Rebirth: The Tumultuous Year of 1979

"You go back first, I'll lie down for a while longer," Zhong Weichong said with a smile to Zhao Xiaoping.

"It's alright, it's still early before dinner. I just cleaned up the house and yard." Zhao Xiaoping stood there with a smile, her eyes shining.

Zhong Wei was stunned, inwardly groaning. His blood was boiling, and Zhao Xiaoping was staring at him with her beautiful big eyes. He felt like he was about to lose control.

He glanced at the thin blanket covering him, his eyes darted around, and he reached out and pulled it down, trying to cover himself more completely.

Seeing this, Zhao Xiaoping quickly reached out to help: "Third Brother, don't move, I'll do it!"

She pulled the blanket down, but her gaze inadvertently fell on a place she shouldn't have seen. Her pretty face flushed red, and she gasped, covered her eyes, and turned to run away, feeling her face burning as she ran.

Zhong Wei watched her retreating figure with a helpless expression. He looked down and was both amused and exasperated. This whole thing was completely different from what he had imagined. How did things go wrong like this?

Feeling wronged and frustrated, I covered my head in annoyance, then pulled the blanket up, closed my eyes, and went back to sleep.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already dark, and I could see a faint red glow on the horizon through the branches and leaves.

He stretched his aching neck; lying in that rocking chair for so long was really uncomfortable. He slowly sat up.

"Awake?" Old Li, who was sitting next to him and sipping his tea, turned to ask when he saw him move.

"Hmm." Zhong Wei responded softly, got up, poured himself a cup of tea, tilted his head back, and gulped it down, feeling much more comfortable.

"I heard Zhao Xiaoping shout this afternoon, what happened?" Old Li looked at him meaningfully.

"Why are you looking at me?" Zhong Wei rolled his eyes, feeling a little guilty, as that matter was indeed related to him.

"It wasn't me who did it," he retorted stubbornly, then poured himself another cup of tea and brought it to his lips.

"It's alright, it's normal for young people to do things," Old Man Li said leisurely.

"Pfft!" Zhong Wei spat out a mouthful of tea, splashing it all over the floor.

"Old Li!" He glared at him; that old fellow was wicked.

"Hehe." Old Man Li grinned mischievously at his reaction.

Zhong Wei's eyes darted around, and he teased, "Are you trying to become a grumpy old lady? How about I find you a clean and tidy old woman to clean up your mess?"

"You!" Old Man Li immediately puffed out his beard and glared.

"Haha!" Zhong Wei laughed, winning this round decisively. Anyway, he was rich and could do whatever he wanted; Old Man Li was no match for him.

Old Li gave him a sidelong glance and continued drinking his tea.

Before long, Zhao Xiaoping brought out the dishes. Tonight's meal was for two people: two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and an egg and seaweed soup.

She put down her chopsticks, stole a glance at Zhong Wei, and blushed again. Old Li watched, grinning slyly.

Zhong Wei was speechless. Her expression was like a blatant attempt to cover something up; she could make something out of nothing seem real.

"Xiaoping, sit down and eat with us," Old Man Li called out to her with a mischievous grin.

"No need, I..." Zhao Xiaoping glanced at Zhong Wei and quickly declined.

"Sit down, there's so much food, we can't finish it all," Zhong Wei said, forcing a smile. He thought to himself, "This nanny is too fierce. Should I really replace her with a more mature, older woman?"

"Thank you, Third Brother." Zhao Xiaoping nodded obediently, like a dutiful daughter-in-law, which made Old Man Li beam with joy.

"Old Li, eat your food properly." Zhong Wei glared at him, "Otherwise, I'll have Guoqiang find some old ladies to clean up tomorrow."

"Third Brother, you're looking for an older woman? I can manage on my own, but if you're looking, I know a few quick and efficient older women!" Zhao Xiaoping blinked and smiled innocently.

"puff,"

Old Li rolled his eyes and quickly shut his mouth.

As soon as I jumped off the bus, the scene before me froze me in my tracks. The streets were filled with people hurrying by, carrying large and small bags on their shoulders and in their hands. The flow of people was like a rising tide, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Is this Shenzhen in 1979?" Zhong Wei asked softly.

Amidst the calls of voices filling the streets, Cantonese mingled with accents from all over the country, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere, like a pot of freshly boiled porridge.

"Brother!" Lu Guoqiang swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "This is Pengcheng? There are so many people! How come there are so many!"

Zhong Wei laughed: "Don't be fooled by their hurried pace and the big bags they're carrying; most of them earn several thousand a month from those bags."

"What?!" Lu Guoqiang's jaw nearly dropped to his feet. "How is that possible?"

Zhong Wei raised his chin and pointed to the bags: "See? They all got their goods here and are going to sell them in the north and central regions."

"Like Zhang Guoqing?" Lu Guoqiang's eyes widened.

"Yes, just like him. But Zhang Guoqing was lucky; he ran into us and was able to distribute his goods on a large scale, earning more than ten times their income."

"Good heavens, this place is a goldmine!" Lu Guoqiang's eyes lit up like lamps.

Zhong Wei nodded: "Let's go, let's find a place to stay first. I'll introduce you to someone tonight, maybe we'll settle down in Shenzhen in the future."

Shenzhen is at the forefront of reform and opening up, and sooner or later countless outstanding enterprises will emerge here. Right now, it is full of pioneering spirit, but also full of obstacles.

Having been given a second chance at life, Zhong Wei wouldn't miss this opportunity.

The three wandered around for a long time before finally finding a small guesthouse. When they asked the price, it was three yuan a night.

The house was in terrible condition, with peeling paint on the walls and creaking floorboards. But they still booked it, as all the guesthouses they asked along the way were full, and even the corridors had extra bedding.

At that time, Shenzhen had not yet learned how to treat guests.

Of course, for Zhong Wei to stay at the newly built municipal guesthouse was simply a matter of sending a message.

But he didn't want to use the Zhong family's name to save face; it wasn't worth it.

Once inside, Lu Guoqiang plopped down and cursed, "This lousy place charges three yuan a day!"

Zhong Wei glanced around. It was a triple room, with two people sharing one bed. It cost one yuan per person, twice as expensive as in Yanjing. There was no hot water, and you had to go to the public bathhouse next door to take a shower.

He frowned: "In the future, we should either buy a piece of land and build a house, or just take over a yard. That would be better than going through all this trouble."

"Stay for two days, then we'll cross to the other side." Zhong Wei tapped the table.

"The other side? Hong Kong?!" Lu Guoqiang sat up abruptly, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah," Zhong Wei laughed, "I'll show you something."

With a "gulp," Huang Xiaowei swallowed hard, his eyes widening. He had come out with his boss's boss and was actually going to Hong Kong? He never dared to dream of such treatment.

As dusk fell, Zhong Wei glanced at his watch: "Come on, follow me."

"That thing?" Lu Guoqiang touched the bag in his arms.

Zhong Wei rolled his eyes: "Are you stupid? Of course you should carry your money with you. If you leave it here waiting for you to come back, someone will steal your bag."

"Shenzhen is a mixed bag now, you can find all sorts of people there, so you'll only feel secure if you hold onto your money tightly." For this trip, he had Lu Guoqiang bring 50,000 yuan in cash to cover his expenses in Hong Kong.

The three of them had just stepped outside when they encountered a tricycle. They rode it for twenty minutes before it stopped in front of a large building. The neon lights were dazzling, and a gilded sign hung at the entrance, making it look incredibly impressive.

"Gulp," Lu Guoqiang swallowed again, staring blankly at the building.

Zhong Wei patted him on the shoulder: "Beijing will have this kind of scenery in the future. There are even more places to go on the other side of the river."

Lu Guoqiang was skeptical. Could Yanjing really have such a large-scale operation? But Zhong Wei spoke with such certainty that he could only swallow his doubts.

Zhong Wei wasn't surprised. There were nightclubs in Shenzhen at night; businessmen from Hong Kong came frequently, bringing some of that trend with them. Lu Guoqiang didn't believe it? Time would prove him right.

As the three walked inside, a young woman immediately came to greet them. She was dressed fashionably with a low neckline, and Lu Guoqiang and Huang Xiaowei were stunned.

"Sir, do you have an appointment?" The girl couldn't help but laugh when she saw the two of them.

"302, I have an appointment with Mr. Xu," Zhong Wei replied.

"Are you Mr. Zhong?" The girl's eyes lit up, and she looked him over a few more times before speaking.

She knew the owner of room 302 was a mysterious figure, even the boss had given special instructions, but she never expected the guest to be such a young man, it was quite novel.

The young woman led Zhong Wei into the private room and knocked twice on the door: "Mr. Xu, Mr. Zhong, whom you invited, has arrived."

A voice inside responded with "Come in," and she pushed open the door and stepped aside, saying, "Mr. Zhong, please. It's not convenient for me to come in."

"Thanks." Zhong Wei smiled and led Lu Guoqiang and Huang Xiaowei inside.

A square-faced man, around forty years old, sat at the head of the round table, accompanied by a man in his thirties.

"Uncle Chen!" Zhong Wei recognized him at a glance and called out.

"Zhong Wei!" The square-faced man jumped up, his face crinkling with laughter. "Haven't seen you in years! You've grown so much! Back when I was with the old commander, you were still a little kid clinging to his trouser leg!"

This is Chen Jianlin, the old man's former subordinate, who is now in charge of affairs in Shenzhen.

"Uncle Chen doesn't look old at all," Zhong Wei said with a smirk.

Chen Jianlin patted his arm: "Sit down, sit down!" He then pointed to the head seat, "You've come from afar, so sit here."

"How could I trouble you to accommodate me?" Zhong Wei pressed him back to the head seat. "You are the host, it's your turn to sit."

Chen Jianlin smiled and agreed, glancing at the two men Zhong Wei had brought. Without asking any further questions, he simply raised his chin to the man in his thirties beside him: "Zhong Wei, I've found the person you're looking for. It's Boss Xu from Hong Kong, Xu Zhengmao. Just call him Lao Xu."

"He runs a garment factory in Hong Kong, and this time he came to Shenzhen to invest one million to build a factory. He is a true patriotic businessman."

Zhong Wei turned to Xu Zhengmao and extended his hand: "Boss Xu, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Zhong Wei."

"Hello, Young Master Chung." Xu Zhengmao returned the handshake in broken Mandarin, his tone tinged with a soft Cantonese accent. In Hong Kong, "Young Master Chung" is a title specifically for scions of wealthy families. This young man, who could get a direct connection from a Pengcheng official with just a phone call, must be a second or third generation member of some prominent Chinese family.

Although he has tens of millions in assets in Hong Kong, compared to this kind of background, he is still inferior and dares not put on airs.

"I'm just a small boss. There are plenty of people like that in Hong Kong. Just call me Lao Xu, Mr. Chung," Xu Zhengmao quickly said modestly.

"Okay, Lao Xu." Zhong Wei didn't stand on ceremony with him.

Seeing that the two had struck up a conversation, Chen Jianlin smiled and changed the subject, saying, "Let's eat first, the food's getting cold."

The waiters filed out the dishes. It was not easy for Shenzhen in 1979 to have such a grand feast. The lobsters were bright red, the pangolin meat was stewed until tender, and there were several other mountain delicacies that I did not know the names of. The aroma was so strong that it went straight into my nose.

After eating for a while, Chen Jianlin glanced at Zhong Wei and said, "Come visit Shenzhen sometime. I'm heading back now."

"I'll see you out." Zhong Wei stood up.

Chen Jianlin waved his hand: "No need, you guys talk about serious matters." The implication was clear: he was giving them some space.

After everyone left, Zhong Wei turned to Xu Zhengmao: "Old Xu, a few of us want to go to Hong Kong. Can you make the arrangements?"

"Easy!" Xu Zhengmao patted his chest. "I'm going back in the next couple of days anyway, just come with me."

"Also, help me exchange this money for Hong Kong dollars." Zhong Wei gave Lu Guoqiang a wink, and Lu Guoqiang took out a cloth bag.

"Young Master Chung, how could we let you spend money on a trip to Hong Kong?" Xu Zhengmao quickly declined, "I'll cover the travel expenses!"

Zhong Wei was secretly pleased. This old fox was cunning; he was polite on the surface, but he didn't want to owe anyone a favor. He put on a stern face: "Let's exchange it. Fifty thousand RMB, I can afford it."

"Fifty thousand?" Xu Zhengmao's pupils contracted. He stared at Zhong Wei for two seconds. Was he really going to exchange it? At the current exchange rate, that would be thirty or forty thousand Hong Kong dollars! He looked more closely at Zhong Wei's expression. It didn't seem like he was joking. Only then did he take the cloth bag: "Okay, I'll take care of it right away."

Xu Zhengmao was quick and efficient; the next day, he handed over HK$40,000 to Zhong Wei, even giving him a premium. On the third day, after obtaining the travel permits, the group headed straight for the border.

After crossing the border, we soon set foot on Hong Kong territory.

Xu Zhengmao had already prepared a car on the other side of the strait. It was a European and American-made business sedan. These days, most of the cars on the road here are European brands.

"Young Master Zhong, please get in the car." Xu Zhengmao opened the car door and gestured to Zhong Wei.

Zhong Wei responded and sat down, followed by Lu Guoqiang and Huang Xiaowei who squeezed in. The car door closed, and the car slowly started moving, heading towards the heart of Hong Kong's bustling city.

Outside the window, dozens of high-rise buildings appeared one after another, as dense as a wall.

"Hiss," Huang Xiaowei gasped.

Lu Guoqiang's eyes widened in disbelief: "My goodness, the buildings are so tall and so densely packed!"

"Haha!" Xu Zhengmao couldn't help but laugh out loud. "These buildings are all for the poor people of Hong Kong to live in."

"What?" Huang Xiaowei was stunned, and Lu Guoqiang was dumbfounded as well. "Such a beautiful building in the middle of the city, and it's actually inhabited by poor people? Capitalism is so exploitative?"

Chung Wai shook his head: "It's not corruption. The wealthy people in Hong Kong don't live in the city center; they live in the Mid-Levels."

"Why would someone with money choose to live in the mountains instead of the bustling city? What's the reason behind that?" Lu Guoqiang's jaw nearly dropped.

Xu Zhengmao looked at Zhong Wei with surprise, not expecting him to be so knowledgeable about this strange phenomenon in Hong Kong.

"Hey," Zhong Wei laughed, "The rich and powerful live in the mountains, and the richer they are, the higher they live."

“Young Master Chung is right,” Xu Zhengmao replied loudly. “The rich in Hong Kong all live in the mountains. The places are spacious, and a family can occupy 100,000 square feet, which is equivalent to a super villa of over 1,000 square meters in mainland terms.”

"That big?" Lu Guoqiang clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Yes." Zhong Wei nodded. In the coming decades, this gap between rich and poor will only widen, class distinctions will be rigid, and traditional professions will find it difficult to produce epoch-making figures.

Hong Kong is a small place and cannot accommodate too many newcomers. In addition, once the mainland opened up, companies poured in and grew into behemoths, making it even more difficult for Hong Kong people to turn their lives around.

He looked out at the buildings and sighed inwardly, thinking that in the future, a bed in a cage-like space here could cost three thousand a month.

However, it remains Asia's economic center and one of the "Four Asian Tigers," which is why it has given rise to the last batch of Hong Kong's super-rich.

"Phew," Zhong Wei exhaled.

The car came to a smooth stop in front of a large hotel with more than ten floors in the city. The group got out, and Xu Zhengmao greeted them: "Young Master Zhong, I've already booked the room."

"That's thoughtful." Zhong Wei nodded, then turned to Lu Guoqiang and said, "Guoqiang, keep an eye on things for a few days, and settle the score with Lao Xu."

"Young Master Zhong, this..." Xu Zhengmao tried to refuse with a smile, but Zhong Wei waved his hand, "Old Xu, there's no need to haggle over this little bit of money."

"Yes, Young Master Chung," Xu Zhengmao replied.

Upon entering the hotel, Zhong Wei glanced at the front desk. The room rate was about 500 Hong Kong dollars per night, roughly 700 yuan on the mainland. A year's salary for a worker in Beijing wouldn't even cover one night's stay here. The disparity was so stark it was disheartening.

The group went up to the twelfth floor and booked a fairly well-known hotel. Although it wasn't the most luxurious, it was still quite high-class.

They could see iconic views of Hong Kong from the window, and the rooms were spacious; they booked two rooms. Zhong Wei looked around and realized it was far superior to the guesthouse in Shenzhen, though of course, the price was hundreds of times higher.

This is Hong Kong.

"Young Master Zhong," Xu Zhengmao said with a sigh of relief upon seeing Zhong Wei's satisfied expression, "I've been busy these past few days, so I've arranged for a few people to act as guides. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything."

"Hmm," Zhong Wei replied, walking to the side and taking out two pieces of jade and a piece of jadeite from his bag. The jadeite shone with a clear, lustrous green in the bright room.

"That is..." Xu Zhengmao gasped after just one glance.

"Help me find an auction house or jade shop in Hong Kong to sell it. Deposit the money into several accounts. I don't have an account yet, so you can open one for me at HSBC." Zhong Wei said calmly as he handed over the three items.

"Hiss," Xu Zhengmao gasped repeatedly, his eyes wide with shock.

"Imperial Green...and that..."