Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 51 Prestige

Chen Hui glanced at him and said, "Don't act like Liaoyang has taken over Fengtian. If there are people around, call them over; if not, don't pretend to be a big shot. My brother is the administrator here, so what if he manages things? You just start cursing and hitting people. Liaoyang is so powerful, huh? Do you guys behave like this at home? Do you all sleep in the garbage dump?"

Over there, Fifth Brother Li Mingguang stuffed a piece of paper into his nose, wiped the blood from his chin until it was half dry, pointed at Xiao Wei and said, "Fine, you're awesome. See you tomorrow. If you're so capable, don't come to class tomorrow. You son of a bitch."

Just as Xiao Wei was about to speak, Chen Hui pulled him aside and said, "Okay, we'll wait for you tomorrow. Do you need my address? I work for the power company, I live in the Nanhu Power Community, and his family lives in the Jixian Police Station, so it's easy to find. Oh, and there's Lao Xia too, Lao Xia lives here. You can tell me a time, and we'll call it a day."

An Saijun tugged at Li Mingguang, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and walked over with a smile, saying, "We've become friends through this fight, haha, it's all fate. We're all in the same class, right? It's nothing, nothing, just talk about it. It's pointless to take this so seriously, right, brother? Come on, have a smoke to calm down. I'll treat you to drinks tomorrow, okay? How about we have a meal together?"

"What's going on here? What's all this noise? What time is it? Why aren't you asleep yet? What are you doing here if you don't live here? Why aren't you leaving?" The old night watchman came in from downstairs carrying a large bunch of keys.

Behind him were three guys, their faces flushed from drinking, who were also staying there. They'd gone out for some barbecue in Kunming Street that night. At that time, Taiyuan Street wasn't as bustling as it would be later; of course, "bustling" is relative, but it was certainly one of the most prosperous streets in the country during that period.

During this period, the Northeast, as a heavy industrial base, had already produced a number of laid-off workers. With the market transformation, not only one or two enterprises stopped or reduced production, but also a large number of unemployed people piled up. Therefore, the government designated some streets to allow these families to find their own way to make a living and earn some money. This is the origin of the night market.

Taiyuan Street, as the most famous commercial street in Fengtian, naturally became the largest night market in the area. At night, it was brightly lit and bustling with people, not much quieter than during the day. The popularity of the Taiyuan Street night market also boosted neighboring streets; Kunming Street, for example, is a night market primarily focused on food.

Xiao Wei looked back at the night watchman and continued, "Starting tomorrow, we'll take turns on duty. I'll have someone bring over brooms, ashtrays, and other necessities. Everyone should try to smoke less indoors; it's getting cold soon, and smoke in the house isn't good for you. Besides, do you really want to live in a mess like a garbage dump? And if you get sick, you'll have to pay for things. Also, sir, from now on, just lock the door when it's time to go. Don't worry about whether they're back or not. If they're not back by then, they can stay outside. And if it's your turn to do duty and you don't work, you can just pack up and leave. Go stay in a hotel; nobody will bother you there."

The old night watchman nodded and said, "Yes, that's how it should be. We have to follow the rules wherever we go. I'm so old, and I still have to run around with you all. How can you bear to see me like this?"

Xiao Wei kicked at the cigarette butts on the ground and said, "Look at all these cigarette butts! Don't you guys smell? I'm speechless. It's getting colder these past few days. If you think your blankets are too thin, go buy another one. You can still use them when you get home, so don't get cold. Alright, you can pack up and go to sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Whose stinky socks are these? Can't you smell them? Take them to the toilet and wash them. If your feet smell bad, be more considerate and put your shoes outside. Wash your socks and feet more often. You're not the only one in this house. Next time I come in and smell the stench, don't tell me I threw them away."

Having just gotten into a fight, and with everything he said seemingly for everyone's benefit, the timid ones thought he was helping them, while the bold ones thought this kid was difficult to deal with. Unconsciously, Xiao Wei's prestige among the students in the class was established.

After saying that, Xiao Wei turned around and beckoned Chen Hui and Xiao Hong to leave. After thinking for a moment, he called out to Xia Maosheng, "Old Xia, come on, come sleep at my place tonight."

Xia Maosheng asked, "What's up?"

Yang Tiebin said, "Just go when they ask you to. There must be something wrong. Why are you making such a fuss? Hurry up and go, we're going to sleep."

Chen Hui reached out and pulled Xia Maosheng, and the four of them walked towards the door. Xiao Wei smiled at the old night watchman and said, "Sorry, sir, thank you for your trouble. From now on, you don't need to leave the door open. Just ignore them. Lock the door and go to sleep when it's time. If they don't want to come back, they don't have to. Don't even answer their knocks. Just leave them outside once. The more you indulge them, the more trouble they'll cause."

The old man shook his head and said, "It's not easy for anyone. They've left their families and businesses behind to come all this way. If we can help them out, we should. I can't do anything about it. But what you said makes sense. The more you spoil them, the more bad habits they develop. These young people these days, sigh." The old man shook his head, and the large keychain in his hand rattled.

Once downstairs, the group went out. Before closing the door, the old man said to Xiaowei, "It's good for young people to have tempers, but don't be violent. Avoid fighting if possible; it's not worth it. If you hurt someone, it'll be too late to regret it. Making enemies and causing trouble is even worse. Why are we having such a good time? Right? You're a capable kid, and don't think I'm old and long-winded. Think it over, use your brain. Alright, go back to sleep. It's windy and cold." He then slammed the door shut from the inside.

The wind on the street was indeed much stronger than before. As soon as they stepped out the door, everyone shivered. Without saying a word, Xiao Wei took off his coat and put it on Xiao Hongbao, then shivered as the wind blew past him. He said, "Let's take a taxi. We'll be frozen solid by the time we get home."

Just a few meters to the left after you leave the house is the Minzhu Road roundabout. A few hundred meters further straight ahead is the train station. Turning right leads to Taiyuan Street. This is the real city center, with taxis everywhere, much easier to hail than in the Nanhu area.

I took a bus, which cost fifteen yuan to the power grid residential area. It was evening, and they wouldn't accept ten yuan.

I ran upstairs after getting off the bus. I guess the weather will change tomorrow; the wind is too strong.

The four of them, Xiaowei and Xiaohong, rushed up to the third floor. Once inside, it felt a little warmer. Xiaohong ran to the kitchen to get a thermos and poured water for everyone. Xiaowei said, "Here, have some hot water to warm up. Wear more layers tomorrow; it might even frosty. By the way, are you hungry? If you are, let Xiaohong heat up some food for you. Don't drink any alcohol."

Chen Hui sipped the hot water and said, "Here, please. The food is delicious today; I really want to eat more." Xiao Hong stood up and walked towards the kitchen, cheerfully saying, "I want to eat some too. I wish we could eat like this every day, hehe."

Xia Maosheng patted his stomach and said, "Eating is fine, not eating is fine, it's up to you. Why did you bring me here in the first place?"

Xiao Wei said, "You didn't know you just beat someone up? What are you doing here? What if a bunch of people come and mess with you? Just in case."

Xia Maosheng curled his lip and said, "That's all there is to him. Pshaw, it's not that I look down on him, but even if I stood there, he might not dare to lay a hand on me. Trying to scare me with words? If he really does lay a hand on me, I'll wait and see. If I don't go to jail for ten or eight years, I'll change my surname to his."