Chapter 146: I

Li Ye ran along Weiminghu, with several followers trailing behind him.

Sun Xianjin panted like a broken bellows, his legs too weak to move, yet he gritted his teeth and refused to let go of Li Ye's trail.

The others in class—Zhen Rongrong, Chen Xiaoling, Pu Xianghe—fell even farther behind, dragging their feet at a distance.

Li Ye reluctantly slowed his pace and said, "Why don't you just stop following me? Didn't our homeroom teacher say our main task right now is studying?"

Sun Xianjin shook his head, gasping for breath, "I think physical fitness matters too. All the girls in our high school class liked the sports monitor. Now all the girls in class like you, Li Ye."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Li Ye glanced at Zhen Rongrong and the others catching up, and shot Sun Xianjin an irritated look.

Rumors in this era could be deadly; false or half-true whispers could easily ruin someone's reputation.

Li Ye stopped walking altogether and waited for Zhen Rongrong and the others to catch up.

"Class monitor, do you know why our homeroom teacher never publicized my act of bravery?"

"I asked Teacher Mu. At first I didn't understand either, but later he said he didn't want to mislead students into making unsafe choices when similar situations arise."

Li Ye was surprised—he hadn't expected Zhen Rongrong to ask Mu Yunning herself.

In fact, the reason this "act of bravery" wasn't being promoted was because Li Ye had strongly advised Coach Ke about it during the Wen family's dinner a few days ago.

In late 1982 and early 1983, idle members of society were increasing, and street fights had become too common.

If we encouraged students to act bravely now, it might become a dangerous suggestion.

In chaotic situations, students without combat skills are extremely vulnerable.

A Peking University student is a high-IQ talent selected from tens of thousands; there are too many academic problems waiting for them to solve. Do you want them fighting thugs?

So many dangerous situations must be avoided at all costs.

When Li Ye strongly proposed this idea, Wen Leyu was taken aback.

She wasn't ignorant—had this been promoted well, Li Ye's entry into the Party might have already begun processing.

But once Li Ye explained his reasoning, Wen Leyu smiled warmly, and Coach Ke even raised a glass in toast—this decision was settled.

Zhen Rongrong finally caught her breath and said to Li Ye, "We understand our homeroom teacher's concerns,

but what if we encounter the same situation you did a few days ago? Should we just ignore it? Shouldn't we intervene?"

Li Ye looked at Zhen Rongrong and the other classmates, deeply moved by their sense of moral responsibility.

This quality had largely become a "hidden trait" in children of the future.

Almost all parents now teach their children to avoid danger—it's hard to say who's right or wrong.

"Fine! I'll teach you the right way to handle danger."

Li Ye pointed at Zhen Rongrong's legs, then at her mouth—this gesture made her uncomfortable.

He Dazhuang always stared at her legs whenever he got close.

Li Ye said, "When you meet a bad person, run as fast as you can and scream as loud as you can!"

"Run toward crowded places, shout for help, shout for police, call for a crowd to come assist you—that's enough."

Zhen Rongrong couldn't help laughing. "Then why didn't you run or scream the day before yesterday?"

"Are you trying to argue with me?"

Li Ye finally lost patience, glanced around, and walked toward a tree.

He took a stance and delivered a side kick—*crack! —a large chunk of bark peeled off the trunk.

It was already autumn; half-yellow leaves fell like a shower of petals.

"You all kick trees every day! When you reach my level, then come learn combat techniques from me—we'll discuss your earlier question after you graduate."

"."

Zhen Rongrong and Sun Xianjin stared, dumbfounded, as Li Ye walked away. Chen Xiaoling walked over, caught a falling leaf in her hand, her face filled with disbelief.

Li Ye's kick had been so fast they'd only seen a blur, then the leaves rained down.

It was too bizarre.

Sun Xianjin eagerly stepped forward to the tree.

He launched a flying kick—his posture even resembled Li Ye's.

"Ow~~"

Sun Xianjin hopped around clutching his foot, like a hyperactive grasshopper.

"Hahahaha~"

The girls burst into laughter, gathered around, mimicked Sun Xianjin's kicks, and played around giggling—their obsession with justice faded into merriment.

After dinner that afternoon, Li Ye escorted Wen Leyu to the library, then headed to Zaojunmiao.

Today was the day his hometown sent people—he needed to see who his grandfather had dispatched.

But when he arrived at Zaojunmiao, only Jin Peng was in the courtyard.

"I figured you'd come today."

Jin Peng handed Li Ye a basket of fruit.

Li Ye took an apple, bit into it, and asked, "Where are the people from home? Weren't they supposed to arrive today?"

Jin Peng said, "They're all helping out at Xiushuijie—can't sit still for a second. Even when I told them to just tour the capital first, they refused."

Li Ye felt reassured.

That kind of work ethic was excellent.

The shop on Xiushuijie now stayed open until eight every night, becoming a local attraction with heavy evening sales—leaving Ma Qianshan and the others exhausted.

Li Ye finished his apple and said, "Hire more people if you can. Overtime isn't sustainable. Wang Qiang can't stay cooped up in the warehouse forever—you need someone to replace him."

"Wang Qiang hasn't been in the warehouse these past few days," Jin Peng smirked. "He's sworn brotherhood with Huang Gang and spends all his time at the hospital."

Li Ye blinked. "Sworn brothers? Who set this up?"

It wasn't surprising he was confused—Wang Qiang was a simpleton who couldn't even express his own thoughts. How could he become sworn brothers with a Beijing smooth-talker?

"Himself!" Jin Peng teased. "Our dumb brother's finally woken up!"

Li Ye: "."

Hospitals always reeked of lysol, making patients and families feel the oppressive weight of illness—and incidentally, it had a calming effect.

Only the most optimistic could eat heartily in such an environment, treating illness and pain as nothing.

Huang Gang considered himself optimistic, but after seeing his mother and sister's heart-wrenching grief and their disappointed frustration a few days ago, he sank into self-pity and slapped himself hard several times.

Just as he hit his lowest point, a simple-minded man brought him brilliant light.

"Brother, don't lose heart. Life has no insurmountable hurdles. Look at me—last year I couldn't even afford enough to eat, and now I'm doing fine."

"My brother once told me: 'Back then you ignored me; today you can't even reach me.' I've made it happen."

As Wang Qiang sat at Huang Gang's bedside, talking earnestly, Huang Gang finally found a kindred spirit.

Because Wang Qiang wore a wool suit, shirt, tie, and watch—all clearly high-end items—a true success story.

His parents and sister had always said Huang Gang was grown up with no prospects, that his future was ruined—but look at Wang Qiang, wasn't he proof it was possible?

More importantly, Wang Qiang and Huang Gang got along perfectly—they both had a sense of chivalry.

Huang Gang remembered clearly that night: the desperate cry he'd shouted like grabbing at a straw was answered when this simple-minded Wang Qiang stopped in his tracks, triggering everything that followed.

If Wang Qiang hadn't stopped that night, Huang Gang and his two childhood friends might have been left dead in that alley.

Grateful, Huang Gang proposed becoming sworn brothers with Wang Qiang.

Wang Qiang immediately changed his tone—no longer calling Huang Gang "brother," he started calling him "Big Brother," and came every day to care for him, even more devoted than Huang Gang's own coal-miner father.

Now, Wang Qiang had returned again, bringing roast chicken, braised beef, and other delicacies.

Huang Gang felt embarrassed. "Qiangzi, I'm such a burden on you. Don't worry—I'll be discharged soon. I'll repay all our medical bills, I swear."

"Big Brother, what are you talking about?" Wang Qiang frowned. "Money's just external stuff. The amount you're worrying about now? Once you're successful, you won't even think of it again."

Huang Gang was moved speechless—after all these years, this was the first person who firmly believed he, Huang Gang, would one day succeed!

Just then, a clear girl's voice sounded outside the ward.

"Big Brother Qiang, don't say my brother will become successful. If you keep saying that, he'll start thinking he can fly."

The ward door opened—Huang Gang's mother, Yang Xiujuan, and his sister, Huang Suwen, arrived with food.

As soon as she entered, Huang Suwen frowned.

"Big Brother Qiang, why are you buying meat for my brother again? What if he gets used to it?"

"No problem, no problem. A meal or two won't spoil him."

The confident Wang Qiang instantly softened, revealing his simple nature.

"Won't spoil him? Yesterday it was roast duck, the day before was ham, today—"

Huang Suwen scolded them, making both Huang Gang and Wang Qiang lower their heads, exchanging sheepish glances like two pitiful brothers.

"Enough, enough! Girl, stop nagging. Go serve the chicken soup to your two big brothers."

At their mother's command, Huang Suwen fell silent and ladled two bowls of soup, handing one to Huang Gang and one to Wang Qiang.

Wang Qiang quickly took his bowl and ate politely.

He'd learned this from Li Ye—when eating with them, Li Ye gobbled food loudly,

but Wang Qiang had once seen Li Ye dining with Wen Leyu—his movements were so elegant.

Wang Qiang might be simple, but he knew Little Ye was powerful. If he followed him, he'd never go wrong.

Watching Wang Qiang eat with such relish, Yang Xiujuan's eyes flickered. "Qiang, you spend all day here with Gangzi—don't you have a real job?"

Huang Gang immediately bristled, dropped his soup bowl, and said, "Mom, how can you talk like that? Individual economy is a vital part of our modernization—you can't look down on it!"

Yang Xiujuan and Huang Suwen looked at Huang Gang in surprise after he delivered all that reasoning and asked, "Who taught you that?"

Huang Gang pointed at Wang Qiangqiang: "Look, Qiangzi said it—and just look at him, hasn't he made it too?"

Huang Suwen stared at Wang Qiangqiang as if asking, "You understand this too?"

Wang Qiangqiang's heart thudded like a drum, but he blurted out instinctively: "It's true. From an economic standpoint, new economies inevitably emerge during market-oriented reforms."

Those who associate with the virtuous become virtuous; those who associate with the corrupt become corrupt. Li Ye occasionally imparted economic theories to Jin Peng and others, and Wang Qiangqiang was always the quiet listener.

Jin Peng might be clever, but he never took it seriously; Wang Qiangqiang, stubborn as he was, remembered a lot.

And now it's finally useful.

But this quick-witted girl, Huang Suwen, wasn't easily fooled—she immediately asked, "So you're a self-employed individual?"

"I'm not self-employed."

Wang Qiangqiang pulled out his work ID from his pocket and handed it to Huang Suwen.

Huang Suwen opened it: there was a photo, an official seal, and the title clearly stated: Deputy Business Manager, Pengcheng Apparel Factory No. 7.

Huang Suwen stared at Wang Qiangqiang and asked, "You're a deputy manager?"

Wang Qiangqiang grew flustered and reluctantly told the truth: "My brother's the manager."

Ah, that makes sense.

Huang Suwen closed the ID and returned it to Wang Qiangqiang.

Everyone in Dajing understood—cases like Wang Qiangqiang's were everywhere.

Huang Gang stared blankly at Wang Qiangqiang, his face twisted with grievance.

"So all this time you've been comforting me with talk of self-reliance and eventual success—you're still just a connection guy?"

But Huang Gang's mother thought differently—she began chatting casually with Wang Qiangqiang, and after a while, suddenly asked him a question.

"Qiangzi, how much do you earn a month?"

"I…" Wang Qiangqiang scratched his head, thought for a moment, and said, "It varies—there's subsidies, bonuses, stuff like that—but it's always over a hundred."

This answer was something he'd prepared long ago to fend off his own mother in Qingshui County—now it came in handy.

"Over a hundred yuan?"

The Huang family was awestruck. Huang Gang's father, the family's main breadwinner, earned only forty-some yuan a month—yet Wang Qiangqiang alone earned more than their entire household.

"My goodness, if you saved that hundred-plus yuan, wouldn't you be able to buy a small courtyard in Jingcheng in a few years?"

A sudden insight flashed through Wang Qiangqiang's mind—he blurted out: "Brother Gang, Auntie, are there houses for sale in Dong Er Tiao?"

After Li Ye bought a house in Zaojunmiao, Wang Qiangqiang had resolved to buy one too—right next to Li Ye.

But now he suddenly realized Dong Er Tiao wasn't far from Zaojunmiao.

(End of Chapter)