Rebirth: The Tumultuous Year of 1979

Upon hearing this, Zhong Wei's eyes narrowed instantly and fell on Old Man Li.

When Old Li recounted those events, the details were vivid and clear, as if he had experienced them firsthand.

As Zhong Wei listened, he couldn't help but wonder if the old man was somehow involved in that matter.

He might even have been one of those who killed Japanese soldiers back then.

"How about it? Scared?" Old Man Li curled his lip in a sneer.

Zhong Wei weighed the luminous pearl in his hand, grinned, and said, "What's there to be afraid of? I thought it was some kind of bloody case, but it just involves the Japanese!"

He gripped the bead tightly. "Now, it's mine."

The laughter was hearty. So what if it was a unique luminous pearl?

He had no scruples.

Getting my hands on something like this is an incredible stroke of luck.

He figured that if he sold this antique in twenty or thirty years, it would be worth at least a billion dollars, definitely a national treasure.

"Good, that's impressive." A hint of approval flashed in Old Man Li's eyes.

Zhong Wei put the luminous pearl back into the Hainan rosewood box. The box was exquisitely crafted and would be worth millions in a few decades.

He put the box back in its place, pushed the brick with his hand, and with a "click," the mechanism closed, and the bead was safely hidden.

He clapped his hands: "Old Li, from now on, all the antiques that Guoqiang and the others collect will be kept here. You can live here and take care of them."

"Just what I wanted." Old Li chuckled.

The hardships he's faced over the years have given him a new perspective. Now, with enough to eat and drink and surrounded by treasures every day, he is very content.

More importantly, Zhong Wei didn't pry into his past or bring up old grievances. This understanding made him genuinely satisfied; otherwise, he would have left long ago.

The two left the secret room, pushed open the hidden door, and with a "click," the wall slowly closed tightly, without a trace. Zhong Wei nodded in satisfaction.

Lu Guoqiang and Zhang Qiang were still waiting in the courtyard.

Zhong Wei instructed, "Guoqiang, find someone to tidy up the courtyard house, buy bed sheets and blankets, and find someone who can cook. Old Li and I might be staying here permanently from now on."

"Third Brother, I understand." Lu Guoqiang said solemnly.

"Also," Zhong Wei thought for a moment and added, "once the courtyard is ready, move that batch of antique furniture over tonight."

"clear!"

"Let's go eat first. It's already noon. How can we work on an empty stomach?" The group left the alley, entered a grocery store, ordered meat and vegetables, and also got some liquor. They sat around the table and started drinking.

After a satisfying meal, Zhong Wei asked Lu Guoqiang to take Old Man Li to rest, as neither of them had slept a wink the night before. He then went home to catch up on his sleep.

When he got home, neither of Zhong's parents were home; they were both busy at work.

Zhong Wei, fueled by alcohol, went back to his room and fell asleep immediately. When he woke up, he was covered in the smell of alcohol and glanced at his watch; it was almost evening.

Judging that his parents would be home from get off work soon, he sniffed himself and decided to take a shower before sitting back down on the sofa.

Lost in thought, a whiff of liquor suddenly wafted to his nose. His eyes narrowed: "Right, these days liquor is as cheap as cabbage, especially Moutai..."

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, his eyes lit up. In his previous life in 1980, a pound of Moutai could sell for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan.

If you stockpile a few tons or even a dozen tons now, and store it for over ten years, it'll be worth at least tens of billions; even if it loses some of its alcohol content, you'll still have billions in hand.

Just thinking about it excites me; it's not about the money, it's about the weight and the prestige!

While others boast at the dinner table, "Give me a bottle of 1982 Lafite," he casually replies, "I have 1979 Moutai," guaranteeing him to dominate the entire Chinese drinking table.

He became happier the more he thought about it, and then he pondered: besides Moutai, he could also buy some other wineries when the prices were low; the 1982 Lafite, it's only 79 years old now, and it will be on the market in three more years.

"How about we just buy up all the Lafite from the entire Bordeaux region?"

A mischievous smile curled at the corner of his mouth. The thought of having the world's most famous wines in the hands of a single Chinese person was exhilarating.

After dinner, Zhong Wei told his parents that he wanted to move out. Zhong Jianguo and his wife didn't stop him, but just muttered a few old words about taking care of himself and visiting home often.

Zhong Wei hung up the phone with Wang Er, then turned around and went back inside to tidy up.

Actually, there wasn't much to bring. I just rolled up a few changes of clothes, stuffed them into a canvas bag, and carried it downstairs.

Wang Erzao waited at the entrance of the Ministry of Railways' family compound on his motorcycle, the taillights flashing in the twilight.

"Third Brother!" Wang Er saw him, got off the carriage, and came to greet him.

"Okay." Zhong Wei responded and sat on the back seat. Wang Er twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle sputtered towards the courtyard house in the city.

About ten minutes later, the courtyard gate came into view. Wang Er braked and brought the house to a stop, staring at the new house with its blue bricks and gray tiles, clicking his tongue in amazement: "Third Brother, was this just bought?"

"Absolutely," Zhong Wei laughed, "The deed was just done today, I'll be living here from now on. If you need to find me, just come here."

Wang Er grinned from ear to ear: "That's great! Is there a room left? I'll come and stay for a few days when I have some free time."

With a click, Zhong Wei pushed open the vermilion door and pointed inside: "The front and back yards are spacious and bright; you can choose whichever you like. There aren't enough rooms for everyone."

"Thank you, Third Brother!" Wang Er's eyes lit up.

Zhong Wei led him into the courtyard and casually urged, "Listen to your brother, buy a few courtyard houses as soon as possible, you're guaranteed to make a profit."

"I'll listen to Third Brother." Wang Er nodded, scratching the back of his head, but he was wondering to himself, "So many rooms, enough for dozens of people, why buy them?"

But once you step into the courtyard, the carved window frames and bluestone walkways give you a real sense of refinement.

The front yard and main house were spotless, with washbasins and towels readily available, and even the bedding on the bed was brand new.

Zhong Wei glanced around and hummed with satisfaction.

Just as they stepped out the door, there was another "click" outside. The door opened, and Lu Guoqiang came in carrying a large wooden box, followed by Zhang Qiang and three hotheads. Old Man Li strolled in slowly with his hands behind his back.

"Third Brother!" Lu Guoqiang's voice was loud and clear.

"Move the items in the living room gently, don't damage them," Zhong Wei instructed.

"Alright!" Lu Guoqiang replied, directing people to put the boxes down.

Old Li leaned closer and smiled, "Third Brother, don't worry, the antiques have all been sorted and wrapped up securely. As long as they're not dropped, nothing will go wrong."

Zhong Wei smiled faintly. In the two months since his rebirth, this courtyard and the antiques piled up inside were his most substantial gains. In another twenty or thirty years, these things could be worth billions, something an ordinary person couldn't earn in several lifetimes.

"Third Brother, all done." Lu Guoqiang clapped his hands. Zhong Wei glanced at them, pulled out nine "10,000-yuan" bills from his pocket, and waved them at the three young men: "Twenty each, go have some tea and smoke."

"Third Brother, this is unacceptable!" The young man in the lead stared intently, but managed to shake his head, "We follow Brother Zhang, how can we take your money?" The other two clutched their clothes and refused, twenty yuan! That's half a month's wages for an ordinary person, and these unemployed vagrants wandering the streets couldn't even save up for three months.

Although the person in front of him was Zhang Qiang's boss, no matter how much he coveted it, he didn't dare to accept it.

"Tsk," Zhong Wei raised an eyebrow, "I gave it to you, so take it. I won't repeat myself."

Lu Guoqiang quickly kicked the young man: "Quickly thank Third Brother!"

"Thank you, Third Brother!" "Thank you, Third Brother!" The three of them hurriedly responded, pocketed the money, and slipped out the door, their backs beaming with joy.

Lu Guoqiang looked embarrassed: "Third Brother..."

"It's alright," Zhong Wei waved his hand, "as long as it works."

Lu Guoqiang felt a surge of warmth in his heart. If it weren't for his third brother, he would still be squatting on the street corner picking up scraps. How could he have become a "veteran" among the small-time gangsters in Yanjing, with a retinue of followers when he went out?

He took a deep breath and reported, "Third Brother, the volume of goods sold has doubled in the past two weeks, and we've made a net profit of nearly 200,000."

"Not bad." Zhong Wei nodded. It's only been ten days or so, and the momentum is already so strong? At this rate, it'll probably be close to 300,000 by the end of the month.

In 1979, a monthly income of 300,000 yuan—good heavens, that's an amount that ordinary families could never achieve in several lifetimes.

Zhong Wei felt quite pleased. In just two months since his rebirth, he had earned 300,000 yuan. Fortunately, it was 1979, when the business world was still like an uncultivated wasteland, where you could sprout anything you sowed.

It was only at this time that such a wild opportunity arose.

He raised an eyebrow slightly and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Well done."

"It was Third Brother who gave me this way to make a living." Lu Guoqiang grinned, revealing his teeth. Two months ago, he was squatting by the wall collecting scraps to exchange for change. Now, he controls electronic channels in Beijing and several surrounding provinces. Of the 300,000 yuan monthly income, he gets 20%, which is 90,000 yuan!

An average person earns only three or four hundred yuan a year, but he earns in one month what others earn in fifteen years.

It was all thanks to this man in front of him that he was saved. Without Zhong Wei, Lu Guoqiang would still be scavenging for food in the garbage dump.

"The channels in the Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan area are almost connected," Zhong Wei leaned back. "Come down to Shenzhen with me in a few days, and I'll show you the southern winds."

"Hey, Third Brother!" Lu Guoqiang's eyes shone like lamps. The goods from the south had already turned his life around. What was Shenzhen, the city at the forefront of reform and opening up, really like? Just thinking about it made his palms itch.

After Lu Guoqiang left happily, Zhong Wei and Old Man Li tidied up the secret room.

Only the two of them knew this place, so they had to put everything away themselves. As they carried the antiques from the hall in one by one, and wiped the dust off the shelves, the clock on the wall struck two o'clock.

Zhong Wei's back ached, and he yawned at Old Man Li: "I'm going back to my room to sleep." He threw himself into the quilt, and when he opened his eyes again, the sun was already past the windowsill.

"Hiss," he rubbed the back of his neck and sat up. Suddenly, a warm, fragrant aroma, mixed with the smell of oil, filled the room. Wait a minute, only he and Old Man Li live here. When Lu Guoqiang comes, he might bring a box of cold braised meat. Where did this freshly stir-fried vegetable aroma come from?

Immediately afterwards, a clanging sound drifted in from outside the courtyard, as the spatula clattered against the porcelain bowl, as if someone was busy in the kitchen, their feet barely touching the ground.

Zhong Wei slipped on his shoes and went out; the fragrance grew stronger the further he walked into the courtyard.

Looking up, I saw Old Man Li, Lu Guoqiang, and Zhang Qiang gathered around the stone table, talking over teacups.

"Third Brother!" Lu Guoqiang spotted him first, quickly stood up, and waved. "Up early today?"

"What are you guys doing?" Zhong Wei walked over, his fingertips still warm from the blankets. "Who's making breakfast this early in the morning?"

Zhang Qiang scratched his head and laughed, "Third Brother, Guoqiang and I found a nanny, we're cooking her up now, she'll be ready soon."

"A nanny?" Zhong Wei raised an eyebrow. He had just casually mentioned yesterday that he wanted to find someone to cook, and he had already found one today?

He guessed it was some gossipy old lady from the alleyway. He turned around and went to the tap by the door to get some water. The toothbrush made a soft rustling sound as it brushed against the cup. Only when the cold water splashed on his face did his mind finally clear up completely.

He sat down at the stone table, where Old Man Li was staring at him with a strangely deep gaze, like a cup of old tea steeped in water.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhong Wei asked, bewildered. "Your face is all wrinkled up like a dried orange peel."

Old Li didn't speak, but simply raised his chin and pointed to the courtyard gate.

Zhong Wei was even more confused and turned to ask Lu Guoqiang, "What illness is he having?"

"Heaven and earth bear witness!" Lu Guoqiang slapped his thigh in frustration. "We didn't know either! We just brought that nanny in, and she got like this." Zhang Qiang also shook his head, looking like two bewildered roosters.

Just then, the kitchen door creaked open, and a crisp voice burst in: "Brother Lu, the dishes are almost done cooking, shall we serve them now?"

"Third Brother, where shall we eat?" Lu Guoqiang wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Zhong Wei pointed to the large locust tree overhead, its branches forming a green umbrella, letting in dappled sunlight like scattered gold when the wind blew: "Right here, it's cool."

"Alright!" Lu Guoqiang shouted at the top of his lungs, "Bring it over here!"

A moment later, a girl peeked out from the courtyard gate. She had a thick, black braid, and her blue cloth shirt was faded but starched. She carried a bamboo tray with several rough porcelain bowls on it, and the steam carrying her fragrance rushed over with a "whoosh".

She walked lightly, her skirt brushing against the bluestone slabs without making a sound. She didn't look up until she reached the stone table. Her eyebrows were so thin they looked painted on, her eyes were so bright they could reflect a person's image, and her face was round, yet she had a clean and crisp air about her.

Zhong Wei was stunned.

This doesn't look like a middle-aged woman from the alley. She's clearly a young woman who just got married, around twenty years old, with a pretty face like a fairy in a New Year's painting.

He turned to look at Old Man Li, whose lips were pursed into a thin line, and whose eyes seemed to say, "See for yourself."

Old Li glanced at Zhong Wei, his eyes practically rolling to the sky.

Zhong Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately realized that the old man thought he had brought in the nanny that Lu Guoqiang had hired.

Well, I'm taking the blame.

Zhong Wei pursed his lips helplessly. This was a case of being shot even when lying down; he was misunderstood without saying a word.

This matter had nothing to do with him at all; it was all done by Lu Guoqiang and Zhang Qiang on their own initiative.

He had no idea.

Most likely, it was elderly people who were looking for caregivers and were asking for more money than they would for factory work. All the idle young people flocked to them. Lu Guoqiang spotted a pretty young girl and thought she was suitable, so he brought her over directly.

"Bang!"

Zhong Wei didn't hold back at all, stepping firmly on Lu Guoqiang's foot.

"Hiss," Lu Guoqiang gasped, wincing in pain, staring blankly at Zhong Wei, wondering why he had stepped on him.

Zhong Wei rolled his eyes at him and didn't reply.

Just then, the nanny came over with the dishes: two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and a bowl of pork rib and lotus root soup. In 1979, this was considered a top-notch meal.

"Xiaoping," Lu Guoqiang called out to her through the pain, "This is Third Brother, our boss. You can call him Third Brother along with us from now on."

"Yes." Xiaoping nodded, her voice crisp and clear, "Hello, Third Brother."

"Mm," Zhong Wei replied. Xiao Ping quickly turned and went back to the kitchen. He turned to Lu Guoqiang and asked, "Are your hands and feet clean?"

"Brother, don't worry, this girl is named Zhao Xiaoping, and she's absolutely clean." Lu Guoqiang nodded hurriedly.

Zhong Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had stored quite a lot of things here, from antiques to cash.

These days, who dares to deposit hundreds of thousands of yuan in a bank? They'd be sure to get into trouble.

He didn't want to get involved with the Zhong family's name, lest the rumors spread like wildfire in Yanjing.

Most of the "second and third generations" in 1979 were still old-timers on the streets, and few of them really understood the ins and outs of reform and opening up.

It took them another twenty or thirty years before they became experts with assets exceeding 100 million yuan.

The group sat down to eat. Zhong Wei picked up a piece of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The eggs were fragrant and substantial, and the tomatoes were perfectly sweet and sour. Together, the flavor was incredibly satisfying.

The cooking was quite good. He ate a few more bites and realized that with Zhao Xiaoping around, he and Old Man Li wouldn't have to go out to eat every day, which would save them a lot of trouble.

After dinner, Lu Guoqiang and Zhang Qiang left first. Old Li strolled to the backyard with his hands behind his back and immersed himself in studying the antiques. Zhong Wei asked him to make a register and record all the antiques so that he could know where each item was when he looked at the register, just like giving someone an ID card.

In the future, as the world becomes more modern and information-based, and with the expansion of the internet, all of these things can be transformed into data in the cloud.

Zhong Wei sat down next to him in a rocking chair made of Hainan rosewood, which Lu Guoqiang had acquired. The original owner of the chair didn't recognize its value and bought it for thirty yuan.

Old Li checked it and said it would be fine to use normally, just avoid wind and rain. Zhong Wei simply moved it out, lay down on it, and closed his eyes to rest.

This chair will be worth at least ten million in twenty years, but for now, he can finally use it with peace of mind.

"What a pity," he muttered to himself. A rocking chair alone wasn't enough; he also needed a decent table made of Hainan rosewood, sandalwood, or golden nanmu. Only then could he display his Yixing teapots properly. With a teapot on a sandalwood table, sitting in the Hainan rosewood rocking chair, enjoying the breeze and drinking tea under a big tree—that would be truly comfortable.

"I need to get Guoqiang to find a good table." Zhong Wei's eyelids fluttered as he slowly thought. An antique teapot goes well with a good chair, and the table can't be cheap either.

A cool breeze blew by, and he squinted and fell into a deep sleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he felt a warmth on his body, as if something was gently covering him. He opened his eyes and saw a pretty face in front of him, with fair skin and clean features—it was Xiaoping.

She was bending over to cover him with a thin blanket, her body slightly tilted. Zhong Wei's gaze flickered, catching sight of a patch of snow, and he snapped back to reality, sitting up straight.

"Ah!" Xiaoping was startled and took a few steps back, her face slightly red. "Third Brother, I was worried you would catch a cold while you were sleeping, so I covered you with a thin blanket."

"It's okay, I've slept well."