Chapter 003: The Third Son Selling Cars

Continuing to read, a letter sprawled over more than 2,000 words, most of which criticized Wang Jian for various faults from childhood to adulthood. There were even annotations written in the margins. In any case, even someone as shameless as Wang Jian felt his face flush with embarrassment, especially when it recounted the incident of him urinating in the village's public well as a child

Children, what are you doing here

Just thinking about this makes one break out in a cold sweat

After speaking, he casually took out the small booklet that had fallen out with the letter and glanced at it. It prominently displayed a line of regular script: "Concentration." Wang Jian slapped his forehead; he recognized this item. It was the potion that had once made his scalp and bones feel as tough as iron during his childhood, formulated according to the recipe in this booklet. The old man had always refused to let him see it, claiming that "a physician with improper intentions ultimately harms others and himself." He probably feared that Wang Jian would concoct some strange poison to harm people. However, if he continued to withhold it now, it would likely rot away in the box.

Wang Jian himself is a student of the Chinese language, possessing a strong sense of context. Although this letter makes him feel quite embarrassed, it simultaneously softens his heart into a puddle of mush

Looking at the brightly lit county town in the distance, he smacked his lips a few times, took out the wallet he had picked up while collecting scrap, and poured out the last twenty-five yuan and fifty cents in coins. He bared his teeth and said, "This is a disaster; with this little money... tomorrow I guess I can only eat dirt." However, despite his thoughts, Wang Sanye did not express any resentment. Whistling, he propped up his broken bicycle, patted the seat, and spoke to himself, "Brother, although we just met today, our bond is already quite deep. I’ll trouble you to exchange a meal for me, and during Qingming and Dongzhi, I’ll burn paper for you." Wang Sanye did not express any resentment. Whistling, he propped up his broken bicycle, patted the seat, and spoke to himself, "Brother, although we just met today, our bond is already quite deep. I’ll trouble you to exchange a meal for me, and during Qingming and Dongzhi, I’ll burn paper for you."

Died at the age of two hundred and fourteen kilometers

He was eager to rush out, but he could not break free from Third Master’s hand, which felt like a pair of handcuffs. In a moment of desperation, he crouched down, picked up a brick from the ground, and struck it down towards Third Master’s head.

Startled by the surroundings, Third Master had already been riding for quite a while on his dilapidated bicycle. The bike, aside from the bell that did not ring, made a cacophony of sounds along the way. Despite its poor condition, Third Master managed to reach a speed of 45 miles per hour on the rugged mountain road. This speed, on a bicycle, could barely be considered lightning fast, yet it seemed that Third Master was still not satisfied, pedaling furiously on his little broken bike.

Wang Jian let out a sound, propped up the bicycle's stand, walked to the center of the group, cleared his throat, and said: "Who wants this bicycle? Fifty yuan and it's yours"

Little did he expect that as soon as he finished speaking, the old village chief slapped him and said: "You... you... you don't want to... want to live anymore, do you? If the little tyrant comes back... you... you will be finished"

They are here! Big brother, they have come down!

Not long after he left, the old village chief came to the village entrance with his hands behind his back, gazing at the already small figure of Wang Jian in the distance. He let out a long sigh and turned to his disappointing son, saying: "Push... his Aying's work... prepare to send... her to school"

He did not even drink the cup of tea, turned around and put the old wooden tablet and photo into the already empty canvas bag, then turned and pushed the door to leave

Suddenly, Wang Jian's eyes caught sight of a group of young men below the internet café. These individuals were dressed in a style typical of the non-mainstream fashion found in urban-rural fringe areas. Their hair was either messy and unkempt or dyed in shades of red, green, blue, and yellow. Some had greasy hair that had become a tangle of dark strands. Their faces seemed to almost bear the inscription "Rogue," with each of them squinting, either squatting, standing, or leaning against something. Almost everyone held a soft white cigarette worth 4 yuan in their hands, believing themselves to appear exceptionally handsome.

It was only through close contact that Wang Jian discovered that most of these individuals were only around sixteen or seventeen years old, with the youngest estimated to be under sixteen, and two of them were still wearing the distinctive school uniform pants of his high school.

But Dad... they already agreed, it's two thousand a month! That's enough for me for a year. " A-Ying's father looked very reluctant: "You say a girl should not go to school.

The footsteps grew increasingly distant, and the room returned to an eerie silence. The stove in the kitchen gradually extinguished due to the lack of firewood, leaving only a wisp of faint smoke

I am quite embarrassed..." Old Master Wang smiled awkwardly, saying to himself, "It seems I was really quite a rascal when I was young.

Jian'er, www.hetushu.com. The old man has little time left and is afraid he may not see you, little rascal, for the last time. I am leaving a letter; if you have any insight, you will naturally understand it.

After finishing his words, he pushed the old bicycle slowly towards the bustling county town

When Elder Wang San left the village, it was already past 1 PM. After several hours of long-distance travel, coupled with the fact that it gets dark early in the countryside, it was already dim when Elder Wang San's bicycle broke down by the roadside.

The letterhead is made of standard paper featuring the logo of a certain cooperative, while the text on the paper is in a more standard pen-style Song typeface. The characters are neatly arranged with sharp edges; although the ink does not penetrate the paper, the long-lasting vigor of its charm is palpable.

After the leader cursed Wang Jian, the children behind him also began to curse in unison, each displaying a fierce expression, as if Wang Jian did not leave soon, they would certainly resort to violence and break his legs.

The elderly man selling steamed buns coughed twice and said: "Wherever you go, it's all about seeing the world. Young people should venture out; many have gone out for a few years and returned home to marry their wives and build large houses."

However, as he pondered, his eyes suddenly shifted: "Uncle, where did that construction team go?"

When Wang Jian reached the end of the letter, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and his bright eyes narrowed into two thin slits, scanning the words on the paper back and forth

As the old saying goes: "Looking at the mountain can tire a horse to death." Clearly, the light was right in front of him, yet it took Wang Jian over half an hour to reach it. He was already hungry, and after this ordeal, he felt as if he might vomit from hunger. After all, he was a young man, and in his haste along the way, he had neglected to eat. It was only when his legs began to tremble from hunger that he vaguely recalled that since getting off the train in the provincial capital around three or four in the morning, he had only eaten the cheapest instant noodles and had been drinking cold water. He had managed to sustain himself for an entire day with those instant noodles, treating them as if they were compressed biscuits.

Get lost!

Looking at the county town that had changed not a bit since the year he walked there, Wang Jian whistled, sending crumbs of steamed bun flying from his mouth

Moreover, for Wang Jian, dealing with these people who at first glance do not seem to be reputable individuals is something he feels no psychological burden about.

The old man selling steamed buns was quite unhurried, leisurely using a large red plastic bag to pack buns for Wang Jian. While working, he struck up a conversation with Wang Jian: "You’re not from around here, are you? I’ve been selling steamed buns at the town entrance for 20 years, and I’ve never seen you before. Are you from outside? Looking for work? If you’re looking for work, you should head over to the night market. A few contracting teams have come to the city recently looking for young and strong workers."

With a crisp sound, Wang Jian slammed the letter onto the table, and the wild, untamed spirit in his eyes burst forth like a wild horse. He shouted loudly at the portrait of the old man: "What are you talking about! Do you think I'm a fool? Anyway, I've made my point. Old man, don't blame me for not listening to you. Who are you? Others may not know, and while you may not be one to dominate everything, it is certain that you were wealthy and powerful. But what about you? You suffered and endured your whole life, stifled and repressed, where's the manliness in that? Old man, don't blame me for not listening to you. Who are you? Others may not know, and while you may not be one to dominate everything, it is certain that you were wealthy and powerful. But what about you? You suffered and endured your whole life, stifled and repressed, where's the manliness in that? Alright, I've said enough. I came here to say goodbye to you. In this small pond, I won't be able to make a splash as a big fish!"

However, Wang Jian has always been arrogant, and his arrogance has long been ingrained in his bones. Moreover, his arrogance is different from that of most people; some are arrogant because they have power behind them or possess abilities, while Wang Jian's arrogance stems from his unwillingness to submit to fate. He can endure but cannot swallow his pride, preferring to be a hero for three minutes rather than a coward for a lifetime

As a teacher and a father, the last thing I wish for is for my disciples and descendants to seek revenge for the deceased. The old man knows that you, young brat, are bound to repay kindness and enmity, but I must remind you to act within your means. You are the last hope of the Wang family; all my skills and knowledge are entrusted to you to carry on. If you dare to overestimate yourself, do not blame me for leaving this world with regrets.

Upon seeing the money and then glancing at the shadow of Wang Sanye's backside, Aying's father immediately understood where the money came from. As he reached for it, his liver trembled; if it had been given by someone else, he would have certainly used it to build a house for his son's wedding. However, Wang Sanye was a man of his word, known for his ruthless and merciless deeds. If he truly dared to use the money Wang Sanye provided for Aying's education for something else...

Upon seeing this, his eyes suddenly sparkled with brilliance. He straightened his clothes and slowly approached the group of people who were engaged in some unknown activity, pushing his dilapidated vehicle.

Wang Jian smirked and thought to himself: "How is it that a bun seller like you sells with the demeanor of a reclusive master? If you possess any unparalleled skills, why not share them with me? My physique is definitely extraordinary."

A-Ying's father immediately wore a troubled expression: "Father, where is the money going to come from? Her younger brother is already eighteen, and he needs to get married."

Having said that, he returned to his calm, smiling demeanor, looking at the portrait of the old man: "Old sir, I will take you away. Xiao San will take you into the city to see the world."

"Sigh, boss. Give me twenty yuan worth of steamed buns." Wang Jian finally reached a mobile steamed bun stall, looking at the large white buns covered with thick cloth and emitting steam, urging repeatedly: "Hurry up, hurry up."

"Take it." The old village chief snorted coldly and handed a plastic bag containing 30,000 yuan to Aying's father: "You... you don't... want your life, just spend... spend it."

Upon reaching the village entrance, he lifted the bicycle that was still lying on the ground, slightly adjusted the handlebars, turned around to take a glance at this picturesque village, and a faint smile appeared on his face. Then, he mounted the bike, which had no brakes, and sped northward, never looking back again

Wang Jian pushed his bicycle, walking and laughing, both at his own misfortune and at his carefree nature. He did not express any profound sadness; rather, upon entering a well-lit area, his mood seemed to improve even further.

However, it is also evident that although this letter from Old Muto is filled with ridicule towards Wang Jian, the sentiment akin to an old cow protecting its calf is palpable throughout the text. Despite the contradictory statements, there remains a deep-seated fear that if Wang Jian does not rectify these flaws, he will suffer significant losses and setbacks in the days to come

The boy who looked like a leader stood up and surveyed the surroundings, then spat with a face full of disdain: "Don't go looking for trouble when there's none."

Old Master San did not even raise his head; he simply waved his other hand lightly, directly striking the wrist of the fellow holding the brick. The man cried out in pain, and as he loosened his grip, the brick fell right into the hands of Wang Jian, Old Master San. He took the brick, spun it in his hand, and gently rubbed it against the head of the young man a couple of times, saying: "Young man, don't be so impulsive."

Wang Jian let out a sound of acknowledgment, handed over the money to take the buns and books, expressed his gratitude, and then slowly pushed his old cart towards the night market as mentioned by Uncle Mantou.

Are you out of your mind? Get lost

Those few ruffians seemed to be startled by Wang Jian's sudden attack, looking at each other in silence for a long while without uttering a word.

Wang Jian was unexpectedly amused by the first line of the old man's letter, feeling a pang in his heart before he involuntarily laughed out loud, thinking to himself: 'I really didn't expect my old man to be so optimistic by nature. This isn't insight; it's purely a stroke of luck.'

Suddenly, a young man emerged from the internet café, rushing into the dark alley, panting as he pointed outside: "They are coming... coming..."

The leader's expression brightened with joy, completely disregarding Old Master Wang, who was pretending to be a vegetable beside him. He turned around, ready to leave. However, Old Master Wang would not let him go and grabbed his arm, saying, "This car, we had an agreement: payment in hand for the car in hand."

Who the hell told you that it was agreed upon! Let go of me! Let go!

He walked up with a grin, greeting the group in a very affected voice, completely disregarding the strange looks the young men were giving him

A dilapidated car is ultimately just a dilapidated car. This particular vehicle, which Mr. Wang San originally acquired for twenty yuan from a second-hand market after taking a train to the provincial capital in order to save on ticket costs, finally broke down from exhaustion just as it was nearing the county town

This county town is quite small, and there are not many entertainment venues. Besides car washes and small restaurants along the most bustling main road, the promotional posters of the restaurants could almost piece together a complete banquet. The only entertainment venue that Wang Jian discovered along the way was a dilapidated internet café with a sign that was half worn out, where a few high school students occasionally walked out.

What about Wang Jian? He is determined that this bicycle will be sold today. They must buy it, whether they want to or not. In any case, if Wang Jian does not get this fifty yuan, he will have to resort to scavenging for food this week if he doesn't want to starve.

This place is very familiar to Wang Jian. He attended high school in this county, and he knows the old man who sells steamed buns very well. However, over the past four years, Wang Jian has become darker, taller, and more robust, so the old man's memory might not be very good, which is why he didn't recognize him at first.