Starting out as a drug dealer in 1988

Yangzhou City, Hengshan Subdistrict.

A slightly thin figure walked slowly on the street.

The man was wearing a white T-shirt, gray trousers with patches, a pair of rubber shoes that were slightly detached, and a black shoulder bag on his back.

His eyes were wandering around, as if he was trying to discover something.

That’s right, it was Zhao Wenhao who came to the place where he used to live.

Everything gradually overlapped with my memory: the long and narrow road, the dilapidated tube-shaped building, and even the snack bar where I ate as a child stood there.

He took a deep breath, walked into the snack bar called "Dingsheng", and saw the owner greeting customers.

That’s right, it’s him, still him. Except for being a little younger, everything else is exactly the same as I remembered.

"Young man, what would you like to eat?" Seeing Zhao Wenhao come in, the boss smiled and greeted him warmly.

Zhao Wenhao looked around and found that it was exactly the same as his childhood memory, especially the statue of the God of Wealth behind the cash register, which was exactly the same.

He was particularly impressed by the fact that the boss's youngest son later broke the statue out of mischief. As a result, he was beaten by the boss and his wife until he was unable to get off the ground.

Zhao Wenhao didn't say anything, just smiled at the boss and left the snack bar directly.

Now, he was eager to know if there was someone he cared about in Room 12, Building 203, in the residential complex behind him. If so, how would he face it?

My parents used to be workers at Yangzhou Machinery Factory No. 1. Their income was not high, but it was not difficult for them to support their only child.

Zhao Wenhao's living conditions since childhood were average, but they were still passable.

This old residential complex, built in the 1950s, is where Zhao Wenhao lived for over a decade. It wasn't until he was admitted to university and settled down in Guangdong province that he brought his parents over.

"Who are you looking for?" A vigilant voice came from behind Zhao Wenhao.

Zhao Wenhao, who was lost in thought, was obviously startled. He turned around hurriedly and saw a familiar figure.

"Who are you looking for? I see you standing here suspiciously for a long time. If you don't tell me, come with me to the police station." A middle-aged woman stared at Zhao Wenhao's every move.

Aunt Wang, yes, this is my former neighbor Aunt Wang. Unfortunately, she doesn't know me.

Not to mention him, even if his biological parents were standing in front of him, they would not be able to recognize Zhao Wenhao with a changed face.

"Auntie, I'm sorry, I'm here to look for someone. Is there a couple named Zhao Xuanting and Zhang Min here?" Zhao Wenhao resisted the urge to recognize the other party and began to inquire about the situation of his biological parents.

Aunt Wang looked at Zhao Wenhao again with half belief and half doubt, and then began to think.

"No, we don't have the two people you mentioned here. Are you talking nonsense and saying this on purpose?" Aunt Wang remained vigilant.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible, how could there not be any? They live right here!"

Zhao Wenhao's voice suddenly became louder, and his face turned pale, looking a little scary.

Aunt Wang was obviously startled and even took a step back. "What's wrong with you? I said there's nothing. The people living here are all workers from our Machinery Factory No. 1. How could I not recognize someone living here?"

Although he had been mentally prepared to a certain extent, Zhao Wenhao still could not accept the reality before him.

"They live in Room 12, Building 203. They should be 27 and 24 years old. There may be a child, about four years old." Zhao Wenhao couldn't wait to confirm again.

Unfortunately, what he was greeted with was Aunt Wang's even more suspicious look.

"Young man, how do you know all this? I'm telling you, my family lives in Room 204, and the family in Room 203 isn't named Zhao or Zhang at all. What are you talking about?"

"No, how could they not exist?" Zhao Wenhao stumbled and nearly fell to the ground, muttering, "Could it be that they really no longer exist?"

Seeing that Zhao Wenhao was obviously a little abnormal, Aunt Wang also became a little worried.

She shouted upstairs, "Dapeng, Dapeng, are you home? Come out for a moment."

Soon the door to the second floor opened, and a man appeared in the corridor. "Sister Xia, what can I do for you? I just got off work and haven't had time to wash my face yet."

Aunt Wang pointed at Zhao Wenhao. "This guy insisted that a couple named Zhao Xuanting and Zhang Min lived in Room 203. I told him they weren't, but he refused to believe me. So I asked you to come out and let him see if you were the one he was looking for!"

Hearing this, Zhao Wenhao quickly turned around and saw a man about thirty years old, with a burly appearance, looking down at Zhao Wenhao.

"Who are you? I'm Yin Dapeng from Room 203. I don't seem to know you!"

It's over, it really doesn't exist.

Although he had thought about this situation, when it really came to him, Zhao Wenhao was still unable to accept the reality.

"Young man, are you okay? Judging from your accent, you're from Yangzhou. The person you're looking for isn't here. Maybe you made a mistake? Why don't you go back and double-check?"

Aunt Wang looked at Zhao Wenhao with some concern. He was pale, his hands were shaking, and his whole body looked shaky. She was worried that the young man would faint.

Zhao Wenhao, exhausted, shook his head, stood up again with strength, and forced a rather miserable smile towards Aunt Wang. "Thank you, Aunt Wang. I'm fine. Maybe I really made a mistake."

After saying that, he staggered out of the community and never looked back.

"What's wrong with this young man? He looks so dispirited and scary." Aunt Wang stopped and muttered as she watched Zhao Wenhao's back as he walked away.

Only after Zhao Wenhao disappeared did she prepare to go upstairs and go home to cook.

"Hey, that's not right. How did he know my last name is Wang? I clearly didn't tell him. Just now, Yin Dapeng called me Sister Xia and didn't call me by my last name!"

Aunt Wang was obviously shocked. She quickly chased after him, but Zhao Wenhao had already disappeared in the crowd and there was no trace of him.

"It's broad daylight! Is this a ghost? Or maybe I didn't hear clearly just now. He didn't call me Aunt Wang?"

Aunt Wang tilted her head in confusion, her mind wandering.

"Sister Xia, what's going on? I think there seems to be something wrong with that young man. I hope nothing will happen to him?" Yin Dapeng, who was upstairs, saw Aunt Wang running out and then running back, and didn't know what had happened.

Aunt Wang wanted to tell someone about what had just happened, but after thinking it over, she realized that she might have misheard. So she waved her hand, ignored Yin Dapeng, and went straight upstairs to cook.