27: Chapter 27 Class Reunion

The festive atmosphere of the New Year hadn't quite faded yet.

The day before returning to school, Chen Youhua's phone rang again.

"Hey! Youhua! Great scientist! What are you doing hiding at home every day?"

"You're leaving tomorrow, so you have to come out today! Qiang Zi, Fatty, Weiwei—they're all here, only you're missing! Old place, Liu Ji Local Restaurant, five o'clock. If you dare not show up, we'll hunt you down at your house!"

Chen Youhua was about to make an excuse about packing his things, but the other end of the line had already erupted into chaos.

Fatty Wang's loud voice roared through.

"Chen Youhua! Don't play dead! Come out and have fun! If you keep dawdling, I'll post that photo of you in split-seat pants from high school in the group chat!"

Immediately following was Lin Wei's smiling reproach.

"Fatty, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Li Qiang's deep voice also joined in.

"Youhua, hurry up, we're waiting for you to start the feast."

The words of refusal rolled around in his throat.

Outside the window, the winter sun lay lazily across the floor; the liveliness of the house over the past few days contrasted sharply with the desolation of the laboratory he was about to face.

His heart softened: "...Alright then."

The town wasn't large; Liu Ji Local Restaurant was only a ten-minute walk from his home.

He pushed open the creaking glass door.

"Oh! The great talent Chen has arrived! We finally managed to drag you out of your house!"

Sun Xiaopeng jumped up from the booth first, as if he had springs in his legs.

His bright orange down jacket was particularly eye-catching in the dimly lit shop, and his buzz cut looked sharp.

He spread his arms, making a move to lunge forward for a bear hug.

"Hua Zi! Over here! We saved a seat for you!"

Fatty Wang had indeed grown another size rounder; the black sweater he was wearing was stretched a bit tight. He grinned and patted the empty plastic chair next to him, which let out a groan under the anticipated burden.

"Youhua, long time no see!"

Lin Wei greeted him gently. Her straight hair had been permed into slight curls, making her look a bit more mature.

Beside her, Li Qiang's shoulders had grown broader. Seeing Chen Youhua, a familiar smile appeared on his steady face.

There were five or six people in total, all childhood Friends who had grown up together, knowing each other inside out.

"Come, come, come! Drink three penalty cups! Making us wait for you to start the feast is a grave sin!"

Sun Xiaopeng grabbed a beer bottle, popped the cap with a "pop," and poured the golden liquid vigorously into the glass in front of Chen Youhua.

"One cup! Just one cup! Peng Zi, I really have to pack my things this afternoon."

Chen Youhua, for once, didn't refuse entirely, reaching out a hand to feebly block the pour.

"Fine! Since you're clearing out tomorrow, just one cup! I'll give you that much face!"

Sun Xiaopeng stopped with a grin, the foam just reaching the rim of the glass.

The small round table was soon piled high with dishes.

The fish head with chopped chili had bulging eyes, the glossy braised pork trembled slightly, the pickled pepper chicken gizzards were pungent and spicy, and a large bowl of milky-white mutton soup was topped with golden oil slicks and bright green cilantro.

Chopsticks immediately began flying like they were in a battle.

"Hey, remember that mock exam in senior year? That last physics problem was damn hard!"

Sun Xiaopeng was picking apart chicken feet bones, spittle flying everywhere.

"Hua Zi took first place in the grade again! When the homeroom teacher read out the scores, Fatty, your face turned green, just like this plate of vegetables!"

He pointed at the stir-fried lettuce with garlic.

"Get lost! I was just hungry! I didn't eat breakfast!"

Fatty Wang cursed with a laugh, stuffed a large piece of braised pork into his mouth, and said indistinctly.

"But seriously, Youhua, what's your brain made of? I couldn't even understand the questions, and you finished them in a flash! Weiwei, sitting behind you, almost couldn't even copy your answers right!"

Lin Wei's face turned red, and she gave his arm a playful punch with a laugh.

"You damn Fatty! Who copied? That's called 'referencing'!"

Chen Youhua smiled but didn't respond, focusing instead on the tender piece of meat on the fish head.

The label of "top student" was far less real than the spicy flavor and meaty aroma currently between his teeth.

"Hey, let's talk about something juicy!"

Lin Wei suddenly lowered her voice, leaning forward with her eyes shining.

"I ran into Zhang Xiaohua on the pedestrian street before the New Year!"

"Zhang Xiaohua? The one who... wrote a love letter to the sports rep of the next class, but then was..." Li Qiang frowned, searching for the word.

"Yes, yes, yes! The one whose love letter was posted on the bulletin board!"

Lin Wei nodded vigorously.

"She's really something now! She opened an online shop selling our local cured meat and sausages. I heard business is booming, and she makes hundreds of thousands a year!"

"Holy crap?! For real?"

Sun Xiaopeng was so shocked his chicken bone fell onto the plate.

"Even that can work out?"

"Tell me about it!"

Lin Wei sighed, "So, making money really is a mystery."

The conversation began to wander aimlessly.

Who was doing well in Shenzhen, who was making a living in the county through family connections, who accidentally got pregnant... Chen Youhua listened quietly.

When asked about his current situation, he simply said, "At Z University, studying biology," which immediately drew a chorus of "Awesome," "Top student," and "Don't forget your Brothers when you're successful" exclamations.

No one delved into molecular cells, and no one looked at him with those complicated eyes.

Here, he was just Hua Zi—the Hua Zi who cut class to go fishing, got blocked playing basketball, and let them copy his answers during exams.

After a few beers, the atmosphere grew even warmer.

Fatty Wang stood up, belly protruding, and perfectly mimicked the dean's splayed gait and cough. It was so lifelike that Sun Xiaopeng almost spat out his beer, and Lin Wei doubled over with laughter.

Sun Xiaopeng immediately launched into a vivid story about the time they climbed over the wall to go to the internet cafe, were chased by security for three blocks, and finally jumped into a smelly ditch.

Even Li Qiang started complaining about the stingy and demanding foreman at the construction site, mimicking his accent and drawing roars of laughter.

Chen Youhua watched the familiar faces before him turn red, listened to the exaggerated impressions and coarse local accents, and the smile on his face deepened until he even laughed out loud at Sun Xiaopeng's performance.

"I can't take it! Just eating is boring! Let's go, let's go, next round! KTV! The room is booked! Shi Guang!"

Seeing they were almost done eating, Sun Xiaopeng slapped the table and stood up, like he was sounding a charge.

The KTV was just diagonally across the street.

Pushing open the heavy soundproof door, the deafening music hit them like a heavy punch.

The lights in the booth were hazy, the music video on the screen was dazzling, and colored spots of light danced around.

A waiter brought in a fruit platter decorated with little umbrellas and two large crates of cold beer.

"Come on, come on! Mic queen Weiwei! Start us off!" Sun Xiaopeng shoved the microphone into Lin Wei's hand.

Lin Wei took it with a smile and chose Rene Liu's 'Later.'

As her gentle, slightly husky voice rang out, everyone quieted down, leaning back or swaying, immersed in the melody.

Then Fatty Wang roared out 'Brothers,' straining his voice, completely out of tune, with veins popping on his neck. Sun Xiaopeng and Li Qiang slapped their thighs and laughed wildly, while Chen Youhua facepalmed.

Li Qiang sang 'Friends,' deep and soulful.

"Hua Zi! Your turn! Don't even think about running!"

Sun Xiaopeng forced the other microphone into Chen Youhua's hand.

"I really can't..." Chen Youhua still tried to refuse.

"Give it a rest! Didn't you sing 'Sailor' at the high school New Year's Eve party? That's the one! Original key! Whoever lowers it is a wimp!"

Sun Xiaopeng tapped away at the song selection screen.

The familiar, uplifting intro began.

Chen Youhua looked at the scrolling lyrics, then at Sun Xiaopeng who was jeering, Fatty Wang who was slapping the sofa, Lin Wei who was smiling and encouraging him, and Li Qiang who was giving him a thumbs-up. A reckless impulse surged within him.

To hell with it! He cleared his throat and gripped the microphone tightly.

His voice was dry, and his rhythm was a bit off.

"He said what is this little pain in the wind and rain? Wipe away your tears and don't be afraid, at least we still have our dreams."

As if receiving a command, Sun Xiaopeng and Fatty Wang immediately started roaring along with their raspy voices, while Li Qiang clapped hard to the beat.

The entire booth was instantly flooded with an out-of-tune but incredibly passionate chorus.

Chen Youhua also let loose and roared, a nearly wild smile on his face.

Beer bottles were opened one after another, the "click" sounds constant.

The cold liquid slid down his throat.

The watermelon on the fruit platter was quickly devoured.

Sounds of people fighting for the mic, shaking dice—"clatter clatter"—and shouts of "Five sixes!" "Open!" "Drink!" all mixed together.

Chen Youhua clumsily learned to shake dice from Sun Xiaopeng. Whenever he lost, he would readily gulp down half a glass of beer. The tipsy feeling made him feel light as air.

He roared out new songs he didn't know how to sing, laughed uproariously at Fatty Wang's terrible jokes, and was even egged on to sing a stumbling duet of 'Little Dimples' with Lin Wei, drawing a chorus of "Oohs" and whistles.

Lights flashed, and music thundered.

Chen Youhua sank into the sofa, his undershirt slightly damp with sweat.

He watched the light and shadow sweep across his Friends' excited faces, listened to the noise around him, the out-of-tune songs, the clatter of dice, and felt the vibration in his chest from laughing and singing at the top of his lungs.

It wasn't until late at night that the group walked out of the KTV, supporting each other.

The cold winter night wind scraped against their faces like a knife, clearing their heated heads a bit.

They stood on the neon-lit street corner, their white breath quickly dissipating under the streetlights.

"Hua Zi! Don't forget us Brothers when you get to school!"

Sun Xiaopeng patted his shoulder hard, making him stumble.

"Take care! Don't push yourself too hard in your research! Your hair is important!" Fatty Wang let out a loud alcoholic burp and patted his round belly.

"Youhua, have a safe trip and a successful New Year!" Lin Wei adjusted her scarf and smiled.

"Yeah, you guys too. Take care of yourselves."

Chen Youhua nodded, the lingering smile still on his face, his eyes clear in the cold night but with a slight watery shimmer from the alcohol.

"I'm off."

He turned and walked home alone.

The noise behind him was gradually swallowed by the silence of the winter night.

Stepping on his own elongated shadow, his pace was much lighter than when he arrived, as if he had shed some invisible weight.