Chapter 246: Fish Find Fish, Shrimp Find Shrimp, Frogs Match Toads

Li Dayong held the 1,000 US dollars and sat under the girls' dormitory building for an entire night.

Beijing at the end of April was no longer cold, and Li Dayong's body was also very strong, but when dawn came, he couldn't help but cough lightly.

Li Dayong, who was like a bear, thought for a whole night but still didn't understand what the "angry words" Li Ye left behind when he left meant.

This wasn't because Li Dayong wasn't smart enough; after all, in the simple social environment of '83, perhaps only those romantic poets would let their imagination run wild in the direction of the fusion of spirit and softness.

But Li Ye's sentence, "See what she can give you, weigh it yourself to see if it's worth it," tortured Li Dayong for an entire night.

"I give her 1,000 US dollars, what will she give me? Will it be like when we first met, giving me a brilliant smile? Or warm care?"

Li Dayong looked at the girls' dormitory building that was gradually showing signs of activity, vaguely having expectations.

Last year, Li Dayong was politely rejected by Hu Man, just when he was desolate and empty, but at a gathering of the Dongshan fellow-townsmen association, he met Lin Qiuyan, who was already a sophomore.

The hometowns of the two were no more than fifty kilometers apart, their accents were similar, and Lin Qiuyan was a senior student with the enthusiasm to take care of new students. Li Dayong soon found intimate warmth in the other's brilliant smile.

Later, the two formed a new-era couple amidst the well-meaning teasing of those around them.

Li Dayong felt for the first time the consideration of someone handing over a handkerchief when he was sweating profusely.

He also tasted for the first time the feeling in "Lushan Love" of missing someone so much that he always wanted to see her every day.

It's just that I don't know when it started—it seemed to be this Spring Festival, or maybe it was even earlier—this feeling slowly changed.

Li Dayong still looked forward to meeting Lin Qiuyan every day, but after meeting her every time, he found that he was always "making mistakes," and the anxiety he tasted was far greater than the warmth he once had.

And Lin Qiuyan's irritability and blame were clearly increasing more and more.

Li Dayong sometimes asked himself clearly, where did the Lin Qiuyan who used to take him around the campus and scatter laughter all the way go?

【Did I lose her?】

Li Dayong tried his best to change himself, to make himself the kind of "ambitious" boy Lin Qiuyan talked about, but with the failure of the TOEFL, it seemed that all efforts were in vain.

【Where exactly did I go wrong?】

Li Dayong couldn't help but shake his head and reach into his pants pocket to grope, wanting to smoke a cigarette to refresh himself, so he could have a good chat with Lin Qiuyan later.

But after his hand reached into his pants pocket, he remembered that he had already quit smoking.

Because Lin Qiuyan didn't like boys who smoked.

When he was in the high school repeat class, one of Li Dayong's biggest wishes was to be able to smoke Daqian Sect in the future, smoking as many as he wanted every day, not short of money.

But when he got to university, when he didn't even look at Daqian Sect and didn't think much of Mudan cigarettes, he had actually quit smoking.

"Li Dayong, what are you doing sitting here?"

A puzzled call woke up the dazed Li Dayong.

He looked up and found it was two girls from his class, Shao Huimin and Meng Qingli.

Both were in sportswear, clearly preparing to go out for a morning run, and just happened to see Li Dayong, who had been sitting there all night.

Li Dayong felt a bit awkward and said with a smile, "Oh, I just finished my morning run and am waiting for someone here!"

Shao Huimin looked at Li Dayong's slightly moist hair and said with some doubt, "You just went for a morning run?"

Shao Huimin was on the school's long-distance running team and was too familiar with what a person looked like after just running.

Li Dayong's complexion wasn't rosy at all, but vaguely pale. Looking at his hair that was moist on the outside and the cool dew on the bench, it looked like he had been sitting there for a long time.

Li Dayong saw Shao Huimin's doubt and hurriedly changed the subject, "Are you guys also going for a morning run? Eh, the sportswear you are wearing today is that 'Domestic Goods Should Be Self-Strengthening' Fenghua brand? It's really beautiful!"

Although the subject change was a bit stiff, when it came to clothes, girls would naturally be interested.

And the new sportswear on the two girls was indeed much better looking than the generally blue sportswear nowadays.

"Yeah! We went to buy them on Sunday and queued for two hours!"

"Queued for two hours? Are you buying train tickets? Is it worth it?"

Li Dayong made a half-joke, although he knew their Fenghua brand was quite good, he didn't expect a few proud university students to be willing to queue up to buy it.

After all, the school still advocated "hard work and plain living" at this time, and most students didn't have much money in their pockets. A piece of clothing costing dozens of yuan wasn't really cheap.

Meng Qingli smiled and said, "It's already good that we could buy them after queuing for two hours. Qu Qianqian wanted to buy the Docou series casual wear, but after queuing for three hours, she only got a pre-sale ticket. It's not even certain when it will arrive."

"Docou series?" Li Dayong nodded and said, "I know this series. It's specifically aimed at us young people. The quality and style are both quite good."

"It's more than just good," Shao Huimin said gossiping, "It's not that you don't know the goods, it's that you are afraid of comparing goods. We heard from Qu Qianqian that the clothes in the Friendship Store are not as good as the Docou series, but they are just too hard to buy."

"Is that so?" Li Dayong thought for a while and said, "Actually, I do have some connections for this. If you want to buy Fenghua brand in the future, maybe I can help."

The two girls were stunned, then asked happily, "Then can you help us ask if the Liren series is still in stock? My sister has gone to buy it many times, but she just can't grab it..."

"The reason you can't grab it is that people are too superficial, don't recognize the true face of the facts, and are willing to be deceived by those unscrupulous merchants."

"..."

A cold voice sounded behind the two girls, making the few people who were just chatting happily lose their interest.

Shao Huimin and Meng Qingli looked back and saw Lin Qiuyan holding two books, walking over slowly.

Lin Qiuyan had the habit of morning reading. Today, after going downstairs, she saw Li Dayong and the two girls. After walking over and listening to the three "chatting happily," she didn't know why, but the sarcastic words just came out of her mouth.

Li Dayong frowned and just wanted to explain a few words, but Shao Huimin and Meng Qingli were unhappy.

"Minister Lin, what do you mean by that? Who are you calling superficial? Who are you saying was deceived?"

"Exactly! You like to wear imported travel shoes and pants yourself, so what's wrong with our 'Domestic Goods Should Be Self-Strengthening'?"

The two girls had finally bought two sets of good-looking and comfortable sportswear, but they were called "superficial" and "deceived" by Lin Qiuyan. How could they be willing?

"Did I say you were superficial?"

Lin Qiuyan's cold eyes swept over, staring emphatically at Li Dayong before saying, "Fenghua brand clothing put out advertisements for 'Domestic Goods Should Be Self-Strengthening' and 'Export Turned Domestic Sales' two months ago."

"If it really is 'Domestic Goods Should Be Self-Strengthening,' it shouldn't use 'Export Turned Domestic Sales' as a gimmick for publicity, and it shouldn't deceive people even more. And you... you were just deceived."

Shao Huimin was stunned, then said very unhappily, "What conflict is there between 'Domestic Goods Should Be Self-Strengthening' and 'Export Turned Domestic Sales'?"

"Our goods are good, so they can be exported. We people in the mainland have needs, so they turn to domestic sales. What's wrong with that? Isn't it better than those imported goods that are clearly not good-looking but sell for hundreds of yuan?"

Because Lin Qiuyan had a cousin who returned from abroad, she always had one or two imported items on her and always thought her vision was more "fashionable" than others. Placed in a group of girls, that was the existence of a hatred collector.

But facing Shao Huimin's insinuation, Lin Qiuyan said coldly, "Do you know that Fenghua brand clothing was only just registered after this year's Spring Festival, but this year's Spring Canton Fair has just ended?"

"Then you tell me, when did they export? If they aren't deceiving people, what are they?"

"..."

Shao Huimin and Meng Qingli were instantly stumped.

Since there was no export, where did "turned domestic sales" come from? This was indeed an irrefutable loophole.

The two girls looked down at the new sportswear on their bodies and suddenly felt it wasn't as fragrant anymore.

"You are wrong, Qiuyan. Fenghua clothing didn't deceive people."

"..."

The three girls turned their heads violently and uniformly to look at Li Dayong, who had spoken.

Lin Qiuyan's little eyes were even colder, as if they were emitting cold air.

But Li Dayong slowly stood up and said eloquently, "At the beginning of its founding, the Fenghua brand was facing both the mainland and foreign markets."

"The three-button belted small trench coat from their 'Liren' series, the stand-collar short casual jacket from the 'Doukou' series, and this piece of sportswear from the 'Saoshuang' series worn by Shao Huimin, all won awards at the Fuso Tokyo Fashion Festival this March."

"And at the recently concluded Spring Canton Fair, Fenghua clothing won orders totaling more than 2.8 million US dollars from twenty-one countries and regions. This news even made it into the Guangzhou newspapers..."

Shao Huimin, Meng Qingli, and Lin Qiuyan were all stunned.

Especially Lin Qiuyan.

She looked at Li Dayong, who was narrating calmly, as if in a flash of time and space, she had returned to more than half a year ago.

At that time, Li Dayong was also like this—confident, cheerful, and interesting...

But today's time and occasion were wrong.

Lin Qiuyan was confronting the two girls. Whose side are you, Li Dayong, standing on?

Are you blind? Have you changed your heart? Have you taken a fancy to these two little girls who haven't grown up yet?

Li Dayong wasn't blind, nor had he changed his heart.

But Fenghua clothing was the hard work of Li Ye, Jin Peng, and several other brothers. Even if he, Li Dayong, was a bastard, he had to stand up to defend its innocence.

Lin Qiuyan took several deep breaths before she could hold back from scolding Li Dayong loudly.

"The contract for Fenghua clothing was just signed, but the fact of export hasn't been formed,"

Lin Qiuyan said contemptuously, "And since you say Fenghua clothing is so good, then do you know that the styles of Fenghua clothing were not designed by our countrymen, but authorized to us by a Hong Kong company?"

"Then can it still be considered domestic goods? We should honestly admit the gap with the international level, and we shouldn't use such despicable means to deceive the public."

Shao Huimin and Meng Qingli were very surprised. They didn't expect that just a morning encounter could hear so many novel news.

The novel news hadn't ended yet.

Just as Lin Qiuyan's voice fell, the two girls saw Li Dayong's complexion change suddenly, becoming very serious.

"Then do you know that the styles of Fenghua clothing were designed by us mainlanders, but he didn't have the opportunity to participate in overseas exhibitions, so he cooperated with Hong Kong? How is it not domestic goods?"

The process of Li Ye modifying the styles in Fan Xiuling's shop was witnessed by Jin Peng and Hao Jian throughout. How could Jin Peng not show off such a bridge of boosting one's own morale and destroying the prestige of others to his good brother?

Now that Lin Qiuyan said this, it was equivalent to stabbing Li Ye directly. Li Dayong couldn't hold it anymore.

"And Lin Qiuyan, I'll remind you of one point: Hong Kong is the territory of our Central Plains. Goods from Hong Kong are also domestic goods."

"..."

Lin Qiuyan's face turned pale instantly.

Li Dayong's intense words made her feel the sharp pain of a "backstab."

"Li Dayong, do you know what you are saying?"

Lin Qiuyan's voice was even trembling.

Li Dayong was also uncomfortable, but he still insisted, "I am clarifying your misunderstanding. Domestic goods are difficult. I hope everyone will have less prejudice and more support for them."

In fact, starting from the Second Grain Store, Li Ye had been subtly instilling the idea that "foreign countries are nothing extraordinary, the Central Plains is the most awesome" into the eight-person small group.

Facing Lin Qiuyan's little temper, Li Dayong could accept it with a smile and grievance. Facing Lin Qiuyan's pursuit of imported goods and yearning for overseas, he could also not argue or oppose.

But when encountering such obvious misunderstanding and contempt, the spark planted by Li Ye in his bones "swooshed" and burned, supporting his righteous resistance.

Lin Qiuyan bit her lip and remained silent for a long time before asking Li Dayong coldly, "Are you waiting for me here early in the morning just to tell me these things?"

"..."

Li Dayong didn't speak immediately, but Meng Qingli said indignantly, "Hey, I said Lin Qiuyan, Li Dayong is resting here after his morning run, how is he waiting for you?"

Lin Qiuyan didn't pay attention to Meng Qingli but looked at Li Dayong.

Li Dayong was stunned for a long time before suddenly laughing and saying, "Yes, I was indeed waiting for you here, and I have been waiting for you for an entire night."

Shao Huimin: "..."

Meng Qingli: "..."

Li Dayong smiled at the two classmates, signaling them to leave first.

After the two female classmates left, Li Dayong said, "I found a friend who can exchange for US dollars, and I was waiting for you here..."

Li Dayong originally wanted to take out the US dollars directly, but remembering what Li Ye said, he inexplicably set an ambush.

Then, Li Dayong saw Lin Qiuyan's cold eyes become a bit more relaxed.

"Then why did you wait for a night? And why were you and Shao Huimin and the others just now..."

"I waited here for a night because... I wanted to ask you a question,"

Li Dayong looked up at Lin Qiuyan and after hesitating for a long time, said, "I heard people say that many students studying abroad don't want to return to the country after seeing the prosperity overseas. Then you..."

"Dayong, what are you saying? Are you trying to ruin me? Do you know that once this kind of rumor spreads, my study abroad qualification will be canceled immediately?"

"..."

Facing the suddenly excited Lin Qiuyan, Li Dayong was caught off guard, but his heart gradually cooled down.

Lin Qiuyan's reaction shouldn't be so intense.

Lin Qiuyan had told Li Dayong more than once that her cousin who studied abroad in the Lighthouse had seen how beautiful the world was in the Lighthouse.

How advanced were the clothes, cars, and commodities in the Lighthouse, how respected were the intellectuals in the Lighthouse, and after graduation, she was even delayed for several months before returning to the country helplessly.

This was naturally contrary to the philosophy Li Ye had instilled for two years.

"Alright Dayong, I will write to you," Lin Qiuyan exhaled and said, "How many US dollars does your friend have? Is it one for five or one for six? If it's one for seven, I won't exchange it."

Li Dayong shook his head, reached out and took out the US dollars Li Ye gave him, and said at the same time, "My friend gave them to me. You don't need to exchange them."

Lin Qiuyan looked at Li Dayong in surprise a few times, then said mercilessly, "Slapping your face to look fat will only make people feel pathetic."

"Li Dayong, where did the restraint and humility you had when you first came to school go? Are you using money to maintain your self-confidence?"

"If you fail the TOEFL, you can take it again next year, but if you don't even have self-confidence, what hope do you have?"

"You got into Jing University from a small county, and your family spoiled you a bit, so you think you are extraordinary? Do you know that there are countless people in this world who are better than you and work harder than you..."

"..."

Li Dayong looked at Lin Qiuyan in shock, listening to her didactic reprimands, and suddenly felt... very funny.

【Wasn't my self-confidence all destroyed by you, Lin Qiuyan?】

Yes, Li Dayong's academic performance wasn't as good as Lin Qiuyan's, and he was just in the middle of the class, unlike Lin Qiuyan, who was a top student in the school.

But he had never lost confidence; he had been working hard.

As for saying that his family spoiled him a bit, it wasn't wrong.

Li Dayong had never had the pride of "earning his own money." He was brought to fly by Li Ye, and Li Ye was his family.

So Lin Qiuyan always advised him to "be ambitious," and he accepted it with an open mind.

But now he suddenly understood, who the hell isn't brought to fly?

One for five, one for six, do you, Lin Qiuyan, have your own money?

Aren't you also having your family pay for you to exchange for US dollars to supply you to study abroad and see the prosperous world?

Fish find fish, shrimp find shrimp, frogs find toads.

Lin Qiuyan had always thought he, Li Dayong, was a frog.

But at the Second Grain Store, Li Ye clearly told everyone, "We are golden carp that have jumped over the dragon gate, riding the clouds and turning into dragons."

"Heh~~"

Li Dayong looked up at the sky and laughed freely.

An invisible shackle seemed to shatter inch by inch with this light laugh.

A man's liberation is always a moment of intention.

So many people are wrongly classified as "scumbags."

But in fact, this "scumbag" might have been compromising for a long, long time before liberation.

Li Dayong clenched the 1,000 US dollars and turned to leave decisively.

Lin Qiuyan was stunned, and only after watching Li Dayong go further and further away did she shout angrily, "Li Dayong, what do you mean by this?"

Li Dayong paused, turned his head lightly, and revealed a brilliant smile.

"Nothing. From now on, you don't need to write to me. We... are not people on the same path."

"..."

"Li Dayong, don't regret it!"

"Rest assured, I will never regret it!"

Li Dayong smiled, turned, and started running, as if afraid Lin Qiuyan would catch up.

The faster he ran, the more refreshed he felt in his heart.

【So, after letting go completely, it's not that painful.】

"Li Dayong, didn't you just go for a morning run? Why are you running so fast?"

Shao Huimin and Meng Qingli, who were running, met Li Dayong and teased this infatuated guy with a smile.

But Li Dayong laughed "haha" and accelerated his pace to run out of the school gate.

He ran across the road, squeezed onto the bus, arrived at Jing University all the way, and then found Li Ye panting, taking out the 1,000 US dollars.

"Brother, return it to you."

Li Ye looked at Li Dayong, who was panting like a dog, and laughed for a long time before saying, "Have you thought it through?"

"Thought it through. She's not a bad person, but... it's not worth it."

Li Dayong patted the 1,000 US dollars into Li Ye's hand and said with a smile, "Brother, you are right. I have the qualification to choose a forest.

I don't need to accommodate anyone, and I don't need to suffer grievances for anyone. There are fragrant grasses everywhere in the world. I will always meet a girl who truly likes me and whom I truly like."

"..."

Even though Li Ye had long speculated, he was still surprised by Li Dayong's "growth."

【I won't be cultivating a romantic little prince, will I?】

Li Ye thought for a while and said seriously, "Dayong, you have to tell me what exactly happened."

Li Dayong wasn't embarrassed and directly told the story of this morning.

"Brother, the rest is fine, but I finally realized that her values are incompatible with ours. She is full of respect for the prosperity overseas, but full of contempt for our own 'hard work to get rich.' This is very contradictory."

"It is quite contradictory," Li Ye pondered for a moment and asked Li Dayong, "That Lin Qiuyan actually knows the registration time of Fenghua clothing and the Hong Kong design authorization?"

Li Dayong didn't notice Li Ye's abnormality and nodded, explaining, "Yes, after her cousin returned from studying abroad, she worked in the foreign trade system. She should have told Lin Qiuyan."

"Oh~, so that's how it is."

Li Ye nodded and asked another topic, "You said your classmates couldn't buy Fenghua brand clothing?"

Li Dayong said, "Yeah! I slipped my tongue at the time and said I had connections. Look, at most a dozen clothes won't affect normal sales, right?"

"It won't affect it, but your method is wrong."

Li Ye thought for a while and said, "After you return to school, you can contact your head teacher or the student union and say that Fenghua clothing intends to hold a student special session at your school, selling a certain amount of clothing at a 30% discount for students, and ask if they are interested."

Li Dayong was stunned for a while and hurriedly shook his head, "Brother, I just wanted to help a few classmates. You don't need to lose money and shout for my face."

"Who said I lost money? Have you seen me do anything that loses money? Hurry up and work. Now is the time for you, this shareholder, to work for everyone."

Li Ye smiled and punched Li Dayong, driving the confused bear away.

Children in the eighties had limited knowledge. Where would they know that university students are one of the groups most likely to accept fashion? As long as the reputation is established among the university student group, their influence on the Fenghua brand is astonishing.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 247 =====