The world is so small in 2002

  I smiled and said: "I'm here to see you, aren't I? You know that. I'm busy too."

  "Alright, alright! Don't mention anything else. Yushu, stop looking and quickly put away the dishes. The door is closed and won't be opened again. Today my brother has come, let's have a good drink." Zhang Jun was very excited at the mention of drinking.

  "Good Jade Book!"

  "My goodness, you're not that old, but your mouth is quite poor! Which girl would dare to marry you in the future? Do you have a girlfriend? Do you want me to introduce one to you?" Yushu said with a smile.

  "Sister-in-law, I'm afraid that's a lot of trouble for you! My lifelong major event is now in your hands!"

  "It's all right, we're just family. I happen to have a younger cousin around your age, and I think you two would be quite suitable for each other. I'll get her to come over later."

  "What's going on here! You're treating me like air, this is not good. Let's go home first and eat, we can talk about whatever later." Zhang Jun waved his hand, picked up a large lock, and started pushing us out, directly locking up his small supermarket.

  Before long, we arrived at Zhang Jun's place, a rented civilian house, which was a one-story building with a pointed red tile roof, a common style in northern houses.

  Yu Shu's wife has taken the child to the vegetable market to buy vegetables, and now there are only two of us left in the whole house.

  Zhang Jun took out a bottle of Jinliufu from the cabinet, which was over 200 yuan per bottle. Without saying a word, he brought two glass cups and poured them out.

  "Let's get started, first take care of one thing."

  "Alright, let's drink." Zhang Ju and I each downed half a bottle of liquor in one gulp. This white liquor really can't be drunk like this. Zhang Ju was okay, but I wasn't. I don't usually drink much anyway, and when I do, my face always turns red. Suddenly, both my cheeks felt scorching hot.

  "Monitor! This wine is too potent, I can barely take it!"

  "What's wrong with you, you little rabbit, it's because your drinking capacity is too poor! I'm telling you, as a soldier, having a poor drinking capacity is not good! Let me tell you, my current drinking capacity is very good, this kind of wine, even if I drink three bottles, I won't feel anything!"

  "Monitor, I came just to talk to you about something. You've taken care of me for so long, I think it's necessary to tell you." I thought about it for a moment, and still decided to tell Zhang Jun.

  "What's wrong, is there something difficult that you can't handle? Tell your brother, I'm here to take care of you." Zhang Jun said with his arm around my shoulder.

  "That... class leader! I'm dropping out..." I forced myself to say it, and I originally thought Zhang Jun would scold me, but unexpectedly...

  "It's nothing, I won't be a soldier then! Come back and hang out with me, brothers together, there's no hurdle we can't overcome, we'll still make our own way in the world."

  "I want to go out and experience things for myself first, broaden my horizons, after all I'm still very young."

  "That's right, young people should go out and explore more, travel around. At my age now, even if I want to go out, I won't be able to go far."

  As I looked at Zhang Jun, I suddenly became speechless...

  At this time, Yu Shu's sister had already returned, and Zhang Jun's daughter, Zhang Yufeng, was running back and forth in the room. Suddenly, a silly uncle called out, making me feel embarrassed for a moment. I couldn't help but touch my chin, look at myself in the mirror, and say to myself, "Have you really become so old?"

  Zhang Jun told me that his daughter is the little cotton-padded jacket of her mother, so when he named her, he took a character from his wife's name, but she was a bit mischievous and had been beaten by him several times already.

  "Is my cousin at home? What's so important that I have to come over? Is your family's business still operating or not?! I saw the door was closed when I passed by just now." A familiar voice came from outside, reminding me of someone I've been thinking about for a long time.

  Right after that, I saw a familiar figure appearing at the door. She had her hair tied up in high ponytail, wearing an all-white coat, a black ultra-mini skirt, black leggings, and carrying a black handbag. I tilted my head to look at her, and she was also looking at me.

  "Zhang Hao" and "Chen Xue", both of us were called out at the same time.

  I walked up to him on my own initiative, stretched out my right hand and said, "Long time no see! Suddenly I feel the world is so small, haha!"

  She didn't extend her hand for a handshake, but instead put her purse into my hands, gave me a smiling glance, and turned to head towards the kitchen.

  "Sister, we have guests at home, no wonder you asked me to help you. You're really heartless!" Suddenly, the kitchen was filled with the chatter of two women...

  Zhang Jun looked at me with confusion, "Do you know each other?"

  I looked at the kitchen, casually threw my bag on the sofa, picked up a cigarette and put it in my mouth, "Yes! Former classmates during school days."

  "It's not that simple, is it?! You little rascal likes someone but doesn't dare to confess, right!" Zhang Jun looked at me with a mischievous expression, as if he definitely had something on his mind, making me feel uncomfortable.

  "Don't be ridiculous! You're overthinking."

  "Hum! Either I'm overthinking or you're overthinking, you know it in your heart. After serving as a soldier for several years, you've become more skilled, don't think I don't know. Although I wasn't originally a scout, my ability to read people is absolutely not wrong, you can't deceive me!"

  "Alright, so what? You've seen it anyway. Even if I have a crush on someone, that doesn't mean they have a crush on me. What's the point?"

  "If you like it, go get it! Think about the beginning! When I was chasing your sister-in-law...!" As soon as I heard this, I knew Zhang Jun was going to start bragging again. This guy, whenever he mentions his wife, always has a long story to tell, and everyone in the whole kitchen knows that they were introduced by a matchmaker, met for less than half a month, then went to bed, got married, and got their certificate... Who would believe this?

  I was smoking alone in the yard, quietly puffing away, and before I knew it, I had already smoked more than half a pack. Zhang Jun was standing next to me, staring at me with an air of indifference, making me feel embarrassed. People who didn't know us might have thought we were up to something shady.

  Before long, seven or eight sumptuous dishes were already placed on a large square table...

  "Alright, when it comes to drinking, there must be a reason. Since we're guests today, I'll start with the first cup and toast my wife Yu Shu, thanks for marrying this idiot Ban Zhang and giving birth to such a clever and lovely daughter, cheers!" After finishing speaking, he downed the cup in one gulp.

  "Alright, just for you saying that, I'll drink this cup of wine with you." Yushu's wife picked up the wine glass, didn't even frown, and drank it all in one gulp, leaving me stunned...