The plane landed. Chen Miao put away his notebook and followed the crowd out of the airport.
He did not head straight back to Tianmen County. He still had something to do: find his apprentice, Shi Manman!
It was only noon, and Shi Manman was still at work, so Chen Miao changed course and went to see Zhao Gongzi first.
Once there, he went up to the second floor and found Zhao Gongzi working.
Seemingly sensing someone approaching, Zhao Gongzi turned toward Chen Miao.
Surprise flashed across his face when he saw who it was.
"What brings you here?"
"Should I leave, then?"
"I won't see you out."
As he spoke, Zhao Gongzi set down what he was holding, then removed his gloves and the goggles on his face.
Chen Miao sat down on Zhao Gongzi's little sofa.
He had to admit that Zhao Gongzi's room felt youthful and vibrant just from looking at it.
By comparison, Chen Miao seemed a little "old-fashioned."
The office at the Tianmen Funeral Home was one thing. His Elder Uncle, Chen Weiyi, had decorated it himself, and Chen Miao had grown used to it, so he had left it alone.
But later, when Chen Miao decorated the rooms in his little courtyard, he had made those look rather stodgy too.
He had never thought much of it before. Now, looking at Zhao Gongzi's place, he wondered whether he was living like a thirty-five-year-old at twenty-five.
Had he lost ten years of his life for nothing?
While Chen Miao was looking around the room and reflecting on this, Zhao Gongzi brought over some coffee.
The sight of the coffee set Chen Miao reflecting all over again.
At the funeral home, this would have been tea.
"What's with that look? You don't drink coffee?"
The contemplative