"Wow!"
With the sound of splashing water, several red-faced men stepped into a crystal-clear, warm pool. They slowly sat down, leaning comfortably against the tiled walls as they basked in the relaxing heat and watched the TV mounted on the opposite wall.
Bathing holds entirely different meanings in northern and southern China.
In the south, public bathhouses existed in the past, but they disappeared decades ago. Water is plentiful in the south, and the winters aren't harsh enough to make home bathing difficult. For southerners, boiling water at home and bathing whenever they want is far more convenient and economical than visiting a bathhouse. Over time, southern bathhouses faded away and are now primarily associated with... "special services."
Of course, some people in the south still visit bathhouses to actually bathe, but it's rare. Finding five genuine bathers out of a hundred visitors would be a challenge.
When northerners tell southerners they're going to a bathhouse, the southerners usually assume they're up to something shady. But in reality, northerners often go to bathhouses for a legitimate bath.
In northern China, bathhouses are a cultural staple. The winters are brutal, and it's inconvenient for most people to bathe comfortably at home. Bathhouses have never disappeared here — instead, they've flourished, evolving into a unique social experience. Northerners don't just go to bathe; they enjoy the full ritual: soaking in hot pools, scrubbing, getting back massages, and even salt scrubs. These rituals are an essential part of northern bathhouse culture. In some southern cities, people don't even use scrubbing towels — something northern bathers would find unimaginable.
Despite modern homes being equipped with water heaters, northerners still frequent bathhouses, especially in winter. Even if they shower at home daily during the summer, they'll still make time for a bathhouse visit every ten days or so.
Jiang Hai, a proud northerner from Ice City — known formally as Harbin — was no exception. Located in Heilongjiang Province, Harbin boasts abundant water resources. Two of China's top five rivers, the Heihe River and the Songhua River, run through Heilongjiang, with the Songhua passing directly through Harbin. Water scarcity has never been a concern here. In fact, Heilongjiang is known as China's granary due to its fertile lands.
Jiang Hai grew up with the bathhouse tradition, thanks to his parents. As a kid, soaking in hot pools was a favorite pastime. Even now, as he sipped tea by the pool, he couldn't help but feel completely at ease.
"Are you really planning to settle in the U.S.?" asked Fu Yuan, taking a sip of tea and watching Jiang Hai with curiosity.
Jiang Hai nodded. "Yeah. Unless something unexpected happens, that's the plan."
"He's invested so much money there. It'd be a waste if he didn't," added Xiang Hua, raising his eyebrows. "Besides, it's America. There are lots of... opportunities."
Xiang Hua's tone didn't go unnoticed. Smirking, Xu Wei shot him a middle finger. "Opportunities? You mean women, don't you? Damn, man, are you that whipped at home that the first thing you think of when you hear 'America' is women?"
Everyone laughed, and Huang Yuanfei swam over, grinning mischievously. "Come on, let's be real. With Jiang Hai's 'No. 8 screw,' can he even handle a 'No. 16 nut'?"
Jiang Hai splashed water at him. "Hey, don't disrespect my 22-centimeter baton!" he retorted playfully.
His friends burst out laughing. These kinds of crude jokes were typical among them.
"Seriously, though," Fu Yuan chuckled, "if you really had a 22-centimeter stick, wouldn't your wife have stayed in Harbin instead of running off to the capital?"
"She didn't even give me a chance to show my skills!" Jiang Hai shot back with a grin, flipping Fu Yuan a middle finger.
The jokes eased the mood, and laughter echoed around the pool.
After a while, Jiang Hai sighed contentedly. "You guys should come visit me in the U.S. sometime. Flights are on you, but I'll cover food and accommodation."
"Deal! We'll come and fight the local tyrants!" Xu Wei joked, raising his cup in a mock toast.
Jiang Hai laughed. "You bet."
The conversation shifted as the men enjoyed their soak. After their bath, they moved to the lobby for massages. Being regulars at this bathhouse, they knew the routine well. The massages — whether it was cupping therapy or foot rubs — were always performed by male technicians. The women on staff only handled health treatments. However, the female masseuses here weren't exactly what one might imagine. "Environmentally friendly" was the kindest way to describe them. Most patrons weren't interested in the women for anything more than a proper massage.
After their massages, the friends hit the steam room, played chess, and watched TV. They didn't leave until after 10 p.m., at which point Jiang Hai booked a room upstairs for the night.
The next morning, he headed to the Housing Management Office to finalize the transfer of a property he was selling. The process would take ten days, giving him more time to spend with his friends. He booked a nearby hotel and made the most of his remaining days in Harbin.
Each night, they gathered, drinking and laughing together. The first night had been spontaneous, but after that, it turned into a farewell party. Each friend took turns hosting.
Harbin — Ice City — is famous for three things:
Ice Lanterns and the Ice and Snow Festival, a world-renowned winter attraction.Food, especially Madiel popsicles and kvass, a traditional Russian-style drink made from bread.Beer. Harbin Brewery is one of China's oldest beer brands, known for its rich, smooth taste.
Despite the rise of other beer brands like Snowflake and Tsingtao, true Harbin locals still prefer their hometown brew.
"While I'm still here, I need to enjoy my Harbin beer," Jiang Hai told his friends. "Once I'm in the U.S., I'll be stuck with craft beers — and I hate dark and white beers."
Everyone laughed in agreement. Dark beer tasted like coffee, and white beer was oddly fruity — not their style at all.
Of course, Harbin's other "specialty" was its women. But dating a Harbin girl wasn't for the faint of heart. Northeastern girls were known for their fiery tempers. Mess with the wrong girl, and you'd be lucky to get away without scratches. Fight back? That'd just land you in trouble.
Happy times flew by. Before Jiang Hai knew it, ten days had passed.
With the property transfer complete, Jiang Hai was ready to leave China. Though he now had a U.S. green card, his Chinese citizenship remained intact, and so did his property rights. After saying his goodbyes and reminding his friends to visit him in Boston, he boarded his flight from Harbin to Beijing, where he caught a first-class flight to the U.S.
Just like before, there were no direct flights to Boston. He had to transfer in San Francisco before finally arriving.
When he stepped onto his estate, he couldn't help but pause. The manor looked entirely different.