Chapter 342

"You mean those sunny days? I've heard from friends—everyone's got this love-hate, can't-stop-obsessing thing about it. Is it really that awesome?" Wang Shuo took the magazine, sounding a bit disgruntled.

"Just take a look—you look at his, I'll look at yours," Zheng Xiaolong said.

What he was reading of Wang Shuo's was a short story called "The Story of the Seagull," since Wang Shuo was a navy veteran, and the tale revolved around a young naval sailor.

Coincidentally, it also portrayed some adolescent ideological clashes in the male lead, sharing thematic similarities.

When Zheng Xiaolong finished, Wang Shuo was deeply absorbed; sensing someone staring at him, he looked up and said to Zheng Xiaolong, "This story's a bit long—prepare me some dinner. I'll eat here."

"Got it, keep reading."

Wang Shuo: "Also, toss my piece in the trash bin."

Zheng Xiaolong laughed. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Writing worse than Wei Ming isn't shameful—I know a few from Peking University's Chinese Department, Class of '77, who published articles right after enrollment. But when Wei Ming showed up at Peking two years ago, the entire literature department got knocked flat—he silenced everyone's claim to being cultured."

Wang Shuo sighed. "Leave it. I'll revise it later and submit it—earn some royalties, treat myself to a good meal."

At this point, Wang Shuo hadn't yet formed his own style. He'd read "The Tale of the Two Donkeys" and just thought its crude, witty language was interesting—like his own everyday tone.

Now, seeing "Sunny Days," which carried forward and amplified "The Tale of the Two Donkeys" style, Wang Shuo gained new insights into blending Beijing's streetwise grit with literary finesse—perhaps this was a better path for him.

He could even push it further than Wei Ming's version. Wei Ming's piece still had literary grace; his own could go all-in on the streetwise path without restraint!

Beichi Zi Sihe Academy.

The bedroom window suddenly burst open as Gong Ying pushed through, with Wei Ming right behind her.

Though it was dark, the courtyard was large enough that noise wouldn't reach outside, and Wei Ming had shooed away all the curious cats and dogs—but this still pushed too far on Xuejie's sense of modesty.

At this moment, half of Gong Ying's pale body was leaning out the window, and she felt the outdoors was too bright—not like eight or nine at night.

She looked up and saw a vast, brilliant full moon hanging high in the sky.

Xuejie suddenly realized: "Today's Mid-Autumn Festival!"

"Right~" Wei Ming pulled her arm.

Gong Ying: "Then you should've gone home today."

Wei Ming: "I ate lunch at home. I've got two mooncakes in my bag—we can snack on them if we get hungry tonight."

"I mean you should've spent tonight with your family."

Wei Ming: "I'll spend tomorrow with them. Tonight, I'm with you—so you won't miss home."

Hearing this, Gong Ying's nose tingled with emotion. Fine, let him act up. At least it was a sihe academy, at least in Beijing they had this much private space to run wild.

The next day, Wei Ming truly stayed home to be with his family. He hadn't returned the night before mainly because Old Wei hadn't come back, so Grandma had been invited by Mei Wenhua to celebrate at the Mei household.

Now Grandma was torn—she wanted to watch her granddaughter give birth, yet worried about post-disaster reconstruction back home. She couldn't stay, couldn't leave.

Today, Old Wei returned triumphantly from the countryside, Grandma came back too, Cousin Long Xiaoyang was there, and Uncle Anping's family of four were also summoned—effectively a delayed Mid-Autumn reunion.

"Xizi, this is yours. Lele, this is yours." Seeing the two elementary students, Old Wei handed each a black cat police officer doll.

Wei Ming glanced at them—the stitching was fine, but the design was crude: the black fabric wasn't black enough, the white wasn't white enough, no fluffy cat fur texture, and the eyes were just two yellow buttons.

From Wei Ming's future perspective of accompanying girlfriends at claw machines, these dolls were clearly Buhege —too unindustrialized.

But the two kids adored them, clutching them tightly through dinner. In this era of scarcity, when fabric was rare, having such a toy was already a luxury—children didn't care about perfection.

Old Wei told Wei Ming: "This was stitched by Zhao Guafu in one day."

Wei Ming: "Her speed's impressive. What did the Supply and Marketing Cooperative say?"

Old Wei chuckled. "They said, at fifty cents each, they'll take as many as we can make. Now all the clever women in the village are working overtime—they all thank you for giving them this income stream."

Wei Anping added: "Xiaoming's found villagers plenty of income paths—greenhouses, collecting goose and duck down, and now these black cat police officer dolls."

Uncle Anping was deeply moved—his nephew was truly living out "the rich lead the poor."

Wei Ming said: "Greenhouses and goose/duck down won't show results until winter. I hope they help the villagers."

Wei Jiefang said: "Now that land's been divided, everyone's motivated—even lazybones have started managing their lives. This year will be better than last, and each year after will be better still."

Then Old Wei showed everyone the photo he took with county officials at the Wei Ming Bridge groundbreaking ceremony—even a top leader from the region showed up.

Finally, the rank-7 official Uncle Anping raised his cup: "Let's toast to the health of our distant loved ones, and to the prosperity of our great motherland."

Wei Ming looked out the window—the full moon on the sixteenth was even rounder than on the fifteenth. Tonight, the moon must be especially potent at granting wishes.

Beyond prosperity, everyone hoped for peace—no one wanted to relive chaotic times.

Old Wei said: "On the train back, I heard the Russians held a big military exercise. Could it be aimed at us again?"

The former elder brother, now universally called "Lao Maozi," had lost all emotional ties.

Wei Ming said: "The August 1st exercise lasted eight full days, deployed over half a million troops—massive scale."

Wei Anping added: "It's the largest military exercise in human history—a show of force, but not aimed at us. It's meant to deter NATO—Poland's in chaos right now."

Men always ended up debating politics—even Long Xiaoyang joined in, feeling these two months in Beijing had vastly broadened his horizons.

Then Lu Xiaoyan said: "Wait and see—we'll hold our own military exercise soon."

The next morning, Old Wei and Uncle Anping were leaving for Shanghai—Uncle Anping had a meeting, and would accompany Old Wei to inspect the old Western-style house.

But once acquired, no one lived in it, and maintaining it was still a hassle.

Uncle Anping had kept this secret from Aunt Xiao Yan—he was waiting for the right moment to reveal part of it.

The next day, after seeing off Old Wei, Wei Ming retrieved the newspapers and letters from his mailbox—the papers indeed reported on our country's move.

Wei Ming remembered clearly: in his past life, he'd watched this documentary in his rural hometown, and the whole village felt immense pride and safety.