Chapter One, The Promise Made Fifteen Years Ago

Chen Zhi stared at the note, his eyes unmoving, as memories from fifteen years ago slowly resurfaced

The note that Chen Zhi holds in his hand was written to him by Teacher Guo. This occurred during a break between classes when Chen Zhi was kicking a ball on the playground like a little monkey, and Teacher Guo called him over.

Water is leaking from the radiator, which is a common occurrence. However, this particular radiator is hidden behind a wooden cabinet, and in order to repair it, the wooden panel must be pried open

Chen Zhiyang lay on his back in bed, staring at the ceiling covered in a tangle of cobwebs, his mind a chaotic mess. Finding a suitable job quickly was not an easy task; unemployment meant he might be left without food and shelter in the coming month. He could manage himself, but his father in the nursing home could not afford to wait.

Upon seeing these few words, a fragment of memory suddenly surged into Chen Zhi's mind, yet he could not clarify it in any way, as if he had forgotten something important

During his elementary school years, Chen Zhi was not happy. In his memory, his father would go mad and beat and scold Chen Zhi and his mother every time he finished drinking. His mother never argued with his father, but her attitude was extremely indifferent. Chen Zhi often saw an indescribable coldness in his mother's eyes.

Chen Zhi did not have a happy family. His father was originally a formal employee at Z Steel Plant, which was an enviable iron rice bowl. However, in Chen Zhi's memory, there were only two things in his father's life:

There was no other way; Chen Zhi had no choice but to find tools to pry the wooden boards. He certainly did not want to lose his house after becoming unemployed

The signature reads "Teacher Guo". On the back of the note, there is a map that clearly marks the specific locations of the main gate, factory, and warehouse, making it easy for even a small child to understand at a glance

Chen Zhi felt a sudden curiosity in his heart; he did not remember having a cardboard box placed here

"Chen Zhi, what are you going to do? Have you found a place yet?" Uncle Lin, who works in the same workshop as Chen Zhi, asked with concern during checkout. He was aware of Chen Zhi's family situation, and unemployment was an enormous blow for him at this time.

There is not a trace of warmth in the room, the heating in the old house has always been inadequate, the heating pipes have long since deteriorated, and no one is managing or maintaining them

Chen Zhi clearly remembers that he was standing behind a small door in the corridor opposite the warehouse, separated by a sheet of glass, and the rear of the large truck was facing him, so he could not see what happened to Teacher Guo after the collision

When Chen Zhi saw the handwriting on that note, a long-buried memory became clear in his mind once again

Tick tock! Tick tock!

so that Chen Zhi has never had a normal conversation with his father from childhood to adulthood

Money is currently the most needed thing for Chen Zhi

In that year, Chen Zhi's mother divorced his father and moved out to live independently

However, Chen Zhijia has no relatives in City Z, which is quite strange, but this made Chen Zhi understand one thing from a young age: when faced with any situation, he can only confront it alone, as no one will help him

Later, Chen Zhi could not recall the specific decision to go, only remembering that it was his first time traveling alone to such a distant place, and the journey took a long time.

He remembered that he had placed this note inside the book cover himself, and he had also been to the youth forging factory mentioned on the note

However, not all teachers were unkind to him. During his time at Chen Zhi Primary School, there was a mathematics teacher, Mr. Guo, who showed him particular concern.

At that time, Chen Zhi was perplexed, not knowing what exactly this Teacher Guo intended to do

Chen Zhi does not have a high level of education, nor has he attended university. After graduating from junior high school, he directly entered a technical school to study welding. Chen Zhi also does not have a girlfriend, as under his current financial circumstances, there are indeed no girls willing to spare him a glance. Furthermore, Chen Zhi is truly unable to support anyone else's livelihood.

The factory is really on the verge of closing down, do you all have somewhere to go

As Chen Zhigang, covered in dust, stepped out of the factory, he heard his coworkers discussing something. He numbly looked up and saw a bankruptcy notice prominently posted on the bulletin board

He blew the dust off the top of the cardboard box, which was severely moldy, and the bottom was about to show through.

Chen Zhi remembered that at that time, Teacher Guo had an indescribable anxiety on his face, very tense, as if he were afraid of being pursued by someone

As for his father, Chen Zhi had not been without resentment, yet no matter how much he resented him, he was still his biological father, and he could not disregard him

In Chen Zhi's memory, there was not even a shadow of a person at the entrance of the factory. He entered the factory smoothly and found the warehouse according to the markings on the map, where Teacher Guo was standing at that time

This task was not complicated; within two minutes, Chen Zhi had completed it. However, after prying open the wooden cabinet, a wooden compartment was revealed, and an old cardboard box lay quietly inside.

Afterwards, many people got off the truck and rushed towards the warehouse entrance, with no one noticing a child standing behind the door

This was something he had anticipated. The small machining factory had long been underperforming and had already undergone several rounds of staff reductions. Chen Zhi had managed to hold on until now due to his diligent and hardworking nature, but now, it could no longer be sustained.

One is incessantly drinking, and the other is continuously scolding people

A sound of dripping water interrupted Chen Zhi's thoughts

After losing his job, Chen Zhi's father fell into a deeper state of decline, drinking excessively day and night. Eventually, after suffering a stroke due to his drinking, he was honorably sent to a nursing home

After receiving his final paycheck, Chen Zhi returned home with a furrowed brow. This so-called home is the only asset his father ever owned, a dilapidated apartment of about 40 square meters. Every time it rains heavily outside, water seeps in from the corners, and the moldy wall plaster has fallen off countless times.

Chen Zhi is 22 years old this year and is a temporary worker at this small subsidiary processing factory. He was born in Z City in Northeast China, a small city renowned for its steel production. There is a very famous large steel mill called Z Steel in this city, where nearly one-third of the city's residents are employed. The others make a living in small factories that are derived from the steel industry.

Chen Zhi rummaged through the box and picked up a book wrapped in a book cover. This book cover was made by his female classmate from elementary school, and it had a few lines of crooked writing on it, "Elementary School Mathematics"

What is this? How is it hidden in the book cover... Chen Zhi thought to himself as he opened the note and examined it closely

"This is how my life will be..." Chen Zhi thought despairingly as he closed his eyes

It was only when Chen Zhi grew up that he realized that, in that era, such a gold-edged Omega watch was indeed too expensive for an elementary school teacher

After Chen Zhi opened the lid and rummaged through it, he found some textbooks he had used in his childhood. He casually picked up one and began to flip through it, only to discover that the pages had all stuck together, with his notes written on them.

Chen Zhi looked at these crooked characters and found them very interesting, reminiscing about his elementary school days

Chen Zhi instinctively reacted like a child in danger, turning around and running away, running frantically. In his panic, he could not even remember how he ran back.

The nursing home where Chen Zhi's father resides charges a monthly management fee of 1,200 yuan, payable on a monthly basis; otherwise, residents will be immediately evicted

At that time, Teacher Guo was sweating profusely and hurriedly handed the note in his hand to Chen Zhi before leaving. Just before he left, he solemnly said, "Remember, you must come!"

The Youth Forging Factory is located in the suburbs of City Z, which is quite remote

Damn it, where is the water leaking again!" Chen Zhi muttered, reluctantly getting up and following the sound of the water.

This is an old-fashioned cardboard box used for storing fruit, and it has been inside for an unknown duration, covered in dust.

Teacher Guo had told him that this watch was a foreign product, called Omega, and also mentioned that this watch would eventually be given to him, which made Chen Zhi very happy at the time

At that moment, Chen Zhigang had just reached the back door and was about to open it to call Teacher Guo when suddenly, a Liberation truck came rushing out, moving at an extremely high speed, and forcefully slammed Teacher Guo against the warehouse door

Chen Zhi quickly handled the heating, reassembled the wooden cabinet, and then moved the cardboard boxes out

That Teacher Guo is newly transferred, and Chen Zhi cannot clearly remember his appearance. However, this Teacher Guo often calls him out to chat, asking about his family situation, inquiring about what they usually eat at home, and posing some questions that he, at his age, simply cannot understand.

School used to be the place that Chen Zhi hated the most. In his memory, because his parents were powerless and without influence, coupled with Chen Zhi's own playful nature, the teachers never bothered to pay attention to him, only remembering him when looking for typical examples of underachievers

What left a deep impression on Chen Zhi was that Teacher Guo wore a watch on his wrist, with a beautiful golden edge on the dial

Chen Zhi was terrified at that moment, with only one thought in his mind: "Run"

If there is truly no other way, should one resort to robbery

Chen Zhi's mind was filled with chaotic thoughts, feeling extremely lost and helpless. He did not know when it all began, but his life seemed like a card game destined to lose, with no hope in sight

In the year that Chen Zhi graduated from technical school, his father was dismissed from the factory due to a serious work accident that occurred after he had been drinking.

However, the next day, an incredible event occurred: Mr. Guo, who had been hit by a truck, returned to work at school

The note is neatly written with two lines: "At 2 PM, meet at the warehouse of the Youth Forging Factory. Take the commuter bus for Z steel at 12 noon, get off at the final stop, and make sure to come, absolutely!"

Chen Zhi flipped through the book, and the cover fell off due to the passage of time. Inside the cover, a yellowed note floated out.