At first, Cen Huai’an didn’t speak, quietly observing Chu Xia’s expression.

He felt that his mother seemed to know everything.

He murmured an “mm” and tightly pressed his lips together, unsure of what was right or wrong but feeling anxious inside.

So, his big eyes kept glancing at Chu Xia.

Chu Xia sighed, suddenly feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

“Keep picking up trash.”

Chu Xia didn’t ask Cen Huai’an to go home.

Since he liked to be self-reliant, it was a good thing.

However, lying and sneaking out wasn’t something that could be easily overlooked.

She took a breath, then got up to thank the neighbors who had helped look for him and informed them that the child had been found.

These were favors that needed to be repaid.

Returning to the garbage pile behind the paper mill, Chu Xia saw Cen Huai’an’s small hands quickly collecting paper scraps into his ragged sack.

Some people thought he was in the way and would push him.

Chu Xia immediately went over, pushed aside a short woman who was bothering him, and said sternly, “There are so many places you can pick from! Bullying a child when you’re an adult! Do you have no shame?”

The woman, intimidated by Chu Xia’s fierce demeanor and her neat clothes, and seeing her holding a wooden stick, became afraid.

She had intended to scold Chu Xia but swallowed her words and mumbled as she walked away.

“Mommy.”

Cen Huai’an looked at her.

Chu Xia, while using a stick to sort through the trash and bending over to pick up paper, said irritably, “What are you calling out for? Hurry up and collect more!”

Cen Huai’an felt a special warmth, like the sweet and comforting roasted sweet potatoes Bang Ge had given him in winter.

“Okay!” He responded loudly and bent over to quickly pick up more paper.

Don’t underestimate the work of scavenging; bending over for long periods is tiring.

Chu Xia, whose stamina wasn’t as good as Cen Huai’an’s, rested frequently.

During one of her breaks, she saw an eight or nine-year-old boy talking to Cen Huai’an.

The boy didn’t seem like a typical child. Chu Xia thought he resembled the Cen Huai’an she saw earlier but with a hardened look in his eyes and a constant alertness, as if ready to snatch food at any moment.

He was probably the leader among the rag-picking children.

As she continued to pick up trash, she saw that the other children obeyed the boy’s commands, confirming Chu Xia’s guess.

As the sun set and the twilight bathed the garbage pile, Chu Xia told Cen Huai’an, “It’s time to go home. Let’s go.”

Cen Huai’an’s sack was so heavy that neither he nor Chu Xia could carry it alone.

They dragged it together to the eight or nine-year-old boy.

“Bang Ge, this is what I picked up today.”

Bang Ge neatly tied up the sack and said, “Alright, same as usual.”

Chu Xia looked at Bang Ge.

Although he was smiling, there was a wild and untamable quality to his grin.

In this era, it was likely that this child would grow up to be a powerful figure.

It was just a matter of whether he would follow the right path or not.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the line between good and evil was thin, often just a matter of choice.

And many chose the wrong path.

After all, once the beast of desire is unleashed from its cage, how many can manage to recapture it?

Under the temptation of money and the flattery of friends, how many people can remain clear-headed?

As Chuxia walked home in the setting sun, she was exhausted, her back almost giving out.

She asked Cen Huai’an, “Are there others in Bang Ge’s family?”

Cen Huai’an shook his head, “I don’t know.”

“When did you start picking up scraps with him?”

“Last year.”

At that time, Cen Huai’an was starving and saw Bang Ge eating a delicious bun.

He followed him for a whole street.

Bang Ge asked if he wanted some food, and without hesitation, Cen Huai’an took the bun from him.

Bang Ge then took him along to pick up scraps.

Picking up scraps depended on luck.

On good days, they might earn a few cents and buy steamed buns to eat. On bad days, they went hungry.

Sometimes they had to fight for territory with others who picked up scraps.

Cen Huai’an had been tough before, but after joining Bang Ge, he became even tougher.

Cen Huai’an hadn’t shared these memories with Chuxia, and she hadn’t asked.

What was there to ask about bad memories?

She could guess how hard those days had been for him.

Their hands were dirty, so they washed them in the communal water room on the first floor before heading home.

At the door, they saw Luo Dage squatting outside, impatiently smoking a cigarette and tapping his hand against the wall.

Seeing Chuxia, Luo Dage stood up and complained, “Where have you been? I brought the stuff you asked for, and now there’s no one home! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”

Chuxia opened the door, showing no kindness to Luo Dage. “So what if I’m late? You didn’t have any complaints when you spent my money!”

Luo Dage was irritated. “Do you have to keep bringing that up? I’ve only spent a bit of your money. I have my own wages!”

“So what? Didn’t your daughter go to school with my money? Didn’t you live comfortably with my money? Didn’t you gamble with my money? It’s all from Mom, and I have a share in every penny! Stop talking and move the stuff. Have you gathered the 100 yuan?”

Chuxia demanded the money directly, showing no politeness.

She was confident in asking Luo Dage for money since the 500 yuan Wang Yulan returned wasn’t enough to cover what was owed.

Luo Dage slowly pulled out a mix of coins and bills from his pocket, including some big denominations. “Chuxia, do you really need this much?”

Chuxia snatched the money from him. “I said 100 yuan, and it must be exact. Not a penny less.”

Luo Dage watched his money, feeling heartache.

Most of it was his private stash, and he had even borrowed some from his mother. “Sigh!” He sighed heavily, feeling uneasy and worried that Chuxia might indeed go tell his wife.

His younger sister had changed; she was no longer as compassionate and understanding as before.

Chuxia counted the money carefully, handing two coins to Cen Huai’an.

Cen Huai’an happily took the coins, thinking that if only his mother would go to his grandmother’s house to ask for money every day.

Luo Dage and his family moved the TV and refrigerator in.

Curious neighbors gathered in the corridor, asking if Chuxia had bought a new TV.

Chuxia offered them water with some brown sugar and smiled, “No, it’s not new. My parents wanted to replace theirs and gave me the old one.”

Luo Dage grumbled inwardly, thinking: Who wanted to replace it?

If it weren’t for you demanding it, no one would have sent it.

His daughter had been causing trouble at home, and his younger brother came along, leaving him to deal with everything alone.

The more Chu Xia thought about it, the angrier she became.

When Luo Dage was setting up the antenna, she walked over and said coolly, “If you break it, you’ll have to pay for it.”

Luo Dage’s hand shook, nearly dropping the antenna.

His heart skipped a beat, but when he saw it hadn’t fallen, he patted his chest and caught his breath.

He was too scared to hit it too hard after that.

At that time, a black-and-white television was still a rare luxury.

To buy one, a worker would have to save up for over a year without eating or drinking.

Yet, despite its rarity, people still wanted to buy it. In the family compound, some people were doing well, or they saved up and sacrificed to buy one.

In a few years, more people would probably buy them.

But in rural areas, it was even rarer, as some places didn’t even have electricity, let alone a television.

Sister Li next door hadn’t bought one, and in the whole second floor, including Chu Xia’s, only three households had one.

Cen Huai’an, being a child, was fascinated. From the moment Luo Dage started setting up, he followed him around, watching intently.

As soon as the antenna was set up, Luo Dage asked to turn on the TV to check the picture, and Cen Huai’an was the first to run over.

He ran over but didn’t know how to turn it on.

Chu Xia stood by, figured out how to operate it after a moment’s thought, as her family had a similar black-and-white TV when she was a child.

When the TV was turned on, the picture was a bit fuzzy, but Cen Huai’an’s eyes were glued to it, not blinking.

He had never seen a TV before and had only heard from other kids in the compound about how wonderful it was and how the people on it moved.

Luo Dage adjusted it a bit, and the picture became clearer.

At that time, TVs weren’t like in the future where you could watch whatever you wanted.

There was only one central channel and a few local ones, and the picture was still black and white.

Even so, Cen Huai’an watched with rapt attention.

The other kids hadn’t lied to him; the TV was indeed fascinating, and the people on it really did move.

He walked over and carefully touched the TV screen, curious about why the people were moving.

When Luo Dage left, it was mealtime, and curious neighbors went home to cook.

However, some children didn’t want to leave and wanted to stay and watch TV.

Chu Xia had many questions about Bang Ge and his relationship with Cen Huai’an, and she needed to find out.

Plus, she was too tired to cook.

So, she coaxed the children to go home first, turned off the TV, and then asked Cen Huai’an, “How do you usually meet with Bang Ge?”

Cen Huai’an, completely absorbed by the TV, instantly snapped out of it.

He looked up at Chu Xia with a puzzled frown, unsure whether he should tell her.

Adults didn’t like kids hanging out with Bang Ge, saying he was a bad influence.

Only kids like Cen Huai’an followed him because Bang Ge provided them with food and protected them, unlike other adults who just scolded them as little hooligans.

Was Mom also unhappy about him hanging out with Bang Ge?

Chu Xia could tell what Cen Huai’an was thinking just from his expression.

She patted his head and said, “Stop overthinking. I just want to ask him something. We’ll deal with you sneaking out after promising me you wouldn’t. I won’t blame him. If you take me to find him, I’ll treat you and the other kids to food at the state-run restaurant.”

The state-run restaurant’s braised noodles!

Cen Huai’an immediately thought of the delicious and fragrant braised noodles, swallowed, and really wanted to go.

But he said, “That will cost a lot of money.”

“With the hundred dollars your uncle sent today, you can’t possibly spend it all. Let’s go.”

Cen Huai’an’s mouth curled into a small smile.

He might get a beating when he got back, but being able to eat something good with Bang Ge made it worth it.