Rebirth 77: From Beachcombing to Becoming a Tycoon and Spoiling My Wife

The room was dimly lit. The midday sun shone through the broken windowpanes, casting beams of light that carried dust.

Chen Biao and Chen De tied Chen Dahai's hands and feet tightly with hemp rope, then casually threw him onto the hard bed.

The two men occupied the wooden table in the room, took out cigarettes from their pockets, lit them, and started smoking, looking quite impatient.

The sun climbed to its zenith.

There was no sound outside, and Yang Bai was nowhere to be seen.

Chen Biao glanced at the dirt road outside the door, stubbed out the remaining cigarette butt in the broken porcelain ashtray, and muttered, "Why is Yang Bai so slow? He usually seems so capable and decisive, how come he hasn't made a single move all this time?"

Chen De chuckled, leaning back in his chair and shaking his leg: "You're such a pig-headed idiot, you can't understand things. He's going to the commune to handle important matters, drop a case, and process evidence. How could he possibly come back openly in broad daylight? He must have to finish it secretly at night. Giving him a whole day is more than enough. I originally only wanted to give him eight hours, just enough for him to make a round trip at most."

Chen Biao gave a thumbs up: "You're really quick-witted, brother, and you've thought of everything!"

Chen De whistled.

"Of course! I'm the smartest person in our village. Did you know that the national college entrance examination has been reinstated?"

"I know, it's all about getting into university and making it a path to success. The whole village has heard about it for a long time," Chen Biao replied casually.

Chen De poured himself a cup of tea and blew away the tea leaves.

"That's right, I'm preparing for the college entrance exam. I want to be the first college student from our Hetou Village."

He gestured with his hand across his chest.

"Then I'll be wearing a huge red flower on my chest, sitting at the very front of the tractor, holding a red flag high that says 'Hetou Village's First College Student'! The whole village will be watching me in my glory!"

Chen Biao nodded repeatedly: "That's so impressive! You and your older brother are the most successful in our family. So, which university are you planning to apply to?"

Chen De tilted his head back and said, "I've heard that Beijing University is the highest-ranking, most prestigious, and most prestigious university in the country!"

Hearing this, Chen Dahai, who was lying on the bed, opened his mouth and laughed.

"Hahaha! You? You think you can get into Peking University?"

Chen Dahai laughed so hard his body trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror! You're already thirty-three this year, old enough to be the father of a high school student!"

"With brains like yours, I'd be impressed if you two even got into high school! Beijing University, huh? What a joke!"

Chen De's face darkened, and he clenched his fists.

"What did you say?!"

"I said, you can't even get into high school," Chen Dahai repeated.

Chen De rushed forward and punched Chen Dahai in the stomach.

"Thump!"

Chen Dahai flinched, his stomach throbbing with pain. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything at the commune yesterday and couldn't withstand that punch.

Feeling nauseous, Chen Dahai opened his mouth and vomited a mouthful of sour water, which spilled all over the bed.

Chen Dahai looked at Chen De, still smiling.

"If you're so capable... then keep dreaming. Want to get into Peking University? You might as well pick up a knife on the ground, slit your own throat, and wait for your next life to be reincarnated; maybe then you'll have a chance."

"Damn it! You're asking for it!"

Chen De bent down, picked up the kitchen knife from the ground, and walked towards Chen Dahai.

Chen Biao ran over and hugged Chen De around the waist: "Brother! Don't be impulsive! Don't do it! Have you forgotten? If we really hurt him, our eldest brother will be beyond saving, and we brothers will both go to jail!"

Chen De, panting heavily, slammed the kitchen knife to the ground with a loud thud.

"Chen Dahai! I'll f*** your mother!"

Chen Dahai turned his head to look at the memorial tablet in the corner: "What's the use of cursing? Didn't I just tell you to slit your own throat? You really are brainless, all you can do is talk tough."

During his time with Yang Bai, Chen Dahai learned a valuable lesson: shamelessness makes one invincible.

When it comes to being a smooth talker, he's not bad either.

Chen De choked until his face turned red, and his breathing became even heavier.

"Chen Dahai, you just wait! When my older brother gets out, I'll make sure you suffer a terrible death!"

Chen De turned to Chen Biao and shouted, "Second Brother, don't stop him! Search him thoroughly! He's been following Yang Bai for so long, he must have amassed a lot of money, good cigarettes, and good wine! Find it all, we'll enjoy it all today!"

Chen Biao's eyes lit up when he heard there was something to take: "Great idea! Search! Search thoroughly!"

The two brothers turned around and began rummaging through drawers and cabinets in the room.

While they turned their backs to rummage through the boxes, Chen Dahai moved closer to the wooden cabinet against the wall.

Chen Dahai's wrists were bound with hemp rope. His fingers groped along the side of the cabinet, pulled open a small compartment, took out a small pair of scissors, and then pushed the cabinet back into place.

Chen Dahai, holding scissors, used his body as a shield to cut the hemp rope from behind.

The rope loosened a bit, and I could move my wrist again.

Chen Dahai didn't move.

We cannot take action now.

Those two have knives; if they're discovered now, they'll definitely be in trouble.

We have to wait until it gets dark and everyone is asleep before we can find an opportunity.

Chen Biao pried open the wooden box, and a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes fell out from a hidden compartment.

Chen Biao grabbed it in his hand: "Daqianmen! Goodness! Genuine good stuff! Chen Dahai, you're something else, secretly hiding such good cigarettes!"

Chen De snatched the cigarette, walked to the bedside, and held it up to Chen Dahai.

"We usually only smoke hand-rolled cigarettes, but you're so extravagant, you're smoking Daqianmen cigarettes!"

You've made a lot of money following Yang Bai, haven't you? Tell me honestly, how much good wine and cigarettes do you still have?

Chen Dahai glanced at the cabinet in the room: "There's a hidden compartment under the box you just searched. Pry open the wooden planks, and there's plenty of stuff inside."

Chen Biao picked up a crowbar from the corner of the wall, inserted it into the interlayer of the wooden box, and pried it open.

The plank fell down.

Inside were four bottles of Wuliangye liquor, several cartons of Daqianmen cigarettes, and two bottles of foreign liquor, all piled up in a dark place.

Chen Biao looked at the contents inside and exclaimed, "My God! It's all good stuff! I'm rich!"

Chen De stared at Chen Dahai and questioned, "Chen Dahai, you've made a fortune following Yang Bai, living such a comfortable life!"

"They even went so far as to cut off our source of income and report my older brother! Send him to jail!"

"Tell me, what good does this do you? You're utterly heartless, you don't even spare your own family!"

Chen Dahai smiled.

"I can't stand your tyrannical behavior and your oppression of our fellow villagers!"

Last year, Old Zhang from the village had his leg broken by you just because he was a little late in handing over the grain tax!

Aunt Liu is law-abiding and hasn't taken any of your land. She came to your door to intimidate you just because your family wants to expand their house.

The old man was so frightened that he suffered a heart attack and almost died!

"You commit countless evils and bully others with your power; aren't you ever afraid of retribution?"

Chen De cursed, "You think you're so noble! You think you're so chivalrous! What are you pretending to be, some kind of saint!"

"We don't know if we'll face retribution, but yours will come soon."

Chen De tore open the packaging of Daqianmen cigarettes, took out a cigarette, lit it, put it in his mouth, and sat down in the chair with his legs crossed.

"Second Brother, open that bottle of foreign liquor! Let's broaden our horizons today and taste what it's really like!"