Era: Starting with the struggle to refuse being taken advantage of

Chapter 307 Sending Mooncakes

After dinner, and after sitting for a while longer, Wang Chengpeng figured everyone had finished eating by now, so he rode his bicycle out with the mooncakes.

There's a right time to visit someone; if you go too early, while everyone else is still eating, you might become an uninvited guest.

Delivering mooncakes to Wang Fucheng went very smoothly, since neither Wang Zhong nor Wang Yong had returned and were still working overtime. He only managed to exchange pleasantries with Wang Fucheng for a short while.

These two people are really unfortunate. They had so many jobs, but they chose the two busiest ones, which made Wang Fucheng think that he had become a bereaved elderly person.

Fortunately, they will always come back sooner or later, so it doesn't have too much of an impact.

Wang Fucheng accepted the mooncakes from Wang Chengpeng with a radiant smile, showering them with praise:
"Little Wang, it's rare that you still have the thought to remember this old geezer like me, and even sent me mooncakes."

"Come, have some tea."

"My two good-for-nothing children owe their current success to your care."

At this point, Wang Fucheng's expression turned somewhat wistful as he said:
"Especially my good-for-nothing second son. I thought he would come back to be a street urchin, just loafing around and waiting to die, but I never expected him to actually achieve something."

"But it's mainly because of you that this sugar factory could have been run at all."

After downing the tea in his cup in one gulp, Wang Chengpeng smiled and said:
"Their current achievements are inseparable from their own efforts. You and I were just going with the flow and played a supporting role."

"Alright, Uncle, I have some things to do, so I'll have to stay with you for now."

Wang Fucheng did not try to stop Wang Chengpeng from leaving. After all, he knew that Wang Chengpeng had a lot on his plate, and the best help he could give was to be sensible and not bother him.

After leaving Wang Fucheng's house, Wang Chengpeng went directly to the educated youth settlement without stopping.

Xia Mingyue's room is easy to spot; it's the one with the lights on.

After all, it was getting late, and only Xia Mingyue, who loved reading, would keep the lamp lit.

After all, lamp oil is not cheap, so we should save money wherever possible.

Thump, thump, thump...

Wang Chengpeng knocked on the door and called out, "Xia Zhiqing, it's me, Wang Chengpeng."

Upon hearing Wang Chengpeng reveal his identity, a hint of surprise flashed in Xia Mingyue's eyes. She didn't understand why Wang Chengpeng would come to find her at this time.

After hesitating for a moment, she put down her textbook, opened the door, and cautiously inquired:
"Comrade Wang, what brings you here at this hour?"

Although Xia Mingyue opened the door, she did not let Wang Chengpeng in. After all, it was easy for people to gossip if a man and a woman were alone in a room together.

Wang Chengpeng raised the mooncake in his hand and said with a smile, "I've had some free time lately, so I made some mooncakes and thought I'd give some to Xia, the educated youth."

"After all, Xia, the educated youth, came all the way here to support the construction of our Wangjia Village. As a member of Wangjia Village, I am very grateful."

Through the gap that Xia Mingyue revealed when she opened the door, Wang Chengpeng could clearly see the furnishings in the small room.

A simple bed and a small table—that's all there is to this room.

An oil lamp was placed on the table, emitting an orange light, which was also the source of the light that Wang Chengpeng saw from outside.

What surprised Wang Chengpeng was the book lying on the table. It wasn't Xia Mingyue's favorite literary work, but rather a very serious textbook.

Looking at the mooncake in Wang Chengpeng's hand, Xia Mingyue raised an eyebrow and teased:

"Then why didn't you send some mooncakes to the other educated youth as well?"

“It’s different.” Wang Chengpeng glanced at the other educated youth’s quarters and said, “I’m not very familiar with them.”

It seems that there are still some differences between me and them.

Nodding in satisfaction, Xia Mingyue changed the subject, saying:

"Alright, give me the mooncake. I appreciate your kind gesture."

At this point, Xia Mingyue seemed to remember something, and whether intentionally or unintentionally, she added a reminder:
"Comrade Wang, you should read more books recently and not neglect your studies."

"Books will never let down anyone who studies them diligently!"

If the books on Xia Mingyue's desk were just a coincidence, then her words were definitely not.

With their information corroborated, Wang Chengpeng became absolutely certain that the other party must know something.

Could it be that the other party is also a reincarnated person?
Wang Chengpeng immediately dismissed the idea. Judging from the other person's appearance, he probably just came from a family with some influence and had heard a little bit of the news, which is why he started reading the book ahead of time.

The world has never been fair, and Wang Chengpeng was prepared for this.

Many people who received advance notice, or those with keener senses, were already able to detect some of the movements from the recent major actions taken by the authorities.
Given the importance that the authorities place on education, it is only natural that they would prepare in advance.

Just as I said to Wang Zidong last night, many things in this world have clues and don't just appear out of thin air without any signs.

However, Xia Mingyue's willingness to share such a thing with Wang Chengpeng certainly justifies the mooncakes he gave her.

Xia Mingyue probably never dreamed that while she was unaware of the preparation time, Wang Chengpeng knew everything about it.

Nodding thoughtfully, Wang Chengpeng smiled and said:
"It's definitely time to start reading books. Those textbooks that have been gathering dust for so long should finally be put to good use."

“Xia Zhiqing, I have extra textbooks at home. If you need any textbooks, you can come to my house to borrow them. Don’t worry, I won’t charge you for borrowing them.”

Xia Mingyue took Wang Chengpeng's mention of the book borrowing fee as a joke, unaware that it held a deeper meaning.

Fortunately, the textbooks her family sent weren't all complete, and some were simply missing. She could borrow one from Wang Chengpeng later.

However, Xia Mingyue did not immediately agree; instead, she hesitated and said:
"Comrade Wang, isn't this inappropriate?"

"If I borrow your book, won't that affect your studies?"

Although Xia Mingyue also wanted to study hard and strive for good grades, she did not want to affect Wang Chengpeng's studies.

Wang Chengpeng waved his hand dismissively and said with a smile, "Xia Zhiqing, don't be so polite with me. I have a lot of textbooks at home. I'll lend you one and I'll still have some left."

"It's not convenient to show you now, but you'll know once you come to my house and see for yourself."

Although Xia Mingyue had visited Wang Chengpeng's home before, the books she had seen were only a small fraction of Wang Chengpeng's collection, not the whole picture.

Moreover, Wang Chengpeng wasn't buying books to show off, and it's impossible for him to display several copies of the same book on the bookshelf. This led Xia Mingyue to believe that Wang Chengpeng didn't have many books.

Wang Chengpeng was definitely not the type to speak without reason. Hearing what he said, Xia Mingyue felt relieved and said, "These textbooks are very important to me. Since Comrade Wang does have extras, I'll shamelessly borrow some."

Looking at the horizon, Xia Mingyue said with some difficulty, "It's already late, so it's really not a good time to go to your house. How about I go to your house tomorrow afternoon?"

Nodding, Wang Chengpeng handed over the mooncake and said, "Okay, then tomorrow afternoon."

"I have something to do in Shanghe City tomorrow morning, so the timing should be just right."

Seeing Xia Mingyue accept the mooncake, Wang Chengpeng didn't linger any longer and rode his bicycle away.

Xia Mingyue, however, lingered at the door, carrying the mooncakes Wang Chengpeng had brought, watching as Wang Chengpeng rode his bicycle further and further away until he disappeared completely.

……

The next morning, after a quick breakfast, Wang Chengpeng took the mooncakes to Shanghe City.

It's a small gift but a big sentiment. Although these mooncakes aren't very valuable, they represent a heartfelt gift.

Moreover, given Song Wenxin's family background, she wouldn't even look at any expensive gifts Wang Chengpeng gave her.

Time was of the essence, and this time, Wang Chengpeng had no time to appreciate the scenery along the way, riding his bicycle at an extremely fast speed.

Coincidentally, as he rode along, Wang Chengpeng spotted a familiar figure on the narrow dirt road. Who else could it be but Zhao Yuju?
Zhao Yuju was seen carrying a bulging bag on her back, riding a bicycle she had borrowed from somewhere, quickly heading towards Hetian Town.

Recalling what he had heard yesterday, Wang Chengpeng knew perfectly well that Zhao Yuju was probably planning to take the money to the Hetian Town Police Station to bail Wang Chun'an out.

Considering that she is now alone, she probably couldn't persuade Wang Fucheng to help. After all, it's really not worth offending Wang Chengpeng for a little money; the consequences... they can't afford to bear them.

However, Zhao Yuju refused to admit defeat and refused to accept her fate. She even planned to try her best at the Hetian Town Police Station.

She believed that with her, the victim of the robbery, stepping forward and willing to spend money, the police station would not make things difficult for Wang Chun'an and might even release him directly.

This was a rare moment of amusement, so Wang Chengpeng immediately slowed down his bicycle and rode at a leisurely pace, keeping a distance behind Zhao Yuju.

Sending mooncakes to Song Wenxin isn't urgent; as long as they arrive before the Mid-Autumn Festival, that's fine. But Zhao Yuju's fun is something she won't get to experience again if she misses it.

Under Wang Chengpeng's watchful eye, Zhao Yuju rode her bicycle at a fast pace and soon arrived at the Hetian Town Police Station.

Having found a suitable spot, Wang Chengpeng waited at the entrance. He wanted to see if the money in Zhao Yuju's backpack could really rescue Wang Chun'an.

The result was predictable: Wang Jinshan's trick, which he had already tried once, was unlikely to succeed. Zhao Yuju's efforts were destined to be ineffective, and she soon came out with a long face.

Just when Wang Chengpeng thought the matter was settled and was preparing to leave so that Zhao Yuju would no longer delay his affairs, he noticed a middle-aged man walking towards Zhao Yuju.

After exchanging a few words, Zhao Yuju actually followed the man and left, leaving Wang Chengpeng completely baffled. Could this man be Zhao Yuju's kept lover?

But the age gap is a bit too big; it's like an old cow eating young grass—that's a bit too exaggerated.

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Chengpeng decided to follow.

He simply disguised himself, and as long as no one was staring at him, Zhao Yuju would definitely not recognize him. After all, she usually only cared about her grandson and never about him.

Wang Chengpeng followed the two men and soon arrived at an old-fashioned teahouse.

The teahouse has a small storefront, with the slogan "Serve the People" painted on the mottled brick wall, and a People's Daily report on "Learning from Daqing in Industry" posted next to it.

The faded wooden plaque bears the four large characters "Hongxing Teahouse" and is dated 1965; the characters are now illegible.

Pushing open the creaking wooden door, a wave of heat, a mixture of the aroma of tea and the smell of coal smoke, rushed out.

There were more than a dozen square tables in the hall, the paint on the tabletops had peeled off, revealing the natural color of the wood.

Several burlap sacks with the slogan "Learn from Dazhai in Agriculture" printed on them were piled up in the corner, and they were filled with tea and peanuts.

Most of the tea drinkers wore blue work clothes or Zhongshan suits, with Chairman Mao badges pinned to their chests.

Several veteran workers sat around in a corner, drinking tea and discussing the factory's production tasks.

A middle-aged man wearing glasses is reading the magazine "Red Flag". On the table is an enamel mug with the slogan "Grasp revolution, promote production" printed on it.

The waitress was a girl with braided pigtails, wearing a white apron and a badge that read "Serve the People" pinned to her chest.

She skillfully carried the large copper kettle to refill the guests' water, steam rising from the spout.

The tea set was made of coarse porcelain, with the words "Red Star Tea Factory" printed on the bottom of the cup, and the saucer was chipped.

Wang Chengpeng saw the two of them find a secluded corner by the window and sit down.

On the table was a pot of jasmine tea, and next to it was a biscuit tin printed with "Learn from Daqing in Industry".

Without hesitation, Wang Chengpeng found a table near the two of them and grabbed them while they were behind his back.

Wang Chengpeng has excellent hearing; even from a distance, he can clearly hear Zhao Yuju's conversation with another person.

Zhao Yuju seemed very agitated; she had barely sat down when she asked in a low voice:

"Comrade, what you just said is true, is there really a way to help me get my grandson out of the police station?"

Zhou Delai slowly picked up the enamel mug and took a sip of jasmine tea: "Auntie, this matter is difficult in some ways, but easy in others."

He paused deliberately, took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from the pocket of his Zhongshan suit, and handed one to Zhao Yuju.

Zhao Yuju waved her hand: "I don't smoke."

"Comrade, just tell me straight, how much do you want?"

Zhou Delai exhaled a smoke ring and lowered his voice: "Auntie, your grandson's matter is no small thing."

“Robbery, especially a large sum of money, even if the victim forgives the perpetrator and the money is returned, would still result in at least three to five years in jail.”

He pointed to the slogan on the teahouse wall that read "Severely crack down on illegal and criminal activities": "We're in the midst of a crackdown right now, it's not easy to handle."

Zhao Yuju, of course, understood Zhou Delai's meaning. She quickly took out a handkerchief from her backpack, counted out twenty sheets from the middle, and handed them over.

"I have two hundred yuan here. Take it and use it to smooth things over."

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(End of this chapter)