Era: Rise from the Wilderness

By the time the truck arrived at the entrance of No. 25 Middle School, the sun was already so intense that it could make people sweat.

The wheels rolled over the potholes in the cement at the school gate and screeched to a halt in front of the small shop, which was freshly painted a light green.

The dust settled slowly.

Li Hongfeng jumped off the truck, gave a shout, and the four of them worked together to move the large freezer from the truck bed inch by inch. They then chanted in unison as they carefully lifted it over the threshold and placed it in the pre-reserved spot in the shop.

After paying the "130" driver's fare and watching the truck chug away, puffing out black smoke, Li Hongfeng finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.

"Let's go! Old Liu, Old Wang, you have to let me do something today, no matter what!"

He wiped the dirt and sweat from his forehead, turned to Liu Weiguo and Wang Jianjun and laughed, "'Sijichun' is on me! Anyone who doesn't come will be in trouble!"

Liu Weiguo chuckled and patted his dust-covered work pants: "Brother Li, you're too kind. It was nothing..."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Li Hongfeng put his arm around his shoulder. "Come on! Old Wang, let's drink until we drop!"

Wang Jianjun was a man of few words; he simply smiled憨厚ly and nodded.

"Sijichun" is a long-established restaurant in Fuzhou Town. It has a small storefront, a two-story building, and the wooden signboard is blurred by wind and rain.

It was lunchtime, and the place was bustling with noise, with all the square tables packed full.

There are four private rooms on the second floor.

Li Hongfeng was clearly a regular customer. He greeted the shop owner behind the counter who was fiddling with an abacus, and the owner led them up the creaking wooden stairs to a small private room on the second floor, partitioned off with plywood.

The private room could only fit a round table. The paint on the walls was peeling, and the ceiling fan was spinning weakly, but it was still quieter than the noise downstairs.

"Braised pork knuckle, preferably the hind leg, stewed until very tender!"

Li Hongfeng ordered the food without even looking at the menu, and blurted out, "Braised carp, pick a big one!"

"The sweet and sour pork is coated with a thick layer of sauce!"

"Chicken stew with mushrooms, add plenty of glass noodles!"

These are all hearty dishes, truly substantial.

"Brother Li, where's the wine?"

The proprietress, who was in charge of taking orders, asked with a smile.

Li Hongfeng's workplace didn't pay much, but there was a lot of eating and drinking involved; there were banquets almost every two or three days.

Li Hongfeng has eaten at every restaurant in town, big and small, high-end and mid-range, and there's no place he doesn't recognize.

The restaurant owners were all aware of the rules for meals at Li Hongfeng's workplace: keep accounts, and settle the accounts with the supply department at the end of the year.

For a major client like Li Hongfeng, one naturally greets him with a smile and flatters him.

"Two bottles of 'Fuzhou White'! High alcohol content, please!"

Li Hongfeng waved his hand.

Soon, the dishes were served.

The large, coarse porcelain plate was surprisingly heavy.

The braised pork knuckle is glistening with oil and a deep reddish-brown color, trembling and steaming; the carp lies horizontally in a thick sauce, its eyes wide open; the sweet and sour pork is fried to a golden brown and crispy, drizzled with a glistening sweet and sour sauce; the chicken stew with mushrooms is served in an enamel bowl, the soup milky white and fragrant.

Two bottles of "Fuzhou White" with simple labels were also placed on the table, the clear liquid reflecting the dim light.

"Come on! Old Liu, Old Wang!"

"My first toast, all my gratitude is in the drink!"

"I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"

Li Hongfeng unscrewed the bottle cap, poured three full cups, picked up one for himself, tilted his head back, and let the spicy liquid burn down his throat.

"You're too kind, Brother Li!"

Liu Weiguo, equally forthright, picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp. Reeking of alcohol, he wiped his mouth and said, "We're all brothers, no need for such formalities!"

"Yeah, and besides, we weren't really that helpful!"

"I think Xiao Yunjing took care of Ma Youcai all by herself!"

Wang Jianjun also smiled, picked up his glass, and drank it all in one gulp, a blush quickly spreading across his dark face.

After several rounds of drinks, most of the dishes had been eaten.

The private room was filled with smoke and the smell of alcohol.

Once the conversation started, it went from personnel changes in the factory workshop to whose child in town recently got into university, and then to the funny stories of running fieldwork together in the old days.

The glasses clinked together, and laughter rose in waves.

Li Hongfeng's tongue was a little thick, but his eyes were clear. He knew that this drinking session was not just a thank you, but also a way to maintain the relationship.

In this small town where human relationships are as thick as paper, a few "insiders" who can drink together and lend a hand to each other are more effective than any contract or agreement.

He was able to thrive in the state-owned enterprise and call for help whenever something happened, all thanks to the connections he maintained on a daily basis.

We're all on the same side!

Having connections makes things easier!

This is the logic of Northeast China!

Li Yunjing sat to the left of his father, with a bottle of soda in front of him.

He didn't say much. Even when Wang Jianjun mentioned him, he just smiled. He just listened quietly to the adults chatting, occasionally picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks.

His gaze swept over his father's face, flushed with alcohol and excitement, over Uncle Liu's animated gestures, and over Uncle Wang's silent yet nodding profile.

This is my father's world—a rough but stable world held together by his position, his capacity for alcohol, and personal relationships.

And he seemed to be being led into the threshold of this world by his father, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

The sky outside the window darkened without us even realizing it.

The wine bottle was empty, and only scraps of food remained.

Liu Weiguo was already unsteady on his feet, and Wang Jianjun's eyes were glazed over.

Li Hongfeng was still relatively sober. He told the proprietress, signed his name in a flamboyant manner on the ledger, and then, together with Li Yunjing, helped the unsteady Liu Weiguo downstairs.

The company's bread truck was parked in front of the restaurant.

Li Hongfeng first shoved Liu Weiguo into the back seat, and the burly man started snoring as soon as he touched the seat.

He helped Wang Jianjun sit down before climbing into the driver's seat himself.

Li Yunjing sat in the passenger seat.

The car started and drove slowly in the dim light of dusk.

After drinking, Li Yunjing reminded his father to be careful.

"It's alright! It's only a little bit!"

Li Hongfeng waved his hand dismissively and continued driving the bread truck with practiced ease.

This scene made Li Yunjing's palms sweat. Besides watching the road, he focused most of his attention on his father. If there was any problem with the driving, he would grab the steering wheel and take control of the car for his father.

As for driving under the influence of alcohol?

This was in 1990, before there were any relevant regulations, so it did not violate traffic laws.

This is a legal but unreasonable operation.

The town was much quieter at night, with only a few shops still lit up.

First, they took Liu Weiguo, who was snoring loudly, to the downstairs of his apartment building. After watching his wife come out, they half-helped and half-cursed him as they carried him inside.

They turned around again, drove through most of the town, and escorted the silent Wang Jianjun to the entrance of his small courtyard house.

Wang Jianjun got out of the car relatively steadily, but after turning back to wave to Li Hongfeng, he dragged his slightly heavy steps and disappeared into the darkness of the courtyard.

Once only the father and son were left in the car, the red numbers on the car's electronic watch already indicated 7:03 PM.

The streets were deserted, with only car headlights cutting through the thick darkness of the night.