The Post-Apocalyptic Big Farm Owner

Chapter 20: Wealth and Success Without

Forgetting One’s Roots “Do you think he’ll come?” “He will. He has no reason to lie to us.” Dafang and Xiaofang craned their necks in anticipation, waiting at the crossroads for a full two or three hours, but there was still no sign of Li Ba. Dafang felt a bit discouraged. Xiaofang, however, remained calm. He was more level-headed than his older brother; from every angle, Li Ba had no reason to string them along. Finally, just before nine o’clock, a farm tricycle came driving toward the refugee camp. “Second Brother, look—isn’t that Li Ge in the tricycle?” Dafang’s face lit up with surprise. Inside the approaching tricycle sat a figure who looked incredibly familiar. “It’s him,” Xiao Fang said, a happy smile spreading across his face. Li Ba, sitting in the driver’s seat, spotted the two brothers standing at the intersection. He knew that his morning stroll through the market had run him late, leaving the two of them anxiously waiting. He turned the wheel sharply and pulled over at the intersection. Without turning off the engine, Li Ba rolled down the window, smiled warmly at Da Fang and Xiao Fang, and beckoned with his hand: “What are you waiting for? Hop in.” “Li Ge, where are you taking us?” “Into town.” The day they’d been waiting for had finally arrived. Dafang and Xiaofang, unable to contain their excitement, scrambled into the back of the tricycle in a flash. The engine roared to life, and black smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe. The tricycle made a sharp turn on the spot and headed toward the city gate. Upon reaching the city gate, the first order of business was to complete the entry procedures for Dafang and Xiaofang. After parking the vehicle, Li Ba and Yan'er got out of the driver’s cab. Dafang and Xiaofang also hopped down from the back compartment. The two brothers were beaming with excitement. Dafang even made a point of greeting Yan'er: “Pretty girl, you’re really beautiful.” Yan'er was indeed very pretty. Previously, she’d been malnourished and looked somewhat frail. Since coming into the city, she’d been eating three steady meals a day, snacking on mutated grains and fruits, and drinking the spatial spirit spring water. In just over ten days, the little girl seemed like a completely different person: with her short, ear-length hair, delicate features, and skin that looked smoother and fairer than porcelain, she wore a denim T-shirt and was the very picture of a youthful, beautiful young girl. “This is Big Fang and Little Fang,” Li Ba introduced to Yan'er. She had already learned from her Uncle Li that these two older brothers were his good friends. Yan'er politely stepped forward to greet them, showing no sign of being put off by the strong body odor emanating from Dafang and Xiaofang. Da Fang and Xiao Fang were also quite fond of Yan'er. Afterward, Xiao Fang glanced toward the city gate, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Li Ge, refugees entering the city are required to pay 300 jin of grain per person—that’s no small sum.” “Just a few hundred jin of grain coupons—no big deal.” Li Ba waved his hand grandly, exuding the air of a wealthy man, and led them to register and complete the formalities. To the left of the city gate stood a row of makeshift prefab buildings, specifically set up to collect supplies from the refugees and handle entry registration. When Li Ba arrived with Yan'er and the brothers Dafang and Xiaofang, he spotted Luo Jianguo at a glance, immediately broke into a broad smile, and walked over. “Director Luo.” Relying on his sturdy build, he pushed his way through the crowd in a few swift moves, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and handed one to Luo Jianguo. “Little Li, it’s you!” Luo Jianguo had a vivid impression of Li Ba. He discreetly sized Li Ba up and, seeing the young man was well-dressed, nodded to himself. Then, accepting the cigarette, he stood up with a smile, patted Li Ba on the shoulder, and said, “You’re doing pretty well for yourself in the city, aren’t you?” “Thanks to you, boss. It’s not bad—not bad at all.” Li Ba pulled out a lighter and lit Luo Jianguo’s cigarette. Luo Jianguo took a deep drag and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke—a gesture that clearly marked him as a longtime smoker with decades of experience. Li Ba reached into his trench coat pocket, pulled out four packs of Soft Honghe cigarettes, and shoved them straight into Luo Jianguo’s pocket. Luo Jianguo didn’t refuse; he looked very pleased and invited Li Ba inside to sit down. “You’re busy, sir. I won’t keep you any longer.” Li Ba grinned as he pulled out 600 jin of grain coupons, then pointed to Dafang and Xiaofang and said, “These two brothers of mine want to move to the city, so I brought them here today specifically to register them.” “It’s good to remember one’s roots even in times of prosperity—very good, very good.” The more Luo Jianguo looked at the young man in front of him, the more he liked him. He immediately ordered his subordinates to register Dafang and Xiaofang, using his authority to make things easier for them. While they were registering, Luo Jianguo struck up a casual conversation with Li Ba. “Young Li, what kind of business are you planning to start once you’re in town?” “Oh, I went outside the city a few days ago, secured a few batches of supplies, and earned some grain coupons. Now I’m planning to open a general store in the city.” “Open a store? That’s great. After all, going outside the city carries risks. If you run the business well, you might just make a name for yourself in these end times.” Luo Jianguo’s face was full of approval. Suddenly, as if he’d just remembered something, he added, “Opening a store in the city requires a business license issued by the Settlement Management Committee. In this regard… the Management Committee is very strict—there’s a lot of red tape, the fees aren’t cheap, and you need a guarantor. Little Li, have you gotten your license yet?” Having made the rounds at the market that morning, Li Ba had already heard a thing or two about the procedures for opening a shop. It was indeed true, just as Luo Jianguo had said—the Settlement Management Committee was extremely strict in this regard. To open a shop, one needed not only capital but also a certain level of connections. From Luo Jianguo’s tone, Li Ba could tell he was hinting at giving up. Li Ba immediately picked up on it, playing along with Luo Jianguo’s tone and said with a sly grin, “I know it’s not easy, so I came here specifically to ask for your help, Director Luo.” What a clever kid! Li Ba’s quick thinking made Luo Jianguo take an even greater liking to him. Pretending to give it some thought, Luo Jianguo said calmly, “Don’t worry about that. Once you’ve picked out a storefront, just drop by my place and let me know. I’ll take care of all the paperwork for you—it won’t cost you a single half-jin of grain coupons.” “Director Luo, thanks a million! You’re truly a great benefactor to little Li here!” Li Ba beamed with gratitude. It’s easier to get things done when you have connections in high places. This was the main reason Li Ba had been willing to spend his grain coupons to bribe Luo Jianguo when he first came to the city. Luo Jianguo was, after all, a director—not exactly a high-ranking official in the settlement, but he still had some clout within his own little sphere of influence. Forging such a connection would be of considerable help to Li Ba, whether he went into business or simply lived in the settlement. Luo Jianguo gave Li Ba his home address. Meanwhile, the registration procedures were completed, and Da Fang and Xiao Fang were overjoyed to receive their ID cards. “Director Luo, once I’ve found a storefront, I’ll be sure to pay you a personal visit.” There was a lot of meaning behind those words. Luo Jianguo smiled and nodded. Afterward, Li Ba and the others left, driving their tricycle straight into the city. Sitting in the cart and gazing at the bustling cityscape, the Da Fang and Xiao Fang brothers felt as if they were in a dream; they couldn’t believe it. They had envisioned this kind of life countless times in their dreams, and now that it had come true, they both felt like crying. Just as he had done when he first arrived in the city, Li Ba took Da Fang and Xiao Fang to get a haircut and a shower, then bought them a few new outfits. He didn’t want to go back to the restaurant and let those three women—Zhou Yan and the others—see his friends looking dirty and disheveled. Clothes make the man. When the two brothers emerged from the bathhouse, they looked completely transformed. Da Fang was wearing a tracksuit, and when he smiled, he looked like a sunny, carefree young man. Xiao Fang was reserved and steady, dressed in a black shirt and jeans, giving off a slightly cool vibe. Both brothers looked quite handsome; before the apocalypse, they must have been quite popular with girls. “Hmm, looks-wise, they’re just a tad less handsome than me, but they’re still pretty good!” Li Ba nodded with satisfaction. He was brazen enough to consider himself the “face” of their trio. Of course, Da Fang and Xiao Fang didn’t mind; their gratitude toward Li Ba was beyond words. “Li Ge, as for the food coupons you covered for us, my brother and I will definitely work hard to earn money and pay you back as soon as possible.” As Xiao Fang spoke these words, Da Fang nodded vigorously beside him. “Those grain coupons are nothing!” Li Ba strode forward nonchalantly and patted the brothers on the shoulders. “We’ve all been through the same thing—we’ve been looked down on before. Now, even if we have to go without steamed buns, we’ll prove ourselves. We’re going to make a name for ourselves in this settlement and send every single one of those who looked down on us straight to hell!” “Alright!” Inspired by Li Ba’s bold words, Da Fang and Xiao Fang felt their blood boil with excitement, unable to contain themselves. By the time they returned to the restaurant, it was nearly noon. As soon as the car pulled up, Zhou Yan came out to greet them, accompanied by the “Sisters.” “Brother Li, these must be your two good brothers. Hmm, they’re both quite handsome!” Ever since last night, this woman’s attitude toward Li Ba had done a complete 180. Just as her title suggested, she treated Li Ba like a master. Today, she was even more overly enthusiastic—before Li Ba had even stepped out of the car, she’d already handed him a can of ice-cold beer. As for the two sisters, they stepped forward to take Da Fang and Xiao Fang by the arm, asking after their well-being and showing them the kind of care one would reserve for family. The two brothers had never been treated this way before; being greeted like this by two young, beautiful women left them both blushing and at a loss for what to do. “You’re doing a great job, young lady,” Li Ba said, downing the beer in one gulp and nodding with satisfaction. Before leaving this morning, he’d already told Zhou Yan he was going outside the city to pick up two friends, asking her to prepare a few extra dishes for lunch to treat them properly. Although Zhou Yan’s “entertainment” was a bit over the top, it was right up Li Ba’s alley, and he was thoroughly pleased. “Master Li, I went out of my way today…” Zhou Yan began, trying to take credit, but when she caught a glimpse of Li Ba furrowing his brow, she immediately realized she’d said the wrong thing. She quickly corrected herself: “I went to the market today and bought a few jin of mutant beast meat. I’ve been stewing it since this morning—it’s cooked to perfection. Master Li, you’ve got to give it a try!” Mutant beast meat wasn’t cheap. The market price was thirty jin of grain coupons per jin. It was said that eating it could strengthen one’s physique. Li Ba had seen it at the market before and had once considered buying a few jin to try, but he’d found it too expensive and held back. He never expected Zhou Yan to be so generous today—she’d actually splurged and bought mutant beast meat to treat him and the Da Fang and Xiao Fang brothers. If she keeps this up, she’ll probably end up losing money on the food. Li Ba didn’t give it a second thought; he waved his hand dismissively: “Don’t just talk a big game—it all comes down to how it tastes. If it’s good, I’ll reward you!” That’s exactly what I was waiting to hear! Zhou Yan’s eyes lit up. She affectionately slung her arm through Li Ba’s and walked into the restaurant. “Second Brother, Li Ge is really something else. He’s only been in town a few days, and he’s already hooked up with such a sexy, mature beauty!” Spotting Zhou Yan on Li Ba’s arm, her slender waist and curvaceous hips swaying as she walked away, he swallowed hard and remarked with a touch of envy. Before Xiao Fang could reply, the two brothers were already being led away, each with a woman on either arm. Yan'er was left behind. She glanced at Li Ba, then at the boss’s wife, who was practically leaning half her body against him, and a strange expression crossed her face. Without a word, she ran after them.