60s: I have a store

Chapter 657 The Great Wall
After working non-stop for almost a month, Zhou Yimin felt utterly exhausted.

He fell into a deep sleep the moment his head hit the pillow on Saturday night, and only slowly opened his eyes when the sunlight streamed through the window onto his face on Sunday morning.

The locust tree leaves rustled in the wind outside the window, and the shouts of tofu vendors echoed from the alley. This long-lost sense of relaxation made him breathe a long sigh of relief—finally, he could rest for a day.

He stretched lazily in bed, and when his fingertips touched his pocket, he felt a stiff piece of paper.

When I took it out, I saw it was a bicycle voucher awarded by the factory, the edges still smelling of fresh ink.

After staring at the ticket for a long time, Zhou Yimin suddenly remembered Zhang Yanlai.

That girl is studying at a university in Beijing. The school is three alleys away from her home. Every day, she has to wait half a day to squeeze onto the bus. When it's crowded, she might not be able to get on even after several attempts. The last time we met, she pouted and said that if she had a bicycle, she wouldn't have to suffer like this.

"Perfect timing to deliver it to her." Zhou Yimin jumped up and smiled at himself in the mirror while washing up.

He ate two simple steamed buns for breakfast, then pulled a canvas bag from under the bed. He carefully tucked the bicycle ticket into his notebook and put it inside. He also stuffed two packets of fruit candy into the bag—it was a perk the purchasing department had given out recently, and the kids would definitely love it.

As he unloaded the motorcycle, its metal parts gleamed in the sunlight. He patted the seat; this old buddy had traveled quite a distance with him, and today it would come in handy again.

I started my motorcycle and drove towards the alley where Zhang Yan's house was located. The courtyards on both sides of the asphalt road were arranged in a neat and orderly manner, and pomegranate branches with unripe fruit were sticking out from the walls.

When passing a grocery store on the street corner, Zhou Yimin stopped his car and went in to buy a bag of steamed rice cakes that Zhang Yan's younger sister, Zhang Lu, loved to eat.

The closer you get to Zhang Yan's alley, the more lively the sounds become. There are old men carrying birdcages taking a stroll, middle-aged women sitting on doorsteps picking vegetables, and children chasing and playing.

The motorcycle stopped under the old elm tree at the entrance of the alley. Several little girls who were playing hopscotch at the door saw him, and one of them, who had a ponytail, immediately shouted, "Sister Yan Yan! Your Brother Yimin is here!"

Zhou Yimin smiled and waved to them: "Is your sister Yan Yan home?"

"Yes! I just finished my homework," the little girl answered crisply, skipping and hopping as she ran into the yard.

"Sister Yan Yan, come out quickly, Brother Yi Min has brought some good stuff!"

As Zhou Yimin propped up the motorcycle and hung the rice cakes on the handlebars, he saw Zhang Yan peek out from the courtyard gate. She was wearing a red scarf pinned to her blue school uniform. When she saw him, her eyes widened, and she forgot to put down the rag in her hand: "Brother Yimin, what brings you here?"

"What, not welcome?" Zhou Yimin untied his canvas bag and shook it.

"I brought you some nice things."

Zhang Yan blushed and quickly waved her hand, "Of course you're welcome, come in and have a seat!"

As she spoke, she reached out to pull Zhou Yimin's arm, the force not strong, but it conveyed a genuine warmth.

She turned and walked into the courtyard, her steps as light as a little sparrow, the hem of her blue school uniform fluttering gently in the wind.

Zhou Yimin smiled, picked up his canvas bag and some steamed rice cakes, and followed him inside. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw a little girl with pigtails standing at the entrance of the main room. She was Zhang Yan's younger sister, Zhang Lu, who was holding an eraser in her hand. When she saw him, she sweetly greeted him, "Hello, Brother Yimin."

The sound of a chair being moved came from the inner room. Aunt Zhang came out carrying an enamel basin. When she saw Zhou Yimin, her eyes lit up and the wrinkles on her face smoothed out: "Yimin is here! Come in and sit down, it's too hot outside."

Zhou Yimin looked around but didn't see Zhang Jianshe, so he asked, "Aunt Zhang? Where's my Uncle Zhang?"

Her voice was loud and clear, with a sharp edge. "Your Uncle Zhang is at the final stage of his research. He's been working overtime every day lately, and he didn't even take a break today. Otherwise, we could have had a couple of drinks together."

Zhou Yimin put the things on the octagonal table and replied with a smile, "Aunt Zhang, don't be so polite. I just came to see you and Yanzi."

"What are you looking at? Once you're here, make yourself at home." Aunt Zhang looked him up and down, and seeing that there was a little sweat on his forehead, she quickly asked.

"Yimin, have you eaten anything?"

Zhou Yimin rubbed his stomach and answered truthfully, "Not yet. I only ate two steamed buns this morning, and I'm actually a little hungry now."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhang immediately headed to the kitchen without saying a word: "That won't do. Wait here, I'll heat up two steamed buns for you, and also cook up the leftover millet porridge from yesterday, along with some pickled cucumbers. It'll be nice to eat with that."

As she spoke, she tied on an apron, and the bellows on the stove soon began to whistle, filling the kitchen with a faint aroma of rice.

Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu exchanged a glance, both sensing a hint of emotion in each other's eyes.

Zhang Lu quietly tugged at Zhang Yan's sleeve and whispered, "Sister, Mom is biased. When we say we're hungry, she always says to wait a bit, but as soon as Yimin comes, she immediately goes into the kitchen."

Zhang Yan pursed her lips and didn't say anything, but couldn't help glancing towards the kitchen.

Last time she came home late from her exam and said she was hungry, Aunt Zhang even said, "If you're hungry, just have a dry bread."

"Wow, this is too much!" Her eyes darted around, and she walked over to Zhou Yimin, pointing to the canvas bag on the table: "Brother Yimin, what nice things did you bring?"

Zhou Yimin was gazing absently at the pomegranate tree in the yard when he heard this. He smiled and pushed the canvas bag in front of the two of them: "See for yourselves."

Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu immediately went over, and as soon as the zipper was halfway open, they saw two packets of fruit candy. The Sun Wukong pattern on the wrapper was shiny, and the two sisters' eyes widened.

Zhang Lu reached out to take it, but Zhang Yan gently patted the back of her hand: "Pour some water for Brother Yimin first."

Looking at the two sisters' adorable faces, Zhou Yimin felt a warm glow in his heart.

The sound of the bellows in the kitchen mingled with Aunt Zhang's shouts: "Yimin, the porridge is ready, eat it while it's hot!"

He responded, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu secretly pouting, and couldn't help but chuckle softly. These two girls are quite interesting.

Zhou Yimin sat at the table, eating pickled cucumbers and drinking millet porridge. The hot porridge slid into his stomach, making him feel comfortable all over.

Aunt Zhang sat to the side, chattering on and on about things at the factory, and reminding him to take care of his health and not to stay up late all the time.

Zhou Yimin responded to each of them. Occasionally, he would look up and see Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu talking quietly in the yard, glancing at him from time to time.

After finishing breakfast, Zhou Yimin wiped his mouth, looked at Zhang Yan, and said with a smile, "Yanzi, we haven't gone out to play in a long time, how about we go out for a bit?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded vigorously without hesitation: "Okay, okay!"

She was secretly delighted, having long wanted to spend some time alone with Brother Yimin.

Hearing this, Zhang Lu quickly came over, tugged at Zhang Yan's clothes, and looked up at her, saying, "Sister, brother-in-law, I want to go too!"

Zhang Yan was immediately stumped, and the smile on her face froze for a moment.

She stole a glance at Zhou Yimin, thinking to herself, "It's such a rare opportunity to be alone with Brother Yimin. It would be so awkward to bring Zhang Lu along!"
She was practically a third wheel. But she couldn't directly refuse her sister, so she was caught in a dilemma.

Just then, Aunt Zhang came out of the kitchen with a rag in her hand. Hearing Zhang Lu's words, she glared at her and said, "Zhang Lu, you're busy! Have you finished your homework? I remember you said yesterday that the math problems were difficult and that you hadn't done many of them."

Zhang Lu was taken aback by her mother's "tough" attitude. She hung her head and muttered softly, "I... I can do it later."

"Wait a minute? The sun will be setting by then!" Aunt Zhang slammed the rag down on the table. "Go back inside and do your homework. You can come out and play after you're done, or you won't get any dinner."

Zhang Lu knew her mother meant what she said, and she definitely couldn't go with her. She could only pout sadly, nod silently, and go back into the house, looking back every few steps.

Zhang Yan finally felt relieved and secretly gave Aunt Zhang a grateful look.

Seeing this, Zhou Yimin couldn't help but laugh. He stood up and said to Aunt Zhang, "Aunt Zhang, we'll be going now, we'll be back later."

"Go on, go on, be careful." Aunt Zhang waved her hand and then reminded Zhang Yan.

"When you go out with your brother Yimin, don't go crazy and come back early."

"Okay, Mom," Zhang Yan replied obediently, and quickly walked to Zhou Yimin's side.

Zhou Yimin pushed out the motorcycle, kicked it with his foot, and started the engine.

Zhang Yan sat down in the back seat somewhat awkwardly, hesitated for a moment, and then gently grabbed Zhou Yimin's sleeve.

"Hold on tight," Zhou Yimin said, and the motorcycle whirred and slowly drove out of the alley, heading towards the outskirts of the city.

A breeze brushed against her cheeks, carrying a slight chill, but Zhang Yan felt a warmth in her heart, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

The motorcycle traveled on the dirt road outside the city, the trees on both sides rushing past, kicking up clouds of dust.

With one hand on the handlebars, Zhou Yimin turned his head and asked loudly, "Yanzi, is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

The wind was a bit strong, so Zhang Yan leaned closer and answered from behind Zhou Yimin, "I want to go to the Great Wall. I've never been to the Great Wall before!"

Her voice carried a hint of anticipation and longing, her eyes gazing into the distance as if she could already see the Great Wall.

Zhou Yimin nodded and replied loudly, "Okay, let's go to the Great Wall then!"

After saying that, he stepped on the gas, and the motorcycle sped up, heading towards the Great Wall.

Along the way, the two would occasionally exchange a few words, but most of the time they remained silent. However, this silence was not awkward; on the contrary, it had a peaceful and beautiful quality.

Zhang Yan leaned against Zhou Yimin's back, feeling the warmth of his body and the vibrations of the motorcycle, and felt a sense of security.

About an hour later, the majestic Great Wall came into view.

Zhou Yimin slowed down and parked the motorcycle at the foot of the Great Wall.

Zhang Yan jumped off the back seat, looked up at the Great Wall in front of her, and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

At that time, there weren't many tourists visiting the Great Wall, unlike in later years when it was crowded with tourists everywhere.

It is worth noting that a saying has been passed down through the ages: "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is no true man."

Zhou Yimin never imagined that he would finally be able to see the Great Wall with his own eyes now, a place he had never had the chance to visit in his previous life.

The city wall gleamed gray in the sunlight, winding its way into the distance like a sleeping dragon.

Occasionally, you can see a few local villagers carrying firewood walking across the city wall; otherwise, it is completely silent.

Zhou Yimin walked up to Zhang Yan and asked with a smile, "How is it? Isn't it spectacular?"

Zhang Yan nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "It's so spectacular! Brother Yimin, let's go up and take a look!"

As she spoke, she grabbed Zhou Yimin's hand and ran towards the steps of the Great Wall.

Zhou Yimin was pulled along by her and laughed along, quickly following in her footsteps.

The sunlight shone on them, casting long shadows, and everything seemed so beautiful and pleasant.

Stepping onto the Great Wall, Zhang Yan seemed to be infused with boundless energy, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her steps as light as a deer's.

She ran to the edge of the stack, craned her neck to look down, and exclaimed "Wow!"

He then stroked the mottled bricks on the city wall, his fingertips tracing the marks left by the passage of time, his face full of curiosity.

"Brother Yimin, look how thick this wall is!"

"Brother Yimin, the view from here is really beautiful!"

Zhang Yan's clear and resonant voice echoed across the silent Great Wall.

She was completely unaware that her strength was gradually being depleted; on the contrary, she became more and more energetic as she climbed, and would occasionally turn back to wave to Zhou Yimin, urging him, "Brother Yimin, hurry up! There seems to be a beacon tower ahead!"

Zhou Yimin watched her skipping and hopping away, and shook his head helplessly.

This girl was sitting quietly on the back of the motorcycle just now, but once we got to the Great Wall, she became like a wild horse let loose.

He quickened his pace to catch up, reminding him, "Slow down, the steps are uneven, be careful not to fall."

Zhang Yan wouldn't listen to anything and just kept rushing forward, her skirt billowing in the wind like a butterfly spreading its wings.

Zhou Yimin followed behind her, watching her slender figure leap across the city wall, feeling both amused and somewhat indulgent.

But her enthusiasm didn't last long. In less than half an hour, Zhang Yan's pace slowed down, her cheeks flushed, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her breathing became somewhat rapid.

She leaned against the city wall, panting, her steps as heavy as lead, unable to take another step.

"I can't go on... Brother Yimin... I can't walk anymore..." Zhang Yan leaned softly against the city bricks, her voice slightly nasal.

Zhou Yimin stepped forward, took a water bottle from his canvas bag, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her, his tone slightly teasing: "Who was urging me to hurry up just now? Now you know you're tired, huh?"

Zhang Yan stuck out her tongue sheepishly, took the water bottle, and gulped down several mouthfuls.

The cool water slid down my throat, instantly relieving much of my thirst and fatigue.

She found a relatively flat spot to sit down, stretched out her legs, and said weakly, "I didn't expect climbing the Great Wall to be so tiring. I should have gone slower."

Zhou Yimin sat down next to her, and seeing how exhausted she looked, he couldn't help but laugh: "It's not too late to know now. Let's rest for a while before we go. There's no rush."

Zhang Yan didn't have much strength left to speak, so she could only nod to indicate that she understood.

(End of this chapter)