Chapter 6: The Long Journey (Part 2)

  "I thought you wouldn't give me a holiday! Damn Christmas, it's finally given me a reason to remember and thank you." Zhang Yu, who had been spinning like a top every day, finally got the approval of his "superior" and welcomed the rare opportunity to rest as Christmas arrived.

  Christmas is a traditional Western holiday, just like Chinese New Year, it requires time and space for leisure and rest. As the Asia-America Group has mainly Western employees, considering practical issues, no matter how busy we are, we still need to take a break. People who have worked hard all year should have some vacation time with their families. Also, various mechanical equipment can be inspected during this opportunity. Of course, as leaders, they must also have some free time to relax and unwind, because even the tightest springs will not withstand the torment of time, let alone humans, not gods.

  "I've always treated you as a robot, so I've been overworking you. Who made our ancestors say that 'the capable ones work more'? Your hard work, I'm here to thank you on behalf of all humanity!"

  Zhang Yusheng is finally in a state of vacation, no need to worry about anything at work, and will not be bothered by business. It's rare for him to spend a holiday with his younger brother, as the two have had few opportunities to communicate their progress since the group was formed. Usually, it's only when one side has achieved good results that they will take the initiative to find the other party to discuss what to do next, and ultimately come up with a plan that maximizes benefits.

  "Are you flattering me or mocking me?" Zhang Yu's upper body was hanging off the bed, his head resting on the pillow and his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. His mouth started moving rapidly as he spoke. "Brother, I'm really committing a sin. If this were back in our intellectual property era, I reckon my crimes would be enough to get me locked up for life. And yet you say that those who are capable should work harder? You've got guts, come and try it yourself! It's all just empty talk."

  "Alright, I know you've worked hard, but what are you afraid of? Anyway, our existence in this world is a mistake, so why can't we maximize the mistake. If ugliness reaches its peak, it becomes beauty, artistic beauty; if evil reaches its peak, it's performance art. We're doing the heavens a huge favor, who's afraid of whom! By the way, take a look at my outfit, does it look good on me?" Zhang Yusheng said, spinning around in place to show off his new clothes.

  This remark made Zhang Yu sit up straight, took a look at Zhang Yusheng's new outfit, nodded and said: "Ah? I really didn't notice that you actually dressed up, this appearance looks like a human being! This outfit of yours, with both Tang suit and new shoes, are you going to see your wife?"

  "Where's the wife? My old lady is probably still in her mother's womb! We're going to meet a big shot, my lifesaver. I've finally made it out of this place and it's time for me to go back and see my benefactor." Zhang Yu Sheng also wanted to tidy up his short hair, really putting on airs. "Uh, you'll be coming with me later too. It's not often that we get a day off, so we should relax a bit. But you have to be mentally prepared first."

  "Where are we going? Is there something delicious to eat?" Zhang Yu immediately jumped up, things in this era were great, especially green and pollution-free food. Even if it was plain white rice, Zhang Yu thought it tasted much better than synthetic protein. He quickly stood up, ready to set off.

  "Two places, one good and one bad, but both are in Chinatown!"

  "What about my clothes? Can't have you looking like a human and me looking like a dog, can we?" Zhang Yu looked at his own clothes, then at his brother's attire. "There really is quite a difference between the working class and the capitalists, isn't there!"

  "What's with all the nonsense, can't you see it's packed in a bag?" Zhang Yusheng said, pointing to a large paper bag on Zhang Yu's bed. "We're all selling clothes, how could we not have new clothes to wear?"

  "I thought you were going to give me more work! Thanks, but you have to get out first, my room is a bit too small for two big men to face each other honestly. Hurry up, I need to try on this new outfit and see if it fits." Zhang Yu said, immediately pushing away Zhang Yusheng who was still admiring himself in the mirror.

  On Christmas Day at 9:00 am, Zhang Yu-sheng and his wife carefully prepared themselves and drove out of the Asia Mei Group Industrial Park, which covers an area of over 1,000 mu, in a luxurious car. The vehicle quickly accelerated to 60 km/h on the smooth cement road and headed straight for the bustling New York Chinatown.

  Chinatown, as the name suggests, is a street where Chinese people make up the majority. However, New York's Chinatown emerged relatively late. In 1848, three Taishanese immigrants, two men and one woman, arrived in the United States on the sailing ship "Eagle". They are considered to be among the earliest Chinese immigrants to the United States. By 1851, there were already 25,000 Five Counties people who had moved to the West Coast of the United States, and it was only then that Chinatown began to take shape.

  In 1880, the United States experienced an economic crisis, and many white people lost their jobs, while Chinese people still had work. As a result, white people became jealous of Chinese people and falsely accused them of taking away their livelihoods. Therefore, California quickly passed the Exclusion Act, and Chinese people who were excluded and persecuted moved to the East Coast of the United States. The first Chinese immigrants to arrive in New York settled in the southeastern part of Lower Manhattan, on Mott Street and Park Street. As the population gradually increased, Chinatown was formed in 1890. The English name for Chinatown is "Chinatown", which means "Chinese city". By the time Zhang Yusheng and others arrived, Chinese City had a population of nearly 40,000 people.

  "Have we crossed over again and returned to China?" Zhang Yu looked at the car while observing the changing scenery on both sides, until they arrived at Berkeley Street where many Chinese people gathered. It was as if they had returned to China. "Why do they still keep their queues? Don't they know that thing can kill them? Hey, brother, where are we going exactly? We can't just drive around in this luxury car sightseeing, can we? Many people are looking at us!"

  "Turn left at the next intersection! Just go straight until you reach it."

  "I thought you'd become mute! It turns out that you're back in your hometown, and the scenery has evoked emotions!" Zhang Yu said, and after a while, he turned on the left turn signal light and slowly drove into an alley. Only after entering did Zhang Yu discover that this alley actually had another world inside. There were iron wires spanning across the narrow alley above his head, with who-knows-how-many clothes hanging from them - long gowns, undergarments, and whatnot. Along the way, you could even see small dogs wandering around and chickens and ducks pecking at food everywhere. Zhang Yu was completely stunned - is this really where they're celebrating the holiday today? Is this really where Chinese people gather? The Chinatown outside looked okay, but how did it become like this after entering the alley?

  "Hey, boss, this is where our fellow countrymen live!" As soon as they got off the car, Zhang Yu pointed to the dog poop on the ground and said: "You didn't say it was Chinatown or something? This is what you call a street? I'd rather wait in the car for you, wearing these shoes I'm already embarrassed to be seen." Saying that, Zhang Yu tried to open the door and get back in.

  "If you're Chinese, you should follow me. Move your car over there and don't block the way!"

  A wide sedan squeezed into a narrow alley, and passersby had to walk along the wall. Many people carrying heavy loads were having trouble with the narrow passage, fearing that their belongings would accidentally hit the car. Seeing this scene, Zhang Yu quickly started the car and slowly backed out, stopping at a wider spot, then slowly moved until the right rearview mirror almost touched the wall, leaving enough space in the alley for people to pass through.

  Standing on the street, Zhang Yu looked at several children across the street who were as excited as if they had discovered a new continent. Their faces were covered with mud, their feet were bare in shorts, and they wore small jackets on top. The little girl's braids were tied up nicely, but her clothes were not very impressive. Just now, the movement of the car had scared these children who were playing together, and someone had even crawled out of the monster. Now several little friends stared at Zhang Yu together like they had seen an alien, especially the silver-white sedan behind him.

  "Hey kid, want to touch it?" Zhang Yu said to one of the slightly older kids. The familiarity of the national language quickly made the child smile, and after looking at his companions on either side, he happily came over to prepare to touch the mysterious thing. The sedan was so clean and beautiful, just as he was about to touch the car body, the kid seemed to understand something, and immediately used his small jacket to wipe his very dirty hands, carefully rubbing them for a while before stretching out his hand to touch the smooth car, with a smile on his face that was very innocent and lovely. The coldness and smoothness of the touch must have penetrated deep into his heart, and the comfortable feeling of contact made him feel like he was stroking beautiful jade.

  "Don't you want to come and touch it too?" Zhang Yu bent down and said with a smile to the other children.

  Several children saw the "head" and touched it, and soon they came bouncing over, wiping their small hands like the first child before stroking the smooth car, from the large glass headlights to the black tires. Finally, one child curiously went to pull the car door, and Zhang Yu immediately helped her open the rear door. Without caring whether the little girl was clean or not, he gently lifted her into the back seat. Sitting on the soft back seat, the girl immediately smiled happily. The other children also joined in quickly, and Zhang Yu carried them all in one by one.

  "Zhang Yu, come quickly!" A shout came from the end of the alley, and upon distinguishing the familiar voice, it was clear that Zhang Yusheng was calling out to him. Zhang Yu's waving gesture was also seen by several children.

  "Hey kids, Uncle is going to take you out for a spin! How about it?" Zhang Yu said with a smile to the five children in the carriage. The children just expressed their meaning through facial expressions and actions, not daring to communicate with Zhang Yu in language. Before Zhang Yu even asked them to get down, the children began to prepare to come out one by one. Helpless Zhang Yu could only carry them out one by one, then close the car door amidst the children's laughter, walking towards the depths of the alley.

  "Uncle, thank you!"

  A clear and crisp child's voice came from that direction, Zhang Yu stroked the car key in his hand, turned around and waved at the children who were still watching him there, then looked at the car key in his hand, smiled foolishly, and put it into his pocket and ran towards the end of the alley.

  "What were you doing just now? I've been waiting for you for a long time!" Zhang Yusen said, handing over some gifts to Zhang Yu. "Later when we go in, behave yourself and don't embarrass me, got it?"

  Zhang Yu smiled and shook his head, taking the gift and saying: "I didn't do anything, I won't say a word later. By the way, are all these gifts for someone? Your lifesaver? Where is he?" Zhang Yusheng did not answer Zhang Yu's words again, and Zhang Yu also felt embarrassed to say anything else, thinking about the strange encounter earlier, smiling and following Zhang Yusheng into a door on the left side of the alley.

  "Sir, Zhang Yusheng has come to see you! He also brought a friend." Zhang Yusheng stood in front of a door made of tattered cloth, waiting respectfully for the person inside to respond. Meanwhile, Zhang Yu took the opportunity to observe the surroundings, the dilapidated factory area and the long-term combination with poor residents had created a scene of desolation and disorder in this small courtyard. Even on days without rain, the yard was still muddy, with polluted water and garbage scattered everywhere.

  "Come on in!"

  After a long time, the hoarse voice mixed with constant coughing finally entered the ears of the two people, and only then did they nod in agreement and walk into the house with their heads bowed. As soon as they entered the room, Zhang Yu felt a sense of nausea. The house was extremely small, and the bed, which had lost one leg, was propped up against the wall corner, relying on several bricks to serve as pillars. The mosquito net above the bed was already dark and shiny, while the quilt on the bed emitted a pungent medicinal smell. Near the bed was a small table with an oil lamp lit on it, and the jumping flames would occasionally surge high. On the left side of the room near the door was a small cabinet that seemed to be on the verge of collapse, with many jars and pots stacked on top of it, emitting a strong herbal smell. Zhang Yu didn't dare look at other places in the room.

  The person Zhang Yusheng was visiting was an old man sitting on a broken chair, leaning against the wall with a wheezing sound like a bellows, which indicated to Zhang Yu that the old man's pneumonia was very severe and must be accompanied by severe heart failure, coronary heart disease, and possibly even kidney failure symptoms. The direct result of reduced mobility was difficulty in using the toilet, which was likely related to the foul smell in the room.

  "What?" Zhang Yu hinted that he should put the gift in his hand somewhere, but the small house couldn't find a place to store things at all.

  "Let's just drop it! You go out first, I'll be right out!"

  Zhang Yu, who received such an 'order', had no choice but to put the gift in his hand around his feet and slowly backed out. Less than twenty minutes later, Zhang Yusheng, who also slowly retreated, called up Zhang Yu and left this place without looking back.

  "Was that person just now your benefactor? I think you saved him instead! And what's going on with this place, how can it be so dirty and messy?" Zhang Yu muttered as he reversed the car out of the alley. "I really can't understand, you got dressed up early in the morning, went through all that trouble just to come see an old man who doesn't have many days left, and even brought a big pile of things he obviously can't eat. What's going on?"

  The car returned to the main street, where there were still many people with braids on the slightly wider streets. After the car shifted gears and gradually resumed slow driving, Zhang Yu shook Zhang Yusheng, who was about to fall asleep beside him. "Hey, kid. You're playing tricks on me, bringing me to such a place on a holiday! The next place will be even worse?"

  "He is Japanese!"

  "What did you say?" Zhang Yu slammed on the brakes, and the two people who weren't wearing seatbelts almost crashed into the windshield. "You know I hate Japanese people the most, and you also said that you hate Japanese people the most, so why are you visiting this dying dog bastard?! How could I have known that this dog would contract kidney failure? It's because of those Japanese!"

  "He saved me, I fell into the sea as soon as I came to this world. If it weren't for his help, I would have drowned in the sea long ago. Out of gratitude, I have been repaying him for two years, but after he knew my Chinese identity, he began to refuse my help and moved here to wait for death. He said that accepting aid from a Chinese person is the shame of his life, and the ugly Shina people are forever weak."

  "Then why are you still buying him so many supplements?" Zhang Yu didn't have the heart to continue driving, and the car stopped in the middle of the road. "Do you want to do your duty as a human being and accept your fate? Repay kindness with kindness?"

  "A life-saving favor, how can I dare to forget? The reason why I bought so many supplements is that the person who needs care and help from others requires some benefits for those who help him to continue living. Otherwise, he would have died quickly! In other words, those supplements are not for him, but a reward for his fellow villagers who came to help him. If I gave money directly, I'm afraid he wouldn't be alive today."

  "I brought you here to see him, so that you can learn something - that is, the necessary compassion. I believe that in the future, our republic will become strong, but it needs to have the awareness and demeanor of a great nation. You rarely have the chance to come into contact with these things, so take this opportunity to experience it well!" Zhang Yu said, pointing to the car key to indicate that Zhang Yu could start the car and leave. "No matter if he is Japanese or British, as long as one lives in this world, besides having goals and responsibilities, one also needs a bit of humanity, otherwise it would be just like animals, where the strong prey on the weak."

  "Was your behavior just now a kind of sympathy? By the way, those children are Chinese, right? How can they live like that? What about their parents?" Zhang Yu started the car but still asked about what he had seen and heard. "There was a girl who was really cute, if she were in our time, she would have already gone to kindergarten for fun and learning, how could she still be playing with mud there, it's really pitiful!"

  "They're obviously Chinese, their parents have gone out to work, who has the time to take care of them? Let's get going, we should be heading to where we need to go, that place earlier was just a part of our holiday tour. Zhang Yu-sheng said, looking at the busy people coming and going outside the car window, his eyes moistening as he spoke: "When conditions are ripe, we must come back for them, take away all Chinese! Leave this damned ghost place."

  "Alright, where's the next location? This driver is free today and is at your service."