Chapter 215: It's What I Wanted (Two in One)
As the sun rose high in the sky, the sky became blue and clear.
White clouds float leisurely in the sky, the sea surface rises and falls slowly with the wind, the passenger ship breaks through the waves, and the white waves on both sides sparkle in the sun.
Occasionally, you can see fish jumping out of the water. A group of seagulls follow behind the boat, sometimes flying low over the sea, and sometimes flapping their wings and soaring high into the sky.
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi were lying by the window together, looking at the vast ocean in their field of vision. No one knew what they were looking at, but they had smiles on their faces and seemed fascinated by what they were seeing.
"Is the next stop downtown?"
"correct."
"How long have we been sitting here?"
"Two hours."
"So, does that mean it'll be here in more than two hours?"
"Well, almost."
Fang Wei raised his wrist to check the time: "It should be around 11:30. We should be able to reach Chaogang Pier."
"Where in Shanghai is that?"
"Dongpu District."
“Isn’t the Oriental Pearl Tower there too?”
"correct."
"Where is Teacher Wen? Where does she live?"
"That's where it is, too."
"Zhiyi, where did you live before?"
"Well, Asahi Club."
"Does Shanghai have many districts?"
"More than ten."
"It's so big! How are the areas differentiated from each other?"
Xu Cailing sighed, she couldn't imagine how to divide up such a large piece of land into various districts. After all, it was much easier to divide it on an island, one county for one island, simple and clear.
Fang Wei smiled. He didn’t know how to explain it for a moment. It was difficult to imagine the correct answer by imagination when he had no idea about something new. Geographical areas and administrative areas were combined and complemented each other.
"Are you hungry? Have some buns."
"hey-hey……"
Fang Wei gave each of them a bun, and the two girls held the buns and ate them happily.
"I'm a little thirsty, where's your water?"
"...I'm so lazy you guys don't even bring water!"
“We brought cups.”
"Then you won't be able to use the cup to drink water."
"It's in my bag. I'm too lazy to take it."
Xu Cailing took his water cup, which was the same cup that Fang Wei had given her on his birthday two years ago. She unscrewed the lid, opened her mouth, and poured the water into her mouth accurately through the air.
After drinking it, he passed it to the side. Liu Zhiyi also took the cup and, like Cailing, opened his mouth and drank the water through the air.
This time she didn't get all wet because she had secretly practiced 'drinking water through the air' many times at home!
Don't ask her why she practices this! She doesn't know either!
Of course, Fang Wei and Cai Ling must not know about this kind of practice, otherwise it would seem strange...
Taking the cup, Fang Wei also took a few sips, then stood up and went to the tea room to get some water.
When he came back, Xu Cailing sat in his seat.
"You'd better sit in the middle. The air conditioner makes me so cold!"
"Isn't it possible to adjust the angle?"
"I can't adjust it. It's broken."
"alright."
Fang Wei then sat in the middle.
They slept late last night, got up early this morning, and now they were full and sleepy.
Originally, Liu Zhiyi was not that sleepy, but for some reason, when Fang Wei sat in the middle and their shoulders were pressed together, a warm feeling flowed through her heart and she felt a little sleepy. As expected, Fang Wei was a very sleepy person and she felt sleepy as soon as she got close to him.
The air conditioning in the cabin was turned on very high, but it was a bit cold after sitting for a long time.
The two girls subconsciously squeezed towards Fang Wei in the middle. He was always so hot.
Liu Zhiyi couldn't help it anymore, she closed her eyes, first leaned back in the chair, then slowly tilted her head towards his shoulder, and then gently leaned on his shoulder.
Seeing Zhiyi like this, Cailing felt sleepy even if she wasn't already. She tilted her head and leaned on Fang Wei's shoulder.
"Why are you all asleep?"
Fang Wei moved his shoulders, but the two girls didn't get up. Instead, they hummed softly and said lazily, "I'm so sleepy. Let's take a nap. You can call us when we get there..."
"...You're all asleep! Be careful or I'll kidnap you and sell you as pigs!"
"Hululu..."
The two girls ignored him and slept soundly.
With one leaning on the left and one pressing on the right, the gravity is offset. It is not hard to be supported by two soft girls.
Seeing that they were both asleep, Fang Wei stopped moving around, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
Fortunately, Shanghai is the final stop, so there is no need to worry about oversleeping. Fang Wei relaxed and soon fell asleep together with him.
The boat was moving very smoothly, and I could hardly feel the shaking. But after closing my eyes, I felt as if I was in a warm cradle. Occasionally, the sun would shine through the gaps in the curtains and hit my eyes. In my hazy consciousness, there was a warm red. In this way, I drifted away in a hazy state of half-awake and half-dream...
……
When I woke up, I was awakened by the broadcast in the cabin.
"Attention, passengers on board! We are about to arrive at Chaogang Pier. Please sit tight and hold on to your seats. Do not move around before the boat stops! When getting off the boat, please line up in an orderly manner, avoid crowding, and check your belongings! Attention, passengers on board..."
Fang Wei slept lightly, but he still managed to get a good night's sleep. He woke up almost the moment the radio sounded.
Three passengers had been sitting in the three empty seats opposite each other at some point, and now they were looking at Fang Wei and the other two in shock!
——Dude, you are a winner in life at such a young age?! How did you manage to get two such young and beautiful girls to sleep together in harmony?!
Fang Wei felt a little embarrassed. He guessed that if he told it out loud, no one would believe that the friendship between the three of us was pure and innocent.
After all, this sleeping position was too intimate. The two girls slept soundly and felt a little cold. One of them hugged one of his arms and pressed her whole delicate body against him.
"Wake up, we're here!"
Fang Wei pulled his arms free with difficulty and patted the girls' tender cheeks.
After a while, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi, who were sleeping like pigs, slowly opened their eyes.
Her big eyes were still dazed, as if she didn't even know where she had been taken. How much did she trust him to be able to sleep so soundly?
"Eh……"
"Where are we..."
"We're almost in Shanghai! It's time to get off the ship!"
"Shanghai...are we there yet?!"
The girls suddenly perked up, rubbed their eyes, and woke up all of a sudden.
Liu Zhiyi opened the curtains, and the bright light outside the window made her vision a little unclear.
Xu Cailing, who was sitting outside, also squeezed towards the window, half sitting and half standing, holding the table with her hands, and moved her butt over to sit on Fang Wei who was sitting.
Fang Wei's expression tightened and he suddenly straightened his body and bent down.
"Eh? ...What stuck me?"
"..."
He was about to slow down, but she provoked him like this, and his face turned red. He said unhappily, "...You touched my phone!"
"You sit over there, sit over there..."
"..."
Fang Wei had no choice but to bend down and move to the side, giving the middle position back to her.
After sailing on the vast sea for a long time, we finally saw a large piece of land. As the transport boat slowly approached the shore, a prosperous metropolis slowly unfolded before our eyes.
Although Chaogang Wharf is some distance away from the Pearl Tower, the majestic building towering into the clouds can still be seen above the sea level in clear weather.
As the ship adjusted its angle to enter the port, the vague outlines of high-rise buildings in the distance gradually became clearer, like a spectacle rising from the sea level, which made Cai Ling couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
"Wow...! It's the Oriental Pearl Tower! It's really tall!"
It is hard to describe the feeling when the city that I could only see on TV and in books now appears before my eyes.
Cai Ling, who had just woken up, felt like she was still dreaming and it seemed unreal.
She subconsciously held her breath, her face almost pressed against the glass. She was always chattering, but the scene before her made her speechless for a moment.
Liu Zhiyi was also moved. The familiar yet unfamiliar scene before her made her feel extremely complicated at that moment, including joy, nostalgia, sadness, and memories. She just stared blankly...
Fang Wei was also a little excited. In fact, his feelings were deeper than those of the two girls. His previous life ended here, but he didn't expect that when he came back again, he would be separated by a lifetime.
This kind of experience is probably the only one in the world.
Fang Wei took out his cell phone. The phone, which had lost signal for half a day, now had signal again. He dialed the number and called Wen Susu first.
The call was connected just after it rang for a while. It was obvious that Wen Susu had been waiting for his call.
"Where are you?"
"Sis, we're almost at Chaogang Pier, probably about ten minutes."
"Ah? Then why didn't you call me earlier? After you get off the boat, walk out of the dock and wait for a while at the convenience store at the intersection. I'll be there right away!"
"Yeah, it's okay, don't worry!"
"Okay, wait for me!"
……
"We're almost there! We're going to Shanghai!"
"Sit tight and don't move."
"I'm so excited!"
Having said that, Xu Cailing still sat down obediently.
As the ship slowly slowed down, the sound of the engine slowing down could be heard.
We have entered the busy port area. Chaogang Wharf serves both passenger and cargo functions, but as time goes by, the passenger business will gradually decrease in the future. At this moment, various ships are coming and going in the port. Cranes in the distance are busy working, unloading containers one after another from the ships to the docks. Dock workers in work clothes are running back and forth between the ships and the shore, appearing busy and orderly.
After a slight bump, the ferry, which had been sailing for five hours, finally stopped steadily at Chaogang Pier.
"Attention passengers on board! This train has arrived at the terminal, Chaogang Wharf. Please check your belongings and take them with you. Don't crowd and queue up in an orderly manner to disembark. Thank you for boarding!"
The electronic horn sounded, and the cabin became lively. Everyone stood up and took their luggage from the luggage rack.
Fang Wei took down the travel bag, checked it, and handed it to Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi respectively. The two girls stood in front of him and followed the team in front, walked down the stairs and walked out to the deck.
The summer sunshine at noon made the entire harbor surface sparkle, and the sea breeze blew on the girls' faces, making their hair flutter.
With longing and curiosity for the city, the three of them left the deck, walked across the bridge, and set foot on the land.
Xu Cailing just stood there blankly, looking left and right with curiosity. Finally, she raised her head in a certain direction and looked at the Oriental Pearl Tower in the distance.
"It's not as clear as what I saw on the sea just now."
"Because we are closer now."
"How close is that?"
"It's about a 45-minute drive."
"So far away! It looks so close!"
“Because it’s high.”
"…It's really tall. What's that building next to it?"
“Jin Mao Tower.”
"How high is it?"
"About 420 meters."
"!!!"
"Why are you standing there?"
“I’m resonating with this place!”
"…Resonance, go away!"
The girl giggled, then jogged up, carrying her travel bag, and caught up with Fang Wei and Liu Zhiyi who were already walking in front.
……
It is also a port, but this one is much larger than Xuanzhu Wharf.
There are not super high-rise buildings and skyscrapers everywhere in Shanghai. Areas like this one seem more ordinary.
"This area is still under development and the location is quite remote. You will understand when you reach the city center."
"Hahaha, actually this is already pretty amazing!"
The three of them walked and looked, left the pier, and came to the road exit, near the convenience store that Wen Susu mentioned.
There are cars coming and going on the street, and there is a bus stop next to it.
Xu Cailing finally saw the difference between the buses in Shanghai and those on the island.
"Has Teacher Wen left yet? If not, why don't we take the bus to find her ourselves!"
"You just want to take the bus, right?"
"Hey, let's try it out. Zhiyi said there's air conditioning on the bus."
"My sister is here, just wait for her, I'll take you on the bus next time." "Okay! And I want to take the subway!"
"It's a bit of a pursuit!"
The three of them chatted and looked at each other, and the waiting time was not unbearable. After more than 20 minutes, a black Mercedes-Benz S slowly stopped in front of the three of them.
Through the front window glass, they saw that the driver was a middle-aged man, whom Fang Wei and the other two did not recognize.
The girls blinked their eyes, and just when they were wondering, the back door opened, and a gentle and elegant girl got out of the car, holding the door with her hand, looking at the three of them with a smile.
When they saw the people coming, how could they not know who they were?
"sister!"
"Teacher Wen~~!!"
"Haha, did you miss me?"
"miss you!"
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi were delighted and rushed over to give Wen Susu a big hug. Fang Wei also looked at her and smiled.
According to the time, we have been separated for less than half a month. We used to meet on the island and at school, but now we meet in a strange city. The mood at this moment is particularly wonderful.
Wen Susu's feelings were much deeper. After all, she had already resigned and left the school, but she still met them here, as if the scenery of the distant island and the memories of three years were brought to her.
"How long have you been here? Are you all getting impatient?"
"It's all Fang Wei's fault! He overslept and didn't tell Teacher Wen in advance!"
"That's right! Blame Fangwei!"
Wen Susu also responded with a smile.
Fang Wei: “?”
"Teacher Wen, is this your car?"
"Uh-huh."
"Amazing!!"
The girls don’t recognize cars, nor can they tell a good car from a bad one, but having a car is already a super cool thing.
"That person is..."
"He is Uncle Liu. He usually helps drive. When I learn how to drive, I will personally drive to pick you up next time!"
Uncle Liu, who had also gotten off the car, seemed very polite. He did not neglect Fang Wei and the other two because they were young. He smiled and nodded and greeted everyone.
The three of them understood that this was the legendary private driver!
"What do you want to eat later? I'll take you there!"
"McDonald's!"
"Ah? McDonald's?"
"Uh-huh!"
"Okay! That's fine! Uncle Liu, take us back to find a McDonald's."
"Ok."
"Come on, come on, get in the car. I'm going to take you for a ride. I'm going to sit in the front for you!"
Uncle Liu took the travel bags of the three people, opened the trunk and put them in the car. Fang Wei opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. Wen Susu, Cai Ling Zhiyi and the other two sat in the back seat together.
The space in the back row was large, and three people could sit without feeling crowded. This was Cai Ling's first time riding in a car, and it was a Mercedes-Benz S500. Even though the girls didn't know how expensive this car was...
"Hehe, this sofa is so soft, it's so comfortable to sit on!"
"Teacher Wen, can this window be opened?"
"Sure, press here..."
Cailing sat on the far left by the window, and Zhiyi sat in the middle. The two girls were curious about everything in the car, and they bent over and leaned forward to look at the main console, steering wheel and so on.
Wen Susu herself knew nothing about cars, but seeing that the two girls were curious, she asked Uncle Liu to introduce them to one.
"Wow... the music is so nice! The air conditioning is so cool! This is my first time riding in a car!"
"Teacher Wen, this car must cost tens of thousands, right?!"
"I don't know, it shouldn't be very expensive..."
"We also said we wanted to take the bus or subway to find you!"
"Do you want to sit?"
“I want to try it!”
"Then I'll take you there later!"
"it is good!"
The car started smoothly and drove along the road towards the city.
Fang Wei and the other two also took the time to call home to report that they were safe.
……
As the street scenes outside the window changed, the boys and girls were also attracted by the prosperity in their sight.
Walking along the way, it felt like walking through a forest of skyscrapers. The prosperous Shanghai at that time in 2003, a highly developed image, impacted the young boys and girls' perception of big cities.
My childhood yearning for Shanghai was an unattainable imagination.
At that time, if someone in the village came back from Shanghai, they would listen with great interest to people talking about what they saw and heard in that city.
As they spoke with great excitement, I imagined that one day I would be able to reach that distant metropolis.
Now that I have arrived here in person, it feels like a dream, as if I have walked into a book or a TV.
After getting off the bus and standing on the bank of the Huangpu River, the towering skyscrapers on the opposite bank and the breath of the times shocked the young boys and girls who were used to seeing the vast ocean.
“How amazing…! They are like something from two completely different worlds…!”
The limited cognition and vision of the small place are opened up at this moment, and the refreshing experience is simply overwhelming.
But at the same time, it also brings an indescribable sense of discomfort and inferiority...
Although she should have been very happy and excited, Xu Cailing's mood seemed to drop.
She silently looked at the prosperous other side of the river and the people who lived there in a glamorous way. Suddenly, she felt that she was so out of place...
The girl's emotional changes did not escape Fang Wei's eyes. He touched her gently, and Cai Ling came back to her senses.
"What's wrong, what are you thinking about?"
"It's nothing."
"Aren't you excited? This is the place you've always wanted to come to."
"Of course I'm excited, that's it, that's it..."
Xu Cailing didn't know what to say, so she just sighed softly and said:
"It's only after seeing the world that we realize we really didn't know anything before..."
“This doesn’t count as having seen the world.”
Fang Wei was very clear about this situation and how big of a shock it would be for someone who came from a remote small place. It would be easy to get lost in such prosperity if one was not careful.
"Ah? This doesn't count as having seen the world? Then what counts as having seen the world?"
“This is just the first floor!”
Fang Wei smiled and said, "The first level is to look up. You will know how high the sky is, where the top of the world is, eat the best food, meet the richest people, and come to the most luxurious city. This is actually not difficult. Anyone just needs to look up. The second level is that you have to look down. You will know where the deepest pit in the world is, where the darkest place is, see poverty, see people's hearts, and walk through nowhere. This is very difficult."
After hearing what Fang Wei said, the two girls seemed to understand but not quite, but they also had some inspiration.
Wen Susu was very surprised and asked curiously: "You just said there are four floors, then what about the third and fourth floors?"
"The third level is that you know where you are. After knowing the height of the sky and the depth of the earth, we must know where we are."
"Oh! I see. It's the ultimate question in the political book! 'Who am I?' 'Where do I come from?' 'Where am I going?'"
"Yes, and the fourth level is to know that the world is divided into left and right. Mountains, rivers, seas, insects, fish, birds and beasts, each of which has its own beauty. So don't easily say that you have seen the world. Look up high enough, go down deep enough, know where you are with your heart like a mirror, and understand all living beings. Only then can you be considered a person who has truly seen the world."
“There is no need to feel inferior or belittle ourselves. We have seen things that others have not seen, and we are no worse than anyone else.”
"I see!!"
"So, the most important thing is to experience it, and don't be dazzled by the flowers."
"Uh-huh!"
Fang Wei's words were very effective. After her state of mind was elevated, the inferiority and confusion in the girl's heart that came from a small world disappeared. Looking at the prosperity in front of her, it was just a precious experience in the long journey of life.
"Amazing……!"
Wen Susu made the same sound as Cai Ling just now, and when she looked at Fang Wei again, she couldn't help but look at him with admiration.
"Fang Wei, did you realize this on your own?"
“…I read it in a book.”
"Remember to lend me the book next time! I want to read it too!"
"..."
A ghost book! I only understood it after I died once!
"Come on, the teacher will take you to experience the highest scenery on the first floor!"
“Go, go, go~~!”
……
It’s not that high.
There are so many high-end restaurants on the Bund, but the four chose the most inconspicuous McDonald's.
This graduation journey to Shanghai started with a meal at McDonald's.
"You're not taking the car anymore?"
“I want to experience the bus and subway!”
"Okay, Uncle Liu, please help me take their luggage home first. I'll call you if there's anything."
"Ok."
The four of them went out for a walk and played together.
The first place to check in is the Bund.
After finding a perfect spot for taking photos, Wen Susu acted as a photographer and took photos of Fang Wei and the other two.
Even though she is a local, she has not actually visited many of the city's attractions in detail. She took the excuse of taking the boys and girls out to play as an opportunity to have some fun herself as well.
Apart from being busy with the opening of the art studio, Wen Susu is also very bored on weekdays. It is rare that they come to visit, so she must have a good time!
In fact, she prefers playing with them rather than with people of her own age, and she feels as if she is getting younger.
We visited the Bund, checked in at the International Architecture Expo, strolled from the Bund to Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, and enjoyed a romantic afternoon tea here together.
The next stop was the Oriental Pearl Tower in Lujiazui, and Xu Cailing also successfully experienced the subway!
"Teacher Wen, do you have a subway card?"
"Forehead……"
Wen Susu scratched her head. How could she have such a thing? She had barely taken the subway!
"Go buy your tickets! I'll show you the whole process!"
“Will the subway pass under the Huangpu River?”
"Yes, it's just one stop to Lujiazui."
"Going through the river! How cool!!"
There were so many people on the subway, and in order to prevent the two silly girls from being squeezed away by the crowd, Fang Wei held their hands, one on the left and one on the right.
The car door opened and the four of them squeezed in with the crowd.
There was no seat left, so Fang Wei created some space for Wen Susu to stand in a comfortable corner, while the two girls stood close to him, one on his left and one on his right.
Liu Zhiyi's face was flushed, she didn't know if it was because of the heat or embarrassment, she lowered her head, staring blankly at the hand she was holding with Fang Wei, her heart was beating so fast that she didn't even know where she was. ...
Xu Cailing wasn't much better, she had to look at the subway and feel the thickness and heat of the hand holding hers. She was so busy that she didn't know which one to focus on first...
As a financial center, Lujiazui is shockingly modernized, with many Chinese and foreign financial institutions and street signboards. Many "gold diggers" who come here are busy walking past bank billboards...
Of the three items in Lujiazui, only the Jinmao Tower remains at this time, and it complements the Oriental Pearl Tower not far away. When viewed from a distance, they seem quite close, but when you get closer you realize that there is still a certain distance between them.
As I approached the Oriental Pearl Tower, I was once again shocked by its unique and magnificent appearance - three huge columns supporting three spherical structures, extending from the ground to the sky.
At the foot of the tower, there was a bustling crowd of people, some were taking photos, and some were queuing up to enter the tower.
Fang Wei and the other three raised their heads and looked from the bottom of the tower all the way up, until their necks could no longer turn, but they still could not see the top of the tower clearly.
"Let's go! I'll take you up there to have a look!"
Taking the high-speed sightseeing elevator, after a few dozen seconds we arrived at the main sightseeing floor which is more than 200 meters high.
The moment the elevator door opened, the view in front of me suddenly opened up, and the entire Shanghai city scenery was in full view. From here, you can easily see the high-rise buildings in Pudong, the prosperous Lujiazui financial district, the winding Huangpu River, and the historic Bund buildings on the opposite bank...
"Wow……!"
This time, not only Xu Cailing exclaimed in amazement, but even Liu Zhiyi exclaimed in amazement, as it was her first time going up to the tower.
“This is the highest place I’ve ever been!”
“I’ve boarded the Oriental Pearl Tower!”
"Then let's have dinner here together tonight~!"
"There's still food to eat?!"
"Yes, there is a revolving restaurant. At night, you can enjoy the night view from 360 degrees! Do you want to try it?"
"want!"
The girls were all stunned. It was good enough to dine in the sky, but the restaurant could also rotate!
(End of this chapter)
