August 31.
Five in the morning.
Zeyang City was not yet awake.
A few dim stars still hung in the sky, and the air held the distinct chill of early morning.
The lights in Chen Zhuo’s home came on.
Chen Jianguo was up early. He put on a pair of gray trousers and a clean, white button-down shirt.
He walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. The sound of running water was exceptionally clear in the quiet house.
Chen Jianguo cupped some cold water and splashed it on his face, then scrubbed it dry with a towel.
In the kitchen, Liu Xiuying was already awake.
A low flame was on the gas stove, and a few white-shelled eggs were bubbling away in a pot.
On the cutting board lay the beef shank that had been braised last night.
Liu Xiuying took a kitchen knife, cut the beef into large chunks, and packed them into a clean, clear plastic container. She put the lid on and snapped it shut.
She then took a few clean plastic baggies, scooped out the boiled eggs, rinsed them under cold water, and put them inside.
Along with a few bottles of mineral water and four large Red Fuji apples, she stuffed everything into a sturdy, large plastic bag.
Chen Zhuo’s door opened.
He was wearing a clean white t-shirt, light blue athletic pants, and a pair of white sneakers.
He had his usual black school backpack slung over his shoulder.
Inside the bag were his acceptance letter and a copy of his household registration booklet.
"You’re up?"
Liu Xiuying walked out of the kitchen, carrying the heavy plastic bag.
"Yeah." Chen Zhuo nodded.
He went to the bathroom to wash up.
Soon, the family of three gathered in the living room.
No one spoke. The atmosphere was filled with the unique tension that comes before a long journey.
The suitcase was leaning by the door. Chen Jianguo walked over, bent down, and grasped the handle on the side of the case with his right hand.
"Let’s go."
Chen Jianguo said.
He didn’t pull out the handle to roll it on its wheels, afraid of making too much noise in the hallway so early in the morning and waking the neighbors.
Instead, he carried the large suitcase in one hand, pushed open the door, and walked out.
Chen Zhuo followed close behind, with Liu Xiuying bringing up the rear.
She closed the wooden door, then pulled the outer metal security door shut.
The key turned twice.
Still feeling uneasy, Liu Xiuying grabbed the handle of the security door and gave it two hard tugs.
The metal door let out a dull thud but didn’t budge.
Only then did she turn, and, carrying the plastic bag, she made her way downstairs by the dim light of the hallway.
The stairwell was silent, save for the sound of Chen Jianguo’s leather shoes on the steps.
The early morning air was fresh, carrying a hint of dew and earth.
The black Santana 2000 was parked not far away, between two old pagoda trees.
The roof and front windshield were covered in a thin, frost-like layer of morning dew.
Chen Jianguo walked over and placed the red suitcase on the ground behind the car.
He didn’t rush to open the trunk.
He pulled a dry rag from his pants pocket and walked around to the front of the car.
First, he carefully wiped the dew from the front windshield, then polished the side mirrors until they were sparkling clean.
After cleaning the glass, he walked a circle around the car, stopping at each tire to give the sidewall a couple of hard kicks, listening to the sound and checking the pressure.
Once he was sure all four tires were fine, Chen Jianguo finally walked to the back of the car, draped the rag over his shoulder, and reached into his pocket for the car keys.
Just then.
A sudden clamor came from the direction of the Sunshine Family Courtyard’s large iron gate.
The sound of a bicycle chain grinding furiously carried far in the quiet morning courtyard.
It was followed by the chaotic rumble of wheels rolling over a bumpy road.
Chen Jianguo’s hand, reaching for the keys, froze. He turned his head to look.
Liu Xiuying and Chen Zhuo also looked toward the sound.
Out of the thin mist near the gate, a silver Giant mountain bike shot forward.
The rider wasn’t tall, but he was stocky.
He was hunched over, pedaling for dear life, his handlebars twisting back and forth with the effort.
He got closer.
His chubby face came into view.
Zhang Qiang.
His hair was a bird’s nest, his forehead covered in sweat.
Zhang Qiang pedaled right up to the Santana.
He slammed on both brakes.
The tires screeched, leaving a black mark on the concrete.
He planted one foot on the ground, gasping for breath.
His chest heaved violently.
"Qiangzi?"
Liu Xiuying was stunned. She took a couple of steps forward.
"What are you doing here? It’s so early. Where’s your dad?"
Zhang Qiang was too winded to speak. He lifted his arm and wiped the sweat from his face with the hem of his jersey.
"My dad... my dad didn’t come."
He finally caught his breath.
"He got a call in the middle of the night yesterday. Said there was some trouble with the shipment over on the provincial highway, so he left overnight."
Zhang Qiang swallowed, looking at Chen Zhuo, who was standing by the car door.
"I knew you guys were leaving early this morning, so I set an alarm in my room."
"I got up at four-thirty and biked over."
Brocade Garden is in the city center.
From there to Sunshine Family Courtyard, it was at least a half-hour bike ride.
And he had to cross several major intersections.
A twelve-year-old kid, riding in the pre-dawn darkness, drenched in sweat, crossing more than half of Zeyang City on his bike.
All just to get here before the car started.
Chen Jianguo looked at the sweat-drenched Zhang Qiang. He didn’t say anything, just reached out and patted his shoulder.
"All right, put your bike on its stand."
Zhang Qiang nodded, leaned over, and kicked down the mountain bike’s kickstand, parking it next to the old pagoda tree.
He walked to the back of the car.
He glanced at the large red suitcase on the ground.
Without a word.
Zhang Qiang bent down and grabbed the handles on the top and side of the suitcase with both hands.
"HNGH!"
He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his chubby cheeks bulging, and strained to lift the heavy suitcase past his knees.
Chen Jianguo had intended to help, but seeing Zhang Qiang’s stubborn determination, he pulled his hand back.
He used the key to open the trunk.
Holding his breath, Zhang Qiang steadily pushed the suitcase all the way to the back of the trunk.
Then.
SLAM!
He grabbed the trunk lid and pulled it down hard.
It made a heavy, muffled sound.
The lock engaged.
Zhang Qiang turned around, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants.
He looked at Chen Zhuo, who was standing nearby.
The sky was starting to brighten, and they could see the expressions on each other’s faces clearly.
Zhang Qiang seemed to be in a daze, a combination of just-woken-up grogginess and post-exercise excitement.
He looked at Chen Zhuo and said in a low voice.
"Brother Zhuo, you’re really leaving."
Chen Zhuo’s hand rested on the handle of the Santana’s rear door.
He looked at Zhang Qiang’s sweaty forehead and the shoulders of his jersey, slightly damp with dew.
"Yeah, I’m leaving."
Chen Zhuo paused for a moment.
"City No. 1 Middle School starts next week. You’ll be a middle schooler then, so be smart about things."
"And those notes I left you—make sure to look through them when you have time."
Hearing this, Zhang Qiang broke into a wide grin, his eyes squeezing into slits and revealing two rows of white teeth.
"You got it."
Zhang Qiang took half a step forward.
"When you get to Huizhou, eat more meat. My dad says the portions are small there."
"Don’t want you getting unused to the food and losing weight. If you need anything, just tell me on the phone, and I’ll have my dad mail it to you."
Chen Zhuo looked at the chubby kid.
He nodded.
"I know."
He pulled open the black car door.
"Go on back. Ride slowly, and take advantage of the cool morning."
Zhang Qiang stood his ground and nodded emphatically.
On the other side, Liu Xiuying had already opened the passenger side door.
She carefully placed the large plastic bag, filled with beef and hard-boiled eggs, on the floor mat beneath the seat.
Then she got in herself.
Chen Jianguo opened the driver’s side door and got in.
Chen Zhuo bent down and settled into the spacious back seat.
The car doors closed one after another.
Chen Jianguo put the key in the ignition.
He pressed the clutch and turned the key.
The Santana’s engine started with a steady hum, and a puff of faint white smoke emerged from the tailpipe.
Chen Jianguo reached out and turned the air conditioning knob, and a blast of cold air immediately blew from the vents.
Liu Xiuying rolled down the passenger side window.
She stuck her head out halfway and looked at Zhang Qiang, who was standing under the tree.
"Qiangzi, hurry back and get some more sleep! Keep to the side of the road on your bike, and be careful!"
Zhang Qiang stood there, wiping away a bead of sweat.
"Got it, Auntie! Uncle Chen, drive safely! Brother Zhuo, have a safe trip!"
Chen Jianguo lowered the driver’s side window and waved at Zhang Qiang.
The black Santana 2000 started forward slowly, its tires rolling over a few fallen leaves as it headed toward the courtyard gate.
Chen Zhuo sat in the back seat.
The car was spacious. He leaned back quietly against the fabric seat.
He didn’t turn his head.
He just cast his gaze out the window, looking at the side-view mirror mounted on the door.
In the mirror.
The chubby figure stood under the old pagoda tree.
Zhang Qiang didn’t wave, nor did he run after the car.
He just sat astride the silver mountain bike, one foot propping him up on the ground.
He quietly watched the black sedan drive further and further away.
Until the car turned a corner and drove out of the large iron gate.
In the mirror, Zhang Qiang, the old pagoda tree, and the rows of dilapidated tenement buildings all disappeared from view.
Outside the courtyard was a straight road.
The road was nearly empty of cars in the early morning. The shops on both sides were closed, their rolling steel shutters pulled down tight.
Occasionally, a few sanitation workers in orange vests could be seen sweeping the roadside with large brooms, making a RUSTLE-RUSTLE sound.
The Santana drove through the empty streets, heading out of the city.
"That kid... he really has a good heart."
Liu Xiuying sighed from the passenger seat and rolled the window back up.
"Coming all this way on his bike, just for a glance. Qiangzi is such a genuine kid."
Chen Jianguo kept his eyes on the road ahead and nodded.
"Old Zhang is an honest man. His son is a good, loyal kid too."
The car left the city limits.
The buildings on either side began to thin out, replaced by vast stretches of farmland and woods.
The asphalt road also changed to a concrete-paved national highway.
They could occasionally feel a slight bump as the tires passed over the seams in the road.
On the distant horizon, the sun had risen.
It was a brilliant red, its light not yet harsh, dyeing the clouds on the horizon a shade of orange.
The light hit the car windows and filtered into the cabin.
Chen Jianguo reached up and pulled down the sun visor.
"Xiaozhuo."
Chen Jianguo said, looking at his quiet son in the rearview mirror.
"If you’re tired, lie down in the back and get some sleep. We still have a long way to go."
"Not tired."
Chen Zhuo replied.
He watched the poplar trees receding endlessly outside the window.
In his mind, the memories of Zeyang City—the ceiling fan in the Sunshine Family Courtyard, the labs at City No. 1 Middle School, the pile of toy cars at Zhang Qiang’s house—
were being packed away and sealed, one by one.
The black Santana 2000 traveled south along National Highway 104.
The wheels rolled ever onward.
Leaving the small city of Zeyang completely behind.

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