Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

Amidst the hushed whispers, the group continued towards their reserved private room. At that moment, Lin Wei emerged from another private room with a man in his thirties.

They had a working dinner together because of the planning of the newspaper's new column, "Pulse of the Times." Zheng Yaoxian, as the deputy editor in charge, was very interested in this column, which was proposed by Lin Wei and focused on "the fate of individuals in the transition period." The deeper reason was that he admired and admired this talented and unique female reporter.

Lin Wei wore a soft, off-white turtleneck sweater, appearing gentle and intellectual under the soft lighting. The man beside her wore a well-tailored dark gray suit and gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a sense of superiority and control cultivated since childhood.

The man's name was Zheng Yaoxian, and he came from a prominent family. His father, Zheng Guozhong, headed the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Education; his second uncle, Zheng Guoqiang, held a high-ranking position in the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China; and his third uncle, Zheng Guofu, was the county magistrate of Ji County. His privileged background and impressive resume instilled in him an unconscious air of superiority when he looked at the world. However, this man, who was usually so arrogant, now humbled himself and took the initiative to show his affection for Lin Wei. Because Lin Wei was the only woman in his life who had ever truly moved him.

He slowed his pace, leaning slightly to the side, positioning himself at a closer distance to Lin Wei for conversation. His tone was gentle and magnetic:

"Lin Wei, it's a shame that you're stuck in conventional reporting with your talent and vision. I think we should work together to create an in-depth column. I've even thought of a name for it: 'Pulse of the Times'."

Lin Wei nodded politely, but her gaze seemed drawn to a group of workers not far away, whose demeanor clashed with their surroundings after a minor incident, especially that tall, upright figure. That figure was so familiar. Could it be Cang Lifeng? Impossible, how could it be such a coincidence?

She hesitated before calling out, "Lifeng!"

Cang Lifeng turned around abruptly and saw Lin Wei in front of him, a hint of surprise and delight flashing in his eyes. But when he saw Zheng Yaoxian, impeccably dressed and with an outstanding demeanor beside Lin Wei, that delight quickly subsided into calm politeness. He smiled and said, "Reporter Lin, what a coincidence."

Zheng Yaoxian stood to one side, his gaze like a precise scanner, swiftly and accurately sweeping over Cang Lifeng's dusty work trousers, faded collar, and calloused, well-defined hands, finally settling on his calm eyes, which seemed somewhat incongruous with his attire. Lin Wei's heartfelt, unthinking "Lifeng," and her undisguised surprise, stirred a subtle unease within him. Who was this man to Lin Wei? Why did she treat him with such kindness? And he, a PhD graduate from the US and deputy editor-in-chief of a newspaper, merely addressed him politely as "Editor-in-Chief Zheng"? A sense of superiority based on class and education, mixed with a male instinctive scrutiny, instantly generated a strong "interest" in Cang Lifeng, along with a barely perceptible sense of repulsion.

"What a coincidence! You're back in Nancheng so soon? Are you feeling better?" Lin Wei asked with bright eyes, looking at his complexion with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm much better now. I couldn't leave the construction site, so I came ahead of schedule." After Cang Lifeng finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Zheng Yaoxian.

Lin Wei immediately stepped aside to introduce the two. She first said to Cang Lifeng, "Lifeng, this is Zheng Yaoxian, the deputy editor-in-chief of our newspaper, a PhD who studied in the United States." Then she turned to Zheng Yaoxian and introduced him, "Editor-in-chief Zheng, this is Cang Lifeng, the hero in the bank robbery I reported on."

Zheng Yaoxian had read the report about Lin Wei and knew that Cang Lifeng was just a migrant worker. A barely perceptible hint of contempt flashed across his eyes. In his mind, so-called "heroes" were nothing more than reckless fools who had survived by sheer luck, and were from completely different worlds from Lin Wei. He maintained a perfectly measured smile on his face, but in his heart, thoughts were swirling: perhaps, this "hero" should be made to understand his own position more clearly, and let Lin Wei see how insignificant such primitive courage is in the face of true knowledge and social class.

Having made up his mind, Zheng Yao stepped forward, a perfectly timed smile on his face, and extended his hand: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cang. Lin Wei's report left a deep impression on me, and it's an honor to meet this ordinary hero up close."

"Editor-in-Chief Zheng, you're too kind." Cang Lifeng politely extended his hand in greeting.

However, just as their hands were about to clasp, Zheng Yaoxian subtly shifted his palm slightly. Instead of their palms touching, he used only his cool fingertips to quickly brush against Cang Lifeng's knuckles. Then, as if burned by something unclean, he quickly withdrew his hand. At the same time, his other hand seemed to casually straighten the already neat cuffs of his suit. The whole movement was smooth and natural, yet it concealed a deliberate aloofness and condescending scrutiny beneath a seemingly polite demeanor.

The fleeting, perfunctory touch between his fingers caused Cang Lifeng's outstretched hand to pause briefly in mid-air. He immediately understood the contempt hidden beneath this seemingly polite gesture, and a surge of anger rose in his chest, which he forcibly suppressed. He withdrew his hand without changing his expression, as if nothing had happened, only a hint of coldness flashing deep in his eyes.

"Lin Wei," Zheng Yaoxian turned to Lin Wei, his voice gentle, "I seem to understand now better why you are so fond of narratives about the lives of those at the bottom of society. This simple vitality truly contains a power to move people."

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned his gaze to Cang Lifeng and smiled, "Speaking of which, Mr. Cang, you have now become a role model for courage and righteousness, and have received a lot of attention. I wonder if you have considered how to use this influence to guide your fellow workers, for example, to help them realize that rather than relying on the prestige and protection of a certain person, they should learn to use modern weapons such as laws and policies to fight for the rights of the collective? After all, the power of an individual has its limits, while a sound system is the foundation for ensuring long-term stability."

His words sound like an exploration of the social responsibility of "role models," but in reality, he subtly denigrates the mutual assistance between Cang Lifeng and his fellow workers, based on friendship and survival wisdom, as backward and irrational "personal shelter," and attempts to use the grand concept of "system" to deny the current value and rationality of what Cang Lifeng did.

Lin Wei frowned slightly, keenly sensing the veiled barb and implied disparagement in Zheng Yaoxian's words. She moved her lips, about to speak, when Cang Lifeng calmly interrupted:

"Editor-in-Chief Zheng is right. The laws and policies you mentioned are good things, the right path. My brothers and I all hope that they can truly benefit us."

His gaze swept over his fellow workers not far away, who were excited by his efforts to maintain the site, yet also somewhat awkward about being there. His eyes held a deep understanding.

"But for us, no matter how beautiful the building on the blueprints is, it has to be built brick by brick from the foundation. We believe in the 'long-term' and 'fundamental' things you mentioned, but we are even more aware that before we can reach that 'long-term' goal, we have to survive today and tomorrow, earn our children's tuition for next semester, and make sure our elderly relatives can afford medical treatment."

His gaze returned to Zheng Yaoxian's face. In those eyes, which had witnessed life and death and endured countless hardships, lay a clarity and determination born from a profound understanding of reality: "Editor-in-Chief Zheng, we can't wait for rain to fall from the sky. Before the sunshine of the system you spoke of reaches the workers' sheds, my brothers and I can only rely on ourselves to dig a well to quench our immediate thirst. Ensuring everyone can survive, and live like human beings—in my view, this is the most urgent and practical 'rule' right now. As for those 'modern weapons' you mentioned…" He paused, looking directly at the other man with a frank expression, "When they can truly be used by people like us, we will be the first to learn how to use them."

Zheng Yaoxian's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly. All the theoretical frameworks he had prepared suddenly seemed pale and powerless in the face of this most basic philosophy of survival. This "peasant" in his eyes was not only not stumped by his academic questioning, but instead shattered his carefully constructed logical system in the most straightforward way. His final calm retort was like a needle hidden in cotton, piercing through his high-and-mighty "enlightenment" posture.

Zheng Yaoxian's smile faded slightly, and a hint of offended coldness and surprise flashed in his eyes behind his glasses—he had expected to see a timid or angry brute, but he had not expected the other party to have such composure and clear logic.

"Brilliant." Zheng Yaoxian clapped his hands lightly. "Very vivid folk wisdom. I've learned a lot. It seems that we, who are used to macro-narratives and theoretical deductions, understand too little about the 'complexity' of the real world."

His words, seemingly self-deprecating, were actually an attempt to redefine boundaries between himself and others, pulling himself back into the safe zone of the "elite."

Before Cang Lifeng could respond, Lin Wei, who had been suppressing her emotions, spoke first: "Editor-in-Chief Zheng, the value of news lies in recording the truth, not in setting pre-defined frameworks. Lifeng and the kind of mutual assistance he represents, based on trust and responsibility, may not be 'modern,' but it is precisely countless such micro-practices that constitute the most authentic core of social resilience. It's easy to talk about systems, but what's difficult is that in corners where the sunlight of the system has not yet reached, there are still people willing to ignite themselves and become the light for others."

After she finished speaking, she turned her gaze to Cang Lifeng, her eyes gentle yet complex, containing admiration, concern, and a hint of unspoken understanding: "Lifeng, your coworkers are still waiting for you, don't keep them waiting too long. Let's talk another day."

Cang Lifeng gave Lin Wei a deep look, nodded slightly to her, and said in a deep voice, "Alright, you two talk."

After speaking, he turned around and walked without hesitation toward the group of workers who had been anxiously watching the commotion. His tall, upright figure, bathed in the soft light of the restaurant, exuded a calm and solid presence that seemed capable of bearing any weight. It was both incongruous with the dazzling environment and strangely gave off a sense of stability rooted to the earth.

Zheng Yaoxian froze on the spot, his facade of sophistication crumbling. He watched helplessly as Lin Wei not only refrained from agreeing with his views but also so clearly defended that "peasant," even using the word "light." His meticulously prepared dinner, the talent and insight he had tried to project, had been shattered in those few short minutes. Especially Lin Wei's final protective stance and gaze, like cold needles piercing his heart, severely wounded the pride bestowed upon him by his family and the sense of superiority derived from his own knowledge.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms. A malice mixed with jealousy, humiliation, and utter offense was growing wildly in his heart.

"Cang, Li, Feng..." He silently recited the name in his mind, his eyes behind his glasses so sinister they were almost dripping with water.

"A simple sense of morality? Mutual assistance at the bottom? What a touching fairy tale. Unfortunately, the rules that govern this world are never written by these things. The 'way' you rely on for survival is precisely the shackle that prevents them from moving towards 'modernity.' I will make you understand how vulnerable your code of loyalty is in the face of true rules and power. Lin Wei will eventually see who is truly capable of leading the pulse of the times."

An idea quickly took shape in his mind. He would use his connections and methods not only to embarrass Cang Lifeng in front of Lin Wei, but also to make it impossible for him to move an inch in Nancheng. He wanted to show Cang Lifeng how vulnerable brute force and so-called brotherhood were in the face of real power and rules.