All-rounder Artist

Those just tuning into the news from the industry are at a loss.

Everyone cannot imagine what a train station has to do with spring noodles until they see the specific content of this news…

In the news, a female presenter narrates emotionally.

“A few months ago, a train was about to be suspended in Ye City, Chu Province—every once in a while, there would be service cancellations in Blue Star, which is a common affair, but why did it grab widespread attention from the public?”

Yeah, why?

How did it get connected to Chu Kuang’s new short story?

Many people were wide-eyed.

“Turns out, from what reporters learned, this train was, in fact, decided by the Mountain Stone Company who operates it to be discontinued three years ago because this route had been losing money long term. But then, a special discovery made the Mountain Stone Company change its mind.”

The narration paused for a moment.

In the snowy scenes, a simple-looking girl wrapped in a thick cotton-padded coat and a red scarf appeared.

Someone accepted the interview:

“At the time, the railway bureau had already decided to shut down the station, but we discovered that there was a high school girl who would take this train to school every day.”

The camera cuts.

The girl also accepted the interview: “I am the only passenger at this train station…”

Some people seemed to have made a connection.

The female host continued to introduce: “This is the route from Bai Tong to Yuanqing operated by the Mountain Sea Company, the largest railway company in Chu Province, with a network covering the entire province. However, before the suspension, the Mountain Sea Company noticed a 17-year-old high schooler that depends on this train to commute between school and her home daily. At 7:04 in the morning, she goes to school; at 17:08 every evening, she returns home, punctual and regular over three years.”

By this time, those who had read “A Bowl of Clear Soup Noodles” had vaguely guessed the cause.

The female host’s voice continued to narrate: “Mountain Sea Company decided, alright, in order not to affect her schooling, we will keep this railway for her. If it’s just her that’s riding, okay then. The train service won’t stop until she completes her high school. So this situation carried on, spanning three years until a few months ago when the girl no longer needed to take that train to school.”

The camera focused on two different train timetables.

The first timetable had many stations marked.

The second timetable only showed two time points.

“Since there were no other passengers, the train timetable was also changed.”

“It used to depart on a set schedule, passing through several stations, with specified departure and arrival times, and the fare for each segment.”

“Then we thought, why should it be so complicated, the phrase ‘Only For You’ suffices.”

“Pick you up heading to school every day, pick you up leaving school every day.”

“What’s more, according to the habits of the people of Chu Province, if it’s done, it is done accurately to the second. Even with only one passenger, if it’s said that it arrives at 7:04, it won’t be a minute off. If it’s said that it departs at 17:08, it will leave without fail.”

“Remember, a train is not a taxi. How many people are needed to run a train? Train drivers, conductors, ticket inspectors, security personnel, electrical maintenance staff… Not to mention the wear and tear on the train and the rail track, just the fuel consumption of these two carriages running for an hour would not be insignificant. Thus, it’s not free of charge. The Mountain Sea Company isn’t a social charity organization; the student has to purchase a ticket to enter.”

“So, how much is the fare?”

“Our reporters learned that the round trip fare totalled thirty-six yuan, which is a usual fare for cab rides in Chu Province. Therefore, thirty-six yuan for a train ticket is indeed a fair price. Moreover, because tickets are being sold, there are personnel to inspect and collect them, requiring more human and material inputs.”

Seeing this, many people even doubted if this girl had some connections?

But…

The female host stated,

“According to our understanding, such treatment, if not backed by a powerful background, might be something one could hardly enjoy, especially if it perseveres for three years. Yet, our reporters discovered after some investigation that this is by no means a case of a powerful family. In Blue Star, it probably falls within the range of impoverished households eligible for minimum living subsidies, otherwise, they wouldn’t be living so far from the school.”

“The world is full of true affection.”

“Coincidentally, in early March, a renowned author Chu Kuang published on ‘Tribe’ a novel entitled ‘A Bowl of Spring Noodles,’ which also tells a deeply touching story. The story is simple. A woman’s husband gets in a car accident and owes a large sum of money. The woman raises two children. Every New Year’s eve, they go to a noodle restaurant where the three of them share a bowl of noodles. Receiving the owner’s good wish of ‘May you have a good year,’ the woman eventually repaid the debt, and the two children also succeeded. Throughout it all, for the mother and her two children, the price of spring noodles remained the same.”

“The society or the public, if they want to treat someone kindly, need not do it in an exceptionally grand manner by showering them with love. A single word could be enough.”

“This phrase can be ‘Here’s a bowl of spring noodles.'”

“It can also be ‘For 1095 days, even if you are the only one, this train runs for you.'”

“I believe that all the good in the world relies on that moment of kindness that you and I possess.”

The girl has no connections, she was just lucky to receive a kind act from a humanistic company.

It’s just like the mother and her two children in ‘A Bowl of Spring Noodles.’ They aren’t impressive and are somewhat destitute, but the owner and his wife of the noodle restaurant are willing to offer their kindness.

That’s all.

This real-life news story seems to echo ‘A Bowl of Spring Noodles’, a title in this very moment.

At this moment.

Many who have read this novel fell into silence.

Even the industry insiders who once doubted the quality of this novel, who can deny the stirring within them upon witnessing this real-life story?

Is it mawkishness?

Is it a comforting pep-talk?

If kindness is mawkish, please do not skimp on your sentimentality. If the pep-talk warms the heart, do serve me a bowl.

So, this is the reason for ‘A Bowl of Spring Noodles’ comeback today!

The news didn’t mention the achievements of Chu Kuang nor excessively praised how excellent this novel is. However, the simple quotation at the end says it all.

One is a story from the novel, and the other is a story from reality.

The fact that the reality is more dramatic than the novel, yet so similar is quite remarkable.

So alike.

Many people unconsciously reopened ‘A Bowl of Spring Noodles’, and yet, this time, the feelings gathered from the news were entirely different.

“This could probably be the simplest story ever written by Chu Kuang, with no surprising twists and turns, no earth-shattering reversals, but it has a healing power for the soul. I think Chu Kuang’s talent has already been condensed into a bowl of spring noodles, quietly warming many people’s hearts.”

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