On February 4th, 2009, it was the Beginning of Spring.
Walking out of the city's Children's Palace, Lin Nian had a thick stack of money in his arms. For some reason, he felt that spring had come a bit earlier this year than in previous years.
Earlier, when the girl at the front desk was counting out the money for Lin Nian, he thought she had given him too much. After confirming it several times, it turned out that it was indeed that much. The wage for his part-time job was two thousand yuan. The thick stack of money in his hand made him inexplicably want to sing the song "Where Is Spring" that his music teacher had been teaching since primary school.
Winter had passed and spring had come again. Lin Nian was in the second year of high school and was about to turn seventeen from sixteen.
He had lost both of his parents when he was young and grew up in an orphanage. In the orphanage, he recognized a sworn elder sister, and when she came of age, they moved out of the orphanage together and lived together. For several years, the two siblings had depended on each other, and they were often short of money financially. So he never let go of any chance to take part-time jobs, as long as they were legal.
Lin Nian walked on the street, white mist coming out of his mouth as he exhaled. Judging from the current prices in the world, the two thousand yuan he had earned this time wasn't a large amount, but it was definitely not a small sum either. His elder sister's monthly salary was only about one thousand yuan. For a student who was still in the second year of high school, being able to earn two thousand yuan on his own was enough to attract the attention of others.
Lin Nian knew that what the coach had given him was the payment for a formal exhibition match. The appearance fee of two thousand yuan was a specification and treatment that couldn't be obtained without having real skills in the industry. Lin Nian hadn't even taken the first dan grading test in kendo, let alone having real skills. This two thousand yuan wasn't the performance fee but a favor fee.
The coach had always been nice to Lin Nian. Perhaps, just as the coach said, it was because he had talent and the coach cherished his talent. But it was also possible that it was just one-sided sympathy. Since they saw each other frequently nowadays, those who had the ability would naturally take care of others.
The coach was one of those capable people. Anyone who could open a training class in the city's Children's Palace was capable. The tuition for one person in a kendo training session was five thousand yuan, and there were twenty people in one class for each session. This year alone, the coach had taught five classes.
Lin Nian had worked as a part-time worker in the Children's Palace earlier. Out of interest, he had picked up the bamboo sword a few times. The coach noticed that he had talent and casually invited him to attend a session of classes. His current small achievements were all thanks to the coach's favor.
Previously, the coach had also asked Lin Nian whether he wanted to develop his career there. Lin Nian refused because his sister wanted him to go to college. After that, the coach never brought up the matter again.
Every family has its own troubles, and Lin Nian's family had especially difficult ones.
Right outside the entrance of the Children's Palace was a bus stop. He took the bus all the way to the subway station, transferred from Line 2 to Line 3, got off at the terminal station, and then took the bus again.
Lin Nian's family lived in the suburbs close to the inland area of this coastal city. In the old housing area, there was no so-called community property management system. On the large open spaces, old houses that had been around for many years stood row by row. The taller ones had seven or eight floors, while the shorter ones had only four or five floors. Some of the walls of the houses were mottled. There were also some homeowners who cared about appearances and had them renovated and tiled. The storefronts were rented out and became breakfast shops or hot pot restaurants. There were people coming and going on the street, which was quite lively.
Lin Nian entered the old housing area and headed straight for his home - an old house on the ground floor with a Malatang restaurant on its storefront. He went around to the back door through the alley, climbed up to the fifth floor all the way, and then knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
After knocking three times, Lin Nian put his hands in his pockets and waited at the door. In less than a while, a girl's voice came from inside: "Who is it?"
"Me." He replied simply, and then the door in front of him was opened.
Behind the door stood a girl who was a bit older than Lin Nian. She was wearing a fluffy pajama and a kitchen apron, with a pair of pink cotton slippers on her feet. She was still holding a spatula in her hand when she opened the door.
Her name was Lin Xian, and she was Lin Nian's elder sister.
When Lin Xian saw Lin Nian, she immediately asked, "Where did you go early in the morning? You didn't even leave a note. If you hadn't come back by noon, I was going to go to the Internet cafe to look for you."
"Didn't go to the Internet cafe." Lin Nian stepped over the threshold, changed into slippers, and closed the door casually. "I went to the Children's Palace. The coach asked me to take part in an exhibition match."
Lin Xian gave him a glance and sniffed. Since she really didn't smell any cigarette smoke, she then turned around and rushed back to the kitchen to tend to the lunch in the pot while asking, "The coach from the Musashi Training Class?"
"Who else could it be?" Lin Nian lay down on the sofa in the living room. Turning his head, he could see his sister cooking in the kitchen. "I owe him another favor this time. I got two thousand yuan just for an exhibition match."
"Two thousand? That's a lot." Lin Xian's voice rose a little bit, but it quickly dropped and was drowned out by the sizzling sound of the oil in the pot.
"At least it's enough for next month's rent." Lin Nian took the money out of his pocket and put it on the table.
"Aunt Wang said our rent will be reduced a bit next month." Lin Xian, who was cooking, said.
"How much?"
"Five hundred."
"That's good news." Lin Nian nodded. "Then keep this two thousand yuan for household expenses."
"Let's talk about it later. Save it for now. I'll go to the bank this afternoon." Lin Xian turned off the gas stove, put the stir-fried dishes on a plate and served them on the dining table. "Don't just sit there lazily. Go and scoop the rice."
"Okay." Lin Nian got up obediently and trotted towards the rice cooker. He filled two bowls with rice, took the chopsticks and sat down at the dining table.
"School will start soon. How's your preparation for the entrance exam at the beginning of the semester?" Lin Xian knocked the chopsticks on the table to make them even and looked at Lin Nian and asked.
"Just so-so." Lin Nian replied perfunctorily.
"Just so-so? You got into Shilan High School with your grades. If you do poorly in the entrance exam at the start of the semester, you might not get the tuition discount next year." Lin Xian held her bowl of rice and gave Lin Nian a look. "You know what's at stake."
"All right, I got it. I'll read books tonight." Lin Nian sighed, picked up a piece of cured pork and put it into his bowl, and then asked, "Where did this cured pork come from? Did you buy it?"
"Director Li from the orphanage came to offer condolences this morning and brought it... Don't change the topic. Reading books just at night isn't enough. Not only should you read books tonight, but you also have to stay at home and let me tutor you until school starts on the 19th. Anyway, the Spring Festival is over. You've had enough fun and it's time to focus on your studies." Lin Xian said while eating slowly. "Don't always go out to surf the Internet with that guy surnamed Lu. The environment in Internet cafes is smoky and not good."
"He pays for my Internet fees and my bottles of Nutri-Express." Lin Nian said seriously. "Are you willing to see your younger brother suffering from malnutrition?"
"If you went to the video rental store less often to rent those messy things, you wouldn't be malnourished." Lin Xian picked up some Chinese chives with her chopsticks and put them into her bowl.
"Hiss." Lin Nian instantly felt a chill as if his loincloth had been whipped off in public.
Lin Xian glanced at him a few times and didn't continue talking.
The dining table fell silent again. After a while, Lin Xian suddenly said, "I've changed my job."
Lin Nian paused for a moment and said, "Is it at a coffee shop?"
"How did you know?"
"The coach said his daughter saw you in the High-tech Zone." Lin Nian said, "Why did you quit the office job you had before?"
"It wasn't suitable." Lin Xian, who was eating with her head down, said.
Not suitable? There's no such thing as being suitable or not for an office job. As long as you can sit properly, anyone can be suitable. Lin Nian thought, but after a moment, he sighed in his heart again.
How could he not know why Lin Xian said it wasn't suitable? Most likely, she had been harassed at work again. Counting this time, it was already the third time. A girl in her early twenties, who just graduated from college, had no social experience, came from a poor family, and was very good-looking. Who wouldn't harass her?
"It's a good thing. As long as you can find a job, it's all good." Lin Nian didn't show any expression on his face. "Did you suffer any losses?"
"What if I did?" Lin Xian looked up at Lin Nian while eating.
"Then I'd definitely beat that person up." Lin Nian said without hesitation. "At most, it would be defined as a mutual fight. I'd go easy and not leave any injuries. At most, I'd just be fined and detained for a few days."
"Then you'd have a criminal record." Lin Xian shook her head with a bitter smile.
"Do I look like someone who cares about these things?" Lin Nian said with a smile.
"You should care." Lin Xian shrugged and shook her head. "Besides, I didn't suffer any losses."
Even if you did, you wouldn't tell me anyway. Lin Nian took a mouthful of rice and didn't say anything.
"By the way, you were out when Director Li came this morning. She said she wanted to see you." Lin Xian raised her chopsticks and changed the topic.
"Why does she want to see me? I'm not missing any arms or legs." Lin Nian didn't seem very interested in Director Li mentioned by Lin Xian.
"It seems to be about the college entrance examination." Lin Xian paused for a moment while picking up food with her chopsticks. "Director Li said that if you haven't decided on your aspiration yet, she can recommend you to study abroad."
"Study abroad?" Lin Nian looked up in confusion. "When did our orphanage have connections with foreign universities? I'd believe it if you said there were exchanges with foreign orphanages."
"Director Li didn't seem to be joking with us." Lin Xian said hesitantly.
"But even if it's true, isn't it too early now? I'll only be in the second half of my sophomore year when school starts." Lin Nian was a bit puzzled. "And don't you need a financial guarantee to study abroad?"
"Director Li said she was willing to be the guarantor." Lin Xian picked up her bowl and then put it down again. It seemed that she wanted to talk about this matter seriously. "It's said that the university she recommended is a private one located in the far suburbs of Chicago." "In the United States? That sounds even more absurd. What kind of family background can afford to study abroad in the US?" Lin Nian seemed to have little interest. "Besides, I have to take the TOEFL test. It's so troublesome."
At this point, Lin Xian simply said directly, "Director Li said that the school is willing to offer scholarships."
Lin Nian fell silent. He lowered his head and ate two bowls of rice. After thinking for a while, he said, "Is Director Li planning to sell me to the Middle East to work in a coal mine?"
"That's possible." For the first time, Lin Xian didn't condemn Lin Nian's rebellious remarks. Instead, she was seriously considering this possibility—this situation now really did seem rather suspicious.
Over the years, the two siblings had struggled to survive and both deeply understood a truth: all the pies that fall from the sky in this world are drugged, just like the free cocktails offered by strangers in a bar are actually not free at all.
"I heard from Director Li that the name of the school seems to be something like 'Cass... Cassell?'" Lin Xian thought for a moment and then said, "Why don't you go to the Internet cafe this afternoon and check to see if there is such a school."
"You can't even remember the name clearly. Just make up an excuse to put it off." Lin Nian shook his head and said, "By the way, tell the other orphans who have connections with our orphanage to be a bit more cautious about Director Li. Anything could happen in this world nowadays."
"Then do you have any idea which university you want to go to? Have you got a direction?" Lin Xian nodded and asked.
"No direction." Lin Nian said, "If I do well in the college entrance examination, I can't afford to study there. If I do poorly, I don't want to go."
"Fill in the college entrance examination application form with good universities. There's always a way to deal with the tuition fees." Lin Xian tapped on the edge of the bowl. "Whether you can get admitted depends on your ability, while whether you can afford it is an economic issue."
"There were lots of frustrated scholars who starved to death in the past. In the end, it was still an economic issue." Lin Nian said indifferently. "I don't care either way."
"You should know what to do in your heart." After saying this, Lin Xian didn't say anything more.
She had always been quite good at the art of leaving something unsaid in conversation. However, this art often made the person sitting across from her think a lot. The more one thought, the more uncomfortable one would feel until one understood and then gave in.
"Yeah." Lin Nian replied.
"Clean up by yourself after eating. I still have a shift this afternoon and won't be back for dinner tonight." Lin Xian put down her chopsticks, took off her apron, walked into her own room, closed the door and went to change clothes.
Lin Nian, who was sitting at the dining table, held his chopsticks up for a long time. Finally, he put them down. Suddenly, he didn't have much of an appetite anymore.
There was a draft blowing in through the wide-open window in the living room. The late spring cold had come a bit earlier this year. The whole room was filled with a chill that seeped straight into people's hearts. If you sniffed carefully, it seemed that you could also smell a unique astringent smell that belonged only to this coastal city. On February 4th, 2009, it was the Beginning of Spring.
Lin Nian was sixteen years old and Lin Xian was twenty years old. They were both orphans and depended on each other in this coastal city.