The Skyrail Station was a tall building, a long hexagonal prism, ten stories high, with countless skyrails passing through it, layer upon layer, giving it a peculiar, organic feel.
The first floor was the ticketing hall and lounge area. It was called a ticketing hall, not a sales hall, of course, because it was free.
His younger brother and the others had booked their e-tickets online in advance, so the four kids could just take the elevator directly to the platform.
Zhang Yingxuan seemed a bit more excited; he had never seen a Skyrail Station before, but he tried hard to rein in his curiosity, unconsciously scurrying behind Simon.
Simon himself didn't know the way, but luckily there were maps and guide robots.
Each floor of the Skyrail Station was relatively independent, connected by elevators and stairs. On the first floor, one could only hear the noisy chatter of people, broadcast announcements, and background music. But on the second-floor platform, as soon as the elevator doors opened, the whooshing sound of passing trains immediately rushed into their ears.
Zhang Yingxuan: "Wow!"
He exclaimed in awe. The futuristic skyrail train resembled a manta ray cruising in the deep sea, with a cross-section like a 'bao gai tou' (a Chinese character radical), hooked to the tracks on both sides, its body wide, thick, and low, with a slightly protruding array of long, strip-like antennas on top.
The four children were going to ride the Pingning No. 3 Skyrail, a very new model. With its black body, tinted windows, and golden-orange outline headlights, it was hailed as the coolest skyrail ever. In fact, it was cool enough to make one feel like they could travel through time just by riding it.
The doors slid open to both sides, and tired adults and cheerful children boarded and disembarked in turn. People converged and separated, then the doors closed again. The ding-ding-ding alarm sounded in their ears, cutting off the wind blowing in from the outside sky.
A single skyrail carriage, if packed, could accommodate nearly sixty people. However, in these times, only a minority rode the skyrail; busy people took the capsule subway, leaving the skyrail for those with leisure or something on their minds.
As the skyrail departed, it initially felt like a roller coaster, ascending to the overhead track network to avoid the tall buildings of the city.
Along both sides of the carriage were long, brown artificial leather seats, with their backs against the windows. In the middle, there were three individual red cotton-upholstered armchairs per row, creating wide aisles on either side. Behind the seats were pull-strap handholds for robots. At the front of the carriage was a restroom, and at the back, a hot water dispenser. Though clearly a single carriage, it gave the illusion of a small classroom or a mini-auditorium.
Smoking was prohibited inside the train, as was eating strongly scented food. The central air conditioning maintained constant temperature and humidity, and the air freshener had a soft yet distinct orchid scent.
When the skyrail entered the track network, an announcement broadcast that the scenic view mode would soon be activated.
The passengers stirred slightly, craning their necks to look out the windows. The four children, who had been sitting in the window-side armchairs, now turned around and knelt.
The previously tinted windows gradually became transparent, revealing the city landscape at sunset outside. In the mountainous Jiangnan region, many hills had been leveled during urbanization. Now, looking into the distance, the hazy, curved skyline was not of mountains, but of towering buildings. Bathed in the brilliant, ceramic-glazed hues of the gradient sunset, the sections of buildings stood silent like short gravestones. Their glass curtain walls reflected a muted, golden-red glow, suppressed by the coming night. Cumulus clouds in the sky cast large shadows over the city, and the constantly flowing streets alternated between light and dark. Humanity's rigid creations at this moment became gentle and natural.
Su Xiangli sighed softly, "So beautiful..."
Zhang Yingxuan and Qiu Qiongzh also nodded, their expressions earnest and focused. They were not yet at an age to express emotions through scenery, but humanity's pursuit of beauty is etched deep in its genes.
Simon leaned over the back of his chair, looking at everything before him, feeling a strange sadness.
He was still in China, still in his hometown, but the scenery here was no longer familiar to him. He still remembered those undulating, continuous green mountains, staggered near and far. They were resilient and stubborn, squeezing human settlements into mountain valleys and narrow plains. Back then, people had a sense of reverence for the mountains, for their grandeur and beauty, unspoken for millennia.
It really was different now. If a northerner were to judge such a horizon—a smooth curve—they might simply be accustomed to it.
Scenery is like home decor; if you're familiar with it, it brings a comforting sense of intimacy. But if it's unfamiliar, it's like being in a foreign land, unable to feel at ease.
Su Xiangli poked Simon's right ribs, jolting him out of his melancholic thoughts.
"Ow! Stop poking me!"
"Naughty, do you have class on Saturday?"
"No," Simon replied flatly. His online course was on Sunday afternoon, so he had a day and a half of weekend holiday.
"How about we go to Zhongshan Park then?"
Simon pondered for a moment. Parks at the turn of the century fell into two categories: nameless parks within residential communities, and vast, named artificial nature reserves.
Simon thought, 'I'm idle anyway,' so he said, "No!"
Su Xiangli's expression fell. "Why not?"
"I want to stay home." If he was idle anyway, wouldn't it be better to just lie in bed and scroll on his phone for a while?
"Mom said that when you're young, you should go out and see more things, because later you won't have time."
"I say that when you're on holiday, you should play on your phone more, because you can't play when school starts."
The bystanders looked thoughtful: 'That makes some sense.'
"But I want to have a picnic," Su Xiangli pouted.
Simon: =￣ω￣= If you're talking about that, I'm not sleepy anymore!
"A picnic sounds great! I'll bring the people, you bring the food, and we'll go to the park together!"
Zhang Yingxuan, on the side, looked like he wanted to speak but held back, his expression a bit dejected. Qiu Qiongzh, however, raised both hands: "I'm coming too! Count me in!"
Su Xiangli waved her hand, full of spirit, "Come on! Everyone can come! We'll eat our fill and then lie down, it'll definitely be very comfortable!"
Simon was delighted. He couldn't get enough to eat at home, so he had to find an opportunity to replenish his body. Digging plot holes was tiring, wasn't it?
Modern people mostly ate at home. Restaurants had become social venues, only frequented for business matters. Otherwise, meals were arranged at home; not knowing how to cook was irrelevant, as robots were excellent chefs.
Simon indeed had a hearty appetite; he was the type of glutton who would stop feeling hungry after a bit but could continuously eat more. At home, his parents controlled his food portions, never giving him excess caloric intake, so Simon had to endure that soul-deep emptiness—craving.
Children's happiness was simply about eating, drinking, and playing, much simpler than adults'. What Simon enjoyed most now, besides digging plot holes, was savoring delicious food.
People nowadays didn't lack ingredients; what they lacked was the spirit to discover new flavors. Since anything could be eaten, it naturally became a matter of eating whatever was available, with few people researching innovative dishes. There was a professional gourmet association online, but it was very niche. Simon planned to apply for membership when he was older.
"Oh, you mean the Bai Chun Food Association? My mom is an honorary committee member," Su Xiangli said, narrowing her eyes. At this moment, she resembled a dozing cat.
Simon: Does your mom still adopt sons?
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