Jiang Cheng spent two days and nights on the train, with an extra-long stop in the middle, probably to let another train pass.

The journey was smooth, and Jiang Cheng successfully arrived in Beijing.

Getting off the train and walking out of the station, Jiang Cheng took a deep breath; a new battlefield, full of uncertainty.

This uncertainty excited her.

Jiang Cheng thought of what her advisor had said: You just can’t sit still.

The advisor was so right!

"Jiang Cheng—Jiang Cheng—"

Lost in thought, Jiang Cheng followed the voice.

Was she that popular? Popular even in Beijing?

The thought quickly passed, and Jiang Cheng saw someone holding a sign.

She quickly walked over and called out to the person with the sign: "Mr. Zhao."

Mr. Zhao, holding the sign, looked at Jiang Cheng in surprise and asked, "You remember me?"

"Of course, during the last train derailment, you stood right next to Director Leng."

Jiang Cheng’s knack for recognizing people made Mr. Zhao, who came to pick her up, instantly feel that the wait of dozens of minutes was worth it.

"Yes, yes, yes, it’s me! Director Leng sent me to guide you. Shall we head this way?"

"Thanks for your effort; the weather is so cold."

Jiang Cheng expressed her gratitude, and Mr. Zhao, modestly, said it was nothing, just his duty.

However, his heart indeed felt much more at ease after hearing Jiang Cheng’s words.

Mr. Zhao didn’t have a car, but being a native of Beijing, he knew the roads well.

He took Jiang Cheng on a bus, and around 1 PM, they arrived at the Foreign Trade Guesthouse, where Mr. Zhao led Jiang Cheng in and arranged for her to settle down.

"Mr. Jiang, there are quite a few other training instructors this time, two people per room."

"Your room is on the second floor. I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow to take you to the class location; you’ll see Director Leng then."

Jiang Cheng agreed to everything, nodding in understanding.

Mr. Zhao left first, as he had to pick up other people.

Jiang Cheng didn’t rush upstairs; she habitually chatted with the front desk staff at the guesthouse.

With a small bag of roasted peanuts, Jiang Cheng and the front desk sister chatted from hometown specialties to knitting sweaters, and then to nearby good places to eat.

After chatting enough, Jiang Cheng took her luggage to her room on the second floor.

Two rows of rooms, with the bathroom and water room at the end.

The room wasn’t very big, about twenty square meters, with two beds, one on the left and one on the right, a table, and two chairs.

Currently, the other bed had nothing on it.

It seemed her roommate hadn’t arrived yet.

Jiang Cheng put down her luggage, tidied up a bit, then went downstairs with a small cloth bag and headed to a state-owned restaurant.

First, she needed to fill her stomach.

In the state-owned restaurant, Jiang Cheng bought a portion of handmade noodles with meat sauce.

She sat in the middle and listened to the people nearby talking, hoping to gather useful information.

These things she did subconsciously.

From past experience going out with her leader, she always had to be more alert and pay attention to details.

After finishing a bowl of noodles, Jiang Cheng walked around the nearby area several times, and incidentally, she called Shen Que to check in safely.

Strolling until about four o’clock, when the sky was a bit dark, she went back to the guesthouse.

The front desk sister at the guesthouse, upon seeing Jiang Cheng return, breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Finally, you’re back; it’s nearly dark. You, a pretty young girl, must be careful."

"Thank you, Sister Zhang, I know. I’ll be more careful next time."

Sister Zhang nodded with a smile, pointing upstairs: "Someone has arrived in your room."

"Oh? Then I’ll go up and have a look."

Sister Zhang didn’t say much more. The people staying here were all invited by the foreign trade office, and she couldn’t comment on them.

Jiang Cheng went upstairs, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.

A slightly stooped figure was making the bed; upon hearing the door open, she instinctively shrank back, then looked towards the door.

"Hello, I’m Jiang Cheng, staying in this bed."

Jiang Cheng pointed at the bed on the other side as she introduced herself. Making the bed was a white-haired elderly woman.

Although her face and neck’s skin were loose, it wasn’t hard to see she must have been beautiful when young.

At this time, she nodded toward Jiang Cheng and softly said, "I’m here, my surname is Qi."

"Hello, Grandma Qi."

Jiang Cheng was enthusiastic, smiling like a little sun.

Facing her, Grandma Qi nodded awkwardly and continued making her bed.

Jiang Cheng didn’t continue speaking, as it was clear her enthusiasm bewildered the other.

Hearing Jiang Cheng not talking from behind, Grandma Qi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn’t dare to speak recklessly, afraid of saying the wrong thing.

She had experienced the price of saying the wrong thing.

Even though she’s been transferred back to Beijing from the countryside now, who knows if she might have to go back in the future?

Thinking of this, Grandma Qi felt bewildered.

The first night in Beijing quietly began like this.

Around one o’clock at night, Jiang Cheng heard the sound of someone turning over in the bed next door.

She opened her eyes and heard Grandma Qi talking, as if she were having a nightmare.

"No—"

"No—"

"I was wrong! I was wrong!"

Grandma Qi’s words were full of fear; suddenly remembering something, Jiang Cheng put on her shoes, got out of bed.

She warmed her hands and slowly massaged Grandma Qi’s acupoints, gently saying, "It’s okay now, it’s okay, don’t be afraid."

Perhaps Jiang Cheng’s soothing worked, as Grandma Qi quieted down.

Jiang Cheng slowly released Grandma Qi’s hand, put her own warm water bag in, and tucked the quilt back.

After doing all this, she returned to her bed.

On the bed, Grandma Qi shed tears in the dark.

How could she not be awake?

In six years, she had never slept peacefully.

The slightest noise could wake her, let alone someone touching her.

Clearly, she told herself not to trust anyone, yet she was touched by one person’s warm behavior.

Undoubtedly, Grandma Qi had insomnia.

Jiang Cheng didn’t know Grandma Qi was still awake; she had short sleep time but unbelievably high sleep quality.

Falling asleep almost instantaneously, she woke up the next day at her biological clock’s time.

Upon waking, she found out Grandma Qi was also up.

"Morning, Grandma Qi."

Thinking of last night, Grandma Qi handed the hot water bag back to Jiang Cheng, saying, "Thank you."

"I was just too hot."

Jiang Cheng took the hot water bag, not mentioning last night.

Grandma Qi didn’t say much either. After tidying up, they each occupied one side of the table, busy with their own tasks.

At eight in the morning, someone knocked on the door, calling them to come down and gather.

After packing up their things, Jiang Cheng and Grandma Qi went downstairs together.

Upon reaching downstairs, Jiang Cheng felt a sudden sense of time-space disorientation.

Was this still a guesthouse?

Had she accidentally stumbled into a retirement home?

In front of her, on the first-floor hall, the standing people were either gray-haired or white-haired, all elderly men and women.

She, Mr. Zhao, and the forty-year-old sister from the reception yesterday were the only young ones standing out.

"Qi Rong, you’re back too!"

One old man downstairs recognized Grandma Qi, and seeing someone familiar, Grandma Qi revealed a genuine smile.

"Brother Cao!"

Then followed a large scene of catching up.

A figure like Jiang Cheng, who blended in everywhere, found herself squeezed into a corner for the first time, with no use.