Return To 1990

Li Da Fang’s Revenge

The suburban house belonged to Zhou Jianguo and with the machine placed there, Uncle Liu was relieved for Lu Feng to use it in exchange for a favor. It was a brilliant deal.

Uncle Liu turned his head towards Lu Feng and said politely, “Since you are a good friend of Jianguo, I’ll give you face; like I do to my friends.”

Lu Feng was undoubtedly excited, the matter of the machine was settled, but his face remained impassive. He nodded and said, “Thank you Uncle Liu. In the future, if you have any problem in which I can help, please remember to call me for help. Can the machine be brought over today?”

Zhou Jianguo had been exceedingly helpful and in such a big personal favor; he would be remembered. Sun Longbin had not gotten anything done, afraid of being marginalized, he hurriedly said, “Brother Feng, I’ll find a car and hire a few people to pull it over!”

Lu Feng patted Sun Longbin’s shoulder and praised him for being a good brother, making Sun Longbin’s face burst into smiles!

“Everyone, don’t stand around in the courtyard; come inside, have a drink and take a look around.” Uncle Liu said politely.

The crowd went into the house, Uncle Liu was old and had a lot of experience; although, he was chatting about the day, he was side-tracking and prying into Lu Feng’s background.

If it was an everyday person, he/she would likely have been taken in by Liu’s words, but Lu Feng cleverly avoided them and if the other side pressed him, he played mysterious and told him coldly that it was for his own good to not ask any more questions than he should.

At noon, he had a meal with some wine at Uncle Liu’s house. Uncle Liu thought that for him, an old journeyman, to face a brat like Lu Feng would be a piece of cake.

Liu still did not know anything about him, but Lu Feng only occasionally revealed a little bit so as to avoid suspicion. It was precisely for this reason that he felt that Lu Feng was not an ordinary individual, he was a person who had seen the world.

Whether he got faced with verbal condescension or cleverly pressed questions, he was able to cope with them effortlessly, even after drinking; he could still think carefully. He was certainly not a child of a regular family.

After parting with Lu Feng and the others, Uncle Liu watched them leave from his house and said to himself, “Conferring to commonsense, they shouldn’t be liars right?”

The machine issue being flawlessly solved, Lu Feng stood in the suburbs near his newly rented house, observing the big house in front of the road. Heart surging, he secretly thought to himself, set yourself a small goal. First become a ten-thousand-dollar household!

Lu Feng turned his head and looked at Sun Longbin and said, “Brother Bin, if you go back tonight, just tell your dad that I would like pears, apricots and peaches. Please prepare a few cars for me as well for transportation, I will pay a price that is a little higher than the market price. I will open this week and need them immediately. Brother, I don’t have money now but I really want to do something to show my father. When the time comes, I will invite my brothers to eat, drink and have fun every day.”

“Brother Feng, just call me Binzi, it’s too much. We’re all brothers, it’s not a problem; just charge the market price. When you want it, I’ll have my dad send it personally.” Sun Longbin’s words were full of sincerity.

“Brother Feng you mustn’t feel out of place!”

“Yes! We’re all brothers, we are family!” Similar phases echoed all over the group.

Lu Feng looked at the crowd with gratitude on his face, clasped his hands together and said in a deep voice, “Knowing you brothers is genuinely the greatest reward in my life. Brothers, I promise you that my family’s old man has put down his roots here and one day, he will definitely let us soar.”

That was what the crowd was waiting for, they were all so excited!

In the evening, Lu Feng had the rental house pretty much planned out and got a few stoves so that he could cook the cans, now all that was left was the canning jars.

“Is young Lu here?” A voice came from the doorway.

The crowd turned their heads to see Station Master Wang standing at the door, making Lu Feng ask, “Station Master Wang? What brings you here?”

“I’ve come to thank you. Yesterday you said the factory was located in the suburbs, so I came all the way here.” Station Master Wang stood there, clutching his briefcase and whispered, “Young Lu, come here for a moment.”

Lu Feng walked forward and asked, “What is it?”

“This is a small token for you to accept. If there is anything you need in the future, I’m always ready for you to give me an order.”, Wang said, shoving a few notes into Lu Feng’s pocket.

Not far away, Zhou Jianguo and Sun Longbin’s group of people watched this scene with wide eyes. They had heard Big Head say it, but seeing is believing; even for someone like Station Master Wang, who doesn’t have to flatter people and genuinely believed Lu Feng after his promotion.

“What kind of money are you talking about?” Lu Feng wondered in his heart and frowned.

“Buy some nutrition for your old man. At today’s meeting, I got a little promotion. I am still in charge of the grain station. I’ll wait outside the door and not disturb you.” Wang the station chief was very sensible and went out.

Lu Feng also did not look at how much money he was given. He coughed and the crowd hurriedly pretended that nothing happened.

“That’s all for today, let’s all go back now. Thank you, brothers. Big Head, you lock the door.”

“Brother Feng, I’ll take you back!” Zhou Jianguo spoke up.

“No need, I’ll take you!” Exclaimed the station-master.

Wang, who was waiting outside the door, pointed to the Santana1 not far away. He had come today with the sole purpose to flatter Lu Feng; he couldn’t give such an opportunity to Zhou Jianguo.

It was an exceptionally hot day. Even though the sun had set, the air was still filled with scorching heat, and a group of people near Lu Feng’s house were hiding in the cool shadows, muttering about the recent events in the building.

A Fulcrum2 pulled over downstairs the unit building and a man walked out of it: in his thirties, wearing sunglasses and with a cigarette in his mouth, giving him a sense of style.

Nowadays, if you can afford to drive a car, you are definitely a rich person, or you have a car allocated by the government.

“Whose family is this? It’s a car!”

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen it!”

“Fourth floor’s Li Da Fang’s family’s car, you don’t know?”

“Does Li Da Fang have relatives like this?”

“Li Da Fang’s cousin is very influential. Do you think you can be this prosperous? He is prosperous, he fought with Li San a few years ago and Li San was arrested the same day.”

“This time Lu Feng is finished, do you really think that just because you know a few gangsters, you can walk around with that arrogance?” were the murmurs and talks throughout the unit building.

Nowadays, not every family can afford a television set, and entertainment is scarce, so viewing neighborhood ruckuses is the most significant mode of entertainment. 

In a short while, more than 20 people gathered, chattering non-stop. He Yanli stood in the crowd, looking at the car with envy.

Li Da Fang came down, full of arrogance, leaned against the car and said, “Wait here, I’ll make him swallow his own words today, dared to slap me; does he really think there is no one in the Li family?”

He Yanli took a step forward, assessed the car and looking at Li Da Fang’s cousin, asked, “How much is this car?”

Li Da Fang gave her a mean look and said sarcastically, “Go to the dead. He doesn’t talk to widows, it’s bad luck.

He Yanli’s face turned purple with anger, grunting ceaselessly, she retreated back into the crowd. Now everyone was waiting for Lu Feng to return. Watching the good show, Li Da Fang let out the word that Lu Feng’s slap would be paid back ten times.

Near the new factory:

Lu Feng sat in the car and Wang drove him to an intersection when He pointed his finger to the road in front of him and said, “Turn in and that’s it. Station Master Wang you can park here, there’s no need to continue any further.”

“How can that do? If young Lu is willing, I will be your full-time driver from now on.”