From Nandu to Nanqiao County, the high-speed train takes four hours, then switch to a long-distance bus that bumps along mountain roads for another two and a half hours.
Li Min sat by the window, a somewhat worn black backpack resting on his knees. There wasn't much luggage inside, just a few changes of clothes, and a stack of study notes compiled under the guidance of Professor Yang Ping. The notes were heavy, and he couldn't bear to check them in, so he held them in his arms the whole way.
The road winds along the mountainside, bend after bend. Li Min is familiar with this road; he's been traveling it for ten years.
The passengers on the bus were mostly dozing off, except for a few young mothers with children gently soothing the babies in their arms. The compartment smelled of a mix of instant noodles and oranges. Li Min pushed the window open a crack, letting in a breeze carrying the scent of earth.
This was the smell he knew well.
