Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Su Yan leaned against the glass door at the waiting area. He took his camera and snapped a few photos of the busy scene. He then diverted his lens towards Xuxu.

  He watched them from his camera lens. He then pressed the shutter button.

  An announcement sounded from the system, reminding them to get their tickets ready.

  Su Yan put down his camera and walked to Yan Rusheng. He said to him, “Give me your identity card, I’ll help you get your ticket.”


  Yan Rusheng glanced at him and nodded. He passed him his identity card without a word.

  The passengers began to move when they heard the announcement. Everyone seemed to be in a rush as they moved quickly.

  Xuxu was about to get up and join the crowd. But she hesitated when she saw how the passengers were shoving and pushing each other.

  She thought that she should wait until they all have boarded the train.

  The people sitting next to her had already vacated their seats. Yan Rusheng stood up and sat beside her.

  He watched her cautiously and quietly.

  “There you go!”


  Su Yan got his ticket and hurried towards him. He passed on the ticket and identity card back to Yan Rusheng.

  Yan Rusheng took a brief look at the information on his ticket. His bed was in carriage No. 10.

  Then he glanced at Xuxu’s ticket. It was also carriage No. 10 and to his surprise, her bed was connected with his.

  He looked at Su Yan in surprise.

  Su Yan held his camera as he faced the ticket inspection counter.

  Yan Rusheng stared at Su Yan in deep thought.

  Xuxu waited until most of the passengers had entered the train before she rose to her feet. She dragged her bag towards the counter.

  Yan Rusheng trailed after her and tried to help her with her bag. Without surprise, she rejected his help.

  Xuxu didn’t make a sound even when they got on the train. Soon, it started moving off.

  The three of them were staying in a carriage. Xuxu and Yan Rusheng shared the bottom beds while Su Yan took the top bed.

  Another elderly lady took the top bed.

  Xuxu removed her coat. She hugged her knees as she sat on the bed. She put on her earphones and turned her head out towards the window.

  “It’s my first time taking this kind of train!” Su Yan ran to the front and back before returning to their carriage. “It’s awesome!”


  He collapsed on Xuxu’s bed and sat down.

  Yan Rusheng stared at Su Yan as he sat across them. He thought to himself, ‘It’s everyone’s first time on this train, anyway.”


  Xuxu removed her earphones and spoke to Su Yan. “Su Yan, can you go back to your bed? I want to sleep.”


  She pulled the blanket and adjusted her pillow before lying down. She turned to face the wall.

  Su Yan quipped, “But you haven’t eaten lunch, eat something before sleeping.”


  Xuxu didn’t budge as she replied with her back facing him. “I don’t feel like eating. Stop talking to me.”


  The carriage fell silent at once.

  Su Yan climbed back to his bed and laid down. Yan Rusheng remained seated with an arm propped against the table as he watched Xuxu.

  She was lying down with her earphones, and she was quiet.

  The door swung open, and it broke the silence.

  Yan Rusheng instinctively glanced at the door. The elderly lady that they shared carriage was back.

  The elderly lady was holding a water bottle as she glanced at Xuxu. She glanced at her bed before looking at Yan Rusheng.

  She looked at him and smiled brightly. “Young lad, my leg is hurting again. Can you exchange beds with me?”