Chapter 3, Impressions
After eating, Luo Yan wanted to go to the bathhouse.
Liu Yinfeng doesn't work. She usually goes out during the day when the sun is out. Luo Xinmin doesn't like people staring at the part of him where he doesn't have hands, so he always boils water at home to wash. Only Luo Hong and his sister go out together.
Luo Yan was holding a basin in one hand and clothes in the other, and the wind blowing against her made her want to go home.
But she was always very clean, and despite her trembling, she continued walking forward.
Luo Hong: "I could hear your teeth chattering."
Luo Yan grinned at him, showing him her white teeth: "I can still hit you."
They think they're scary, but they're actually not intimidating at all.
One of Luo Hong's greatest hobbies was making his younger sister jump around in laughter: "She's a bit like a gorilla."
Luo Yan elbowed her brother, and the two siblings fought their way to the bathhouse.
She was dressed too warmly and struggled for a long time to find the ticket, so she took off her gloves and reached into her pocket to rummage around for it.
Luo Hong: "You didn't forget to bring it, did you?"
Luo Yan opened her palm to show him: "Did you think I was you?"
They were majestic and imposing, as if they had just won a brilliant victory.
Luo Hong gave a perfunctory compliment: "Yes, very impressive."
How infuriating! Luo Yan's mouth was already forming the words of cursing, but she pursed her lips when she saw someone approaching.
Luo Hong followed his sister's gaze and turned around. After recognizing who it was, he exclaimed excitedly, "Zhou Sanfang!"
Zhou Weifang was the third among his brothers, and everyone in the alley called him that from the beginning.
He withdrew his hand, intending to startle the other person, and replied, "Radish!"
Luo Hong always felt that his younger sister had never been called that nickname since she was little because he had already taken it.
He punched his childhood friend on the shoulder: "You came back without even saying hello. I just mailed your reply, wasting a stamp."
Zhou Weifang was surprised: "A letter? You only replied after several months, how dare you say that?"
Luo Hong: "How long? I only received it a few days ago. I'll ask you and then..."
The second half of the sentence changed to: "Yanzi, you can go in now."
If she wasn't allowed to listen, then so be it. Luo Yan wouldn't show her brother any displeasure in front of outsiders. She simply grunted in response and nodded to Zhou Weifang before leaving to indicate that she had said goodbye.
There's a saying that goes something like this: time leaves its mark more clearly on other people.
Zhou Weifang exclaimed, "Your sister is so grown up already."
He seemed to be in his seventies or eighties. Luo Hong said, "He's only three years younger than us."
Zhou Weifang: "Twenty? Have you started working yet?"
"Stop, stop," Luo Hong said, putting his arm around his shoulder. "Why are you asking this?"
Every greeting needs a beginning.
Zhou Weifang: "I just asked casually."
Luo Hong: "No need for that smooth talk, let's talk about your business."
Zhou Weifang's matter was just one incident, but the bathhouse was full of gossipy people, and since they were all local residents, two out of the five people could probably name him.
He said, "I'll come to see you when you have a day off. Anyway, we can talk about everything after the New Year, so there's no rush."
The Lunar New Year is the perfect excuse to put all your worries aside. Luo Hong said, "The day after tomorrow is fine. Let's go to Donglaishun and I'll treat you to a meal."
Zhou Weifang: "No, let me treat you."
The two couldn't agree on who should treat them, and after showering, the conversation gradually shifted to news about who got married and who had a child.
Zhou Weifang has been working in the countryside for almost ten years, and he has never returned home once in that time. Many familiar people and things have become unfamiliar to him.
He dried his hair and sat on a stool in the men's changing room: "I almost couldn't find my way home today."
Luo Hong: "In 1971, we went to the countryside to start building the Second Ring Road, and it still hasn't opened to traffic. They say they're going to build some kind of overpass, and East Chang'an Avenue will be widened by another five meters. The whole city is under construction. I used to have a straight main road to work, but now I have to turn around at Xi'an Gate. The traffic in Beijing is so chaotic now, it's indescribable."
Zhou Weifang: "You think it's chaotic, but I think it's bustling."
He was sent to work in the southernmost part of Xinjiang. There were more cattle and sheep than people in the production and construction corps. The place was so remote that it took several days and nights to get to Urumqi.
Only those involved can truly understand the depth of sorrow conveyed in those words.
Luo Hong wasn't good at comforting people, so he just said, "At least you've built up some muscles, that's manly."
"I didn't train there," Zhou Weifang said. "For the first two years, I lived in dugouts. We would dig a hole by the roadside, cover it with red willow branches, and lay down reeds. At night, more than a dozen people would squeeze in. During the day, we built houses, cleared land, and herded livestock. One person did the work of eight."
He doesn't like to talk about these things, afraid that people will think he only knows how to complain, so he awkwardly beats around the bush: "We've been talking for so long, your sister isn't waiting for you outside, is she?"
Luo Hong: "She has long hair, and it will take her an hour or two to walk."
The bathhouse had boiling water, and the changing room was right next to the boiler room. It was warm and cozy in winter, and everyone would dry their hair there after washing it.
As her brother had predicted, Luo Yan was wearing thin long sleeves and sitting in the corner of the women's changing room reading a book.
Seeing that she was quite far away, someone whispered among themselves, "Isn't that Section Chief Luo's daughter?"
"Yes, it doesn't look like it, does it?"
"They don't look alike at all. How could a father who looks like that have such a beautiful daughter? Is it because the mother is pretty?"
"This child is the best-looking in the whole family. He has all the good features: big eyes, a high nose, and a small mouth. He also has a good personality and good grades."
"Are you praising me like this so much because you want me to be your wife?"
"I wish I could, but I'm not so lucky."
...
The whispers were loud enough that more than just a word or two reached Luo Yan's ears.
She pretended not to hear, got up and put on her clothes one by one, tidied up her things, and went outside to ask the old man who collected money to call her brother out.
Luo Hong came out alone and saw his sister: "Your hair isn't dry yet, be careful not to catch a cold tomorrow."
Luo Yan touched the ends of her hair: "That's about enough. I can't concentrate on my studies inside."
This kind of place is perfect for tea parties; people can sit down and chat for ages, their voices carrying for miles.
Luo Hong: "This wasn't originally a place for you to read books."
Luo Yan: "But now is the time when I need to read the most, so I have to make the most of every moment."
Then he asked, "Did your friend go back?"
Luo Hong: "Something feels off about what you're saying."
Luo Yan: "What's strange about it? Isn't he your friend?"
Luo Hong felt something was wrong, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He scratched his face and replied, "He went back to sleep. He said that after getting on the train in Xi'an, there was hardly any room to stand. He endured the whole journey back and was so tired that he could fall asleep while talking."
Luo Yan gasped, "My God, this is exhausting."
Her brother was sent to the countryside in northern Shaanxi, so she knew how far the journey was.
Luo Hong returned in the same way two years ago, but he didn't mention it to his family.
He said, "That's right, and this is just one of the trains."
It sounded like a lot of work, but Luo Yan still had to ask, "What kind of help does he need from you?"
Luo Hong was surprised that his sister would ask the question again, and said in surprise, "You don't usually ask about these things."
Luo Yan doesn't like to speak ill of others, so she hesitated for a moment before saying, "I think Zhou Weifang is very good at causing trouble."
A decade or so ago, during the nationwide school closures, a group of children who weren't old enough to attend school or go to the countryside roamed the streets every day. The kids would argue over the smallest things, clearly define their territories, and fights were common, making the area a major security concern.
The leader of Fengshou Hutong was Zhou Weifang, who showed a strong potential for violence at a young age. People say that you can tell what a person will be like at three years old, and Luo Yan's impression of Zhou Weifang was already formed early on.
Luo Hong, who had once been one of them, coughed and said, "What child doesn't get into trouble?"
Luo Yan conveyed the message "I won't" with her eyes.
Luo Hong: "I know you're the most obedient, but people should look at things from a developmental perspective, right?"
If it made sense, Luo Yan couldn't refute it and reluctantly agreed.
Luo Hong pressed on: "And when you were a child, if someone bullied you, didn't he stand up for you?"
Luo Yan remembered, of course: "Yes, you two broke someone's head. It was my fault, so you have to pay five yuan for medical expenses."
Luo Hong only remembered that he had bravely protected his sister: "Was there any compensation involved?"
Just as they reached their front door, Luo Yan said, "Should I ask Mom to look through the account books for you?"
Luo Hong felt guilty, thinking there must be many of his "magnificent chapters" above, and looked at the sky uncomfortably: "Youthful arrogance, that's all."
Luo Yan: "Then please don't be so arrogant in the future. Fighting is very frightening."
Although she is the younger sister, she actually behaves like the older sister in some ways.
Luo Hongshun agreed and pushed open the door, saying, "Please go first."
The parents were listening to the radio when they saw their son following behind their daughter like a eunuch. Liu Yinfeng asked, "Did you upset your sister again?"
Luo Hong: "You sound very happy to me."
Liu Yinfeng: "Can't your mother even watch the fun?"
Luo Hong: "Okay, okay, who would I dare offend in this family?"
As if someone had bullied him, Luo Yan confirmed the accusation and kicked her brother's shin: "You still haven't answered my question, you're keeping it to yourself."
After saying that, he ran into the room.
Luo Hong thought she had forgotten about it. Knowing that she was going to review, he just shouted a couple of times outside, "Watch out or I'll beat you up," and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from the table: "By the way, Mom, I won't be back for dinner the day after tomorrow. I'm going out to eat with Sanfang."
Liu Yinfeng: "Okay, you have a job, so you have to treat us."
Luo Hong nodded, sat down, and instructed, "Dad, pour me a glass of water."
There weren't many rules at home, and Luo Xinmin was actually quite happy to do whatever he could, as it made him feel like he was the same as everyone else.
He picked up the thermos and asked, "Can the three-party employment be resolved? The factory is currently recruiting for children of employees."
Zhou Weifang was indeed from a state-owned cotton mill, but the recruitment standards were not low.
Luo Hong: "He only graduated from primary school, just like me, so he definitely won't pass the exam."
They were in elementary school for half a year when classes were suspended. They didn't start fourth grade until 1969 when classes resumed. By the time they graduated, they were already fifteen years old, which was the age for going to the countryside. People from the educated youth office came to their home every day to persuade them to go.
The already weak knowledge was almost completely forgotten in the tedious work, and now I'm just barely managing not to be completely blind to it.
Luo Xinmin knew his son's level of ability, of course: "Then he can only stay at home for now."
"Stay there?" Liu Yinfeng had something to say: "There are enough people staying at his house. It's fine for a day or two, but it definitely won't work in the long run."
Luo Xinmin: "How many children does Zhenhua's family have again?"
Yes, it is Zhou's father's name.
Liu Yinfeng: "Wei Liang, Wei Ping, Yu Yao, Yu Ying, and Wei Fang, there are five in total. Now only the two eldest brothers have jobs."
She knew all of these things like the back of her hand, but Luo Xinmin couldn't quite put his finger on them. He tried to repeat them to himself but got impatient.
Luo Hong couldn't help but laugh. He threw the sunflower seed shells into the winnowing basket and waved his hand, saying, "Please continue, I'm going back to my room."
The more this happened, the more Luo Xinmin wanted to try again, but unfortunately his tongue wouldn't cooperate and he couldn't straighten it out like it was tied in a knot.
Liu Yinfeng: "Alright, alright, what do we care what they call us? They're not family. Let's get ready and go to sleep."
Luo Xinmin took the opportunity to back down and quickly put the matter out of his mind.
A note from the author:
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