You Grew Up with Me; I'll Grow Old with You

After making a simple plan for the day with his parents, Wu Xiaozhong turned the gear selector on the Jiuzhou Mini.

He shifted into reverse and lightly tapped the accelerator.

Instead of the roar of an engine, a soft electric hum filled the air.

It was quieter than a regular car engine, but it still felt full of power!

He drove the car out from among the rows of Jiuzhou Minis waiting to be picked up and onto the main road.

Then he turned the dial again and shifted into drive.

He lightly tapped the accelerator, and the electric car shot forward.

The electric motor's advantage—plenty of power at low speeds—was on full display.

"Huh, this actually feels pretty good!" Wu Xiaozhong exclaimed in surprise.

He wasn't like most older folks who had never driven a car. Wu Xiaozhong was a car enthusiast who had driven quite a few.

He'd driven not only his own cars, but also many of his friends'—everything from domestic cars costing tens of thousands of yuan to luxury brands costing hundreds of thousands.

He wouldn't claim to be an expert in every model, but he'd experienced the handling of at least twenty or thirty different cars.

Overall, domestic cars still lagged far behind joint-venture brands.

But this electric car felt different. He'd expected a loose, flimsy chassis, but that wasn't the case at all.

It felt solid. And as for power, it didn't have the problem some cars did, where the engine roared but the car barely moved.

"It almost feels like the power's there the moment I ask for it!"

"It handles much better than domestic cars in the tens-of-thousands price range."

On the not-so-long road inside Jiuzhou Automobile Factory, Wu Xiaozhong gently pressed down with his right foot, and the car quickly picked up speed.

But the car soon topped out at just over forty kilometers per hour.

"Still, that's only at low speeds. If you try to accelerate a little more, the lack of power at higher speeds becomes obvious."

Wu Xiaozhong sounded a little disappointed.

"It has as much low-end power as some ordinary cars with large engines, but only up to forty kilometers per hour.

Once the car reaches a little over forty, even with the accelerator pressed all the way down, it still won't go any faster."

It was much like an electric scooter. A light twist of the throttle got it moving quickly at first.

But once it hit the motor's top speed, twisting the throttle any further made no difference.

Still, as a car for older people to get around in, it was plenty fast enough for trips around town. There was no need for higher speeds or long-distance driving.

And low speed had its advantages. Even with the accelerator floored, an accident wouldn't cause too much harm as long as the car didn't collide with one of those speeding vehicles.

It was much safer than a motorcycle, especially!

It really did seem designed specifically for the elderly.

And it was pretty nice to drive, too. If he had the chance to get one, he'd enjoy taking it for a spin.

It could carry more groceries than an electric scooter, and there was no need to worry about wind, sun, or rain. Some of the larger markets even let you drive right in to do your shopping!

It wasn't just for older men and women. It would be a good choice for women, too.

As for younger men, anyone with money could buy one as a fun little toy.

Wu Xiaozhong was a case in point. After driving around the not-so-long road twice, he was reluctant to get out!

Big cars had their advantages, but these little electric cars were nice to drive, too. They were nimble and easy to park.

"Too bad it can't be used as a regular car. When work takes you somewhere farther away, it's not much help."

"Maybe if the technology gets better in the future—if charging takes less time, the range improves, and it can go faster—it might even work as a primary car!"

After driving two laps and giving it a quick test, he finally moved to the passenger seat under his dad's impatient gaze.

"Your turn, Dad. I'll sit beside you and keep an eye on things!"

"The brake's on the left, and the accelerator's on the right. Press the accelerator lightly and build up speed gradually."

His dad patted his chest. "Don't worry. I've ridden a motorcycle for over ten years. This is a piece of cake. Besides, I drove Old Li's car when I visited him!"

As he spoke, the car began to move slowly under his dad's control, traveling smoothly along the short road.

From time to time, he passed other older men and women driving Jiuzhou Minis in the opposite direction, but he never looked flustered!

His dad hadn't been boasting. His driving was much better than Wu Xiaozhong had expected.

Since that was the case, they could make things more challenging!

After making more than ten rounds on the short road inside Jiuzhou Automobile Factory, his dad drove the top-of-the-line Jiuzhou Mini into the crowded practice lot under Wu Xiaozhong's guidance.

Once they were in the practice lot, his dad began to look a little nervous.

The lanes here were narrower than the road outside, and they might even have to pass between two or three cars at once.

But after a brief moment of nerves, his dad soon steadied himself!

He slowly maneuvered past more than a dozen Old Man Happys driven by older folks, and after that, things went much more smoothly.

He really was an experienced driver. Motorcycles and cars were a little different, but they had plenty in common.

He handled the accelerator and brake with ease. Once he got used to the steering, he could naturally feel how far to turn the wheel to make the car shift by a given angle.

In less than an hour, he was already weaving swiftly through the traffic. Then they moved on to the final test.

Reversing into a parking space and parallel parking!

Thanks to the car's compact size and reversing sensors, the practice spaces, built to the dimensions of regular parking spots, seemed much larger than necessary.

As long as he lined himself up properly and used a little technique, he could park in one go.

It was much easier than parking a sedan!

Still, these were test maneuvers, so they had to make things a little more complicated. With Wu Xiaozhong and the instructor outside the car guiding him,

it took nearly two hours before his dad had mastered reversing into a space and parallel parking well enough to get it right in one go.

That was more than good enough.

It wasn't a real test, after all, and in everyday use he wouldn't need to get into a spot in one try. If he couldn't make it, he could always adjust and try again.

Several hours had passed, and it was already noon.

He parked the car in the lot reserved for Old Man Happys and plugged it in using a charging cable brought over specifically for them from Jiuzhou Automobile Factory.

After eating a tasty boxed lunch that cost ten yuan, the family spent a few more hours learning traffic safety rules.

The instructor personally explained proper driving practices, when to use turn signals, and how to switch them on in advance to alert vehicles ahead and behind.

They learned how to read traffic lights: when there was only one signal, you could turn right on red, but not if a sign specifically prohibited it.

They also learned what double solid lines, a solid line beside a broken line, and a single broken line each meant.

The instructor had been incredibly thorough!

And his dad was paying close attention, too!

Every so often, he muttered to himself.

"Oh, so that's what this light means. I used to wonder why other cars kept honking at me when I was riding my motorcycle."

"When you're meeting an oncoming car, you should turn off the high beams and switch to low beams? I'll have to remember that.

I can't stand cars that use their high beams, especially when they're really bright. They shine right in your eyes, and you can't see the road at all.

I'm not going to become the kind of driver I hate!"

After spending two or three hours reviewing most of the common traffic safety rules, his dad started practicing again.

This time, he didn't practice for long. He had already mastered the test maneuvers, like reversing into a parking space and parallel parking. He had no trouble with right-angle turns or hill starts, either!

Once it seemed about right, Wu Xiaozhong called to his dad in the car.

"Then let's head home. Mom, you can ride with me. Dad, just follow behind me. Remember, once you've picked up speed, don't jerk the steering wheel."

"No problem. You can't suddenly turn the handlebars too far when you're going fast on a motorcycle, either. I think I could make it home on my own!"

Wu Xiaozhong drove his Passat with his mom in the front, leading the way at just over forty kilometers per hour. His dad followed close behind in the new Jiuzhou Mini they'd bought that day.

After nearly three hours and more than a hundred kilometers, they arrived back at their home in the neighboring city.

With practiced control, his dad backed the Jiuzhou Mini neatly into the garage.

It was perfectly centered, with just the right amount of room on either side and at both ends. Everything was just right!

"The battery's down to thirty percent. I'd better charge it!" His dad excitedly found an outlet, took out the charging cable, and plugged in his beloved car.

Wu Xiaozhong could only park his own beloved car at the side of the road.

"Can't be helped. We only have one garage. Looks like I won't be parking his Passat here anymore."

A little disappointed, Wu Xiaozhong went inside and saw his dad happily calling a friend to brag.

"Liu, you free to go for a drive sometime? My son got me a Jiuzhou Mini!

You don't know the Jiuzhou Mini? It's a pretty popular car these days. It's way better than riding a motorcycle. We should go for a drive together sometime!"

His dad couldn't hide the happiness on his face!

Seeing him like this, Wu Xiaozhong suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

Once, his dad had worked hard to earn money and bought him a remote-controlled toy car he'd wanted. It had made him feel so proud in front of all the other kids...

Now he'd grown up, but his parents had grown old.

Every time he went home for the New Year, his parents looked so different.

Their hair had gone from jet black to streaked with white, and their skin had lost its luster and grown dull.

Maybe it was time to think about going back to work in his hometown. The pay would be much lower, but being there for his parents and family mattered more.

You grew up with me; I'll grow old with you!