I'd hardly call Hangzhou and Guangzhou "countryside", as both of them are comparable in size to a major US city, but they are somewhat off the beaten path, and the surrounding areas do have some nice things to see. Either way, you've got enough to keep you busy for weeks!
you're right, they're pretty big. but those are my major stops before heading into the country side. i really want to head in xian but i'll need to rest somewhere first, i can imagine the train ride to xian will be torture.