What exactly did Pan San do?
Who could find Pan San?
If the Zhou family couldn’t make a move, could Kang Wei?
If anyone could find Pan San, it would be Kang Wei.
Xia Xiulan didn’t act on her own; she shared her thoughts with Zhou Guobin: “I want to let Kang Wei try. Uncle Zhou, do you think this would work?”
That Kang boy?
Zhou Guobin knew how much of a slacker Kang Wei was and instinctively felt he would mess this up.
But Xia Xiulan was seventy to eighty percent confident. “Uncle Zhou, people can change dramatically in just three days. Kang Wei isn’t the same person he used to be. He’s changed enormously since I first met him!”
How does a boy transform into a man?
It’s not just about losing his virginity to a woman.
Some people shoulder family responsibilities in their teens, still looking like youngsters—who can say their young shoulders don’t carry a man’s character?
Others drift aimlessly through life, never understanding responsibility, living off their parents, then their wives, and later their children.
Such people, even with gray hair, can’t be called men.
Kang Wei was probably quite the slacker before, and even now, his workplace leaders consider him one. He just hadn’t found what he liked doing before. Xia Xiulan felt Kang Wei had changed dramatically in the past year. From dealing in cigarettes to personally running a building materials business—perhaps since deciding to renovate his family’s house, he had taken on family responsibilities.
He could earn money and make decisions; he had become reliable. Xia Xiulan felt Kang Wei could be trusted. This was the credibility Kang Wei had built with Xia Xiulan over more than a year, and Xia Xiulan had credibility with Zhou Guobin. When she said Kang Wei could handle this, Zhou Guobin was willing to trust her judgment.
Only after getting Zhou Guobin’s approval did Xia Xiulan go to find Kang Wei.
Kang Wei happened to be in Beijing recently, having just returned from Pengcheng two days ago. He had wanted to invite Xia Xiulan to dinner, but she had been extremely busy.
Hearing his sister-in-law’s call, Kang Wei came running eagerly, dragging Shao Guangrong along.
“Sister-in-law, what’s going on with the Ji family? I heard they’re stirring up trouble. If their boy isn’t behaving, should I teach him a lesson?”
“Stop right there! I just vouched for you to Uncle Zhou, praising your maturity and reliability. How can you immediately prove me wrong!”
Xia Xiulan hadn’t expected Shao Guangrong to come, and since he was here, she didn’t immediately mention Zhou Cheng’s situation. The fewer people who knew about this, the better—she couldn’t speak freely just because Shao Guangrong was friends with Zhou Cheng.
“How’s your studying going?”
Shao Guangrong looked defeated. “Don’t ask. If I take the college entrance exam next year, I’m sure to fail!”
It had seemed like a good idea, but Shao Guangrong had been working for several years already. He wasn’t originally a top student, and now trying to compete with exam candidates again, he felt lost even looking at the review materials.
“I’ll have someone send my study notes to you. Take a look at those first.”
They could think of other solutions if needed.
Xia Xiulan had learned something from Teacher Lin—after the New Year, Huaqing might open a “Continuing Education College” for degree advancement. If Shao Guangrong wanted to pursue higher education, he didn’t necessarily need to retake the college entrance exam. He could progress from technical school to junior college, then to undergraduate. Huaqing’s continuing education college would be pioneering—the first such attempt in the country.
With Young Shao still struggling with his review, Xia Xiulan didn’t want to discourage his enthusiasm.
After eating, Shao Guangrong realized he probably shouldn’t have come today. After paying the bill, he was the first to say he needed to go back to study.
With just the two of them left, Xia Xiulan told Kang Wei about Zhou Cheng being isolated for investigation. Kang Wei was stunned for a moment, then cursed.
“How could Brother Pan San be involved in smuggling!”
Was smuggling profitable? Of course, it was.
But that money was stained with blood. Even Liu Yong, a small-time smuggler, had almost been killed. In large smuggling operations, deaths were commonplace. Bodies were thrown into the sea, flesh eaten by fish, bones sinking to the seafloor, forever listed as “missing.”
Brother Pan San might look fierce, but he had a soft heart.
Kang Wei felt that even if he were to smuggle, he wouldn’t do it in China.
Xia Xiulan was exasperated. “So you’re saying it would be fine if he did it in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Southeast Asia?”
Kang Wei’s voice grew small:
“…Is that not okay?”
Xia Xiulan didn’t know how to respond.
If Pan San did such business overseas, would he still be a target for a crackdown?
Pan San didn’t seem like someone who lived luxuriously—he drove an old car and didn’t wear fancy clothes. Zhou Guobin said Pan San had gathered a group of veterans to go south. Xia Xiulan believed this man didn’t act solely for himself.
People who value loyalty and righteousness are often bound by these values. Xia Xiulan felt Pan San lived a burdensome life.
It was more relaxing to be a money-focused individual merchant like herself.
After hearing about this, Kang Wei couldn’t sit still. He couldn’t reach Pan San by phone either, so he decided to go to the coast.
“I’ll see if I can get a flight ticket for tomorrow and give you an answer as soon as possible, Sister-in-law.”
Zhou Cheng had always helped him, and now it was his turn to help Zhou Cheng. Kang Wei was very motivated.
Xia Xiulan had no free time that weekend. In the afternoon, she saw off her mother and Grandmother Yu at the train station. They had stayed in Beijing for over a week, arriving in late December ’84 and leaving on January 3rd, ’85, spending New Year’s in Beijing.
Xia Xiulan’s New Year’s Day of ’85 had been uneventful, just remembered as busy, and she hadn’t even joined the school’s New Year’s celebration.
After sending off Liu Fen and Grandmother Yu, the house at Shichahai became quiet.
A house needs people living in it to have the warmth of life.
Xia Xiulan thought she could finally rest in the evening, but Chen Xiliang arrived, travel-worn after a thirty-hour train journey from Yangcheng to Beijing.
Chen Xiliang felt he couldn’t explain clearly or express his apologies over the phone.
When Xia Xiulan had called about business, his wife had caused a scene. Chen Xiliang, though young, had almost burst a blood vessel in anger.
He had a huge fight with his wife but still rushed to Beijing by train.
“Sister Xia, this is a misunderstanding…”
Chen Xiliang stood in the small restaurant outside the school gate, his nose red from the cold. Xia Xiulan waved her hand: “No, no, no, that’s your family business and I don’t want to hear about it. I just want to know if our partnership is still valid?”
Chen Xiliang nodded vigorously, placing his briefcase on the table:
“Of course it is. I’ve brought all the documents for your review. I’ve almost completed all the procedures, including running around in Shanghai. The store in Yangcheng can be rented anytime. As soon as you say the word, Sister Xia, we can start operating the Luna brand!”
Xia Xiulan reviewed all the materials Chen Xiliang brought:
“It’s good that you came to Beijing. Manager Wu has helped us find a shop space that I think is quite suitable. You should see it in person. The decoration style must be unified so people can recognize it’s the same brand at a glance, but if your family issues aren’t resolved… our partnership will have hidden risks.”