Kurno was a young man living in a rural village in Eastern Europe. His family had a small orchard. It was difficult to maintain the family's livelihood.
Kurno had two older brothers, and he was the youngest son in the family. Although his parents and brothers took care of him, he was already 18 years old this year.
He needed to start planning for his future. Because Ukraine's economic situation wasn't good, half of the country's banks went bankrupt, and the government even lowered the minimum wage to 42.5 USD per month.
The small orchard was already struggling to maintain the family's livelihood, especially after his brother got married last year, the family's burden would be even heavier.
His sister-in-law was already pregnant, and after his nephew (niece) was born, the family's burden would be even more difficult.
Kurno strolled in the field as he picked up a foxtail grass and waved it in annoyance.
Should I go into the army? Kurno thought about it. At least if I went into the army, they would be able to take care of my three meals a day, clothes, and a little allowance every month. Although it wasn't much, it was enough to support the family.
Should I go to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine? I heard that I could find some jobs there.
But Kurno didn't know what he could do. Other than working hard, he didn't seem to know how to do anything. His education level was only junior high, and after graduating from junior high, he would help his family with farm work.
He knew how to drive and repair tractors, as well as some basic electrical circuits and welding. Because he didn't know these basic skills, he couldn't survive in the village.
He couldn't find a repairman for every broken farm machine. If that was the case, he would have to pay more than half of his income to the repairman.
Was there anyone who needed to repair tractors in Kiev? Was repairing a car the same as repairing a tractor? If it was the same, he might be able to repair a car or something.
Kurno thought about these things from time to time as he strolled in the direction of his home. But something unpleasant happened on the way, and he was almost harassed by a few gangsters in the village.
Those were jobless gangsters. Every day, they would steal things to exchange for money, or go to the old factory area 30 kilometers away to find dismantled building materials and steel to exchange for money.
That factory area was built during the Soviet era, and it was a tractor factory. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it barely managed to operate for ten years before finally closing down.
Kurno's father used to be an employee of the tractor factory, and this village used to be the factory's residential area. However, after the factory closed down, life became more and more difficult.
Just like now, those jobless youths were idling around all day. A village of three thousand people simply did not have many jobs for the youths.
If they were unwilling to work hard in the fields, then they could only mingle around like the hooligans in the village.
"Scram!" While Kurno was being pestered by a few thugs, a thunderous voice came from behind. Kurno's burly elder brother was holding a wooden stick as thick as a wrist and staring at the hooligans.
He roared like a great bell, "Get out of here, you bastards! Stay away from my brother! "
Kurno's eldest brother used to be a soldier, the kind who had killed people on the battlefield. When the terrorists in Eastern Europe were at their most rampant, almost all of the CIS countries were harassed.
A strong man in his thirties carrying a thick and sturdy wooden stick was still very frightening. The hooligans left while cursing and swearing. Originally, they had planned to extort the one hundred hryvnia (one hundred hryvnia was equivalent to 25 RMB) from Kurno.
"You need to be more ruthless when dealing with these kinds of people! Kurno, if necessary, you need to bring a knife with you! " After chasing away the hooligans, the eldest brother patted his third brother's shoulder. Because he used too much force, Kurno's shoulder was a little painful.
"Be gentle, be gentle, brother." Kurno rubbed his shoulder and grimaced.
"Why are they pestering you?" the eldest brother asked as he followed Kurno home.
"They saw the money in my pocket," Kurno said gloomily.
"That one hundred hryvnia? Today is your 18th birthday. This is our birthday present for you. You can go to the town and buy some things that you like. I remember there is a baseball cap that you like very much. The price is just right, "the big brother said as he strode towards the house.
Kurno looked at his eldest brother's face that had begun to show signs of aging even though he was only thirty years old. He wanted to say something but hesitated until he saw the somewhat dilapidated but well-maintained house in front of him. Only then did he say, "I think that my family needs this money more than me. After all, birthdays are celebrated every year. "
"And when your child is born in the future, you will need to spend more money. It's better to save it. "
Kurno's words stunned the eldest brother. In the end, the eldest brother stared at his little brother for a long time and couldn't help but sigh. "This is your coming of age day."
Kurno smiled and said, "It's fine."
Because it was Kurno's birthday, the family prepared a sumptuous dinner.
His mother and sister-in-law made a red vegetable soup, freshly roasted dalieba, butter fried sausages, and pork stew. It was a very sumptuous dinner. Usually, the family would only prepare it like this during festivals.
His father came back a little late because he had gone to the city forty kilometers away to buy fertilizer.
At night, the family sat around the dining table and chatted happily. Everyone had a smile on their faces. Everyone was wishing Kurno the best for his youngest son to grow up.
Only Kurno clenched his fists tightly under the table. When his sister-in-law placed a savory fried sausage on his plate, Kurno suddenly said in a low voice, "I want to join the army."
"What?!" Kurno's mother's voice suddenly rose an octave. "What did you say?! Say it again! "
Kurno looked at his parents' white hair and the sumptuous dinner on the table. He seemed to have made up his mind and said loudly, "I want to join the army!"
Kurno's father first stopped his agitated wife and asked calmly, "Why?"
"Because … because I'm already an adult. I can't stay at home and eat for nothing. Our income from the orchard isn't high. Dad, when you went to buy fertilizer today, I saw that mother took out most of the family's money, but the fruits aren't selling well now. The people in the city don't have much money to buy fruits anymore. The price of fruits is getting lower every year. I can't stay at home anymore! "
Kurno's voice grew more agitated as he spoke, "If I join the army, my family won't need to prepare food for me. The army will provide food and clothes. I'll also get a few hundred hryvnia a month. As long as I save it up, I'll be able to bring home a sum of money when I retire. Then, I'll be able to buy a new tractor for our family, just like you, brother! "
Bang! The eldest brother slammed his palm on the table. He was always silent and loved his brother, but now he looked at Kurno with a fierce expression and roared, "In your dreams! Do you think it's easy to live in the army? With your personality and physique, you'll die in the army camp at any time! It's not a paradise. "
"Especially the war with Russia. Have you forgotten? For Latvia's new energy source, Russia started a war with us! How many border cities in Ukraine were destroyed? How many soldiers were killed? "
Kurno could only say weakly in front of his fierce brother, "But there's a truce now."
"But the war could start at any time!" Kurno's mother's voice was very loud. She was extremely unwilling to let her son enter the army camp, "If you want to join the army, you have to wait until I'm dead! I don't want to see my son die on the battlefield! "
The whole family strongly opposed Kurno's decision, but Kurno stubbornly said, "But what can I do if I don't join the army? I can't go around like those hooligans. I don't want to be like them. Even if I become a factory worker, I want to be able to stand up straight. "
"Or I can go to Kiev to find my second brother and ask him to help me find a job in Kiev." Kurno mentioned his second brother who was working in Kiev.
But his father coldly snorted, "Your second brother is only working in a bakery in Kiev. Are you going to become a bakery apprentice too?!"
"At least it's better than wasting food at home." Kurno had the stubbornness of a young man.
The eldest brother who scolded Kurno earlier was silent for a while before saying, "Actually, my second brother called me today."
His father coldly snorted, "He still remembers this family? In a big city like Kiev, he must have forgotten himself. He didn't even come back for Christmas last year. "
The eldest brother bitterly smiled, "Dad, the train ticket is not cheap. My second brother is only an apprentice in the bakery, his monthly salary is very low. Living in Kiev is very expensive, and he can't save money. If he wants to come back, he can pay for the ticket to come, but the ticket to go back will have to be paid for by our family. He just wants to save money for the family. "
His father snorted and didn't say anything. The old man didn't seem very satisfied with this reason.
The eldest brother also didn't want to convince his stubborn father, so he turned his head to Kurno and said, "Your second brother called. There is a recruitment in Kiev, and they need a lot of people, and the monthly salary is not low."
Kurno's eyes lit up. "About what? How much is the monthly salary? "
The eldest brother hesitated and said, "It's about building a new high-speed railway. The monthly salary is 300 USD, and it's settled in USD and not Hryvnia. "
Kurno's sister-in-law was a high school graduate, so she was somewhat knowledgeable. She strangely said, "High-speed railway? Ukraine still has the money to build a high-speed railway? "
"If the government has the money to build this, they might as well bail out the banks that are about to close down. I wanted to deposit money last month, but the long line of people in front of the bank were all there to withdraw the money. I was so scared that I could only take the money back, and I didn't even dare to deposit it in the bank. "The sister-in-law didn't believe the news.
"And 300 USD a month? The salary is too high! "
Originally, when he heard 300 USD a month, Kurno was very tempted. This was a high-paying job, and he didn't care whether the railway was very hard or not. As long as his sweat could be exchanged for pay, he didn't mind sweating more.
But the sister-in-law's analysis was also reasonable. The construction of the railway was definitely the country's plan, but where did the country get the money now? Could it be a scam? Thinking of this, Kurno's heart was half cold.
But the eldest brother quickly explained, "It's not the Ukrainian government that's paying. The money is a loan from Latvia. It's the chairman of the new Eastern European Union that our country now joined. Ukraine mortgaged the operating rights of the railway for the next 30 years, and Latvia paid for the technology and equipment from the Randall Group in the United States. "
"It seems to be building a super high-speed railway system. I don't quite understand this, but I guess it's the same thing as the high-speed railway in Germany in the East Ocean in China. " The eldest brother's understanding of the super high-speed railway system was not enough, and he confused it with the traditional high-speed railway.
But it didn't matter, as long as Kurno knew this was real and not a scam.
Kurno made up his mind and looked at his father and said, "Dad, please let me go to Kiev! I beg you! "
… …
Taking the train from Kurno's hometown to Kiev was the most convenient. The train was built during the Soviet Union, and the platform hadn't been modified for many years, so it looked very old.
The train was suspended high, but the platform was very low. This made the passengers have to climb the narrow and steep stairs on the train. Dragging his luggage, Kurno spent a lot of effort to squeeze into the train. He didn't ask his family to see him off because the train station was too far from where he lived, and with more people, the transportation expenses would be higher.
He was holding the ticket and looking for his seat! Found it!
But in front of Kurno, there was a girl dragging a heavy suitcase and trying to put her luggage on the luggage rack. But the luggage was too heavy, and the girl tried several times but couldn't lift the suitcase.
"Let me do it!" When the girl failed again, Kurno reached out and helped the girl successfully push the luggage onto the luggage rack. Then he put his luggage on the rack as well.
"Thank you!" The girl smiled and thanked Kurno. She was wearing a black and white loose T-shirt and pants of the same color. She was tall and had a few freckles on her face, but her facial features were very delicate.
Even without deliberately trimming her eyelashes, the girl's eyelashes were still very long and beautiful. Under them was a pair of green eyes, like the finest emeralds, very pure and beautiful.
It was the first time for Kurno to be thanked by such a beautiful girl. He was a little flustered as he replied, "No, I mean, you're welcome."
With two thousand hryvnia in his pocket, Kurno's heart was beating fast as he sat on his seat.
As for the beautiful girl he saw just now, she sat down beside him. Kurno couldn't help but look at her.
The girl looked back at Kurno and said with a smile, "What, I'm not welcome to sit here? I bought a ticket. "
Kurno stuttered, "Of course, of course."
The girl seemed to be seeing an honest boy like Kurno for the first time. She said to him with interest, "I'm Katyusha, what's your name?"
"Kurno, my friends call me Kurno," Kurno quickly replied.
"Are you going to Kiev?" Katyusha asked curiously.
"Yes," Kurno's answer was a little dry.
The train started to move in the direction of Kiev. The two young people sitting in the same train chatted. More accurately, it was Katyusha asking, and Kurno answering.
In the process, Katyusha figured out why Kurno was going to Kiev. At the same time, she also told Kurno who she was: a graduate of Kiev University.
Kurno looked at Katyusha with envy, which made the girl feel a little embarrassed.
Katyusha looked at the passing scenery outside the window and said to Kurno, "Kurno, can you not look at me like that?"
Kurno said sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm just a graduate of Kiev University. "Kurno didn't finish his sentence and only sighed in admiration.
Katyusha looked at Kurno with amusement. Very few boys looked at her not because of her beauty, but because of her knowledge.
Kurno continued, "I just think you're amazing, Katyusha. After graduating from Kiev University, you'd rather go back to your hometown and improve the local produce than stay in Kiev. "
Katyusha shook her head and said helplessly, "It's just a drop in the bucket. Now the global seed industry is monopolized by a few oligarchs. If Ukraine doesn't cultivate its own food seeds, our farmers are just lambs waiting to be slaughtered. "
"Actually, it's not just our farmers. In fact, most farmers in other countries are just dough kneaded by the big food companies and seeds. After all, without seeds, we can't do anything. The country doesn't have the money to invest in research in this area. "
Katyusha said helplessly and even with a little sadness.
"So, are you going back to Kiev now? No, I'm not saying you're giving up or anything. I'm just asking. " Kurno felt that he had said something stupid, because Katyusha had looked at him with a hostile gaze.
Katyusha looked out the window and said, "No, when I was in university, I made up my mind to make our country and our people's lives better. Especially for farmers, because I was born in the countryside. I know how hard it is for farmers, especially now that the country's economic situation is getting worse. "
"I always want to do something, but I can't." Katyusha looked away from the window and turned to Kurno. She said, "You're going to Kiev to participate in the recruitment for the super high-speed railway system. Do you know the significance of this railway?"
Kurno was silent for a while, then shook his head honestly.
Katyusha said with longing in her eyes, "This will connect the entire Neo Eastern European Union. The leader of Latvia, Durm, called on the participating countries of the Neo Eastern European Union to lift their border tariffs, so that goods can flow more quickly and cheaply. "
"This has never happened since the Soviet Union split. Can you imagine all this? "Katyusha looked at Kurno with excitement.
But Kurno could only blush and shake his head. Katyusha didn't care about Kurno's embarrassment and continued to explain to him, "Kurno, you said your family grows fruits, but now your fruits can only be sold in nearby cities, and the furthest they can go is 300 kilometers. Even if a buyer comes to buy your fruits, the furthest they can go is to Kiev. "
Kurno listened and nodded. Katyusha continued, "But Ukraine's economy isn't good. Fruits aren't a necessity. Everyone is saving money. If they have money, they'd rather buy more food and save it. Fruits have become a luxury. In Kiev's fruit shops, fruits are very expensive. But in the fields, fruits are very cheap. "
Kurno was a little confused. Why were the fruits in Kiev so expensive, but the fruits in his house were cheap? The complicated economic relationship was something Kurno couldn't understand.
"But if the super high-speed railway is opened and the new Eastern European Union removes the customs tariffs between the member states, then Kurno's fruits can be transported to the railway station and then sent to Latvia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan! The market will become wider, and the pricing will become more flexible. Your family's income will also become better. "
"And it's not just your fruits, but also the various specialties and handicrafts of each country. Or some urgently needed supplies. For example, Country A needs a certain product X, but Country A doesn't have it in stock. But Country B has a lot of it in the market. "
"Buying goods from Country B through traditional trade can indeed ease the pressure on Country A, but the people of Country A have to pay a high price. This is decided by the market economy. But after the super high-speed railway is opened, although the factor of market price increase still exists, the cost and tariffs have been infinitely lowered. More people will benefit from it. "
Katyusha's explanation made Kurno slowly understand the meaning of the railway.
Katyusha continued, "Whether it's food, light industrial products, or other daily necessities. The exchange of goods and people is often blocked by transportation and geographical restrictions. What this railway will do is completely break all that. Do you know how fast this railway is? "
Katyusha's question made Kurno shake his head awkwardly again. He only worked for the high salary, so there were many things he didn't know.
Katyusha smiled and said, "Once it's fixed, from Ukraine to Latvia, Poland, or Kazakhstan, the farthest place will be less than half an hour!"
Katyusha's words shocked Kurno. "This is faster than our village to the nearest city!"
Katyusha sighed and said, "This is using speed to change the world! When the world is flattened, when the geographical barriers and estrangement are broken, everything will become so different. "
Katyusha said, "Do you know Iron Man, Nightcrawler, and Captain Rogers?"
Kurno nodded and then shook his head. "Those are American heroes? I think so. "
Katyusha clenched her fists and waved them in the air. "They are the world's heroes, followed by the Americans. Everything they do is to change the world, just like the Horizon Foundation and the Randall Group's super high-speed railway project. "
"I came back to Kiev because I also want to participate in this revolution. Although I'm just an ordinary person, I hope my knowledge can help. This is my dream. When I'm old, I can say like Korchagin: I have no regrets in my life! "
Kurno murmured, "Your dream is so great, and I …" And I can only be a road builder.
Katyusha patted Kurno's shoulder and put her arm around his shoulder like an Eastern European woman. She said, "Dreams aren't great for others to see. It's just a wish in the heart. It depends on whether you're willing to pay. "
Looking at the scenery flying by outside the window, Kurno's thoughts kept changing. One moment, it was his parents' advice and his elder brother's and sister-in-law's care. The next moment, it was his second brother who was far away in Kiev. He also thought about doing something for his family when he could earn some money in the future.
Then he thought about what Katyusha said about connecting the world and connecting the void. Maybe one day, the fruits from his orchard could be sold to any country in the new Eastern European Union?
After that, Kurno almost couldn't help but want to see what Katyusha said about the super high-speed railway that could change the world looked like.
If the railway was really that good, then even if he was just a road builder, Kurno felt proud.
If I can, I want to build this railway to the ends of the earth, to every corner of the world. I want everyone like me to change their lives because of this railway.
On the train, Kurno set his first dream for his life. It was the day he celebrated his eighteenth birthday.
Countless young people like Kurno and Katyusha boarded the train to Kiev, to Astana, to Warsaw. To any of the super high-speed railway recruitment points.
There were engineers, ordinary workers, and fresh graduates.
Everyone was filled with passion and excitement, dreams and ignorance, to change the world or to change themselves. The endless stream of trains and cars gathered countless young people. This time, to change the world, and to change themselves. For the world, and for their families.
In this era, the blood was not cold yet.
It was like the familiar melody played by an accordion in a train carriage. Even after a century, people were still singing it.
Just as the pear blossoms were blooming all over the world, soft gauze floated on the river.
Katyusha stood on the beautiful bank, singing like the bright spring scenery.
The girl sang a beautiful song, she was singing about the eagle of the grassland.
She was singing about her beloved, Katyusha's love will always be his.
Ah, the girl's song, fly with the shining sun!
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