Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 232 I Can't Live Anymore

Xiao Wei changed the subject and said, "The lights are fine, but the gate won't. What if there's no sound all day long? That would be terrible. We'd just have to sit there and watch the gate keep closing and reopening." Liu Hongliang burst into laughter.

Xiao Wei asked, "How's Lao Xia's driving practice going these past few days?"

Liu Hongliang said, "He practiced once the day before yesterday. He's a bit slow; he can barely drive forward, but he can't even shift gears."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "How about it? I guess I did alright?"

Liu Hongliang said, "Not bad, my reflexes are faster than Boss Xia's."

Xiao Wei said, "That's right. I've been climbing mountains and rivers and trees since I was a child. I raided islands, caught snakes, and fought. How could I not be quick-witted?"

Liu Hongliang became interested and asked, "Boss, you're pretty good at fighting, aren't you?"

Xiao Wei parked the car steadily in the dam and said, "It's alright, anyway, Xiao Hui and Lao Xia definitely can't beat me. Let's go."

Huang Laowu was leading two men as they filled a container with starfruit. Looking at Xiao Wei, he said, "Boss, how's the density over there?"

Xiao Wei went over to take a look and said, "Okay, just put it on. Be careful not to run out."

Huang Laowu, perched on a ladder, said while securing the light cables, "Boss, this area is just yellow soil. Will it be usable in the summer? It'll be all mud after it rains."

Xiao Wei looked at the frozen, hard snow and ice under his feet and asked, "Is it flat? Is it completely flat?"

Huang Laowu pointed to the old grain station and said, "That side is higher, and the restaurant side is lower. The difference between the two sides is about 30 centimeters. There is a ditch in the middle, it's an earthen ditch, and it floods when it rains."

Xiao Wei looked into the distance and asked, "Where did it go?"

Huang Laowu said, "Let it flow down to the lower area. Who knows where it goes? Nobody cares. You see the lower area, right? The area behind the grocery store and department store is all wasteland. Nobody cares about it. That land belongs to the grocery store and department store. If they don't work on it, who will? In the summer, after a little rain, the area is full of water."

Xiao Wei glanced at it and said, "If we're paving this with cement, do we need to build a drainage ditch?"

Huang Laowu said, "No need, just pave it flat. If money is no object, pave it between our restaurant and the side store as well, and connect it to the road. Don't worry about the other end."

Xiao Wei said, "Then let's lay it out. You can take care of it when it gets warmer, and we'll settle the bill when you're done."

Old Huang wobbled down the ladder and set it up in another spot, saying, "Okay, I'll get it done once the snow melts. Boss, when will the pool table arrive? We've been working on the licenses and all that for days, and the stove's been burning for three or four days already."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "You're too impatient. It's only been three or four days, but you've made it sound like half a month. It'll definitely be here this week. I had Han San call them all together when I came."

Huang Laowu laughed and asked, "Who is Han San?"

Xiao Wei said, "The boss of Fengtian Guanyuan came to deliver machinery and equipment to us. We'll see each other often in the future. Let me tell you, Lao Wu is a big boss. Tens or hundreds of thousands of yuan are nothing to most people. If you get along well with him, the benefits will be huge."

Huang Laowu looked down and said, "Really? Better than you guys then?"

Xiao Wei lit a cigarette and said, "If we're just talking about money, we definitely don't have as much as them right now."

Huang Laowu understood, clicked his tongue, and said, "That's why this guy from Fengtian is so powerful. There are just too many people with power and money here."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "There are many more people who have no money or power, and most of them live worse lives than you. There are poor people everywhere."

Huang Laowu laughed and said, "Now that you mention it, I feel better. Actually, you guys are just a bit young and started late, otherwise you would definitely be richer."

Xiao Wei said, "What's the difference between sooner or later? Let's take it slow."

Xia Maosheng and Chen Hui came out of the hotel. Chen Hui asked, "Is everything ready over there? Is it going to work?"

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "Alright, I've already made the bed. We'll move in tomorrow."

Xia Maosheng stretched and said, "Then why bother tomorrow? Let's go there tonight. We'll take a shower later and sleep there tonight."

Chen Hui said, "Oh, it would be great if we could take showers over there. Do you think it would be okay to set up a shower room in the boiler room?"

Xiao Wei said, "We can build it when it gets warmer. It won't take up much space. But what about in the summer? Will the boiler still be running in the summer?"

Xia Maosheng said, "Let's build one. It'll be great if we can shower in the winter, which lasts for half a year. It won't be cold in the summer either, and we can drive anywhere to shower. When we have money next year, we can open our own sauna and shower however we want. Wouldn't that be great?"

Chen Hui said, "This is a good idea, let's open one, it'll definitely make money. When we have enough money, we'll open a big one in Fengtian too. I see that the ones that opened in Xita and Tiexi are all incredibly successful."

Xiao Wei said, "You two want to do everything, why don't you just finish the money-making business? Do you even have the energy for that? Someone has to keep an eye on you, doesn't it?"

Huang Laowu said from above, "I'll take care of it for you, okay? I guarantee it'll be a breeze. I don't want wages, just a share of the profits."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "You're not stupid after all." The others laughed.

Li Wen ran out of the back door and shouted, "Boss, phone call! It's from Fengtian. He says his surname is Han."

Xiao Wei said, "Han San, right? Lao Xia, go pick him up."

Xia Maosheng ran inside to answer the phone.

Li Wen walked over and said, "Boss, when did you arrive? Why don't you come inside?"

Xiao Wei said, "Isn't that because Lao Wu is installing lights?"

Li Wen laughed heartily, looked up at Huang Laowu and said, "Fifth Brother, the boss said you're installing the lights."

Huang Laowu said, "He said it, so what? What can I do? I can't beat him anyway. Let him pretend."

Old Hei and Old Hou carried two large sacks over, calling out from afar, "Boss, we got the letter back. Do you think it'll do?"

As they approached, the two men gently put down the sack and began to rummage through it. They found signs made of sheet metal, painted in red, white, and black. The black signs were for billiard halls, the red signs for dance halls and karaoke bars, and the white signs for cake shops.

The metal signs were laid out on the snow, and everyone gathered around to look at them. Xiao Wei said, "What's there to see here? Just nail them up. Do you even have any nails?"

Hei Zi nodded and said, "If we brought it, then let's nail it down."

Xiao Wei nodded, and Li Wen said, "The paint on the lettering was all chipped and scratched, why did you still nail it?"

Old Hou said, "It's alright, I brought it. I'll just spray it in a bit." He took out three small bottles from his pocket, small spray cans in red, white and black. These days, a can costs 8 yuan, but back then, a small can of these cost 25 or 30 yuan, and they were hard to find.

Huang Laowu climbed down the ladder, and Hei Zi and Lao Hou took the ladder to nail the iron lettering. Xiao Wei, Huang Laowu, and Li Wen stood below watching. Li Wen waved her hand and directed, "Down, down, higher, higher! Down, a little to the left, a little bit..."

Once the metal signs were nailed on, the row of houses suddenly seemed to come alive and look quite presentable.

After Huang Laowu installed the starry sky lights and colored tubes, the whole area felt different, suddenly becoming more upscale. Although the lights weren't very noticeable during the day, once they were powered on, you could still feel that special atmosphere.

Li Wen crossed her arms and looked up, saying, "Wow, it's so beautiful! I want to come see it tonight."

Xiao Wei said, "It's not open yet, what are you looking at? Did I order this especially for you?"

Recently, a reader gave me feedback, feeling that the protagonist's development was too smooth, not the kind of grassroots struggle he wanted to read. The novel's purpose is primarily to realistically narrate the social changes of that era through the protagonist's story, from the national to the local level, from society to the family. In that era, it was unrealistic, impossible, for someone from the lowest rungs of society to achieve great things. Success requires resources. The story has only just begun. With the development of the market economy, the protagonist's life will encounter various situations and changes, leading to some era-defining events. Take your time, read it slowly, and see what our generation has experienced—the past.

(End of this chapter)