The Smart People of the Era

The last period of the afternoon was self-study, and with ten minutes left until dismissal, Li Ye packed his bag and bolted.

Class monitor Hu Man hurried, "Li Ye, where are you going? It's not dismissal time yet!"

Li Ye replied without looking back, "Class monitor, I have something to do. Please ask for leave for me."

Hu Man shouted angrily, "It's only a little while longer, why ask for leave? I..."

But Li Ye had already left the classroom, met up with Li Dayong, whom he had arranged to meet, and disappeared in a flash.

Hu Man was quite upset, her chest heaving, revealing her quite ample bosom.

But in the end, she took out a piece of paper and wrote a leave slip for Li Ye, so that the teacher wouldn't have trouble explaining when they asked.

Li Dayong and Li Ye got out of school, and the two of them shared a "28-bar" bicycle, heading towards the County No. 1 Middle School north of the county town.

County No. 1 Middle School and County No. 2 Middle School were not far apart, and they arrived in less than ten minutes.

Li Dayong stopped the bicycle, took out a cigarette, lit it, and then asked Li Ye in a deep voice, "Brother, have you really decided?"

Li Ye nodded slightly, "Yes, I've decided."

Li Ye had come to the entrance of County No. 1 Middle School today to collect a debt.

When he got engaged to Lu Jingyao, he had given her a 26-inch Phoenix bicycle.

In the 1980s, a Phoenix bicycle required over 180 yuan with a ticket, and without a ticket, you couldn't buy one for 300 yuan. The 26-inch model was even rarer than the 28-inch model, so a 26-inch Phoenix was more eye-catching than a small car in later years.

At that time, Li Ye's grandfather and father had only been back at work for a little over a year. After saving up their industrial coupons to buy two bicycles, they had planned to buy Li Ye a 28-inch Flying Pigeon.

But Li Ye insisted on giving Lu Jingyao a bicycle. Li Ye's grandfather still managed to find someone to buy this 26-inch Phoenix, suitable for ladies to ride, and gave it to Lu Jingyao as an engagement gift.

And when the two families got engaged at that time, the sensation caused was no less than giving a BMW to a granddaughter-in-law in later years.

So, no matter how reluctant the Lu family was, they should have returned the bicycle when they broke off the engagement.

However, when Lu's father came to the Li family to break off the engagement, Li Ye's father threw the fish and meat out the door, cursing, "The betrothal gifts are like feeding dogs."

And although Lu Jingyao's father did not pick up the fish and meat, he also did not leave the Phoenix bicycle behind.

Li Ye's steady grandfather and frugal grandmother did not stop Lu's father from riding the bicycle away.

Perhaps Li Ye didn't understand at the time, but Li Ye now understood very clearly that his grandfather and grandmother were suppressing their anger to leave a way out for their grandson.

If Li Ye got into university this year, the Li family would use a combination of hard and soft tactics, employing both kindness and pressure, to try and win back their grandson's beloved.

The Lu family might have had the same idea.

This unreturned Phoenix bicycle was the thread that still connected the two families.

After Lu Jingyao went to Beijing to study, that Phoenix was given to her younger brother, Lu Zixue, who was in his first year of high school at County No. 1 Middle School.

The Li Ye of the past had fantasized that Lu Jingyao would change her mind, and he was willing to walk to save money on transportation, not even thinking about getting the bicycle back.

But the Li Ye of now, how could he have such a broad mind?

If it was just a matter of parting ways after past events, it would be fine. But Lu Jingyao had openly sent money to the school, making Li Ye take the blame as Huang Shiren. Did she really treat Li Ye like a fool?

You can't benefit from me while high-profilely proclaiming "freedom," can you?

Most importantly... Li Ye didn't have a car to ride himself! It was inconvenient to go anywhere, so why should it be convenient for you?

Li Dayong took a deep drag of his cigarette and said hesitantly, "Brother, if you get that Phoenix back, the two of you will really..."

Li Ye glanced at Li Dayong and said, "Is Lu Jingyao that great? Do I have to hang myself on her tree? Your brother here is capable of owning the entire forest."

"..."

Li Dayong was stunned for a long time, blinking his eyes, unable to fully understand Li Ye's words.

[So it wasn't you who was going to die for Lu Jingyao before, brother?]

Li Ye looked at Li Dayong's expression and didn't explain much, just patted his shoulder to reassure him.

Although this childhood friend was rough and tough, looking like a bear, he actually had a thoughtful side.

For example, when he cursed in front of Lu Jingyao's house, and when he suggested "going to Beijing to curse Chen Shimei" at noon today, they both had a clear purpose.

That was to force Lu Jingyao to reconcile with Li Ye.

[If you don't come out and talk to my brother clearly, I'll shout your dirty business all over the streets. If you dare to be like Chen Shimei, I'll make sure the whole school knows.]

It could be said that Li Ye being wrongly accused as "Huang Shiren" was not without the assistance of Li Dayong, the "Mu Renzhi."

"Brother, it's almost dismissal time, let's move further away from the entrance!"

Seeing that dismissal was approaching, Li Dayong suddenly became a little nervous.

"Huh? What are you afraid of?"

"The teachers at No. 1 Middle School are quite formidable. I'm afraid they'll be nosy and meddle in other people's business."

"..."

County No. 1 Middle School was different from County No. 2 Middle School. Not only was their academic attitude extremely strict, but they were also extremely tough on idle social elements from outside the school.

In '81, there were already petty thieves on the streets asking children for money, but none dared to cause trouble at the entrance of County No. 1 Middle School. Li Dayong's build and appearance, which clearly marked him as a troublemaker, naturally aroused the vigilance of the teachers.

"What are you afraid of? Teachers' authority is only within the school, they can't control things outside the school?" Li Ye said indifferently.

"That's right, even a teacher's reach only extends so far, they can't control what happens outside the school." someone nearby chimed in.

Li Ye and Li Dayong turned to look and saw a man in his thirties, grinning at them.

This man had approached them earlier, and Li Ye and Li Dayong had assumed he was picking up his child. Now, it seemed that wasn't the case.

Li Dayong put on a stern face and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing at the school entrance?"

Boys growing up in this era watched patriotic movies and felt compelled to intervene when they encountered suspicious individuals like spies, secret agents, thugs, or evil spirits. This man spoke with a foreign accent, and he might be a bad guy.

The man didn't seem offended and continued with a smile, "I'm selling malt candy. Would you two young masters like some?"

"What young masters? Do you think this is the old society? Aren't you afraid the Anti-speculation and profiteering office will arrest you for selling malt candy?"

Li Dayong's face was full of righteous indignation, but his mouth betrayed him, and he swallowed hard.

The Anti-speculation and profiteering office was very powerful for over a decade, playing a significant role in stifling the nascent buds of capitalism in the empire.

"Don't be so quick to label me, young man. The higher-ups have said that the individual economy is a necessary supplement to the state-owned and collective economies."

As the man spoke, he actually pulled out a newspaper. An article on the paper was marked with red ink, and its title was glaringly obvious: "Several Policy Regulations on the Urban Non-agricultural Individual Economy."

Li Ye was a bit surprised. There were countless intelligent people in the world, and one truly couldn't underestimate the heroes of this era.

The regulations had only come out a few months ago, and many departments probably hadn't even grasped the spirit of them yet. Yet, here was someone seizing the opportunity to "seek wealth in danger."

This business acumen and spirit of adventure could easily stir up significant ripples in this stagnant pond that hadn't yet come alive.

Of course, many would surely drown, as the crime of speculation and profiteering wouldn't be abolished until '97, making wrongful convictions and misjudgments inevitable.

"How much is your malt candy?"

Li Ye walked up to the man and gestured for him to take out his goods for inspection.

The man untied his bundle, revealing a small clay pot inside. Half of the pot was filled with yellowish-brown malt candy.

Malt candy was a traditional snack with a long history, most famous in Tangshan in the north and Hubei province in the south. It was made with glutinous rice, sesame, maltose, and other natural ingredients, offering a fragrant, sweet, thin, and crispy flavor.

Li Dayong's mouth watered even more, making a slurping sound.

In an era where coupons were needed for almost everything, the allure of such a sweet treat was immense.

Li Dayong figured this guy was waiting at the school entrance, planning to tempt the students.

The man smiled and quoted his price, "One yuan per jin. How much do you two want?"

Li Dayong almost jumped. "One yuan a jin? The White Rabbit candy is only one yuan fifty, and I think you're..."

"Whoa, whoa, you've misunderstood."

The man quickly explained, "I mean per kilogram. The White Rabbit at one yuan fifty is per market jin, and you still need a sugar coupon."

What the hell, he's a shrewd merchant.

Li Ye smiled and didn't expose the man. He simply took out two yuan and tossed them over.

The man swiftly pocketed the two one-yuan bills and then picked up a steelyard scale to weigh the candy for Li Ye.

He had already figured out that this young master was a wealthy individual, but he hadn't expected him to be such a big customer.

He could stand at the school entrance selling all day and only make a few jiao or even fen, sometimes not even collecting two yuan in several days!

Li Ye didn't care about a few yuan. He was the only male heir in his family, and his grandfather, grandmother, father, and sister all gave him pocket money. He wasn't a millionaire, but he was certainly a little rich man.

However, when he saw the malt candy seller pressing his right pinky finger on the scale beam, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Playing tricks with the scale, and not even looking at who it is? Does he think I'm young and easily fooled?

"Ahem~"

A light cough made the malt candy seller jump and quickly stop. He grabbed a large piece of malt candy from the pot and added it to the scale pan, pressing the scale beam down until it was almost horizontal.

"That'll be two yuan for you. Two kilograms and over four liang. Shall I wrap it in two portions?"

"Make it three portions!"

The man took out pre-cut white paper from his bundle and nimbly wrapped the malt candy into three portions, handing them to Li Ye.

Li Ye and Li Dayong each took a portion and started eating, placing the third portion in their schoolbags.

The malt candy seller squatted down, watching the school entrance, waiting for his next customers.

A little more than half of the malt candy in his pot had been sold, and he expected a good harvest today.

As Li Ye ate the malt candy, he chatted casually with the man.

"Did you come here for the Down to the Countryside Movement? Didn't you go back to the city?"

"I got married here, so I can't go back."

"Leave your contact information. I might need you in the future."

"I hang around the city, either at the entrance of County No. 1 Middle School or at the entrance of Yuhong Middle School."

Well, he's still cautious. He's someone worth recruiting as a henchman.