We waited at the boarding gate for half an hour before finally getting on the plane.
The journey went smoothly, but since we had bought our tickets separately and at the last minute, we were not seated together.
That did not matter. As long as we arrived at the Shanghai Bund on time, it was fine.
Amid the piercing roar, with darkness and scattered lights beyond the plane window, we quickly passed through the clouds and flew through the dim sky.
I leaned back in my seat and took a deep breath.
I had no idea whether the road ahead would be difficult or smooth.
And I did not know how long this trip to Japan would take.
But I knew that every step I took was my own choice. I also believed that one day, I would reach the "other shore," and everything would become better.
I dozed for a while on the plane.
At two in the morning, we landed at the Shanghai Bund Airport.
It was my first time here. It was also the place where my grandfather had made his way in the world when he was young.
But this time, we were not here to sightsee, nor could we take in the prosperity and culture of the place.
After getting off the plane, we went to collect our luggage immediately.
Then I said to the others,
"I arranged to meet the contact at four in the morning, at Gate Four of Yangshan Wharf. We have a little over an hour left. To be safe, we can't linger. We have to leave right away."
After hearing me out, everyone nodded in agreement.
We hailed a ride-share and headed straight to Yangshan Wharf.
Yangshan Wharf was a cargo port, and the daily volume of container traffic was