Before his departure, Eldest Elder Sun took with him only a single piece of bronze ware, claiming it as a sample for others to see. This occasion was unlike any before; dozens of bronze artifacts had been stolen, a hoard too vast for the less capable to swallow.
King Leader, on the other hand, was intent on disposing of the lot in one fell swoop, eager to convert the goods to cash and make a swift exit from this place.
Yet, days passed with no word, leaving our team in a state of perpetual anxiety, fearing the worst—had Eldest Elder Sun been apprehended?
Throughout these tense days, Third Elder Sun scarcely ventured out, secluding himself in his hotel room, obsessively sketching upon blank sheets of paper. I caught glimpses of his work and recognized at once the lines tracing the contours of the Underground Palace's Stone Gate. Third Elder Sun, with his experience in working natural stone, faced a challenge of magnitude and weight that left him at his wit's end.
I understood his fixation with the Door Sealing Stone was but a form of self-delusion, a comfort against the stark reality. If we, together, struggled to budge the stone, what hope had Second Brother of shifting it alone?
He was succumbing to hysteria.
To illustrate with a mundane example, consider a person who has but ten dollars to their name, yet insists on browsing the most expensive designer boutiques. The sales staff, aware yet unable to turn the person away, watches as they try on various styles of unaffordable clothing. This was the state of Third Elder Sun, and we were at a loss on how to counsel him.
On the third day, I sought out Li Jing, for it suddenly occurred to me that it was her birthday. Unsure if her family still faced debt collectors at their door, and finding myself idly waiting at the inn, I decided to celebrate her birthday with her, and perhaps, bring a birthday gift.
Portable cassette players were all the rage then—a plastic box where tapes were inserted. Such gadgets are alien to today's youth, but back in the day, flaunting a portable player was a statement. Clutching the half-pound device, deliberately exposing the headphone wires, one would become the epitome of cool, drawing the gaze of many a girl.
Two songs were particularly popular at that time: Sammi Cheng's lively "Eyebrows Dancing," an infectious tune that got under your skin, and Richie Ren's "Look Over Here, Girl Across," which had a charm of its own. As for later hits like "Mouse Loves Rice" and "Praying to Buddha," those would only emerge years later.
I spent a hefty sum at the audio store on a Sony Walkman, and of course, the cassettes were a must. These gadgets were truly expensive back then—the Japanese made a fortune selling them.
The money spent was part of the funds entrusted to me, savings I had not yet exhausted, and it pained me to part with it.
By the millennium, the Funeral Love Clan—a Chinese subculture—had taken hold, with ShamaTe hairstyles and ripped jeans becoming the absurd trend. Yet, Li Jing harbored a peculiar fascination for such fads.
Upon arriving at the place, Mother Li went off to work by the river, leaving Li Jing alone at home.
"Here you go, Li Jing, happy birthday! May you grow ever more beautiful," I said as I handed her the portable music player right after I entered.
"Thank you," Li Jing replied, her cheeks blushing as she accepted the gift. An awkward silence fell between us, as we both remembered that night at the little inn. I had run away because I was scared.
After a moment of discomfort, Li Jing suddenly looked up at me. "Cloud Peak, you go to No.1 Middle School, right? I'm working on some problems, and there are a few math equations I can't figure out. Could you teach me? My mom also mentioned that you should help me with my homework when you have the time."
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At that moment, my face darkened.
How could I know any math methods? I wasn't a student at No.1 Middle School at all. That was a lie I told her. I couldn't understand math equations, but I was skilled in tomb raiding – not that I could teach her that.
Taking the paper from her, I stared at the Ghost Drawn Talismans and Tadpole Heavenly Script, sweating profusely, completely clueless.
She handed me a ballpoint pen. "How do you solve it, Cloud Peak? Show me the steps."
I remember writing something on the paper, but I've forgotten what exactly. I think I drew a circle and then a square... it was all nonsensical scribbles.
Li Jing's mouth hung open as she looked at my 'masterpiece' on the paper, puzzled she asked me what kind of solution it was.
I bluffed right there and then, telling her it was part of a later lesson that she hadn't reached yet, and that she would understand when she got there.
As we were talking, two of Li Jing's classmates came to celebrate her birthday, both boys. One had dyed his hair entirely red except for a tuft at the forehead which was yellow. He was also wearing Iron Chain Pants – a ShamaTe youth.
"Li Jing, happy birthday!" the Little Yellow-haired Kid said with a smile, handing her a small cake.
Li Jing immediately took it. "Thank you so much, Wang Qiang. You shouldn't have, even buying me a cake."
The Little Yellow-haired Kid blew a strand of hair from his forehead and replied nonchalantly, "No big deal, it's just a trifle."
Watching this Little Yellow-haired Kid, about my age, I felt a surge of irritation.
It was just a damn cake, probably no more than thirty yuan. My Sony Walkman cost me over eight hundred, yet Li Jing didn't even say it was expensive. And here he was, making a big deal over a measly cake.
"Let's go, I've got this," the Little Yellow-haired Kid declared, a smug look on his face as he spoke. "I've booked us a table at Star Grand Restaurant right by our school's entrance, especially for you, Little Jing."
"Thank you, Wang Qiang," Li Jing replied with a grateful smile. "I haven't had dinner yet, so this is perfect. Let's go, Cloud Peak. We'll head over together." She took my arm as she spoke.
At this, I could see the Little Yellow-haired Kid's satisfaction wane, and he cast me glowering looks from time to time.
The Star Grand Restaurant, situated opposite our school, catered primarily to school leaders and the wealthier students. It was considered a luxury establishment in the area, second only to KFC in the eyes of the students.
To impress Li Jing, the Little Yellow-haired Kid had really splurged; I later reckoned that this meal must have cost him a week's worth of meal expenses.
During the meal, there was a humorous incident that I'm going to share with you. Honestly, I swear, it was quite similar to the skit "I'm Not Short of Money" by the comedian Xiao Shenyang.
When we started to order,
The Little Yellow-haired Kid asked for garlic scallops, to which the waiter apologized and informed us that they had sold out for the day.
Frowning, the kid then requested white-cut chicken, but the waiter apologized again, explaining that the market was closed that day and they couldn't get any chicken.
In frustration, the Little Yellow-haired Kid slammed the menu down: "Then what does Star Grand Restaurant actually have?"
The waiter, with a smile, said they had authentic home-cooked dishes.
So, that's what we ordered—authentic home-cooked dishes. We chose five dishes in total: spicy and sour shredded potatoes, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, braised eggplant, and stir-fried chives with eggs. We also ordered three bottles of Jianlibao soda.
There were four of us, and it was clear that the Little Yellow-haired Kid hadn't gotten a Jianlibao for me.
"Here's to Little Jing's birthday," he announced, raising his glass to Li Jing as the dishes were served.
"Cloud Peak, you can have mine," Li Jing said, handing me her bottle.
"No need, I can buy my own if I want to drink," I replied, pushing the bottle back to her.
The Little Yellow-haired Kid, overhearing our quiet exchange, sneered, "Hey, kid, look at the rags you're wearing and that outdated haircut. Have you ever even tasted Jianlibao before? Ha, haha."
My eyes went cold, and I was just about to stand up and react when a familiar voice called out from the entrance of the restaurant.
"Cloud Peak? What are you doing here? You looked upset just now, what's wrong?"
Upon seeing the approaching figures, I quickly stood up from my chair.
"It's nothing, Jade Sister. I'm just having a meal with some friends." (To be continued)
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/7b136c