34: Chapter 34 Reunion
In the last week of summer vacation, the Orange County Store suddenly became lively.
It wasn't because there were many customers.
It was because the people who came all knew each other.
The first to arrive was Li Ming.
He took the train from Silicon Valley, carrying a large backpack filled with potatoes—grown by the Silicon Valley branch itself.
When Tommy saw him, he was stunned for three seconds.
"How did you get here?"
Li Ming smiled: "The boss said, let me come and see you all."
He put his backpack on the floor and pulled out potatoes one by one:
"These are grown by the Silicon Valley store. Eric and the others did it, saying they are organic potatoes."
Lisa took the potatoes and looked them over for a long time.
"Programmers growing potatoes?"
Li Ming nodded: "They thought it was fun."
Mike leaned over, picked up a potato, and sniffed it.
"We can try a new recipe with this."
The second to arrive was Frank.
The Bald Strong Man drove over from San Diego, his trunk filled with beer.
He parked the car at the entrance, and before he even got out, he started shouting:
"Where is everyone? Come out!"
Everyone ran out.
Frank stood by the car, grinning like a fool.
"Brought this for you all! The best beer in San Diego!"
Lao Zhangs son took it, glanced at it, and froze.
"Brother Frank, this was bought at the supermarket, right?"
Frank glared at him: "No kidding. You think I brewed it myself?"
Everyone laughed.
The third to arrive was Chen Yao.
She flew in from San Francisco, carrying a bag containing over a dozen T-shirts.
Each one was printed with:
[The Boss Is More Miserable Than You • All-Star Gathering]
Tommy stared at the T-shirt, his eyes wide.
"Sister Yao, did you make this?"
Chen Yao nodded: "One for everyone. Including the boss."
Lisa asked: "The boss gets one too?"
Chen Yao smiled: "Does he dare not wear it?"
The fourth to arrive was Maria.
She took the bus from East Los Angeles, carrying an insulated food jar in her hand.
Sofia ran over to take it: "Sister Maria, what is this?"
Maria opened the lid, and a fragrant aroma drifted out.
"Soup I stewed. My daughter used to love it the most."
Sofia froze.
Maria smiled: "I wanted to let you all taste it."
The fifth to arrive was someone nobody expected.
A Mercedes parked at the entrance, and a well-dressed middle-aged man stepped out.
Kevin followed behind him, looking embarrassed.
Chen Yao froze: "Kevin? Your dad?"
Kevin's father stood at the store entrance, looking a bit awkward.
"Um... I heard there was a gathering today, so I came to take a look."
Lisa walked over and extended her hand:
"Welcome. Come in and sit."
Kevin's father was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
The sixth to arrive was Xiao Su.
She carried her camera and rode her bike from downtown Los Angeles, a three-hour ride.
When she arrived, she was covered in sweat, but her eyes were bright.
"I'm not late, am I?"
Tommy handed her a cola: "Just in time."
Xiao Su took the cola, looked up, and saw those photos on the wall.
They were the ones she had taken.
Forty-seven of them, all here.
She froze.
Lisa walked over and stood beside her:
"The boss had them hung up. He said these are all yours."
Xiao Su stared at the photos, her eyes turning red.
The seventh to arrive was Lily—the Lily who paints.
She brought her easel and took the subway from downtown Los Angeles.
The first thing she saw upon entering was those two paintings on the wall.
One of Lin Feng, one of Maria.
She stood there, looking for a long time.
Maria walked over and stood beside her.
"You're here."
Lily nodded.
Maria was silent for a second, then said:
"That painting was bought by someone. But many more people have seen it."
Lily turned to look at her.
Maria smiled: "Because of you, I saw myself."
Lily's eyes turned red.
The eighth to arrive was Mike—that programmer Mike.
He brought Lao Zhang—the old man whose wife left three years ago.
When Tommy saw the old man, his whole face lit up.
"Grandpa! How did you get here?"
The old man walked in slowly and pointed at Mike:
"He said he'd take me out for a spin. So I came."
Tommy wheeled his chair over and hugged him.
The old man was a bit bewildered by the hug, but didn't push him away.
He patted Tommy's back and whispered:
"You've lost weight. But you're standing straighter than last time."
The ninth to arrive was...
No one was counting anymore.
Because there were more and more people.
Maria brought Sofia's mother.
Frank brought the employees from his store.
Chen Yao brought Kevin and his dad.
Li Ming brought Eric—the programmer who peeled potatoes.
Xiao Su brought her photography teacher.
Lily brought her classmates.
The store was packed full.
By the time Lin Feng arrived, it was already evening.
He squatted at the entrance, not going in.
It was too lively inside, and he didn't want to disturb them.
But someone saw him.
Tommy was the first to wheel his chair out quickly.
"Brother! Why aren't you going in?"
Lin Feng, biting on a straw, said slowly: "There are too many people inside."
Tommy laughed: "They are all people waiting for you."
Lin Feng was stunned for a moment.
Tommy pushed his wheelchair toward the store.
"Come in. Everyone wants to see you."
When Lin Feng was pushed inside, everyone went quiet.
They looked at him, as if looking at a...
Looking at what?
Lin Feng didn't know.
Maria was the first to walk over and stand in front of him.
"Lin Feng."
Lin Feng looked up at her.
Maria said: "Thank you."
Lin Feng froze.
Then it was Frank, then Chen Yao, then Kevin, then Mike, then Lisa, then Sofia, then Tommy, then the old man, then Lao Zhang, then everyone.
Each person walked over, stood in front of him, and said:
"Thank you."
Lin Feng listened, frozen in place.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But he couldn't.
Because his eyes turned red.
That night, everyone sat around together.
Eating fried chicken, drinking beer, telling jokes, crying, laughing.
Lin Feng was squeezed into the very center, just like in that photo Xiao Su secretly took that day, with a bewildered expression.
But he was smiling.
That kind of smile that ripples out from the depths of one's eyes.
In the middle of the night, people gradually dispersed.
Lin Feng sat alone at the store entrance, looking at the stars.
Someone squatted down beside him.
He turned his head to look, and it was the old man.
"Not sleeping yet?"
The old man shook his head: "Can't sleep."
The two sat in silence, looking at the stars.
After a long time, the old man spoke:
"Lin Feng."
Lin Feng turned to look at him.
The old man pointed to the stars in the sky:
"Tell me, where is my wife?"
Lin Feng was stunned for a moment.
Then he pointed inside the store:
"She's in there."
The old man froze.
Lin Feng continued: "She is in Tommy's laughter, in Maria's soup, in Lily's paintings, and in everyone's stories."
He paused:
"She is there whenever you miss her every day."
The old man stared at him for three seconds.
Then he smiled.
It was the kind of smile he hadn't had in a long time.
...
[Chapter 34 End]