Chapter 4: Chapter Four: The Smart Ones of the Era

The last period in the afternoon was self-study, and ten minutes before dismissal, Li Ye packed his bag and bolted out.

Class monitor Hu Man hurriedly called out: “Li Ye, where are you going? School hasn’t ended yet!”

Li Ye didn’t turn around: “Monitor, I’ve got something to take care of—please get me excused.”

Hu Man shouted in anger: “It’s just a few more minutes—why take leave? I...”

But Li Ye was already out of the classroom, meeting up with Li Dayong as planned, and vanished in a flash.

Hu Man was furious, her chest rising and falling, revealing quite the ample pair of rabbits.

Yet in the end, she took out a sheet of paper and wrote Li Ye a leave note, so the teacher wouldn’t have questions.

Li Dayong and Li Ye left school, sharing a second-hand 28-inch bicycle, heading north toward County No. 1 High School.

County No. 1 High and County No. 2 High weren’t far apart—they arrived in under ten minutes.

Li Dayong stopped the bike, lit a cigarette, then asked Li Ye in a low voice: “Brother, are you really decided?”

Li Ye gave a slight nod: “Yeah, decided.”

Today, Li Ye had come to the gates of County No. 1 High to collect a debt.

When he and Lu Jingyao got engaged, he had given her a 26-inch Phoenix bicycle.

In the 1980s, a Phoenix bicycle required ration coupons and cost over 180 yuan; without coupons, you couldn’t buy one even for 300. The 26-inch model was rarer than the 28-inch, making it more coveted than a modern sedan.

At the time, Li Ye’s grandfather and father had just resumed work for over a year; after using their industrial coupons to buy two bicycles, they planned to get Li Ye a 28-inch Feiyang.

But Li Ye insisted on giving Lu Jingyao a bike, so his grandfather went out of his way to secure this 26-inch Phoenix, suitable for a woman, as an engagement gift.

The engagement caused a sensation comparable to gifting a BMW to a granddaughter-in-law in later times.

So even if the Lu family was reluctant, they should have returned the bicycle when breaking off the engagement.

But when Lu’s father came to Li’s home to end the engagement, Li Ye’s father threw the fish and meat out the door, cursing: “The dowry was just food for dogs!”

Lu Jingyao’s father didn’t pick up the fish and meat either, but he didn’t leave the Phoenix behind.

Li Ye’s steady grandfather and frugal grandmother didn’t stop Lu’s father from riding away on it.

Back then, Li Ye might not have understood—but now he knew clearly: his grandparents were swallowing their rage to leave their grandson an escape route.

If Li Ye had passed the college entrance exam this year, the Li family would have played good cop and bad cop to win back their grandson’s heart.

The Lu family likely had the same thoughts.

This unreturned Phoenix bicycle was the fragile thread tying the two families together.

After Lu Jingyao went to Beijing for school, she gave the Phoenix to her younger brother, Lu Zixue, who was in first year of high school at County No. 1.

Former Li Ye had fantasized that Lu Jingyao might change her mind—he’d walk everywhere on foot rather than demand the bike back.

But this Li Ye? He had no such magnanimity.

If it were just past history and we parted ways peacefully, fine—but Lu Jingyao publicly sent money to school, branding Li Ye as Huang Shiren, treating him like a sucker?

You can’t keep taking my benefits while loudly proclaiming your “freedom.”

Most importantly... Li Ye himself still didn’t have a bike! He couldn’t go anywhere easily—why should she?

Li Dayong took a deep drag on his cigarette, hesitating: “Brother, if you take back that Phoenix, you two are really...”

Li Ye glanced at Li Dayong: “Is Lu Jingyao really that great? Must I hang myself on her tree? My brother’s got the ability to own the whole forest.”

“.........”

Li Dayong stared blankly for a long moment, blinking, unable to fully grasp Li Ye’s words.

【So it wasn’t you who was dying for Lu Jingyao back then?】

Li Ye didn’t explain further, just patted his shoulder to reassure him.

Though this childhood best friend was big, burly, and looked like a bear, he had a surprisingly thoughtful side.

For instance, when he yelled at Lu Jingyao’s doorstep, or suggested today at lunch, “Go to Beijing and curse Chen Shimei”—both had a clear goal.

To force Lu Jingyao to reconcile with Li Ye.

【If you won’t come out and explain to my brother, I’ll scream your dirty business all over town. If you dare be Chen Shimei, I’ll make sure the whole school knows.】

Li Ye’s wrongful reputation as “Huang Shiren” owed much to Li Dayong’s “Mu Renzhi” support.

“Brother, school’s almost out—let’s move farther from the gate!”

As dismissal neared, Li Dayong suddenly grew nervous.

“Huh? What are you afraid of?”

“The teachers at No. 1 High are tough—I’m afraid they’ll meddle like dogs chasing rats.”

“..........”

County No. 1 High differed from County No. 2 High—not only was its academic discipline strict, but it also dealt harshly with outsiders.

In 1981, street thugs were already extorting kids, but none dared cause trouble at County No. 1’s gate; Li Dayong’s rough appearance instantly raised teachers’ suspicions.

“What’s to fear? Teachers’ authority ends inside the school—can they reach outside?” Li Ye said dismissively.

“That’s right—teachers’ hands may be long, but they can’t reach beyond the school gates.” Someone nearby echoed.

Li Ye and Li Dayong turned to see a man around thirty grinning at them.

The man had approached earlier; Li Ye and Li Dayong assumed he was picking up a child—but now it seemed otherwise.

Li Dayong scowled sharply: “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Boys back then grew up watching patriotic films and instinctively suspected spies, thugs, or villains—this man spoke with a foreign accent; he might be trouble.

The man wasn’t offended, still smiling: “I sell sesame candy. Gentlemen, care for some?”

“What gentlemen? You think this is feudal times? Selling sesame candy... you don’t fear the Anti-Speculation Office arresting you?”

Li Dayong wore a face of moral righteousness, but his mouth watered as he swallowed.

The Anti-Speculation Office had been powerful for over a decade, playing a major role in crushing nascent capitalist impulses.

“Don’t throw around baseless labels,” the man said. “Higher-ups have said individual economy is a necessary supplement to state and collective economies...”

As he spoke, he pulled out a newspaper, with a red pen marking an article titled “Certain Policy Provisions on Urban Non-Agricultural Individual Economy.”

Li Ye was surprised—wise people were everywhere; one must never underestimate the heroes of the world.

The policy had been issued months ago; many departments hadn’t even grasped its spirit yet, yet someone had already seized the chance to “seek fortune through risk.”

This commercial instinct and daring spirit could stir massive ripples in this stagnant pond.

Of course, many would drown too—after all, the crime of speculation wasn’t abolished until 1997, and wrongful convictions were inevitable.

“How much for your sesame candy?”

Li Ye walked up to the man, gesturing for him to show his goods.

The man unrolled his bundle, revealing a small clay pot inside, half-filled with amber-brown sesame candy.

Sesame candy was a time-honored snack, most famous in Tangshan to the north and Hubei to the south, made from glutinous rice, sesame, and maltose—fragrant, sweet, thin, and crisp, with unique flavor.

Li Dayong’s saliva flowed more freely, emitting a loud slurp.

In an era where everything still required ration coupons, the temptation of such sweets was immense.

This guy was clearly waiting by the school gate to lure students.

The man grinned: “One yuan per kilogram. How much do you want?”

Li Dayong nearly jumped: “One yuan a kilo? White Rabbit candies are one-fifty a jin—I think you’re...”

“Hey hey hey, you misunderstood.”

The man quickly explained: “I mean kilogram. White Rabbit is one-fifty per jin—and you need sugar coupons too...”

Damn, this guy was a crook.

Li Ye smiled, didn’t expose him, just pulled out two yuan and tossed them over.

The man snatched the two one-yuan notes into his pocket, then grabbed a scale to weigh the candy.

He’d already spotted this kid was rich—but didn’t expect him to be a big customer.

He’d been standing by the school gate all day, earning pennies—five or six fen at a time—sometimes days before he’d even make two yuan!

Li Ye didn’t care about a few yuan—he was the only boy in the family; his grandfather, grandmother, father, and sister all gave him pocket money. He wasn’t a millionaire, but he was a minor rich kid.

But when he saw the candy seller press his right pinky against the scale beam, he felt anger rise.

Cheating with a crooked scale? Don’t you know who you’re dealing with? Think I’m a kid you can fool?

“Cough~”

A light cough startled the seller—he immediately stopped, grabbed another large chunk of candy and piled it onto the scale, bending the beam upward.

“Two yuan, two kilograms plus four liang. Should I wrap it in two portions?”

“Wrap it in three.”

The man pulled out pre-cut white paper, swiftly bundled the candy into three portions, and handed them to Li Ye.

Li Ye and Li Dayong each took one to eat, and stashed the third in their schoolbags.

The candy seller squatted, watching the school gate, waiting for the next customer.

He’d sold nearly half his stock—today looked like a good day’s earnings.

Li Ye ate the candy, idly chatting with the man.

“You’re a sent-down youth? Never returned to the city?”

“Got married here. Can’t go back.”

“Leave me your address—I might need you later.”

“I wander the city—either here at County No. 1 High, or at Yuhong Middle School...”

Got it—he’s cautious. A useful henchman worth recruiting.