New Year Shopping
On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, just after the Little New Year, the festive atmosphere suddenly intensified, like a spice jar that had been accidentally overturned, filling every corner of the city.
Lin Feng wore a long black down jacket, the zipper not fully zipped up, revealing a light gray cashmere sweater underneath. He walked empty-handed on the sidewalk, looking at the red lanterns hanging between the bare branches of the plane trees on both sides, which stood out conspicuously against the gloomy sky. The air was cold, and breathing it in brought a clean, stinging sensation.
Beside him was Lü Yi. Today, he wasn't wearing his conspicuous delivery uniform; instead, he was wearing a slightly worn black cotton jacket, but he insisted on wearing a bright red, coarsely knitted wool scarf around his neck, saying that "the New Year should have a New Year's atmosphere." His hands weren't idle either; he was holding a freshly baked sweet potato, peeling it until it was bumpy and uneven, and blowing on it with hissing sounds as he ate it with a satisfied expression.
"Boss, are we really just going to buy some nuts and biscuits? How about two packs of strong cigarettes? I heard that Hua Zi cigarettes are a good gift for elders during the New Year!" Lü Yi swallowed a mouthful of scalding sweet potato and made the suggestion indistinctly.
"I bought it." Lin Feng replied briefly, his gaze sweeping over the entrance of a large chain supermarket ahead. The crowd there was noticeably denser than usual, and most of the people pushing shopping carts wore expressions of busy shopping and a hint of celebration. The loudspeakers at the entrance were playing the noisy melody of "Wishing you prosperity" on a loop.
"Oh." Lü Yi didn't ask any further questions, quickly stuffed the remaining sweet potato into her mouth, burning her eyes from the heat, wiped her hands casually on her clothes, and hurried to catch up with Lin Feng. "Let's go, let's go shopping!"
Upon entering the supermarket, the warm air, mixed with the smells of various foods, cleaning products, and human bodies, hit me, and the noise level also increased significantly. The New Year's goods section was decorated in bright red, with mountains of gift boxes, dazzling array of decorations, and a TV wall playing advertisements on a loop, all creating an atmosphere that demanded "must-buy for the New Year."
Lin Feng pushed a shopping cart, his goal clear. He first went to the health supplement counter, looked at the labels, and took two boxes of well-regarded protein powder and several bottles of multivitamins, putting them in the cart. His mother, Zhang Fen, wasn't in very good health, and his father, Lin Jianguo, worked hard all year round, so they needed to take supplements.
"Boss, this is great! It's advertised on TV every day, perfect for showing filial piety to parents!" Lü Yi pulled out a gift box with extremely extravagant packaging, printed with a huge "filial piety" character and a ginseng pattern, and was about to put it in the car.
Lin Feng glanced at the ingredient list; it was mostly sugar and starch, yet the price was exorbitant. He raised his hand to stop it, saying, "Put it back."
"Wow, it looks so grand..." Lü Yi said with a hint of reluctance.
"All show and no substance." Lin Feng's tone remained unchanged. He walked to the other side and picked out a few boxes of royal jelly and goji berries with simple packaging but more reliable brands. Lü Yi curled her lip, stuffed the "filial piety" gift box back onto the shelf, and turned to eye the mountain of nut gift packs.
Lin Feng followed him, then went to the grain and oil section and bought two buckets of good-quality olive oil and a small bag of organic rice. At the tobacco and liquor counter, he stopped, looking at the dazzling array of cigarettes in the glass display case. He remembered his father smoking the cheapest, strongest brand. He paused for a few seconds, then said to the sales clerk, "Give me two cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes."
"Okay!" The sales clerk's eyes lit up, and she worked quickly.
Lü Yi leaned closer, her eyes lighting up when she saw the two bright red cigarettes. "Boss, this is great! This will definitely impress! Uncle will love it!"
Lin Feng didn't say anything and paid. He didn't know if his father would like it. Perhaps he would feel bad about spending the money, or perhaps he would carefully put it away and be reluctant to smoke it. But this seemed to be the only direct way he could express himself right now.
The shopping cart gradually filled up. Lü Yi fully unleashed his enthusiasm for "shopping spree," throwing anything he saw that looked good into the snack section, the beverage section, the prepared food section... Lin Feng tried to stop him several times but couldn't, so he just let him be. In the end, when it came time to pay, there were seven or eight large shopping bags, and Lü Yi carried four of them, his fingers turning white from the tightness.
The two of them carried the New Year's goods out of the supermarket as if they were fleeing a disaster. Standing on the street in the biting cold wind, they looked at the huge pile of things at their feet and fell silent for a moment.
"Boss... how do we get back?" Lü Yi gasped for breath, looking at the congested traffic and the subway entrance in the distance, a rare look of worry on his face. Taking a taxi? There might not be enough room for all these things. Taking the subway? Carrying so many bags and packages through the crowded streets would be a disaster.
Lin Feng looked at these things, and the phone call he had with his parents a few days ago flashed through his mind.
He called first. It rang seven or eight times before his mother answered. There was the roar of machinery in the background, so it must have been from the factory.
"Hello? Xiao Feng?" The mother's voice carried her usual cautious joy, along with a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.
"Mom, it's me. Is Dad next to me?"
"Zai Zai, your dad just went to wash his hands, I'll put it on speakerphone!" After a rustling sound, the father's slightly heavy breathing came through, "Xiao Feng?"
"Dad, Mom," Lin Feng paused, "I need to tell you something. I've applied for a leave of absence from school."
"What?" Two voices sounded almost simultaneously from the other end of the phone, filled with astonishment and panic. "Suspended from school? Why? Is it... is someone at school causing you trouble? Or is it that matter..." The mother's voice became urgent, trembling with tears.
"No, Mom, let me finish." Lin Feng's voice was steady, deliberately lowering his tone. "It has nothing to do with any of that. It's just that I feel like school is meaningless, and I want to get out and do something practical as soon as possible."
"But... but you don't have a diploma, what can you do? It's so hard to find a job these days..." The father's voice was heavy, his worry almost overflowing.
Lin Feng knew they would react this way. He delivered his prepared explanation. "You remember Lawyer Zhou who helped me before, right? His law firm was short-staffed. He asked me to go there, start as a legal assistant, and learn from him."
"Lawyer Zhou?" The mother's voice faltered for a moment, then relaxed considerably. "Is that... the very polite and articulate Lawyer Zhou helped you so much?"
"Yes, that's him."
"Oh! It's Lawyer Zhou's place!" The mother's tone instantly brightened, even carrying a hint of pride. "Lawyer Zhou is a wonderful person! He's incredibly capable! Learning from him is much better than just studying in school! Old Lin, don't you think so?"
The father nodded, his voice more reassuring. "Lawyer Zhou... is reliable. Go ahead, do a good job, listen to Lawyer Zhou, and don't cause him any trouble."
"I know."
They chatted briefly about everyday things, and he told his parents to take care of their health and not to overwork themselves, and to let him know if they needed money (he knew his parents wouldn't ask for it). The call ended amidst his mother's repeated admonitions and his father's brief replies.
Lin Feng put down his phone, leaned back on the sofa, and stared at the ceiling. His parents' worries had dissipated because of the name Zhou Wenyuan, saving him the effort of explaining, but it also caused a slight pang in his heart. They knew nothing about the real world he lived in; the "Lawyer Zhou" they trusted was his most loyal and most dangerous henchman. This sense of separation sometimes made him feel an indescribable loneliness.
A cold wind blew by, pulling Lin Feng back to reality. He looked at the New Year's goods on the ground, then at the plastic bag with deep marks on it held by Lü Yi.
"It's time to get a car." He suddenly spoke, his voice low, as if talking to himself, or perhaps making a decision.
"A car?" Lü Yi, with his sharp ears, immediately perked up, his eyes gleaming. "Boss, you want to buy a car? You should have bought one a long time ago! Having a car is so convenient! No wind or rain to bother you, you can go wherever you want with just a tap on the gas! Next time we go to the supermarket, we can just open the trunk and load everything up!"
He spoke excitedly, gesturing wildly, and almost dropped the bag he was carrying.
"Okay." He never liked to procrastinate. "Take the things back first, then go take a look."
"Alright!" Lü Yi cheered, immediately feeling that the bag in her hand was much lighter.
After much effort, the two temporarily stored the New Year's goods at the community gatehouse (Lin Feng handed the gatekeeper a pack of good cigarettes, and the old man happily agreed to watch over them), and then went out to hail a taxi.
"Driver, go to the largest car market nearby, or the area with the most 4S dealerships," Lin Feng said to the driver.
"Okay!" the taxi driver replied, and the car merged into the traffic.
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in a fairly open area. On both sides of the road stood modernly designed showrooms with bright, clean glass curtain walls, and huge brand logos that were very eye-catching in the pale winter light. Even though it was close to the Chinese New Year, there was still a steady stream of people looking at and choosing cars.
Lin Feng and Lü Yi of the car and stood by the roadside. A cold wind blew by, carrying dust and the smell of car exhaust.
"Boss, what brand are we looking at?" Lü Yi asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together, his eyes already glued to the gleaming new cars in the nearest showroom.
Lin Feng wasn't particularly knowledgeable about cars, nor did he have any brand loyalty. He just wanted something basic for commuting, something not too flashy, and preferably some practicality. His gaze swept over the signs of several common joint-venture brands.
"Just browsing," he said, walking towards the nearest joint-venture brand 4S store known for its durability and reliability.
Lü Yi quickly followed, already muttering, "I think SUVs are good. You sit high, can see far, can carry a lot of stuff, and have good off-road capability..."
The two walked to the automatic glass doors of the showroom. The doors slid open silently to both sides, and a warm scent mixed with the faint smell of new car leather and cleaning agents wafted towards them.
Inside the spacious and brightly lit showroom, rows of brand-new sedans and SUVs stood quietly on the gleaming floor like soldiers awaiting inspection. Several sales consultants were chatting quietly with customers, while others were wiping down the vehicles.
A saleswoman, dressed in a well-fitting suit and skirt, with impeccable makeup, and appearing to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, approached quickly with a well-trained smile on her face.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen, welcome. Are you here to look at cars? Do you have a sales consultant scheduled, or do you have a particular model in mind?"