A Man of Honor

Zhao Hongjun returned home after the meeting, pushing Zhao Gang's bicycle. It was already midnight. Seeing that the lights were still on inside, he hurriedly pushed the door open.

Squeak—

Hearing the sound, Li Shuqin looked up. When she saw him, a smile instantly bloomed across her face. "You're back?"

"Mm!"

A trace of tenderness flickered in Zhao Hongjun's eyes. He stepped forward, took the small basket from her hands, casually set it on the table nearby, then sat by the bed and began telling her about what had happened that night.

Li Shuqin was stunned as she listened, waves crashing through her heart. This Educated Youth Shen truly was as astonishing as ever. "He's far too clever. Everything he does comes in a complete set."

"Mm."

Zhao Hongjun nodded in agreement. "And he's very kind-hearted."

He added, "While I'm gone these next couple of days, have the children be more diligent. Let them follow Educated Youth Shen and Educated Youth Gu properly."

Li Shuqin did not understand and looked up at him. "You mean..."

Zhao Hongjun smiled and nodded, his eyes full of seriousness. "Wife, this tiny Red Flag Town can't hold Educated Youth Shen and Educated Youth Gu back.

"We don't have the ability to help the children fly higher, so we should let them learn more from those two. Perhaps they can walk a different path."

Hearing this, Li Shuqin immediately understood her husband's painstaking intentions and quickly responded, "I understand. Tomorrow, I'll tell Chengcai to be more proactive. As for the two younger ones, we'll let them be. Otherwise, it'll seem too deliberate and might make people dislike it."

"Mm!"

Zhao Hongjun smiled in agreement. "You call the shots."

Li Shulan's eyes curved into crescents as she reached out and patted his arm. "Hurry up and wash up, then go to sleep. You still need to find Zhao Qiancheng tomorrow."

"Alright..."

The next day, before dawn had even broken, Zhao Hongjun slung on the lunchbox and water flask his wife had prepared and rode away on his bicycle. By the time he reached town, the brigade had only just started work.

Several cadres stood on the ridge between the fields, shouting instructions at the workers. "After work tonight, everyone must go to the brigade for a meeting. Don't be late. Anyone who dares to dawdle, watch out or we'll skin him alive."

Everyone nodded in response, then took up their farming tools and headed into the fields. Shen Jianan and Gu Yu still had not come today. The two of them were shut inside Cheng Hu's home, making clothes and bags.

Although they still had several dozen bags and some clothes in stock, it was nowhere near enough to pay off their "debt" to the girls at the Public Security Bureau.

Moreover, they predicted that once Gao Xiaofen and Bai Yun received their clothes and wore them out, they would attract a huge number of customers. Their orders would definitely soar by then, which was why they were rushing to catch up on production, lest they have nothing to sell when the time came.

However, Gu Yu had injured his hand and could not work. Shen Jianan had him sit nearby and draft a contract for the brigade in advance. After all, Gu Yu had been exposed to business matters since childhood and understood the rules of this era better than Shen Jianan did.

"Brother Jianan, I've sorted the fabric for you."

Hearing little Cheng Guang call out, Shen Jianan quickly stopped cutting and looked up to see the child standing before the shelf opposite him, smiling.

The fabrics had already been neatly stacked on the shelf according to size, color, and material.

"Very capable!"

Shen Jianan nodded in satisfaction, beckoned him over, then took two milk candies from his pocket and placed them in the child's hand. "Go play! Don't run too far."

"Thank you, Brother Jianan. Thank you, Brother Gu."

Holding the milk candies, the child smiled until his eyes curved. "I'm not going to play. I'm going to help Mom process the bamboo strips and rattan so I can help you make bags."

With that, he skipped away. Watching the child's cheerful figure, the two of them smiled as well. "Xiao Guang is much more outgoing than before."

"Of course."

Shen Jianan glanced at Gu Yu, who had spoken, and said with feeling, "I can understand and empathize with him. His family used to be poor. Everywhere he went, he was beaten and cursed at, while his parents couldn't protect him.

"Over time, he naturally kept everything bottled up inside, and he grew more and more insecure. But now, his father can earn money, and everything is moving in a better direction. He has seen hope, so naturally he has become more cheerful."

"That's true."

Gu Yu nodded in agreement. "Despair can 'kill' a person. The reverse can grant them a new life."

Shen Jianan raised his brows and smiled. "Right."

Then he turned back to his work. "Let's get to it!"

"Mm..."

Gu Yu nodded and began writing the contract again. Two hours later, a satisfactory contract was successfully completed. After checking it and finding no problems, he copied out another version and put it in his bag, ready to bring it along for the cadres when the brigade discussed cooperation with the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

After putting away the pens and ink, he sat to one side. As he helped Shen Jianan inspect the finished clothes for flaws, he discussed with him how to deal with the gold bars.

"I'm planning to sell them on the black market. Going to the bank isn't safe."

"Mm!"

Shen Jianan nodded in agreement. "The black market is more suitable. We might be watched, but as long as we're careful, nothing should happen. If we take them to the bank, I'm afraid there'll be even more trouble." (Author's note: This is fictional plot, and the era is different. Please do not apply it to real-life circumstances.)

"That's what I thought too."

Gu Yu spoke seriously. "After tonight's meeting, I'll go sell them in the neighboring town, so we don't let the night grow long and dreams grow many."

"Alright."

Shen Jianan nodded, then earnestly instructed him, "Be careful. Take our kitchen knife with you when you go."

"Alright."

Gu Yu laughed at his words, though his heart felt soft and warm. "I'll listen to you in everything."

As the sun leaned westward, the end-of-work whistle of Chaoyang Production Brigade sounded right on time. The villagers carried their farming tools home in a hurry, wolfed down a meal, then headed to the brigade in groups of three or five.

Cheng Hu was somewhat nervous today. He tightly held the hands of his wife and son until his palms were sweating. Little Cheng Guang felt uncomfortable and could not help struggling.

"Dad, your hands are so sweaty. I don't want to hold them anymore."

As he spoke, he moved to his mother's side and looked at Xiang Haiyan with a beaming smile. "I'll hold Mom's hand."

"Hey! You little brat, you actually look down on your dad now!?"

Cheng Hu raised his hand at him with a laughing curse, making the child giggle as he hurriedly hid behind his mother, nearly bumping into someone behind him.

"You little bastard, get lost!"

The man shouted and shoved him in the back. Had Xiang Haiyan not caught him in time, he would likely have fallen.

Seeing the child's eyes turn red with fright, Cheng Hu's heart ached terribly. He immediately spun around in fury, glaring at the burly man before him. "Zhao Dahai, why did you push my son?"

Seeing that Cheng Hu actually dared to raise his voice at him, the man lifted his brows disdainfully and sneered. "Are you blind? Didn't you see he nearly bumped into me?"

Then he added, "Looks like not only is your leg crippled, even your eyes are crippled."

"Hahahahahaha... Dahai, you're getting more and more skilled with your words!"

The people beside him burst out laughing, mocking Cheng Hu as his face reddened with anger.

"Cheng the Cripple, when did your eyes become 'crippled'?"

"You actually dare challenge Brother Hai!?"

Zhao Dahai chimed in as well. "Can you see your wife's pale, naked body at night? Don't—"

"I'll fuck your mother!"

Hearing him use filthy language about Xiang Haiyan, Cheng Hu exploded in rage and punched him squarely in the eye. Caught off guard, Zhao Dahai was instantly knocked to the ground.

His companions were stunned and froze where they stood. Before they could react, Cheng Hu had already dragged his lame leg over and pounced on Zhao Dahai, his fists raining down like drops in a storm.

"You bastards, it's one thing for you to bully me, but you dare disrespect my wife? I'll beat you to death! Beat you to death..."

"Ah! Help!!"

Zhao Dahai's nose bled profusely as he kept dodging and struggling. "Pull this damned cripple off me! Help!!"

But Cheng Hu had pinned him down so firmly that he could not move. Only his two legs remained, kicking wildly beneath Cheng Hu and sending dust flying everywhere. Only then did his companions come to their senses, angrily rushing forward to pull Cheng Hu away.

Yet Cheng Hu sensed their intentions. Knowing he could not fight them all, he swiftly flattened himself over Zhao Dahai, wrapped both arms tightly around his neck, and opened his mouth to bite viciously at his chest and shoulders. In just a few bites, he tore bloody holes into the man.

"Aooo—"

In agony, Zhao Dahai struggled and craned his neck as he shouted, "Cheng Hu, fucking let go! I'm dying from the pain! Help! Pull him off me, now!!"

Hearing that, the others panicked too and immediately began kicking Cheng Hu hard. "Cheng Hu, let go! Fucking let go."

"Dad!"

Seeing him at a disadvantage, Cheng Guang grabbed a stone from the roadside and charged at them like a little calf, hurling it at their bodies. "Let go of my dad, you bad people!"

"Xiao Guang!"

Xiang Haiyan anxiously rushed forward as well. "You bastards, let go of my man! Let go!"

As she cursed furiously, she pinched and scratched at them, even ripping out quite a bit of their hair. Several grown men cursed in pain and were just about to strike back when several cadres who had rushed over after hearing the commotion kicked them away. "What are you doing!? What kind of men bully women and children!?"

When the cadres saw Cheng Hu's fierce face smeared with blood and Zhao Dahai's body covered in bite marks as he wailed without end, they all froze.

Some villagers who had come over to watch the excitement were likewise badly frightened. Their eyes were filled with blame as they prepared to help scold Cheng Hu's family, only to see him stagger to his feet and sweep the crowd with an icy expression.

"I, Cheng Hu, may be crippled, but I am still a man of honor."

Panting heavily, he tightly gripped his red-eyed wife and son and raised his voice. "I'm putting my words here today. If anyone dares speak disrespectfully to my wife and son again, or bully them—

"Even if I have to risk my life, I'll make their whole family join them in the grave. If anyone refuses to accept that, just try me. I mean every word I say."

Clap clap clap clap clap!

"Well said! Now that's a real man."

Crisp applause and a familiar voice sounded behind him. Everyone turned toward the sound and saw the late-arriving Shen Jianan and Gu Yu. Disdain immediately appeared on many faces, especially Zhao Dahai's. He was just about to fire back with a few words when several cadres warmly stepped forward to greet them. "You're here."

"Mm."

Shen Jianan answered indifferently, then walked over to Cheng Hu and his family. He coldly swept his gaze over everyone present before curling his lips into a smile. "Brother Cheng, Sister-in-law, let's go in together!"

The Cheng family looked puzzled and silently questioned him. Hadn't they agreed to pretend they did not know each other for now? Why were they...

But then he winked at them. The three instantly understood and hurriedly thanked him. "Alright, thank you, Educated Youth Shen and Educated Youth Gu."

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, they walked into the brigade side by side with the two men. Zhao Gang watched the five enter the courtyard, a trace of complexity flashing through his eyes. He then turned and glared at Zhao Dahai and the others, who still looked indignant, before angrily scolding them.

"You're all getting more and more capable, aren't you? You even bully women and children. Do you have any shame? Has Cheng Hu and his wife and child eaten your food or used your things, for you to treat them like this? Do you know what it means when thirty years east of the river become thirty years west of the river?"

Seeing him speak up for Cheng Hu's family, Zhao Dahai immediately protested. "No, Brigade Leader, look at how badly he bit me."

"Shut up! I haven't even dealt with you yet!"

Zhao Gang turned and glared at him coldly. "I'm putting my words here today. If you lot dare bully Cheng Hu's family again and ruin this matter for me, I'll make sure you can't swallow it or carry it away!"

With that, he left the bewildered group behind and strode away in anger with several cadres.

The others looked at each other, their eyes full of confusion. What did the brigade leader mean by that? Unfortunately, before they could figure it out, Zhao Gang's furious roar rang out again.

"Why aren't you getting in here!?"

Everyone trembled in fright and hurriedly looked up, only to see him standing at the entrance with a dark face, glaring angrily at the crowd. They immediately rushed forward in fear. "Coming, coming!"

They followed him into the brigade courtyard. Zhao Gang swept his gaze around, and seeing that everyone had arrived, he did not delay. He began telling the people filling the yard about how Shen Jianan would teach them to cooperate with the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

"Yesterday, Educated Youth Shen went to the city... Those people all liked the things he made and kept clamoring to buy them. Educated Youth Shen is kind-hearted and could not bear to see everyone hungry and poor, so he handed the business over to the brigade. He said he would lead us toward prosperity through hard work..."

"What?"

"H-He wants to lead us in making money!?"

Zhao Gang's words were like cold water falling into a pan of boiling oil, instantly setting the crowd ablaze. Everyone in the courtyard was stirred up, each one looking excitedly at Shen Jianan. "Educated Youth Shen, is this true?"

"Mm!"

Shen Jianan smiled and nodded. "It's true!"

Upon receiving confirmation, the crowd grew even more excited. Some even burst into tears on the spot, and several cadres' eyes turned red as well.

"Alright, stop crying for now. Listen to me finish."

Zhao Gang wiped his face and continued, "Once the brigade leader gets a result, we'll go negotiate cooperation with the Supply and Marketing Cooperative... During that time, Educated Youth Shen will select ten outstanding people and train them as technical backbones. In the future, they will lead everyone in making hair ties and backpacks..."

In addition, all products made by everyone had to pass Shen Jianan's inspection before they could be shipped out. Furthermore, he would personally be responsible for assigning work points for handicraft production. He had the authority to deal with every brigade member who refused to follow arrangements, including the cadres themselves.

Hearing this, another thousand-layer wave rose in everyone's hearts, and the crowd erupted once more. Even the educated youths from the Educated Youth Station were no exception.