Chapter 1: Settling in

On the vast river, the water surged and flowed, while the steamboat's horn sounded shrilly from time to time, startling the waterbirds on the shore and causing them to flee in panic.

Besides the steamboats, many other vessels shuttled back and forth on the river: cargo ships for transporting goods, and ferries for the residents on both sides. Whenever a ferry stopped at the pier, the passengers would swarm off the boat noisily; then, without waiting for the previous group to disembark completely, those who had been waiting to cross the river would hurry aboard.

Meanwhile, on the cargo-loading pier, the scene was even more boisterous. Whenever a cargo ship docked, several different groups of stevedores would rush over from various directions. When they encountered each other midway, they would start shoving and fighting until the final victor earned the right to unload the cargo.

The entire stretch of the riverbank was chaotic and bustling, yet full of a unique vitality.