In the end, Zhao Ziqiang didn’t go to that so-called New Oriental Culinary Academy because the tuition was too expensive. To someone like Qian Wang, with his social status, a few thousand might be nothing, but to Zhao Ziqiang, a 27-year-old living paycheck to paycheck, it was an absurd amount.

He stayed at home for a week, but eventually, under his dad’s frown and stern pressure, he reluctantly moved out. Before he left, Zhao’s mother tried to give him some money. Although it wasn’t much, and though Zhao Ziqiang is used to being shameless, he still found it hard to accept. He declined and left home almost in a half-escape.

Of course, he had already found a job in advance—working as an apprentice and kitchen helper at a small restaurant next to the bus station. They provided food and lodging, and he would earn eight hundred in the first month.

This was already pretty good, Zhao Ziqiang thought, touching his nose. In the past seven years, he had been doing everything—shopping for groceries, cooking, playing the roles of both nanny and chef, all while having free accommodation, but he hadn’t earned a single cent of profit. And before he knew it, his youth had slipped away.

Walking in a daze, Zhao Ziqiang slowly made his way toward the store. Before he could react, a bicycle knocked him to the ground. The rider also fell quite badly. Zhao Ziqiang groaned as he sat up, and when he looked closely, he realized it was none other than his old rival, Sun Kan. The person on the back of the bike had jumped off early and was unscathed. After confirming that the rider wasn’t Qian Wang, he smiled at Sun Kan, who was helping him up.

“I may be older than you, but I’m not at the point where I can’t get up,” Zhao Ziqiang said. “It’s no big deal.”

Sun Kan kept his head lowered, but upon hearing these words, he looked up with reddened eyes and said, “I’m sorry.”

Zhao Ziqiang stared blankly at the helpless child in front of him, unsure of what he was apologizing for. Perhaps it was because seeing Zhao Ziqiang lugging his luggage in such a pathetic state stirred up some guilt, or maybe it was just because he felt bad for knocking him over. Or maybe it was both.

After Zhao Ziqiang managed to come to terms with what had happened, much of his previous criticism and resentment faded. Although he still didn’t like Sun Kan, the impulse to slap him across the face had disappeared.

Zhao Ziqiang scratched the back of his head. “It’s fine, I—”

Before he could finish, the boy behind Sun Kan grew impatient and said, “If it’s nothing, then let’s just move on. Why are you still blabbering?”

Zhao Ziqiang curled his lips, his frustration rising again. However, Sun Kan was someone who liked to keep the peace, and with both sides trying to smooth things over, Zhao Ziqiang didn’t feel right getting angry. He simply rolled his eyes, grabbed his luggage, and walked away.

The two of them also lifted their bike and rode off in the other direction.

It was snowing and the road was slippery. Along the way, Zhao Ziqiang witnessed quite a few accidents, whether it was someone slipping and falling or sliding out while turning a corner. He tilted his head, unsure whether it was an omen of good or bad luck…

The boss lady had a fortune-bringing smile, always grinning no matter who she was talking to or what she was saying, which made Zhao Ziqiang feel very comfortable. The boss, on the other hand, was an honest man—short in stature and a bit stuttery, but when giving instructions, he would stretch his arm and slap Zhao Ziqiang’s shoulder with enthusiasm. The boss was a seasoned cook with great arm strength, and his pats made Zhao Ziqiang grimace, yet by the end of the first day, the distance he initially felt had diminished significantly, easing some of his initial anxiety.

The boss’s surname was Sun, and his wife’s surname was Wang, so Zhao Ziqiang called them Sun Ge and Wang Jie. The couple had a pair of children who were on winter break. The daughter, named Sun Yan, was shy and timid, calling Zhao Ziqiang “Uncle Zhao” in a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz. Although Zhao Ziqiang felt this made him seem old, he reasoned that since he called others “dad” and “bro,” this was just how it had to be.

On the first day, there wasn’t much to do. The small restaurant was bustling with customers, and Zhao Ziqiang could only help in the back kitchen by picking vegetables and passing dishes. By eight in the evening, when the food supplies were nearly depleted, they finally began to close up.

Sitting in the back kitchen, Zhao Ziqiang rubbed his sore shoulders and watched the couple clean up. Sun Yan had already lost her fear of him and was nestled in his arms, listening to him talk with her parents.

“You’re twenty-seven this year, right? Have you found a partner yet?” Brother Sun’s accent carried a local dialect that sounded quite friendly, and Zhao Ziqiang didn’t find it strange at all.

“No, not yet. I’m not really thinking about it.”

“Oh, you should hurry and find someone. These days, it’s hard to marry a good partner… Hey, why are you poking me?”

Brother Sun was poked by Sister Wang in the ribs and promptly forgot about the previous topic, focusing intently on washing the dishes, which made Zhao Ziqiang want to laugh.

Sister Wang glanced at Zhao Ziqiang shyly and subtly pointed at her husband behind his back, exchanging smiles with Zhao Ziqiang.

“Hey, you were a big help today. When the kitchen staff and waiters come back tomorrow, you’ll help your Brother Sun properly and learn from him.”

“Mm, I know.”

“You’re tired today, right? Once I finish tidying up, I’ll take you to your room. It’s small, but it’s clean.”

“I’m not tired, actually. It feels pretty fulfilling.”

Zhao Ziqiang was speaking the truth. Throughout the week, he had been constantly fighting the images that occasionally popped into his mind, almost regretting to the point of surrender.

Today, he had been so busy that he hadn’t thought about that person even once, and he was actually quite happy about it.

Sister Wang also found Zhao Ziqiang easy to talk to and cheerfully chatted about the mundane details of life.

After a while, Zhao Ziqiang remembered something and asked Sister Wang, “Sister, should we pull down the roll-up door?”

“Oh, no need. My son hasn’t come back yet.”

Zhao Ziqiang looked at Sun Yan in his arms and curiously asked, “How old is he? Why hasn’t he come back this late? Is he studying?”

“He’s not; he went out to hang out with his classmates. He’s fifteen.”

Just as they were speaking, they heard the sound of the roll-up door being lowered from outside the store. A tall boy walked in, and Zhao Ziqiang, facing away from the exit, only saw the boy quickly go upstairs.

Sister Wang smiled sheepishly. “He had an argument with us today, so I didn’t introduce you. Sorry about that.”

Zhao Ziqiang didn’t mind, but he couldn’t help but have a subconscious negative impression of that rude child.

Once everything was tidied up, the four of them went upstairs together. The small restaurant was two stories high; the first floor served as the shop, while the second floor was for living. The couple had cleaned out a room that was originally a storage room to give Zhao Ziqiang as his bedroom. Sun Yan ran in and out, helping to arrange things and make the bed, reminding Zhao Ziqiang of his younger sister, Zhao Zili, who used to love doing the same.

The boy must have gone upstairs and talked to his parents about something, because his mood seemed to have improved. He lowered his head and came over to greet Zhao Ziqiang. When their eyes met, they both froze in surprise. This boy was the one who had bumped into Zhao Ziqiang earlier with Sun Kan. He looked around eighteen or nineteen, but it turned out he was only fifteen.

After a moment of surprise on the boy’s face, he quickly returned to a calm demeanor and respectfully called out “Uncle Zhao.” Zhao Ziqiang rubbed his nose; it felt different from how Sun Yan addressed him. Hearing it come from this boy made Zhao Ziqiang uncomfortable all over.

Brother Wang, who had gone to the bathroom, came back cheerfully to introduce him:

“This is my son, Sun Wanjue. Quickly, call him Uncle Zhao.”

The boy took an unnatural step back and said quietly, “I already greeted him earlier.”

The couple laughed and said it was good that they knew each other.

From the couple’s attitude toward Sun Yan and Sun Wanjue, it was clear they favored their son more. The little girl seemed quite unfamiliar with her brother; after seeing Sun Wanjue, she ran back to her own room.