The city of Zhou Shan was not particularly stunning, with its plain, somewhat aged architecture. Yet, this very age lent it a touch of worldly charm.
Stepping off the bus, the old street at the city center was already bustling. Blue bricks and grey tiles, cobblestone paths, and the cries of various vendors filled the air, a wave of everyday life washing over him.
Takoyaki, hand-grabbed pancakes, sugarcane juice, mixed offal – a dazzling array of snacks made one linger.
"Huh, Guo Di Cheng?"
Li Haochen noticed a small alleyway a few meters away, where several coal stoves were set up, cast iron molds placed on top. Several young women were already waiting to buy.
Li Haochen walked over with a touch of excitement, not because he wanted to eat, but because it evoked an unforgettable memory.
His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the past.
As the year drew to a close, 8-year-old Li Haochen accompanied his parents to the town fair for the first time to buy New Year's supplies. The abundance of goods filled him with curiosity, and the many snacks made his mouth water. But he dared not ask for anything. Though young, he was sensible and knew his family was not well-off.
"Haochen, wait here for a moment. Don't wander off. Mom and Dad will be out soon after buying something."
Li Haochen obediently agreed and stood still, waiting attentively. But a child is a child, and resistance to temptation was futile.
At that moment, a faint aroma wafted through the street, making Li Haochen's mouth water. Seeing his parents selecting items inside a shop, Li Haochen hesitated for a long time before deciding to go and take a look.
The scent drifted from the edge of the alley about ten meters away. The area was already crowded with smiling children and their families.
Looking at the joyful scene, Li Haochen couldn't help but feel envious.
The vendor, brush in hand, smeared oil onto the glowing hot cast iron molds. Under the high heat, the oil sizzled. A cup was filled with egg batter, perfectly filling the molds. The molds were closed, flipped back and forth to ensure even heating. Soon, a aroma, much like baked pancakes, wafted out.
The vendor used a small knife to trim off the excess batter overflowing the molds. He opened a mold, checked, then used a fork to pick one out, wrap it in oil paper, and hand it to a small boy beside him.
The boy took the steaming savory Guo Di Cheng and, with impatience, took a bite, burning his tongue and blowing on it.
Li Haochen stared at the golden Guo Di Cheng in the boy's hand, clutching his faded, worn-out trousers that had been washed so many times. He pursed his lips and swallowed.
Glancing back at the stall, Li Haochen turned to go back to his original spot, but a familiar, heavy hand stopped him by the head.
"Haochen, want to eat?" Li Desheng squatted down and ruffled Li Haochen's hair, asking.
Li Haochen looked at his mother's stern gaze beside him, then at the golden, fragrant Guo Di Cheng at the stall. He nodded involuntarily.
Li Desheng stood up and took a small stack of money of various denominations from his inner pocket. There were five-cent, one-cent, two-cent coins, with the largest denomination being fifty cents. This thickness, he reckoned, added up to less than five yuan.
Just as Li Desheng was about to pull out some money, Huang Xiufang stopped him. "Your father, you still need to get a pair of shoes for work after the New Year, you..."
Li Desheng looked down at his old "Jiefang" brand shoes, which had been patched more than ten times. Without hesitation, he said, "It's fine, just this once, hehe!"
"Boss, give me a..."
"Give me a sweet one," Huang Xiufang interjected quickly.
For Li Haochen, it didn't matter whether it was savory or sweet, as he had never eaten it before. Later, he would learn that the sweet one only cost fifty cents, while the savory one was eighty cents.
When he received the steaming Guo Di Cheng, Li Haochen, like the boy before him, bit into it with impatience, burning his tongue and blowing on it.
"Slow down, what's the rush?" Huang Xiufang chided him.
Li Desheng lifted Li Haochen onto his neck. "Come on, let's go home!"
Li Haochen sat in the best viewing spot, looking at the various goods in the market. He took a bite of Guo Di Cheng, his mouth filled with sugar, so sweet and fragrant.
"Dad, have a bite."
Li Desheng smiled and took a symbolic small bite before stopping.
Huang Xiufang, sitting beside them, glared at Li Haochen, who was perched on Li Desheng's shoulders. "Why only give your dad a bite? What about me?"
Li Haochen quickly pulled the Guo Di Cheng closer to his chest. "Dad bought it, so of course, I give it to Dad to eat."
"Hah, you little brat, just wait until we get home, and I'll deal with you."
Li Haochen made a face at Huang Xiufang and shouted, "Dad, walk faster!"
"Alright, hold on tight!"
Huang Xiufang watched the father and son, and a smile spread across her face.
Later, the sensible Li Haochen would understand the weight of those fifty cents, a weight as heavy as Mount Tai...
"Handsome, handsome..."
"Uh, sorry, I just remembered something." His thoughts returned, Li Haochen's eyes were a little red, and he let out a heavy sigh.
"Oh, what flavor would you like?"
"One savory and one sweet, please!" A few minutes later, after paying, Li Haochen held one in each hand. Just like before, he eagerly took a bite, and the memory burned him again. He looked at the empty space beside him, and tears flowed down.
"It's not the original taste anymore."
Looking at the bustling street, Li Haochen wiped his eyes, regained his composure, and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
That night, Li Haochen carefully walked through the old town, pausing to reminisce whenever he encountered something that had a connection with his parents.
Unconsciously, he had spent several hours in the old district of Zhou Shan City. Carrying several large bags, Li Haochen walked out of the street and took a taxi back to the pier.
Li Haochen did not stay in the city to lodge. He was unfamiliar with the place, and many people had seen him refueling in the afternoon. Wealth could stir greed. It was not impossible for someone to have malicious intentions towards his boat.
Upon returning to the boat, he checked it was unharmed and breathed a sigh of relief. After stowing his purchases from Zhou Shan, he went to take a bath.
Lying on the bed, memories resurfaced like yesterday, and his emotions fluctuated. Before he knew it, Li Haochen fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Li Haochen awoke as if reborn, different both inside and out.
After washing up and eating breakfast, Li Haochen went to the management office to get a clearance slip and to fill up the water tank. When paying, his face darkened. It cost fifty yuan. He wondered if they were overcharging him because he looked like a newcomer.
He sounded the foghorn, and the Starry Night slowly set sail, heading towards the coast.
At this moment, Li Haochen was unaware that he had become a highly sought-after target for many fishing boats. The reason was that Mu Zhengtiao learned that Li Haochen had outmaneuvered Mu family's No. 08 without fuel.
Having lost face and become a laughingstock, Mu Zhengtiao could no longer sit idly by. He immediately notified all Mu family fleet members to search for Li Haochen with all their might. Discoverers could also report him for a substantial reward.