“Well, I’m from the mainland.”
Zhang Kai seemed to recall some past events. This was the first time in all these years that he met someone who asked him where he was from.
He also had a thought in his mind that he wanted to talk.
After a while, Zhang Kai began to tell his story:
"My hometown is Yangcheng, Guangdong Province. When I was twelve years old, I was knocked unconscious and abducted by human traffickers on my way home from school.
The human traffickers smuggled me and several other abducted children to the port city.
When we arrived at the port, we happened to see two gangs fighting each other.
A group of us who stowed here were also involved in the fight.
Many people died in that fight, but I was lucky enough to survive and was taken away by the other victorious gang.
I continued to live in that gang until three years ago.
By chance, I started working for my current boss.
Although I haven't been back to the mainland in these years, I still remember my childhood.
I am afraid that one day when I have the chance to go home, I will forget how to speak my hometown dialect.
So when I have free time, I practice Mandarin and speak my hometown dialect.”
Yan Ning nodded in understanding, "Have you ever thought about going back in these years? Going back to see your family."
Zhang Kai sighed, "Of course I haven't thought about it, but I can't go back. The mainland's policies in recent years don't allow it.
Moreover, I was smuggled here in the first place, and I disappeared for so many years, so my household registration must have been cancelled.
I don't have a Home Return Permit, nor do I have any identification documents.
So there's no way to go home openly. Even if you sneak back in, you'll just be an illegal immigrant."
Indeed, even if the reform and opening-up policy changes in the future, it will not be easy for him to go back without a home return permit.
However, it’s just not easy to go back, not that you can never go back.
Yan Ning comforted him: "Don't be discouraged, there may be other ways. People should always have a little hope.
Life is unpredictable, what if one day I can go back?"
Zhang Kai smiled and said, "I hope so!"
The vehicle drove for more than ten minutes and finally stopped at a busy street.
Zhang Kai parked the car on the side of the road and took Yan Ning and others into a large shopping mall, introducing them to the mall as they walked.
Yan Ning looked at the various shops in the mall and was filled with envy.
She also wanted to open a shop and buy goods from the Twenty-First Century, so that she could make money no matter what she sold.
Along the way, Yan Ning noticed that there were only two jewelry stores in the mall.
Although she didn't buy anything, she still walked in to look at the styles.
The salesperson in the store saw Yan Ning and his companions come in, looked them over with a look of contempt, and stood at the counter without moving.
The girl in front was dressed quite well, but the two men behind her were obviously unfashionable from the mainland just by looking at their attire.
Since those people are together, it means they are all from the mainland. You can tell at a glance that they can't afford it. So why bother entertaining them? It's a waste of your time.
Yan Ning saw the salesperson's eyes, but didn't care. As long as he didn't say it out loud, you can look at him however you want.
There is no such saying that customers are God these days, and people in Hong Kong have always looked down on mainlanders.
She looked calmly at the jewelry on the counter, all of which were old-fashioned and tacky in design.
The jade jewelry is okay, just simple bracelets, egg-shaped pendants and rings, as well as some Buddha amulets and the like.
The styles of those gold jewelry are very tacky. Apart from the fact that buying them can show off one's "rich" status, the rest of them seem to have no sense of design at all.
After walking around, the few of them walked out of the store under the salesperson's even more contemptuous gaze.
The salesperson sneered. You see, she knew these poor mainlanders could never afford these jewellery.
When Yan Ning and his companions went out, a middle-aged couple came towards them at the door of the shop.
The two groups passed each other.
The middle-aged man's gaze accidentally swept across Yan Ning's face, and a hint of shock appeared in his eyes.
He stopped and turned to look behind him, but could only see the back of the girl.
The woman next to him asked, "Shao Ming, what's wrong?"
The middle-aged man turned around and said, "It's okay, let's go in!"
The two entered the jewelry store, and the salesperson immediately came up to greet them with a smile and shouted enthusiastically,
"Director Ning, Boss."
…
After Yan Ning and his friends took a walk around, they left the mall. Zhang Kai then drove them around the streets of the city center.
From time to time, a few young men with ghost lights would quickly pass by on their buzzing motorcycles.
Qin Liming was frightened by the speed.
After walking around the city center, Yan Ning secretly noted down the locations of several shops, planning to find some time to come and take a look.
Around six o'clock in the evening, Zhang Kai took a few people back to the hotel and found a restaurant near it for dinner.
After dinner, Zhang Kai asked a few people whether they were going out tomorrow, and if so, what time he would come to pick them up.
Qin Liming and Director You shook their heads. After spending the whole afternoon walking around, they finally understood everything.
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