1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 30: Abalone, Shark's Fin, and Mackerel

"Mr. Zhai, all the things you entrusted have been completed."

At 6:30 pm, Shen Wei returned to the housing estate to see Zhai Yuan, and he returned with four cameras and more than a hundred videotapes.

Sitting in the corridor of the housing estate, Shen Wei said to Zhai Yuan again: "The problem now is that Shao Yahui has teamed up with his brother-in-law in the Directors Association to use the content of Article 17 of the Film Censorship Regulations to require you to suspend business for a month and conduct a self-inspection."

"So, my video hall needs to be closed for a month?" Zhai Yuan asked without raising his head, stroking the equipment he had lost and found.

"If you can find an excellent lawyer like me, I promise to get your video studio back in business in seven days at most."

Shen Wei bared his white teeth at Zhai Yuan, and then continued, "But the price will be a little higher, because I need to go to court to sue the police force and the Directors Association for illegal behavior. I won't have time to take business from other neighbors for at least a week."

Zhai Yuan closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then smiled at Shen Wei: "Mr. Shen, you have worked hard, but I would like to take a month off during this time."

Shen Wei shook his head with some regret when he heard this.

In his opinion, this young man in the housing estate was obviously frightened by the background of Shao Yahui and his brother-in-law Deng Zecheng. He said he was taking a month off, but in fact it was equivalent to voluntarily withdrawing from the video hall business.

But it's none of my business. Since the other party has made the decision, my commission ends here.

"Mr. Zhai, it's a pleasure to work with you. If there's nothing else, I'll leave first."

Shen Wei stood up and shook hands with Zhai Yuan as usual.

Just as he was about to leave, Zhai Yuan's voice rang out again.

"Lawyer Shen, how much do you charge for some legal advice?"

"Thirty dollars an hour."

"Then remember to review all the regulations in Hong Kong regarding opening a video studio like mine when you go back."

After Zhai Yuan finished his request, he added: "If time permits, please help me do a market research on the current situation of Hong Kong theaters. I think one night is enough for you to figure out these issues. Come here tomorrow morning with the answers. See you there."

……

The news that the video hall was closed spread quickly.

When Zhai Yuan returned to the housing estate, he noticed that many eyes were on him.

To take pleasure in someone else's misfortune, to feel regret and sorrow, and to watch from the sidelines.

A picture of the bustling life in the neighborhood.

When he returned to the door of his house and stood outside the window, he clearly felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere in the house.

The lights were on in the room. Zhao Meizhen and Zhai Yao were sitting at the table, absent-mindedly doing their old job of threading rubber flowers.

The TV was covered with a layer of red cloth, indicating that it might never see the light of day again.

In the room, the voices of Zhao Meizhen and Zhai Yao's conversation reached Zhai Yuan's ears.

Zhao Meizhen: "Fortunately, I didn't listen to your brother and cut off contact with those outsourcing factories. Otherwise, others would have gotten there first and I wouldn't have been able to receive any orders in the future."

Zhai Yao: "I am miserable. I listened to him and quit my job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. When I went to ask again today, the boss had already hired another girl to replace me. Now I can't go back even if I want to."

Zhao Meizhen: "Don't say such things in front of your brother. Tomorrow I will walk around with you to see if there are any factories hiring female workers."

Zhai Yao: "Of course I know. It doesn't matter. We have been poor for so many years. Just treat the good days recently as a dream. Now that the dream is over, we can continue to work~"

Zhai Yuan stood outside the window with a smile on his face.

It’s okay, I’m able to keep my composure. I’m just afraid that they’ll collapse before I do.

"Hmm!" After a light cough, the mother and daughter in the room suddenly shut their mouths and looked towards the door in unison.

Zhai Yuan walked into the room with a swagger.

Glancing at the plastic flowers on the table, he pretended to be dissatisfied and said, "Didn't I tell you not to bring these things home? Ms. Zhao Meizhen, as the mother of a future tycoon, you are about to enter the upper class. You must get rid of this bad habit as soon as possible!"

Zhao Meizhen and Zhai Yao looked at each other and saw the surprise and suspicion in each other's eyes.

Did it stimulate your brain?
"Yaoyao, are the last three episodes of "Flying Over the Eighteen Floors" going to be broadcast today? Don't you want to know the ending of Qiufa and Lewen?"

Zhai Yuan casually tore off the red cloth covering the TV, turned on the TV and tuned to the Jade Channel.

Unfortunately, Zhai Yao's mind was not on the TV screen at all at the moment. She looked up and gave him a forced smile.

Zhao Meizhen grabbed Zhai Yao's arm and muttered distressedly: "Electricity bill, my electricity bill..."

Zhai Yuan turned around and asked, "Ama, what did you say?"

"Nothing!" Zhao Meizhen immediately smiled: "Ayuan, even the upper class needs to eat. Are you hungry? I'll give you a bowl of egg noodles."

Zhai Yuan waved his hand: "No, I ordered takeout from Guanji Restaurant, a family meal of abalone, shark's fin and pork belly. You guys watch TV first, I'll go out and wait for the waiter."

After saying that, he walked straight outside and closed the door again.

"Alas--"

As soon as the door closed, Zhai Yao's eyes showed fear and a scream came out of her throat.

She kept slapping Zhao Meizhen with her hands: "Dead, dead, brother really can't stand the stimulation, and he wants to hold us and die together!"

Zhao Meizhen glared at her: "What nonsense are you talking about!"

"Didn't you hear what he said just now? The whole family will be wiped out!"

Zhai Yao stared at Zhai Yuan standing outside the window smoking and whispered, "I saw in the news that many rich people would jump off buildings with their wives and children after they went bankrupt. Would he want to do the same?"

Although it was an unfounded association, Zhao Meizhen was also shocked by Zhai Yao's words.

She swallowed and tried to remain calm: "No way! How could your brother do such a thing!"

Having said that, a few minutes later, when Zhai Yuan placed the takeaway dishes brought by the restaurant waiter on the table one by one, Zhao Meizhen and Zhai Yao both pursed their lips unconsciously.

"Why, not to your taste?" Zhai Yuan asked curiously.

The mother and daughter both shook their heads and forced smiles.

"Then use your chopsticks. The food won't taste good if it gets cold."

No matter how deeply Zhai Yuan thought about it, he could not have guessed that his mother and sister's thoughts were so divergent.

He picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of sea cucumber and put it into his mouth.

Snap! Zhao Meizhen moved quickly and grabbed his wrist.

"Ayuan, your mother is not educated and cannot give you profound advice, but when I was a child, I watched a play on stage, which said that Zhuge Liang was still fishing by the river at the age of 73. In the end, he was chosen by the emperor to be a general, and he defeated a tyrant of Western Chu. You are still young now, and there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. You must not care about the gains and losses of the moment."

Wow!

Zhai Yuan felt that Zhao Meizhen should serialize this story in Ming Pao, which would definitely earn her more money than wearing plastic flowers.

By then, there will surely be many readers who read the serialized columns writing to the newspaper: Please update quickly! I can’t sleep at night!
(End of this chapter)