Chapter 3 2. Go to Beijing with your schoolbag on your back

After the holiday, I kept my luggage, books and the small bamboo pole at Teacher Xiao's house.I walked for three days on foot and returned home.I reported to my parents that Chongshi Middle School in Huangxian County had been disbanded, and that I would no longer be able to go to school in Huangxian County next semester; I also mentioned my idea of ​​going to Beijing to go to school.The father hesitated and said that there was no money.My mother said: If I want to go, I will go. People in Beijing will not die of hunger, and if they have no money to study, they will find a job.I stayed at home for a few days, and my father borrowed money from various places and scraped together 15 yuan for me; my mother made me a pair of cloth shoes and a set of coarse white trousers and jacket.I returned to Huang County.I stayed at Mr. Xiao's house for one night; the next day I arrived in Longkou with my luggage and schoolbag on my back.I stayed at the Zhonghua Hotel run by a fellow from Pingdu, and waited for the boat for 3 days.Not only did the fellow not ask for my hotel money, but he also helped me buy a cheap ferry ticket.I got on the ship, stood on the deck, and saw the sea and the sky.I thought of the idiom: "The sky is high and the birds are flying, and the sea is wide and the fish are leaping".When I see a ship sailing through the wind and waves, I think a young man should do the same.After sailing for two days and one night, the ship arrived in Tianjin.

After disembarking, I stayed at the Renhe Inn with a businessman I met on board.After washing my face and eating, and it is still dark, I want to go out and see the city of Tianjin.I asked the waiter (waiter): What is this place?I mean to ask what street it is so I can ask for directions when I come back.The waiter replied: This is "French land." I am very surprised; this is Chinese land, why is it called "French land"?After thinking about it, I finally understood: this is the so-called "French Concession" in history, which is the product of imperialist aggression against China.I strolled along the road in Tianjin and saw tall buildings standing on both sides of the road, trams and cars speeding along the road, and beggars begging for small money on the side of the road.I walked to the "French Bridge" (now called the Jiefang Bridge) across the Haihe River, and saw that with the push of a button, the two halves of the bridge would automatically open to allow large ships to pass.At that time, I thought it was a great bridge project; now it is insignificant compared with our Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge.When I returned to the inn, it was already past 9 o'clock in the evening. I slept all night with my luggage on my pillow.

The next morning, I arrived at Tianjin East Railway Station and got on the train.The locomotive roared a few times, and the train full of passengers was running towards Beijing.Looking out from the window, the plains of North China are green.After more than 3 hours, the train arrived in Beijing.After getting off the car, I was a little embarrassed.No money to stay in a hotel, no relatives and friends to vote for, where is my shelter?I remembered that my elder brother had a teacher surnamed Liu who taught at the North China Engineering School on Gulou West Street.I took my luggage and went to him.He is an engineer, received me very warmly, and let me live with him.I counted my foot down in Beijing.