novelsite Chapter 70 Dinner Party
Chapter 70 Dinner Party
As evening fell, darkness descended upon the outskirts of Berlin. High-powered lights illuminated the open space beside the Longyuan ship. The air was filled with the aroma of food—two large pots simmered with hot soup and noodles, and several makeshift workbenches were piled high with bread, sausages, salads, and cases of beer and soft drinks.
Wang Zhengyang arranged the meal. When he finished work in the afternoon, he briefly instructed Li Ruijun: "Let's have dinner together tonight, and invite Zhang Hao's team as well. Make sure the ingredients are ready." Although his words were brief, the meaning was clear: the three teams needed to integrate as soon as possible, and eating together was the most direct way.
Under the lights, voices began to rise. Li Ruijun, wearing an apron, busied himself by the pot, while Chen Yishang and his apprentices set out the tableware. Zhang Hao's team of seven had just arrived and stood on the outer edge, looking somewhat reserved at the lively scene.
Wang Zhengyang walked over from the command center. He had changed into a clean T-shirt and looked more approachable than during the day, but his eyes remained calm. He didn't say much, only nodded to everyone: "Sit down, help yourselves."
These words broke down the last vestige of barrier. Zhang Hao's team members smiled and headed towards the food, each finding a place to sit. There weren't enough chairs, so some sat on toolboxes, some on overturned buckets, and many simply stood. The sounds of plates clattering, wine being poured, and conversations mingled together, creating a lively atmosphere in the otherwise quiet marshalling yard.
Li Ruijun carried over a large plate of freshly sliced sausages and placed it on the table next to Wang Zhengyang. Instead of sitting down, he picked up his beer glass and banged it on the table.
"Quiet down, everyone! I have something to say!" His face was a little red, whether from the heat or excitement, it was hard to tell. "What are we all doing coming all over the country to Germany? Isn't it just to earn a living with our skills and live a good life?"
The table fell silent, and everyone looked at him.
"But what is the status of us Chinese in this godforsaken place?" Li Ruijun's voice rose slightly, filled with long-suppressed resentment. "Not to mention the white people, those German technicians, they're polite on the surface, but who respects us deep down? I used to work at a repair shop, and after fixing a BMW that a customer urgently needed, the white supervisor deliberately loosened a screw during the inspection. Not long after the car was driven off, it made a strange noise, and the customer complained. He cursed me in front of the whole workshop, calling me 'the Chinese unprofessional'!"
He gulped down a mouthful of beer, wiped his mouth, and said, "That was bad enough, we tolerated it. But then even Black people dared to lord it over us!"
"On Christmas Eve two years ago, I was walking home from get off work through Alexanderplatz when two young Black men blocked my way, yelling 'Chinese pigs' in a mix of German and English, and demanding money. When I refused, they grabbed my phone, pushed me to the ground, and started punching and kicking me." Li Ruijun lifted the cuff of his work uniform, revealing a faint scar on his forearm. "That's from when I was cut by broken glass. The police came, took a statement, and that was it. Guess what happened to those two thugs? I saw them again on the same street three days later, and they were completely fine!"
A few suppressed curses rang out from the table. Several veteran craftsmen nodded, clearly having had similar experiences.
Zhang Hao adjusted his glasses and replied, "Master Li is absolutely right. I'm an international student, and although I may seem glamorous, I've actually suffered quite a bit of hardship at school and during my internships."
"Last year, I was looking for an internship. I submitted over thirty resumes and only got two interviews. The first one was with a German interviewer who immediately asked, 'Do you Chinese students only know how to memorize things? Have you done any team projects?' I told him I had even won an award for a project, but he didn't believe me. The second one was even worse. Towards the end of the interview, the manager smiled and said, 'Your professional skills are actually quite good, but our team needs someone with a more "international perspective."'" Zhang Hao shook his head with a wry smile. "What kind of bullshit international perspective? They just think I'm yellow-skinned!"
He paused, his voice lowering slightly: "What's even more frustrating is that now even Indians dare to bully us. In the area where I rent a place, there are a few Indian thugs who specifically target small Chinese shops to collect 'protection money.' Last month, I went to a Chinese restaurant and saw them corner the owner behind the counter, yelling and demanding money. The owner called the police, but they didn't arrive for half an hour; the thugs had already fled. The police just said 'Be careful' and left."
"I know about this!" Zhao, a member of Li Ruijun's team, couldn't help but interject. "My fellow villager runs a supermarket in Chinatown, and those Indian bastards come to 'collect debts' every month without fail. If they don't pay, they smash things and throw paint. Call the police? The police say it's an 'economic dispute' and tell them to mediate it themselves! Mediate my ass! Those Indians just take advantage of us Chinese because they think we're easy to bully and don't like to cause trouble!"
Chen Yishang put down his chopsticks and slowly began to speak, his voice weathered: "I've been in Germany for twenty years. What haven't I seen? When I was young, I thought that we Chinese were hardworking and honest, and that we would always be recognized. But what happened?"
He looked at his apprentices and asked, "Zhenhua, tell Engineer Wang how much the German apprentices earn at the auto repair center, and how much you earn?"
Li Zhenhua lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "In Germany, an apprentice's hourly wage is 14 euros, and after becoming a full-time employee, it starts at 18 euros. I've worked there for four years, and now my hourly wage is 12 euros."
"Haitao," Chen Yishang asked Zhang Haitao again, "how much time and money did it take you to get that welding master certificate?"
"It took two years and more than 8,000 euros in total." Zhang Haitao's voice was hoarse. "I thought I would get a raise after passing the exam, but my boss said that 'foreign certificates need to be re-evaluated,' and I had to wait for half a year. In the end, I only got an extra 1.5 euros per hour."
Chen Yishang looked at Wang Zhengyang, then at everyone at the table: "This is reality. White people look down on you, thinking you're a second-class citizen. Black people bully you, thinking you won't dare fight back. Now even Indian thugs are defecating and pissing on our heads! Why? Because they know that we Chinese have no roots, no power here, and can only endure being bullied!"
After these words were spoken, the table fell completely silent. A complex expression crossed everyone's face—anger, resentment, and above all, deep weariness and helplessness.
Li Ruijun wiped his face and looked at Wang Zhengyang: "Dr. Wang, so when Master Chen told me that I could go back to China and get a decent job after completing this project—I was really tempted. I don't ask for great wealth or status, I just want my sister Xiaowei to never have to suffer like this again! What's wrong with us Chinese? Are our skills inferior? Don't we work hard? Why should we have to be treated like servants here?"
Zhang Hao stood up, raising his glass: "Engineer Wang, I toast you. Not because you pay a high salary, but because you've given me a way out. My parents are in China, getting old, and I've always wanted to go back. But what can I do there? Overseas returnees aren't worth much anymore. But your project truly allows us to earn a living with our skills, to live with dignity!"
The twenty-odd people at the table were looking at the two of them, and then at Wang Zhengyang, their eyes filled with eagerness.
Wang Zhengyang slowly stood up and picked up his water glass. He didn't speak immediately, his gaze shifting from Li Ruijun's face to Zhang Hao's, then to Chen Yishang, Master Zhao, Li Zhenhua, Zhang Haitao... Each yellow-skinned face, under the foreign lights, was filled with the hardships of wandering and the longing to return home.
"This meal," he began, his voice low but clear, "is meant to let you all know that your culinary skills are valuable to me. Your dignity is important to me."
He paused, then continued, "The vehicle is going to be driven back to China. It needs people on board—people who understand it, can fix it, and can keep it running. What I need are key personnel, not just those working here now, but key personnel who will continue to work with this vehicle in China."
"Those with good skills, who can endure hardship, and who are trustworthy will be able to return to China with me after the project ends. I will definitely keep my promise regarding employment, government positions, and resettlement."
He raised his water glass: "Those who don't want to, we won't force them. Those who do, let's use water instead of wine—to toast the days when we won't have to suffer anymore."
"Respect to the future!" Li Ruijun was the first to shout, his eyes reddening.
"Respectfully yours, from now on!" Chen Yishang nodded emphatically.
"A toast to the future!" Zhang Hao, Lao Li, and Zhou Ming raised their glasses simultaneously.
"Toast to the future!" More than twenty voices mingled together, and the clinking of wine glasses, water glasses, and beverage glasses created a crisp sound.
After that drink, the atmosphere completely changed. The three teams started to sit down and chat properly. Li Ruijun patted Zhang Hao on the shoulder and said, "Learn the German mechanical standards from me from now on." Chen Yishang pointed at Liu Qiming and told Zhang Hao, "This kid's got a knack for CNC programming." Master Zhao and Sun Hai had a strength contest, and Li Xiaowei and Lin Luoer served the younger team members food...
Watching this scene, Wang Zhengyang knew his goal had been achieved. A meal and some heartfelt words had brought the three teams together. These people were now working not just for money, but for dignity, for a future where they would no longer be discriminated against and could live with their heads held high.
He knew that when the real test came, this cohesion based on shared circumstances and common aspirations would be stronger than any bond of interests.
Halfway through the meal, Wang Zhengyang got up to get some water. As he walked to the beverage counter, Lin Luo'er was pouring juice.
"Tired?" He walked over.
Lin Luo'er turned to look at him and smiled, "Not tired. Tonight... was quite nice." She paused, then said softly, "Everyone listened to what you said."
Wang Zhengyang took the bottle from her and filled it for her: "It's all the truth."
Lin Luo'er looked at him and suddenly said, "You're giving them a home."
Wang Zhengyang paused slightly.
"It's not a house, that kind of home," Lin Luo'er said softly, "it's a place... where you don't have to bow your head or swallow your pride."
Wang Zhengyang didn't speak, he just looked at her. Her eyes shone brightly in the lamplight. He remembered that kiss, remembered the softness of her lips.
He reached out and naturally put his arm around her waist, whispering in her ear, "You're in there too."
He looked at her flushed face and bright eyes, reached out to support the back of her neck, and lowered his head to kiss her lips.
This kiss lasted a little longer and was a little deeper than the one during the day. He could feel her tension, and he could also feel her slowly relaxing. Her hands gently gripped the front of his shirt.
After about ten seconds, he released her, his forehead still pressed against hers.
She moved quickly, releasing him as soon as she finished speaking. Lin Luo'er's face flushed slightly, but her eyes held a smile.
Louder laughter came from afar, and someone started singing an old Chinese song. Wang Zhengyang took his water glass and returned to his seat, while Lin Luoer returned to Li Xiaowei's side.
The night deepened, but the lights remained on. The Longyuan lay quietly on the tracks, beside a group of people eating and laughing. These Chinese technicians, who had suffered discrimination, bullying, and resentment in a foreign land, were becoming a true community because of a train and a promise.
Wang Zhengyang knew this was just the beginning. But the most difficult "heart" had already come together.
Less than a day before the clash at the dock.
There are still twelve days until an even bigger storm.
But at least tonight, these wanderers saw a glimmer of hope for returning home.