Chapter 19 Clash

Children follow older children around; Luo Yan grew up following her older brother around.

She doesn't have many friends, because everyone knows she loves to preach and is a spitting image of her parents.

Not to mention the well-known dangers of going up mountains or down to the sea, she even considered not doing homework to be extremely against the rules.

Unfortunately, children don't know how to read people's expressions, and the things they say are often unpleasant.

As a result, Luo Yan has a very good reputation among adults, and the few childhood memories she has are all from her brother's childhood friends who took her along because of him.

As they grow older, impetuous young men and women begin to gravitate towards their elders, especially after some have children, discovering countless admirable qualities in them.

Of course, Luo Yan believes that this change is closely related to her understanding of what it means to be tactful.

But whatever the reason, she is now very popular in her brother's place, and everyone talks to her.

Luo Yan answered every question, a smile always on her lips.

Her smile has a fixed curve, just enough to create a dimple, and her eyes are curved.

Putting everything else aside, she's also quite good-looking.

Zhou Weifang remembers that when they were children, everyone would get together and ask Luo Yan not to worry, because when she cried, her tears would well up and she would look at people with watery eyes.

They're so pitiful yet so adorable, it's impossible for anyone to bear to see them suffer.

Just then, someone mentioned, "Other girls change a lot as they grow up, but our Yanzi is still the same as when she was a child."

The speaker was a former educated youth who had recently returned from Yunnan. Seeing everything in his hometown changed beyond recognition, even the smallest familiar features were magnified.

Luo Yan smiled modestly: "I've grown taller."

As soon as the topic of height came up, everyone started urging each other to compare heights, and it felt as if a hundred people had suddenly squeezed into the small private room to talk.

Luo Yan felt as if she had been pricked with several needles in her cochlea. She leaned back without making a sound, probably because she was a little tired from laughing, and her mouth relaxed slightly.

Looking at it this way, it looks more like her.

These words flashed through Zhou Weifang's mind. When he looked up and saw Zhang Hongyang, the protagonist of today's event, enter, he didn't bother to think about these things and said, "You're fast enough, you started right away."

Zhang Hongyang: "It's not me, it's the old man who's full of energy. He's over sixty years old, but he's still full of enthusiasm."

Zhou Weifang looked around and said, "With such a big place like yours, five people probably can't handle it, right?"

The rule that a sole proprietorship license cannot employ more than five people is a written requirement, and who would dare to go against the policy?

Zhang Hongyang: "It depends on how many people there are. If business is bad, it will be hard for me to make a living."

Zhou Weifang: "Let's say something auspicious on the first day."

Zhang Hongyang put his arm around Zhang's shoulder and said, "I still need to learn more from you."

Zhou Weifang scoffed: "How can a small plot of land be compared to your vast territory?"

Zhang Hongyang: "As long as it makes money, it's a good business."

Zhou Weifang: "I think it should be the other way around. Nowadays, as long as you do business, you can make money."

Zhang Hongyang: "I'll lend it to you..."

Before he could finish saying the last two words, he was interrupted and asked, "What are you two whispering about?"

Zhang Hongyang: "When it comes to serving dishes, we have to follow the older brother's instructions."

The moment the words "elder brother" were uttered, everyone laughed.

Zhou Weifang, unusually embarrassed, awkwardly nudged him with his elbow: "Don't embarrass me."

Zhang Hongyang clutched his stomach when Luo Hong pushed open the door and entered, saying, "Alright, everyone's here."

Luo Hong's expression changed subtly in an instant. Some emotions were suppressed and replaced with a playful smile: "Oh, I'm the grand finale."

Zhang Hongyang: "Of course, we've been waiting for you."

Luo Hong naturally walked to the spot between his sister and Zhou Weifang: "Then hurry up and serve me some good dishes."

Zhang Hongyang: "You're getting cocky now that I'm saying you're fat. You'll have to punish yourself with three drinks later."

Everyone echoed this sentiment, putting Luo Hong in a difficult position: "Fine, whoever doesn't drink is a coward."

Luo Yan wrinkled her nose and didn't say anything, waiting for her brother to sit down before turning to look at him.

Zhou Weifang turned his head and asked, "Working overtime?"

Luo Hong sighed almost inaudibly: "We'll talk about it later."

When you're overjoyed, there's no need to say anything discouraging.

Zhou Weifang understood this principle and patted him on the shoulder silently.

Luo Yan looked at Mo Ming with a hint of resentment, thinking to herself, "Why did you ask first?" and hummed softly.

Who upset her? Luo Hong asked, "What are you doing?"

Luo Yan looked completely innocent: "No."

The girl said no, but this profound truth only began to circulate many years later.

Luo Hong, being so dense, couldn't understand at this point and didn't take it to heart, especially after the food was served.

The restaurant has a total of eighteen signature dishes, and Zhang Hongyang spared no expense to let everyone try them all.

Of course, no one left empty-handed; everyone left a red envelope.

Luo Hong had drunk quite a bit that night, and he was staggering as soon as he stepped out of the restaurant.

Zhang Hongyang worried, "Will he be able to walk back?"

Zhou Weifang grabbed his childhood friend's arm: "You go about your business, I'll definitely deliver it to his home."

Zhang Hongyang, who had other guests present, said, "Okay, we'll keep the car. We'll pick it up tomorrow."

Luo Yan could have pushed him back, but thinking that her brother was her own, she decided to lend a hand.

When three people walk side by side, it's difficult for them to keep pace.

Zhou Weifang's left and right feet almost tripped each other, and after taking only a few steps, he said, "I can carry it."

Luo Yan thought it was to take care of her and said, "It's okay, we'll go together."

Zhou Weifang couldn't directly say, "You're just dragging us down," so she phrased it more tactfully: "It's not easy to walk like this."

Luo Yan didn't know what was inconvenient, but she was good at reading people's expressions.

She awkwardly let go, subconsciously biting her lip.

Others would think she was being bullied, so Zhou Weifang could only try to start a conversation: "How did you feel after the exam?"

Luo Yan: "It's fine."

See, that's how you talk to her; it's like every sentence is a polite ending.

Zhou Weifang originally thought she treated everyone the same, but at night she didn't seem to be like that.

Everyone has their temper, so he stopped talking and let the conversation end there.

Those who are clear-headed remain silent, but Luo Hong has something to say.

He had something on his mind, and under the influence of alcohol, his emotions were layered: "This life is fucking meaningless."

Luo Yan noticed her brother's unusual mood that evening: "What's wrong?"

Luo Hong wasn't really drunk, he said, and ruffled his sister's hair, making it a mess: "I had a fight with Wang the Bald."

Yi Luoyan saw that he had no external injuries and breathed a slight sigh of relief: "How annoying he is."

My sister curses at people so casually; even when she's angry, she only says "utterly despicable."

Luo Hong didn't expect her to agree, and said with a headache, "It's because Master values ​​him the most."

He flattered and fawned, putting in a lot of effort with his words every day, and ironically, he gained the master's trust the most.

Luo Hong was extremely annoyed. He usually held back his anger, but today he couldn't help but start arguing with her after a few words.

Zhou Weifang also knew about this: "Does it have to be fought at the factory? Let's get him beaten up another day."

What a terrible idea! Luo Yan glanced at him unconsciously, then looked away a second later.

Zhou Weifang had actually seen it, and he became even more excited: "People like this are not easy to deal with."

These words struck a chord with Luo Hong, and the two of them burst out with mischief.

Luo Yan knew, of course, that it was just a matter of venting, but the more she listened, the more uneasy she felt, and she always thought that she would have to go to the police station to bail them out next time.

She said, "That's enough."

Luo Hong flicked his sister's forehead with his finger: "Dogmatism."

"Good job!" Zhou Weifang was relieved, his face beaming with schadenfreude.

Luo Yan had been keeping an eye on him out of the corner of her eye, silently thinking to herself: Keep laughing, and I'll make you fall flat on your face later.

The "curse" didn't come true until they reached the courtyard gate; it's unclear which family had placed miscellaneous items in front of the screen wall.

In the dark, Zhou Weifang, supporting Luo Hong, didn't see carefully and tripped.

If it had just been a fall, that would have been one thing, but instead, his childhood friend, who was quite large, crashed down on him.

Thankfully, Luo Yan didn't help her, otherwise she would have fallen in too.

She quickly tried to pull her brother up, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't budge him.

Finally, Zhou Weifang not only became self-reliant and strong, but also extended a helping hand, though he gritted his teeth and said, "I..."

He was probably about to say something harsh, but he quickly swallowed it when he saw the man's father come out.

Liu Yinfeng and her husband shone their flashlights, illuminating the three people standing there.

Luo Xinmin fidgeted with one hand, worried that he couldn't handle it, and said, "Sanfang, I'll have to trouble you a little more."

Zhou Weifang took a deep breath: "It's okay, Uncle, I'll do it."

He tossed Luo Hong onto the bed, his hand instinctively pressing on his tailbone: "Then I'll go back first."

Liu Yinfeng took off her son's shoes, saying, "It's too late, I won't keep you here. Come over to my house another day."

Fearing that I hadn't been considerate enough, I added, "Daughter, you see her off."

Luo Yan didn't go into her brother's room because it was small. She just stood in the living room drinking water and responded "okay" when her name was called.

Zhou Weifang naturally declined, saying, "No need, no need, we're all family."

He strode out, but seeing Luo Yan jogging to catch up, he said, "You can go in now."

Luo Yan looked at him a little embarrassedly and asked, "Did you hurt yourself anywhere?"

She felt really guilty, thinking that she couldn't escape responsibility for the fall.

Zhou Weifang was unaware of this and waved his hand, saying, "It's nothing."

Luo Yan scrutinized his expression, trying to discern whether he was telling the truth or not, but couldn't tell. Her eyes darted around.

Hesitantly, Zhou Weifang withdrew his raised foot and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Luo Yan shook her head slightly: "No, no, please take care."

Zhou Weifang felt something was off, but couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with it, and walked on, completely bewildered.

However, he didn't take it to heart, only thinking that going back to the store would be too much trouble, so he decided to stay at home for one night.

He was just unlucky; as soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard another argument. He turned to leave, but felt it was too unmanly, so he sighed and pushed open the door.

This immediately drew everyone's attention. Yu Shuilang saw her son and asked, "Why didn't you say you were coming back? Have you eaten?"

Zhou Weifang: "I ate it."

In the blink of an eye, he took in the entire scene before him—everyone was there except for his eldest brother Zhou Weiliang and his family, who didn't live at home. His father, Zhou Zhenhua, was smoking silently; his second brother, Zhou Weiping, was studying shoes with his head down; his eldest sister, Zhou Yuyao, had one hand clenched into a fist on the table; and his second sister, Zhou Yuying, was standing with red eyes.

This scene is all too familiar.

Zhou Weifang only asked, "Sister, what's wrong?"

Zhou Yuying usually doesn't speak, and all external communication is handled by her eldest sister. This is probably why Zhou Weifang always refers to the eldest sister whenever she calls her "sister".

Zhou Yuyao thought she could discuss this with her younger brother, so she said, "We're going to set up a street stall."

Zhou Weifang: "Xizhimen?"

There are only a few places in the city where it is legal to set up a street stall, and the closest one to my home is Xizhimen.

Zhou Yuyao: "No, it's right at the entrance of the Third Prince's Mansion. The notice was just posted by the educated youth office."

Zhou Weifang didn't know exactly who the Third Prince was, but he knew the area, and asked, "What are you planning to sell?"

Zhou Yuyao: "The clothes are from Guangzhou."

Zhou Weifang: "Go in with the second batch?"

Erchazi was a well-known figure in this alley, having been convicted of speculation and profiteering a few years ago.

But this kid "never learned his lesson," and when he was slightly released from prison, he became even more unruly. It is said that the cash in his house had to be carried in burlap sacks.

Zhou Yuyao was clearly not surprised that he had guessed, and simply hummed in agreement.

Now Zhou Weifang knew where the problem lay: "How much money is missing?"

Before Zhou Yuyao could speak, Yu Shuilan, who had been listening, couldn't hold back any longer: "I disagree! As long as I'm alive, no way!"

Who are those second-rate people? If they come back again, it'll be their third time in jail. If you get involved with someone like that, you'll have to sell your whole family to pay for it if something happens to you.

Zhou Weifang had heard this a few months earlier.

He even almost laughed and asked, "How much can you take?"

Yu Shuilang was almost driven mad by this unfilial son: "Where would I get any money!"

Zhou Weifang said confidently, "You do."

Yu Shuilang's raised hand trembled, and she couldn't speak for a long time.

Zhou Yuyao felt a surge of satisfaction, but as her own mother, she was overwhelmed with a sense of powerlessness.

Zhou Yuying held her sister's hand in support, and the two sisters exchanged a silent glance.

No one spoke. Zhou Weifang called out, "Second Brother, you have one too."

Since taking on this job, Zhou Weiping has been handling everything poorly.

He knew he couldn't avoid it today, so he said, "I'm just an apprentice, I only make a dozen yuan a month."

Zhou Weifang: "We'll take whatever we have."

He called out again, "Dad, please say something!"

It's strange, was my youngest son this aggressive when he first came home?

Zhou Zhenhua couldn't pretend to be mute, so he stomped on his cigarette butt and said, "Two hundred, consider it your dowry."

Since her husband agreed, Yu Shuilang couldn't disagree.

She pressed one hand to her chest, clearly quite angry.

Zhou Weifang, surprisingly, remained calm and said, "It's settled then. Go to sleep."

Zhou Yuyao, wanting to strike while the iron was hot, pressed on, "When will you give it to me?"

Yu Shuilang felt like she owed them something in her past life. Her head was pounding with anger. "Go ahead and cause trouble, I want to see what you can come up with."

Zhou Yuyao had heard these words far too many times, and once she had the money, she turned a deaf ear to them.

The two sisters felt unsafe leaving the item in their room, clutching it tightly, unsure of what to do.

Zhou Weifang knocked on the door before entering and asked, "Is this enough?"

Zhou Yuyao calculated for him: "That's enough, plus Jianhong. The three of us can pool our money and not order too much for the first batch."

Jianhong? There are too many people named Jianhong in this alley, Zhou Weifang couldn't remember for a moment, and hesitated for a moment: "The one from Luo Bu's courtyard?"

Zhou Yuyao nodded.

Zhou Weifang: "I don't remember you being so close that you could go into business together."

Zhou Yuyao: "We are now in the same boat."

None of us were working, and because of our parents' favoritism, we had common topics to talk about. We weren't friends before, but now we are.

You have to be careful when it comes to money. Zhou Weifang said, "Relying on that alone is not enough; you also have to consider the person's character."

Zhou Yuyao: "Don't worry, there are two of us against one of them, how could we be extorted?"

She is not someone who doesn't think things through.

Zhou Weifang laughed: "The two of you can only be considered one at most."

Zhou Yuyao couldn't refute him. Considering how much he had just helped her, she asked, "How's business at the shop?"

Zhou Weifang: "It's alright, but I don't have the money on hand right now, so I can't lend you a few cents."

He couldn't get spare parts for many cars, so he had to salvage them from old cars, and almost all his usable money was tied up in them.

Zhou Yuyao hadn't intended to take money from his pocket anyway, and even said, "You can borrow from us when I start earning money."

Zhou Weifang: "Okay, let me know if you need any help."

We're brothers and sisters, but there's really no way to compare people.

Zhou Yuyao: "You go ahead and do your thing. There's no job we can't do in Northeast China."

Zhou Weifang wasn't too worried, after all, everyone had received re-education from poor and lower-middle peasants: "Then I'm going to sleep."

There was no room for him at home, but luckily it was summer, so he didn't need to make an extra bed or add blankets. He could just make do for the night on a wicker chair in the yard.

But there were many mosquitoes in the open air, and he was bitten all over his head. He left before dawn without even having breakfast.

Strangely enough, even though it was a rented place, he felt comfortable everywhere once he entered the shop, and took a nap while no one was around.