The black Santana 2000 drove out of the highway toll station.
The sunlight outside was a glaring white.
Chen Jianguo gripped the steering wheel with both hands. He had been driving for five or six hours straight.
In the passenger seat, Liu Xiuying was leaning back, nodding off.
Chen Zhuo sat in the back, looking out the window.
The streets of Huizhou were much wider than Zeyang’s. The trees lining the road were tall and lush, their dense branches casting most of the street in shadow.
Along the street, a vendor sold popsicles from a tricycle, a few shirtless kids gathered around it.
The car rounded a large intersection and entered a long, tree-lined boulevard.
A tall, grayish-white school gate appeared just ahead.
Carved on it were the words:
Hua Country Science and Technology University.
Chen Jianguo eased off the accelerator, slowly pulling the car over to park in the shade of a tree just outside the gate.
He pulled the handbrake and took the key out of the ignition.
"We’re here."
His voice was a little hoarse.
Liu Xiuying opened her eyes, sat up straight, and turned to look out the car window.
"So this is Keda?"
"Mhm, let’s get out."
As the door opened, a wave of heat rolled in from outside.
Chen Jianguo went to the rear of the car and opened the trunk with his key. He grabbed the red suitcase with both hands, heaved it out, and set it on the ground.
From under the passenger seat, Liu Xiuying pulled out a large plastic bag filled with snacks, along with two small cloth bags.
Chen Zhuo slung his black shoulder bag over his shoulder, pushed open the door, and got out.
The main school gate wasn’t fully closed, but a smaller side gate was open. A security guard, sitting in his booth with a fan running, glanced at them but didn’t stop them.
The campus was filled with lush, shady trees.
Red banners with slogans like "Welcome, New Students!" hung on both sides of the main road. But since the main wave of students hadn’t arrived yet, the campus felt somewhat empty and quiet.
Chen Jianguo stopped a student who was pushing a bicycle.
"Excuse me. Could you tell me where the check-in for the Junior Class is?"
The student stopped and sized up Chen Jianguo. Then his gaze fell on ten-year-old Chen Zhuo beside him, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"The Junior Class, huh... Just follow this road straight ahead. After you pass a man-made lake, take a right. You’ll see a small plaza with some red tents. That’s the reception area for the Junior Class. It’s not too busy today."
"Thank you."
The family of three followed the student’s directions and walked for several minutes.
At the edge of the plaza stood several red canopies. Beneath them, two long tables were placed end to end.
In front of the tables stood a sign: Junior Class New Student Reception.
Beneath the canopy sat a teacher in a short-sleeved shirt. He wore half-rimmed glasses and was slowly waving a large cattail-leaf fan.
On the table lay several thick registration books and bunches of keys held together with rubber bands.
Chen Jianguo walked over with the suitcase and set it on the ground.
"Hello, sir. We’re here to register early."
The teacher stopped fanning, raised his head, and looked from Chen Jianguo to Chen Zhuo beside him.
He pushed up his glasses and smiled.
"Chen Zhuo?"
Chen Jianguo nodded.
"Yes, I’m his father."
The teacher pulled open a drawer and opened the topmost roster.
"Director Fang mentioned your family would be driving over and would likely arrive this afternoon. You have all the documents, right?"
Chen Zhuo stepped forward, unzipped his shoulder bag, pulled out a clear file folder, and handed it to the teacher.
"It’s all here, sir."
The teacher took the folder, pulled out the acceptance letter and a copy of the household register, and gave them a quick check.
The teachers for the Junior Class were long past being surprised by a student’s age.
He had already checked the birthdate on the list several times. Ten was young, sure, but Keda’s Junior Class had admitted even younger children over the years.
He put the documents back in the folder, picked up a pen, and placed a checkmark next to Chen Zhuo’s name in the roster.
"Your dorm has been assigned. Building 4, Room 215. It’s a double."
He handed a slip of paper and a key with a brass tag to Chen Zhuo.
"Follow this road south. You’ll pass two flowerbeds, and then you’ll see a row of red brick buildings. That’s it. Only the first floor of the cafeteria is open today. You’ll need to exchange cash for temporary meal tickets. The official meal cards will be issued to everyone tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir." Chen Zhuo took the key and slipped it into his pocket.
The three of them followed the tree-lined path towards the dormitory area.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light on the path.
Building 4 was a red-brick building with a newly renovated facade.
The dorm matron in the lobby glanced at the check-in slip in Chen Zhuo’s hand and waved them through.
They went up to the second floor.
The hallway floor had just been mopped, and the air was still damp.
Chen Jianguo led the way, carrying the suitcase.
"211, 213... 215."
He stopped in front of a green wooden door.
The door was open.
Before they even entered, they could hear someone speaking from inside. The voice was loud, with the thick, rustic accent of the Northeast.
"Ma, can you wet that rag and wipe this down a couple more times? There’s still dust on the edge of the desk."
"You’re all talk and no action! You don’t lift a finger at home, and now you’re out here bossing me around. Hand me that basin!"
Chen Jianguo stood in the doorway and knocked twice on the door panel.
The voices inside stopped.
A tall figure walked out from behind the door.
It was a teenager.
He was very tall—over 1.75 meters—with broad shoulders. He was wearing a gray athletic tank top and baggy shorts.
His face still held traces of boyishness that hadn’t quite faded, and a fine layer of fuzz dusted his upper lip.
He froze for a second, staring at the three people outside the door.
His gaze passed over Chen Jianguo and landed on Chen Zhuo.
"Holy cow!"
The boy broke into an amused grin.

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