Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 302 Conflicts Begin

In September, Beijing was starting to cool down. The Liu family's recycling station opened, and the two brothers worked very hard, so business gradually improved.

On September 17th, Beijing officially released the "Beijing Municipal Regulations on Urban Appearance and Environmental Sanitation." The three families each had their own plans, and each family had different thoughts.

That evening, Yan Jiekuang squatted at the doorway, smoking. He knew that once this policy was implemented, those out-of-town scavengers and unlicensed scrap collectors would be eliminated. The supply of scrap would concentrate at licensed recycling stations, making it easier for legitimate businesses like theirs to operate.

His mind was already racing: the two Liu brothers ran a recycling station near Qianmen, and their business was doing quite well. If he could open another one next to theirs, even if he only raised the price by a few cents, he could steal their business.

He stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and dusted off his trousers. The idea had taken root in his mind.

The two Liu brothers would leave home before dawn every day, riding their tricycle through alleys and into residential areas, specifically looking for elderly people who got up early to collect recyclables.

The regulations stipulate that garbage must be collected and disposed of daily and transported in sealed containers, and cannot be piled up on the roadside at will. After unlicensed vendors are cleared out, licensed tricycles are not restricted from collecting waste in side streets and alleys as long as they have complete documents.

However, on the main roads, tricycles are only allowed to travel between 4 and 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m., because they are said to affect the city's appearance.

As a result, even fewer people come to collect recyclables. Most young people throw away any recyclables they have at home; only older people accumulate them. The two brothers get up early and work hard, managing to save over 2000 yuan a month after expenses, which is much better than working a regular job.

Yan Jiekuang saw this and his anger flared up again. One evening at the end of September, he returned from work and sat smoking at the door of the west wing when Xiao Dang came out and handed him a teacup.

"What are you thinking about?"

"About opening a new store," Yan Jiekuang said, taking a sip from the bowl. "The two Liu brothers run a recycling station in Qianmen Hutong, and business is good. I'm thinking of opening another one near them, with higher prices, to steal their business."

Xiao Dang didn't reply immediately, but sat down on a small stool next to him: "Mom won't agree."

Yan Jiekuang stubbed out his cigarette: "I know. But I don't want to let it go like this. Come with me to talk to them."

Yan Jiekuang and his wife went to talk to Qin Huairu about this. She was at home making a quilt cover on her sewing machine when she saw them come in, but she didn't stop.

"Mom, the Liu family's business is getting better and better. We can definitely raise the recycling price..."

"If you have money, save it wisely." Qin Huairu interrupted him just like last time. "Your father taught you that the worst thing in business is acting impulsively. The Liu family makes their money, we make ours, let's each do our own thing."

"But……"

"No buts." Qin Huairu stood up, looked up at him, and said, "Jie Kuang, listen to your mother. We earn over two thousand a month now, which is enough to live on. If you insist on going to fight the Liu family, what will happen to Jie Di and Xiao Dang if something goes wrong?"

Yan Jiekuang stood in the courtyard, looking at his mother-in-law's calm face, and said nothing more. He turned and left, his shadow stretching long in the twilight.

Caught between two difficult choices, Xiao Dang simply didn't say a word, stomped his foot, and followed Yan Jiekuang back.

That night, he tossed and turned on the bed in the west wing, unable to sleep. The Liu family's recycling business was growing day by day; they wanted to turn their lives around and live a better life—how could this be allowed?

The next morning, Yan Jiekuang called Yan Jiedi and Xiaodang aside and lowered his voice to explain his plan. Yan Jiedi listened without saying a word, glancing at Xiaodang. Xiaodang frowned: "Jiekuang, Mom said no..."

"Mom said we can't open a new store, but she didn't say we can't raise prices." Yan Jiekuang stubbed out his cigarette on the sole of his shoe. "We charge three cents more for scrap than the Liu family. The Liu family charges thirteen cents for newspapers, we charge sixteen cents. For the same thing, we sell it for three cents more. Scrap dealers aren't stupid; they'll naturally sell to us."

Yan Jiedi hesitated for a moment: "Brother, what about Mom...?"

"With so much money flowing into the accounts, Mom can't possibly keep an eye on every single transaction every day." Yan Jiekuang stood up. "Do as I say, and let's take over the business in that area first."

For the first few days, Qin Huairu didn't notice anything amiss. The recycling station's accounts showed a lot of items coming in and going out every day—waste paper, scrap metal, old newspapers, empty bottles—a diverse range of items with numerous entries. She weighed them daily, kept track of the transactions, and everything seemed normal.

But on the eighth day, Banggeng turned to the latest page of the ledger, glanced at the day's expenses, and frowned.

"Mom," Banggeng handed the ledger over, "the things we've brought in these past few days are about the same as before, so why have we paid out almost twenty dollars more?"

Qin Huairu took the ledger and examined it, her finger tracing the numbers line by line. She closed the ledger without saying a word, stood up, and walked to the door, watching Yan Jiekuang ride back on his tricycle, the back of which was half-loaded with old newspapers.

"Jie Kuang," Qin Huairu said, standing at the door, "come here for a moment."

Yan Jiekuang parked his tricycle, wiped the sweat from his brow, and came over. Qin Huairu pushed the ledger in front of him: "You raised the price?"

Yan Jiekuang did not deny it: "I did mention it. Three cents."

"Who told you to bring that up?"

"It's up to me," Yan Jiekuang said, looking at her. "Mom, the Liu brothers are stealing our business. If we don't raise our prices, our customers will go to them. These three cents aren't much; they'll keep our stock in that area."

Qin Huairu stared at him for a long while. "Jie Kuang, why didn't you tell me before you raised the price?"

"Would you agree if I told you?"

A few seconds of silence fell over the courtyard. Qin Huairu's tone was calm but left no room for compromise: "Starting tomorrow, the prices will be adjusted back."

"mom--"

"Bring him back," Qin Huairu said. "To squeeze the Liu family's business and squeeze out profits, we'll only end up hurting ourselves. If your father were still alive, he wouldn't approve of you doing this."

Yan Jiekuang stood there, clenching his fists, saying nothing. Xiao Dang happened to be pushing his tricycle back when he arrived. "Mom... Jiekuang is doing this for the good of the shop..."

Qin Huairu glanced at her daughter. "For the sake of the shop, let's settle the accounts first. If you pay three cents more per pound, and you collect six or seven hundred pounds a day, that adds up to several hundred more per month. We're doing business, not acting out of spite."

Yan Jiekuang didn't argue anymore, turned around and went out, with Xiao Dang following him.

That night, Qin Huairu sat in her room, worried. She knew she could keep Yan Jiekuang in check for now, but not forever. If her son-in-law didn't vent his anger, he'd cause trouble sooner or later. In the end, this recycling center would probably have to split up.

While she could still walk, she wanted to find someone to take care of Banggeng. She also thought of Huaihua, wondering how her youngest daughter was doing. With Banggeng in that state, who would care for him if she were gone? Jie Kuang and Xiao Dang had their own lives to live; they couldn't possibly stay with Banggeng forever. If Yan Jie Kuang continued to cause trouble, he was probably doomed.

She felt indebted to Banggeng if she went to seek refuge with Huaihua. She took Banggeng to Hebei to work at a recycling station, so that even if she were to die, someone would take care of Banggeng.

Qin Huairu found her household registration book and ID card and went to Hebei Normal University to look for Huaihua's records.

The next morning, after finishing breakfast, Qin Huairu said to Banggeng, "Mom is going back to her hometown and will be back in a few days. You'll have to work hard these next few days."

Banggeng, who was slowly stirring his noodles with chopsticks, stopped when he heard this. "Why go back to your hometown?"

"Something's come up with to your uncle, I'm going to check on him."

"Okay. Then come back soon." Banggeng didn't ask any further questions and continued eating with his head down.

Qin Huairu turned and went back into the house to pack her things. She took out a black rectangular faux leather handbag with a short handle, a thin shoulder strap, and a zipper. She put in several household registration books, ID cards, and bankbooks, and went to the bank to withdraw some money.

At nine o'clock in the morning, she boarded a train bound for Hebei. Leaning against the window, watching the fields recede into the distance, she had only one thought in her mind: to bring back the locust blossoms.