69: Chapter 69 System Notification
The morning in Xinfeng Town wakes up to the scent of mushrooms.
George had been busy on the farm all morning, picking two large baskets of mushrooms.
He picked out the largest one and held it in the palm of his hand, examining it for a long time.
The mushroom was pure white, looking much better than the one he had taken to New York.
"This one can be kept," he said to himself.
Edna was sunbathing at the entrance of the church.
The sunlight was warm, shining on her and making her gray hair glisten.
She squinted her eyes, the corners of her mouth curled up, wondering what she was thinking about.
Sam's guitar music drifted from Mike's bar.
It was still that same new song, played over and over again, yet it was slightly different each time.
Mike wiped a glass, humming softly to the melody.
Jenny and the young mother had finished organizing the letters.
Three wooden crates were neatly stacked in the corner of the church.
Jenny patted the crates as if patting an old friend.
Chris was still watering.
He watered very slowly, one by one, as if giving each mushroom a morning lesson.
Halfway through, he stopped and said to the mushrooms:
"The sun is good today, you all should soak up some more."
Alex and Rachel stared at the screen, replying to the new comments.
Some asked how to join, some asked how to renovate, and some asked if they could come for a visit.
Alex's fingers flew across the keyboard, while Rachel handed him coffee from the side.
Tony was still sitting under the old locust tree with the book open on his lap.
But his gaze wasn't on the book; instead, it landed on the people in the distance.
He watched George walk out holding the mushrooms, watched Edna stand up from the church entrance, watched the door of Mike's bar open, and watched Sam's music drift out.
He said softly:
"So that's how it is."
Yuki's computer was still on.
The mysterious admin account hadn't sent any more messages, but she didn't turn off the computer.
She occasionally glanced down at the screen, then continued watching those people.
The sun climbed higher, and the shadows grew shorter.
Xinfeng Town was the same as yesterday.
But better.
---
Lin Feng was still squatting under the old locust tree.
Margaret walked out of the restaurant, carrying a plate of freshly cooked mushrooms.
She walked over to Lin Feng, squatted down, and handed him the plate.
"Second plate," she said.
Lin Feng took it and nodded.
Margaret looked at the people in the distance and suddenly asked:
"Lin Feng, do you think guests will come today?"
Lin Feng chewed the mushroom and said vaguely:
"Yes."
Margaret was stunned: "How do you know?"
Lin Feng pointed toward the entrance of the town.
Margaret followed his finger and looked—nothing.
Just that road, winding and stretching into the distance.
"There's no one," she said.
Lin Feng swallowed the mushroom in his mouth and said slowly:
"Soon."
---
Half an hour later, a vehicle appeared at the town entrance.
A dilapidated pickup truck with peeling paint, rumbling as it drove.
The car stopped under the road sign, and a man got out.
George was the first to see it.
He put down his mushroom basket and squinted for a long time.
"Who is that?"
The man stood under the road sign, looking at the words for a long time.
Then he turned and walked into the town.
George went to meet him and walked up to him.
The man was in his fifties, with gray hair and a wrinkled shirt.
His eyes were bright, but there were dark circles under them, as if he hadn't slept well in a long time.
George asked: "Who are you looking for?"
The man looked at him, was silent for three seconds, and then said:
"Looking for Lin Feng."
---
Lin Feng was still squatting under the old locust tree.
The man walked over and stood in front of him.
Lin Feng looked up at him.
Neither of them spoke.
Margaret stood by, looking from one to the other, feeling a bit nervous.
After a long while, the man spoke:
"My name is Paul. I'm from Ohio."
Lin Feng nodded.
Paul continued: "I have a town called Greenfield. The coal mine closed ten years ago, and two-thirds of the people left. Those who remain are the ones who can't leave."
Lin Feng waited for him to continue.
Paul took a deep breath:
"I heard you won the lawsuit. I heard you brought a hundred towns back to life. I heard—"
He paused, his voice trembling:
"I want to ask, can you come?"
Lin Feng looked at him for three seconds.
Then he stood up and patted his bottom.
"Yes."
Paul was stunned.
Lin Feng walked past him toward the church.
After two steps, he looked back:
"Wait."
Paul stood where he was, not knowing what to say.
Margaret walked over and patted his shoulder:
"He told you to wait, so you wait."
---
When Lin Feng entered the church, all seven people were there.
Alex and Rachel were holding computers, Jenny was organizing letters, Tony was leaning against the wall reading, Chris was squatting on the floor fiddling with a toolbox, Sam was sitting on a bench playing guitar, and Yuki was standing by the window looking outside.
Lin Feng squatted in front of the altar.
The seven people looked up at him simultaneously.
He spoke:
"Someone is here."
Alex asked: "Who?"
Lin Feng said: "From Ohio. A town called Greenfield. The coal mine closed, and two-thirds of the people left."
Rachel asked: "They want us to go?"
Lin Feng nodded.
Sam put down his guitar: "I'll go."
Jenny looked up: "I'll go too."
Chris stood up: "I'll bring the toolbox."
Alex and Rachel looked at each other: "We'll stay behind."
Tony didn't speak but nodded.
Yuki walked over and handed him a note:
[I'll go check the information on Greenfield]
Lin Feng read the note and nodded.
He stood up and walked out.
When he reached the door, he looked back:
"We leave tomorrow."
---
That night, Xinfeng Town became lively again.
Mike brought out a case of beer from the bar—this time real beer, not mineral water.
Sam hugged his guitar and played that new song.
Jenny took out the letters and showed them to Paul one by one.
Paul sat in the crowd, looking at the letters, looking at the people, and his eyes slowly turned red.
George sat next to him and handed him a glass of beer.
"Drink," George said.
Paul took it and took a sip.
George asked: "How many people are left in your town?"
Paul said: "Four hundred and twenty-three."
George nodded: "That's not a few. When we first started, we had fewer than that."
Paul was stunned.
George continued: "That Chinese man, you saw him, right?"
Paul nodded.
George said: "He doesn't have any special skills. He just squats and watches."
Paul didn't understand.
George patted his shoulder:
"You'll understand in time."
---
Late at night, the crowd dispersed.
Paul was arranged to sleep on the church bench.
He lay there, looking at the stained-glass window above his head.
Moonlight filtered in from outside, piece by piece, falling on him.
He couldn't sleep.
He remembered the eyes of the people in his town when he left.
He was all too familiar with that look—despair mixed with a little hope, and more despair hidden within that hope.
He didn't know if he could bring back an answer.
The door opened.
Lin Feng walked in and squatted next to him.
Paul was startled and sat up.
Lin Feng didn't speak; he just squatted there.
Paul looked at him, waited for a long time, and finally couldn't help but ask:
"You... what are you doing here?"
Lin Feng said:
"Seeing if you can sleep."
Paul was stunned.
Lin Feng stood up and walked out.
When he reached the door, he looked back:
"Wake up early tomorrow."
---
The next morning, as soon as the sun came out, a line of people stood at the entrance of Xinfeng Town.
Sam was carrying a guitar, Jenny was holding a wooden box, Chris was carrying a toolbox, and Yuki was holding a computer.
Lin Feng was squatting nearby, biting on a straw.
Margaret walked over to him with a plate of mushrooms.
"Eat on the road."
Lin Feng took it and nodded.
Paul stood not far away, watching these people, feeling a bit dazed.
George walked over and patted his shoulder:
"Take them with you."
Paul opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.
He turned around and got into the car.
Sam and the others followed into another car.
Lin Feng was still squatting.
Margaret asked: "You're not going?"
Lin Feng shook his head.
Margaret asked: "Why?"
Lin Feng pointed to the car:
"They can go."
---
The car drove away.
Margaret stood next to Lin Feng, watching the car get further and further away, finally disappearing at the end of the road.
She looked down at Lin Feng:
"Are you really that reassured?"
Lin Feng thought for a moment and said:
"Yeah."
Margaret asked: "Why?"
Lin Feng pointed to the people in the distance—George was still on the farm, Edna was still at the church entrance, Mike was still wiping the bar, Alex and Rachel were still typing on the computer, Tony was still reading, and the young mother was walking around holding her child.
"They are all here."
Margaret was stunned for a second.
Then she smiled.
She turned to walk toward the restaurant. After two steps, she looked back:
"What's for lunch?"
Lin Feng thought for a moment and said:
"Mushrooms."
[Chapter 69 End]