Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 206 Visiting the Mike Family

Lin Yan had just finished organizing his schoolbag in the locker in the hallway when Mike and Tom came over with their arms around each other's shoulders.

"Lin, are you free tonight?" Tom enthusiastically invited, "Want to go to the 'Blues Hut' bar where I work for some rock music? They have a local band tonight, it'll be awesome!"

Mike nodded vigorously, his face full of anticipation: "Yeah, Lin, go relax and have some fun!"

Experiencing the entertainment life of ordinary teenagers was part of Lin Yan's "worldly" plan. After a moment's thought, he nodded in agreement: "Okay, it'll be good to see for myself. But I need to find a place to finish my homework first."

"That's easy!" Mike immediately put his arm around his shoulder. "Let's go to my house! It's nearby, only a ten-minute walk. We'll go straight there after we finish our homework, perfect timing!"

The three of them walked out of the school gate together. Just as they stepped onto the sidewalk, Lin Gang's sleek sedan silently pulled up and stopped in front of Lin Yan. Lin Yan walked over, expertly opened the car door, placed the empty lunchbox in the passenger seat, and instructed Lin Gang, "Lin Gang, I'm going to a classmate's house to do homework tonight, and then I have some activities planned. Don't prepare dinner, just some late-night snacks. Remember to feed Xiao Qi." He paused, then added, "Oh, and go to the nearest Golden Harvest restaurant and get a fruit basket, and also a ten-pound beef gift box."

"Yes, young master." Lin Gang replied respectfully without any extra expression before driving away.

This sight made Mike and Tom's eyes widen, and they screamed almost simultaneously, "Lin! That's your car? That's a Lincoln Continental!"

"Yeah, just for transportation," Lin Yan said calmly.

"Lin! Can we take this car for a drive this weekend?" Tom exclaimed excitedly, gesturing wildly. "That would be so cool! It would definitely attract the attention of all the girls!"

Looking at the two of them with their overflowing hormones, Lin Yan felt both amused and helpless. He said, "I have a Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible in my garage. Let's drive that one; it's more spacious and better for cruising around."

"Ahhh—Lin! I love you to death! That's the car I've always dreamed of!" Tom jumped up excitedly and gave Lin Yan a big bear hug.

Not long after, Lin Gang's car returned, and he handed Lin Yan a beautifully packaged fruit basket and a heavy gift box of beef. Mike looked at the gift box bearing the "Golden Harvest" logo, and asked with a mixture of confusion and surprise, "Lin, your driver... what's this? Golden Harvest products are very expensive!"

Lin Yan accepted the gift and smiled calmly: "It's impolite for us Chinese to arrive empty-handed when visiting someone's home. It's just a small token of our appreciation, let's go."

Mike and Tom exchanged a glance, their faces a mixture of shock and surprise, unsure of what to say.

Mike's home is located on Maple Street in Queens. The street is narrow, lined with simple, somewhat old row houses; the faded brick walls and wooden window frames needing repainting tell tales of time. Each house has a small front yard, some neat, some a little messy. Many economy cars are parked along the street, and children chase and play by the roadside, creating a simple yet slightly cramped atmosphere characteristic of working-class communities.

Mike's house was a two-story, dark red brick house with a basement, and the paint on the white window frames was peeling. He took out his key and opened the dark green front door, and a warm aroma mixed with the scents of toast, coffee, and old carpet wafted out.

The foyer was small and connected directly to the living room. The living room was not large, with a worn-out carpet and furniture that was obviously quite old, but it was kept clean and tidy. A velvet sofa occupied the main position, opposite which was a small black-and-white television, and family photos and small ornaments were displayed on the fireplace mantel.

Hearing the noise, a middle-aged woman wearing an apron, with a tired face but gentle eyes, peeked out from the kitchen. Her blond hair was casually tied up, and fine wrinkles were etched at the corners of her eyes. "Mike, you're back? And you brought friends?"

"Hi, Mom!" Mike quickly introduced, "This is Lin, our new transfer student from China! This is Tom, you know him. Lin is coming over to do her homework, and we'll go to 'Blues Cottage' together tonight."

"Hello, Mrs. Anderson." Lin Yan stepped forward, greeted her politely, and then presented the gift with both hands. "It's a small token of my appreciation for your first visit. Please accept it."

"Oh, welcome, Lin." Mrs. Anderson accepted the gift, slightly surprised to see the "Golden Harvest" logo. "Lin, this is too much trouble. Don't be so polite next time." She turned to Mike and instructed, "Don't be too noisy. Your younger siblings are doing their homework upstairs."

As they were talking, a little girl, about seven or eight years old, with pigtails and a few cute freckles on her face, peeked out from behind the stair railing. She was Mike's sister, Emily. Then, an even smaller boy with messy brown curly hair squeezed in. He was her brother, Benjamin.

"Mike! Do you have guests?" Emily asked softly.

"Yes, Amy, Ben, go back to your homework." Mike waved his hand in an older brother's manner.

"Wait a minute." Lin Yan called out to the two little ones, and under the cover of his schoolbag, he took out two plump bananas and two tempting peaches from his spatial storage. He squatted down, looked at them at eye level, and said with a smile, "Hello, I'm your brother's friend. Just call me Lin. This is a gift for you."

Emily and Benjamin happily accepted the fruit, thanked him, and ran off joyfully. Mike stood to the side, witnessing Lin Yan's thoughtfulness and generosity, his heart filled with emotion.

Mike led Lin Yan and Tom up the narrow second-floor corridor to his room at the far end. The room was small, crammed full of a single bed, a wardrobe, and an old desk. Yellowed baseball posters and muscle car magazines covered the walls, textbooks and miscellaneous items were piled on the desk, and an old baseball glove sat on the windowsill. The room was filled with the distinctive scent of boys, a mixture of faint sweat and old books and newspapers; though messy, it wasn't dirty.

"It's a bit small, make yourself at home, Lin. You can use the desk." Mike scratched his head a little embarrassedly and quickly stuffed a few scattered clothes from the bed into the closet.

Lin Yan nodded, sat down at his desk, and took out his notebook. Outside the window were the neighbor's equally simple rooftops and backyards. He focused his mind, his pen moving smoothly across the paper. He could faintly hear Mrs. Anderson preparing dinner downstairs, and Emily and Benjamin's low-pitched banter. The ordinary, mundane, yet vibrant atmosphere of everyday life.