CHAPTER FIVE: TICKETS FOR THE EIGHT O’CLOCK TRAIN - PART I

WARNING:This may get confusing as Jayne is referred to by another name. Just remember that Jayne is the main character and his name still starts with a “J” and you should be fine. :D

Surprisingly, the summer passed quickly for Feng after she told her father she was continuing her education. As she predicted, her father threw her out of the house. She came home from the Saloon one day to find a box containing her belongings on the front porch and all the locks changed. John’s Aunt Zeta was kind enough to let her live in one of the small apartments above the Gunpowder Rose Saloon office at half the usual rent until she left for Medicad in the fall.

Qingdao Medical Academy was located in New Xi’an, the planet’s capitol. The capitol was more than a hundred miles from her home town, Winthrop, and she had never even been close to that far from home. Feng had at first found the capitol noisy and very nearly overwhelming. But John’s grandfather had made good on his offer, paying not only her tuition, and also setting her up with another cousin of John’s who was also attending the Medicad. Ling was two years ahead of Feng and took her grandfather’s request that she look after her cousin’s girlfriend seriously although she interpreted it in a much different manner than in which it was meant. Within a month of arriving in New Xi’an, Feng knew where to find all the take-out delis and bars, the best places to hail a cab and all the best nightlife, not that she would leave off her studying unless Ling dragged her out.

Feng stayed in contact with John through letters, often writing pages about her experiences in the capitol city. John’s letters weren’t nearly as long, writing not being his strong suit. Though he read every word she sent him and was as supportive and encouraging as he could be in his replies, letters were a pale substitute for the girl.

Winter brought about the end of Feng’s first semester. The last day of exams had been tough, he