"A Feng, you don't have anything to do at home right now anyway. It wouldn't hurt to go over and have a look."
"My dad said the same thing, but I still don't really want to leave home."
Wei Donglai knew full well how much Guangzhou, a city at the forefront of reform and opening up, had changed. It was no exaggeration to say opportunities and gold lay everywhere.
To give his good brother an extra push, Wei Donglai told a lie. "I read in the newspaper that people say money is lying all over the ground in Guangzhou."
"Is it really as good as you say?"
Seeing the doubt written all over Li Changfeng's face, Wei Donglai smiled and explained, "Saying money is lying everywhere is a bit of an exaggeration, but as a city at the forefront of reform and opening up, it's bound to have plenty of opportunities. Besides, your sister and brother-in-law will be there to guide you. Maybe you'll be the next person in our village to have ten thousand yuan."
Hearing the words "ten thousand yuan," Li Changfeng seemed greatly encouraged. "All right, I'll take your advice. I'll go over next month."
"A Liang, do you want to come with me?"
A Liang shook his head. "Forget it. I'm my family's only son, and I don't want to go too far away."
Li Changfeng looked over at Wei Donglai, his meaning obvious.
But Wei Donglai wasn't particularly keen on going to Guangzhou, whether that meant he lacked ambition or was confident in himself.
After all, he had more than forty years of future knowledge in his head. He was confident he could find his own opportunities even if he stayed home, and more importantly, he could stay close to his parents and family.
"I think you should go over on your own first and get the lay of the land. If you suddenly bring someone along, what if your sister and brother-in-law have trouble making arrangements?"
Hearing that, Li Changfeng became much less inclined to find someone to go with him.
As they chatted, fragrant dishes came out of the wok one after another.
Wei Donglai noticed the little girl, Momo, quietly swallowing beside them.
After scooping the fish balls out of the wok, Wei Donglai skewered three on a chopstick, walked over to the little girl, and held them out to her.
Perhaps because of the sugar water earlier, the little girl only froze for a moment before accepting the fish balls this time.
"Eat slowly. Careful, they're hot."
After that reminder, Wei Donglai went back to cooking.
Red-braised conger eel, steamed black porgy, twice-cooked pork, and rockfish soup.
Since He Dongliang had brought quite a few things, Wei Donglai didn't make the eggplant, scallops, or gobies. Instead, he made a cold cucumber salad for a change of taste.
"A Feng, you don't need to stoke the fire anymore. Help wipe down the table in the house. We're about ready to eat."
The dishes were brought to the table one by one, and Wei Donglai and the others began to take their seats.
The little girl was too short to reach properly, so Wei Donglai set a small stool and a square stool beside her to serve as a little table.
The rice was still steaming in the pot.
He first picked out a small rockfish for the little girl and ladled her half a bowl of fish soup.
Then he used another bowl to give her a little of each dish.
"Momo, drink the fish soup first, then eat the dishes. When the rice is ready, I'll get you some."
The little girl nodded gently and began sipping the soup.
Perhaps the fish soup was so delicious that her thin little face lit up with happiness.
Seeing this, Li Changfeng grew a little jealous. "A Lai, why does this little girl like you so much?"
"Kids are born liking me. You can envy me all you want, but you can't match that."
"So shameless!"
"No shame at all!"
Seeing the two of them gnashing their teeth, Wei Donglai laughed heartily and waved a hand. "Let's drink!"
They were drinking the Meiluye liquor Li Changfeng had brought.
They divided one bottle equally among three enamel cups. Li Changfeng nudged Wei Donglai's arm. "A Lai, say a few words."
"Then let's bid farewell to our shitty yesterdays and toast our bright tomorrows."
"Good, then here's to a bright tomorrow!"
"To a bright tomorrow!"
"Bottoms up!"
"Damn it, A Lai, you cheated! What happened to bottoms up?"
"You didn't finish yours either, did you?"
"I took a huge swig, and A Liang drank plenty too. You only took a tiny sip."
"I'm going to eat something first to line my stomach. Later I'll have you calling me daddy."
"A Liang, shall we get him?"
"Get him!"
Seeing the two of them united against him, Wei Donglai backed down a little. "There's plenty of time, and we've still got all this food to eat. There's no need to go all out right from the start, is there?"
"Still going to act so cocky?"
"Not anymore!"
I'll let you two eat your fill first. Later I'll show you what I'm made of.
The two had no idea what Wei Donglai was thinking. They assumed he had backed down and began to eat.
"Oh, A Lai, I have to say, your cooking really is excellent. It's not much worse than mine."
"Not much worse? Is it that hard to admit I'm better than you?"
He Dongliang couldn't agree with that. "A Feng, you be the judge. Which of us is the better cook?"
"A Liang, I'm definitely on your side, but to tell the truth, A Lai's cooking really is a tiny bit better than yours. Not by much, just a tiny bit. You could say you're neck and neck."
He Dongliang's face darkened at once. "A Feng, you betrayed me!"
Watching the alliance the two had just formed begin to fall apart, Wei Donglai couldn't help finding it funny.
In fact, He Dongliang was a decent cook. After all, he had worked at a restaurant for so long.
But one bad thing about A Liang was that he liked playing cards, a failing all three of them shared.
After the joking around, He Dongliang suddenly grew a little serious. "A Lai, I want to ask you something. Give me your opinion."
"Go ahead. What is it?"
"I want to open a food stall of my own. Do you think it'll work?"
Wei Donglai was surprised that He Dongliang had such an idea. Was this really the same man who had been living off others and waiting to die?
"What made you suddenly think of that?"
He Dongliang took a sip of liquor and lit a cigarette before slowly telling them the truth. "A Min said she wants to marry me."
Wei Donglai knew the A Min He Dongliang was talking about. She was a waitress at their restaurant, a very decent girl.
"That's a good thing."
He Dongliang gave a bitter smile. "But what do I have to get married with right now? You both know what I was like before, and her family was against A Min dating me in the first place."
Wei Donglai thought for a moment. "What do you think?"
"A Min is a good girl. I don't want to let her down."
The fact that he could say that showed that He Dongliang wasn't bad at heart.
Several privately owned restaurants had sprung up in town, and business at the state-run restaurant was gradually weakening, so it was no surprise that He Dongliang was thinking of quitting and opening a food stall.
Still, it seemed a little early. The boom in individual enterprises should come a couple of years later.
Wei Donglai hadn't expected this brother of his to be so ahead of his time.
"I think opening a food stall is a good idea."
He Dongliang was pleased to have Wei Donglai's approval. From their conversation in the kitchen earlier, he had felt that Wei Donglai's outlook was different now.
That was why, with the liquor emboldening him, he had spoken about what was on his mind, hoping Wei Donglai could help him make up his mind.
"A Lai, you think it's a good idea too?"
"Yeah, it's a good idea, but don't rush into it. First go ask the industry and commerce department whether you can get a business license."