Chapter 180

Hong Kong.

After Old Ghost packed up and returned home, he opened his mailbox and immediately brightened—his grandson had written again!

Wei Ming's letter to Old Wei and Old Ghost was much the same, focusing mainly on the good news that "Heroes Rise Young" was being adapted into a film, a Hong Kong-mainland co-production, meaning he would soon have the chance to set foot in Hong Kong, bringing him one step closer to reuniting with his father.

Old Ghost was overwhelmed with excitement—his son was incredibly talented, to have raised such an extraordinary grandson!

Of course, he wasn't doing too badly himself; since joining the sausage project and with no one demanding protection money, he now earned two hundred Hong Kong dollars a day, earning the nickname "Sai Wan Pancake King," better off than any white-collar worker, and when his grandson came to Hong Kong, he should be able to open a shop.

Also, Wei Ming had sent more photos this time—of Xi Zi and Le Le—which Old Ghost adored.

And there were new photos of major landmarks in the capital; it had been thirty years already, and many places had changed so much from his memory, truly like another lifetime.

Finally, Wei Ming mentioned the novel he was writing, based on his grandfathers' lives, titled "The Right Path of Humanity Is Change," and he offered commentary on certain historical figures he might include, hoping for his grandfather's feedback.

Although his grandfather's rank wasn't as high as Jiang Limin's in the novel, he was still a fierce operative on the covert front; and because his elder brother held a high position, he had indeed interacted with many top Kuomintang figures during the War of Resistance and after moving to Taiwan—being an eyewitness, Wei Ming felt he was more reliable.

Old Ghost never imagined he and his elder brother could become characters in a novel; he remembered as a child how he loved to beg his father and elder brother to tell him stories—his father had little patience, but his elder brother always indulged him, never refusing.

Old Ghost fully supported his grandson's literary career—it was just a story ending with the end of the Civil War anyway.

He pulled out paper and pen and began with his elder brother's classmates, starting with Old Dai and Hu Die.

Meanwhile, a major event was unfolding in the Zhou family next door.

Zhou Huimin, terrified, told her mother: "Mom, I—I think something's not right!"

Zhou's mother saw her daughter's jeans stained with blood and rushed inside, finally finding a pack of sanitary pads she'd prepared two years ago.

She had been waiting for this day for two years.

"Do you know how to use them?" her mother asked.

Zhou Huimin shook her head; she knew she'd gotten her period was already a relief, but she'd never used a sanitary pad before.

Her mother hadn't handled one in years either, but she still remembered.

"I'll teach you."

Minutes later, mother and daughter emerged from the bathroom; Zhou Huimin walked awkwardly—she'd have a new monthly expense from now on, one that would last for decades.

Her mother hugged her tightly: "Congratulations, Amin—you're no longer a child."

The Zhou family's daughter had finally come of age!

Zhou Huimin smiled and asked: "So can I start dating now?"

Zhou's mother glared: "!"

Zhou Huimin shrank her neck: "Just kidding—I'm focused on studying hard and getting into university."

Zhou's mother's face softened into a smile: "That's right."

"It'd be even better if you could earn a little extra to help with household expenses."

"You don't need to worry about those things," Zhou's mother said. "Old Ghost told me his snack business is doing well—I'm going to learn from him and sell fish balls."

Zhou Huimin laughed: "Then I'll get free fish balls from now on!"

After this little episode, Zhou Huimin prepared for bed; before sleeping, she decided to listen to the radio—and heard a familiar lyric.

"Liu liu de ta yue, ta yue wo yue…"

After the song ended, the DJ highlighted the singer Zhang Mingmin and the song's sudden popularity.

Zhou Huimin was ecstatic; the next day at school, she talked about it with her classmates.

Her school, St. Stephen's Girls' College on Pok Fu Lam Road in Sai Wan, had a church background—students were most passionate about English songs, then Cantopop; Mandopop listeners were few.

But when she asked, surprisingly, many had heard it—and some even earlier than she had.

A girl in front said: "I heard it the day before yesterday."

A boy said he'd heard it at a nightclub a week ago.

Classmates immediately teased him about why he was at a nightclub, and the classroom erupted in laughter.

Eternal Records.

Boss Deng Bingheng was overjoyed—he'd thought signing Zhang Mingmin was a losing bet, but the kid had finally hit his luck!

When Zhang Mingmin arrived at the company after work, Deng Bingheng immediately clapped him on the shoulder and discussed plans for the next album.

With a hit song like this, it could carry an entire album.

"'Liu Liu De Ta' is doing well on RTHK—we need to strike while the iron's hot; if we can make the Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs, we'll be set!"

The Hong Kong Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs was currently the most prestigious music award in Hong Kong, presented by RTHK, open to both Cantopop and Mandopop—last year, Chyi Yu's "Olive Tree" had won.

But Boss Deng was just hyping Zhang Mingmin up, urging him to shift more focus from the watch factory to singing—Mandopop had a far harder time cracking the Top Ten than Cantopop.

Zhang Mingmin didn't have such grand ambitions, but he clearly felt his popularity at the nightclubs had surged—many came specifically to hear him sing; though he had other original songs, everyone only knew "Liu Liu De Ta."

So he had little faith in the songs the boss brought him—he suspected they'd just be old covers again; if Amin could write him a few more songs, that'd be perfect.

After returning home, Zhou Huimin planned to tell her mother good news—due to her musical talent, she'd been selected for the school choir.

"The teacher picked me for soprano!" Amin beamed.

And her mother had two pieces of good news for her.

"With Old Ghost's help, Mom's fish ball stall will open soon!" Zhou's mother pointed to the kitchen, where she'd bought ingredients, and the cart had been arranged by Old Ghost.

She'd stop doing odd jobs and focus entirely on food service. Zhou Huimin knew restaurant work was hard; she hugged her mother's arm: "Whatever you need, I'll help."

"Not yet—there's another thing. Today Mom received a parcel from the mainland."

It had been over half a month since her last parcel; Zhou Huimin eagerly took it, ready to open it.

But remembering there were photos of Amin inside, she decided to wait—she'd open it quietly in her bedroom while her mother was busy in the kitchen.

All the snacks were her favorites; Amin's cheeks flushed—clearly, he'd understood her hints.

She opened the envelope and two photos fell out; since she didn't know whether to send black-and-white or color, Wei Ming had included both.

Holding the two photos, Zhou Huimin instinctively gasped: "Wow."

She hadn't expected much from Amin's looks—after all, the smart boys in her class were usually ordinary-looking and unkempt.

But she never imagined he'd be this handsome—fine features, deep eyes, even more handsome than Danny!

Danny Chen Baiqiang was a singer who debuted last year and instantly made the Hong Kong Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs with "Tears Flow for You."

He wasn't just handsome—he came from a good family—and many schoolgirls saw him as their prince charming.

!

But compared to Amin, Danny seemed utterly ordinary.

As she gazed, Zhou Huimin felt warmth surge again—she rushed to the bathroom to change her pad, feeling deeply embarrassed.

Amin being a great-looking guy wasn't the most shocking thing—the most unbelievable was the birthday written on the back of the photos.

November 11, 1961.

The surprise came in two layers.

First, 1961—he was only six years older than her, not even twenty!

Not even twenty and already a Peking University professor—no wonder he was a genius!

Second, November 11.

Zhou Huimin's birthday was November 10—their birthdays were so close, they could celebrate together; how fated!

Zhou Huimin smiled as she read the letter, taking a long time before opening it; the thick letter made her suspect something—she flipped to the end first, and sure enough, found several sheet music scores.

He'd written four more songs again! So impressive!

Amin first read the letter, where Amin highly praised her success in selling songs.

Then Wei Ming elaborated on cross-strait cultural exchange, answering questions from her previous letter.

Finally, Wei Ming wrote: "Though I don't know this singer Zhang Mingmin, since you approve of his ability and character, I owe you the favor—so I've selected four songs from my own works."

The first song was called "Dream of the Camel Bell."

Amin softly sang: "Climb the peak, gaze at home, / Ten thousand miles of yellow sand, / Where does the camel bell ring? / Each chime strikes the heart, / Longing to tread the path of longing, / Soar across a thousand mountains…"

After a few lines, she gave up—it was a man's song, grand and lyrical, too vast for a girl to carry.

But she could tell the lyrics were masterful, carrying a quiet homesickness—she believed her mother and Old Ghost, at their age, would love it.

Wei Ming: Sorry, Wuyao King, hehehe.

Zhou Huimin continued—second song: "North Wind."

"Let go of old memories, / See a life worn thin, / Walk through unfamiliar lands, / I return to a foreign land, / The wind blows too fierce, / I feel a chill…"

Another homesick song; Amin still couldn't sing it, but Amin's writing couldn't be bad.

In this letter, Amin had mentioned that mainland music had narrow themes, especially love songs—so he wrote so many about homesickness.

Then came the third song: "Every Time I Want to Shout Your Name."

"A breeze stirs your hair, / Like threads of wind…"

Let go of the old past

See a life worn by time

Walk through unfamiliar places

I return to a foreign land

The wind blows too fiercely

I feel a chill…

Another song of homesickness—Amin still can't sing it, but Aming's writing is surely no worse.

In this letter, Aming said that mainland music has a narrow theme, especially songs about love, which are even rarer—no wonder he wrote so many songs about homesickness.

Yet when he saw the third song, "Every Time I Want to Shout Your Name."

A soft wind stirs your hair

Like the lines of the wind

It always trembles in my eyes…

Amin's radar immediately started buzzing—could Amin have a girlfriend?

Then she looked at the fourth song, titled "That Affair of Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon," with lines like "moonlight and stars, rose petals and drizzling rain," and "gentle vows, sweet dreams, and lingering poetry."

Such romantic lyrics—this is bad news!

Zhou Huimin suddenly felt a wave of tension surge over her…

(End of Chapter)