2:The Beginning of Spring

February 4, 2009, the Beginning of Spring. Lin Nian walked out of the city's Youth Palace, holding a thick stack of cash in his hands. He couldn't help but feel that this year's spring had come earlier than usual.

Earlier, when the girl at the front desk counted the money for him, he thought she had given him too much. After confirming it several times, he realized it was exactly right—two thousand yuan in wages, a thick stack in his hands. It made him unexplainably want to sing that song the music teacher had taught back in elementary school, "Where Is Spring?"

As winter passed and spring arrived, Lin Nian, a second-year high school student, was sixteen and about to turn seventeen.

He had grown up in an orphanage, an orphan from a young age. In the orphanage, he had an older foster sister, and when she became an adult, they both left the orphanage and lived together. For many years, the two siblings relied on each other. Financially, they were always tight, so he never passed up any opportunity to take on part-time jobs, even if they were illegal.

As Lin Nian walked down the street, he exhaled white mist. Judging by the current prices, the two thousand yuan he earned this time wasn't a small amount, though it wasn't huge either. His sister earned only around a thousand a month. For a second-year high school student like him, earning two thousand on his own would definitely make others look twice.

Lin Nian knew that the two thousand yuan he received was for a legitimate demonstration performance. Such an appearance fee wasn't easy to secure in the industry, and without some serious skills, it wouldn't come. As for Lin Nian, not only did he lack the necessary skills, he hadn't even passed the first Dan in kendo. This money wasn't a performance fee—it was a favor.

The coach had always been kind to him. Perhaps, as the coach said, it was because of his talent, which sparked an interest in nurturing him. Or perhaps it was just sympathy—a one-sided feeling. Nowadays, people in the same circles tend to look out for each other when they have the ability.

The coach was certainly someone capable. Who among those who could run training classes at the Youth Palace wasn't capable? Kendo training classes were five thousand yuan per session, with twenty students per class. This year alone, the coach had five classes under his supervision.

Not long ago, Lin Nian had worked part-time at the Youth Palace. Out of interest, he had tried bamboo swords a few times, and the coach noticed his talent. He was casually brought into a class, and now he had made some progress, all thanks to the coach's kindness.

The coach had asked Lin Nian if he wanted to pursue kendo professionally, but Lin Nian had refused. His sister wanted him to go to college, so the coach never brought it up again.

Every family has its own troubles, but Lin Nian's family had extra difficulties.

Outside the Youth Palace was the bus stop. He took the bus all the way to the subway station, switched from Line 2 to Line 3, and got off at the terminal station. From there, he took the bus again.

Lin Nian lived on the outskirts of the coastal city, in an older residential area. There was no property management system like in modern gated communities. In large, empty spaces, old buildings stood side by side, some seven or eight stories high, others four or five. The walls of the buildings were a bit weathered. Some homeowners, trying to keep up appearances, had renovated their buildings with new tiles. The shops downstairs were rented out as breakfast stalls or hotpot restaurants. The street was bustling with people coming and going, full of life."Besides, just keep it for now. I'll run to the bank this afternoon." Lin Xian turned off the gas stove, finished cooking, and brought the dishes to the table. "Don't just sit there, go scoop some rice."

"Oh." Lin Nian obediently got up and jogged to the rice cooker, scooped two bowls of rice, grabbed his chopsticks, and sat down at the table.

"School's starting soon. How's your preparation for the entrance exam going?" Lin Xian asked, tapping his chopsticks on the table and looking at Lin Nian.

"Just so-so," Lin Nian answered perfunctorily.

"Just so-so? You got into Shilan because of your grades. If you do poorly on the entrance exam, you might lose the tuition discount for next year," Lin Xian said, glancing at Lin Nian as he held his bowl. "You know what's at stake."

"Sigh, I know. I'll study tonight," Lin Nian sighed, putting a piece of cured meat into his bowl and asking, "Where did the cured meat come from? Did you go buy it?"

"It was sent by Director Li from the orphanage this morning as part of their visit. Don't change the subject, though. Just studying tonight isn't enough. Not only tonight, but until the 19th when school starts, you'll be staying at home, and I'll help tutor you. Anyway, the New Year's holiday is over. You've had enough fun, now it's time to focus," Lin Xian said, chewing slowly as he spoke. "Stop hanging around with that guy named Lu, going to internet cafés all the time. The environment there is terrible."

"He's covering my internet and nutritional drinks." Lin Nian said seriously, "Do you really want to see your little brother malnourished?"

"You wouldn't be malnourished if you didn't go to the video store to rent those random things." Lin Xian said, picking up a piece of chives with her chopsticks.

"Ugh." Lin Nian immediately felt a cold sensation, as if his undergarment had been pulled off in the middle of the street.

Lin Xian gave him a few glances but didn't say anything more.

The dinner table fell into silence again.

After a while, Lin Xian suddenly said, "I changed jobs."

Lin Nian paused for a moment before asking, "At the coffee shop?"

"How did you know?"

"Coach said his daughter saw you at a coffee shop in the High-Tech Zone." Lin Nian said. "Why did you quit your office job?"

"It wasn't suitable." Lin Xian said, looking down at her food.

Not suitable? Sitting in an office, what's unsuitable about it? As long as you sit properly, anyone can do it. Lin Nian thought, but after a brief pause, he sighed inwardly.

How could he not know why Lin Xian said it wasn't suitable? It was most likely another case of workplace harassment, and this was the third time, counting the previous incidents. A girl in her early twenties, just out of university, with little social experience, and a poor family background—who else would harass her if not someone at work?

"Good things, all good things. It's good as long as you found a job." Lin Nian's face showed no expression. "Didn't lose out, did you?"

"Who says I lost out?" Lin Xian glanced up at him while eating.

"If you really did, I'd beat them up." Lin Nian said without hesitation. "We'd call it mutual fighting, I'll go easy on them, no serious injuries, at most a fine and a few days in detention."

"Then you'd have a criminal record." Lin Xian shook her head with a bitter smile.

"Do I look like someone who cares about that?" Lin Nian said with a grin.

"You should care." Lin Xian shrugged and shook her head. "Besides, I didn't lose out."

If you really did lose out, you wouldn't tell me, Lin Nian thought, shoveling a bite of rice into his mouth without speaking.

"By the way, when Director Li came this morning, you were out. She said she wanted to see you." Lin Xian changed the subject as she raised her chopsticks.

"See me for what? I'm not missing any arms or legs." Lin Nian seemed uninterested in hearing about Director Li.

"She said it's about the college entrance exams." Lin Xian paused in her movements. "Director Li said that if you haven't decided on a college yet, she could recommend you to study abroad."

"Study abroad?" Lin Nian looked up in confusion. "When did our orphanage have connections with foreign universities? If you say there's some exchange with foreign orphanages, I'd believe it."

"Director Li doesn't seem like she's trying to make fun of us." Lin Xian hesitated before speaking.

"But even if it's true, isn't it too early to think about this? I'm only in the second semester of sophomore year." Lin Nian was somewhat baffled. "Besides, studying abroad requires financial guarantees, right?"

"Director Li said she's willing to be the guarantor." Lin Xian put down her bowl, looking as if she wanted to have a serious conversation about this. "She said the school she's recommending is a private university located on the outskirts of Chicago."

"America? That's even more ridiculous. What kind of family background do we have to afford studying in the U.S.?" Lin Nian showed no interest. "And I'd have to take the TOEFL, which is so troublesome."

At this point, Lin Xian directly said, "Director Li said the school is willing to offer a scholarship."

Lin Nian fell silent, digging into two bowls of rice while thinking for a moment. Then he said, "Is Director Li planning to sell me off to the Middle East to mine coal?"

"That's a possibility." For the first time, Lin Xian didn't scold Lin Nian for his cynical remarks. Instead, she seemed seriously considering the possibility. Given the current situation, it did seem a bit suspicious.

The two siblings, having struggled to survive all these years, knew one thing for certain: any pie that falls from the sky is bound to be laced with something sinister—just like the free cocktails strangers hand out in bars that really aren't free at all.

"Director Li mentioned the school is called… Casa Casel?" Lin Xian thought for a moment before saying, "Why don't you go to an internet café this afternoon and see if you can find anything about it?"

"You can't even remember the name properly. I think you're just making excuses." Lin Nian shook his head. "While you're at it, you could let the other kids who came out of orphanages know, tell them to be cautious of Director Li. In this world, you can never be too careful."

"So, do you have a direction for your college plans yet?" Lin Xian asked, nodding.

"No direction." Lin Nian replied, "If I do well on the school exams, I won't be able to afford it. If I do poorly, I don't want to go."

"Fill out your college applications with higher aspirations. As for the tuition, we'll figure it out." Lin Xian tapped the side of her bowl. "Whether you can get in is a matter of ability, whether you can afford it is a financial issue."

"Many talented people have been overlooked and died hungry. In the end, it's still all about money." Lin Nian said indifferently. "I don't really care anymore."

"You know what you should do." Lin Xian said, then stopped talking.

She always knew how to leave things unsaid. But this art often made the person across from her think too much. The more they thought, the more uncomfortable it became, until they finally understood and gave in.

"Mm." Lin Nian replied.

"Clean up after you're done. I have a class in the afternoon, and I won't be home for dinner tonight." Lin Xian put down her bowl and chopsticks, took off her apron, and went into her room, closing the door behind her to change.

Lin Nian, sitting at the table, held his chopsticks for a long time before finally putting them down. Suddenly, he had no appetite.

The large windows in the living room were open, and the wind blew in from the hallway. The late spring chill had arrived early this year. The house felt cold, and the chill seeped into his bones. If he paid attention, he could even smell a faint, uniquely salty scent from the coastal city.

February 4, 2009, the Beginning of Spring.

Lin Nian was 16, Lin Xian was 20. Both orphans, depending on each other in this coastal city.