“Mm, I’ve been helping Director Jennings with some things these past couple of days. Maybe he thought I worked pretty hard, so he wanted to thank me.” William Carter thought for a moment. He knew this might sound a bit unbelievable, but if he didn’t say anything, his parents would get suspicious, so he decided to just tell the truth, though he tried to make the situation sound as simple as possible.

“Oh?” Robert Carter pondered briefly, then caught on. “Big William, there are rumors in the factory that Director Jennings is being investigated by the higher-ups, but this morning I heard people in the workshop say they saw Director Jennings in the factory office arranging work, so I didn’t really believe it. Still, there’s never smoke without fire in the factory. You said you were helping him with some things, is it that…”

“Dad, don’t ask about the specifics. Anyway, it’s all over now, and Uncle Zhen is fine. He just invited me to his house for a meal to show his appreciation, that’s all.” William Carter didn’t want to say much more about this and brushed it off with a sentence.

“Mm, Big William, you’ve graduated from college now and are about to start working. I know you’ve always been steady and thorough, so I’m not too worried. But you’re just entering society, and people can be unpredictable. Many things aren’t as simple as they seem. You must be careful.”

Robert Carter also knew that his younger son had inherited the best qualities from both him and his wife—bold and generous, yet also shrewd and meticulous. He had joined the Party in college and performed well in the student union. The only regret was that his job assignment after graduation had hit a snag, which made Robert Carter feel quite upset.

Chapter 12: Lost in a Dream

“Dad, don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” William Carter nodded. “Going back to Nantang isn’t the end of the world. Gold will shine wherever it is. It would be great to stay at the factory, but if I can’t, getting some experience at the county level might not be a bad thing. I’ve thought it through. I’ll go back to Nantang and do my best. My day will come.”

“Well said!” Robert Carter was delighted. “Big William, with this kind of perspective, I’m even happier and more at ease than if you stayed at the factory. Your mother has been a community teacher in Nantang for so many years and she’s fine. You’re a Communist Party member, so going to the grassroots gives you more opportunities to prove yourself. I believe you’ll make something of yourself in the county.”

“Big William, what you said makes sense, but since Director Jennings invited you to dinner, it shows he really values you. About you and Zhen Ni, is there…” Charles Brooks paused, seeing her son frown, and changed the subject. “Also, if there’s a chance to transfer back to the factory, I think you can talk to Director Jennings and ask him to speak to Secretary Gu and Secretary Guo. Even if it can’t happen right away, what about in a year or so? Such a big 195 Factory, surely they can find a place for our Big William?”

“Mom, I know. Let’s talk about it later. My file just arrived at the regional office, so it’s too early to bring this up. Wouldn’t it leave a bad impression on the region and the county?”

William Carter also knew his mother was determined to make him a Changzhou resident.

His mother had taught in Nantang for decades but had never managed to become a formal teacher. Now even his second sister was a key teacher at Liyang Middle School, but his mother was still a community teacher in rural Nantang, which made her feel quite unbalanced. That’s why she was so eager for him to stay in Changzhou and not return to Nantang.

After dinner, William Carter stood by the window. He’d been busy helping Zhen Jingcai these past two days and hadn’t had much time to think about other things. That night, he slept soundly and felt his memories gradually returning.

Scenes from the past twenty-one years flashed through his mind like a movie—some clear, some blurry, some detailed, some vague. Almost every detail made William Carter sigh with emotion. He was completely immersed in this unimaginable reverie. If only life could start over, what then?

“Big William, Big William!”

“Thomas Stone? David Young? Is that you? When did you get back?”

William Carter saw a bicycle glide to a stop at his door, and two familiar figures got off.

The one riding was pale and thin, with a slender build. The one behind was chubby and wore black-rimmed glasses. Their faces were so familiar, yet they no longer matched the images William Carter had in his mind.

After all, a gap of twenty years made it hard for William Carter to immediately connect these two young men, still with a fuzz of youthful hair on their lips, to his two best friends from high school.

William Carter had attended high school at the 195 Factory’s school, but because his household registration wasn’t in Changzhou, he had to return to his hometown Nantang to take the college entrance exam. That’s why his job assignment was so heavily influenced by the national policy of “returning to where you came from.”

If he couldn’t get his unit to coordinate with the school before the assignment, he would most likely have to return to his original city or county.

That’s why William Carter had tried so hard to get the qualification to stay at the factory. Only if the 195 Factory agreed to take him could he stay in Changzhou. He never expected to be kicked out at the last moment.