Setting Out for School

The next day, Chen Hao woke with a splitting headache.

He vaguely remembered being propped up and carried back by Big Bird after the drinking session ended. Then he had handed the card-application money in his bag over to his mother—more than fifty thousand yuan in total—before heading straight to his bedroom to lie there like a corpse, completely immovable.

Sure enough, alcohol tolerance was a programmer's weak point. It seemed that after only six bottles, he had already been on the verge of blacking out.

Chen Hao checked the time. It was already past ten.

He gulped down the cool boiled water beside him, soothing his dry, smoking throat.

His mother had left food in the kitchen. The millet porridge was still warm. After eating a bowl, he had something in his stomach, and Chen Hao felt much better.

Today was his last day at home. He would be returning to school.

Chen Hao first wandered around the bookstore, picked out a few books, and then went to the Internet café. Big Bird was there too.

The place was indeed packed when he walked in. There were more than a dozen people in the waiting area. He went to the counter, took the books out of his backpack, and set them down.

There was Software Engineering, Data Structures, C Language: From Beginner to the Grave, Java Programming: From the Grave to Ascension, and A Guide to the Development of the Internet.

Chen Hao said to Old Ban, "I'll give you a month. How much you can learn will depend on you! After that, come help me out. So, I need to ask whether you're willing first."

Pang Ban thought it over, then nodded.

"Then it's settled!"

His mother was indeed efficient. By noon, she had found a pretty young woman to manage the Internet café. Chen Hao planned to let her try her hand at it that afternoon and see whether there were any problems during the adjustment period.

If everything went well, she could officially start work tomorrow.

The young woman was new and still somewhat shy. When Xu Pengkun saw her, his eyes lit up. "Oh, I know this job well!" He immediately volunteered to take responsibility for training her.

Chen Hao, meanwhile, acted like a legendary underworld boss. He answered the rookies' various questions one last time, then ran to the waiting area to chat, telling them bizarre historical anecdotes and secrets about Legend until they were completely enthralled.

After observing for a while that afternoon, Chen Hao saw that the young woman had already become familiar with everything. She had turned into an Experienced Driver, cruising along smoothly at sixty kilometers per hour and steady as a rock.

Chen Hao and the other two finally relaxed. As usual, they went straight to the bathhouse to check in.

Bathhouses in Northeast China had large pools where everyone bathed together. Since they were all men, there was nothing to be embarrassed about. It was nothing like the South.

At that time, the bathhouses in the county were still very basic. You just took a bath, for five yuan per person. They were nothing like later on, when you could go upstairs for a massage and add an hour of service after bathing—199 yuan could send you into paradise, while 298 would launch you straight into the heavens.

The three of them stripped and entered. They soaked in the pool, shrouded in swirling steam, and the water was very hot.

To take a proper bath, you had to soak thoroughly first. Afterward, the three of them were red all over. They stood naked beneath the showerheads. Chen Hao and Xu Pengkun were both a little over 1.8 meters tall, while Pang Ban was slightly shorter, forming a concave arrangement. Each man grabbed a scrubbing towel and began scrubbing away with loud, vigorous strokes.

However, Chen Hao was quite envious of Old Ban's muscular contours. They were like those of a perfect ancient deity, with streamlined muscles, sharp angles, and distinct layers, though they were not as conspicuous as the bulky muscles of a gym enthusiast.

The final customary procedure was scrubbing one another's backs. Like a train, the three men lined up in a row, and each scrubbed harder than the last. In the end, every one of them was gritting his teeth in pain. Old Ban still maintained his expressionless face, but observant Chen Hao noticed the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

After bathing, the three of them got haircuts together. The full wash, cut, and blow-dry package cost ten yuan in total.

Chen Hao had his hair cut short and thinned out. Pang Ban stuck with his usual crew cut, while Xu Pengkun did not make any major changes and simply got a new hairstyle.

After completing their customary ritual, the three stood outside the Internet café. Pang Ban continued his shift. If nothing unexpected happened, the next time the three of them saw each other would be half a year later.

Pang Ban hugged each of them and patted their backs. Everything was conveyed without words.

The sadness of parting spread through the air. Chen Hao silently moved to hug his best friend.

"Get lost. We're taking the same train!"

Chen Hao let out an "Ow!" and put on an aggrieved expression. "You're so heartless! You actually ruined this touching farewell atmosphere."

After saying goodbye to Old Ban, the two joked and bickered all the way to the residential compound, then returned to their own homes and mothers.

Different homes, the same event: the Spring Festival Gala essential—making dumplings!

There was an old saying in Northeast China: dumplings when boarding, noodles when getting off. In other words, you had to eat dumplings before boarding, and your first meal after getting off had to be noodles.

This custom had existed for a long time. Dumplings were filling and could keep you from getting hungry during the long train ride. After a long journey, however, a person's stomach and intestines were relatively weak, so they needed food like noodles that was less irritating. Of course, dumplings also symbolized reunion, while noodles embodied longevity, making them a blessing for travelers as well.

The dumplings they made had Chen Hao's favorite filling: pork, shrimp, and chives.

While eating dumplings, Chen Hao grinned at his mother, Wu Xiuhua. "My dearest mother, surely you haven't forgotten something?"

"Hmm? You mean the coin? I wrapped one inside."

"Not that."

Seeing her son repeatedly rub his thumb against his index and middle fingers, Wu Xiuhua suddenly understood. "Oh, your living expenses. I transferred them into your bank account. I gave you a little extra for the first month—one thousand yuan. Try to spend it carefully."

"Ah, no, I mean the profit share, the profit share~~"

Sure enough, what was supposed to come had arrived. Wu Xiuhua said earnestly, "I did the math last night. These past two days, the card applications and top-ups came to more than 120,000 yuan in total. According to our agreement, that means more than 12,000 yuan. Your father and I discussed it and decided to round up the remainder as your profit share: 20,000!"

"Mom, you're so generous! Dad, you're wise!" Chen Hao's eyes lit up.

"But!" Wu Xiuhua changed tack. "You have to promise me that you won't waste the money."

Chen Hao declared righteously, "I'm about to graduate from university. I can use this money as startup capital and do something worthwhile."

"Society is complicated these days. Don't think that just because you've made such a splash these past two days, everything will be easy. People in big cities are very calculating. Be careful not to get taken advantage of!"

"Aw, your son is sharp. Don't worry about me. Hurry up and eat—the dumplings are getting cold, and I still have to catch my train."

Chen Xingguo urged them on, waving a hand at his wife to signal that she should let the matter drop.

Before he left, Wu Xiuhua packed in fermented soybean paste, pickles, clothes, fruit, and all sorts of other things. In the blink of an eye, his small bag became a large one, and she did not care whether her son could carry it.

In the past, something that heavy would have exhausted him. Chen Hao certainly would not have brought any of it if he could avoid it. He would have simply slung his backpack over his shoulders and left with nothing weighing him down.

Every year, she went through this routine. Remembering how, when he was younger and more thoughtless, he had refused to take these things and the carefully hidden disappointment on his mother's face, Chen Hao realized that his former self had truly been immature.

Even so, whenever this time came around, his mother still enjoyed herself immensely. That was simply how a mother was—afraid that her son would go hungry or freeze outside.

Now that he had been reborn, Chen Hao understood. Fruit, biscuits, and the like could all be bought in big cities, but these had been brought by his mother.

Their meaning was different!

Even if he did not like the snacks she packed, and the clothes might end up buried at the bottom of his closet as soon as he returned, his mother would be happy as long as he took them with him.

Chen Hao helped his mother organize the luggage. He could clearly feel the happiness beneath her reluctance—the joy of seeing her child finally grow more sensible.

The time had come.

Wu Xiuhua did not see him off. She was afraid she would lose control of her emotions. She dreaded this moment every time.

She hugged her eldest son and continued reminding him, "Remember to eat breakfast, and don't—"

Chen Hao bent down and rested against his mother's shoulder, softly completing the list. "Don't stay up too late, don't play on the computer too much, study hard, exercise more. Mom, I know."

Looking at her handsome son, who was a head taller than her, Wu Xiuhua felt immensely proud. She gave him a push.

"Go on. Have a safe journey, and call home when you arrive!"

"Mom, I'm leaving!"

With that, Chen Hao turned and headed downstairs. Carrying his large bag, he waved behind him.

He did not look back.