Foreigners (Zhou Yanchen X Ding Zeren)

Meeting

It was almost the end of the year. 19-year-old Zhou Yanchen squeezed through the crowd of people at the foreign train station. They were all longing to return home in time for new year's. When he stepped into the train, it was eight or nine in the morning, but the pale sunlight through the clouds did not offer any warmth, and the air was cold like a glass of ice water. A thin layer of frost had formed outside on the train windows. The muffled air inside the train compartment made Zhou YanChen want to open the window for a breath of fresh air, but after trying a few times, he found that the window latch was damaged.

Running from place to place to perform on amateur stages against the crowds returning home at new year's did nothing to help Zhou YanChen's mood. This was not the only reason that Zhou YanChen was in low spirits- there was a mistake when his train ticket was ordered, a ticket for the ride on the slowest, oldest trains. The company also pretended to be dead when he requested that they handle the situation. His entertainment company had always been stingy, especially stingy toward their artists and performers, and especially, especially, stingy toward unpopular performers like him.

He had a double seat on the train, but it was almost time for departure and the space next to him was still empty. This was probably the only consolation in his trip- that he can lay down during the long journey.

It wasn't the first time this has happened, Zhou YanChen sighed as he relaxed against the seatback. He was still full of passion for the stage, but there was nowhere he could release his energy. He was not born a listless person, and did not disguise his ambition. Who doesn't want to walk on the roads on success, but what can he do in these empty days, forgotten by his company, by the crowds, with no light at the end of the tunnel? Now, he is looked upon as a piece of brick, being stuck wherever there is a cavity. At best, people give the brick wall a glimpse to see if it is complete. Who would notice the patterns on a single brick? How about pulling some extra effort for your performance on some commercial venue where nobody is looking you? How about acting more animatedly for your minor role in your shining, whopping two minutes on some low budget, cliche web series? Try your best, and you will always achieve your dreams. That's what those high up inspirational quotes all say. Gold will shine in any place. Yeah right. Gold can be hidden in a gold mine for hundreds of years, silently waiting to be excavated, but a lifetime passes quickly for humans. We can't wait that long.

As he was deep in his bitter feelings, a loud voice yelling "ahhhhh!!" suddenly blasted outside the train window, interrupting his train of thought. Zhou Yanchen jumped in surprise, and looking out the window, saw a person wearing a bright yellow cap, sprinting at top speed with his ginormous suitcase. His hat looked like those little hats for elementary schoolers to keep track of them when they cross the street, and there was a thin, red ribbon tied behind it. The red ribbon was eye-catching as it floated behind in the wind created from running. This short episode attracted a lot of attention. Many made quietly made disapproving "tsk tsk" noises while a few warm-hearted urging for him to hurry, since the train was very close to departure. As soon as he heard, he sprinted even faster, as if he was on wheels. His entire facial expression became out of control in his speed, but at least he made it to the train at the last moment.

After the person stepped on the train, Zhou Yanchen found that it was a boy of around 15-16 years old. The boy was still recovering from his shocked expression, but his cheeks were pink from running in the cold wind and he seemed very lively, like a colored photograph amid the black and white of the tired, old train. He leaned against the frame of the train to catch his breath, then straightened his clothing, stood straight, and began walking through the train. The boy suddenly stopped as he neared Zhou Yanchen's train compartment. His voice was clear and natural, "Hey, can you move for a sec? My seat's on the inside."

Zhou Yanchen stood up and let the boy pass. He glanced at the boy's suitcase and height of the boy and concluded that the boy probably wouldn't be able to lift his suitcase on the luggage rack, so he helped the boy with his baggage without a word. Zhou Yanchen looks very thin but is actually quite strong, and made the lifting the suitcase seem effortless. The small boy watched him in admiration and thanked him profusely. The boy looked down at his own hands and slightly shook his right hand in the air, dejectedly mumbling that his hands were weak.