Chapter 95: Change of Fortune

After selling off every valuable item in their home and scraping together barely two hundred yuan, Chang Huaqiang took his younger brother Huasheng and their family’s cart into town; with this “startup capital,” they first bought a batch of clothes from someone else, only to be scammed—the clothes were shoddy and priced higher than other vendors’, forcing them to sell at a loss.

Through repeated scams, the two finally learned where to source quality goods at low prices—by then, they had been roaming the city of Zizhen for a full year!

Younger brother Huasheng was more honest than Huaqiang, tall and strong, and hardworking; when the brothers were left penniless after several swindles, it was Chang Huasheng who dragged the cart along the streets collecting scrap to exchange for cash, saving up enough to buy more goods and set up stalls again.

Their turning point came in 1983, when the brothers acquired a batch of supposedly Hong Kong-returning export goods; Huaqiang boldly mortgaged their family’s homestead land and used every penny to buy the shipment.

For once, fate favored the brothers—this single deal earned them the first real fortune of their lives!

At this point, Chang Huaqiang did not return home to flaunt his thousands of yuan—a fortune then—but made an even bolder move: through an acquaintance, he bought a state-owned 130 truck!

This truck transaction taught Huaqiang a lesson: any business requires inside connections; without them, you can’t make real money.

After another two years, the money spent on the truck had been recouped many times over through hauling cargo for others and reselling scarce goods; their younger brother Huazhong had turned twenty, so the two brothers brought him along, transforming into three brothers traveling north and south together.

In the winter of 1985, the three returned from Guangdong with a truckload of high-end electronics; Huaqiang and Huasheng took turns driving. That evening, the truck was nearly out of Hunan and about to enter Nanjiang Province; Huaqiang decided to rest only after crossing into Nanjiang, so he left the national highway and took a smaller side road, hoping to reach their lodging before dark—yet this decision would bring disaster.

This side road was not new to them; in an era without GPS or highways, long-haul drivers relied on national road maps and years of experience.

The route between Zizhen and Guangdong was one the Chang brothers had traveled countless times; they had also taken this small road connecting Hunan and Nanjiang several times before.

So when Huaqiang suggested taking the side road, neither of his younger brothers objected.

The truck left the national highway and followed the narrow, barely one-car-wide road; after driving about ten kilometers, a massive tree suddenly lay across the road ahead.

At the wheel was the second brother, Chang Huasheng; he slammed on the brakes and prepared to wake Huaqiang, who was asleep in the passenger seat.

But the youngest brother, Huazhong, sitting at the far edge, said: “Second brother, Big Brother’s sleeping soundly—don’t wake him. Stay in the truck. I’ll go check. If there’s nothing wrong, I’ll call you to help move the tree.”

Huasheng glanced at the sleeping Huaqiang—he knew his brother hadn’t slept a full night in days, worrying over the cargo—and since he was familiar with the area, he followed Huazhong’s suggestion, letting him take the crowbar kept in the truck for self-defense and get out.

Huazhong had just turned twenty; since childhood, he loved fighting. Though not as tall as his second brother, he was sharp-witted and a street-fighting prodigy; many youths his age had been “broken” by him. This was precisely why Huaqiang had brought him along—he feared Huazhong’s temper would get them into trouble.

Huazhong grabbed the crowbar in one hand and a flashlight in the other, stepped out, and approached the front of the truck. The fallen tree was large; he bent down, measured it, and estimated he could wrap his arms around it. He planned to use the crowbar to pry the trunk toward the roadside—when the flashlight beam fell on the roots, he saw a patch of white.

He had assumed it was a tree felled by wind—but now he saw clear axe marks on the roots.

He understood: this tree had been deliberately cut down on the road. The intent was obvious…

As Huazhong realized this, a cold wind blew through the open collar of his shirt, sending a shiver down his spine. He straightened up and waved to Huasheng in the truck—his intention was to signal him to reverse.

But Huasheng had already jumped out of the truck, gripping a large wrench, his eyes wide with alarm, staring past Huazhong’s back.

Huazhong spun around in shock—dozens of ragged men, their faces covered with colored cloth strips, were silently closing in on him.

Earlier, Huasheng had noticed figures creeping up behind Huazhong after he got out; he hadn’t had time to wake Huaqiang, so he grabbed the wrench beside his foot and leapt out.

Now both sides had spotted each other; there was no need to hide. One man with a Xiangxi accent shouted: “We want the goods, not your lives! Leave the cargo, and we’ll let you go. I give my word!”

Huasheng realized they’d been ambushed—just as he opened his mouth to negotiate, Huazhong yelled: “Fuck you! You dare rob us? You’re asking to die!”

Huasheng’s heart sank—he knew it was over. The leader laughed: “This brat’s got guts! Let’s see how tough you really are!”

Before he finished speaking, Huazhong swung the crowbar straight at the man who had spoken.

Huaqiang, awakened by the shouting, saw the scene and knew they were in deep trouble.

Long-haul drivers feared these remote mountain roads most; these men were likely from a nearby village—if a fight broke out, how many more would come?

Huaqiang’s plan was to pay off the bandits and avoid bloodshed; he leapt from the truck, arms raised: “Brothers! Don’t fight! We’re regulars on this road—let’s talk this out!”

As he spoke, Huazhong swung the crowbar— the man hadn’t expected the sudden attack, stumbled backward, and crashed into the man behind him.

That man was new to “business”—nervous, yet eager—and the sudden shove made him think the fight had already started. He cursed: “Motherfucker! Let’s go!”

He swung his iron shovel at Huazhong.