Chapter 183: Not the Same Flavor

The small truck from Pengcheng Factory No. 7 pulled up in front of Yangcheng Clothing Wholesale Department.

Ergou, inside the wholesale department, heard the commotion and stepped out—his heart lurched, and he silently cursed: This is bad.

Ever since Jin Peng arrived in Yangcheng a few days ago, he'd felt a sense of impending storm.

Now, seeing Hao Jian, Wang Qiang, Li Ye, and five or six other youths who looked clearly hostile suddenly show up, how could he not know trouble was coming?

Ergou's face twisted in despair, not knowing what to do.

【We've only just had a few good days—how could it end now?】

Ergou was among the first to follow Jin Peng and Hao Jian down to Yangcheng; now his monthly salary had risen to several hundred yuan, and he had not a single thought of dissatisfaction.

Because just a year ago, he, Ergou, was a jobless youth who couldn't even afford a pack of cigarettes.

At twenty-something, he spent his days loitering on the streets, and the gossip from aunts and neighbors was as harsh as it could be.

His mother begged everyone she knew to find him a wife, but no matter how many smiles she offered, all she got back were sneers and disdain—even widows refused to live with him.

So when he heard Jin Peng was heading to Yangcheng, Ergou insisted on going along, saying at the time: "I'd rather die out there than stay home and be shamed."

And now, less than a year later, matchmakers had nearly worn out the threshold of his family's door.

Why?

Because Ergou sent money home every month!

Two days ago, his mother had sent two letters through someone, each containing a photo of a girl, saying that by this Spring Festival, he must choose one and get engaged.

Ergou couldn't sleep all night from joy, because one of the girls was his elementary school classmate—he'd once secretly admired her, never imagining fate would turn so sweet, the connection unstoppable.

But a few days ago, Jin Peng suddenly arrived in Yangcheng and had a fierce argument with San Shui, vowing to shut down this gold-mine wholesale department and return everyone to Qingshui County to scrape by.

Ergou had felt uneasy then, but he thought Jin Peng was just drunk—after all, everyone's past had been miserable; surely Jin Peng didn't want to go back to Qingshui County and be a street boss again?

But now that Wang Qiang, Li Ye, and Hao Jian—the "managers"—had all shown up, his good days were surely over.

Wang Qiang spotted Ergou and growled: "Where's San Shui?"

Ergou said: "San Shui went out yesterday and hasn't come back."

Wang Qiang glared at Ergou: "San Shui? You call him that nicely—did you have a hand in his mess?"

Ergou stayed silent—he'd always been with San Shui at the Yangcheng wholesale department, and he'd certainly noticed San Shui's shady deals.

But bound by brotherhood, he said nothing; Jin Peng had already scolded him fiercely two days ago, so how could he dare speak now?

Yet when Li Ye looked over, Ergou felt his thoughts laid bare.

Li Ye softly told Hao Jian: "Talk to him. If it doesn't work, let him go."

Ergou's head instantly rang like a bell, his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed onto the ground.

What did "let him go" mean?

Wasn't it just packing up and getting kicked out?

Not only would he lose this life of luxury, but his elementary school classmate's wife was about to slip away!

No money in your pocket? Even fate will detour eight hundred miles to avoid you.

Jin Peng patted Ergou's shoulder and led him to the truck.

Moments later, Ergou cried out loudly: "I won't do this—I'd rather die than do it!"

A moment after that, a low, frustrated murmur rose from him: "Why me? Why me?"

Li Ye reached into his pocket and realized he hadn't brought cigarettes.

Wang Qiang swiftly pulled out a pack, handed one to Li Ye, and lit it for him.

Li Ye took a deep drag—he hadn't smoked in a long time, and suddenly it felt unfamiliar.

"Qiangzi, remember this: never test brotherhood with personal gain—you can't afford the consequences."

"No problem, Brother. Just keep my money—I don't even know how to spend it anyway. No test could ever affect me and you."

"."

"Pfft, you really trust me."

"Hehehehe."

Wang Qiang chuckled awkwardly, then grew serious, worried: "Brother, are we going to test Brother Jin too?"

Li Ye shook his head: "Brother Jin doesn't need anyone's test—he'll test himself."

Jin Peng sat alone at a street-side stall, occupying an entire table.

Four dishes sat on the table; two bundles of beer rested beneath it.

The dishes had barely been touched, but half the beer bottles were already empty.

He'd started preferring upscale restaurants lately, feeling they matched his "boss" status.

But today, he suddenly felt this humble, smoky stall suited his spirit best.

Jin Peng poured himself a glass, tipped it back, and swallowed the liquor in one go.

He smacked his lips. Why didn't it taste the same?

【Damn it~】

Jin Peng rubbed his scalp, smiling bitterly.

He remembered the old days: a gang of shady friends huddled at home playing cards, then wandered the streets when tired.

Passing the supply and marketing cooperative, they would rummage through every pocket just to scrape together enough money for two bottles of beer.

Then they'd pass it around, sipping, sometimes fighting over the last sip, happily wasting a whole day.

Back then, each of them bragged: "When I get rich, I'll treat the brothers to a restaurant—two dishes each, three bottles of beer."

Now he could order ten or twenty dishes, drink as much as he wanted, yet how could he ever summon back the brothers who once drank with him?

Jin Peng picked up his glass to pour another, but halfway through, the bottle ran dry.

He was about to bend down for another when two people moved faster—one picked up a beer from the ground, opened it, and filled his glass; the other sat down across from him.

Jin Peng looked at Wang Qiang, silently pouring his drink, and Li Ye, silently watching him—and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Hao Jian couldn't hold back and called you over? Did you skip class or just take leave?"

"How dare I skip class? Don't you know how hard it is to get leave before finals? It's just a tiny thing—why couldn't you just make a decision? Now I have to come all this way?"

"."

Jin Peng paused, then said bitterly: "I meant to settle it decisively—but in the end, I realized I'm the one who needs to be settled."

"."

Jin Peng drank another glass, desolate: "That day in Pengcheng, I should've sent San Shui home."

Later, when Hao Jian assigned him to rotate to Dongshan, he refused—and I cursed at Hao Jian, letting San Shui stay in Yangcheng. Everyone agreed he was useless, but I refused to see it. Hah~ hah~"

Jin Peng laughed, tears streaming down his face: "I called myself a genius at picking talent—but I couldn't even see the people around me."

"."

Li Ye waited, motionless, until Jin Peng finished laughing and speaking, then said: "So what are you going to do now?"

Jin Peng wiped his tears and snot with his sleeve: "I'm taking San Shui back to Qingshui County. I'll break his legs if I have to—but I'll take him, make him suffer two more years of hardship, and then he'll understand."

"Fine. If you can take him, I'll hand you the stick. When do we go?"

Li Ye didn't oppose Jin Peng—he eagerly offered to be his accomplice.

Jin Peng froze—he knew perfectly well San Shui's heart was gone; he couldn't be brought back.

After a long silence, Jin Peng helplessly told Li Ye: "Forget it—I won't pretend anymore. You tell me what to do."

Li Ye raised his glass, toasted Jin Peng, then said slowly: "It's simple: execute Ma Su with tears."

"If you can't do it, then as we said back at the Second Grain Store—let's part ways, each go our own way."

"."

At last, Wang Qiang, who had been holding his tongue, spoke.

"Brother Jin, how can you still not see? San Shui's only been with you a few days—me, Xiao Ye, and Da Yong are your brothers. Are you going to throw us away for San Shui?"

Jin Peng exhaled slowly: "I've thought of this solution—but I kept hoping there was a better way."

"There isn't," Li Ye said sternly. "Brother Jin, if you only want to be a boss, do as you please—your own pain, your own burden.

But if you want to run a business alone, you must separate public from private—or you'll eventually kill everyone."

Li Ye wasn't frightening him.

His ragtag crew was thick with "bandit spirit"—loyalty, no fear of the law, boldness that had brought them this far.

But such startup teams inevitably harbor hidden dangers during rapid growth.

For example, key people hold enormous operational autonomy—many small deals, like San Shui's and Ma Qianshan's, can be decided with a single word.

That creates space for hidden threats.

But with such extreme manpower shortages now, if you don't delegate flexibly—like a mature company where every task needs three approvals, seven signatures, eight stamps, and layers of rules to prevent danger—how can you compete with companies like Xicheng Department Store?

Do you really think decades-old enterprises have no weight? Do you think Tian Hongshan's people are weaker than Ma Qianshan?

They're bound by too many restrictions, stuck in place, watching Pengcheng Factory No. 7 overtake them, wanting to chase but unable to break free.

So Pengcheng Factory No. 7 must delegate authority—otherwise you won't survive.

But you must also supervise. San Shui is the first rotten apple—but certainly not the last.

His emergence now isn't bad—if Jin Peng has the guts to sacrifice him as a warning, it might even be fortune.

But if Jin Peng, one of the two major factions, remains indecisive, Li Ye will never allow him to stay in the team.

Jin Peng had broken into a cold sweat without realizing it.

No matter what, he wouldn't let anyone drag Li Ye or Wang Qiang down.

He was smart—he realized now that every word Li Ye had spoken back then had come true.

With money and status, he could now sit in meetings with a group of section chiefs and division directors.

Would the phrase "blurring public and private interests kills everyone" become a joke?

Thinking of Private Secretary Li Zhong's decisiveness and ruthlessness, Jin Peng finally understood.

He silently poured himself a cup of wine and tipped it back.

It was still somewhat bitter, but after savoring it carefully, he seemed to detect a new flavor.

(End of Chapter)