Although Yan Hong was not receiving guests, Xiao Shunzi did not want to stay at home either. Instead, he followed Chen Zikong into Xiang Er's house. The room was filled with an inexplicable strange smell. Xiao Shunzi wrinkled his nose and asked: "Xiang Er sister, what is this smell?"

  Xing'er said: "This morning, the foreign doctor came again, gave Mother an injection, and brought two bottles of medicine. One bottle was mixed with water and sprinkled around the house, and the other was used to clean the wound. The smell is a bit strange, but it's good for Mother's illness." After a pause, she said: "Jintang, my mother wants to talk to you."

  "Ah, Auntie wants to see me? What's the matter?" Chen Zikun scratched his head and walked into the inner room. Xing Er's mother was still bedridden after her surgery, looking pale and thin, half-reclining on the kang with a bandage wrapped around her forehead. In front of her was a sewing basket, and as soon as she saw Chen Zikun enter, she took out some shoe insoles, socks, and gloves and said: "Child, try them on to see if they fit?"

  The insoles were densely packed with needles, warm and thick. The socks and gloves were also newly made. Chen Zikun held the insoles, his eyes slightly moist, his throat a little dry.

  "Xiong Ge, why are you crying?" Xing Er asked cautiously, Xiao Shun Zi was also puzzled, Chen Da usually didn't cry without a reason, and even preparing emotions wasn't necessary.

  "I... don't have a mother." Chen Zikun's tears fell pitter-patter down.

  Xing Er's mother felt a pang of sadness, what a miserable child she is. She beckoned: "Child, from now on this will be your home. Xing Er, pour tea for your brother-in-law."

  Xing'er quickly took two large ceramic bowls, lifted the iron kettle from the stove, and poured two bowls of tea for Chen Zikun and Xiao Shunzi to drink.

  Chen Zikong walked for half a day and was thirsty, so he picked up the bowl to take a sip. After tasting it, he looked puzzled and said: "Xiao Shun'er, why does this water taste different from yours?"

  Xiao Shunzi laughed and said, "Good to drink, right? This is the tea that Xing'er sister made with snow water. The water in our house is from a bitter well, it's the kind of water rich people use to wash their clothes, so of course it doesn't taste good."

  Chen Zikong couldn't help but glance at Xing'er, who blushed and fiddled with her hem before flinging her long braid over her shoulder and leaving the room. Baoqing, who had just entered, witnessed this scene and felt a pang in his heart, but said aloud: "Chen Dage, Xiao Shunzi, Da Haige has invited you to discuss something."

  The two of them didn't dare to be slow, and after greeting Apricot's mother, they arrived at the northern house of the Daihai family. The house had two bright windows and one dark window, with a clean and tidy interior, and a warm fire burning in the stove. Zhao Daihai was sitting cross-legged on the kang, while a small, delicate-looking daughter-in-law sat beside him holding a child. When she saw the young brothers enter, she smiled and took the child into the inner room.

  Zhao Dahi invited them to sit on the kang and pointed at the Erguotou and stir-fried tofu, peanuts on the kang table, saying: "If you haven't eaten, have some."

  Everyone said they had eaten, the sea did not depend on it. He took a foreign iron cup with a railway logo and poured a full cup of Er Guo Tou saying: "There is only one cup, we will drink in turns."

  Chen Zikong took the cup first, tilted his head back and drained it, then wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said: "It's strong enough, but still a bit inferior to Shao Daizi in terms of flavor."

  "Is brother from outside the pass?" Zhao Dahan's eyes lit up.

  "It's not, is it? He came from Fengtian to Beijing to visit relatives." Without Chen Zikun opening his mouth, Xiao Shunzi enthusiastically told his story, and after Zhao Dahan listened, he pondered for a moment and said: "Since you can't find your relatives, just stay here first. It's not convenient at Xiao Shunzi's house, so you all live with me, it's lively with more people."

  "That's a good idea." Before Chen Zikun could respond, Xiao Shunzi had already agreed, and Chen Zikun had no reason to refuse. The guests at Yanhong's place came and went at all hours, and living there was indeed awkward.

  Zhao Dahi also said: "Get up early tomorrow and come with me to work, there's a lot of work during the Spring Festival, making a thousand yuan in one day is no problem."

  Everyone agreed, and that night's dinner was at Zhao's house for fried noodles. While eating, they listened to Big Sea Brother talk about things on the railroad, and the colorful world of Hankou. Chen Zikun also listened with relish, and became more and more admiring of Zhao Dahai.

  They talked until the sky outside was completely dark, and then Zhao Dahai took out a silver railway pocket watch to take a look and said: "It's late, go to sleep, get up early tomorrow."

  Everyone had a bad sleep at night. Hai Ge and his wife were making a big noise in the inner room, which made several younger brothers blush with embarrassment.

  The next morning, Chen Zikun was awakened by the sound of wind in the courtyard. He got up and looked out the window to see Zhao Dahan wearing only a white cloth jacket practicing boxing in the courtyard, performing a magnificent Shaolin fist routine. Looking around, he saw that Baoqing and Xiaoshun were still fast asleep, so he quietly put on his clothes and went to the door to watch. When he saw the most exciting part, he couldn't help but exclaim "good".

  Zhao Dahai didn't turn his head, continuing to practice the set of punches, his face unchanged and heart unfluttering. A white mist rose from his head as he picked up a towel to wipe away sweat, asking Chen Zikun: "Brother, have you practiced boxing?"

  "No." Chen Zikong shook his head, speaking the truth. When it came to close combat, Hu Zi relied on bravery and marksmanship. If they really had to engage in hand-to-hand combat, there was no need for fancy moves. In short, all those fancy fist techniques were just a facade, meant to deceive people.

  Zhao Dahai just casually asked, and since Chen Zikun said he hadn't practiced, he didn't ask again. He put on his railway uniform, took two snowballs from the wall and walked straight into the house, stuffing them into Xiao Shunzi's and Baoqing's quilts, shouting: "In ancient times, people got up with the rooster's crowing and danced, we young people of the new era should also get up early to exercise, can't waste the good time in bed."

  The two reluctantly got up, washed their faces in the yard with sleepy eyes, and the wife of the sea had already prepared breakfast. Everyone ate steamed buns with salted vegetables and drank porridge, finished eating, wiped their mouths, and went out to work.

  Four people walked in the alleys on a clear morning, the sky was cold and clear, but the hearts of the young men were burning hot.

  "Big Brother Hai, shouldn't we go to Shanjin Kou to wait for work?" Baoqing asked with a self-satisfied tone.

  Zhao Dahai sneered: "Opportunities don't come knocking, you have to look for them. Let's go straight to Yongdingmen Railway Station, I have a friend there."

  Yongdingmen Railway Station is a passenger and freight mixed station. It was winter at the time, with the largest coal transportation volume, requiring a large number of laborers every day. Zhao Dahan's friend worked in the coal yard. A big cigarette was handed over from the front gate, and everything went smoothly. The friend took four iron shovels and said: "Two people per car skin, unload it, I won't treat you unfairly."

  Four brothers took the iron shovel and climbed onto the vehicle, spat on their palms, wiped them with a bit of saliva, and started practicing with the big shovel. They were all robust young men full of energy, working extremely efficiently. After unloading for half an hour, they were already sweating, so they took off their thick cotton jackets and hats, and continued to work vigorously, with white mist rising from their heads like a small train.

  They worked like this until one o'clock in the afternoon, when two truckloads of coal were unloaded. The person in charge came over and gave them eight big silver dollars, two yuan per person, clinking loudly in their hands, feeling wonderful, walking with a spring in their step.

  "Where shall we go for fun?" asked Xiao Shunzi, weighing the big ocean in his hand.

  "Tianqiao, bathing and eating while listening to the opera." Zhao Dahi stretched out his hand pointing south, with a heroic air, and everyone suddenly became excited.

  The Tianqiao is located between Zhengyangmen and Yongdingmen, west of the Temple of Heaven. On both sides of the bridge to the north are teahouses, bathhouses, restaurants, and pawnshops. To the west of the bridge there is a bird market, as well as vendors selling snacks, performing acrobatics, telling jokes, singing, and playing drums - it's one of the most enjoyable places in old Beijing.

  Four people first found a small bathhouse, the door was not big, but the name was not small, and the sign above the door read "Huaqingchi". After entering, they took off their clothes and handed them over to the attendant, each receiving a small wooden token. As they walked into the steaming hot bathhouse, they saw a large pool of murky greyish water, with dirty foam floating on the surface, looking like a boiling hot pot.

  "The hot water is just right for a soak." Zhao Dahi stretched out his hand to test the temperature of the large pool, and finding it not quite right, he tested the small one beside it, smacking his lips as he said, "Today the bathhouse has changed its cauldron; are they going to scald pigs or what?"

  Xiao Shunzi also came over to try the water temperature, and quickly pulled his hand back, blowing air: "Scalding hot!"

  Bao Qing didn't even dare to touch it, but Chen Zi Kun's competitive spirit was aroused. He stretched one foot into the big pool and felt that it wasn't so hot after all. Under the astonished gaze of the full bathhouse, he sat down in the small pool.

  Xiao Shunzi's mouth was open wide enough to fit an egg, Baoqing's eyes were as big as a cow's egg, and even Da Haige, who was usually calm, couldn't help but secretly admire him. This kid is no ordinary person!

  Chen Zikong didn't think much of it. Since the siege by the Feng army half a year ago, he hadn't taken a bath. He spent his days digging in the old forest and even slept without taking off his clothes to prevent freezing. He applied a thick layer of butter on his body and feet, which over time formed a hard shell. With the addition of dead skin cells and keratin, a protective armor had formed on his body. Normally, with just a light scratch, a big mud ball would form. With this treasure on him, what was he afraid of hot water for?

  After steaming for a while, the hard shell on his body softened. Chen Zikun scrubbed himself all over with his hands, scrubbing off at least two catties of old dirt that had accumulated over the years. His skin turned red, and he crawled out to scoop water from a ladle to pour over himself, washing away the streaks of old grime. He then stepped into the small pool, but quickly withdrew his foot as if struck by lightning.

  "Damn it! I'm scalded to death!" Chen Zikun looked at his own feet and they were all red.

  Everyone looked at each other in dismay. Chen Dage was like this, earlier he was thick-skinned and now he's afraid of being scalded.

  Only Zhao Dahai saw through it and smiled: "Brother, you haven't been to the bathhouse for a long time, have you?"

  Chen Zikong smiled with a twitch of his mouth, jumped up and down in place twice, and after the years of accumulated dust were shaken off, he suddenly felt as light as a swallow.

  A bright-eyed and bushy-browed fellow came over and greeted him, saying: "Big Brother Hai, when did you get back?"

  "Ah, yesterday's leftovers, help me get two catties of lotus root from the butcher across the street, a piece of braised pork belly, and some stir-fried meat strips with fermented soybean paste. Also, bring back two jin of noodles and a large jug of sweetened rice wine." Da Hai lounged in the pool, giving orders casually.

  "Brother Hai, you've been in Zhengzhou for half a year, and your appetite has increased." The colleague joked.

  "Cut the crap, can't you see I've brought three brothers with me? Hurry up, we've been working all morning and are tired."

  "Alright, I'll get an apprentice to take your order. Or would you like me to give you a massage, loosen up your bones and relieve fatigue?" the shopkeeper said.

  "That's quite good." The sea said with narrowed eyes.

  A man lying not far away, with a towel covering his face, suddenly lifted the towel and opened his eyes: "What's going on? You said your hands were sore today, how can you crack bones for others but not for me? Does my money not count as money?"

  As he stood up, his sturdy and dark body was adorned with a majestic tiger descending the mountain, its claws outstretched, and the muscles on the back of his neck flexed in a powerful display.