Chapter One: The Boy Who Chased the Train

1. The Wedding Invitation

In the business district that afternoon, sunlight fell across the straight boulevard. The glass curtain walls of the brand-new office buildings on both sides gleamed in the white light, while traffic hurried along the streets. The entire city appeared busy and austere.

An employee in uniform rode a bicycle through the intersection and soon arrived at an imposing office building. A huge ceremonial arch stood at the entrance, with four striking Chinese characters engraved on it in Wei stele calligraphy: “Tianma Group.”

The chairman’s office was located on one of the upper floors. Its spacious floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of the city. Behind his desk, Tsai Shih-Nan lowered his head and worked through documents, his expression focused and composed.

His secretary, Li Hui-Fen, entered carrying a stack of documents and letters awaiting approval and gently placed them on the desk.

“Chairman, you have an appointment with Chairman Kuo of Hon Hai at four this afternoon. All the documents for the cooperation between the two sides are in the folder.” She opened one of the documents and checked its contents before stepping aside.

Shih-Nan raised his head and nodded at her. “Thank you for your hard work. I’ll find time to look them over.”

Hui-Fen smiled slightly and was just about to leave when the cell phone on Shih-Nan’s desk suddenly rang.

He glanced at the caller ID and answered the phone.

“Shih-Nan, come shopping with me at the luxury stores this afternoon.” Zhang Hsiu-Yi’s voice came from the other end, carrying a somewhat self-assured, coquettish tone.

Shih-Nan leaned back in his chair and frowned slightly. He glanced at the unfinished documents on his desk, but his tone remained patient.

“I have an important meeting this afternoon. I really can’t get away. How about tonight?”

“What’s wrong with you? Every time you say you can’t get away. Who could possibly be as busy as you are?” Hsiu-Yi’s tone had clearly become colder.

Shih-Nan rubbed his brow, suppressing the trace of fatigue rising inside him.

“I really am tied up with work. I’ll call you after I finish everything, okay?”

The person on the other end was about to say something, but he had already hung up.

The office fell silent again.

Shih-Nan placed the phone back on the desk and reached for the folder, preparing to deal with the materials for his afternoon meeting. As he opened it, a wedding invitation slipped out of the documents and landed softly on the desktop.

His hand stopped.

The red wedding invitation was particularly conspicuous in the afternoon sunlight. There were only three characters on the front: Chen Mei-Lan.

Shih-Nan stared blankly at the name, and the focused expression on his face slowly faded.

“Time really flies...” he murmured.

His fingertips gently brushed the edge of the invitation, but a difficult-to-describe emotion suddenly surged through his chest.

Over the years, he had long grown accustomed to burying the past deep within his memory. He had believed that as long as he did not touch it, those people and those events would gradually fade away.

He had never expected that a simple wedding invitation could bring memories that had lain dormant for so many years back to the surface.

Shih-Nan leaned back in his chair and gazed at the busy city beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. The high-rises, streams of traffic, and documents on his desk suddenly seemed distant.

His thoughts had already returned to many years ago.

2. An Embarrassing Episode on the Neiwan Train

The sky had only just begun to brighten, and Neiwan Old Street was still shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist. Most of the shops on both sides of the street remained closed, while the occasional sound of metal shutters being pulled open could be heard.

Workers heading to their jobs, students rushing to school, and farmers carrying baskets of agricultural produce to sell in Hsinchu City had already begun appearing in twos and threes along the streets, adding a little morning bustle to the small town that had slept through the night.

A bicycle sped through the old street.

The rider was Tsai Shih-Nan.

His school uniform billowed in the morning breeze, his schoolbag pressed tightly against his back, and his feet pumped the pedals without stopping. When he saw Neiwan Railway Station in the distance, he increased his speed again, as if slowing down for even one second would allow the train to mercilessly leave him stranded on the platform.

By then, Neiwan Railway Station was already bustling. The sounds of escaping steam, the rumble of machinery, and the voices of passengers and students talking blended together into the distinctive soundscape of the town in the early morning.

The train was about to depart.

Tsai Shih-Nan slammed on his bicycle brakes, jumped off, tossed the bicycle beside the slope, and rushed toward the ticket gate with his schoolbag on his back.

Seeing him running toward him, gasping for breath, the ticket inspector hurriedly called out, “The train’s about to leave!”

“Wait!”

Tsai Shih-Nan hurriedly pulled out his monthly pass and handed it over.

The ticket inspector punched it swiftly. Shih-Nan grabbed the pass back and turned to sprint onto the platform.

Just as he stepped through the train door, it closed with a sharp click.

He leaned against the door and took several deep breaths, his chest heaving violently. Unable to help himself, he began to laugh.

“Thank goodness. I made it.”

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away his sweat. Tiny beads of perspiration covered his forehead and neck, and a large portion of his school uniform was already soaked.

Inside the train car, Lin Kuang-Ming was already sitting by the window. Seeing Shih-Nan in such a disheveled state, he could not help shaking his head with a laugh.

“What happened to you? You almost missed this train too.”

Tsai Shih-Nan sat down, his breathing gradually returning to normal. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said helplessly, “I took some cold medicine before bed last night and almost overslept.”

Lin Kuang-Ming was about to say something else when his gaze suddenly fell on the seats opposite them.

Two girls from Hsinchu Girls’ Senior High School, both wearing identical mushroom haircuts, were sitting there. Every now and then, they glanced at Tsai Shih-Nan and exchanged looks, with smiles they could barely conceal.

Zhang Yu-Ling covered her mouth with one hand, leaned toward Chen Mei-Lan, and whispered, “A-Lan, look at that boy from Hsinchu Senior High School. Is he wearing his trousers backward? Is he trying to be funny?”

Chen Mei-Lan looked over as well, curiosity in her eyes. Then she gently shook her head.

“He probably just made a mistake because he was in such a hurry.”

Lin Kuang-Ming heard their conversation, lightly nudged Tsai Shih-Nan with his elbow, and lowered his voice.

“Those two girls across from us seem to be talking about you.”

Tsai Shih-Nan was lowering his head and memorizing English vocabulary, holding a stack of English flashcards in his hand. He raised his eyes, gave the girls across from him a brief glance, and lowered his head again.

“Let them talk.”

He appeared completely unconcerned, but inwardly he already sensed that something was wrong.

Lin Kuang-Ming had no intention of letting him off so easily. He nudged him with his elbow again, this time pointing directly at his trousers.

“Hey, I know what they’re talking about. They’re saying you’re wearing your trousers backward.”

Tsai Shih-Nan froze for a moment.

He looked down.

At that instant, his entire face stiffened.

His trousers really were on backward.

During his mad dash to catch the train, he had been so focused on getting there in time that he had completely failed to notice that he had put his trousers on backward.

He had always considered himself relatively calm and composed, but now the tips of his ears quickly turned red, and even his neck began to feel hot.

Lin Kuang-Ming was already laughing so hard that his shoulders were shaking.

Tsai Shih-Nan glared fiercely at him, but there was nothing he could do. He quickly stood up, grabbed his schoolbag, and held it in front of himself.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

He lowered his head, wishing he could disappear immediately.

The aisle was not wide, so he could only turn sideways and slowly make his way down it. To keep anyone from seeing his embarrassing predicament, he simply walked sideways like a crab.

That only attracted more attention.

Several students turned their heads and looked at him curiously. Some could not help laughing aloud.

Tsai Shih-Nan’s face became even redder. He could only clutch his schoolbag tightly and hurry forward.

When he finally returned from the restroom after straightening his trousers, the two girls across from him were still looking at him.

Zhang Yu-Ling lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Chen Mei-Lan covered her mouth with one hand, laughter hidden in her eyes.

Tsai Shih-Nan’s eyes briefly met hers.

At that moment, he was even more afraid to look at her.

He silently sat down, picked up his English vocabulary cards again, and held them directly in front of his face, pretending to concentrate on memorizing words.

But the face behind the cards was still burning red.

If there was truly a kind of man in this world destined to be easily forgotten by women, then Tsai Shih-Nan in his high school years was probably one of them.

From high school onward, the nickname “Indoor Virgin” followed him everywhere.

Some of his classmates had already begun experiencing the first stirrings of love and were busy getting to know the opposite sex and dating. He, however, quietly buried himself in his books, like a resigned silverfish chewing his way through his textbooks page by page.

At the time, he did not know that what youth truly leaves behind is never merely the scores written on examination papers.

Some people simply happen to ride the same train for a brief time, yet remain in a person’s memory for many years.

3. The First Encounter at the Lei-Cha Shop

On Saturday morning, Neiwan Old Street gradually became lively. Sunlight slanted down between the eaves of the old street, and the air carried the distinctive dampness of a mountain town in the early morning.

The neighborhood shops opened one after another, preparing for the day’s business.

The Tsai family’s lei-cha shop was busy as well.

Chiu Man-Mei and her daughter, Tsai Ai-Yu, were arranging the ingredients for the lei-cha. Peanuts, sesame seeds, tea leaves, and various other ingredients were carefully set out one by one.

Tsai Tien-Sheng stood at the entrance, pulled open the heavy wooden door, and then picked up a broom to sweep the dust from in front of the shop.

Tsai Shih-Nan was responsible for wiping the tables and chairs. He cleaned each table one by one and then arranged the chairs neatly.

Each member of the family was busy with his or her own task, and they hardly needed to say anything to one another.

Tsai Tien-Sheng looked up at his son and casually instructed him, “A-Nan, once you’re finished here, remember to go to the station and pick up the goods we ordered.”

Tsai Shih-Nan was bending down to wipe the legs of a table. Hearing this, he straightened up.

“Got it, Dad.”

He wiped the last table clean, picked up the bucket, and walked toward the small drainage ditch beside the entrance.

Just as he was about to bend down and pour out the dirty water, a pair of black women’s shoes suddenly appeared in front of him.

The sight of those shoes brought his movement to a halt. A sense of familiarity swept unexpectedly through his heart.

Tsai Shih-Nan slowly raised his head.

In the morning light, a girl with short red hair stood before him. She was carrying a vegetable basket in one hand and looking at him with a smile.

It was Chen Mei-Lan.

Shih-Nan stared for a moment, and the scene on the train immediately flashed through his mind.

He instinctively touched his head, an embarrassed yet shy smile appearing on his face.

Mei-Lan did not mention the embarrassing incident involving his backward trousers. She simply smiled and said, “So your family lives here? I pass by every day, but I never really noticed.”

“We just run the shop here.”

Shih-Nan sounded somewhat unnatural, and he did not dare to let his eyes remain on her face for too long.

At that moment, Chiu Man-Mei poked her head out of the shop. When she saw a pretty girl standing at the entrance, curiosity immediately appeared on her face.

“A-Nan, your classmate?”

She looked Mei-Lan up and down and smiled.

“She’s really pretty!”

Tsai Shih-Nan’s face immediately turned red. He hurriedly explained, “She goes to the girls’ high school. We take the train to school together.”

“Girls’ high school?”

Chiu Man-Mei smiled even more broadly and turned to ask Mei-Lan, “Where do you live?”

“On the other side of the suspension bridge.”

“On the other side of the suspension bridge?”

Chiu Man-Mei thought for a moment and suddenly realized.

“You’re the daughter of Representative Chen, the man who runs the inn?”

Chen Mei-Lan nodded.

“Yes, Auntie.”

When Chiu Man-Mei heard this, her smile grew even wider.

She warmly invited her, “Bring your classmates here for tea when you have time. We use really good ingredients.”

“Sure, Auntie.”

Mei-Lan smiled as she agreed.

Tsai Shih-Nan, standing nearby, was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Seeing his mother becoming more and more enthusiastic, he could only quietly remind her, “Mom, she’s just passing by...”

Chiu Man-Mei waved her hand without a care.

“What does it matter? We’re neighbors. We’re just helping spread the word about the shop.”

Mei-Lan looked at the busy family inside the shop and knew that it would be inappropriate for her to stay any longer. She picked up her vegetable basket.

“Auntie, you’re busy. I’m going to the market to buy some vegetables.”

With that, she waved at Chiu Man-Mei and Tsai Shih-Nan.

“See you!”

Shih-Nan raised his hand as well, but could only give a small wave.

“See you.”

As he watched her turn and walk away, his eyes instinctively followed her.

Only after Mei-Lan had disappeared into the distance did he slowly withdraw his gaze.

When he turned around, however, he discovered that his younger sister, Tsai Ai-Yu, was standing behind him with her arms crossed, staring at him meaningfully.

“Who was that girl just now?”

Ai-Yu deliberately asked in an unconcerned tone.

Chiu Man-Mei answered while arranging the ingredients on the table.

“Representative Chen’s daughter. She goes to the girls’ high school.”

Ai-Yu blinked, and a mischievous smile slowly appeared at the corners of her mouth.

She moved closer to her brother and lowered her voice.

“Brother, why did that red-haired girl come looking for you? That’s pretty suspicious...”

Tsai Shih-Nan immediately blushed.

“She was just passing by. What are you thinking?”

Seeing how embarrassed he was, Ai-Yu could not resist making a face at him.

“Liar. Boys like girls.”

“You...”

Tsai Shih-Nan was about to argue when Chiu Man-Mei laughed beside them.

“I wouldn’t mind having this girl as my daughter-in-law. I really like her...”

“Mom!”

Shih-Nan’s face became even redder.

“Don’t say things like that. Nothing’s going on between us.”

Chiu Man-Mei stopped what she was doing and looked seriously at her son. Her tone, however, remained completely matter-of-fact.

“Even if something were going on, it wouldn’t matter. She may be the daughter of a representative, but our families are still reasonably well matched.”

Tsai Shih-Nan was both amused and helpless.

With his mother saying such things and his sister snickering beside him, he had no idea how to respond. He could only grab the pickup slip for the goods at the station and turn toward the door.

“You two! I’m not talking to you anymore! I’m going to the station to pick up the goods.”

He practically fled the house.

Ai-Yu’s laughter immediately came from behind him.

Tsai Shih-Nan did not turn around. He simply quickened his pace.

But after walking some distance, an involuntary smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

That red-haired girl had entered his life for the first time, and it had taken less than half a morning.

He did not yet know how long a shadow this chance encounter would leave on his life.

4. The Boy Who Chased the Train

The next morning, Neiwan Old Street was still covered in the thin mist of a mountain town slowly awakening.

Tsai Shih-Nan rode his bicycle at full speed. It was not until he saw Neiwan Railway Station that he suddenly realized the train on the platform had already begun to move slowly forward.

“Wait!”

He pedaled as hard as he could, but it was already too late.

The train pulled away from the platform, the sound of its wheels striking the tracks growing increasingly distant.

Tsai Shih-Nan stopped his bicycle and stared at the receding train. His entire face immediately fell.

“Oh no... If I take the next train, I’ll definitely miss the first period of the midterm exam.”

He glanced at his watch, his heart suddenly racing with anxiety.

This time, it was not because of cold medicine. The battery in his alarm clock had died the night before, and the midterm exam happened to be today.

He gritted his teeth and suddenly made a decision without even thinking it through.

He tossed his bicycle aside and took off running.

He raced across the platform, crossed the safety line, and actually jumped down onto the railway tracks, chasing after the train that had already traveled some distance away.

“Hey!”

The ticket inspector’s face changed in alarm. He frantically waved his hands and shouted, “It’s dangerous! Kid, don’t chase the train!”

But Tsai Shih-Nan could no longer hear him.

His schoolbag bounced up and down on his back. His legs drove him desperately forward, and the soles of his shoes struck the gravel beside the tracks, producing a rapid succession of sounds.

The train was getting farther and farther away, but he did not stop. One hundred meters. Two hundred meters. Tsai Shih-Nan was already gasping so hard that his chest hurt, and sweat ran down from his temples. Just when he was almost ready to give up, a hand suddenly appeared at the rear of the train.

“Shih-Nan!” Lin Kuang-Ming leaned out and reached toward him, shouting.

With the last few steps, Tsai Shih-Nan practically threw himself forward. Lin Kuang-Ming grabbed him firmly by the wrist and pulled with all his strength, finally dragging him into the train car. Tsai Shih-Nan collapsed onto the floor and gasped for breath. For a moment, the car was filled with startled cries. Then, unexpectedly, applause broke out. The passengers and students looked at the boy who had chased the train. Some clapped, while others could not help laughing.

Tsai Shih-Nan sat on the floor, panting so hard that he could not get a complete sentence out.

Lin Kuang-Ming bent down and pulled him to his feet, looking both annoyed and amused. “What happened to you? You almost missed the train.”

Tsai Shih-Nan held onto a seat and finally managed to catch his breath. “I couldn't help it! The battery in my alarm clock died this time, so it didn't go off when it was supposed to.”

Lin Kuang-Ming stared at him and shook his head helplessly. “You sure have a lot of problems!”

Tsai Shih-Nan was about to argue back when he noticed that something was strange about the way everyone around him was looking at him. Dozens of eyes in the train car were all fixed on his lower body. He looked down, and an ominous feeling immediately rose in his heart.

Zhang Yu-Ling held back a laugh and pointed at his pants. “Classmate, there's a rip in your trousers. They've turned into a two-piece skirt!”

Tsai Shih-Nan froze. He looked down and realized that his frantic run had torn open the stitching of his trousers. The blood in his face instantly rushed to his ears. The last time he had worn his pants backward had already been humiliating enough. Now, only one day later, he had embarrassed himself again on the very same train. He hurriedly pulled his schoolbag in front of him to cover the torn area, wishing he could shrink beneath the seat.

At that moment, Chen Mei-Lan looked at his embarrassed expression. Instead of laughing along with everyone else, she took a small sewing kit from her schoolbag.

She examined the tear and said softly, “Shih-Nan, go into the restroom and take off your trousers. I have a needle and thread in my schoolbag. I can sew them back up for you.”

Tsai Shih-Nan looked up at her. Her expression was completely natural. There was no mockery or disgust, only a simple willingness to help. At that moment, an indescribable feeling of gratitude suddenly welled up inside him.

“Thank you, classmate.”

“You're welcome.”

Tsai Shih-Nan quickly put his schoolbag on the seat and turned to enter the restroom. After a while, he passed the trousers he had taken off through the gap in the door to Lin Kuang-Ming.

“Kuang-Ming, give them to her.”

Lin Kuang-Ming took the trousers and walked over to Chen Mei-Lan. Mei-Lan had already prepared the needle and thread. She lowered her head, spread the trousers across her lap, carefully aligned the torn seam, threaded the needle, pulled the thread through, and stitched it back together one stitch at a time. Morning sunlight slanted through the train window and fell across her face. Her youthful, apple-shaped face was especially focused at that moment, and her red hair stood out even more vividly in the sunlight.

Lin Kuang-Ming stood beside her, watching. The smile gradually disappeared from his face. He suddenly realized that he seemed to have developed a different kind of feeling for this girl. And now she was sewing Tsai Shih-Nan's trousers for him. An inexplicable bitterness rose in Kuang-Ming's heart.

“Could Mei-Lan have fallen for that red-haired orangutan?”

He secretly glanced toward the restroom, his brows tightening slightly.

No. When it came to love, he could not afford to wait. For the first time, he felt a powerful sense of crisis.

The needle and thread in Mei-Lan's hands soon stopped. She tied the final knot, carefully checked the torn seam, and made sure it was securely stitched before handing the trousers to Lin Kuang-Ming.

“It's done, Kuang-Ming. Take these to him so he can put them back on.”

Lin Kuang-Ming took the trousers and walked to the restroom door. He raised his hand and knocked.

“Shih-Nan, they're fixed.”

He slipped the trousers through the gap beneath the door.

A short while later, the restroom door opened. Tsai Shih-Nan stepped out. The moment he took one step forward, he felt the eyes of the entire train car focus on him again. The embarrassment from earlier had not completely faded, and his face turned red once more. He could only lower his head and hurry back to his seat.

After sitting down, he carefully touched the repaired seam of his trousers. Only after confirming that they had been properly mended did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. He raised his head and looked toward Chen Mei-Lan.

“Thanks, classmate.”

Mei-Lan smiled. “It was nothing. You're welcome.”

Zhang Yu-Ling could not resist joining in. “If we didn't have home economics class today, you'd really have been in trouble.”

Tsai Shih-Nan awkwardly scratched his head and gave a foolish grin. “Thanks! I was running too hard just now, and the seam of my trousers came apart.”

Another round of laughter spread through the train car. Tsai Shih-Nan laughed along with them. This time, however, his eyes secretly fell on Chen Mei-Lan.

The girl lowered her head and gathered up her sewing things, her expression focused and quiet. To Tsai Shih-Nan, it was nothing more than a pair of trousers that had been sewn back together. But many years later, when he looked back on those youthful days, what he truly remembered was not the torn seam, but the girl who had been willing to reach out and help him while everyone else was laughing.

5. Mei-Lan Through His Mother's Eyes

It was late at night, and Neiwan Old Street was gradually settling into silence.

After the lei-cha shop closed for the night, the sounds of people coming and going during the day disappeared. Only the occasional footsteps outside and the sound of mountain winds passing through the streets remained. A dim yellow light illuminated one corner of the living room. Chiu Man-Mei sat in front of the sewing machine, pressing the pedal with her foot and guiding the pair of khaki trousers with both hands as she skillfully ran another line of stitches along the torn seam. The sewing machine made a steady “thump, thump” sound.

Tsai Ai-Yu sat nearby and looked at her brother, unable to suppress a laugh. “Big brother, that's so embarrassing! Your pants tore, and you actually had a girl from the same train sew them for you.”

Tsai Shih-Nan scratched his head, an embarrassed, sheepish smile appearing on his face. The humiliating scene from that morning came back to him, and even now he still felt embarrassed.

“I really was in a terrible mess! If Mei-Lan hadn't offered to help, I probably wouldn't have dared get off the train, let alone walk through the school gates.” As he said this, his voice softened. If Chen Mei-Lan had not come to his rescue, he truly would not have known how to face all those eyes in the train car. When he thought of her lowering her head and sewing his trousers for him, he still felt a quiet sense of gratitude.

Chiu Man-Mei continued sewing as she listened to her son, the corners of her mouth slowly lifting.

“That girl named Mei-Lan even helped sew your trousers. Your mother likes her more and more.”

Tsai Shih-Nan immediately looked up. “Mom, she was just being kind and helping me out of an embarrassing situation. I already thanked her.”

“I know.” Chiu Man-Mei did not stop what she was doing. The needle and thread continued moving steadily along the seam, one stitch after another. As a businesswoman, she had never judged people by their appearance alone. When she met Mei-Lan that day, she had noticed that the girl was natural and courteous in the way she treated people and was willing to step forward to help someone out of an embarrassing situation. She looked up at her son and smiled even more knowingly.

“Mei-Lan is so considerate of others. If you can win that girl over, she'll surely bring you good fortune and support you in your future.”

Tsai Shih-Nan immediately looked embarrassed. “Mom, you're thinking too far ahead.”

He lowered his head and pretended to study something on the table, afraid to continue the conversation with his mother.

Seeing how awkward her son looked, Chiu Man-Mei could not help laughing.

“Son, if there's a girl you like, you should treasure her.”

“I really don't like her that way.” Tsai Shih-Nan quickly shook his head, but his face had already turned red.

Although he hurriedly denied it, the girl on the train involuntarily came back to his mind. When Chen Mei-Lan had lowered her head and carefully mended his trousers, her expression had been focused and serious. That image had not disappeared with the passing of a day. Instead, it had quietly left a faint impression in his heart. Even he could not explain whether it was simply gratitude or something else.

At that moment, all he knew was that his mother was thinking too far ahead. He was still only a high school student, and so many things in his youth had only just begun.

The sewing machine started up again. Chiu Man-Mei lowered her head and continued repairing her son's trousers.

In the living room, each member of the family went about their own business. No one knew that this pair of trousers, sewn back together that night, would become one of the earliest memories shared by Tsai Shih-Nan and Chen Mei-Lan.