June 21, Friday.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Li Zheng, dragging his suitcase, returned to his neighborhood, which he hadn't seen for a few days.
Some children were already out of school, chasing each other around the yard in small groups.
The elderly who had picked up their grandchildren were chatting idly together, occasionally glancing around to keep an eye on their little ones to prevent them from wandering off.
However, this mundane scene underwent an abrupt transformation due to Li Zheng's return.
It started with a chubby kid who zoomed up to Li Zheng on a two-wheeled scooter: "Are you Brother Li Zheng?"
"That's me. What's up?"
"Haha." With a laugh, the chubby kid made a turn and scooted back to his friends. "It's him, it's him, that's Li Zheng!"
These kids also appeared to be elementary school students, but they weren't as outgoing as the chubby kid, gawking from a distance without daring to approach.
"I told you it was him!"
"Doesn't he have to go to school?"
