In those days, traveling far from home was anything but safe. All sorts of people rode the trains, and anything unexpected could happen.
Since he had brought the children out, he had to bring every last one of them home in one piece.
If anything happened to any of them, he feared he would have no face to return to the elders back home.
After clattering along for more than two hours, the train slowly pulled to a stop at Nanjing Station.
One group squeezed off carrying bags of all sizes, while another surged aboard with luggage over their shoulders.
Liu Xian kept his attention on their group's luggage. Whenever anyone squeezed past, his body tensed slightly.
"Liu?"
An uncertain voice sounded behind Liu Xian.
Liu Xian turned, and delighted surprise immediately flashed in his eyes. "Wang Jianping!"
He sprang to his feet and gave the newcomer a crushing bear hug.
"It's been four years, hasn't it?" Liu Xian said.
Wang Jianping laughed heartily. "Four years indeed! Four years have gone by in the blink of an eye since you left the provincial team!"
Liu Xian smiled too. Looking at the half-grown boys following Wang Jianping, he had a guess, but still asked:
"What brings you here?"
Wang Jianping said, "Old Huang retired before the New Year, so they herded this duck onto the perch and made me a coach. Same as you, I'm taking a team to Shenyang for the National Youth Table Tennis Championship."
Chapter 22: A first display of skill
At that, Liu Xian turned his gaze back to the line of young players behind Wang Jianping.
There were eight children, all looking fourteen or fifteen, each brimming with energy and ambition as they looked over curiously.
Liu Xian knew these eight were the finest young table