Chapter Two: The Past - One

Gu Yunsheng and Jiang Tian have played together since childhood

Everything is perfect. The warriors have concluded their journey that lasted an entire afternoon and are now enjoying the fruits of victory—if only Gu Yunsheng had not entertained the thought of using fish-skin peanuts to feed the fish.

At that time, there were also Jiang Tian's pair of dragon and phoenix twins, his cousin and cousin in the living room

At that time, Gu Yunsheng lived with his parents in the courtyard of a certain newspaper in a southern city, while Jiang Tian lived next door with his grandparents in the municipal party committee compound. From the balcony of Gu Yunsheng's home, one could see the small garden of the municipal compound, and Jiang Tian's grandparents lived in the small building covered with evergreen ivy behind the garden

In those days, attending school was still tied to one's household registration, and it was only natural for two individuals to be in the same class in elementary school. After graduating from elementary school, they found themselves in the same junior high, albeit in different classes, yet they continued to commute to and from school together every day. The route home was lined with camphor trees, and in spring, the fallen leaves filled the air with a refreshing fragrance that permeated the entire city. At that time, Gu Yunsheng enjoyed playing football on the road. On one occasion, he nearly got hit by a car while chasing after the ball, but Jiang Tian pulled him back just in time. Both of them turned pale with fright. Gu Yunsheng pleaded with Jiang Tian not to tell his parents. Jiang Tian pondered this all the way home and finally nodded with a serious expression. From that day on, Jiang Tian took on the responsibility of carrying the ball on their way home.

In his childhood, Gu Yunsheng certainly did not possess the radiant, brave, and resolute image that he later shaped (or perhaps imagined) for himself. When he saw the face of an aunt who was even older than his mother, displaying a mix of anxiety and relief, his first reaction was to open his mouth and cry

From then on, Gu Yunsheng had a friend named Jiang Tian

After graduating from junior high school, one must take the entrance exam for high school. Gu Yunsheng had too much fun in junior high and ended up missing the same school as Jiang Tian by just two points. During the first meal at home, he broke a bowl and received a stern lesson from Gu's mother. Gu's father is already the editor-in-chief of a newspaper; after making a few phone calls, he managed to get him in, but this time Jiang Tian is in Class 1 while Gu Yunsheng is in Class 8, separated by a floor.

From then on, Gu Yunsheng was no longer willing to reminisce about the past with Jiang Tian in front of others

They together transition from youth to adolescence, much like two trees, stretching their branches freely

Well, in fact, Gu Yunsheng had long forgotten all the details of that moment when he fell into the water; his memories belong to what came afterward: all the little friends crying and making a fuss, and of course, some were laughing, all surrounding him. The experience of having a belly full of water and being unable to vomit was probably the most painful memory of his childhood. However, at that time, someone was holding him tightly, one hand pressed against his stomach, while the other hand rhythmically patted his back, softly comforting him in a strong local dialect: "Little rascal, don't be afraid, it's okay now, just let the water out, let it out." The experience of having a belly full of water and being unable to vomit was probably the most painful memory of his childhood. However, at that time, someone was holding him tightly, one hand pressed against his stomach, while the other hand rhythmically patted his back, softly comforting him in a strong local dialect: "Little rascal, don't be afraid, it's okay now, just let the water out, let it out."

Boys of the same age, as long as they share a mutual affinity, always become acquainted quickly. Gu Yunsheng was always a likable child in the courtyard of the newspaper office, a fact that was validated in the neighboring yard: he quickly won the affection of Jiang Tian's grandfather, especially his grandmother, who would often come over for visits. Jiang Tian's grandfather taught the two children how to play chess, from Chinese chess and Go to military chess and checkers, and then he would smile as he watched the two engage in fierce battles on the chessboard. Meanwhile, the grandmother would prepare washed bayberries, loquats, and plums, happily watching the old man and the two children argue passionately over a single move, only to end up sitting together, eating fruit and White Rabbit milk candies as if nothing had happened. At that time, the Jiang family had a rare 14-inch color television. Although there were only two channels, it was the first time Gu Yunsheng saw that the people in that talking little box did not all wear black and white clothes; they also wore colorful garments like his own. Consequently, for an entire week, the topic of conversation at the Gu family dinner table revolved around the various vibrant colors displayed on the color television.

At the age of fourteen, Gu Yunsheng occasionally reminisced about that afternoon, shamelessly claiming in front of Jiang Tian that he had simply been so captivated by watching the fish that he accidentally slipped into the pond. He was naturally a good swimmer, and that little broken pond was nothing to him. It was Aunt Zhang from Jiang Tian's family who was too quick, leaving him no chance to flounder in the water before she pulled him out. He repeatedly emphasized that although he was small, his brave and unyielding character was a rare gift he was born with, and he neither cried nor fussed, remembering to thank Jiang Tian's grandfather. It was Aunt Zhang from Jiang Tian's family who was too quick, leaving him no chance to flounder in the water before she pulled him out. He repeatedly emphasized that although he was small, his brave and unyielding character was a rare gift he was born with, and he neither cried nor fussed, remembering to thank Jiang Tian's grandfather. Hearing this eloquent tale, Jiang Tian, who was lying on a bamboo chair nearby, felt a pang of discomfort in his teeth. Once Gu Yunsheng finished his self-indulgent narrative, he leisurely retorted, asking who it was that, like a drenched chicken, had clutched Aunt Zhang's skirt and cried with a toothless grin loud enough for the entire courtyard to hear.

Their acquaintance was quite accidental

After he cried until he was exhausted, with snot and tears streaming down his face, he pitifully stopped. The sky had already darkened, and his companions had all disappeared, leaving him alone at the entrance of a house. The aunt who had just held him was now using a towel to wipe his body and hair. A few steps away, there was an elderly man and a child who appeared to be of similar age watching him. Gu Yunsheng did not think much and, sobbing, asked: "Who are you? I want to go home..." A few steps away, there was an elderly man and a child who appeared to be of similar age watching him. Gu Yunsheng did not think much and, sobbing, asked: "Who are you? I want to go home..."

On that day, five-year-old Gu Yunsheng followed his friends to play in the neighboring courtyard, with the destination being the artificial pond and rockery in the small garden of the municipal party compound. At the end of spring, the flowers had not yet fully bloomed, the banana plant buds had not completely unfurled, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees. The pond was teeming with snails, tadpoles, and schools of newly hatched fish, making it an ideal playground for children. Gu Yunsheng climbed the hill with his companions to catch fish, felt along the moss-covered, slippery pond wall to collect snails in the empty glass jar he had brought, and even knew to pick a purple flower to place on the head of a little girl who had come with them. Unbeknownst to them, the sun had slid from the hottest point at two o'clock to five o'clock, when the sky was ablaze with fiery clouds. Everyone was tired, each person covered in varying degrees of water stains, mud, and other dubious marks, contentedly sitting under the grape trellis eating fruit-flavored hard candies and other snacks from their pockets.

The elderly man smiled gently at Gu Yunsheng and said that the children would go home to call their parents, urging him not to worry, as they would be home soon. At first, Gu Yunsheng did not quite understand what he was saying, only catching the words "go home." However, the old man's kind smile reassured him, and he nodded obediently, his round eyes darting around before settling on another boy.

The memory of everything related to Jiangtian did not precisely begin on that late spring evening, but rather on the day after Mother Gu brought Gu Yunsheng back with countless thanks. It was also in the evening when Gu Yunsheng followed his parents to express their gratitude. The kindly grandfather, who had coaxed him the day before, was sitting under the loquat tree in front of his house, teaching his grandson how to play chess. He saw the setting sun stretching the shadows of the old man and the child so long that they reached right to his feet. The boy, whom he had only met once, was the first to notice the guests. He lifted his head, squinting against the blazing sun, unable to open his eyes, his brows furrowed in an unnatural way like ink-drawn arches, and his round, pink face bore an inexplicable air of maturity and seriousness.

If Jiang Tian were to visit Gu Yunsheng's home, the activities would be a bit more intense. Gu's father had been on the provincial table tennis team when he was young and was also quite good at football. He would often take the two of them, along with the Gu family's yellow Shiba Inu, to play in the small courtyard, kicking up clouds of dust with the children from the newspaper office, until Gu's mother would lean out of the window and call, "Come back for dinner!" She would have to call several times, saying, "Old Gu, you should set a good example for the children."