a special silver clip. There were two transparent crystal pieces on both sides of the silver clip. Through the crystal pieces, the characters and contents on the recruitment propaganda card could be seen.
"Salute to the brave human fighters who fight side by side with me in Selnes Theater of Operations — — Zhang Tie!"
…
The slight commotion at the bar counter of the dining car did not affect the two kids who were concentrating on observing the scenery outside the window. The train was traveling in the vast snowfield. All of a sudden, the steam whistle of the train startled the white world. A wisp of flame jumped in the snowfield not far from the train track, which was exceptionally conspicuous...
"Fire fox, fire fox, it's a fire fox with two tails..." The little girl and the little boy exclaimed.
However, that fire fox in the snowland was very vigilant. In the blink of an eye, that fire fox had disappeared in the eyes of the two kids.
"Hurry up, tell grandma that we've seen a fire fox..."
The two kids said as they got off the seats of the dining car. Closely after that, they held hands and ran towards the carriage behind the dining car.
Only after a short while, after passing by 7-8 carriages, the two kids pushed open the door of a carriage.
"Grandma, grandpa, Reggie and I saw a fire fox just now. That fire fox was as same as the one described by grandma. It had two tails and could run fast in the snowland..." The moment they entered the carriage, the little boy had opened his mouth.
"I even saw that the fire fox used its tail to sweep away its footprints. It's so smart..." The little girl added.
Compared to the outside, the private room looked warmer. A brass Fiery-Oil tincture was giving out mild heat, which made the private room as warm as spring. There were only two people in this private room. They were both sitting on the sofa beside the window. Zhang Tie's grandpa was looking at a map; Zhang Tie's grandma was tilting her head and watching the scenery outside the window thoughtfully.
"Really?" After hearing the two kids' words, the grandma turned around and revealed a faint smile towards the two kids. Closely after that, she touched their heads and said tenderly, "In the legend of Taixia Country, those who could see a fire fox in winter must be lucky. Reggie and Unte are really our lucky angels..."
"We still have to tell Daddy and Mommy. They still don't know that Reggie and I just saw a red fox …" The two kids laughed cheerfully and ran out of the private room in the blink of an eye. They closed the door of the private room, turned around, and ran to the private room next door, and started chattering.
"Given the map, it's over 60 miles away. As long as we pass through this mountain range, we will arrive at Blackhot City..." The grandpa put down the map as he looked up at his wife who was still elegant and beautiful in his heart, "It's said that this Blackhot City in Youzhou Province is built according to the Blackhot City in Waii Subcontinent. Daina, you might meet some acquaintances and students there..."
"Maybe!" Miss Daina faintly smiled as a bunch of gentle wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, making her look kind. Miss Daina, who was already in her seventies, looked like a woman in her fifties due to her good maintenance. Except for being a little fatter and a little more graceful, and having a few strands of silver in her brown hair, her elegant, intellectual, and gentle temperament didn't change at all.
Grandpa suddenly recalled something as he became spirited. He then leaned towards Daina, "Oh, it's said that that man also came from Blackhot City. Daina, have you seen him in Blackhot City before..." "Yes, it's said that he came from Blackhot City.
"Do you believe me if I tell you that he's my student?"
"Hahaha, of course not. We've been in Taixia Country for so many years; however, we've not heard about that..." The man burst out into laughter as he shook his head. He thought that his wife was joking with him.
Miss Daina's smile didn't decrease as she moved her deep eyes towards the window once again.
There were some things that she had buried in her heart for so many years and had never told anyone about them. Although she had never seen that person for so many years, she had been silently paying attention to that person. All kinds of news about that person would always reach her ears and be talked about by the people around her. That person had become a legend.
When she thought about the last time she met that person, even though it had been dozens of years, Daina would still feel different warmth in her heart.
— — Promise me to be the student that you're most proud of, okay?
That person made it!
However, Daina also treated this pride as a precious gift, a pure and beautiful promise. She hid it in her heart forever. Only she knew and only she could taste it.
Over these years, Daina had been living in Guizhou Province, Taixia Country. She was also a teacher in a school. However, Daina had already retired this year. Therefore, she had time to visit Blackhot City in Youzhou Province during the winter vacation.
This Blackhot City in Youzhou Province had long been lingering in Daina's heart.
Her family members knew her mind. Therefore, they accompanied her to Youzhou Province as a long-distance travel.
As for all the minorities in Taixia Country, Blackhot City in Youzhou Province was a legendary city. This city was open, tolerant and vigorous. Everyone who came to Blackhot City would never forget it.
…
Two hours later, the train arrived at the railway station of Blackhot City. The moment she got off the train, Miss Daina had been thrilled. Because this railway station was as same as that in her memory. It was like the newly renovated railway station of Blackhot City. After walking out of the railway station, she saw a street called "Flowing Gold Avenue" which extended from south to north. Not only the name of the street, even the lampposts on both sides of the street were as same as those in Blackhot City …
At this moment, the memory in her mind gradually overlapped with everything in front of her. Everything in front of her felt like a dream, which was so illusory and real …
She remembered that that person worked in a grocery store near the railway station.
…
After a few days, it was sunny. The entire Blackhot City became boisterous once again …
…
"Grandma, ahh, there's indeed a grocery store here …"
Hearing the sound from the door, Zhang Tie, who was wiping things with a linen cloth in the grocery store in cyan clothes and a small hat, immediately turned around.
Two children ran in from the door, and their grandmother walked in behind them.
Zhang Tie became still at once as he saw the beautiful blue eyes which looked like a blue mountain once again …
The person who walked in from outside the door also froze. That person was still the same as before, without the slightest change …
Zhang Tie scratched his head …
After gazing into each other's eyes for a short while, the two people burst out into laughter at the same time …
Liona's younger brother, Miss Daina.
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