1985, the year of the great writer, began with Infernal Affairs!

Xie Lu rode his bike to the entrance of the steel factory's residential compound and stopped.

Zhao Wanwan also stopped, supporting herself on one foot. She looked at Xie Lu, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't say it.

The sunlight slanted in from the west, casting long shadows of the two people. The residential compound was quiet; it was lunchtime, and the adults were resting at home while the children were probably still playing outside.

"We've arrived," Xie Lu said.

"Mm." Zhao Wanwan nodded. She didn't get off the bike immediately, but just sat there, holding the handlebars, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the bicycle bell.

The wind blew from the other end of the street, ruffling her hair. She raised her hand to smooth it and tucked it behind her ear.

Xie Lu had seen this gesture several times before.

"So, when are you going back to the village?"

"I'm going back now. I need to go back and pack my things. I'll come find you in a few days in the morning."

"Number Four, don't forget him."

Zhao Wanwan reminded her.

"Yes, the train is at 3 PM on the 4th. Let's go to the station early."

Zhao Wanwan nodded, looked at Xie Lu for a while, and then said with some reluctance, "Then... take care on your journey."

"I know, you can go back now."

Zhao Wanwan gave a soft "hmm" and pushed the cart into the yard. After a few steps, she turned around.

Xie Lu remained standing there, watching her.

She waved.

Xie Lu also waved.

Zhao Wanwan turned around, pushed the cart into the yard, and disappeared around the corner of the red brick house.

Xie Lu stood at the door for a while before getting on his bicycle, turning around, and riding out of the city.

Xie Lu did not ride fast.

He was thinking about things: the train the day after tomorrow, Wuhan, Wuhan University, where he had several close friends from his four years of university in his previous life, none of whom were easy to deal with. He was also thinking about Zhao Wanwan's hesitant expression just now.

He knew what she was thinking.

Traveling far from home, to an unfamiliar city, to an unknown life.

These are things that any eighteen-year-old feels both anticipation and trepidation about.

But he's different.

He's been through it once before.

He knew what Wuhan University looked like, the cherry blossoms on Luojia Mountain, the sunset over East Lake, and the yellowed books in the library.

He also knew that this departure would last for four years.

Four years from now, he will graduate, get a job, and find his place in this rapidly changing era.

Zhao Wanwan was unaware of all this.

She boarded the train with only a vague sense of courage and a yearning for the future.

I rode out of the county town and onto a dirt road. The cornfields stretched as far as the eye could see, and in the distance, an old farmer was working in the field, wearing a straw hat and bent over.

Xie Lu sped up.

......

On the morning of the 4th.

Xie Lu woke up before dawn.

He lay in bed, listening to the roosters crowing outside the window.

One sound, two sounds, three sounds.

The rooster's crow woke the morning, and the sky changed from pitch black to deep blue, then revealed a hint of dawn.

Xie Lu sat up and looked around the room.

It wasn't big; there was a kang (a heated brick bed), a desk, a wardrobe, and several certificates of merit pasted on the wall, all earned during my school years.

There were still manuscript papers spread out on the desk, leftovers from writing "Infernal Affairs" a few days ago.

Today, he is leaving this place.

Go to Wuhan, go to Wuhan University, and start a new life.

He put on his clothes and opened the door.

In the courtyard, the parents had already gotten up early.

Xie Youshan was chopping firewood; with each swing of the axe, the wood split open.

Wang Yufen was tending the fire at the stove, with porridge cooking in the pot. Steam was rising from the cracks in the lid, carrying the aroma of rice.

"You're up?" Wang Yufen looked up at him.

"Yes, I'm up." Xie Lu walked to the water vat and scooped water to wash his face.

The cool water splashed on his face, dispelling the last bit of drowsiness. He carefully washed his face, brushed his teeth, and dried himself with a towel.

Wang Yufen had already ladled out the porridge and placed it on the table.

There were also a few cornbreads, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a small bowl of stir-fried pork belly that she brought back from the county town yesterday. She bought these this morning specifically for Xie Lu to eat.

In the past, people could only eat meat during festivals and holidays.

"Let's eat."

Wang Yufen called out, and Xie Lu and Xie Youshan sat down to eat shortly afterward.

The table was quiet.

The only sounds were the sounds of drinking porridge and chewing.

Xie Youshan ate in silence, without saying a word.

Wang Yufen would occasionally put food on Xie Lu's plate, picking up a thick slice of pork belly and then another piece.

"Eat more, you won't find this kind of good food on the road."

Xie Lu remained silent, only nodding and eating heartily.

As she ate, Wang Yufen's eyes suddenly reddened. Afraid that Xie Lu would see them, she quickly lowered her head and wiped them with her sleeve.

Xie Youshan saw this and slammed his chopsticks on the table.

"What are you crying about!" His voice was loud but a little hoarse. "Your son is going to school, it's a good thing! What's there to cry about!"

Wang Yufen didn't say anything, she just wiped her eyes.

Xie Lu put down his chopsticks.

He took out a small cloth bag from his pocket and placed it on the table. The bag was blue and faded from washing. He untied it, and inside was a wad of money.

Twenty bills in total, some ten yuan and some five yuan, for two hundred yuan.

"Dad, Mom, this is for you."

Xie Youshan and Wang Yufen were both stunned.

They looked at the stack of money in front of them, then at Xie Lu, and were momentarily stunned.

"Where did this come from?" Xie Youshan asked, his voice a little tense.

"I earned it."

"You earned it? Son, how did you earn it?" Wang Yufen asked, her eyes still red, but her face full of worry: "There's about two hundred yuan here."

Xie Lu took out the reply from "Contemporary" magazine from another pocket and placed it next to the money.

"I wrote an article and submitted it to the magazine 'Contemporary.' It was accepted, and the payment was six hundred. Here is two hundred of it, which you can keep for yourselves."

Xie Youshan and Wang Yufen exchanged a glance. Although they were illiterate, they knew what money was.

The stack of money in front of me was thick, all ten-yuan and five-yuan bills, which was clearly not a small amount.

But what they are more worried about is whether the money came from a legitimate source.

Xie Youshan's face was serious: "Son, tell your father the truth, where did this money come from?"

You mustn't, you can't do anything bad!

Wang Yufen also got anxious: "Yes, son, although our family is poor, we are poor with integrity. We cannot take money that is not rightfully ours!"

You're still young, your future is important, you can't ruin it!

Looking at his parents' worried faces, Xie Lu felt a warmth in his heart, but also a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"Dad, Mom, don't worry, this money really came from my writing."

"Contemporary" is a national magazine, and it's legitimate.

The royalties are paid by the government; there are withdrawal slips and official seals on them. You can see for yourselves if you don't believe me.

After saying that, Xie Lu pushed the reply forward a little.

Xie Youshan picked up the paper and examined it over and over. He couldn't read, but he recognized the official seal. There was a clear red seal in the lower right corner of the paper.

Wang Yufen also came over to take a look. She couldn't read either, but she saw the number "600".

"Six hundred?" she whispered.

"Okay, I'll take the 600 yuan fee. I'll keep 200 for you guys to use as you like, don't be stingy. I'll keep the rest for myself, for the road and for school."