Chapter 318: 1986, Killing a Chicken to Scare the Monkeys

Chapter 318: 1986, Killing a Chicken to Scare the Monkeys

In the region of Bobai, moving into a new home is called "jin huo" (entering the fire). During "jin huo," people can move into their new home in advance, but they are not allowed to start a fire inside until the auspicious time arrives.

Therefore, after all the relatives and friends had gathered, Changwen's wife (Changwen Sao) generously waved her hand and led her children and their spouses, along with the guests, to a newly opened mutton hot pot restaurant in the south gate for a delicious meal.

Changwen Sao naturally knew the owner of this hot pot restaurant. He was the head of the clan's nephew, Bu Dashu. He had stayed at the clan head's home for a long time, and most people in Naye Village and the nearby villages knew him.

This meal at the mutton hot pot restaurant cost several dozen yuan, which was a significant expense for rural people in this era. However, today, with all the relatives and friends gathered, it was arguably the most glorious day of Changwen Sao's life. She didn't mind spending the money at all.

After the hot pot meal, Changwen Sao's family took the guests for a stroll around the county town to broaden their horizons.

Besides Changwen Sao's family, a few other clan members had also chosen to move into their new homes the next day and invited their relatives and friends today.

Unquestionably, when these relatives and friends saw the Naye Deng Clan residential area, they were stunned by its beauty, which far exceeded their imagination. Their shocked reactions greatly satisfied the clan members' desire to show off.

To complete their show, the clan members were exceptionally generous, inviting their guests to eat at good restaurants and spending several dozen yuan each time, displaying their wealth and generosity, which naturally drew admiring glances from their guests.

In the region of Bobai, the auspicious time for "jin huo" is not fixed. Some families move in at midnight, others at dawn, and still others in the early morning. The exact time is determined by the date master.

Changwen Sao's family chose to move in at 1:06 AM. After completing the simple "jin huo" ceremony with their relatives and friends, they returned to their rooms to continue sleeping.

The next morning, they ate a home-cooked meal.

In this era, gas was already available in the county town, but since it required the installation of a gas stove and a gas canister, which was quite expensive, its usage was very limited. Most families still opted for the cheaper option of using honeycomb coal.

After the meal, the relatives and friends began to leave one by one.

Changwen Sao and her family warmly bid farewell to the guests several times before seeing them off at the bus station and watching them depart.

Upon returning home, Changwen Sao's smile never faded.

From yesterday to today, it was truly the most glorious day of her life.

Although these relatives had helped her family during their difficult years, she knew that they didn't really look up to her family back then. They only helped out of familial duty, offering small favors out of obligation.

This was a common human reaction. In the modern world, there is a saying, "poverty scares people," which is very fitting in the context of relatives and friends.

If you are only temporarily in trouble, relatives and friends are naturally willing to help, knowing that you will soon turn things around, and everyone is happy to do a favor. However, if you are consistently in poverty, relatives and friends will avoid you, fearing that you might ask for a loan.

After all, once the money is lent, it might take a long time to be repaid, which is the primary reason for their fear.

Changwen Sao's family had been in that kind of poverty that scared people in recent years.

Now, things were better. The difficult days were over, and their life was improving. In the future, her family would no longer be the poor ones that relatives and friends feared, but rather the successful ones that everyone envied and wanted to befriend.

Unfortunately...

Changwen Sao sighed deeply. If only her husband could see this day, how wonderful it would be!

...

In January 1986, the county added five new townships: Shuangfeng, Lingjiao, Shabu, Shuangwang, and Daba.

As a result, the county now had 19 townships and 6 towns.

For a long time, the Shuangwang region either belonged to Longtan or Songshan. After being shuffled around for years, it finally became independent and would remain so until the present day, no longer under the jurisdiction of Longtan or Songshan.

...

Yongjia Supermarket.

After more than two months of operation, Yongjia Supermarket's popularity was on par with the Department Store, and in the sales of small goods, the Department Store was no longer a match for Yongjia Supermarket. However, due to the limited variety of goods and the lack of a strong presence in home appliances, Yongjia Supermarket had not yet posed a significant threat to the Department Store.

Now, the employees of Yongjia Supermarket were well-trained. The cashiers and weighers were familiar with the prices of all items and could check out customers much faster than in the first half-month of operation.

The daily revenue was stable between 5,500 and 6,500 yuan, with daily profits exceeding 1,000 yuan, making it a highly profitable business.

Deng Yuntao and Zhang Xiuping had clear roles: Deng Yuntao was responsible for purchasing and restocking, while Zhang Xiuping handled the daily financial settlements. These tasks did not require them to be constantly present in the supermarket on the second floor, so they spent most of their free time in the restaurant on the first floor as they used to.

One afternoon, while Deng Yuntao was drinking with his father and Grandpa Zhang, a security guard from the supermarket ran down and said, "Boss, we caught a thief. Please come up and handle it."

Deng Yuntao stood up abruptly and cursed, "Which bastard has the nerve to do this!"

Deng Shirong frowned and put down his chopsticks, saying, "Uncle Zhang, you keep drinking. I'll go up and see what's going on."

In a supermarket, even with a well-developed surveillance network in the modern era, it's impossible to completely prevent theft, let alone in this era. Deng Shirong had long been prepared for this and even estimated that some thieves had already tried their luck, just without being caught.

Now that the first thief had been caught, it was time to make an example of her to deter others.

Zhang Guangzong couldn't sit still either and put down his chopsticks, saying, "I'll go up and see which blind fool dared to steal from here."

From the first day Yongjia Supermarket opened, he had already spread the word that the local gang of thieves would not dare to approach. Now that a thief had been caught, he was curious about where this person had come from.

Thus, the three of them quickly headed upstairs, with Zhang Xiuping carrying her son following behind.

Deng Yunzhen asked her cousin to watch the cash register and also went up.

At the cash register, a crowd of onlookers had gathered. A woman in her fifties was struggling and cursing loudly, her words in the local dialect, which Deng Shirong and the others couldn't understand, but they knew she was yelling at someone.

Upon arriving, Deng Shirong asked, "What's going on?"

Holding the woman were two young women from Naye Village. One of them said, "Uncle Jiu, this aunt stole something. I saw her put a pack of longan meat in her inner pocket."

The woman shouted fiercely, "You're lying, I didn't steal anything."

Deng Shirong ignored her and asked again, "Are you sure the longan meat is still on her?"

The young woman replied confidently, "Yes, I've been watching her the whole time."

Since the stolen goods were still on her, it made things easier. Deng Shirong instructed, "Get two more people to hold her down, and you search her for the item."

All the staff at the supermarket were recruited from the Naye Deng Clan. Since the clan head and boss had given the order, these young women and housewives were not afraid. Two of them quickly pinned down the struggling woman.

The young woman who had been watching her didn't hesitate and reached into the woman's clothes, quickly pulling out a pack of longan meat.

The woman, who had been struggling fiercely, immediately lost her spirit when the longan meat was found. A flash of regret and fear crossed her eyes. She hadn't thought much about the consequences when she stole, but now that she was caught, she realized how serious the situation was.

Yongjia Supermarket had always been clear about its policy: anyone caught stealing would be fined ten times the value of the stolen goods. If they had a job, their employer would be notified. If they refused to pay, they would be handed over to the police. In short, anyone who dared to steal would face severe consequences.

Now, aside from the tenfold fine, just the public humiliation of being surrounded by so many people was enough to ruin her reputation, as they would say in the modern world, she was completely "socially dead"!

Deng Shirong took the pack of longan meat and looked at the deflated woman, asking, "Do you have anything to say now?"

The woman covered her face and remained silent.

Seeing this, Zhang Guangzong shook his head inwardly. This woman was clearly an ordinary person, not someone from the underworld. He couldn't do much about such cases. Now that the situation was clear, there was no point in staying, so he walked downstairs with his hands behind his back.

"What a shame, at her age, and with her decent clothing, she still does something to disgrace her children and grandchildren. Does she want her family to suffer?"

"The supermarket has warning signs everywhere about the tenfold fine for theft. I remember this pack of longan meat is about half a kilogram and costs 7.5 yuan. The tenfold fine would be 75 yuan. This is what happens when you're greedy!"

"Stealing in broad daylight, how shameless! She deserves to be punished!"

"..."

The onlookers, seeing the matter resolved, began to criticize her. In this era, while there were many bad people, there were even more who had a sense of justice and despised such behavior.

Hearing the crowd's condemnation, the woman wished she could find a hole to hide in.

Deng Shirong, seeing that she was still silent, asked, "Do you want to pay the fine, or should we take you to the police?"

Hearing this, the woman dared not remain silent any longer. It was a time of strict law enforcement, and being taken to the police could cause a lot of trouble. She quickly lowered her voice and said, "I'll pay the fine, but I don't have that much money on me. I... I'll go home to get the money."

Deng Shirong said, "I'll send someone to go with you to get the money."

The woman, of course, didn't want this, but she knew they wouldn't let her go alone. She had no choice but to agree.

Thus, Deng Shirong sent two security guards from the supermarket to accompany the woman to get the money.

After the woman left, Deng Shirong turned to the crowd and said, "I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you all for your support and righteousness. Our supermarket has a zero-tolerance policy for theft. I hope this incident serves as a lesson for everyone, and no one will make the same mistake again."

"Look at this auntie, she seems so kind-hearted, but who would have thought she would do such a despicable thing? Truly, one cannot judge a person by their appearance!"

"Back in the toughest times, we never thought of stealing from others. Now that most people can afford basic necessities, they still resort to theft. The moral standards of society are truly declining!"

"Hopefully, she will learn from this lesson and reform herself!"

"..."

The theft incident seemed to have passed, but the news of what happened at Yongjia Supermarket quickly spread throughout the county, thanks to the customers who were present.

"…The auntie was caught on the spot. At first, she refused to admit it, but since someone saw her steal, what use was her denial? In the end, the supermarket's female employee directly took out the half-pack of longan meat from her, catching her red-handed. She couldn't deny it anymore!"

"What happened afterward?"

"What else could happen? Steal one, pay ten times the value. The supermarket has warning signs everywhere. Since she stole, she had to pay the fine. That pack of longan meat is half a kilogram and costs 7.5 yuan. The tenfold fine is 75 yuan. She really lost big this time!"

"Deserves it. If you choose to steal, you must be prepared to face the consequences of being caught."

"The fine is a minor issue; the real problem is the shame. Dozens of people were watching, and I'm sure some recognized her, but they didn't expose her identity on the spot."

"Indeed, this is a disgrace. If this spreads, her children and grandchildren will be ashamed too!"

"Anyway, this incident should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks about stealing from the supermarket. The consequences are too severe once you're caught."

"Yongjia Supermarket operates with a self-selection model to provide convenience for customers, allowing them to shop without the need to interact with salespeople. However, some people take advantage of this convenience to steal, which is truly despicable!"

"Every grain of rice can feed a hundred different types of people. There will always be bad apples, and that's just how it is."

"..."

As the crowd discussed the theft incident at Yongjia Supermarket, Deng Shirong directly rewarded all the employees with the money the auntie had to pay as compensation. Every employee received a share, with the one who caught the thief getting the most, and the rest dividing the remaining amount.

After distributing the money, Deng Shirong announced that from now on, any employee who catches a thief will receive the same distribution of the fine.

This reward system immediately made the employees cheer.

Believing that from now on, the employees responsible for monitoring would be more vigilant, as they would receive a reward for catching a thief, their work enthusiasm would naturally be higher than before.

...

Saturday, 3:00 PM.

Deng Yunsong was making a small toy bamboo helicopter for Xiaodong'er, as shown below:

The bamboo helicopter is a traditional Chinese children's toy that has been widely popular.

To play with it, you rub your hands together, and then let go, and the bamboo helicopter will fly up into the sky, spinning for a while before falling back down.

It is a very clever invention from ancient China, and its simple yet magical design amazed Western missionaries, who called it the "Chinese Helix." In the 1930s, Germans used the shape and principle of the bamboo helicopter to invent the helicopter propeller.

This toy is simple to make and is one of the most popular toys in rural areas during this era, loved by both teenagers and children.

Soon, Deng Yunsong finished making the bamboo helicopter, put away the knife, and smiled at his niece, saying, "Xiaodong'er, watch carefully. When Uncle's hands rub like this, it will fly up into the sky!"

As he spoke, Deng Yunsong skillfully rubbed his hands, and the bamboo helicopter instantly flew up, reaching about three to four meters high, leaving Xiaodong'er wide-eyed.

When the bamboo helicopter fell back down, Xiaodong'er, who had just recovered, excitedly shouted, "Uncle, I want to play too! Teach me how to play!"

Deng Yunsong caught the falling bamboo helicopter and chuckled, "Alright, Uncle will teach you. I'll demonstrate again, so watch carefully!"

Xiaodong'er nodded eagerly, her eyes fixed on Uncle's hands.

Deng Yunsong deliberately slowed down his movements, rubbing his hands a few times before giving a slight push, and the bamboo helicopter flew up again.

Xiaodong'er understood and happily said, "Uncle, give it to me to play with."

Deng Yunsong caught the slowly falling bamboo helicopter and handed it to his niece, saying, "Sure, try to make it fly."

Xiaodong'er took the bamboo helicopter from Uncle, eagerly mimicking his movements. She clumsily rubbed her hands, but the result was obvious—it didn't fly and fell to the ground instead.

Xiaodong'er's face fell, and she pouted, "Uncle, why didn't it fly?"

Deng Yunsong picked up the bamboo helicopter and smiled, "You haven't learned it yet. Uncle will teach you again. Keep your hands straight and remember to let go when you push forward. Otherwise, it won't fly. Uncle will demonstrate one more time."

As he spoke, Deng Yunsong slowed down his movements, gently rubbing and then letting go, making the bamboo helicopter fly about one meter high.

Xiaodong'er, who was already over four years old, had seen many things and was much smarter than the other children her age in the village. Her learning ability was also quite good. She tried several times, mimicking Uncle's actions, and finally managed to make the bamboo helicopter fly.

This made her jump with joy. Just then, Grandpa came out with his water pipe to smoke, and she quickly showed off, saying, "Grandpa, this thing can fly, do you believe it?"

Deng Shirong teased her, "I don't believe it. Isn't this just bamboo? How can it fly?"

Xiaodong'er giggled and said, "Grandpa, watch carefully, I'll make it fly."

She rubbed her hands, but the bamboo helicopter didn't fly and fell to the ground.

Xiaodong'er picked it up and tried again, but it fell again.

At this point, she started to get a bit anxious, her little face tensing up.

Fortunately, on the third try, it finally flew, and a smile returned to her face. She jumped around, saying, "Grandpa, look quickly, it's flying!"

Deng Shirong laughed heartily and praised her, "Oh, it really flew! Xiaodong'er is so clever."

Encouraged by the praise, Xiaodong'er was even happier. She ran inside the restaurant to show off to her parents and her aunt.

Seeing her joyful expression, Deng Shirong felt genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart. He took out some tobacco and matches and asked his third son, "Xiaosong, how is your review going?"

Deng YunSong replied, "It's going very smoothly."

Deng Shirong said, "Your current grades are even better than your second brother's. You will take the college entrance exam next year, and the next six months are the most critical. You must not slack off; you need to give it your all. Your goal is to win the top spot in the college entrance exam in Guangxi. Do you have the confidence?"

Back then, his second son attended Songshan High School, which was one of the worst high schools in the county with poor teaching staff. For him to stand out and get into Peking University was a minor miracle.

His third son, on the other hand, attended the best high school in Bobai County, which had the best teaching staff in the county without any doubt.

Since high school, his third son had consistently been the top student in his grade, and no one had ever managed to dethrone him. His grades were indeed better than his second brother's, so Deng Shirong naturally hoped he could win the provincial (autonomous region) top spot.

Deng YunSong felt some pressure and said, "I should be able to win the city top spot, but winning the Guangxi top spot depends on the situation. I'll do my best."

Deng Shirong stuffed tobacco into his pipe, smiled, and comforted him, "Don't feel pressured. Your real goal is Tsinghua or Peking University. The top spot in Guangxi is just an honorary title, and it doesn't matter much whether you get it or not."

"I understand."

Deng YunSong nodded and then said confidently, "As for Tsinghua and Peking University, if nothing goes wrong, I should be able to get in with my current scores."

Hearing this, Deng Shirong was extremely pleased, but he still emphasized, "Xiaosong, although you have good grades now, remember not to be arrogant or complacent. The next six months are crucial, and you must work hard. You can't relax at all until you receive the acceptance letter from Tsinghua or Peking University, understand?"

Deng YunSong replied, "Dad, don't worry, I understand."

Deng Shirong lit his pipe with a match, took a few puffs, and then asked, "Have you thought about what major you want to choose for university?"

Deng YunSong shook his head and said, "Not yet. Dad, do you have any suggestions?"

Although he knew that in his previous life, his third son had pursued a political career, Deng Shirong still felt it was necessary to ask for his opinion: "After you graduate from university and start working, do you plan to go into business or follow your second brother's path in politics?"

Deng YunSong replied without hesitation, "I'll follow the path of my second brother in politics."

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "If you plan to go into politics, you can choose majors like Political Science, Economics, Philosophy, or Sociology. Choose based on your interests. Each major has its advantages and will be beneficial for your future development."

Deng YunSong nodded, seemingly understanding. He still had half a year to think about it, so there was no rush.

Deng Shirong added, "Also, your second brother has already started working and has more experience in this area than any of us. You can write to him and discuss the choice of your major. I believe he can give you some good advice."

Deng YunSong responded, "Okay, I'll write to my second brother."

Deng Shirong said, "If you can get into Tsinghua or Peking University, I hope you choose Tsinghua."

Deng YunSong was surprised and asked, "Why?"

Deng Shirong explained, "Because top universities like Tsinghua and Peking University each have their own circles. If both of you go to Peking University, you'll only mix in the Peking University circle. But if one of you goes to Peking University and the other to Tsinghua, you'll have a broader network of connections. Do you understand?"

Deng YunSong nodded in understanding, "I get it. I'll choose Tsinghua then!"

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Talking about it now is pointless. We'll see what happens after your college entrance exam results come out."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end