This time, Roubao had sold only a few of the clothes he brought back. On the canvas on the ground were a bag of stockings, a few skirts, and two pairs of jeans. Roubao patted the small bag on his waist and was so happy that he was bubbling: "Classmates, come and take a look at the latest styles in Guangdong Province, the most fashionable clothes, the most fashionable socks, exactly the same as what the female stars wear in the movies, good stuff that you can't buy in the mall."
Several girls gathered around and picked up the skirt on the big canvas to measure it against their bodies: "Does this skirt come in a larger size?"
Roubao sighed regretfully: "You're late. The large size has just been taken by a senior. It would look great if you put it on."
The girl cried out in annoyance, looking at the meat bun unwillingly: "Are there no bigger ones? I didn't know you were coming back this time. I just heard about it and rushed over. How come it's gone?"
"Classmate, you don't know, it's not easy to carry clothes back. Look at how much I can carry back each time? This much clothes is the limit for me to bring back. Come earlier next time and I'll save one for you." Roubao was very eloquent and what he said was nice. The girl put down her skirt, picked up a pair of jeans to compare them, and finally bought a pair of trousers and two pairs of stockings and left happily.
It was not the first time that Roubao sold clothes in school. He was a very honest person and when buying clothes he not only looked at the style but also the quality. For example, if there were multiple loose threads on a skirt, the quality was very good. Therefore, he had a good reputation in school. The students all knew that the clothes sold by a student in the school were better than those bought in shopping malls.
After half an hour, a girl bought the last pair of stockings on the stall. The students who ran late could only sigh with regret. A girl saw Roubao folding canvas and came over to ask, "Student Li Chengrun, when are you going to Guangdong Province to bring back clothes next time?"
Roubao raised his head and smiled: "I have to make up for the missed classes this month. I have to wait at least another two months."
The girl felt a little disappointed after hearing this: "Then I can't wear my new dress."
Roubao immediately said, "Next time I go there, I'll buy some windbreakers. You don't know that the windbreakers there are all from Hong Kong Island. They look really good when you wear them, just like a Hong Kong movie star."
Recently, Hong Kong movies have become popular on campus. When the girls heard that it was the same windbreaker worn by Hong Kong stars, they nodded repeatedly and reminded them: "Next time, please go to our dormitory in Building No. 3 to sell it first. Don't let Building No. 8 get it first."
Roubao put the folded canvas into the bag beside him and stood up: "Okay, I remember it."
After waving to a few girls, Roubao was happily planning to go back to the dormitory to count some money and deposit it in the bank, then treat his roommates to a meal and start making up lessons. After turning around and taking two steps, Roubao looked up and all the plans in his mind were gone. His face turned pale in an instant, and he looked at Li Mingdong standing not far away with a sullen face, grabbed the bag and ran away.
Seeing that Roubao didn't come over to admit his mistake and dared to run away, Mingdong was so angry that his lungs exploded. He ran while cursing: "You little bastard, stop right there."
Roubao didn't even dare to stop, and ran out of the campus. He saw a bus that was heading to Siheyuan, and got on it immediately. Mingdong ran a little slowly, and when he arrived at the bus stop, he only saw a string of black smoke. He leaned against a tree, panting, and pointed at Roubao on the bus, unable to say a word.
"Dead, dead, I'm dead." Roubao sat in the last row of seats and looked at his father's ferocious appearance. He prayed in his heart: "Aunt, please be at home. Otherwise, you won't see Roubao when you go home. You will probably only see a broken bun skin."
Today is Saturday. Many students got on the bus along the way. They were all locals going home to improve their lives. Roubao was on pins and needles, his mind was in a mess. He really couldn't understand why his father came to the school.
When Houyang Station arrived, Roubao ran to the courtyard and as soon as he entered the gate, he screamed at the top of his lungs: "Aunt, aunt!" Guihua heard the sound and opened the curtain and came out: "Why are you yelling? Come in quickly."
Seeing his biological mother was there, Roubao's legs softened immediately, and he hid behind the tree with only his head sticking out: "Mom, mom, where's my aunt?"
Guihua smiled and rolled her eyes at him: "This child is acting like a spoiled child, calling so many mothers, really." Roubao was almost made to cry by his own mother: "Mom, stop making trouble, where is my aunt?" Guihua pointed behind: "Your aunt is in the garden." After hearing this, Roubao immediately came out from behind the tree and prepared to go to the garden to ask his aunt for help.
"Wait." Guihua glanced at the gate and asked Roubao curiously, "Where's your dad? Didn't I ask him to go to the school to call you back to your grandma's house for dinner? Where is he now?"
Roubao almost knelt before Guihua. He shook his head with tears in his eyes: "You are really my biological mother!" Just as he ran up the corridor, Roubao stuck his head out and shouted: "Mom, when my dad comes back, you must talk to him properly. I am his biological son, please be gentle."
Roubao said and ran to the back. Guihua lowered the curtain in confusion. Wang Sufen, who was making dumplings in the room, looked up at her and asked, "What's wrong with Roubao?"
"I don't know." Guihua shook her head: "It looks like he got into trouble and is afraid that his father will beat him."
Old Mrs. Li was sitting at the table by the window eating grapes. She looked up at Guihua and couldn't help but speak up for her great-grandson: "Roubao is so old, and a college student. Why can't you talk to him in a nice way instead of beating him? When Mingdong comes, let him in. I have to talk to him. If he dares to hit Roubao, I'll beat him up first."
Guihua smiled and agreed immediately: "Okay, I'll talk to Mingdong." After a pause, she showed some confusion and puzzlement on her face: "Actually, Mingdong is not the kind of person who likes to hit children. He has never touched any of the children in all these years. What's the matter this time?"
A few people whispered for a long time but couldn't guess the reason, so they simply ignored it. Anyway, they would find out when Mingdong came.
****
Roubao ran back along the corridor. He had only run a few steps when he saw Zhenzhen coming towards him: "Aunt, help me!" Zhenzhen glanced at him and said, "What's wrong? Tell me."
Roubao looked around with despair on his face: "Aunt, why don't you find a place to hide me first? I'm afraid my dad will beat me to death when he comes."
Zhen Zhen paused for a moment and looked at him with sympathy: "Does your father know about your business?"
Roubao nodded in grief and indignation: "He saw it clearly."
Zhenzhen smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, you stay in my room first, your dad won't come into my room."
Roubao heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this. When he arrived at the main courtyard, he stuck his head out to look, and seeing that there was no one in the yard, he tiptoed into Zhenzhen's room and closed the door tightly.
Zhenzhen used her consciousness to see Roubao turn around the room twice and finally crawl under the bed. She couldn't help but burst out laughing. Fortunately, Wang Sufen mopped the floor twice a day, otherwise Roubao would have been covered in dust.
Zhenzhen went straight into the main room. Old Lady Li saw her and pointed at the grapes in the basin: "I just cut them from the vines and put them in well water to cool them down for a while. They are sweet and can cool you down. Come and have some."
Zhenzhen went out to wash her hands, and came back to pick two grapes and put one in each of Wang Sufen and Guihua's mouths. Guihua bit open the grapes, and the cool sweet water flowed into her mouth. Guihua squinted her eyes and nodded: "This grape is really sweet."
"There were grape vines in this yard originally. I thought they were dead when we first moved in. I was going to ask your father to pull them out, but Zhenzhen managed to keep them alive. The grapes are really sweet, even better than the ones your uncle brought us."
Zhenzhen stuffed grapes into her mouth, and occasionally fed two to Wang Sufen and Guihua. Suddenly, Zhenzhen's hand paused, and she saw Mingdong getting off the bus and running home with an angry face.
Zhenzhen returned to the room with a plate of grapes and stuffed them under the bed: "Your dad will be back soon, you better lie down. Eat some grapes to calm down. I don't think you'll be able to have dinner tonight."
The plate was dragged in, and a muffled pleading voice came from inside: "Aunt, you must help me persuade my father."
"Don't worry, you won't die." Zhenzhen stood up and opened several windows to prevent the house from being too hot and suffocating Roubao.
Zhenzhen had just returned to the main room when Mingdong also entered the yard. He staggered into the house, holding his chest and panting heavily, "Where's that bastard Li Chengrun? Tell him to get out of here."
Zhen Zhen brought a glass of cold water and placed it on the table, then handed him a wet towel to wipe his face: "Brother, what do you want from Rou Bao? Why don't you tell me first and I'll analyze it for you."
"You'd be so mad if I told you." Mingdong waved his hands and looked around for meat buns: "Don't waste your time, I'll beat him to death first."
Seeing Mingdong was about to stand up, Zhenzhen pushed him back into the chair: "Brother, Roubao is already an adult, you should let him grow up." Putting the water in Mingdong's hand: "Tell me what's the matter first."
"Zhenzhen is right." Old Lady Li glanced at Mingdong and said, "You are already over 40 years old. Can't you stay calm when encountering things? Don't rush to beat Roubao. Tell me what he did. If he really did something wrong, I promise I won't stop you from beating him again."
Mingdong drank up the water in a few gulps and sighed, "I'm going home to make dumplings today. Guihua asked me to go to school and call Roubao to join him. When I entered the school, I met some of his classmates. When I asked them, they said Roubao was selling clothes. I was very surprised at the time. I asked what kind of clothes he was selling. One of his classmates told me that in the past few months, Roubao took half a month or a month off from time to time to go to Guangdong Province to wholesale clothes and sell them. This is not the first time. I said that he was always away from home during the summer vacation, and I foolishly thought he went to school to study, but it turns out that he went out to sell clothes."
Everyone in the house looked at each other, even Mrs. Li was stunned. This was a bit unexpected, and for a moment, no one knew what to do. The room was very quiet, and suddenly Guihua knocked the rolling pin on the panel: "Where is that bastard Roubao hiding? I'll beat him to death."
Wang Sufen was startled and quickly snatched the rolling pin from Guihua's hand: "It's fine if he's mad alone, but you should at least try to persuade him. If two people beat the child together, won't he get hurt?"
Zhen Zhen pushed Gui Hua onto the stool as well, took a wet towel to wipe her hands, and sat aside: "Brother and sister-in-law, it's not that I want to speak up for Rou Bao, but I think we can't beat him up without listening to his explanation this time."
Mingdong sneered: "Okay, I'll listen to his explanation, you call him out."
Zhen Zhen quickly shook her head: "I'm afraid that if he comes out, you won't listen to my explanation and will just want to beat him up."
"Just protect him." Mingdong pointed at Zhenzhen and slammed the table angrily.
Zhenzhen touched her nose and looked at Mingdong and Guihua: "Brother and sister-in-law, let me ask you a question first. What made you most angry about Roubao's business this time?"
"Need I say more? Was this done by a student? It will delay his studies so much?" Mingdong said, getting angry again: "It's so difficult to get into a university in the capital. He thought that everything would be fine if he got in. Isn't it a waste of time if he doesn't study hard?"
Zhenzhen poured another glass of water for Mingdong: "Then let me ask you, how did Roubao do on the final exam last semester?"
Mingdong was stunned for a moment, then he said, "Not bad, ranked fifth, and got a scholarship."
Zhenzhen smiled: "It didn't affect my studies, did it?" Seeing Mingdong's puzzled look, Zhenzhen dropped a big bomb: "In fact, I knew from the beginning that Roubao was selling clothes." Seeing everyone's wide eyes, Zhenzhen added: "I was the one who provided the capital."
"No, Zhenzhen, you're spoiling him too much." Mingdong was anxious: "Why didn't you tell me such a big thing? Did this brat come to ask you for money? How much does he owe you?"
"The money has been repaid a long time ago." Zhenzhen pushed him back to the chair: "Brother, why are you so impatient now? Did you enter menopause early?" Zhenzhen sat on her stool and said earnestly: "I am also afraid that doing business will delay Roubao's studies. I have been keeping an eye on Roubao's grades in the past few months. He always shows me the test papers every time he comes to class. I didn't tell you because I saw that he has not fallen behind in his studies. You see, he started going to the south in the early spring and went there twice last semester, but he still managed to get fifth place in the final exam, which shows that doing business has not delayed Roubao's studies."
Mingdong was immediately blocked and turned away angrily.
Zhenzhen took a sip of water and said kindly, "In the spring, Roubao came to me and said that jeans are popular all over the streets now. Although they are a bit expensive, they can be sold easily. He asked around and learned that they are all produced in the south. He wanted to borrow some capital from me to buy some clothes to sell. At that time, I also considered his studies and the safety of him going to the south alone, but Roubao also considered these things. He is not a brainless child. On the contrary, he is smarter than others. He knows how to seize policies and opportunities. I think I should support him."
Looking at the confused faces in the room, Zhenzhen continued, "Brother, the times have changed. You watch TV and listen to the radio every day talking about reform and opening up. What is reform and opening up? To put it bluntly, it is internal reform and external opening up. Internal reform is the establishment of a socialist market economic system, with production quotas assigned to households in rural areas, and encouragement of family sideline businesses. What about towns? Individuals can open restaurants, clothing stores, and shops, and they may even be able to open factories and businesses in the future. Don't underestimate Roubao's small business now. Once he accumulates funds, you don't know how far he can go next."
Old Lady Li looked at Zhen Zhen and stuffed a grape into her mouth: "Are you saying that Rou Bao wants to be a capitalist?"
Zhenzhen smiled and said, "Grandma, capitalist is no longer a derogatory term. It will be a great honor for a family to have a famous capitalist."
Wang Sufen was a little scared when she heard this: "What if the capitalists are overthrown again in the future?"
"Mom, don't worry, there won't be such a thing in the future. The country needs to develop rapidly, and the economy is the top priority. In the future, not only will we not suppress it, but we will strongly support it. Isn't it talked about on TV every day now?" Zhenzhen looked back at Mingdong: "My mom doesn't understand these things, but you will understand them."
"What's so good about doing business?" Mingdong scratched his head. "You said he is from a prestigious university now, after all, he can get a job in a company after graduation. It's a stable job with guaranteed income, but it's not better than setting up a stall outside."
"Everyone has their own aspirations." Zhenzhen smiled and said, "And I believe Roubao will not set up a street stall for the rest of his life. He has accumulated some initial capital, and after graduation, it is up to him to choose whether to join a company or start his own business." Seeing Mingdong gradually calm down, Zhenzhen said solemnly, "Brother, Roubao's life should be decided by himself, just like when you were studying to take the college entrance examination and teach, didn't our dad not interfere with you?"
"He wants to get involved, it's fine if he understands." Wang Sufen complained about her old man, and then advised, "Mingdong, I think what your sister said makes sense. She is the smartest person in our family. Otherwise, you should listen to your sister and have a good talk with Roubao. Don't beat him up for no reason. After all, you are an educated person."
After listening for a long time, Guihua calmed down. She looked at Zhenzhen and asked, "Did he really start doing this last semester? Did it affect his studies?"
"Will he be able to take the fifth place if he has to delay his studies? I think it will help him learn. Sister-in-law, our Roubao is studying economics, and his business is also a form of economics. I think it will help him better understand the knowledge in the books, and in turn the content in the books can help him go further in the market economy." Zhenzhen smiled and said, "I think Roubao has a very clear mind, and he knows exactly what he is doing."
"Okay then, let's just listen to what he has to say." Guihua pushed Mingdong's hand and said, "Calm down first. When you feel like we can talk, call Roubao out."
"Go ahead and yell now. I won't beat him up." Mingdong wiped his face and asked Zhenzhen, "Did Roubao really pay you back the money he owed you? Don't protect him. Let's make it one thing at a time. I'll make up for the difference."
"I really paid it back." Zhen Zhen smiled with her eyes curved: "Don't worry, do you think I'm the one who suffered a loss?"
"Then how much did he ask you to borrow?" Guihua had never been to such a far place, but she felt that since she had to buy tickets, food, accommodation, and clothes, the amount would never be short.
"Rou Bao asked me to borrow 200 yuan, and I gave him 1,000 yuan." Zhen Zhen stood up and prepared to call Rou Bao. Just as she took a step, she was grabbed by her legs and feet by a scream: "How much did you give him? 1,000 yuan?" Gui Hua's hands were shaking: "Pay it back, how can he pay back so much money? Don't say anything, just beat him up with a rolling pin."
"I really paid it back." Zhenzhen held her down, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "Sister-in-law, you underestimate Roubao. I told you that he paid back my capital in the first business and made more than two thousand yuan. I told you that your son will probably become a millionaire by the end of the year.
After hearing this, Guihua's hands trembled even more and she felt like she was going to faint.
Zhenzhen went back to the room and called Roubao out from under the bed: "Come out, I've already talked to your parents, just tell them what you think when the time comes."
Roubao pushed out a plate of grape skins and seeds, climbed up from under the bed, stretched his numb limbs, stretched his neck and looked out the window at the main room: "Aunt, don't lie to me, my dad is an honest man and he can really kill you if he gets angry."
"Just rest assured." Zhenzhen thought for a moment and added, "It's just that when I told your mom that you made a lot of money, she was a little scared."
"It's okay. My mom is much more receptive than my dad." Roubao heaved a sigh of relief and followed Zhenzhen back to the main room. As soon as he entered the door, before Mingdong could speak, Roubao said, "Mom and Dad, I was wrong. I shouldn't have done business without telling you. I promise to discuss everything with you first next time and will never delay my studies."
Mingdong and Guihua were almost choked by his non-stop words. Mingdong patted his chest and pointed to a bench opposite him: "Sit down and talk first."
When Roubao heard this, he was immediately delighted. He was asked to sit down directly. It seemed that he really skipped the part of being beaten. He couldn't help but make a gesture of gratitude to Zhenzhen.
"Li Chengrun, tell me, what do you want to do after graduation?" Mingdong picked up the water cup and took a sip of water, and his tone became much calmer.
"Dad, I know you hope that I can work in the government or in an organization after graduation, but that's really not what I like." Talking about his future, Roubao's tone became more serious: "I don't like a routine life. I hope that my future work and life will be controlled by myself. I hope that I can grasp the trend of policies and stand at the forefront of the times. Dad, I also want to build my own business empire, just like the biographies of foreign business tycoons that I read in books. There may be ups and downs in the process, and there may be failures or glory, but no matter what the result is, I will not regret it, because I think that kind of life is particularly wonderful."
Mingdong and Guihua were silent after hearing what Roubao said. Mingdong closed his eyes and wondered what he was thinking. After a long while, he opened his eyes and turned to look at Guihua: "Do you think his idea is feasible?"
Guihua didn't look at Mingdong, but asked Roubao: "How much money have you made in the past few months?"
Roubao grinned and touched his bulging bag: "Including the money I earned this time, I have saved a total of 6,700."
Mingdong took a deep breath. He didn't know if the money he had earned over the years would be enough to reach 6,700. For a moment, he looked at his son with a complicated expression.
"Have you thought about it? If you really do business, you may not be able to sound as good as your classmates when you tell others about it. After all, they either work in some unit or department after graduation. They are not comparable to a small businessman like you." Guihua looked at Roubao with a very serious tone.
"I've made up my mind." Mingdong grinned, "I will never regret the decision I made."
"Okay then." Guihua slapped the table and said, "Mom supports you. Next time you go to Guangdong Province to buy goods, Mom will go with you."
"No, what are you going to do?" Roubao looked at Guihua in amazement. Even though he had a sharp mind, he couldn't figure out what Guihua was thinking.
"Two people can't buy much." Guihua rolled her eyes at him and said, "Mom will work with you from now on."
Mingdong rolled his eyes and slumped into his chair.
The author has something to say: The physical examination report came out today. Because I always stayed up late, my heart is not in good condition. It is called premature beats. I have to go to bed at 10 o'clock from now on. Good night, my little angels, muah.