Epiphanies of Rebirth (重生之豁然)

Chapter 25.2

Seeing the elders in such a mess, Lin Jingzhe wanted to laugh. He went over to his friends to try on the cloth shoes the mothers had hurriedly sewn.

The shoes had hard soles but were sweat-absorbent and breathable, which made them comfortable to wear in summer. In addition, the mothers had good taste—the shoes were constructed in the style of canvas slip-ons, similar to a trend that would be popular in the future.

Lin Jingzhe wore a set of white casual clothes and a pair of cloth shoes as he carried an extremely light duffel bag (also made by the clever-handed mothers) with only some basic necessities and a few sets of thin summer clothes inside. He and his three friends bid farewell to their elders.

Silence fell. The mothers' eyes were red; they gathered together to secretly wipe their tears. The fathers smoked cigarettes, not saying a word. After a moment, Deng Fengshou asked, "Are you certain you don't need us to accompany you?"

"I don't think this is a good idea," Father Zhou said, still uneasy. "I'll take some days off and..."

"I'm certain, we'll be fine." Lin Jingzhe had already declined this proposition several times, and this time he also refused with a smile. "We're a group of four young men. After we arrive at the provincial capital, we'll board the train going directly to Yan City, and the school staff members sent to pick up the freshmen will be waiting at the train station. We won't have to worry about anything, but for you—how many days would be wasted for a round trip to Yan City? Not to mention, the tickets are expensive."

Hu Yu, a teacher, couldn't leave so close to the beginning of the school year. Neither Mother Zhou nor Mother Deng had ever been so far away from home, and it would be even more dangerous for the women to travel by themselves. The special investigation team led by Deng Fengshou was about to wrap up the antiques' case, initiated by the attempted seizure of Lin Jingzhe's bronzeware, and it was impossible for him to get away. As for Father Zhou...

Recently, the thermos factory had been looking for excuses to lay off workers. If he took leave now, he'd probably have no job to come back to.

Lin Jingzhe planned to help him and Mother Zhou to start up their own business, but this wasn't the right time. Besides, all of his capital was tied up in stocks, and it was still too early to sell them.

The elders' difficulties were not a secret to anyone. The fathers felt very guilty—their children were about to leave home for the first time and attend university, yet they couldn't send them off. It was so irresponsible of them!

Mother Deng wiped her tears and took out several small waist bags. She fastened them over the young men's waists, repeatedly reminding them, "The tuition fees and living expenses for the next six months are sewn inside. I'll tie it over your waists with a knot that's impossible to unravel on its own—only open it when it's time to pay the tuition, all right? Don't talk to strangers on the road, don't eat anything that strangers give you, and sleep lightly when you're on the train. Take care of each other and be careful!"

Deng Mai glanced at Lin Jingzhe. Lin Jingzhe gave him a minute nod, signaling him to accept.

Then, the parents bought them bus tickets. The mothers gave their sons pocket money for unexpected expenses, also shoving 100 yuan at Lin Jingzhe.

Lin Jingzhe tried to refuse: "I really do have money!"

"Just keep it! What a disobedient child!" Hu Yu sniffed, stuffing it into his pocket and patting him on the back as a warning against his refusal. She looked up at him, smiling through her tears. "You rascal, when did you get so tall?"

The parents accompanied their children to the bus, warning and nagging them, only getting off when it was about to leave. They stood in a tight group, looking towards the bus windows, the mothers crying.