Era: Rise from the Wilderness

Li Hongfeng quickly negotiated a "130" truck for hauling goods near the secondhand market. After agreeing on the freight, the group escorted Ma Youcai into his messy shop.

The shop was filled with all kinds of second-hand appliances and hardware parts, and the air was filled with the smell of metal and machine oil.

The agreed-upon freezer was placed in the corner, next to another one that was clearly larger.

"Dad, don't take the one we ordered before."

Li Yunjing, with her sharp eyes, immediately tugged at her father's sleeve and whispered, "Look at that one over there, it's bigger! Let's pick the bigger one!"

Anyway, it didn't even say which one it was!

Since we've already offended them, let's offend them to the bitter end!

If there's a big one, who'll take the small one?

"Son, this...this isn't appropriate, is it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Hongfeng hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, "This isn't the one we agreed on before."

He is a person who values ​​rules at heart, and he felt that since it was not written in the agreement, there should be no unnecessary complications.

Looking at his father's honest appearance, Li Yunjing felt somewhat helpless.

Ma Youcai clearly holds a grudge against them. The feud has already been formed, so how can we expect him to remember our good deeds in following the rules?

Since we've already offended them, we might as well go all the way and try to gain as much benefit as possible; that's the right thing to do.

"Uncle Wang, Uncle Liu, thank you for your help, it's this big one!"

Thinking this through, he didn't bother explaining to his father anymore and simply called out, "Let's move this!"

Since entering the shop, Ma Youcai had been standing in the corner with a gloomy face, not saying a word, like a volcano about to erupt.

"You little brat! You've got it wrong!"

Seeing Li Yunjing pointing at the large freezer that was several hundred yuan more expensive, he could no longer contain himself and shouted, "We ordered the one over there! Not this one!"

"Ma Youcai, aren't you the one who's confused?"

Li Yunjing's face hardened, and his tone was resolute: "You're trying to renege on your debt after less than half a month? It's clearly this one! Uncle Liu, Uncle Wang, move it!"

"Good! Good! Good! You guys are ruthless!"

Ma Youcai said "good" three times in a row, his teeth grinding together, his eyes so sinister they seemed to drip water.

He finally understood that this young man in front of him was ruthless and cruel, clearly intending to take advantage of his misfortune and fleece him again.

Row!

You have the numbers today, you're really something!

Our green hills remain unchanged, and our clear waters flow forever. You just wait and see!

He stopped arguing and just stared at Li Yunjing and Li Hongfeng with his hateful eyes, as if he wanted to carve their faces into his bones.

His face was grim, like a silent stone statue, as he watched the crowd hurriedly lift the large freezer onto the truck, and then watched the two vehicles drive away, kicking up a trail of dust.

The truck engine roared and rattled along the bumpy streets of Fuxian, kicking up clouds of yellow dust that lashed at the faded signs along the roadside.

Inside the truck bed, the unexpectedly "upgraded" large freezer was tightly bound with thick hemp rope, its metal exterior reflecting a blinding white light under the scorching afternoon sun.

"This isn't over! We'll see!"

Only after the car disappeared around the street corner did Ma Youcai squeeze out a harsh word through gritted teeth, and then slammed his foot into the scrap metal rack next to him, making a loud "bang".

The atmosphere was much more relaxed on the way back.

The scene at the flea market was branding his mind like a hot iron.

Li Yunjing, the son, pulled out the gleaming switchblade from his pocket, and with a "click," it snapped open, the tip pointing directly at Ma Youcai's nose.

The ruthlessness in that kid's eyes was something he had never seen before, so unfamiliar and cold.

The terror on Ma Youcai's face at that moment and the subsequent venomous look in his eyes flashed alternately before his eyes.

"You little brat!"

Li Hongfeng gripped the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. Suddenly remembering his son's earlier action of pulling out a knife, a wave of fear washed over him. His face darkened, and he snapped, "When did you learn that? You dare to use a knife? You've gone too far! I'll beat you to death when we get home!"

Li Yunjing was looking at the fleeting scenery outside the window when he heard this, he curled his lip, feeling somewhat unconvinced.

If I hadn't caught you off guard, the three of you trying to reason with that stubborn guy and use grappling techniques would have dragged on for who knows how long.

They're dismantling the bridge as soon as we've crossed it?

"Dad, I was just trying to scare him!"

Li Yunjing argued, "You saw it yourself, he's a tough nut to crack, there's no point in trying to reason with him."

"If I don't show him some toughness and a willingness to risk my life, how can he possibly back down so easily?"

"Are we really just waiting for him to make the first move?"

"Brother Li, calm down."

Sitting in the passenger seat, Liu Weiguo chuckled and tried to smooth things over: "If you ask me, Yun Jing is quite something!"

"Courageous and quick-witted!"

"That move just now was perfectly timed; it completely stunned that bastard Ma Youcai!"

"From now on, you won't have to worry about him being bullied outside. This kid won't suffer!"

"Exactly, Lao Li, Yun Jing's temper is just like yours when you were young!"

Sitting in the back row, Wang Jianjun also smiled, a rare occurrence. He reached out and patted Li Yunjing's head, nodding in agreement: "Decisive enough! Sometimes you have to use extreme measures to deal with those kinds of scoundrels."

Li Hongfeng wasn't really angry; he was more concerned as a father that his son might go astray.

He feared that if his son tasted the sweetness of solving problems with violence, he would never think of de-escalation in the future and would only think of relying on his fists and ruthlessness, which would truly be a path of no return.

It's possible for them in their time, but what about in the future?

The next generation can't keep fighting and killing, can they?

"I'm telling you, this is a one-time exception!"

Li Hongfeng's tone softened somewhat, but remained serious, "You are absolutely forbidden from carrying such things with you again, and you are absolutely forbidden from showing them off all the time! If I find out, I'll give you a good beating!"

"Dad, you can rest assured!"

Seeing his father's tone soften, Li Yunjing immediately put on a grin and assured him, "I'm not stupid; I know what's important. This is a special case. To deal with extraordinary people, we have to use extraordinary methods!"

"Also, don't mention what happened today to your mother when you get home, especially the part where you used the knife—don't say a single word!"

As they approached Fuzhou Town, Li Hongfeng remembered something and specifically instructed, "So that she won't worry or be afraid."

Li Yunjing nodded solemnly: "Understood, Dad, I know what's important."

He knew in his heart that these methods, which skirted the edges of the rules, were the helpless choices men made to cope with the storms of life outside, and should not be brought home, causing his mother, who was protecting the peace of the family, to worry and fear.

In this era, especially in Northeast China, it is true that whoever is more ruthless and willing to go all out often gains a foothold. However, these are ultimately underhanded tactics, and the future will inevitably move towards a more regulated path.