I had been sitting in the coffee shop for quite a while before I finally paid the bill and headed to the small restaurant where I often went with Fang Yuan for a few drinks after working late, during our time at the Baoli Department Store. This small eatery had become our unspoken, familiar haunt. Over the past several years, we had shared many of life’s and career’s frustrations here, often reminiscing about the easygoing and free days of university, and throwing our emotions into alcohol to exchange them for equal measures of relief.
I almost arrived at the small restaurant at the same time as Fang Yuan. Because the alley was narrow, we had to make way for an oncoming three-wheeled transport vehicle, and it took us some effort to park our car. He was in front and I was behind, and we stepped off the car without saying much, walking side by side into the restaurant.
The owner’s wife was still the same as always, fond of sitting at the entrance at noon to attract customers. Seeing us arrive, she remarked emotionally, “You two boys really haven’t come here for quite a while!”
Fang Yuan and I gave the same excuse simultaneously, replying, “We’ve just been really busy lately!”
Looking at our car parked across the street, she gestured with her mouth and said, “I see you two aren’t busy at all—you’ve just become successful and forgotten about our small restaurant.”
“No, no, that’s not the case at all… Well, we’re here today anyway!”
The owner’s wife smiled and said, “I’m genuinely happy to see you two lads have made something of yourselves… But today, can you settle those old tabs you left behind?”
Fang Yuan and I exchanged glances. We indeed often left tabs here, but couldn’t remember exactly when or which ones. We couldn’t recall who was supposed to pay for which tab.
Sure enough, the owner’s wife brought out a ledger, found our tab records, and showed them to us, saying, “Here… There are still three unpaid tabs, totaling 266 yuan.”
The owner’s wife was a good person who had never mentioned this debt until today, when she felt that Fang Yuan and I had achieved some social status. Thus, both of us felt very guilty and, without caring who was supposed to treat originally, we both took out our wallets from our pockets and together pulled out 300 yuan, saying in unison, “No need for change…”
The owner’s wife took 100 yuan from me and 200 yuan from Fang Yuan, saying, “Nowadays money isn’t worth much, so 300 yuan is fair. Just like before, young Zhao Yang is stingy and indeed has no money, so I’ll collect 100 from Zhao Yang and 200 from Fang Yuan. That’s fair and impartial.”
Then she took the remaining money from our hands and said, “This additional 300 yuan will be today’s meal cost. Zhao Yang drives an A6 and Fang Yuan an A4. Zhao Yang is doing better, so I’ll collect 200 from Zhao Yang and 100 from Fang Yuan. Still fair and impartial.”
Fang Yuan smiled and said, “Auntie, you really are a sharp one!”
“Running a small business, if you aren’t sharp, you won’t make any money… 300 yuan can get you the best meal here. I’ll cook you the best one, as a farewell, because I’m afraid you won’t come back to my small restaurant anymore!”
I said, “Auntie, how can you say that? We’ve always been thinking of your restaurant!”
“Then let me test you two. Don’t look at the signboard beside you. Tell me the name of our restaurant. If you can’t say it, I won’t believe you’ve always been thinking of it.”
Fang Yuan and I looked at each other helplessly. For a moment, neither of us could recall the name of the small restaurant. We took a step back and saw the signboard for attracting customers, finally remembering it was called “Hui Fang Restaurant,” named after the owner’s wife by the chef owner.
…
At noon, there weren’t many customers in the small restaurant. Fang Yuan and I sat at our usual spot and started eating. The owner’s wife seemed to have accepted that we wouldn’t come back again, and surprisingly generously turned on the air conditioner for us to keep warm, as if wanting us to remember the kindness of “Hui Fang Restaurant.”
We had tea instead of wine, eating the most sumptuous meal that the restaurant could offer. I served Fang Yuan a bowl of tofu soup and said, “Taste it. The chef’s skills seem to have improved since before.”
Fang Yuan took it from my hand, tasted a mouthful, just nodded without giving any verbal comments, then threw me a cigarette, lit one himself, took a deep puff, and asked, “Zhao Yang, we’ve been brothers for so long, do you still remember when we started distinguishing between you and me?”
I was somewhat taken aback by his question, and didn’t want to subjectively misinterpret his intention, so I asked in return, “Why are you asking this?”
“I remember you once told me in university that we are like a handful of dirt on the ground—you spit a little saliva, I throw in some snot, mixing and stirring them together to make porcelain…”
I nodded and said, “Our fate is humble, only able to use spit and snot to mix and stir. We can’t produce anything noble, but we are solid, we are brothers!”
Fang Yuan took another puff of his cigarette, seemingly disliking the taste of tobacco, letting the smoke disperse through his mouth and nose. He tapped the ash from his cigarette and told me, “…Time over these years has changed a lot. I seem to have everything, yet lack everything, so in this world’s survival, I always feel insecure… Just like Miss Mi, with one sentence, she can end all my efforts in the workplace… But I have no complaints or ill feelings towards her because this is the law of survival.”
I sensed something from Fang Yuan’s words but didn’t interrupt, waiting for him to continue.
Fang Yuan put out the cigarette after only two puffs in the ashtray and continued, “However, no matter how much changes, I and you, Zhao Yang, are still brothers made from spit and snot mixed together. This is the fundamental truth I will never forget in my heart… So rest assured, no matter when, I won’t forget that we are brothers. Your position is my position…”
After a brief silence, he smiled again and said, “Perhaps twenty years from now, I and you, Zhao Yang, can still come to this Hui Fang Restaurant for a few drinks and chat again!”
I looked around the restaurant… but didn’t know whether this restaurant would still exist in the twenty years Fang Yuan imagined. However, the atmosphere of our conversation became somewhat relaxed because of Fang Yuan’s statement. The purpose of my meeting him was indeed to get this promise.
At that time, I had spared no effort to recommend him and Chen Jingming to Mi Cai, hoping they could become Mi Cai’s right-hand men. If Fang Yuan could also be as devoted to Mi Cai as Chen Jingming, it would be a kind of fulfillment for me.
“Zhao Yang, you and Mi Cai should hurry up and have a child… If we each have a boy and a girl, and you don’t mind my Gao Pang (high match) with Yan Yan, we can become in-laws. With Mi Cai’s excellent genes, the child will definitely be outstanding!”
“Sure, if we have a daughter, you, the future father-in-law, have to take charge of the celebration banquet for her full moon.”
“No problem.” Fang Yuan said, raising his cup to toast mine with tea.
We tilted our heads back and drank the already somewhat cooled tea in our cups, then looked together at this “Hui Fang Restaurant.” Perhaps we were both thinking that in the future, when both families had children, we would bring our wives and children to this “Hui Fang Restaurant,” which had witnessed many years of our lives, for a gathering.
Because it is a symbol, symbolizing our humble origins, symbolizing that we are brothers without distinction of status.
…
After saying goodbye to Fang Yuan, I also bid farewell to a concern. At present, it seemed that Mi Cai’s mood wasn’t too affected by the failure of Zhuo Mei’s listing. I believed that with the support of the woman in red, she would quickly adjust her state and continue to take control of Zhuo Mei, leading it to achieve a leap forward… and our feelings would also settle down accordingly.
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