Break out of the courtyard

Chapter 1045 The Little Bit of Face in Houhai
boom!
Beside the conference table, an old man with a small mustache, dressed in a black kimono, slammed his right fist on the table and roared, "Baka! When will the assassination of Zhang Heping succeed?!"

The other eight elderly men and four middle-aged men present did not respond, because the Japanese radicals who advocated assassinating Zhang Heping and kidnapping Zhang Heping's family members had suffered heavy casualties in recent years.

"Suzuki-sama! Do you think there's any possibility for us to ease tensions with Zhang Heping?"

……

Friday, July 10th.

Yan Wo Yi Community, The Peak, Hong Kong Island.

"Ah Xin! Your Mr. Zhang speaks so politely!" Mrs. Guo said to Tang Xin, who hadn't gone to the capital, while drawing cards. "What do you mean by 'born as a human being'... four of a kind!"

"If you ask me, those Japanese devils don't deserve to be called human; they're even worse than animals!"

“Exactly!” Mrs. Bao, the player to the left, picked up a card and added it to the pile in front of her. While looking down at her cards, she said, “After watching the movie 731, whenever I see someone on the street who looks like a Japanese soldier, I feel like I want to go up and beat them up…”

"One of the dots, I win!" Mrs. He, the player across the table, pushed the mahjong tiles in front of her, picked up the dot that Mrs. Bao had discarded, placed it in front of her, and said:
"I couldn't even finish 10 minutes of the 731 movie, so I hid outside the theater to wipe my tears!"

"Those beasts actually counted the weeks of pregnancy as 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks..."

As Mrs. He spoke, not only were her hands trembling, but her lower lip was also shaking violently.

The next second, Mrs. He's tears fell.

“We’re all mothers!” Mrs. He said, trembling, as she took the tissue from her eldest daughter-in-law behind her.

Mrs. He turned her head to look at Tang Xin, who was pressing down on the back of her right hand, and said in a trembling voice, "Those beasts..."

"Mrs. He, it's all over now!" Tang Xin patted the back of the other woman's hand and gently comforted her, "It's all over now, they won't dare to do it again!"

"No!" Mrs. He suddenly grabbed Tang Xin's hand, took a deep breath, and her eyes gradually hardened. "They dare!"

"Ah Xin!" Mrs. He said excitedly, "Have you forgotten what happened to your family in January this year!"

“They dare! Why wouldn’t they dare!” Mrs. He looked at the other wealthy women and said seriously and coldly, “I propose it!”

"Boycott Japanese goods from now on!"

"If a family or company doesn't boycott, then they shouldn't..."

“Mrs. He!” Tang Xin glanced at the several wealthy women whose faces showed unusual expressions and said slowly, “These things cannot be forced. Even during the period when the Peace Group was resisting them the most, there were still planes landing at Kai Tak Airport that were heading there.”

"Sigh..." Mrs. He sighed, pushed the mahjong tiles in front of her aside, and then started playing mahjong again.

Mrs. Guo glanced at Mrs. Bao, whose expression had softened, and followed Tang Xin's words, saying, "Ah Xin didn't experience the War of Resistance against Japan, so she doesn't know the helplessness we felt back then!"

"In the early stages of the War of Resistance against Japan, radio and newspapers promoted boycotting Japanese goods every day. Ironically, everything in China, from small items like needles and thread to matches, to large machines for printing newspapers, was made in Japan!"

“I know!” Tang Xin said while playing mahjong. “My husband talked about that history at home. He believes that boycotting Japanese goods is only a supplementary measure. The best way to boycott them is to completely seize their market share!”

Tang Xin's story was the same as Zhang Heping's at the Chinese Businessmen's Annual Meeting on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. Coupled with the factories that Heping Group had invested in in mainland China, it made a group of wealthy women believe their family's nonsense.

Under this guise of superficiality, no one noticed Zhang Heping's hidden revenge against them for the time being.

While Tang Xin was entertaining wealthy women at her home in Hong Kong Island, Zhang Heping was outside his home in the capital, dealing with neighbors who came to his door seeking favors.

Last night, someone noticed that someone from the Zhang family had returned, but because there were so many bodyguards and guards, no one dared to go up and find out, so they didn't know who had returned.

The problem arose this morning when Zhang Heping got up at 5 a.m. and was running around the lake when he was recognized by the early-rising elderly people.

Well, this morning, the incident of Ma Xiuzhen and Zhang Bing blocking the door, which they had been keeping from Zhang Heping, was repeated.

The group at the front were all long-time residents of Haizi's neighborhood, and they were carrying gifts. In addition, his older cousin Ma Lili and younger cousin Ma Yongli were still doing business outside, so Zhang Heping couldn't very well have his bodyguards chase them away.

Finally, after learning that most of them were there for the Lifespan 120 potion, in order to prevent them from blocking the door later, Zhang Heping first called the neighborhood committee. After the order outside was maintained, he went out to talk about the matter.

Just as Zhang Heping was standing on the steps at his doorstep, about to speak, the female director of the neighborhood committee, who was in her forties, handed him the handheld megaphone she had just used.

"Ahem!" Zhang Heping tested the loudspeaker's amplification effect and then said loudly, "I just heard what the aunties came for, and I know that you are basically here for the Lifespan 120 Potion."

"Today, I've invited some members of our neighborhood committee to witness this. I'll explain this matter clearly, and you can ask any questions you have on the spot, so that you won't come and block my door again in the future."

"First of all, everyone knows that the Lifespan 120 potion is currently priced at 120 billion RMB per vial!" Zhang Heping looked around and, seeing that everyone was stunned by the exorbitant price, continued:

"It is very difficult to produce the Shouyuan 120 drug in large quantities. People who have used the drug before need to donate blood every six months to ensure the production of subsequent drugs."

"Therefore, in order to increase production, Shenzhen has formulated a free trial drug agreement in which blood is supplied in lieu of drug costs."

"Most of you are in such a hurry to come because you're worried that once this agreement is no longer in effect, you won't be able to afford the Lifespan 120 Potion, right?"

Zhang Heping's words immediately drew agreement from some people, who clearly hit the nail on the head.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Consultant Zhang, do you know how long that free agreement will last?"

"It's still uncertain!" Zhang Heping said slowly, holding a megaphone. "I don't want to produce the Lifespan 120 potion because its efficacy didn't meet my expectations, and production would be troublesome."

"This is also why my parents, as well as Uncle Zhou and Aunt Chen next door, did not use the Lifespan 120 medicine."

Upon hearing Zhang Heping's words, those who were worried that the free agreement might be terminated at any time began to speculate whether Zhang Heping wanted his parents to use a better longevity potion.

This alleviated their eagerness to use the Lifespan 120 potion.

"Now let me explain the application requirements for the Lifespan 120 potion. If you don't meet the requirements, or if you don't have a good relationship with my family, please don't come to my house to discuss this matter, lest you be accused of being rich and heartless in the future."

Zhang Heping ignored the emotions of these people. He believed that he had to make this matter clear today and establish the rules so that no one would come to block his door again in the future.

“90 years old is the age threshold!” Zhang Heping paused here, glanced at the storefront on the left, and saw his cousin Ma Yongli leaning against the door of his internet cafe watching the commotion, before continuing: “If you have a family member who is 90 years old or older, raise your hand so I can see.”

Upon hearing this, the people around began to look around, trying to see if there were any people over 90 years old.

"You three, come to the front!" Zhang Heping pointed to the three people who had just raised their hands. After they squeezed to the front of the crowd, Zhang Heping asked, "Have you gone online to apply for medication for your family members who are over 90 years old?"

Two women in their sixties shook their heads, indicating no.

“I applied for my grandfather!” The man in his fifties next to Zhang Heping took out his phone, fiddled with it for a bit, and showed Zhang Heping a screenshot. “But we’ve been waiting in line for five months and there’s still no result.”

Zhang Heping glanced at the other person's phone screen and immediately spotted the problem: "Your grandfather was born in November 1904, he's still a month shy of 90, go away and play somewhere else!"

"My grandfather said he was born in May, and the birth date on his ID card is wrong. I don't believe you..." The man tried to argue, but Zhang Heping waved his hand and the bodyguard pushed him aside.

"Director Ding, these two elderly people in their families, do you think your neighborhood committee should help them apply, or should they go to the internet cafe next door to apply?" Zhang Heping said, looking at the neighborhood committee director next to him.

The middle-aged woman, not much older than Zhang Heping, said with a forced smile, "Advisor Zhang, this is because we didn't do our job well and caused trouble for your family."

“After we visited the elderly people in both families to verify their information, we helped them apply online.”

Zhang Heping nodded and said, "If they haven't been approved after six months of application, give me a call and I'll have Shenzhen make arrangements. Then no one can gossip about us!"

The neighborhood committee director quickly replied, "Okay, thank you for looking after us neighbors, Consultant Zhang!"

Although Zhang Heping didn't say these words loudly through a megaphone, many people still heard them and they began to spread among the crowd.

"I won't go into detail about the priority policies for martyrs and military dependents, but I'll reiterate the application requirements, which have no age limit," Zhang Heping continued, holding a megaphone.
"Raise your hand if someone in your family is bedridden, raise your hand if someone in your family is immobile or unable to care for themselves, raise your hand if..."

As one hand after another went up, the neighborhood committee director felt her cheeks burning. In that instant, she suddenly realized how irresponsible she had been in her work!
"Director Ding! Director Ding?" Zhang Heping called out twice.

It wasn't until the little girl next to her nudged the neighborhood committee director that Director Ding heard Zhang Heping calling her.

"Have someone take these people back to the neighborhood committee and help them apply according to the online application steps," Zhang Heping said slowly. "It would be best to attach a hospital diagnosis certificate or medical record, as well as a photo of the applicant, so that the application process will be faster."

"Okay, Consultant Zhang! I'll arrange it right away!" Director Ding of the neighborhood committee said, then looked at the young clerk next to him.

As the neighborhood committee members led away those who met the application requirements, Zhang Heping looked at the remaining crowd and said:

"If anyone still doesn't know the application requirements for the Lifespan 120 drug, they should go to the internet cafe next door to check online, or go to the neighborhood committee to ask. Get the preparations done first."

Seeing Zhang Heping hand the megaphone back to the neighborhood committee director, someone in the crowd immediately asked loudly, "Advisor Zhang, are there any other ways to apply for Lifespan 120 medication?"

Zhang Heping glanced at the pot-bellied middle-aged man, picked up the megaphone again, and shouted to the crowd: "Go to the Heping Group's official website and place an order. Pay 120 billion RMB, and you can buy the right to use a Lifespan 120 potion!"

Upon hearing the phrase 120 billion RMB again, everyone present couldn't help but feel hesitant and timid. Some dared not ask Zhang Heping for help to apply for the drug through back channels, fearing that he would cancel their free trial eligibility.

After Zhang Heping returned to the courtyard, the black-clad bodyguards who were maintaining order around him followed him into the courtyard, leaving only four bodyguards standing at the entrance.

With a staggering price of 120 billion RMB and so many bodyguards coming and going, even the most foolish people outside would know that the Zhang family is now beyond their reach.

Moreover, Zhang Heping just pointed out the direction for the application of the Life 120 drug.

Those who urgently need the Lifespan 120 medication have been reassigned to the neighborhood committee by Zhang Heping, who also promised that if they haven't been able to apply for it for more than half a year, they can ask him to arrange a back door.

Without the participation of these families with essential needs, it would be unreasonable for others to gather here!

Sure enough, after Zhang Heping returned home, the local police officers who had been waiting outside came over to disperse the crowd.

When Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, and others arrived at Houhai, there were no longer any loiterers outside Zhang's house. Instead, there were five Hongqi sedans parked there, along with some guards wearing holsters.

This display of force frightened them so much that they dared not approach, and they secretly went to the south bank to spy on the Zhang family's situation across the Houhai Lake.

……

"This is a letter that arrived from over there this morning. I brought a photocopy with me. Take a look!" Old Hua handed Zhang Heping a black folder and said with a smile, "Xiao Ke's televised speech was a big blow to them!"

Old Li, standing nearby, chuckled and said, "If it weren't for that, the Japanese would probably still be stubborn and refuse to admit it to the death!"

On the other side, Old Yang picked up his teacup and silently watched Zhang Heping's facial expression.

The other two elderly men weren't very familiar with Zhang Heping, but they had met him a few times, and they chimed in with a couple of words.

After reading the page in the folder, Zhang Heping sneered, "They're good at shirking responsibility! They gave all the bacterial research data to the US, so they think they know nothing?"

"We all know the truth!" Old Hua said with a smile as he saw Zhang Heping put down the folder. "You've probably already guessed the purpose of their letter!"

Zhang Heping raised his teacup in a gesture of respect, then slowly took a sip of tea.

"Let them make their stance on the WTO issue, and let's put this matter behind us for now!" Zhang Heping did not respond to Hua Lao's words.

Because the letter from the other side did not explicitly acknowledge the existence of Unit 731, but only vaguely claimed that the Americans had taken away the bacterial research data and that they needed time to thoroughly investigate, thus brushing it off.

Hua Lao, Li Lao, and Yang Lao exchanged glances and all smiled.

"I told you our overall perspective on peace is just as good as ours!" Mr. Hua said with a smile. "We discussed it this morning and also felt that this opportunity would be best used for the WTO issue."

"However, the resistance from the United States might be quite significant!"

Old Yang, who was standing next to him, chimed in: "In recent years, the United States has shown signs of military competition with us, and its fiscal deficit is getting bigger and bigger."

"We believe that the Americans are trying to hinder our progress in trade!"

"What about the Lifespan 120 potion? Could you..."

(End of this chapter)