Chapter 30

Hu Wenhai realized that he was still too naive, really, he was just too naive.

At the Hu family meeting, with the strong support of Hu Shiwu and Xiao Yecen, the支配权 of the $1.5 million was fully granted to Hu Wenhai. Even the usage rights of the 4.2 million RMB, Hu Jiefang did not manage to get a hold of. Xiao Yecen insisted that the money be placed in a Bank of China savings book under Hu Wenhai’s name, and not a single cent could be touched until Hu Wenhai got married, except for the interest.

Although Hu Jiefang complained for a whole day, as a man of dignity who always hoped to establish a fatherly authority in front of his son, he could not resort to forcibly taking the money from Hu Wenhai’s wife.

Although everything seemed to be progressing smoothly, as if Hu Wenhai’s long-term plan could now unfold into a grand vision.

However, reality told him, young man, you are still too naive.

Yes, Hu Wenhai was now in tears, I am still too naive!

"Hey, isn’t this my nephew Wenhai? I’m your Uncle Bai Siwen, don’t you remember me? It was just eight years ago, our houses were only two streets apart!"

"Oh, no need to be so polite, where are you going? Come, come, Uncle will take you there."

Wearing a small suspenders and a large pompadour, with shiny leather shoes, this stranger who looked like Gong Hanlin, calling himself Bai Siwen, suddenly darted out from the alley next to Hu Wenhai’s house.

"Wenhai, I’m your Aunt Huang, do you remember me?" Before Bai Siwen could get close to Hu Wenhai, a mountain of flesh came running from the other direction under the tree: "Oh, it doesn’t matter if you don’t remember me, but do you remember our daughter Er Ya, the one who used to jump rope with you when you were little!"

"Oh, in the blink of an eye, Wenhai, you’ve grown so much. I remember, when you were little, you said you would marry our daughter Er Ya when you grew up!"

Oh my, Hu Wenhai couldn’t remember who this woman was at first, but when she mentioned Huang Er Ya, he immediately recalled. She was the leader of the kids in his neighborhood, a girl but as violent as Fat Tiger...

"Go, go, where did you all come from?" A motorcycle suddenly stopped in front of Hu Wenhai’s house. The rider took off his helmet and, with a few swings, managed to beat Bai Siwen and Huang Er Ya’s mother until they were howling. Then he stood on the motorcycle and laughed: "Wenhai, come over and let Uncle take a look at you, it’s been a while, you seem to have grown taller!"

"Uncle, it’s you!" Hu Wenhai rushed back into the courtyard and shouted: "Mom, Uncle is here, come out quickly!"

"Ha ha, Wenhai, what are you doing, we’re family, you’re being too formal!" Hu Wenhai’s uncle laughed and hung his helmet on the motorcycle, about to push open the gate of Hu Wenhai’s house.

Suddenly, the gate opened from the inside, and Xiao Yecen, wielding a broom, came out swinging: "Xiao Bailang, how dare you show your face here? Last time, you almost paralyzed Mom, and you never even visited the hospital once. Are you a son? Today, either I go or you go!"

With that, the broom knots flew like meteors, hitting him in the face.

...

Hu Wenhai sat dejectedly in the courtyard, silently gazing at the clear blue sky of early autumn. They say life is precious, and love is even more valuable. If it’s for freedom, both can be abandoned. At this moment, he deeply regretted his rash actions, which had cost him his most important freedom.

Outside the Hu family’s gate, there were already seven or eight people who could claim a fifth-degree kinship. There were also neighbors from five or eight years ago, classmates from over ten years ago, the saleswoman who had worked at the grain store for over twenty years, and even an old lady who claimed to be Hu Shiwu’s mistress...

Hu Shiwu couldn’t help but cry, this injustice could not be washed away even in the Yellow River.

And the one common goal of these people gathered here was—borrowing money.

Your family has nearly ten million RMB, can’t you help out the neighbors and friends a bit?

Some of them, with a bit of conscience, at least tried to ingratiate themselves, planning to use a bit of persistence. But others, after being rejected, simply started cursing outside the Hu family’s gate.

For several days, there was no peace around the Hu family’s house. Even when Hu Jiefang went to work, he had to be extremely cautious, for fear of being hit with rotten eggs or glass shards.

Really, rotten eggs are more effective than feces and urine, the smell can’t be washed away with water!

If Hu Jiefang dared to ride his bike out, he would have to deal with the glass shards puncturing his tires!

Even the old man Hu Shiwu stopped going out to play chess, as several old ladies claimed he had deceived their feelings when he was young.

However, no one dared to cause trouble for Xiao Yecen.

Hmph, Xiao Yecen, who could beat her own brother at will, would not hesitate to deal with these troublemakers.

Ever since a few overconfident women were almost scalded with a pot of boiling water by Xiao Yecen and chased for five hundred meters with a rolling pin, the street bully was born.

Xiao Yecen, the street cleaner, brought peace wherever she appeared.

And the root of all this was the $1.5 million and 4.2 million RMB in Hu Wenhai’s hands.

"Alright, no one is outside, Wenhai, hurry up and get ready." Hu Jiefang tiptoed and leaned on the wall, carefully observing the situation outside, then quietly informed Hu Wenhai of the enemy situation.

It was 5:00 AM, and the September morning was already a bit chilly, but to Hu Wenhai, it represented the taste of freedom.

Yes, without realizing it, Hu Wenhai’s last summer vacation of high school had passed, and the first semester of his senior year had arrived.

And today was the first day of the first semester of senior year, and to avoid those "debt collectors," Hu Wenhai had to get up early.

Then, taking advantage of the early morning darkness, he quietly left his house and sped towards the school.

By the time the sun had just risen above the horizon, Hu Wenhai had already arrived at the school. In this era, there were no towering skyscrapers, and the city’s skyline was particularly wide and open among the low-rise buildings.

"Hey, Hu Wenhai?"

Hu Wenhai shivered at the sound of his name. It was impossible, for the past few days, whenever someone called him, it was never good news, and he had developed a conditioned reflex.

He locked his bicycle and turned around to see who had called him, then he breathed a sigh of relief: "It’s the class monitor, why are you here so early?"

"Aren’t you also here early?" The class monitor, Feng Hongqi, carried her schoolbag, an eighteen-year-old girl who was naturally beautiful without makeup.

"Hey, I have my reasons!" Hu Wenhai looked as if he had a lot to say, which made Feng Hongqi chuckle.

"I heard, you’re a millionaire now, a big capitalist!" As the class monitor, Feng Hongqi was well-informed, and Hu Wenhai had never thought he could hide it from her.

However, Feng Hongqi was still a student, and she had some principles. Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but facing a classmate who suddenly became a millionaire, she couldn’t bring herself to be subservient.

Whether it was called middle school syndrome or immaturity, thanks to these middle school syndrome and immaturity, Hu Wenhai didn’t have to worry about being treated differently at school. Yes, at least in the 1980s, schools were still like this.

In the high schools of the 1980s, a million in wealth was not as admirable as exam scores. Don’t forget, this generation of students was truly raised to be the successors of the ruling class. Who among the students who could attend high school lacked confidence? In the hearts of these young people, who was inferior to whom in terms of personality?

Feng Hongqi teased Hu Wenhai, and seeing his helpless expression, she couldn’t help but laugh.

"So, being a millionaire isn’t easy, huh?"

"Not just that, it’s hell!" Hu Wenhai lamented.

As the senior year began, any student with ambitions of attending university started to strictly discipline themselves. Even on the first day of school, there were many students who arrived at school by five or six in the morning to study.

When the students entered and saw Hu Wenhai, they naturally whispered to each other, but no one came to disturb him.

Hu Wenhai took out his notebook and started writing and drawing, ignoring everyone. After a while, seeing that he didn’t react, the students lost interest and went back to their own business.

The morning passed quickly, and by the time the morning study session bell rang, the entire class had arrived. The homeroom teacher, Xiao Huaidan, entered the classroom on time.

However, she did not go directly to the podium but scanned the classroom, her gaze landing on the class monitor, Feng Hongqi.

"Feng Hongqi, come with me for a moment."

The teacher’s summons did not attract much attention from the students. It was a common occurrence for the homeroom teacher to call the class monitor to the hallway, not worth the students’ attention.

However, a moment later, a fierce argument erupted in the hallway. Then, Feng Hongqi pushed open the classroom door and ran back to her seat, sobbing.

"Feng Hongqi, you must understand the school’s good intentions," Xiao Huaidan frowned, standing in front of Feng Hongqi’s desk, patiently trying to persuade her: "You are in your senior year, and your academic performance is among the best in the school. If you miss a semester to go abroad, it might affect your final university entrance exam scores. Is it worth it?"

Feng Hongqi raised her head stubbornly, wiped her red eyes, and said through gritted teeth: "Teacher Xiao, I only know that I scored first in the school’s English test, and I was originally notified to go abroad. Why was I suddenly replaced? Do you know, all my relatives know I’m going to America, and I’ve even packed my suitcase!"