Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Xu Bei asked loudly with concern, "Guodong, you've been standing outside for so long, you must be freezing!"

Song Guodong sniffed and said with a smile, "It's alright."

However, it was almost drowned out by Song Guomei's shrill and loud voice.

"Brother Xiao Bei, we're dressed warmly enough to keep warm, and we can even stomp our feet to keep warm. But aren't you, your aunt, and Xiao Juan cold riding so far?"

Xu Bei responded to the little girl's concern with a smile, saying, "I was sweating the whole way from riding my bike, so I'm not cold."

Because they often visited each other, the mother and daughter were not strangers to Song Guomei.

Sitting on the front beam, Xu Juan smiled at Song Guomei and said, "Sister Xiaomei, we're not that cold, we're dressed warmly."

Just then, the bicycle approached a few people. Zhao Fengying nimbly jumped off the bike and smiled as she agreed, "Yes, you're all bundled up from head to toe. Oh, I didn't know you were here so early, otherwise I would have come out even earlier."

Song Guomei immediately stepped forward and affectionately took Zhao Fengying's arm. "It's alright, Auntie. Don't listen to Brother Dahei's nonsense. We didn't actually wait long."

Dahei chuckled and winked at Xu Bei.

Xu Bei understood what his childhood friend's little trick meant, and gave him a warning look.

After Xu Juan got off the car, while the group chatted and exchanged pleasantries, Xu Bei found a spot to park and lock his bicycle.

Then, he quickly returned to their side.

The three women, whom they hadn't seen for a long time, chatted excitedly, arm in arm. Xu Bei and Da Hei Song Guodong, who saw each other almost every day, certainly couldn't muster such enthusiasm.

After asking how many wooden stools each person had ordered that day, we chatted idly while smoking.

Xu Bei also had the leisure to observe the movie theater and its surroundings at night.

From the entrance of the movie theater to the two dim streetlights, a large number of people were already standing densely.

Most of the people waiting to enter were wearing bulky cotton-padded coats, sheepskin coats, dog-skin hats, and woolen hats. They were stamping their feet in the cold wind, chatting, and smoking.

The exhaled hot air instantly condensed into wisps of white mist in the sub-zero temperatures.

From both sides of the road, there were still many people in twos and threes flowing towards the movie theater.

Some rode bicycles, while others walked.

Just as Xu Bei was about to gaze into the distance, Da Hei, who had just stubbed out his cigarette in the snow, nudged him. "Da Bei, look at the time. Aren't we about to start boarding?"

Xu Bei raised his wrist, rolled up a little of the sleeve of his cotton coat, and looked at the hands of his watch in the light of the streetlamp. "It's 6:42. It should be almost there."

"That's coming soon! Summer is so much better. At most, you'll get bitten by mosquitoes. In this freezing winter, your feet get so cold they feel like they're being bitten by a cat."

As Big Black spoke, he stomped his foot forcefully.

Upon hearing this, Xu Bei sighed, "Yeah, watching movies in winter is more unbearable than in summer, and it's too cold where we live."

After all, the 1980s were not like later years, when movie theaters were usually located in shopping malls, where people could eat, drink, and shop to pass the time while waiting. Just standing outside in the freezing cold was truly a painful ordeal.

Song Guodong rubbed his nose with his cotton hand, "Even if it's painful, I'd still be happy to watch, especially Shaolin Temple. When it was even more popular, it was hard to buy tickets."

Dahei agreed, saying, "Indeed. Now you can buy tickets a little earlier. Before, those who dug through the gates had to buy them from scalpers, otherwise every show was packed and you couldn't see anything."

By the way, everyone should keep their tickets when we check them later, otherwise a lot of people will try to squeeze in and cause delays...

As a result, Xu Bei and the others quickly obtained the movie tickets for Daheifen.

Zhao Fengying already knew that the movie was hosted by her son's friend, so she exchanged a few more polite words.

Dahei hurriedly waved his hand, "Auntie, if you keep doing this, I'll be embarrassed. These few movie tickets can't compare to some other things."

In front of the Song siblings, Zhao Fengying knew that ribs and meat should not be mentioned. "Alright, then I'll be frank and won't stand on ceremony with you."

Just then, Song Guodong, who was standing next to them, suddenly exclaimed "Huh?"

Then, turning to Song Guomei, he asked, "Xiaomei, isn't that your female classmate from the repeat-year class?"

Because of this sentence, not only Song Guomei, but also Xu Bei and Da Hei, all looked over immediately.

The latter, in particular, had been itching to know just how beautiful the female classmate who watched the movie with Xu Bei was.

"Where? Where?"

Xu Bei quickly spotted Zhou Qingwan among the group of people walking towards them.

He couldn't help but sigh to himself that good-looking and tall people are more eye-catching. Even if only their eyes and slightly red nose were visible, they could be recognized immediately.

"The one in the black coat and red scarf is him."

Hearing Xu Bei's reminder, Da Hei quickly locked onto the target and muttered under his breath, "Oh my god, she's pretty."

Unlike the other people present, who were perhaps simply admiring and curious, Song Guomei's feelings were somewhat complicated.

But seeing that everyone was coming, I still had to maintain appearances, so I quickly went up to greet them.

"Xiao Wan, I didn't expect you to come to see the Shaolin Temple too. What a coincidence!"

"Yes, I didn't expect to run into you here, especially since we were watching the same show."

As Zhou Qingwan spoke, she also glanced at the people standing behind her.

Seeing Xu Bei, whom she had met twice before, and Song Guomei's brother nodding and greeting her, she nodded slightly in return.

As for Dahei, who was grinning with his big teeth, and Zhao Fengying and her daughter, she didn't recognize them, but she could tell they were together.

Seeing this, Song Guomei adjusted her posture and asked, "I came with my brother and Xiao Bei. Who did you come with?"

Zhou Qingwan pointed to the silent man and woman beside her and said, "Let me introduce you. This is my aunt's older brother and sister."

Song Guomei immediately greeted them with a smile, "Hello, older brother and sister."

The two people immediately greeted them politely.

Especially Zhou Qingwan's older sister, who said with a smile, "I've always heard Wanwan mention you before, and I'm finally meeting you today. You're such a beautiful young lady."

Song Guomei was praised, but she wasn't that happy.

While responding politely, she also cautiously observed Xu Bei, wanting to see how he would react if he encountered Zhou Qingwan again.

Xu Bei didn't pay much attention to them. Instead, he pulled up his coat sleeve to check the time on his watch and then looked towards the entrance of the movie theater.

Just then, he noticed two men wearing old military overcoats walking out of there; they were clearly staff members.

Before anyone could say anything, someone shouted, "Tickets are being checked!"

Now, the crowd that had been waiting outside for a long time immediately rushed over like iron filings attracted by a magnet, gathering in ever-growing numbers...