Chapter 265: Shadows of War

After Mingcheng and Zhang Weiguo returned to school, Mingyuan and Yang Nuo continued selling their goods at stalls. The first batch of merchandise was nearly sold out. Wang Qian called Lin Xi in advance and sent the investment money for all three families through the post office. The second batch of goods arrived quickly. As the new term approached, Yang Nuo and his group finished their sales activities. Before leaving, Wang Qian provided them with additional goods to sell in the capital and informed them about the option of unified wholesale, ensuring it wouldn’t affect their studies.

Upon arriving in the capital and meeting with Chen Xu and others, Yang Nuo’s group ignited a strong desire among the young people to engage in business and make money.

Chen Grandpa had no objections to this endeavor. He believed that young people should explore and doing business was not a bad thing.

In a surprising turn of events, Wang Qian never expected that this group of young people in the capital would carve out a successful business venture. Shortly after the start of the school year, Ge Yun received a call from her son requesting more goods. Since the Wang family didn’t have a phone at that time, Yang Nuo had to contact his own mother.

Ge Yun, Zhao Ru, and their group were aware of the children’s business activities with the Wang family. They had invested in shares by selling electronic watches and cassette players. The adults didn’t interfere much, trusting their children’s decisions. Even if there were losses, it would only be the invested money, as no funds were taken out of the households. This lack of financial risk alleviated their concerns.

Upon hearing that her son’s goods were selling out fast, Ge Yun hurried to find Wang Zhenhe. Luckily, her current job was relatively easy, so she could leave with just a quick word. Wang Zhenhe’s store was conveniently close to their workplace. As a wholesaler, he immediately understood that the young men had put in a lot of effort upon hearing about the shortage in the capital.

He promptly called Lin Xi at the post office to request more goods. Lin Xi in Guangzhou was surprised by the rapid sales. The initial low prices they had set had resulted in higher sales volume.

Quickly following Wang Zhenhe’s instructions, Lin Xi dispatched the goods to their designated address.

As the new school year began, Wang Qian and Mingyuan flaunted their new electronic watches, garnering envy from their classmates. When asked where they got the watches, Wang Qian proudly mentioned her mother’s small shop.

The next day, many people sported the same style of watch, contributing to Zhang Lan’s profits. Ge Yun and Zhao Ru also assisted in promoting the watches, supporting their children’s business endeavor. This involvement attracted more customers to Wang Zhenhe’s store.

Soon after, Mingcheng sent a letter home. Wang Qian learned about the outbreak of the Vietnam Counteroffensive War, bringing the reality of war uncomfortably close. With both her relatives at the military academy, she was relieved that Mingcheng’s letter didn’t mention anything about him and Zhang Weiguo going to the front lines, giving her family some peace of mind.

Despite this, the shadow of war lingered heavily in Wang Qian’s mind. She understood that this was a prolonged conflict, lasting a whole decade. Without Mingcheng’s letter, she might have forgotten about it entirely.

Despite the internal fear, life had to go on. Sales in the capital and at Wang Zhenhe’s store were exceptionally brisk, with goods continuously shipped from Guangzhou.

In June, Lin Xi urgently telegraphed Wang Qian, informing her that the house affairs had been settled, awaiting her payment.

As Bao’an County was currently a small fishing village, property prices were relatively low. Initially, Lin Xi and her husband were unsure about the location. However, Wang Qian’s unexpected investment decision made Lin Xi skeptical. After thorough inquiries and analysis, they decided to purchase several more houses in the area to use as their shops.

Upon receiving the news, Zhang Lan discussed with her daughter and promptly went to the post office to call her dear friend from the past. Upon hearing Zhang Lan’s voice, Lin Xi was moved to the point of being choked up. Over the years, the only individuals who left a lasting impression on her were Zhang Lan and her family.

“Sister-in-law, I finally hear your voice. I’ve chosen the house for Qian Qian, and we’ve settled on the price. Would you prefer to come in person to complete the formalities, or do you have other plans?” Lin Xi inquired.

Suppressing her excitement, Zhang Lan resolved the matter at hand first. “Sister, I’ll send the payment over first. Write the property deed in Qian Qian’s name. When summer vacation comes, Qian Qian can go and have a look. I’m not sure how the children plan to handle those houses. You handle the procedures on our behalf; I trust you.”

Lin Xi was deeply moved by Zhang Lan’s trust. “Sister-in-law, rest assured, I will take care of everything for Qian Qian. This responsibility falls on me. Sister-in-law, how are you? I truly miss you. Please come and visit when you have the time.”

After briefly updating each other on their situations over the phone, the old friends reluctantly agreed to visit the South for a vacation, before reluctantly hanging up the call.

Subsequently, Zhang Lan sent a sum of money to Lin Xi, feeling a pang when she saw the amount. It was a significant sum, but her daughter spent it without hesitation. Zhang Lan found it concerning but still decided to send the money, believing her daughter had a plan and would make good use of it.

During lunch when Wang Qian returned home, Zhang Lan informed her that the money had been sent. Wang Qian simply chuckled, “Mom, don’t worry about the money. You’ll understand later. When you’re older, you can just sit at home and count money for fun.”

After the meal, Wang Minglin and Qu Kai unexpectedly arrived on a three-wheeled motorcycle.

“Third Uncle, take a look. This is an old motorcycle from the Public Security Bureau. We fixed it up with spare parts, and now it’s good to go,” they proudly announced.

Wang Zhenhe and Mingyuan were thrilled to hear the news and immediately took Wang Qian to see the motorcycle outside. Although the three-wheeled motorcycle was a bit old, the brothers had cleaned it up nicely and even gave it a fresh coat of paint. It didn’t look like a discarded vehicle at all.

Excited, Mingyuan sat on the motorcycle, started it up after a few tries, showcasing his mechanical skills. Although not an expert, thanks to the lessons from Grandpa Cui, Mingyuan had a good understanding of mechanical principles. Given the chance, he could probably repair the motorcycle himself. However, with his focus on studying, he only had time to occasionally tinker with things and offer suggestions.

“Dad, come up, and I’ll take you for a ride around. Bro, you two go ahead and have some fruit. We’ll be back soon,” Mingyuan exclaimed, eager to show off the motorcycle.

Wang Qian and Zhang Lan were a bit apprehensive as Mingyuan hadn’t tinkered with such things before. However, Wang Zhenhe boldly took a step and mounted the motorcycle.

Unable to dampen Mingyuan’s enthusiasm, his mother and sister nervously sat on the side while Mingyuan, sensing their worry, secretly enjoyed the moment. Having observed his brothers work on the motorcycle, Mingyuan felt confident in his ability to handle it.

With a resounding roar, Mingyuan rode the motorcycle around the street, initially a bit hesitant but gradually gaining confidence and speed.

Upon returning home, Zhang Lan still found it hard to believe that her son could ride a motorcycle. “Mingyuan, where did you learn to do this? I’ve never seen you ride before.”

Proudly, Mingyuan responded, “Mom, I couldn’t have learned nothing over the years. Give me a car now, and I could figure out how to drive it. Your son is smart.”

Wang Zhenhe chuckled, patting his son on the back. “Son, stay humble. Arrogance leads to regression. Both of you should go inside now. Exams are approaching, don’t let this distract you from your studies.”

After sending the two children off, Wang Zhenhe, with his nephew, continued practicing how to ride the motorcycle. As Mingyuan had mentioned, learning to ride a motorcycle was indeed straightforward. After a few hours of practice, Wang Zhenhe became proficient at driving the motorcycle.

Fortunately, the traffic police weren’t checking licenses yet, or Wang Zhenhe would have been the first to be stopped.

Having the motorcycle made it much easier for Wang Zhenhe to handle deliveries and pickups. Even Qu Kai and Wang Minglin rode the motorcycle home occasionally, driving carefully as per Wang Zhenhe’s strict instructions. He emphasized the importance of caution, reminding them that the motorcycle had been rebuilt from scrapped parts and to drive slowly.

When Wang Minglin rode the motorcycle home, those unaware might assume that the Wang family’s second son had struck it rich. However, Wang Juan and her husband kept tight-lipped, claiming that their son was repairing the motorcycle for someone else and borrowing it for personal use.

Despite some suspicions, there was no evidence to support the speculation that Wang Zhenhai’s son was involved in business with his uncle. The family maintained a strict stance on the matter.

During the summer break, Wang Zhenhe accompanied Wang Qian on a trip to the South. Their repair shop had already started offering motorcycle repair services, a modest but promising beginning. Wang Minglin and Qu Kai had begun learning automobile repair techniques, ensuring a smooth transition. Wang Zhenhe was confident that they could handle incoming repair jobs.

The two of them planned to search for unique merchandise to sell, as the variety of electronic watches and cassette tapes was becoming limited. Traveling in the intense summer heat without air conditioning on the train was uncomfortable, but they endured by opening windows to let in some breeze as the train raced along.

Wang Qian wiped the sweat off her forehead with a damp towel in the sleeper carriage, where other passengers were present, leaving her and her father no choice but to avoid the confined space.

She resorted to nibbling on a pear to cool down in the stuffy environment.

Across from her, a pair of siblings on the sleeper berth caught her attention. They appeared to resemble each other, likely brother and sister. Despite a sense of familiarity, she was certain she didn’t know them.

The girl on the opposite berth noticed Wang Qian enjoying the pear and seemed tempted by its taste. She discreetly swallowed her saliva, trying to avoid embarrassment, and quickly turned to speak to her brother.

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