Chapter 46: The Winds of Change Near, Jia Geng Gains Insight

Walking home, He Yuzhu thought for a moment; no, it had to be done.

If you don't show up, the relationship fades; if you stick close when someone is riding high, but stay far away when they fall, it's too realistic.

Logically, with He Yuzhu's understanding of Politics, he shouldn't be able to figure out such complicated matters, because there were too many things involved.

But he couldn't help it; he knew the plot that followed.

When the wind rose, The Big Leader did indeed step aside, but he didn't fall; he rose again later, so offering help in a time of need was very promising.

"Sign in!"

"Congratulations on your successful sign-in, you have received purebred ponies x10."

Walking along, He Yuzhu cursed under his breath; he had signed in on the road several times already, but never obtained transportation like a bicycle, instead getting plenty of shoes, mules, and the like, and his lost bicycle hadn't been found either.

Now it was even more ridiculous: ponies.

He wasn't Master Qian, and he had no heart to pour into ponies.

As for why he didn't spend his own money to buy one, it was because he was saving up to do one thing.

Returning to the courtyard, He Yuzhu went to his cellar; originally, this was shared by his family and Qin Huairu's family, but now it was all his.

The cellar was not small, about a few square meters, and He Yuzhu nodded, made a plan, and only crawled back out after a long time.

Qin Huairu's house was still sealed and off-limits, and he would have to wait a few more days for the case to close before he could enter; both of these things were of great use, and He Yuzhu thought about them carefully.

"Zhuzi Shu, Zhuzi Shu, here for you." Carrying a bag, Bang Geng ran back from outside excitedly; the bag was bulging, and it was unclear what was inside.

"What good stuff?" He Yuzhu stopped and sat down in the courtyard.

"Colorful big-character posters, badges." Jia Geng's nose was sweating with excitement as he carefully took them out of his cloth bag and placed them on the table.

He Yuzhu quickly stood up, grabbed Bang Geng, and asked, "Where did you get these?"

"Hey, don't be anxious. I wanted to go back to school, so First Elder took me to the school to ask. Then, the older brother of a few classmates who play well with me had a lot of them at home. I saw you didn't have any in your room, so I asked for a set for you to hang up."

After a moment of contemplation, He Yuzhu patted Bang Geng's head, took twenty yuan in small change from his pocket, and placed it in his hand.

Then He Yuzhu looked around and whispered, "Keep this money safe, don't let others know. In the future, when you have nothing to do, go find various different badges, as well as portraits of great men, quotations, various full-page or relatively expensive stamps, and some old items—the older the better, though I won't force you on that. Do it quietly; you are still a child, no one will notice you. Keep the price as low as you can; if the money isn't enough, come find me. Do it secretly, don't let others know, understand? Of course, if you're hungry, use this money to buy food, and if you're hot, buy popsicles or soda."

"Ah? Why play with those?" Bang Geng was stunned, looking at the money in his hand, feeling a sense of reluctance; he hadn't seen so much money before, let alone held it in his hand.

"Listen to your Zhuzi Shu, I will help you figure out your schooling. When you have nothing to do, buy candy, popsicles, and soda to build good relations with your classmates; otherwise, if you get expelled and go back, others will exclude you. Don't be afraid to spend money; buying some snacks won't cost much, understand?"

"Understood, thank you Zhuzi Shu, don't worry, I will definitely get you more." Bang Geng patted his thin chest and promised.

"Make sure you don't tell anyone. If someone asks, make up an excuse. Of course, your main focus is to collect various stamps and badges—new ones, old ones, understand?"

"Understood, don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete the mission."

Bang Geng felt a surge of excitement; so much money, his hand holding the cash was full of sweat.

Watching Bang Geng clutch his pocket, He Yuzhu couldn't help but smile; this little guy had reminded him—one had to know that many out-of-print stamps could sell for hundreds or thousands, even a single one.

He had always kept his eyes on this broken courtyard; it was truly a bit narrow-minded.

Humming a tune, He Yuzhu took the colorful posters back to his room, carefully pasted them on the wall, and watched them with satisfaction for a while before pinning a badge to his chest.

The next day, early in the morning, He Yuzhu led Bang Geng to The Big Leader's house.

"The Big Leader, this is that poor child from our courtyard. Take a look. Bang Geng, hurry up and greet The Big Leader."

Bang Geng hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed; before coming, He Yuzhu had told him that whether it worked out or not depended on The Big Leader, so Bang Geng was exceptionally respectful.

"Get up quickly, child, get up. Kowtowing isn't the thing to do now. Sit down. Xiao Chen, serve tea, bring some candy." The Big Leader helped Bang Geng up and gave an order.

Everyone sat down, and He Yuzhu explained the purpose of their visit; The Big Leader nodded and agreed, promising to help Bang Geng smooth out the matter of going to school.

"Bang Geng, having experienced so much, you can be considered a little adult. There are many paths in life, but Uncle wants to tell you that you must walk the main road, the righteous path, understand? Don't let down the painstaking efforts of your Zhuzi Shu and Uncle." The Big Leader looked at the reserved Bang Geng and said earnestly.

He Yuzhu was also stunned; he knew The Big Leader was taking the opportunity to guide him as well, so he nodded along.

Bang Geng looked at The Big Leader with gratitude, then looked at He Yuzhu, and nodded firmly.

"You are a man, you must take care of your sister, you must abide by the law, you cannot steal or pilfer, and you must not fight with others. Remember this: perhaps someone will say some nasty things, spread rumors; you will be very angry when you hear them. What will you do?" The Big Leader continued to ask.

Bang Geng opened his mouth; according to his thinking, he would just fight—at worst, he'd get a beating, but he still had to teach them a lesson. But since The Big Leader wouldn't let him fight, he really couldn't figure out what to do for a moment.

"Endure! After enduring, run away, go home and tell your Zhuzi Shu, or if that doesn't work, come tell me. But you are not allowed to fight, understand? If you use your hands, if you win, you go to the Public Security Station; if you lose, you go to the Hospital. What will your sister do? Understand?"

"I understand, Big Leader Uncle."

"Uncle treats you like a big child, a little adult, which is why I'm telling you so much. A man's word is his bond; when you encounter things, think of Uncle's words first: endure, stay calm, protect yourself and your sister's safety."

Bang Geng ate the candy and nodded thoughtfully; he wasn't just thinking about this, he was thinking about other things too.

Things that First Elder and Qin Huairu couldn't accomplish, yet here at The Big Leader's, it seemed so easy?

Jia Geng lowered his head, looked at He Yuzhu, who was also somewhat embarrassed because he had to beg The Big Leader, and shouted in his heart: I get it, I get it now! I must walk the righteous path! I want to be a leader!