Alex Zhang

Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, Zhang Xuan and his two companions arrived at the most bustling part of New York, Manhattan, where the Stark Industries Expo was about to be held, within an industrial park built by Stark Industries.

Having not eaten anything since dinner last night, Zhang Xuan's stomach was already growling with hunger. Without standing on ceremony, he said to Steve and Bucky, "Maybe we should grab something to eat. Listen, my stomach's calling out."

Steve, thin and wiry, had been working hard to meet the enlistment requirements and was no small eater. Feeling hungry himself at Zhang Xuan's words, he nodded and replied, "How about we head to Chinatown and try some Chinese food?"

Bucky glanced at Steve, knowing he was accommodating Zhang Xuan, and didn't mind. He smiled and said, "That's a good idea. Come to think of it, I've never had Chinese food before!"

Zhang Xuan, however, was momentarily stunned. At the mention of "Chinatown," images surfaced in his mind—memories belonging to Alex, fragmented recollections of that place.

It turned out that when he was very young, Alex had lived in Chinatown with his mother for a long time. Later, due to some incident, they moved out. For some reason, those memories seemed deliberately buried deep in Alex's mind, and if not for this chance mention, Zhang Xuan would never have known such a story existed.

A flicker of doubt arose in Zhang Xuan's heart as he followed Steve and Bucky toward Chinatown.

Stepping into Chinatown felt like stepping back into Republican-era China. Everywhere he looked, there were long robes and cheongsams, a world apart from New York just a few meters away, creating a jarring sense of dissonance.

Alex's appearance perfectly inherited his mother's traits—a typical East Asian face, only more delicate and handsome. Walking among the mostly East Asian crowd in Chinatown, he didn't stand out, but Steve and Bucky ahead of him did. At this time, racial discrimination in the United States was severe, and East Asians were even less regarded than Black people. Two white men in Chinatown naturally drew attention.

Sensing the shift in people's gazes, Zhang Xuan quickly stepped forward, moving ahead of Steve and Bucky, deliberately chatting and laughing with them to signal to his fellow countrymen that they were his friends.

Sure enough, after seeing Zhang Xuan's gesture, everyone stopped paying attention, except for a few elderly folks who stared at him intently with hazy eyes, sending a chill down his spine.

After a few steps, an old woman, hunched over and leaning on a cane, emerged from a doorway by the street. She stopped in front of Zhang Xuan, looked him up and down for a long moment, and asked in a slightly trembling voice, "Ah Xuan, is that you, Ah Xuan?"

Hearing familiar Chinese, Zhang Xuan was taken aback. He looked at the old woman before him, and countless images suddenly flooded his mind. After a moment of hesitation, he called out uncertainly, "Grandma An!"

It turned out that besides his English name, Alex also had a Chinese name: Zhang Xuan. Recalling the memories in his mind, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but marvel at the irony of fate—he had transmigrated into someone with the same name. Even more absurd was that he had eagerly given himself a name earlier, Alex Xuan Zhang, a clumsy hybrid.

"Ah!" Grandma An responded loudly, then straightened up and shouted at the top of her voice, "Ah Xuan is back! Ah Xuan is back!"

That single shout seemed to shake the entire Chinatown. In no time, Zhang Xuan and his two companions were surrounded by a crowd of Chinese people, startling Steve and Bucky into assuming fighting stances, ready to strike at any moment.

Zhang Xuan stopped Steve and Bucky, who were about to act, and said quietly, "Don't worry, they know me."

Even as he said this, Zhang Xuan felt deeply frustrated. They knew him, but he didn't know them. Alex's memories of Chinatown seemed deliberately forgotten, leaving Zhang Xuan standing there dumbly, surrounded by enthusiastic fellow countrymen.

"Ah Xuan, how's your mother?" After the commotion died down, Grandma An asked again, her trembling voice carrying an odd undertone.

Zhang Xuan's face immediately darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Grandma An, my mother passed away three years ago!"

Grandma An paused briefly, then let out a long sigh. "Good that she's gone, good that she's gone—spared from suffering in this world!" She looked up at Zhang Xuan again, a hint of sadness in her voice. "But it's been hard on you, child."

Zhang Xuan shook his head without speaking. From the unconscious sighs of relief around him, he sensed they were hiding some secret—something about his mother. He tried to recall, but searching through Alex's memories yielded no clues.

"Ah Xuan, what brings you back this time?" A middle-aged man, carrying a sack on his shoulder, asked with a simple grin.

Zhang Xuan didn't dwell on it. Secrets would come to light eventually; he could search slowly when the time came. Hearing the man's words, he smiled slightly and said, "Hello, Uncle Ye! Since my mother passed, I haven't had authentic Chinese food in a long time. I thought I'd come back for a taste."

"Ah Xuan, come on. I'll have your Uncle An cook for you himself. Whatever you want to eat, just say the word!" Grandma An said, thumping her cane on the ground with vigor.

At Grandma An's words, those who had been about to invite Zhang Xuan to eat immediately backed off, leaving a few customary pleasantries before dispersing.

Zhang Xuan was momentarily confused, then realized that Grandma An's husband had been an imperial chef in the palace. After the Xinhai Revolution, Grandpa An crossed the ocean to America and opened a restaurant in Chinatown, renowned for its excellent food. Uncle An, Grandma An's son, had inherited the trade and was also a skilled cook. As a child, Zhang Xuan often ate and drank freely at their restaurant.

"You're in for a treat!" Zhang Xuan said, smiling as he helped Grandma An toward the An Family Restaurant, glancing back at the bewildered Steve and Bucky.

"Ah Xuan, are they your friends?" Grandma An asked, hearing his words. She glanced back at Steve and Bucky, frowning slightly with concern. "That tall one looks sturdy enough, but that skinny one's like a bamboo pole—needs some nourishment. I'll have your Uncle An stew a pot of Ginseng Chicken Soup for you. It's very nourishing!"

"Thank you, Grandma An!" Zhang Xuan said, deeply moved. He didn't refuse, knowing it came from her heart. "I thank you on behalf of my friends!"

Grandma An gently patted the back of Zhang Xuan's hand and chided softly, "No need for thanks. Neighbors and folks—it's only right." Then she sighed again. "It's a pity about your mother. Such a good girl, to come down with such a strange illness!"

"Strange illness?" Zhang Xuan frowned, puzzled. In his memories, that woman didn't seem to have any illness.

He wanted to ask more, but Grandma An suddenly stopped. Looking up, he saw they had arrived at the An Family Restaurant. "Ah Xuan, take your friends inside to sit. I'll go check on things in the back!" Without letting him speak, she hobbled through the courtyard, passed through a small door, and disappeared into the backyard.

"Alex, what were you and the old lady talking about?" Steve pulled Zhang Xuan aside, looking curious. "I saw her glance at us."

Pushing aside his doubts for now, Zhang Xuan pointed at Steve and said with a smile, "Grandma An said you're too skinny, so she's specially having a pot of Ginseng Chicken Soup stewed to nourish you!"

"Ginseng Chicken Soup? What's that? Can it really nourish the body?" Before Steve could respond, Bucky eagerly jumped in. "If it works, we should bring Steve here every day. He's way too thin!"

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but smirk inwardly, thinking, What a pair of good buddies indeed!