"Ah, switching to a new locomotive really does feel different."
Cai Xiaonian looked at his biological father driving the train, then at Old Wu, the assistant driver on the other side. "Now we can even move around between the cab and the cars."
"Do you know that violates regulations?" Old Wu said without turning his head. He still sat ramrod straight, his eyes fixed on the track ahead.
"My biological brother is right here. If anything happens, they'll come looking for him."
"Oh, I can't shoulder that responsibility." Wang Yan quickly waved him off. "I came to take a look because it was new. I didn't tell you to come gawk too."
"Look, it's noon already. I brought lunch for Comrade Old Cai." Cai Xiaonian grinned playfully.
"Uncle Cai, Brother Wu, how's the new train handling?" Wang Xin asked from behind them.
"It's got to be good." Old Cai didn't turn around either, his gaze equally fixed ahead.
Old Wu said, "It's really good. This route used to take a full day and night from Ningyang to Hacheng. Now we get there in a little over half a day. I'm telling you, trains are definitely going to get faster and faster in the future. Wherever you need to go, whoosh, and you'll be there."
"Whoosh? Might as well take a plane," Wang Xin said with a laugh.
"Hey, don't you go doubting it." Old Wu said, "Aren't they researching high-speed rail? Who knows when it'll become reality. Old Cai and I probably won't get the chance to drive one. By then, we'll likely have retired long ago. Even if we hadn't, our minds and bodies wouldn't be able to keep up."
Old Wu wasn't wrong. There really were age requirements, especially for high-speed rail, where an entire trainload of lives