Fang Yu set out bowls and chopsticks on the table, making sure to bring an extra blue-and-white porcelain bowl and a pair of bamboo chopsticks.
The dishes were all ready: braised fish, stir-fried vegetables, fried meatballs, and braised pork—all of which were Fang San Di's favorites.
Yu Jihong took his black and white photo out of the drawer and placed it on the empty seat at the dining table. The person in the photo had a simple and honest smile.
"Third brother, you're back for the New Year." Yu Jihong poured a glass of baijiu (Chinese liquor) and spilled it on the ground. The liquor quickly seeped into the cracked cement.
“I started working in the second half of this year, as a childcare worker at a kindergarten. I’m in the same class as Fang Yu, and we work together. We go to work together in the morning and come back together after school to cook dinner. Are you doing well over there?” Yu Jihong choked up, her eyes already blurry, and she sniffed.
Fang Yu leaned over the table, tears falling onto the rim of her bowl. She wiped her eyes and handed a tissue to Yu Jihong.
"Fang Yu, say a few words to your father."
"Dad, Mom did a great job. She was named an outstanding childcare worker. Only one person received this award."
"Yes, third brother, the kindergarten even gave me a bonus. We're doing well, don't worry."
Yu Jihong picked up her chopsticks, placed a piece of fish in the empty bowl, and said, "This may be the last time we spend the New Year here. Without you, no houses will be built here. I don't want to be here alone. I'm with Fang Yu, so I'd like to look at houses in the county town next year. I'll tell you the address then."
Yu Jihong reached out and touched the face of the person in the photo; her fingertips were icy cold. “Third brother, we will make a good life for you. You must also be well there. Take good care of yourself. If you have anything to say, come to me in a dream.”
The sound of firecrackers outside the window rose and fell, and fireworks exploded in the night sky, illuminating the faces of the mother and daughter, and also illuminating the smile in the photo that would forever remain in summer.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year in 1999, the village was shrouded in the smoke of firecrackers. Fang Huahua came to find Fang Yu, who had only been home for a few days, so she wanted to spend as much time with her as possible while she was at home.
"Fang Yu, you guys go out and have some fun," Yu Jihong said.
"Mom, what about you?"
"I'll rummage around the house to see if there's anything I want to take to the city."
"Okay, let's go out and have some fun."
"Okay, go ahead."
There wasn't much else to do in the village, so they headed towards the stream.
Walking up the slope by the stream, I saw Fang Dongqiang and several other boys from the village skipping stones.
The boys were all classmates or neighbors from elementary school, in the same grade or next to each other. "Teacher Fang is here! Teacher Fang!" they joked when they saw Fang Yu.
Fang Yu responded somewhat awkwardly, "I teach children, are you children too?"
"Fang Yu, Hua Hua, want to skip stones?" Fang Dongqiang called out. Fang Dongqiang was wearing a navy blue stand-up collar jacket.
"Shall we go?" Fang Huahua asked Fang Yu softly.
"go."
I knew you wanted to go.
"Then I won't go." Fang Yu stopped in her tracks.
Fang Huahua pulled Fang Yu along, saying, "I want you to go."
Fang Yu and Fang Huahua went down the steps next to them.
Fang Dongqiang found two flat bluestones and handed them to them.
Fang Yu followed their example, tilting her hand and flicking the stone out, but the stone sank with a "plop" as soon as it touched the water.
"You have to be quick with your wrist when you throw it, and flick it close to the water's surface." Fang Dongqiang said as he demonstrated, picking up a pebble, flicking his arm, and the pebble flew out with a "whoosh," bouncing three times on the water's surface before sinking.
"Here, take this one too." Fang Huahua handed the stone in her hand to Fang Yu.
"You can play by yourself."
"I'm at home, and I can play anytime I want."
Fang Yu mimicked Fang Dongqiang's movements and flicked the pebble; sure enough, it bounced once on the water's surface. "Success!" she exclaimed, jumping for joy.
The other boys on the stream bank were either showing off how to skip five or six stones, or making a fuss, their laughter carrying far down the stream.
"Fang Yu, isn't it interesting to teach children?"
"It's interesting, but a bit tiring." Fang Yu brushed a stray hair from her forehead. "But seeing those innocent children is really cute. Last time, a child brought her mother's gold bracelet from home and gave it to me. She even pulled me aside to secretly give it to me."
"Haha, you've already learned how to bribe at such a young age? Did you accept it?"
"Of course I couldn't accept it. I returned it to her mother after school. Her mother said that no wonder she asked what was good and valuable the day before. Her mother just replied that it was a gold bracelet. I didn't expect her to bring the gold bracelet from home."
"Then she must really like you?"
"Yes, the kids in my class are all very nice to me."
“You’re so lucky to be able to do what you love.” A boy next to me sighed. “My parents insist that I go to Guangdong to work, saying that studying so much is useless and that I should start earning money sooner.”
"Don't say that. You can make a name for yourself even if you're just working." Fang Dongqiang patted him on the shoulder. "There are a lot of factories over there, especially electronics factories. If you can learn some skills, you'll have a bright future."
"Dongqiang, you're the best! Everyone's getting into computers now; the future belongs to computers. Dongqiang, you're sure to be a big boss someday!"
"Haha, thanks for your kind words!" Fang Dongqiang laughed. "I'm thinking that after graduation, I'll find a job first and save some money. Then I'll have the capital to do whatever I want."
Another, younger boy said, "By the way, have you heard? In another year it will be 2000. Will the world really end like the rumors say?"
"A lot of people are talking about this, saying that all computers will crash and even airplanes won't be able to fly."
"It's all rumors," Fang Dongqiang waved his hand. "Our teacher said it's because early computers used two digits to record years, and it started making mistakes in 2000, but we've already found a solution. Besides, even if the sky falls, with so many of us together, what are we afraid of?"
His words made everyone laugh.
As Fang Huahua listened to their conversation, she realized that she worked in a bamboo craft factory and didn't have as many topics to talk about as they did. She felt that their world was so wonderful and that she wanted to go out and explore it sometime.
Pebbles were thrown out of the stream time and time again, carrying their dreams and drawing beautiful arcs on the water's surface.
Fang Yu and Fang Huahua played here for a while before walking to the side.
"Fang Yu, how are things between you and Dong Qiang now? I can't ask you if your mother is at your house."
"Nothing much, just an ordinary friend."
Fang Huahua nodded slowly a few times. "Are you just going to leave like this?"
"Take it slow, Fang Dongqiang still has to study." Fang Yu looked into the distance and blinked.
"With so many girls at school, aren't you afraid he'll find a girlfriend in college?"
"We'll still talk even if we're already in a relationship."
"Fang Dongqiang shouldn't be that kind of person."
"I don't know, let's talk about it later. It's not like the girl can just take the initiative to say anything, is she? Are you saying you're still working there this year?"
"Probably. My brother dropped out of school in the first half of the year. We'll wait until he drops out too. Fang Yu, my brother and I don't have much education, so we'll only be able to work in the future."
"We're all just working, we're all just working."
"You do a different kind of work."
"What's the difference? You get paid for working a full month."
"It's just that I feel your lives are different from mine."
Fang Yu took Fang Huahua's hand and leaned close to her, "You all think other people's lives are better, right?"
"Yes, it's true that everyone's life has always been better than mine since I was little."
“Rely on yourself. My mom says this era is really good. She never imagined that a woman could do so many things. Now, as long as you are diligent, there are many opportunities.”
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