68: Chapter 68 A New Morning

Before the sky was fully bright, Xinfeng Town woke from its slumber.

It wasn't woken by noise. It was that kind of natural waking—the sun hadn't risen yet, but everyone knew it was time to wake up.

George was the first to open his eyes. He slept in the small hut next to the farm; the wooden bed made his back ache, but he didn't care. He sat up and glanced outside through the window. There was a hint of white on the horizon, and the stars were still there, but they had faded.

He got dressed, pushed open the door, and walked into the farm.

The mushroom racks were lined up row by row, glowing with a soft white in the morning light. He crouched down and looked at them one by one. The mushrooms were growing very well, even better than before he left.

"You're growing all by yourselves," he said softly.

The mushrooms, of course, would not answer. But he felt they were waiting for them to return.

Edna woke up too. She had been sleeping on a church pew, covered by her daughter-in-law's coat. She sat up, rubbed her waist, and looked around.

That "Ear" sculpture was still there, quiet. The morning light shone in through the stained-glass windows and fell upon it.

She stood up, leaned on her cane, and slowly walked in front of the sculpture.

Facing that ear, she said: "Old man, we're back."

Mike was woken up by his own alarm clock. He never set an alarm, but before going to sleep last night, he had specifically set his phone alarm for five o'clock.

"Opening day, can't be late," he told himself.

He climbed out of bed, washed his face, and walked into the bar.

The glasses he hadn't finished wiping last night were still on the bar. He picked up a rag and started wiping them, one by one. He wiped slowly, but steadily.

Sam was even earlier than him. When Mike entered the bar, Sam was already sitting in his usual spot, holding his guitar and gently plucking the strings.

"What are you playing?" Mike asked.

Sam thought for a moment and said: "A new song. It doesn't have a name yet."

Mike nodded and continued wiping the glasses.

The sound of the guitar drifted through the bar, light and soft, like morning mist.

Jenny was organizing the letters at the church entrance.

Three wooden boxes were open, with letters spread out on the ground one by one. She arranged them by date, smoothed out the crumpled ones, and gently wiped clean the dirty ones.

Someone walked over and crouched beside her. It was the young mother from Tennessee. The child was still sleeping, wrapped in her arms.

"I'll help you," she said.

Jenny nodded and handed her a stack of letters.

The two of them sat at the church entrance, quietly organizing.

The morning light shone on the letter paper; some handwriting was clear, some blurred, but in every letter, one could tell the writer had put their heart into it.

Chris was watering the farm. He held the hose and watered them one by one. Halfway through, he suddenly stopped and said to the mushrooms:

"Do you know? We won."

The mushrooms still didn't answer. But he felt they had become just a little bit whiter.

Alex and Rachel woke up quite late. Last night, they had stared at the happiness map until three in the morning, only sleeping when they absolutely couldn't hold on any longer.

Rachel woke up first. She nudged Alex: "Wake up, it's daylight."

Alex opened his eyes groggily: "Are those red dots still there?"

Rachel smiled: "Yes. They're all there."

Only then did Alex crawl out of bed, rub his eyes, and walk over to the computer.

The screen was lit up, and those hundred red dots on the happiness map were still glowing. There were hundreds more messages.

He read them one by one. Someone wrote: "Heard you won, that's awesome!"

Someone wrote: "I want to join Xinfeng Town too, how do I get in touch?"

Someone wrote: "Our town wants to renovate too, can you come and teach us?"

Alex's eyes felt a bit sore as he read. It wasn't tiredness, but something else.

Rachel walked over, stood behind him, and looked at the screen. "So many new messages," she said.

Alex nodded. "We're going to be busy."

Tony sat under the old locust tree, the book spread open on his knees. He turned to that page, and that tearstain was still there. He looked at that tearstain for a long time.

Then he looked up and watched the people in the distance—George on the farm, Edna at the church entrance, Mike in the bar, Sam playing the guitar, Jenny organizing letters, Chris watering, Alex and Rachel typing at the computer, Yuki on the church steps, the young mother holding her child, and old Mrs. Jack standing at the entrance of the town.

He said softly: "This is the answer."

Yuki's computer was still on. She sat on the church steps, the faint light of the screen shining on her face. The mysterious admin account had been silent all night.

But she didn't turn off the computer. She waited.

When the sun rose, a new message finally popped up on the screen. It was the same account: [Morning.]

Yuki stared at the word for three seconds. Then she replied: [Morning.]

The other person asked again: [What is it like there now?]

Yuki looked up and surveyed the surroundings. George walked out of the farm, holding a freshly picked mushroom in his hands. Edna leaned on her cane, walking slowly toward the restaurant. Mike's bar door was open, and Sam's guitar music drifted from inside. Jenny and the young mother were still organizing letters. Chris stood at the farm entrance, looking at the mushrooms. Alex and Rachel were sitting at the computer, laughing about something. Tony leaned against the old locust tree with the book spread on his knees. Old Mrs. Jack walked over from the town entrance, step by step, walking very slowly.

Sunlight fell on everyone, shining dazzlingly. She lowered her head and typed a line on the screen: [The same as yesterday.]

The other party replied quickly: [The same as yesterday?]

Yuki thought for a moment, then typed another line: [The same as yesterday. But better.]

The other party didn't reply again. But Yuki knew he had seen it.

Lin Feng was still squatting under the old locust tree. He hadn't moved all night.

Margaret walked over carrying two plates of mushrooms and squatted beside him. "Didn't sleep all night?"

Lin Feng nodded. Margaret handed him a plate: "Hungry?"

Lin Feng took it and lowered his head to eat the mushrooms. Margaret watched those people, watching the sunlight slowly spread over the entire town bit by bit.

"Lin Feng." Lin Feng turned to look at her. Margaret said: "Don't you feel that today is a little different?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said: "Every day is the same."

Margaret was stunned for a moment. Lin Feng continued: "But every day is different."

Margaret smiled. She stood up and walked toward the restaurant. After two steps, she turned back: "I'm going to open the door. Guests will come today."

Lin Feng nodded. He watched those people, watched the sunlight, and watched that sky getting brighter and brighter.

The leaves of the old locust tree rustled in the wind. He swallowed the last bite of mushrooms, set the plate aside, and continued to squat. The corners of his mouth turned up.

[Chapter 68: End]