Chapter 121: with translation of chapter title

The matter of negotiating the warship with West Germany is a major affair for the Ministry of Railways.

Inside the airport, those seeing him off were all senior officials.

Lu Cheng's position allowed him to enter the tightly guarded airport interior solely thanks to his wife's influence; he not only shook hands with several senior officials but also took a group photo with all the bigwigs.

"Tsk tsk, I've benefited from you today—I even shook hands with the senior officials; when I get back to the alley, I'll have something to brag about to Da Hu."

Lu Cheng said, unconsciously putting his arm on Lin Qingyan's shoulder.

Lin Qingyan glanced, then turned her head away.

"I won't be home, so I can't wash your clothes for you; even if you don't want to wash them, don't stuff the socks under the bed."

"Got it, got it—I'll ask my older sister to wash them."

Seeing that everyone was about to finish chatting and boarding soon, Lu Cheng turned and said, "How about this—to make us look more like a couple, let's hug before we part."

Lin Qingyan hesitated a moment, but Lu Cheng had already pulled her into his embrace and whispered.

"On this trip to West Germany, you don't need to feel pressured; just handle the translation well. Whether it ultimately succeeds isn't your problem, right? I'll think of other ways."

Actually, Lu Cheng himself had no confidence about retrieving the warship; if it failed, he could only think of other methods, hoping to let Lin Qingyan see her parents.

Lin Qingyan thought his "other methods" still referred to buying the warship.

"Grandfather Lei is going himself this time; if even that fails, what other options could there be? Don't worry—I'll do my best to avoid embarrassing you."

Lu Cheng released her, smiling, and said, "All right, no more talk—go board your flight."

Lin Qingyan nodded: "Mm, then you drive safely and don't speed."

"Got it, goodbye!"

Lu Cheng waved his hand, watching the plane taxi down the runway and then slowly lift off.

Returning to the Da Za Yuan, it was nearly noon; Lu Cheng had just parked his bicycle in the courtyard when he heard Wu Guiwen's voice coming from the main hall of his house.

It looked like he had bought a TV and was thanking Chen Xianglan in person.

After all, without that TV ticket, Wu Guiwen couldn't buy one no matter how much he wanted.

But after he parked his bicycle under the car shed beside the Chuihua Gate, he clearly heard that Wu Guiwen wasn't thanking anyone; his voice sounded flustered and exasperated.

Lu Cheng walked into the room and found Wu Guiwen slamming the table.

"No, Xianglan, give me back the money for the TV ticket."

Chen Xianglan also slammed the table: "I tell you, Teacher Wu, it's not like that—I never said I was selling; you begged me to buy it!"

"No, no, you still have to refund me!"

"I won't refund! Besides, the canned food has been eaten—where am I supposed to get you another whole can?"

"The canned food can be forgotten; just return my money..."

After listening a while, it seemed Wu Guiwen, for some unknown reason, no longer wanted to buy the TV and wanted his ticket money back.

Seeing Chen Xianglan at a disadvantage, Lu Cheng rushed forward, pulled them apart, and was about to help his mother scold Wu Guiwen—how could anyone act like that? How could they go back on an agreed deal?

But as his finger pointed at Wu Guiwen's face, the words on Lu Cheng's tip of the tongue were swallowed back.

All that could be seen was Wu Guiwen's face bruised and swollen, with several scratches from fingernails.

Lu Cheng slowly turned his head: "Mom, is this... did you hit him?"

He had originally wanted to argue his point, but the other party was beaten up like this—even if he were right, it was hard to say.

Wu Guiwen's face was all bruised, his clothes torn, all because he refused to refund the money—his mother had been too harsh.

Chen Xianglan glared: "What? I didn't hit him! Someone else did—nothing to do with me."

Upon hearing it wasn't related to his mother, Lu Cheng asked doubtfully: "Teacher Wu, what's going on? Weren't you going to buy a TV? How did you come back looking like this?"

Wu Guiwen waved his hand irritably: "Don't mention it—this morning the department store released twenty sets; I arrived early, and my turn in line should have come up, but who knew that when only two sets remained, the people behind saw they couldn't get one even by queuing and started grabbing."

Just thinking about that scene made Wu Guiwen tremble with anger: "You didn't see it—twenty TVs, over a hundred people rushing to buy, and in the end they started fighting; there was no way to get one."

Lu Cheng burst out laughing at the story, but Wu Guiwen, face flushed with anger, snapped: "Don't laugh, tell your mother—I think that TV is impossible to buy back; have her refund my money."

Chen Xianglan crossed her arms: "If a refund is needed, I'll give you five yuan—I bought it."

Wu Guiwen exclaimed: "It's not you, Xianglan—I gave you thirty-five yuan; this TV ticket is intact, how can you refund me only five?"

"This isn't a refund, it's a purchase—trade is free; I allow you what you want, I allow myself what I want, just like yesterday: if you disagreed, you could have not bought it; today, if you disagree, you can choose not to sell!"

"……"

Wu Guiwen, a teacher, simply couldn't out-argue Chen Xianglan.

Seeing the two red-faced and about to argue again, Lu Cheng stepped in and pulled them apart once more.

"Like this, like this—Teacher Wu, will the department store release more TVs this afternoon? I can help you go grab one!"

"You'll help me grab one?" Wu Guiwen muttered; Lu Cheng knew him well—this kid was suited to dealing with lawbreakers.

But he still worried: "They'll release them, but only ten in the afternoon—harder to snag; even with you, we'd surely fail."

Indeed, TVs are so rare that whenever they arrive, they're quickly snatched up.

Lu Cheng stroked his chin, noticed Chen Xianglan picking cabbage to prepare lunch, and instantly had an idea.

"So, Teacher Wu, I'll round up a few more people to help you seize the TV, but since it's almost noon, we can't let them work for nothing—should we provide a meal?"

Wu Guiwen hesitated a bit—shouting for that many people, how much food would they need?

Seeing Wu Guiwen silent, Lu Cheng waved his hand: "Never mind, never mind—I don't even want to go; who'd volunteer to get beaten up there? Just hold onto the ticket; anyway, my mom won't refund the money..."

"No, no, no." Wu Guiwen hurriedly grabbed him: "Then, then let them come—I can provide the meal, can't I?"

"Come eat at my place?"

"Huh? Not eat at home—where else would we eat?"

"The state-run hotel!"

Upon hearing that, Wu Guiwen winced: "No need for that extravagance—we can just boil some cabbage soup at home, have your aunt steam a few more buns, and if worst comes to worst add two slices of meat; it'll be fragrant enough."

Lu Cheng was speechless: "I want to eat cabbage—why go to your place? I have a huge pile of cabbage at home and don't even know how to eat it."

「It's not Teacher Wu; you wouldn't handle things like this. I'm taking people to go steal a TV—that'll take effort, right? Give us some cabbage soup; where would we get strength otherwise? 」

Wu Guiwen clutched his chest, feeling anguished, but for the sake of buying a TV, and because his words carried some weight as a person of influence, he gritted his teeth and could only give in.

「Alright, let's go to the State-run Hotel! But there's one thing: we can each only order a bowl of plain noodles, no other dishes. 」

「No problem. 」 Lu Cheng readily agreed; at least they were going out to eat.

After telling his mother he wouldn't be eating at home, he passed through the front courtyard and, along the way, also called out Da Hu.

As for the helpers needed to rob the TV, they were Da Kui and his three companions.

Today, no matter what, we have to give Wu Guiwen a good thrashing.