Dong Qiangqiang's Story of Leaving Germany

Chapter 1160. I long to buy osmanthus blossoms and share wine, but it will never be like the carefree days of my youth.

Lu Shan took a sip of dark beer to moisten his throat: "It is said that about six hundred years ago, monks in the Munich area began to try fermenting hops and brewing beer with the town's river water because they believed that drinking this beer would make it safer to eat fish from the water. Actually, I am very skeptical of this claim. I have been in Germany for quite a while now, and I have never seen Germans eat river fish. It is probably just a way to satisfy their vanity. I think Germans have a certain obsession with things that are old."

Dong Qiangqiang laughed and said, "Compared to river fish, Germans do indeed prefer sea fish. The main reason is that river fish bones are too troublesome, and they are too lazy to eat them. Also, in the 1960s and 70s, there was river pollution in Germany, so eating river fish was too unsafe. But now this situation is basically gone. Today, supermarkets of all sizes in Germany sell a lot of river fish, including trout, catfish, and even carp. However, all the fish bones have been removed to make it easier for Germans to eat. Hmm, you can continue."

"As expected, Brother Qiang knows more. I really didn't know these things. The engineers at the brewery experiment with various formulas using sugar and enzymes in the lab, enabling the beer to be brewed at various temperatures while retaining its flavor and aroma. The brewery has no fewer than five super-large cold storage facilities, which are said to store more than two thousand kinds of yeast cultures below zero degrees Celsius, some of which can even be traced back to before World War II. Each yeast has a unique structure and can be frozen and airlifted to any of the company's other production bases throughout Germany and across Europe, ensuring that the beer produced anywhere can taste the same as the one at headquarters."

"Let's eat and talk, or it'll get cold." Dong Qiangqiang cut another piece of pizza and shoveled it onto Lu Shan's plate.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it myself. Some of my older colleagues at the brewery, whether German or Turkish, start drinking around noon, of course, secretly. Some of the Turkish ones even drink first thing in the morning. I've talked to them, and they think they can perform better after drinking. I used to be a teetotaler in Hanover, going to bed at 10 p.m. every night. I only started drinking here. But fewer and fewer young Germans drink beer like the older generation; both men and women prefer non-alcoholic beer."

"Non-alcoholic beer? Does that stuff taste like beer?" Dong Qiangqiang had never drunk it before, and he didn't seem to remember ever seeing it.

"I'd never heard of non-alcoholic beer before coming to the brewery. I later learned that it's not actually new; its official name is non-alcoholic beer, but it's not completely alcohol-free. Any beer with an alcohol content of around 0.5% or less can be called non-alcoholic. My older colleagues at the brewery told me that they were drinking this stuff back in the 1980s. Because of its low alcohol content, they were allowed a glass during work breaks as a perk. However, due to the limited brewing technology at the time, the taste couldn't compare to regular beer, so nobody liked it, sales were dismal, and it gradually faded from the market. In recent years, the brewing technology for non-alcoholic beer has improved significantly, and they've done a lot of advertising targeting women, so it's gradually gained popularity, and annual production has slowly increased. The brewery I work for isn't even a big company; it's not listed like those American beer companies. It's just an ordinary family business, developing in a conventional way."

After Lu Shan finished speaking, he began to chew the salad.

"No matter what, no job is without its fatigue. You should still take care to rest and not overwork yourself. Studying abroad shouldn't just be about studying and working. When you have time, go out and travel to broaden your horizons. That way, you won't have come all this way for nothing. Just follow your Sister Lan or Boss Bai. They have many groups. I'll talk to them later. You don't need to worry about anything. Just make time for it. It won't cost you much money."

"Hehe, thanks, Brother Qiang. Of course I'd like to travel, but I doubt I'll have the time," Lu Shan said with a wry smile, shaking his head.

"What's so difficult about it? You haven't even started school yet, have you?"

"Children from poor families don't have many choices. After all, the initial reason for coming to Germany was to save money and earn some cash. Although German universities are tuition-free, making it significantly cheaper than going to the US, UK, or Australia, living expenses are still necessary. We used to use marks, now we use euros, so living expenses have doubled. You probably know a little about my family's situation. When my sister went abroad, she basically wiped out all our savings. When I came, not only did I empty our savings, but my parents also incurred a huge debt. Actually, my original plan was to work for two years after graduation to save some money before going abroad, but my parents felt it was better to go as early as possible, otherwise, they might be too old." I couldn't leave, so my parents kicked me out after just one semester. Of course, I'm not saying this to blame my sister. I know she's had a tough time. There was nothing I could do before, but now that I'm here, I have to support this family. First, I have to help my parents pay off their debts. Second, I can't let my sister suffer anymore. Third, I have to let them all enjoy life. Working is tiring, but it earns more money, and I only feel truly at ease when I have money. Otherwise, I won't feel right going out to play. Once I've paid off all my debts, I'll find Sister Lan and ask her to take me to broaden my horizons. Then, Brother Qiang, we'll go together. Oh, and let's invite my sister too, and also Boss Bai, Sister Tong, hey, invite them all, it'll be more lively together..."

Lu Shan's words reminded Dong Qiangqiang of what Lu Shan had said when Lu Shan first told him that he wanted to study in Germany: "Was it your own idea to come out (to study)?" "It was mine, and it was also my parents' idea."

In his eyes, Lu Shan seemed to have transformed back into the boy Dong Qiangqiang used to know. But he knew that Lu Shan was no longer a boy, but a towering tree growing strong. Growing up seems to happen in the blink of an eye. Dong Qiangqiang had originally wanted to advise him, "Wanting to buy osmanthus flowers and share wine, it will never be the same as the carefree days of youth." Some things should be done early, otherwise, when you get older, you won't have the mood or the meaning to go out and play. Only then did he realize his shallowness. Is there anything more foolish than advising someone to "eat meat porridge"?

Lu Shan's mouth was full of shrimp risotto, making him look like a chipmunk stuffed with nuts. His speech became slurred: "Brother Qiang, you're so well-off, you don't have to work. With Sister Lan not here, are you planning to spend a few days in Munich? It's a pity I can only see you after get off work in the evening, I have to work like a dog for the Germans during the day."

Dong Qiangqiang retorted irritably, "Salacious my foot! I'm not here to play around, I'm here to work too, okay?"

Lu Shan asked curiously, "You're leading a tour group too? Where's your group?"

"I didn't bring a group this time; I came to attend the Automotive Summit Forum." "At this time of year, you're not going to the Munich International Conference Center, are you?" Lu Shan's face was full of envy. "I heard about it back in August and have been wanting to go, but I couldn't buy tickets on my own. I heard that you need an invitation to get in. Sigh, I have to say, Brother Qiang, you're so resourceful. You can get tickets even when you're not here. Those tickets must have cost a lot of money, right? It's no fun if you keep complaining about being poor."

"I didn't complain about being poor. The real big shot is Boss Bai. He's the one who got the tickets. I'm just an employee."

"So you're here to be... a translator? Translation must pay quite well, right?"

"If I can't be a professional, I'm here to learn and broaden my horizons."

"Brother Qiang, I think you could definitely be a simultaneous interpreter. After you finish watching, tell me about it. Also, if there's another opportunity like this, could you get me an invitation? I want to go in and learn. Didn't you say that I can't just work for someone else? I need to broaden my horizons too?"

"No problem, I'll definitely think of you next time. But didn't you say that automation is also an important area of ​​the automotive industry? So you have to study hard. In the future, when I participate in this kind of event, I won't rely on Lao Bai, but on you."

The meal was a pleasant one for both host and guests. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Lu Shan insisted on paying the bill. Dong Qiangqiang appreciated the gesture and didn't stand on ceremony. Lu Shan tossed the Qing Dynasty books he had borrowed to Dong Qiangqiang and casually asked, "Brother Qiang, are you going to stay at Sister Lan's place tonight?"

“I’m not staying at her place. I’ll find a three-star hotel or a hostel or something. It’s only for a week anyway.” Dong Qiangqiang replied while flipping through the book Lu Shan threw to him. It was a novel similar to the “Three Words and Two Beats” collection. He had no interest in or knowledge of this kind of thing, so he flipped through a few pages and returned it to Lu Shan.

"If you ask me, you shouldn't bother with all this. Just come with me to my dorm. I haven't finished talking yet," Lu Shan said, putting the packed lunchbox into her bag. "These are perfect for us to eat when we get hungry from talking tonight."

Dong Qiangqiang is used to being alone and doesn't like to bother people: "I don't care, but will going there cause you trouble? Our dormitory supervisors keep a close eye on things, so I don't want anyone gossiping about me."

"Don't worry, the European students are either home or on vacation right now, the whole dorm is practically empty. As for the dorm supervisor, you have to make an appointment to find anyone during the semester, and forget about it during the holidays. The temporary student dorm I'm in now is a double room. The person who rented my room went back to their home country, and his roommate in the other room is traveling in September and won't be back until the end of the month. The dorm has everything we need, so we can chat. Besides, it's only one subway transfer from the dorm to the conference center, which is very convenient. The dorm is also close to the university library, so you can easily find information if you need to."

Unable to refuse Lu Shan's hospitality, Dong Qiangqiang stopped arguing and obediently followed Lu Shan back to the dormitory. As he had predicted, the large student dormitory area was deserted; the parking lot was empty, the hallways were quiet, and the double rooms were spacious and bright, complete with kitchens and bathrooms. Dong Qiangqiang noticed that Lu Shan had gained a lot of weight, but the room was spotless.

Lu Shan pulled out a newspaper and, sure enough, there was a report on Trier China Week, quite a bit of coverage. Dong Qiangqiang asked for a copy with his photo as a souvenir, and the two continued eating, drinking, and chatting. Lu Shan was more interested in things related to his studies, while Dong Qiangqiang was more interested in his knowledge of the German automotive industry. The two boys seemed to have endless topics to talk about, and before they knew it, it was midnight. Lu Shan, having worked all day, couldn't hide his drowsiness despite his talkativeness and fell asleep first.

The weariness that Dong Qiangqiang felt while chatting dissipated after Lu Shan fell asleep. He got up and continued reading the materials he hadn't finished on the way, feeling the same way he used to feel when he lived in the small house in Hanover.

The next day, Lu Shan didn't have to go to work and stayed in her dormitory to enjoy a rare moment of sleeping in. Dong Qiangqiang prepared breakfast and then took her materials to the library of the Technical University of Munich.

After spending a day in the library, he finally finished reading the key books recommended by the teaching assistant that covered the exchange rate between Europe and the United States. He then spent an afternoon studying George W. Bush. Considering that this year is the third year of President Bush's term, if there are no terrorist events like 9/11, his related monetary policies can continue and remain stable for at least another year. In that case, the exchange rate between the two currencies is unlikely to fluctuate drastically this year.

Monday arrived quickly.