Read Chapter 25: — THE NEW RESTAURANT

The new Zhihe Restaurant opened where the Zhihe and Yantie canals met.

Duoduo had fought for the site, redesigned the kitchen three times, borrowed more money than he admitted, and personally supervised the first baskets of crystal shrimp dumplings.

"If this fails," he told the Yongfeng Gang, "I am emigrating."

"Where?" Daidi asked.

"Somewhere nobody knows what good food tastes like. Expectations will be lower."

Dacheng inspected the stainless-steel kitchen fittings and immediately criticised the heat treatment on a bracket.

Duoduo threatened to ban engineers from the building.

Qiu Bin arrived late from his electric-vehicle job, hair still flattened from a safety helmet. Daidi scolded him, then straightened his collar without thinking.

Mufeng watched the gesture and smiled.

They were no longer the five children who once believed adulthood would solve everything.

They had become people with debts, failed plans, second attempts, parents who aged, lovers who disappointed them, work that consumed them, and memories that sometimes hurt.

Yet when they sat together, the old rhythm returned almost immediately.

Dacheng accused Duoduo of overcharging.

Duoduo reminded everyone that Dacheng had once ordered the cheapest fish on a banquet menu and let northern clients mistake it for abalone because of a dialect pun.

Daidi shouted over both of them.

Qiu Bin smiled.

Mufeng looked toward the window.

Yonghe stood outside with a camera.

"Come on," she called. "Before the light changes."

The five friends went to the riverbank.