Class Reunion (1)

No matter how busy or tired you were out in the world, once you returned to your parents, you were their precious baby again.

After Su Ziyang had spent more than a week at home with nothing to do, his mother's complaints about him eating his fill and lazing around gradually grew louder. Then he received a WeChat message.

Someone had suddenly created a WeChat group for a university class reunion.

A man named Xing Zhiyu had posted a message in it: "Does everyone have time? Tentatively, let's go back and visit our alma mater at the end of this month, then get together for a meal. Our counselor might join us too."

Xing Zhiyu had been Su Ziyang's class monitor at university. He was an excellent organizer and a skilled socializer who had made quite a splash at school. He had also been vice president of the student union.

Although they had been in the same class, their ways of doing things and their temperaments were worlds apart, so Su Ziyang didn't know him well. Apart from some dealings when they submitted their graduation paperwork, they had mostly been on nodding terms.

"The end of this month?" Jin Xin sent a message.

"Great, great! Let's gooo!" Zhang Yaxin sent a message.

"Sure, I work near the university anyway!"

"Class monitor, I might have something to do, so I can't make it!"

"I'm going, going, going! I have to! I've wanted to go back for ages!"

Su Ziyang watched one familiar name after another pop up on his phone screen, and felt that it was both familiar and strange.

Their class had rarely held group activities at university. Apart from attending classes, the students had seldom been in touch with one another, and even when they went out for fun, they mostly did so with their dormmates.

Someone more sociable might have gotten to know more people, but for someone like Su Ziyang, who was rather introverted and not very sociable, his circle of friends was really limited.

After he started graduate school in particular, he had seldom kept in touch even with the undergraduate classmates he had once been close to.

Su Ziyang watched the lively chatter in the group without joining in. He had no interest in this kind of event. Who knew what strange stunt the class monitor might pull when the time came?

Buzz, buzz!

Another message.

A group named "5019" popped up.

That was Su Ziyang's dorm room number from his undergraduate days.

Han Peng: "Guys, Xing Zhiyu's organizing some kind of university reunion. Are you going?"

Li Zhi: "I can't make it. I'm working in Guangzhou now. I'm really busy. How would I have time?"

Wang Jinqiu: "Who knows what stunt that asshole's pulling now? I heard he seems to have stayed on at our university as a counselor. He sure knows how to lick boots! It definitely isn't just a class reunion!"

Ma Jun: "Either way is fine with me. At worst, we don't have to hang out with them when we get there. We brothers can have a few drinks. It's been a few years since we saw each other. Where's Fourth? Is Fourth going?"

Fourth was Su Ziyang.

There had been five people in dorm 5019.

When school had just started, they had ranked themselves by birthday. Su Ziyang was two months older than Li Zhi, making him Fourth. Ma Jun was the oldest and was First. Han Peng was Second, and Wang Jinqiu was Third.

"Haha, I don't know. If you guys are going, I'll go. If not, I won't either! There's no point, and we don't know them that well anyway!" Su Ziyang sent a message.

Although they hadn't kept in touch for a long time, the people from his dorm were still very close and supportive of one another.

"Damn, then let's get together." First, Ma Jun, sent a WeChat message. "I've been so fed up at home lately. I lost my job!"

"How did you lose your job?" Su Ziyang was surprised. After graduating, Ma Jun hadn't taken the graduate school entrance exam and had found a job instead. The salary and benefits were excellent, and everyone had been very envious at the time.

"I'll tell you when we meet. A kid without a mother-it's a long story!" Ma Jun sent a sticker.

Han Peng and Wang Jinqiu apparently had nothing particularly pressing to do. When they heard First had something going on, they readily agreed to meet.

Li Zhi: "Big Brother, I really can't make it. I can't get away from here. Start a video call with me when you get there. We can chat on the phone!"

"Sure, take care of what you need to!"

After discussing it, the five of them settled on a time.

Su Ziyang spent another two-plus weeks eating, drinking, and having fun day and night.

At last, the day they had agreed on arrived, and Su Ziyang set foot once more in the city where he had lived for eight years. Those had been the youngest eight years of his life.

The four dormmates booked a hotel near the university and agreed to meet there.

Su Ziyang boarded the familiar No. 379 bus. As the driver stepped on the gas, then the brakes, cursing under his breath in his freewheeling fashion, Su Ziyang felt as if he had become the child who knew nothing eight years ago.

The bus reached the stop. Before he had even gotten off, Su Ziyang could already feel the breath of youth. Young women dressed like flowers and butterflies carried bags in their hands, laughing and chatting as they came and went through the campus gates.

Su Ziyang had once been one of them. Now he could only stand at the school gate and watch them, sighing softly. It's so good to be young!

He took his bag and checked into the school hotel, showered, and changed into clean clothes. Then he sat on the bed and waited for his dormmates.

Ma Jun was the first to arrive.

"Big Brother!" Su Ziyang was delighted to see him. Ma Jun was about the same height as Su Ziyang, but a size broader, and he had grown even sturdier in the years since graduation.

"Haha, Fourth!" Ma Jun patted Su Ziyang on the shoulder. "What happened? How come you've gotten so skinny?"

Wang Jinqiu and Han Peng came in at the same time.

The four of them noisily caught up with one another.

The class reunion Xing Zhiyu had arranged wasn't until the day after tomorrow.

That evening, the four of them had a little get-together of their own at a familiar barbecue restaurant. Whenever the dorm had a gathering before, they had always come here.

"Well, isn't this Xiao Ma? How long has it been?" The proprietress recognized Ma Jun at a glance. She had an excellent memory; anyone who had eaten at her place a few times, she could greet by name when they came back.

She was also very cheerful and knew how to run a business. As a result, hers was the busiest skewer restaurant near the university. Not only did many students come, but there were also plenty of adults.

"Sis! Haha, here we are, aren't we?" Ma Jun grinned.

"How many of you?" The proprietress came over with a menu.

"Four of us!" Ma Jun smiled as he lit a cigarette.

"You've all graduated, haven't you? What brought you back today?" the proprietress asked.

"A university class reunion!" Wang Jinqiu chimed in cheekily. "Sis, four kidneys. Make sure they're fresh! Four dried sausages! That's all for me. You guys order."

Without looking at the menu, Ma Jun thought for a moment. "Ten lamb skewers, ten pork shoulder skewers, ten beef tendon skewers, ten vegetable rolls, four chicken wings, four chicken feet, and four chicken cartilage skewers!"

"Is that all? Do you want any fatty trimmings, heart cuts, heart vessels, clear tendon, or anything like that?" the proprietress asked.

"No, no more!" Ma Jun waved his hand. "We'll start with those and order more when we're done!"

"All right. What do you want to drink?"

"Snow 90 is fine. A case to start, room temperature is fine!"

"Coming right up!" The proprietress put away the menu.

Before long, the food and drinks were all there, and the group started drinking.

After two bottles of beer each, the mood gradually grew livelier.

"First, how did you lose your job?" Su Ziyang asked as he poured a glass of beer.

"Fuck, don't even mention it!" Ma Jun took a fierce bite off a lamb skewer and put the metal skewer on the table. "I was doing just fine there, and everyone got along pretty well. Then this year, a female intern joined our department! She was three or four years younger than us, and I think she graduated from a medical college."

"Then what?" Wang Jinqiu asked.

"Ah!" Ma Jun said angrily. "Our department director is an old fucker. He's already in his fifties-does that thing of his even still work? But he insisted on getting his hands on that young woman! And besides, she was the same age as his daughter!"

"Damn!" Han Peng cursed. "You fucking meddled in his business? Big Brother, let's be honest, isn't it perfectly normal for men and women to get together these days? Why stick your nose in? Young women love older men, young men seek out mature women-the ways of the jianghu are in chaos!"

Ma Jun picked up his glass and took a drink. "You think I'm stupid? If they were getting together willingly, would I have nothing better to do than meddle in their business?"

"What happened, then?" Wang Jinqiu asked, his eyes wide. "What else could it have been?"

Ma Jun downed another glass of beer and said, "One day, after our morning meeting, I went to do my rounds. When I got back, I had a case record that needed the director's signature, so I went to the office. And that old fucker had pinned the young woman down on the bed, damn him. He'd even torn her top. She was so meek, tears were streaming down her face, but she didn't dare make a sound! When I saw that, I went straight up and punched the old fucker, then slapped him hard across the face twice, and subdued him right there!!!"

"Holy shit! Big Brother stood up for justice and saved a beauty! Big Brother is awesome!" Han Peng raised his glass, joining in the cheering. "Let's drink! A toast to Big Brother!"

They were all at an age when their blood ran hot, and Ma Jun's story set it boiling. They wished they could give that old director a few punches and kicks themselves right now!

"Ah!" The group had been having a lively time, but Ma Jun suddenly put down his glass, looking dejected.

"What's wrong, Big Brother? You stood up for justice. Aren't you happy?" After several bottles of beer, Han Peng's face was already bright red.

"Brothers, to tell you the truth, we understand human nature far too little! We're all brothers who came out together. I really have a word of advice for you: this world isn't as cruel as we imagine!" Ma Jun put down his glass.

Seeing First suddenly turn serious, the three of them lost all desire to keep drinking and said in unison, "What's wrong, Big Brother?"

"This world won't let us be good people, brothers!" Ma Jun might have drunk too much. In any case, Su Ziyang thought so at the time, but Ma Jun later insisted he hadn't. He said he hadn't drunk too much.

Ma Jun's voice suddenly grew low. "Do you know how that matter was handled in the end?"

The others shook their heads.

"I thought that old fucker would be arrested for attempted rape. But the old bastard was only taken away for questioning, and on the third day he was back in the department, leading the morning meeting!"

Ma Jun said.

"Why?" everyone asked in unison again.

"Only later did I find out that the old fucker had promised the young woman he'd use his connections to get her a permanent nursing position at our hospital. And her whole family was fucking delighted. They happily accepted the offer, and they settled!!!!"

Su Ziyang and the others were stunned. Society really wasn't as simple as they had imagined.