Reborn at 80: From Village Scoundrel to Billionaire

"Hey, take this 150 yuan."

Liu Bei counted out fifteen large coins and handed them over.

"So many?" Fan Ha'er's eyes widened. "Brother Bei! Following you is really promising!"

"Don't give me that. Come on, let's do something together."

"What's up?"

"Buy a car."

"Buy...buy a car?" Fan Ha'er's mouth formed an "O" shape. "Brother Bei, didn't you buy a bicycle? What kind of car are you buying now?"

"Let's go buy a pedicab. Let's go."

"Um?"

Fan Ha'er's eyes lit up, and he followed along eagerly.

In 1981, individuals needed a letter of introduction to buy a pedicab.

Going back to the village to ask the Party Secretary for a meeting at this time would take up half a day, which is too time-consuming. Liu Bei happens to be familiar with Zhou Jianguo, the director of the police station, so asking him for a meeting would save him trouble and effort.

First, they took Fan Ha'er to the town's police station.

"Is Director Zhou here?"

"Oh, it's Xiao Liu! What brings you here today? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Director Zhou, I'd like to buy a pedicab. As you know, you need a letter of introduction to buy one, and it's too far to drive back to the village. Could you help me get one?"

"Buying a car is a good thing. Okay, wait a minute!"

Zhou Jianguo opened a drawer and took out a blank letter of introduction.

"You're something else, kid." Zhou Jianguo shook his head and laughed as he wrote. "The last time I saw you, you were still selling game, and now you've bought a car. Good job, you're living a good life."

"Hmm~" He quickly wrote it down, stamped it, and handed it over.

"Thanks, Director Zhou!"

"Go ahead. Be careful while riding your bike, don't ride recklessly."

Don't worry!

After leaving the police station, Liu Bei led Fan Ha'er straight to a shop selling pedicabs at the east end of the town.

The shop wasn't big, and there were seven or eight tricycles parked in front of it, some new and some old, all different colors.

Fan Ha'er was so engrossed in the car that he couldn't move. He touched this car and patted that car, as if he had entered a palace.

"Brother Bei! This one's red! It looks great!"

"Brother Bei! These wheels are huge!"

"Brother Bei—"

"Stop it."

Liu Bei glanced around and spotted a gleaming black tricycle parked in the far corner. The frame was sturdy, the wheels were polished to a shine, and the cargo bed was much wider than the others.

"Boss, what's the price of that one?"

The shop owner walked over with a smile on his face:

"Young man, you have good taste. That one's made in Shanghai, the only one in town. Two hundred and thirty."

"Two hundred and thirty?" Fan Ha'er gasped. "Brother Bei, the cheapest one is only one hundred and twenty..."

Liu Bei ignored him, walked around the car, patted the frame, squeezed the brakes, and then squatted down to look at the bearings.

"Would you sell it for two hundred?"

"No, no, this is from Shanghai, 230 is already the lowest price."

"Two hundred. If you don't sell it, I'll go look elsewhere."

After Liu Bei finished speaking, he turned and left.

"Hey, hey, hey..." the shopkeeper said anxiously, "Young man, don't be in such a hurry to leave. The price is negotiable, really negotiable! How about two hundred and one, how about that?"

"It's still too expensive! Let's go!"

"Okay!"

After saying that, the two of them were about to leave the shop one after the other.

The boss panicked and hurriedly chased after him, shouting as he went:

"Alright, two hundred it is! Deal! Young man, come back here!"

"hehe……"

Liu Bei smiled, then went back to get the letter of introduction, paid the money, got the invoice, and finally grabbed the car keys and got on the tricycle.

With this thing, I won't have to put up with other people's attitudes when hunting, selling goods, or going to town to run errands.

"Brother Bei! Let me ride a couple of laps!" Fan Ha'er said, her eyes gleaming with envy.

"Come up and sit down. Go back to the police station to get the license plate."

"Oh……"

It was already noon after we got the license plate and completed all the formalities.

Liu Bei pondered, resting his chin on his hand: Usually, at this time, his three ex-wives would have already finished trading fried grasshoppers at the supply and marketing cooperative and sold spicy shrimp at the vegetable market. They would have just closed up shop and hadn't even left the town to return to their village yet.

"Hey kid, do you know how to drive a horse-drawn carriage?"

"Yes, I can! I've known it since I was little!"

"Alright. You drive the horse-drawn carriage back to the village first, and I'll ride my tricycle to the market."

"Brother Bei, what are you doing at the market?"

"To pick someone up."

Fan Ha'er blinked, then slapped his thigh in sudden realization: "Picking up the sisters-in-law?"

"Stop talking nonsense and get going."

"Alright!"

Fan Ha'er jumped onto the carriage, cracked the whip, and drove the carriage back to the village.

Liu Bei then hopped on his tricycle and rode towards the market.

A few minutes later,

really,

At the end of the alley where the vegetables were sold, he saw three familiar figures in the distance.

Lin Wanqiu carried several bamboo baskets and walked on the left, Zhao Chunyan pushed her bicycle in the middle, and Su Yuehe followed quietly behind on the right.

The three women were chatting and laughing; it seemed business was good today.

Liu Bei's lips curled up slightly, and he quickened his pedaling speed.

As he rode, he deliberately rang the bell loudly.

"Ring ring~ Ring ring ring~"

The ringing bell kept ringing incessantly behind them, extremely jarring and interrupting Zhao Chunyan and the other two's conversation, greatly displeasing her.

"How annoying!" Zhao Chunyan frowned, turned her head, and was about to yell, "What are you doing pressing this in the middle of the day—"

However, she stopped mid-sentence.

Because the person pressing the bell so hard was none other than Liu Bei.

Zhao Chunyan: "..."

When Lin Wanqiu heard Zhao Chunyan suddenly stop talking, he turned around and was immediately stunned.

Su Yuehe also turned around, and when she saw it was Liu Bei, her mouth dropped open.

"Ring ring~ Ring ring~"

Seeing the three women staring blankly, Liu Bei pressed the bell again and smiled.

"Hey ladies, isn't this car cool enough?"

"Where...where did you get this tricycle?" Zhao Chunyan asked first.

"I bought it with the money I got from selling fish."

"How much did it cost?"

"two hundred."

"Two hundred?" Zhao Chunyan was furious. "Liu Bei! Have you lost your mind? You already have a bicycle at home, why buy this thing? Two hundred yuan! Do you know how much you can buy with two hundred yuan? You spendthrift! Ride it back and return it right now!"

"Spring Swallow," Lin Wanqiu suddenly spoke.

Zhao Chunyan paused: "What?"

"He made the right purchase."

"What?" Zhao Chunyan turned to look at Lin Wanqiu, her face full of disbelief. "Wanqiu, haven't you always been a proponent of saving money? Why are you siding with him today?"

Lin Wanqiu explained:

"Chunyan, think about it. Every time he comes to town after hunting, he either borrows Fan Laoqi's cart or pays to hire a tractor. Each time he borrows, he owes a favor, and hiring a tractor costs several yuan per trip. This month alone, he's used it several times. That's all money! Have you thought about how much this will cost in the long run?"

"this……"

Zhao Chunyan shut her mouth.

"With a tricycle, things are different. He can come and go whenever he wants, without having to beg anyone or put up with anyone's attitude. This money was well spent," Lin Wanqiu continued.

"..."

Zhao Chunyan was silent for two seconds.

She knew that Lin Wanqiu was right.

Could you ask her to admit to Liu Bei that he did the right thing?

impossible!

"Hmph! You all just keep spoiling him!"

Zhao Chunyan rolled her eyes, then rode her bicycle back to the village humming a little tune.

Watching her retreating figure, Liu Bei shook his head, took the baskets from Lin Wanqiu and Su Yuehe, and put them into the truck bed.

"Late autumn, moon and lotus, come on, get in the car."

"Um!"

"Sit still."

"Um."

"Time to go home!"

Liu Bei pedaled his tricycle, carrying his two ex-wives, humming the tune of "Tian Mi Mi" as he headed towards the village...

At this time, the afternoon sun was very strong.

But the summer breeze added a touch of coolness.

This made Liu Bei feel that this kind of life was the real deal...

……

More than twenty minutes later,

At the village entrance, a group of villagers sat under a large locust tree, enjoying the cool shade and chatting.

"Hey, look! Who's that person riding the tricycle?"

"There were two women sitting in the car!"

"Wait... isn't that Liu Bei?!"

"It really is Liu Bei? Where did he get a tricycle?"

Soon, the villagers gathered around.

"Xiao Bei, who did you borrow this car from?"

"It's not borrowed," Liu Bei slowed down. "I bought it this morning. Folks, please make way."

"Bought...bought?"

The villagers' eyes widened in disbelief.

Looking ahead at Zhao Chunyan riding her bicycle,

Then he saw Liu Bei riding a tricycle with Lin Wanqiu and Su Yuehe on the back.

Even though the three women were divorced from Liu Bei, they refused to leave home and were willing to live under the same roof with him.

But the kid is doing better and better.

Liu Bei's prestige in the village grew steadily.

This guy is really lucky with women.

If only I could be like him, marrying one woman and divorcing another, yet each one would stay in the family and be willing to live together—how wonderful that would be!

It's a pity... Only Liu Bei managed to do such a good thing. Everyone in the same village has a different fate.

……

While the villagers were filled with envy, Zhao Chunyan had already arrived at her doorstep on her bicycle.

"Third Sister!" Panpan was the first to rush out, followed by Niannian and Liu Bao.

As soon as they came out, the three children were stunned to see Liu Bei riding a tricycle they had never seen before into the courtyard.

"Dad, what... what kind of car is this?" Panpan blinked.

"A tricycle. Your dad just bought it."

"Bought?" the three children asked in unison.

"Grandma! Grandma! Dad bought a big truck!" Liu Bao turned and shouted into the yard.

"A big vehicle? What taxi?"

Zhao Da'e came out, and her face immediately changed when she saw the tricycle.

"Where did this car come from?"

"I bought it!"

"Bought it? Xiao Bei! How much did you spend this time?"

"two hundred."

"What? Two...two hundred? That many?"

Zhao Da'e was so angry that she raised her hand to slap him, but Lin Wanqiu stopped her at that moment.

"Mom! He made the right decision to buy the car. Think about it..."

After hearing Lin Wanqiu's explanation, Zhao Da'e was stunned and had no choice but to withdraw her hand.

But her eyes were still fixed intently on Liu Bei:

"That makes sense. But Xiao Bei, you remember this: our new house hasn't even been built yet! No more spending money recklessly! Do you hear me?"

"I heard you! Mother, whatever you say is right!"

"That's more like it! Humph!!!"

Zhao Da'e snorted and turned back to the kitchen.

The three children immediately rushed over and grabbed Liu Bei's arm.

"Dad! We want to ride in a tricycle!"

"Let's go! Get in the car!"

Soon, Liu Bei lifted the three children one by one into the truck bed, and then drove around in circles with the three children in the truck.

"This is so much fun!"

"So comfortable!"

"It's so refreshing!"

The three children laughed so hard they were doubled over.

Seeing this, Lin Wanqiu smiled.

Zhao Chunyan grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, sat down, and slowly started cracking them open.

Su Yuehe was soaked with sweat, so she boiled water and went to the bathhouse.

A dozen minutes later, Liu Bei parked the car.

The children ran back to the yard to play in the mud, when Zhao Da'e suddenly poked her head out from the kitchen.

"Xiao Bei, come here for a second."

"What's wrong, Mother?"

Zhao Da'e looked around to make sure no one was there, then pulled Liu Bei to the corner of the stove.

"Your mother has something to ask you."

"Please speak."

"Any new developments in Wanqiu and Chunyan's... bellies?"

Liu Bei: "..."