Chapter 102: Goji Berries and Cherries

Chen Liang could tell that Chen’s mother had been thoroughly well looked after of late, so he merely smiled at his father’s request. “All right, Dad. I’ve already set up two more vats. Once they’re ready, I’ll bring you a jug.”

Truth be told, Chen Liang did not have much of the special medicinal wine left in his hands now. The vat he had promised the Zhang brothers, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Yi, had already been sent northeast by someone he knew, and by the time he counted the days, they might already have started drinking it.

“Big Brother Chen, then give me a jug too when it’s ready. I want some as well.” It was the eldest brother seated nearby who spoke up.

“No problem. One jug apiece once it’s ready.” Chen Liang didn’t take it seriously at all and immediately thumped his chest in assurance.

Ah, only a man could truly understand another man’s pain. Especially a man with a beautiful wife at home—his suffering was even greater. Anyone who had ever drunk that medicinal wine ended up with the same fear: not enough firepower.

The more ammunition you had, the better the relationship.

That was what the strategist Napoleon said.

After sitting with his father for a while, Chen Liang returned to the room with a flood of mixed feelings. Glancing at Xiaoyu, who had grown even more alluring and radiant, he became even more convinced of the strategist’s wisdom.

He secretly took a one-tael wine cup from the cabinet, filled it halfway, and downed it in one gulp.

Xiaoyu, who always kept an eye on him, went pale with fright the moment she saw what he was doing.

Last time, Chen Liang had also drunk this much, and then he had displayed such divine might that he had beaten Xiaoyu into utter rout, a complete collapse. The balance that had once been evenly matched was utterly overturned; he seized the battlefield again and became the undisputed overlord.

Holding Xiaoyu as she drifted into sleep, Chen Liang could even see the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes in the moonlight that filtered through the night. That duel had been hard on Xiaoyu. In order not to be blown apart, she had thrown out every trick she knew; all the arts of coaxing, pleasing, singing, and teasing had been used to the fullest.

After storing Xiaoyu away in the supermarket space, Chen Liang put on his clothes and sneaked out of the courtyard. Today was the day he was supposed to restock.

After Big Dog finished helping out his younger brothers in the pigeon market, he had completely let himself go and thrown his lot in with Chen Liang, clinging to his thigh with both hands.

Chen Liang, for his part, really did need a front man to help handle the pigeon market business. When Big Dog had expressed his wish to latch on to him, Chen Liang had quietly checked around, and after confirming that the man truly was loyal and righteous, he had agreed.

As for Cao Dawu, this time, taking advantage of the spring hiring at Red Star Steel Mill, Chen Liang had spent a great deal of money—six hundred whole yuan—to buy the job placement slot of an old steelworker who was about to retire, securing the man’s succession post.

So Chen Liang no longer let Cao Dawu get involved with the pigeon market. After all, once he had a formal job, getting mixed up in that kind of thing again was far too risky.

Now that Big Dog had arrived and taken full charge of the pigeon market, he had made up one of the gaps in Chen Liang’s setup.

At the hidden warehouse, Chen Liang shone his flashlight around casually for a couple of turns, then replenished the stock with chickens, ducks, fish, meat, rice, flour, and cooking oil. After that, he went outside and swept the flashlight beam through the sky to send the signal.

It was quite a while before Big Dog hurried over. “Boss Liang, this is this week’s payment for the goods.”

These days, Big Dog was dressed like a proper, respectable man. There was no trace left of the pitiful look he had worn just over a month ago, when he could not even get enough to eat.

Taking the money, Chen Liang didn’t even count it and simply stuffed it into his small shoulder bag. “Big Dog, nothing has happened at the pigeon market lately, has it?”

“Nope. Business is getting better and better now. We’re almost at the point where demand outstrips supply.” As he finished speaking, Big Dog took out a thick stack of coupons and handed them to Chen Liang with both hands.

“Good, as long as nothing’s happened. But be more careful when moving goods lately. I’ve heard a lot from the neighbors around us about the pigeon market near Zhengyang Gate.”

“Understood, Boss Liang. I guarantee I won’t expose our operation. If I trade again in the future, I’ll go over to Dexian Lane in the north.”

Chen Liang nodded when he heard that. “As long as you know what you’re doing. You know the pigeon market better than I do. I trust you to handle things. Go ahead and do it boldly!”

After exchanging a few more words with Big Dog, Chen Liang left. Once Chen Liang had gone, Big Dog slipped into the warehouse to take a look.

Seeing the mountains of supplies piled up inside, Big Dog was utterly awed by Chen Liang. He could only bow in admiration. This ability to reach into the heavens and the earth was simply too damn impressive.

Lighting a Great Wall cigarette, Big Dog fondled the goods here and there, unable to bear letting go. All of this was money.

Since Chen Liang had taken Big Dog under his wing, he naturally would not shortchange him. So long as it was something from the warehouse, Big Dog would receive a five-cent commission for every jin he sold.

Now Big Dog was earning in a single week what he would once have failed to make in a whole year. If he had not feared being branded with a reactionary label, he would have wanted to set up a memorial tablet for Chen Liang and burn incense to him three times a day in worship.

As the saying goes, time flies, and in the blink of an eye, under Chen Liang’s daily routine of slacking off at work and lingering with the lamp after work, old Beijing had finally entered summer.

Though the streets were not yet filled with the kind of bold girls from later years who flashed long legs and tiny crop tops, each of them was dressed quite lightly.

Today had originally been a rare Sunday, and Chen Liang and Xiaoyu had planned to sleep in. But before seven o’clock, the little sprouts in the courtyard, led by Chen Hong, were already running wild and bickering everywhere, making a racket on and off so that no one could sleep soundly.

“Damn it, can’t these little brats settle down for even a moment?” Chen Liang grumbled as he climbed out of bed beside Xiaoyu. Lifting the towel blanket, he saw the tiny pink bellyband Xiaoyu was wearing, embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water.

Chen Liang could not help but lean in again. After toying with it for a while, and seeing it rise from grape-size to cherry-size with his own eyes, he bit the cherry lightly. With stubble on his face, he kept poking at Xiaoyu until she laughed coquettishly over and over.

Pulling on a pair of trousers and a ribbed undershirt, Chen Liang took the washbasin outside to wash up.

By this time, old Beijing was already blazing hot, and most men stayed at home with bare torsos.

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Chen Liang took out the shampoo that had been transformed in the supermarket into washing powder, washed his hair, and then used a razor to clean the stubble from his face.

In an instant, the fellow in front of the mirror had gone from a disheveled slouch to a fresh, sparkling, outrageously handsome man.

Carrying a basin of water back into the room, he saw Xiaoyu lying on the bed, gazing at him with utter fascination. Chen Liang gave a faint, unhurried smile. Hah. Another day of being awakened by his own handsomeness for the common folk.

After Xiaoyu, still bare-skinned save for her bellyband, finished washing up and changed into a blue floral high-collared dress, Chen Liang had already returned with the breakfast Chen’s mother had been keeping warm in the pot.

Five chapters to test the waters.