[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rising-in-1979":3,"chapter-rising-in-1979-rising-in-1979-chapter-457":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rising in 1979",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2261165,4412,"Chapter 457","rising-in-1979-chapter-457",457,"\u003Cp>It had been half a year since she returned to Yanjing; Xu Shufen adapted well—she still preferred the northern climate, and now the heating was on, making home comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman next door, Xiao Shufang, told her Yanjing had opened a new supermarket; Xu Shufen took the bus there to take a look—it was small, just over 200 square meters, selling only vegetables and meat, slightly more expensive than the market, with prices printed on packaging but no names, weights, or unit prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shufen went along with the trend just to experience the novelty, feeling the gap with Hong Kong was still huge, and she doubted she’d go again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back home, just as she was about to prepare lunch, she glanced into the bedroom and suddenly noticed a box had been opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shufen’s mind went “buzz”—she immediately searched, and sure enough, a passbook was gone!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone had broken into the house!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shufen’s first thought was to call Wei Jiefang back immediately, but the phone at Beichi didn’t answer, so she called the Peking University girls’ dormitory; luckily, Wei Hong hadn’t gone out and answered, promising to return right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holmes Hong inspected the scene: “Mom, don’t worry too much—it’s probably an inside job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? An inside job?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, look—these gold, silver, jade, and emerald jewelry, and all the cash are still here; only the passbook is missing. Anyone who took it couldn’t withdraw money from it, so the truth is simple,” Wei Hong pulled a nonexistent pipe from her mouth, “your dad took it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shufen: “Your dad? Then it’s fine—since you’re back, we can eat soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, there’s a lot of money in that passbook—why would Dad need so much? Aren’t you worried?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifty thousand, in Hong Kong dollars—yes, it’s a lot, but your dad’s sharper than a monkey; he won’t get cheated.” Xu Shufen was completely at ease—her husband had never been taken advantage of, whether in the village or the big city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now Wei Jiefang was genuinely worried he’d been fooled—he’d only wanted to buy a few paintings, yet somehow, in the heat of the moment, he’d bought them all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei looked at Director Wang, beaming with a smile, then at Ma Weidu who’d brought him here, then at Xu Huachi, who wanted to compete for the paintings but lacked the funds, his face full of regret—could he have been set up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wei Jiefang and Ma Weidu saw the paintings, Director Wang of the Foreign Visitors Service, upon learning Wei Jiefang was Wei Ming’s father, instantly conceived a bold idea: sell this entire unsellable batch to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even proposed a full package deal: 300,000 Hong Kong dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>300,000 Hong Kong dollars was barely over 80,000 yuan—over 9,000 paintings, less than ten yuan per piece!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that was the official exchange rate; in reality, 300,000 Hong Kong dollars on the black market was worth nearly 300,000 yuan, and if these weren’t masterpieces, the price matched the current market—key issue was foreign exchange was hard to get.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei wasn’t tempted at first—he didn’t have that much money; between gambling on horses in Hong Kong, his father and stepmother’s allowance, and winnings from a few old guys, he’d only scraped together a few tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars—he’d been planning to exchange them for foreign exchange vouchers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Director Wang said, “No problem—just pay a partial deposit first, then have Teacher Wei settle the balance later. We’ll hold the items for you; not a single painting on the list will be missing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew Wei Ming had plenty of foreign exchange—rumor had it his songs now brought in thousands of dollars monthly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming’s name carried weight—praised throughout the industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Old Wei was slightly tempted—imagine owning nine thousand paintings by famous artists: Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, Li Keran, Wu Zuoren, Jiang Zhaohe, Xu Beihong, Huang Yongyu, Wu Guanzhong, Li Kuchan, Huang Binhong, Fu Baoshi, Guan Shanyue, Fan Zeng, Pan Tianshou, Zhang Boju, Qi Gong, Guo Moruo, Xu Linlu—all in his collection. If Hong Kong’s art-loving old men found out, they’d die of envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he ultimately held back—he felt this purchase exceeded his means.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a young man named Xu Huachi arrived with several Hong Kong VIPs; upon hearing of this collection, he lost his composure and bargained with Director Wang: could it be cheaper? Twenty thousand Hong Kong dollars?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With twenty thousand, he could sell his house and borrow from his parents, siblings, and friends—he’d manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Old Wei panicked and asked who this guy was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Weidu knew him and introduced him to Wei Jiefang: “This is the youngest son of Master Xu Linlu—everyone in the circle calls him Ninth Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Linlu was Qi Baishi’s disciple, a painter and collector, with nine children; Xu Huachi, his youngest, around thirty, had already emigrated to Hong Kong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei hurriedly asked: “If you buy these paintings, where will you put them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replied: Hong Kong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course Hong Kong—he came from there, knew their hidden value; once Hong Kong’s rich had collected most ancient works, they’d turn to modern artists, and mainlanders wouldn’t pay high prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Old Wei instantly lost his cool and waved his hand: “Director Wang, as agreed—300,000 Hong Kong dollars, these 9,145 paintings are mine! I’ll pay you a 50,000 Hong Kong dollar deposit now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, looking back, Old Wei felt he’d acted impulsively—he’d thought these paintings shouldn’t leave the country, but forgot Hong Kong would eventually return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But 50,000 yuan was already in the history museum’s account; the contract was signed, and if he changed his mind later, the deposit wouldn’t be refunded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also had to pay the remaining 250,000 Hong Kong dollars or equivalent foreign exchange before claiming the artworks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warehouse was resealed; Old Wei received only one key—he needed the museum’s other key to open the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving, Wei Jiefang took Ma Weidu to dinner; usually talkative, Ma Weidu was now silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not out of guilt—he hadn’t set Old Wei up; he was genuinely stunned by Old Wei’s boldness and financial power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mostly, though, he was envious—if he had that kind of money, he’d buy every good thing in Beijing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Wei Jiefang spoke: “Little Ma, once you get those paintings, pick one for yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, thank you, Uncle Wei—you’ve got real guts!” Ma Weidu said. “But you should tell Teacher Wei right away, settle the balance quickly—better to lock it in. You know how many officials there are in these government units; if one suddenly decides this deal’s off, it’ll be bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei thought: I wish it were off—I feel like a wastrel father, spending 300,000 Hong Kong dollars on a pile of paper. Will my son blame me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back home, Wei Hong had returned to school; Xu Shufen waited for him and asked about the Hong Kong dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I took it—bought some things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? So expensive?” Xu Shufen was puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was just a deposit—the total is 300,000 Hong Kong dollars.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?!” Xu Shufen was stunned—today’s Hong Kong housing prices, 300,000 could buy a two-bedroom apartment; this was a fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wei Jiefang told his wife about buying over 9,000 famous paintings from the museum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shufen worried: “So you bought all those paintings—where will you put them? You don’t have a museum.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Jiefang: “The point isn’t whether you have a museum—the point is how to ask our son for the money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just say you bought them for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Jiefang slapped his thigh: “Right! I never planned to keep them—I don’t even like art!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, perfect—just that feeling!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After three days, the “Shepherd Class” crew finally shot a beautiful scene of Teacher Zhong and Pipi watching the sunset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this scene wasn’t filmed in Ya’an—they specifically went to Emei Mountain to find the perfect spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completing this scene meant all exterior shooting was done; next came a few interior shots back in Chengdu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, they returned to Fan Village, where the new elementary school had just begun foundation work—deep and solid—and the county magistrate came to hold a groundbreaking ceremony; Wei Ming left his calligraphy: “Spring Elementary School.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Wei Ming’s calligraphy practice paid off—those four characters as the school’s signboard were perfectly dignified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also left the same characters at his grandmother’s village, Dagou, and promised her: “After I finish the movie, I’ll take you to Yanjing—Mom and Dad should be back from Hong Kong by then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Mi Jiashan arrived from Chengdu—he handled interior set design.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With sets complete, he came to join the crew and brought Wei Ming a telegram from Yanjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the message, Wei Ming laughed—he remembered the incident vaguely but hadn’t known the year; turns out it was this year!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now, the protagonist wasn’t Xu Linlu’s son—it was Wei Ming’s father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>300,000, 9,000 paintings—what a steal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the masterpieces were few, there were real treasures inside, and such a clearance sale wouldn’t come again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming wanted to buy everything good from Rongbaozhai, but they released items sporadically—they never did bulk sales like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei feared Wei Ming wouldn’t accept it, so he insisted he bought them for his son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’d be strange between father and son—later, Wei Ming could just pick a few he liked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming also felt it best to lock it in quickly, so back in Chengdu he immediately called home and told his mother to open a drawer in his bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept plenty of U.S. dollars there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s not enough, borrow temporarily from Gong Ying and Zhu Lin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d also left some U.S. cash with them, for emergencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their combined U.S. dollar reserves were more than sufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming spoke subtly, but it subtly acknowledged his intimate relationship with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His parents likely already guessed—keeping them hidden from his parents now felt unkind, so Wei Ming didn’t mind letting them meet his two future daughters-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he grew older, Wei Ming’s skin had thickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving his son’s reply, the couple first found $20,000 in Wei Ming’s bedroom—still $10,000 short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei looked troubled: “Do I really have to borrow from those two girls?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shufen: “Then you’ll just have to wait for your son to return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei thought quickly: “You can borrow—both of you are women, easier to talk to. It’s settled!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Wei was truly baffled by complicated romantic relationships—his son’s tangled ties with Gong Ying and Zhu Lin, plus little Amin—he got a headache just thinking about it, so he dumped it on Xu Shufen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the next day, Wei Jiefang visited the Forbidden City to see old friends and boast about his feat: spending 300,000 Hong Kong dollars to clear out the entire history museum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Xu Shufen went to Mei Wenhua’s house to visit her sister-in-law and niece, then waited for Zhu Lin to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, Zhu Lin and Gong Ying returned together from outside; when Wei Ming was away, they preferred living at Tuanjiehu—the apartment was small, but felt safer.\u003C\u002Fp>",1841,"2026-06-19T16:30:59.356Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b0aedc234bc394442915fd41bb69bc3c623f989399d64b4921b172fdee06b424","rising-in-1979-chapter-458","rising-in-1979-chapter-456",509,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frising-in-1979-cover.jpg"]