Xiang Lin chimed in, "Yeah, I noticed your dad was walking unsteadily earlier."
Azhe took a sip of water and said calmly, "Back then, my dad said something wrong at the university and got beaten by his own students. His leg was injured, and it wasn't treated properly at the time. Later, in the southwest, something happened, and it became a chronic issue. It's not noticeable usually, but he's feeling off today, so his steps are unsteady. Mark my words, it'll rain in the next couple of days."
Zhang Sen looked puzzled. "Rain? We're talking about your dad—how'd we get to the weather?"
Li Xiangdong asked, "Azhe, is it rheumatism?"
"Yeah," Azhe said with a faint smile. "My dad's bad leg is more accurate than the radio now."
Zhang Sen shot up, slamming the table in anger. "Damn it, you can still smile? Who beat your dad like that? Let's go find them—I'll take them out!"
"Keep your voice down. Don't let my dad hear," Azhe said.
He moved to close the door, but Qian Bin burst in, grabbed a random cup from the table, and chugged it down. "What were you guys yelling about? Azhe, got any chili peppers? I'm planning to stir-fry the intestines."
"There are some. I'll get them. After years in the southwest, my dad and I got used to spicy food. We're short on everything at home except chili peppers," Azhe replied.
Qian Bin stopped him. "In the kitchen, right? I'll grab them myself. You keep chatting with Dongzi and the others."
After Qian Bin left, Azhe closed the door, sat back down, lit a cigarette, and continued, "I appreciate you guys' concern, but it's over. The guy who beat my dad already came to apologize. Let's leave it at that."
He changed the subject. "I know Binzi's working in the restaurant kitchen with his dad. What about you guys? Back from the countryside—got jobs assigned yet?"
Xiang Lin rubbed his reform camp haircut. "I told you earlier, I'm apprenticing at a barbershop."
Zhang Sen said awkwardly, "The street office put me on a tricycle. Been at it for a while."
"I'm reporting to the train station tomorrow," Li Xiangdong added reluctantly, feeling like he was showing off, but since everyone else shared, he couldn't stay silent.
"Damn, Dongzi! I heard the street office assigned you to pop popcorn!" Xiang Lin exclaimed.
"Yeah, Dongzi, what's this about the train station now?" Zhang Sen added.
Hearing Li Xiangdong was going to the train station, Xiang Lin and Zhang Sen couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, though they meant no harm—just curiosity.
"You got assigned to the train station too?" Azhe asked, shocked. He'd also been assigned there but had no plans to take it.
Xiang Lin caught the key word. "What do you mean 'too'? Azhe, you got the train station too?"
When Shi Zhengzhe nodded, Zhang Sen fumed, "That's just unfair! Why split us up? I want to work at the train station too. Pedaling that tricycle every day's got my legs swollen!"
Xiang Lin laughed loudly. "Forget it. If anyone's going, it's us three. With those long legs of yours, not pedaling a tricycle would be a waste."
"Shut it! Who says long legs mean I should pedal? You're just jealous I'm taller. Bet you wish you'd eaten better growing up. I have to look down to talk to you now," Zhang Sen shot back, yelling for Xiang Lin to stand and compare heights.
Azhe, seeing them about to bicker, chuckled. "Stop fighting, you two. Seriously, I'm not taking the street office's job. How about I ask them to transfer my spot to one of you? Not sure if they'd agree, though."
Xiang Lin hurriedly said, "Azhe, we're just messing around. I'd never take your job. What kind of person would that make me?"
"Yeah, I'm not like that either!" Zhang Sen added. He was just joking, not actually thinking that way.
"Azhe, don't be impulsive. The street office isn't your family's business—you can't just call the shots," Li Xiangdong said, knowingly prodding. "Besides, if you don't take their job, what's your plan?"
Azhe hesitated, then said, "A lot of families went through tough times, but most came back last year. Why did it take us until now? It's because my mom and her family are said to have overseas connections. My dad still hasn't been assigned a job. We're planning to go abroad to join my mom soon."
Xiang Lin and Zhang Sen were shocked by the news, but Li Xiangdong wasn't surprised.
In his previous life, Azhe and his dad had gone abroad. Communication was spotty, so they didn't stay in touch much, but Azhe returned once after the millennium, so Li knew roughly what happened.
After arriving abroad, Azhe and his dad found his mom and her family through local Chinese contacts. But his mom had already remarried and had several kids. They didn't linger, renting a place and staying abroad.
Li Xiangdong knew their life there wasn't easy, partly due to language and cultural barriers. Worst of all, to go abroad, they'd sold their courtyard house. When Azhe returned after the millennium and heard the price Li quoted to buy it back, he was stunned!
Knowing Azhe and his dad didn't fare well abroad, Li felt compelled as a friend to advise him. "Azhe, do you have your mom's and grandparents' address overseas?"
Azhe nodded. "My dad knows. My mom sent us letters after she left."
"That's good. We're childhood friends, so I'll be blunt—don't take it the wrong way," Li Xiangdong said.
Seeing Azhe nod for him to continue, he went on, "It's been years. How can you be sure your mom hasn't remarried? I think you should write to her first and check on her situation."
Azhe hadn't expected such words from Li Xiangdong, but he knew they came from a good place. As adults, some things were obvious. If his mom truly cared, she wouldn't have left them behind back then.
"Thanks, Dongzi. You're right. I'll talk it over with my dad," Azhe said.
"What's there to talk about? Azhe, do you even speak a foreign language? Don't get yourself lost out there," Xiang Lin teased.
"Xiao Linzi's right. If you go abroad, we won't see each other anymore. You'll be all alone," Zhang Sen added, both trying to dissuade Azhe from leaving.
"I'll say it again: you and your dad need to think this through carefully," Li Xiangdong urged.
He still remembered, in his previous life, when Azhe returned with a tall, dark-skinned guy he introduced as his son. Li's brain had short-circuited at the sight!