1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 172 The retired traditional Chinese medicine doctor is truly living a life of boundless joy (6.2k words, two chapters combined)

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan quickly parked the car and stepped forward respectfully, saying, "Uncle, hello, hello, I didn't recognize you at all."

“It’s normal that you don’t recognize me. You were only eight or nine years old when you last saw me. I wouldn’t recognize you if I saw you on the street now.” Zhang Zhengping said with a smile, “You were just as handsome as I was when I was young. Half the nurses in the hospital liked me.”

Zhou Yan was slightly taken aback; this uncle's words were quite interesting.

"After you start balding at thirty, that's it," the old woman added, cutting to the heart of the matter.

Zhang Zhengping blushed and quickly tried to cover it up: "That's because after I married your aunt, I kept myself pure and resisted temptations. It has nothing to do with my hair."

"That's true. In their hospital, it's well-known that he's afraid of his wife." The old lady nodded.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. Your great-aunt has a broken palm, and it hurts a lot when she hits people. She’s even broken doorknobs before. Who wouldn’t be scared?” Zhang Zhengping said matter-of-factly, completely oblivious to the embarrassment.

Zhou Yan listened in a daze, the rhythm of the old folks' storytelling was a bit hard for him to keep up with.

However, it seems that this great-uncle is a retired doctor.

He has a really good personality; he can take a joke and has the humor and open-mindedness of older generations in Sichuan.

The old lady always thought about her cousin Lihua. After the meal, she took her great-uncle to see a doctor for her great-aunt.

"Uncle! Why are you here?" Zhou Miao came out of the kitchen upon hearing the voice and quickly stepped forward with a surprised look on his face.

"Come see my third sister!" Zhang Zhengping said with a smile, patting Zhou Miao on the shoulder. "Sanshui, it's been a few years since we last saw each other."

"It's been more than three years. How are you and your aunt doing?" Zhou Miao asked with concern.

“I’m still okay. Your aunt fell down half a year ago and now she has to use crutches to go out. She still needs to recuperate for a while.” Zhang Zhengping said with a hint of pride, “Now she can’t even catch up with me if she wants to.”

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

Zhou Yan looked at the old man and thought he really did need a good talking to.

Zhao Tieying and Zhao Hong also came out to greet them and poured a bowl of water for the old lady and the old man.

"Tie Ying and Zhao Hong are really perceptive; they knew we were parched from walking," Zhang Zhengping said with a smile, putting down his bowl.

After chatting for a while, the old lady said, "We'll talk later. Let's go see Lihua first."

"Okay, I'll take the basket off." Zhou Miao agreed and pushed the bicycle out the door.

Zhou Yan drove Zhang Zhengping around, chatting all the way, and then asked curiously, "Uncle, what kind of doctor were you before you retired?"

“A barefoot doctor, huh?” Zhang Zhengping replied.

"what?"

"I was just kidding, it's traditional Chinese medicine." Zhang Zhengping's hearty laughter rang out.

Zhou Yan wanted to scratch his head, but his hands were already gripping the handrails.

This retired traditional Chinese medicine doctor is truly living a life of boundless joy.

Zhang Zhengping chuckled and said, "You're quite something! You're only twenty and you've already opened such a big restaurant. You've even inherited your third sister's braised food skills. I want to eat at your restaurant tonight and try your cooking. Do you want to?"

"Of course! I'll make whatever Uncle wants to eat tonight, as long as it's on the menu, I guarantee you'll be satisfied," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

This great-uncle is the old lady's cousin. The old lady's two older brothers have passed away many years ago. Among her cousins, this is one of the few she often keeps in touch with.

Of course, this frequency is also calculated in years.

If they can visit each other once a year, that's considered a close relationship. In these days, transportation is inconvenient, and it's not easy for the elderly to travel.

“Okay, but I’ll have to pay the bill for whatever I order,” Zhang Zhengping said with a smile.

"That won't do! Even if my grandma doesn't scold me, my mom and dad will still beat me every day." Zhou Yan said with a smile, "I've opened a restaurant, so you can eat without worry, Uncle. It won't bankrupt me."

“You kid don’t understand. When I was working, your great-aunt managed my salary. Now that I’m retired, we each manage our own salaries, and I can’t possibly spend it all,” Zhang Zhengping said leisurely. Then, he changed the subject: “This great-aunt of yours, when she was little, she came to Niuhua to visit my third sister and the others. I’ve seen her a few times. She was thin and small, with a gentle personality and good manners. Everyone liked her and called her cousin. It’s been at least forty or fifty years since I last saw her.”

We chatted idly for about ten minutes, then the bicycle turned onto the village road and bumped along until we arrived at the dilapidated, collapsed rammed earth house.

"Oh dear, this house collapsed and no one even bothered to repair it?" Zhang Zhengping got out of the car, looked at the half-collapsed house, and said with a sigh.

"How could it collapse so violently? When my cousin left last year, it wasn't collapsed yet?" Zhou Miao also looked surprised.

Zhou Yan stopped the car and heard an argument coming from the half-open courtyard gate:

"Second Aunt, I'm definitely taking these geese and chickens, along with two bags of soybeans, today as this year's interest. I heard that Laifu's tofu sales have been good lately. Do you have a lot of money on hand? Bring it all over, and pay back some of my principal first." A strong voice rang out.

"Changgui, this is terrible! I need these soybeans to make tofu. How are we going to make tofu if you take them away? Laifu and I are counting on these two bags of soybeans to get through the winter. Taking them away is like taking our lives!" Old Mrs. Sun's voice rang out, choked with sobs.

"Second Aunt, Liwei and Qiaoqian borrowed money from me and then disappeared. This year, our family has been struggling financially, with constant fighting and no peace. It's only right to pay back debts, isn't it?" The man's voice rose a few decibels, his tone laced with ruthlessness.

“I will definitely pay back all the money Liwei borrowed before I die. But Changgui, Liwei borrowed five hundred yuan from you. Last year you took the donkey away to settle the debt, and later you also took two chickens and a goose. How is it still five hundred? You are the village accountant. This is not how you calculate the accounts, is it?” Grandma Sun said somewhat agitatedly.

The man scoffed, "What do you know? When Liwei lent me the money, it was all clearly written in black and white: a monthly interest rate of 5%. Five hundred yuan a year would mean three hundred yuan in interest. That old donkey sold for three hundred yuan, which was just enough to cover last year's interest. The chickens, geese, and all that stuff—if we treat that as this year's interest, then we'd still have five hundred left."

"This account...this account can't be calculated like this..." Grandma Sun choked up.

“Your calculations aren’t quite right. The donkey is used to offset the principal; how can you wait until the end of the year to use it to offset interest?” He Zhiyuan’s voice rang out.

"Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak? This is our own business. This is Shangshui Village. You outsider, get the hell out of here. Stop talking nonsense. I'm calling for help! You won't be able to escape then," the man shouted sternly.

"You...you're utterly unreasonable!" He Zhiyuan's voice trembled with anger.

The four people at the door were filled with fervor.

"Damn it! You think Lihua has no family to rely on, so you're bullying her like this?!" Zhang Zhengping grabbed a bamboo pole leaning against the door and rushed inside.

"You sons of bitches! Do you think you can bully a widow and her child like this? Lihua, don't be afraid, your family is here!" The old lady picked up a brick from the ground and rushed in.

Zhou Miao leaned his bicycle against the wall and followed him inside.

Zhou Yan was stunned and quickly followed.

The courtyard was filled with bamboo poles hanging with dried bean curd.

A short, stout middle-aged man was carrying two large sacks, while a middle-aged woman with cross-eyed eyes was holding a chicken and a goose beside him.

Grandma Sun sat on the ground, tears streaming down her face.

Laifu stood in front of her, his eyes red as he looked at the couple.

Zhang Zhengping, holding a bamboo pole, followed by Old Lady Zhang carrying a brick, stormed into the door, startling Mr. and Mrs. Gu Changgui.

Hearing the voice, Sun Lihua also looked up, squinting at the direction of the door, her voice trembling slightly: "Sister Fenfen? That's... Cousin Zhengping?"

“Yes, Lihua, don’t be afraid, your family will support you,” Zhang Shufen said.

“That’s right, they won’t be able to take anything away today.” Zhang Zhengping held the bamboo pole horizontally, blocking their way.

Grandma Sun's family?

Gu Changgui sized up the old man and woman, then smiled contemptuously: "What family? Two old hags half-buried in the ground, what do you want? Paying back debts is a matter of course, get out of the way! Otherwise, don't blame me if you fall or get hurt!"

"Let's see who dares to touch my mother." Zhou Miao walked in, lifted his shirt to reveal a boning knife at his waist, and stared coldly at Gu Changgui.

Gu Changgui's smile froze, a chill creeping up from his tailbone to the top of his head, as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast.

Zhou Laosi!

A hint of apprehension flickered in Gu Changgui's eyes.

The cattle butchers of Zhoucun were quite famous in Suji, and the best among them was Zhou Miao, the fourth son of the Zhou family.

Last year, Zhou Laosi was hired to slaughter the cattle for their village collective, and as the accountant, he was naturally present.

The boning knife tucked into his waistband left a deep impression on Gu Changgui. The knife was very fast, and Zhou Laosi's hands were quick and steady. It didn't take long to separate the meat from the bone of a cow.

An old man in the village who had been to war said after watching it, "This kind of person doesn't need a second stab to kill."

Accurate and ruthless.

So when Zhou Laosi brandished the boning knife at his waist, Gu Changgui dropped the two sacks of soybeans he was carrying to the ground with a thud and instinctively took a half step back.

Zhou Yan followed him in and happened to see this scene, and couldn't help but be surprised by Old Zhou's intimidating power.

He Zhiyuan and Xiao Li, standing to the side, looked indignant, but they really had no right to get involved in the matter, and looked at Zhou Yan with some helplessness.

Gu Changgui chickened out and dared not utter any more threats. His voice even softened a bit: "I won't argue with you. Liwei was my cousin, and I lent him the money because I trusted him. Now that he's gone, does he still have to pay it back? I'm just here to collect the interest. What are you going to do with that? Even if you're Old Lady Sun's family, you should still be reasonable!"

"You son of a bitch, your skin is thicker than a city wall, even cannons can't penetrate it!" Zhang Zhengping pointed at him and cursed, "Liwei passed away, leaving behind his frail old mother and deaf-mute son. You, as his brother, not only didn't help them, but you also took advantage of their misfortune to steal their donkey and sell it, and robbed them of their chickens, ducks, and geese. You're just like the Japanese devils!"

"You...you shouldn't talk nonsense! I'll still take care of them." Gu Changgui's old face turned red. "Open your eyes and stop talking nonsense. Believe me, I'll give you two weights, and then a spindle, and then a slap to the face that will slam you against the wall so hard you won't be able to get off." Zhang Zhengping said angrily.

"Old man, watch your mouth!" Gu Changgui clenched his fist in anger.

“I’m just saying this, go ahead and hit me.” Zhang Zhengping took a step forward and looked at Gu Changgui mockingly, “Try touching me, if you dare to lay down on the ground. I’ve been a traditional Chinese medicine doctor for fifty years, I know exactly why a disease requires the most money and the heaviest punishment, do you want to try?”

Gu Changgui clenched and unclenched his fists, so angry he was practically fuming, but he didn't dare to make a move.

A thug isn't scary; what's scary is a thug with education!

“Your precious dragon is like a luminous pearl dipped in soy sauce—it’s so precious it’s salty and flavorful.” Zhang Shufen continued, “Liwei left in June. He borrowed money from you for no more than three months. A donkey costs at least three hundred yuan, and chickens, ducks, and geese cost another ten or twenty yuan. So you only have about one hundred and eighty yuan left in capital.”

Five percent interest a month? Is that something a brother would say? Let me make this clear: we don't accept loan sharking. Once you pay back your principal, we'll call it even.

Zhou Yan listened in stunned silence; the older generation's fighting prowess was still formidable.

"That won't do! I have an IOU! It's written clearly in black and white! And Liwei even signed it!" Gu Changgui said anxiously.

“That’s right! Your word doesn’t count!” Gu Changgui’s wife, Wu Hongxia, chimed in.

Zhang Zhengping and Zhang Shufen frowned upon hearing this, somewhat stumped.

Seeing this, Zhou Yan stepped forward and said, "Gu Changgui, do you want to take this IOU with a monthly interest rate of five percent to the police station and the court for verification?"

The government stipulates that loan interest rates cannot be significantly higher than bank interest rates. If you ask for 60% interest per year, I'd like to see which court would dare to support your claim for that interest!
You're the accountant of Shangshui Village, practically a public servant. Come on, let's go to town right now and settle this matter! Let's see what the principal of your 500 yuan is, and whether the police station will support you, this outlaw loan shark!
And another thing, you two broke into my aunt's house today and stole two bags of soybeans, a chicken, and a goose. What do you call that? Burglary!

Do you know about the crackdown? Robbery is a serious crime! And the victims were a disabled elderly person and a deaf-mute child, which makes the crime even more serious.

Not only will you lose your job as accountant, but you and your husband will also be facing execution!

Upon hearing the word "shooting," Wu Hongxia lost her grip on the chicken and goose, which fell to the ground and scattered wildly around the yard.

For the first time, fear appeared on Gu Changgui's face.

He graduated from high school and had some education, which made him an accountant.

Zhou Yan's words sounded frightening, but upon closer examination, they made a lot of sense.

If they were actually charged with robbery, given the current crackdown, they would likely face execution!

Standing to the side, He Zhiyuan took out his camera and said, "I've taken pictures as evidence of the robbery. If needed, I can develop them and hand them over to the police station at any time."

Gu Changgui and Wu Hongxia looked at the camera gleaming in He Zhiyuan's hand, their faces growing even paler.

"Scared? I think you two are like trying to shine a flashlight in a latrine—you're asking for it!" Zhang Shufen sneered.

Gu Changgui put on a smile: "It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. We're all related by blood, why would we need to make a scene at the police station or the town? We can discuss anything."

Zhang Zhengping said, "There's no room for discussion. Take out the IOU, and we're going to settle this mess for Lihua today."

"I didn't bring the IOU with me either, let's go back and get it." Gu Changgui waved to Wu Hongxia, preparing to slip out the door from the side.

Zhang Zhengping raised the bamboo pole to block the way and said coldly, "Tell your wife to go back and get it. You wait here, or we'll go to town to report it. Let me tell you, my third sister's youngest son is the head of the Suji Armed Forces Department. He's a fast and accurate shot. We can ask him to apply for your execution."

"No way! No way!" Gu Changgui's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. He waved his hands repeatedly and said to Wu Hongxia, "Go get it quickly! It's in the third drawer of the bedside table!"

“Okay…” Wu Hongxia’s legs were a little weak. She held onto the door and left the yard, running all the way.

Gu Changgui's face was pale and his expression was flustered.

Zhou Yan's words unsettled him. If he were to actually accuse them of robbery and have them arrested, he would be in serious trouble, if not dead.

He never expected that the old woman's son was actually a high-ranking official in town! Originally, he had been taking advantage of the old woman's lack of support, intending to exploit her family. But he never imagined that her family would be so powerful.

This kick really hit a brick wall.

He worked very hard to become the village accountant, so he can't withstand any investigation.

Zhou Yan stepped forward and helped Grandma Sun up, then sat her down in a chair. He comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, Auntie. We'll back you up today and resolve this matter for you."

“Lihua, don’t be afraid. My third sister and I are your family. No one can bully you,” Zhang Zhengping said.

"Yes, yes..." Grandma Sun nodded, tears streaming down her face.

Laifu held Grandma Sun's hand tightly, a smile appearing on his face.

Not long after, Wu Hongxia returned with the IOU.

Gu Changgui reached out and took it, making a move to tear it up.

"Wait!" Zhang Shufen said, looking at Gu Changgui, "This IOU cannot be torn up now."

"I'll tear it up, I don't want the money anymore, okay?" Gu Changgui said with a bitter face, "Let's just let it go like this, I don't want the principal either."

“Paying back debts is a matter of course. Lihua will return this principal to you. No matter where you go in the future, you won’t be able to say a bad word about those two.” Zhang Shufen took the IOU from Gu Changgui’s hand, looked at the words “principal of 500” and Gu Liwei’s signature and fingerprint on it, and continued, “You said that old donkey was sold for 300, and the chickens, ducks and geese you took before were worth 20, so that leaves 180 yuan. Do you agree to that?”

"I agree! I agree." Gu Changgui nodded repeatedly. He hadn't planned to ask for the remaining money, but if he could get the remaining 180 yuan back, at least he wouldn't lose out.

"Lihua, what do you think?" Zhang Shufen asked Grandma Sun gently.

“I’ll do whatever you say, Sister Fenfen.” Sun Lihua nodded, reached into her pocket and pulled out a cloth bag. Inside was a neatly folded stack of banknotes, including a ten-yuan note and mostly small change. She handed it all to Zhang Shufen: “Here is forty-eight yuan and twenty-seven cents. Sister Fenfen, please return it to him for me. I’ll pay him back the rest slowly.”

Zhang Shufen reached out to take the money.

Zhou Yan quickly took the money, stuffed it back into his purse, and said with a smile, "Auntie, I'll cover this 180 yuan for you first. You can keep your money to buy beans and for living expenses. I'll just deduct the cost of the dried tofu and bean curd sticks that Lai Fu delivers later, up to 180 yuan. Is that okay?"

Grandma Sun looked up at Zhou Yan, tears streaming down her face, and said in a trembling voice, "You need money too, this won't do..."

Zhang Zhengping and Zhang Shufen both smiled with satisfaction as they watched this scene.

“I don’t need the money urgently. You’ll be delivering dried tofu and bean curd sticks every day, so I’m very relieved,” Zhou Yan said with a smile. “Then it’s settled.”

After saying that, he took out a handful of money from his pocket, pulled out two ten-yuan bills, and handed them to his grandmother, "Grandma, here is one hundred and eighty yuan. Please help me order a dish."

"Okay." Zhang Shufen took the money and started counting it.

Gu Changgui and Wu Hongxia stared at the money in Zhang Shufen's hand, their eyes lighting up.

Zhou Yan took out paper and pen again and quickly wrote a receipt.

He Zhiyuan and Zhang Zhengping came over and pointed out a few points about the standards. After drafting it, they rewrote it neatly.

"One hundred and eighty yuan. Count it in front of us. If there are any problems, discuss them here. Once you leave this room, we will not be responsible for the amount or authenticity of the money," Zhang Shufen said, handing the counted money to Mr. and Mrs. Gu.

Gu Changgui took the money, counted it carefully twice, and then took out a few large bills to look at them again and again before nodding: "One hundred and eighty yuan, no mistake."

"Here, this is the receipt. Sign it and I'll burn the IOU. That will settle the debt completely." Zhou Yan handed over the receipt and a pen.

Xiao Li took a box of inkpads out of his bag, opened it, and handed it over.

Looking at the receipt, Gu Changgui felt resentful and hesitated to write anything down.

Zhou Miao raised his hand and placed it on Gu Changgui's shoulder, saying in a deep voice, "Once the debt is settled, this matter is over. If anyone in your Shangshui Village dares to bully my aunt and Laifu in the future, I won't go after anyone else, I'll only go after you, Gu Changgui."

Gu Changgui's throat bobbed, and cold sweat immediately poured out. The hilt of the knife on Zhou Miao's hip pressed against his waist, radiating an icy chill.

"Sign! I'll sign right away!" Gu Changgui said in a trembling voice, his hand shaking as he signed his name on the receipt and pressed his thumb.

"Receipt: I have received 500 yuan (five hundred yuan) in cash from Sun Lihua. The IOU has been destroyed, and the debt is settled. This is the receipt! Payee: Gu Changgui, November 15, 1984." Zhou Yan read the contents of the receipt aloud and looked at Gu Changgui, saying, "Remember, the debt is settled."

"I remember, I remember..." Gu Changgui nodded vigorously.

This family, from the oldest to the youngest, is full of bad apples!

呲!
Zhang Zhengping took out a match and lit it, burning the IOU to ashes. He flicked the ashes away from his fingertips and looked at Gu Changgui meaningfully, saying, "You are the village accountant, with elderly parents and young children, and a happy and fulfilling life. But Laifu only has a grandmother. He can't hear, but he knows exactly what you've done."

He knows where you live, how many people are in your family, and who your relatives and friends are.

I've spent fifty years in the hospital and seen far too many cases where honest people were driven to desperation, ultimately resulting in the extermination of their entire families. Don't think that being an accountant is anything special. Throughout history, the Chinese have never lacked the courage to risk everything and even defy the emperor.

Gu Changgui glanced at Laifu, who was supporting Grandma Sun, and a hint of fear appeared in his eyes. He then pulled Wu Hongxia, whose face was pale, and quickly left.

"Uncle, you really know how to speak well." Zhou Yan gave Zhang Zhengping a thumbs up.

The principle of yielding to the happy is the greatest open strategy, and there is no solution to it.

It surpasses all other principles.

A message popped up in Zhou Yan's eyes:
[Side Quest: The Battle to Protect the Heritage of Xiba Tofu! Progress: 75%]

　There will be an extra chapter tonight~ Please vote with your monthly tickets!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)