Chapter 119: 119 is back.
While Luo Yan was doing her homework, Zhou Weifang was chatting with Zhu Tianhong.
After hanging up the phone, he went upstairs, put on slippers to wash his feet, and then lay back down on the bed.
Zhu Tianhong watched him run out excitedly, only to return looking dejected, and asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Actually, it was great news that Luo Yan was willing to call. Zhou Weifang was very happy even just to hear her voice. What disappointed him was that he didn't have time to share with her the biggest gain from this trip to Fujian. He said, "It's nothing, Luo Bu just asked me about the shop."
Zhu Tianhong was a shrewd man; he could tell it was just an excuse, but he didn't call it out. He just said, "We'll go back after the first batch of goods is shipped out in a couple of days."
These days, doing business across thousands of miles is difficult. The money he wired from Beijing before he set off was delayed, and the money he carried with him wasn't even enough to pay the deposit, so no one was willing to produce anything.
Finally, the money arrived, but the risk of losing both the money and the goods shifted to him. He had no choice but to keep a close eye on the factory every day, just when he could finally breathe a sigh of relief—the rest was only half a breath, which depended on the goods arriving smoothly.
After all, the car traveled from Fujian to Beijing, covering more than a thousand kilometers and passing through countless places. There were always highway robbers and bandits to guard against, and if you were unlucky, you could even lose your life.
Zhu Tianhong was worried about this, and told his cousin who was about to escort the truck: "Don't drive at night. It's better to go slowly. If you can pay for the road, then pay, but don't be extravagant. If you really can't carry the goods, then forget about them. Your life is the most important thing."
This wasn't the first time Zhu Guoping had done something like this. He munched on a chicken foot he had just bought and said, "Brother, don't you trust me to handle things?"
Although he usually seems reckless and not very smart, he is still reliable. Most importantly, he is good at fighting. Even if he can defeat many enemies, he can at least run away quickly and protect himself when in danger.
Zhu Tianhong trusted him and said, "Old Chen has delivered goods for us before. He's a seasoned veteran of the truck business. Just listen to him and don't argue with him."
Zhu Guoping was getting tired of hearing his long-winded explanations, so he quickly changed the subject: "Have you collected all the documents from the three parties?"
As a coastal city, it is said that you can swim to the island of Taiwan. Taking advantage of its location, it has developed many industries that are not found elsewhere.
For example, Double Lion electronic watches, which are still very difficult to buy in Beijing, are being sold in small groups on the streets here, and are 20 yuan cheaper than in the capital.
Twenty? Many dual-income families can only save that much in a month. Zhou Weifang thought it was a good deal, especially since the watch was lightweight. So he spent all his savings of eight thousand yuan on the watch. However, according to the recent local policy, small-scale private trade can only be conducted on one watch at a time. So he had to collect the money from each store one by one, and only today did he finally spend all the money.
He said, "It's all ready, but I don't know if it will sell well when we get back."
Zhu Tianhong assured him: "If you can't sell it, come to me. At least I'll help you recoup your costs."
He added, "Electronic watches are in high demand. If it weren't for the fact that they can't be sold in wholesale, I would like to get some myself."
Zhou Weifang wasn't actually that worried, but he still had to say something, patting the bag containing the watch: "I hope so."
He boarded the train back to Beijing with this hope in his heart. Although his pockets were empty, he was even more exhausted than when he came.
For some reason, there were quite a few people hitching rides on the train along the way. Zhou Weifang made eye contact with thieves twice while on night watch, holding a stick as thick as his arm in his hand. In the end, he arrived safely.
Perhaps because he had been in the car for too long, Zhou Weifang's feet felt like they were stepping on cotton when they landed. He was walking unsteadily and wanted to massage his back, but he didn't have a free hand.
If he was like this at such a young age, the other two must have been even more unpleasant.
Zhu Tianhong said, "Let's not stand on ceremony, everyone go home and rest."
Zhou Weifang hadn't slept all night. He nodded and said goodbye, but he didn't even have the energy to wait for the bus. He couldn't bear to take a taxi, so he flagged down a pedicab on the roadside.
It was late afternoon, and he was already feeling drowsy. The swaying of the tricycle made his eyelids almost close. But when he arrived at the shop, he suddenly snapped out of his daze, jumped off the tricycle, and paid the bill.
The master had been away for almost a month, so they were quite affectionate when they met again. His two apprentices were very perceptive and came over to help him carry his things.
Zhou Weifang shook his hand, patted Zhang Hongmin on the shoulder as he passed by, and said, "Eat some of the pancake I brought back. You guys work a little harder today. I'm going to take a shower first."
The train journey in the sweltering summer heat had been unbearable for him for quite some time, so he couldn't wait to clean himself up before heading out with his local specialties.
Following the route, he first went to his two older sisters' stalls, left them some local specialties, and said, "Not much, I really can't carry it all back by myself."
Actually, you can buy anything in Beijing if you're willing to spend the money, but the sentiment is also valuable. Zhou Yuyao: "It doesn't matter since we're family. You should thank Luo Bu properly."
Zhou Weifang nodded to indicate that he understood, and seeing them busy, said, "I have to go home now, I'm off."
No one had time to care whether he left or not, so he rode his bike home.
Yu Shuilan chatted idly with her neighbors at the entrance of her courtyard. She was delighted to see her youngest son and asked, "When did you get back?"
Zhou Weifang said he had just arrived, and seeing that she was walking much better, he asked, "Is your foot feeling better?"
Yu Shuilang: "It's all better now."
She asked a few words of concern, and after entering the house, she couldn't help but inquire, "Everyone says you went south to make big money?"
Zhou Weifang gave her a vague reply, handed her the things he had brought back, and without even sitting for a moment, went to the courtyard where the Luo family lived.
At this time, Liu Yinfeng was the only one at home watching TV. When she heard the knocking, she turned around and said, "Oh, Sanfang is back."
Zhou Weifang greeted the elders and exchanged a few pleasantries before casually asking, "So you're the only one here?"
What use are those little tricks in front of adults?
Liu Yinfeng, understanding his tact, said, "Luo Hong is at work, and Yanyan went out to do her homework."
If no one is home, the probability is higher in the other location.
After Zhou Weifang finished going through all the favors, he finally went to his childhood friend's shop, but didn't see the person he had been longing to see. He sighed silently.
Hearing footsteps, Luo Hong thought it was a guest. He looked up and was surprised to see him. "You're back already?"
Zhou Weifang put everything he was carrying on the table: "What kind of tone is that? I came here to treat you to a nice meal."
Forget it, I don't even know who they invited.
Luo Hong rolled his eyes: "What if I said she wouldn't be coming tonight?"
Zhou Weifang: "Then I'll have to sleep here for a while too."
He was really struggling to stay upright, so he slumped back in the recliner, not even reacting to Luo Hong's scolding.
Luo Hong was startled. He carefully reached out to check if the man was still breathing. After examining him for a while, he realized that the man was probably still alive. He then continued to work, banging and tapping away.
No matter how loud the noise was, Zhou Weifang didn't hear a thing; he slept soundly. He didn't even wake up when his sweetheart came, which seemed suspicious at first glance.
Luo Yan was still collecting information all day, and was feeling a bit dizzy from the sun. She decided to go to her brother's shop nearby to cool off and organize her thoughts. Suddenly, she saw someone on a recliner and thought she was seeing things, so she blinked blankly.
Luo Hong, unable to bear it any longer, tapped the ground with his wrench to remind him, "Snap out of it."
"What a loud noise!" Luo Yan, who was always easily startled, jumped and said, "You scared me to death!"
He then asked, "When did he arrive?"
Luo Hong: "About an hour or so, probably just got off the train."
No wonder she fell asleep here. Luo Yan tiptoed around and noticed lychees on the table. She asked in surprise, "Why are there five?"
It wasn't that she thought it was too little, but she felt the number was a bit strange, because people usually try to make an even number, especially when adding one more would make it six.
Luo Hong hadn't really looked closely at what his childhood friend had been carrying, but now he had a free hand to take a look and said, "You've eaten it all, I think it's going to spoil soon."
Although I know my brother is willing to give me the best food first, this statement just doesn't sound right.
Luo Yan: "They still told me to eat it even though it was about to spoil."
This girl, how can she not know what's good for her?
Luo Hong waved his dirty hand in front of her twice: "Don't look for a beating."
Luo Yan was afraid of being accidentally swept away by him, so she tilted her head back to avoid it. She looked around to see what else she could eat, washed her hands, and sat down to peel lychees.
Perhaps because the train was too slow, the freshness of the food that Zhou Weifang brought back from afar was not as good as the food that was airlifted to Beijing.
However, Luo Yan thought it tasted pretty good, and looking at the last one, she said, "Brother, why don't you try it?"
Luo Hong, who was working, said with a slightly sarcastic tone, "This is obviously prepared for you, I'm not eating it."
Luo Yan said irritably, "I'll go buy you three catties tomorrow. If you can't finish it, you'll be in trouble."
Luo Hong: "Okay, it wouldn't be good if you didn't buy it."
The brother and sister bickered for a few moments, then noticed that Zhou Weifang seemed to be waking up and stopped talking.
However, he was perhaps too sleepy, his brows twitched slightly but he did not open his eyes.
Luo Yan rarely saw him so quiet. For the first time, she carefully examined his face and thought: He certainly deserves to be famous for his beauty.
Zhou Weifang has broad and prominent features, and his nose bridge appears even higher when viewed from the side. Just by looking at his face, you can tell that he has a generous and forthright personality. However, he is a bit dark-skinned—not like the black of charcoal, but like chocolate with a little water added.
Suddenly, "Chocolate" moved again, probably trying to wake up, its eyelids trembling slightly.
Luo Yan found his behavior rather amusing and quickly looked away before he opened his eyes.
Therefore, the first thing Zhou Weifang saw was her back, and he patted his face hard, saying, "Yanyan."
Luo Yan turned around and greeted her calmly, "You're awake."
Zhou Weifang shook his head to cheer himself up, and stood up while supporting himself on the handrail: "I brought you some food, there is..."
Before she could finish the next few words, she saw the lychee shells and said regretfully, "I picked quite a lot. People said that if you keep them on the branches, they can be stored for a few more days, but they didn't last long. There are only a few left."
"I see," Luo Yan said. "It's quite delicious."
He then asked, "Did you pick them yourself?"
Zhou Weifang: "There are two lychee trees right in front of the guesthouse; there are plenty of them in the area."
They had stayed for almost a month and had become somewhat familiar with each other. When they were about to leave, they told him to pick as many as he wanted.
"Every place has its own unique charm," Luo Yan nodded knowingly. Seeing him staring intently at her, she subconsciously touched her face: "Is there something on my face?"
Zhou Weifang: "You've lost weight."
Listen to what she's saying! Luo Hong, who had intended to remain silent, couldn't help but exclaim, "She ate half a jin of cucumber strips by herself at Donglaishun last night!"
That's enough to eat half a pound! Luo Yan still feels incredibly happy just thinking about it. She wrinkled her nose and said, "It's not your flesh that's being eaten, so why are you yelling?"
Zhou Weifang chimed in, "That's right, not many."
He was quite generous, but Luo Hong snorted coldly: "So you're not paying for these three yuan?"
His younger sister went with Chen Yingying, so he didn't get a single penny and ended up losing money.
Zhou Weifang: "I couldn't have asked for this more."
He even looked at Luo Yan with pitiful eyes, as if hoping that he could be "given" this opportunity next time.
He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding; he who takes another's money is obligated to do his bidding.
Luo Yan didn't want to glare at him directly, so she just raised her chin slightly to adopt a superior attitude, but her tone was soft: "What time did you get off the train? Go back and get some rest."
Zhou Weifang took a short nap to regain his energy: "I'm not sleepy anymore. What would you like to eat tonight?"
Luo Hong couldn't help but ask again, "Didn't you say you were coming to treat me to dinner?"
Zhou Weifang: "You can also order, buy everything."
What does "can also" mean? Just hearing it makes it clear that you're nothing more than a supporting character.
Luo Hongzhen could no longer tolerate it and grabbed a broom that was lying to the side and threw it at them.
The moment it was thrown, dust flew everywhere.
Luo Yan retreated hastily, almost reaching the shop entrance.
Zhou Weifang picked it up and put it against the wall, then asked, "Do you have a lot of work to do today? How about we go out to eat?"
"Who else could be working here?" Luo Hong pointed and said, "Someone will come to pick up this car later. We should be done for today."
Once Jiaotong University started its summer vacation, his business became much quieter.
Since it's not lunchtime yet, Zhou Weifang said, "Okay, then we'll wait a bit."
He added, "You choose the place, and I'll treat you."
Of course, he was treating. Luo Hong said, "I've been working diligently for the past month."
Yes, yes, a great contributor.
Zhou Weifang reached into his pocket: "I've got something good to show you."
She said it was for him to see, and first stretched her hand towards Luo Yan.
If it weren't for dinner, Luo Hong would have kicked him out by now, but he couldn't resist his curiosity and went over to take a look.
Upon looking at it, he said, "Don't you see this watch in department stores? Why did you come all this way just to bring this?"
Luo Yan also wanted to know what was special about it, so she tilted her head slightly.
Zhou Weifang kept everyone in suspense: "Guess how much you bought it for."
Since that's the question, we should talk about the cheaper option.
Luo Hong boldly guessed: "Thirty?"
Zhou Weifang was speechless: "I'll give you thirty, you can buy a dozen."
Luo Hong also had a point: "You made me guess."
He then said, "Then how about sixty?"
Luo Yan thought it was unlikely and said, "The department store sells it for eighty-five, I'll guess seventy-five."
Zhou Weifang immediately said, "You guessed right."
This was clearly a case of extreme favoritism. Luo Hong threatened, "If it's not seventy-five, I'll twist your head off and use it as a chair."
Zhou Weifang said frankly, "It's sixty-five."
No matter how you look at it, your guess is closer to the correct answer. Luo Hong didn't care whether his sister was there or not. He cursed a string of profanities and, still not satisfied, gave her the middle finger.
Luo Yan pretended not to know anything, covering her ears and looking at the ceiling.
Upon seeing this, she screamed and instinctively hid behind her brother.
Luo Hong followed her gaze and said helplessly, "Your eyesight is usually terrible, how come you have such sharp eyes when you see this kind of bug?"
Luo Yan didn't even hear what her brother said. She patted his shoulder hard, signaling him to stop talking nonsense and hurry up and deal with it.
Luo Hong, the lazy one, gestured with his chin and said, "Go."
Zhou Weifang endured both scolding and hard work, and had to do it all without complaint.
Little did he know that when he turned his back and chased the insects away, Luo Yan suddenly felt that he was much taller and had a great sense of security.
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Author's note: Only one update today.
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