Chapter 1 Summer of 1993

In his previous life, he spent twenty years and finally became wealthy again, yet he could only barely reach the peak achievements that his father once attained

The atmosphere at the dining table was dull, with no one speaking, only the buzzing sound of the electric fan turning.

Before long, the elder brother finished washing up and came to the dining table with his bare arms, his muscular physique glistening.

... ...

"Step aside, we can discuss money another day; today I still have to go to court!" The elder brother pushed the person aside directly, his face showing a fierce expression, with the Type 81 military dagger at his waist faintly visible.

"I brought it, I will take a taxi," said the sister-in-law before leaving

The debt collectors hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to let the Song family go. However, they continued to follow closely behind the Santana, clearly unwilling to give up easily

The face of a seventeen-year-old is delicate, clean, and pure. With a high nose bridge, slanted sword-like eyebrows, and clear eyes. The hairstyle, reminiscent of the iconic split hairstyle of King Guo, represents the fashion of the era, making one unable to resist the urge to extend their arms, twist their palms, and sing while dancing: "My love for you is endless..."

The wall opposite the king-size bed is adorned with a poster of the movie "Terminator 2," featuring the governor wearing sunglasses, with a cold and righteous expression. Michael Jackson, with one hand covering his crotch and the other pressing down on the brim of his hat, is thrusting his backside towards the governor's face

The appearance of Guo Xiaolan, Song Qizhi, and Song Weiyang inevitably caused a stir. Fortunately, the reporters of this era were relatively dull, not rushing over as if they had been injected with adrenaline, and even lazy to take a couple of photos.

The morning sun outside the window is blinding, the cicadas are shrieking the summer time, a few gentle breezes stir the leaves, casting speckled light on the ground

Everyone knows that the once glorious Song family has completely fallen apart

All rise

Song Weiyang stood for a long time in front of the mirror, gazing at that youthful face, so familiar yet distant and strange

Song Weiyang finally saw his father, Song Shumin, again, not the elderly and disheveled figure with a head full of white hair from his memories. He was escorted out by two court bailiffs. Although he was wearing a prison uniform and appeared somewhat fatigued, his expression was particularly calm. His hair had been shaved to a stubble, and he had not shaved his beard for several days, yet he still exuded the handsome and composed charm of a middle-aged man. The faint, self-deprecating smile on his face added an extra touch of unique allure.

The case concerning my father has been heard several times, and it is expected that a final judgment will be rendered today, which has left everyone in a rather somber mood

The debt collectors waiting downstairs immediately raised a sign reading "Debts must be repaid" upon seeing Song Qizhi, surrounding his family of three.

In another year, the elder brother will unexpectedly die due to a debt dispute, while the mother will be heartbroken and suffer from moderate depression

It is a pity that ... ...

The buildings on both sides of the street are mostly dull and gray, lacking much color, resembling black and white photographs frozen in the river of time

The blazing sun is like fire, and the scorching heat is akin to a furnace

Hello, handsome, it is a pleasure to see you again

A bus equipped with a natural gas tank approached from a distance, imposing yet clumsy, successfully capturing Song Weiyang's attention. This was a symbol of the national oil production shortage, which was quite popular in the 1970s, but it was not until 2003 that Rongping City eliminated its last "gas tank bus"

Song Weiyang swiftly lit a cigarette and took a puff, gazing thoughtfully at the scene below. There were seven or eight individuals lurking there, all debt collectors, haunting the place day in and day out, making it difficult to find peace.

It is evident that our protagonist, Song Weiyang, is an enviable second-generation rich individual

Guo Xiaolan arranged the bowls and chopsticks and said, "Go ahead, child, treating your illness is the priority; I will keep an eye on things at the court."

Song Weiyang lowered his head to touch his stomach, which was flat, with faint outlines of abdominal muscles, rather than the greasy beer belly typical of middle-aged men

Alas

"You are almost 18 years old; it's time to learn how to smoke," said the older brother, tossing a whole pack of Zhonghua cigarettes along with a lighter, and advised, "Take it and smoke slowly."

The court session continued until noon, and it is time for the verdict to be announced

Sister-in-law Cai Fanghua came out holding her one-year-old nephew, her face filled with worry, and said: "Mom, I won't be going to court today. Xiao Chao has been crying since before dawn, and I suspect he is not feeling well. I need to take him to the hospital for a check-up"

I am full! The elder brother put down the bowl and chopsticks, walked to the balcony, and smoked a cigarette in silence.

Here it comes, here it comes

Do you have any money on you? If not, I can drive you. The voice of the older brother came from the bathroom

Guo Xiaolan clearly misunderstood the situation, forcing a smile as she comforted, "Don't worry about your father's situation; he will only be sentenced to a few years at most. It's not like he hasn't been in prison before."

Song Weiyang smiled to himself

In another half month, this 200 square meter house will be forcibly reclaimed by the new factory director

In another time and space, Song Shumin has been released from prison for six years, plagued by illness, his will diminished, and his hair turned gray. Once a prominent figure in the business world, he has transformed into an old man who only knows how to fish and play chess

Song Weiyang also went back and shrugged, saying: "Give me one."

In contrast to the thriving cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, the inland city in 1993 was lifeless, leaving Song Weiyang, who had returned from rebirth, feeling oppressed

Today's trial case is truly sensational, as the defendant Song Shumin is widely known and recognized as the richest person in Rongping City, to the extent that many ordinary citizens have specifically come to attend the hearing

Today marks a turning point in Song Weiyang's life

Song Shumin has completely resigned himself to his fate. In the face of various charges, he has confessed cleanly and decisively, rendering his defense attorney entirely devoid of value.

Upon arriving at the courthouse, a considerable number of reporters and onlookers had already gathered here

Guo Xiaolan sighed; her husband's lengthy prison sentence was difficult for her to accept

1993

It is only 7:30 in the morning, and the air has already become hot and dry

Click, click

The names of Song Qizhi and Song Weiyang, when combined, form "Qizhi Weiyang," subtly reflecting their father's aspirations and ambitions

In a few hours, my father will be imprisoned.

The elder brother also glanced down a few times, exhaling smoke rings as he said: "You will soon be in your third year of high school, don't worry about family matters, focus on preparing for the college entrance examination"

Knock knock knock

In the early 1990s, in a small city with five streets, skyscrapers were almost nonexistent. The ten-story department store in the city had already become a landmark building, and even during the New Year, no farmers dared to enter and shop there

Mr. Governor and MJ's neighbor is the Hong Kong city singer, Vivian Chow. This goddess of the jade girl sect wears a beret and a striped red T-shirt, with soft lighting effects enveloping the entire poster, casting her in an ethereal aura.

The sound of knocking echoed, and outside came the voice of my mother, Guo Xiaolan: "Yangyang, it's time for breakfast!"

The court session begins at 9:00 AM

On the writing desk placed by the window, there is a "Lenovo 1 + 1" domestic computer. The bulky and clumsy chassis, along with the unattractive and primitive display screen, has a market price close to 20,000 yuan. In an era when the average monthly salary in the country is less than 300 yuan, an ordinary worker would need to work hard for five years without eating or drinking to afford this computer with only 8M of memory.

Song Weiyang glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall, and his expression became somewhat peculiar; he had a vivid memory of the date "July 2, 1993"

A family hurriedly left the house and encountered several neighbors in the hallway. Some greeted them actively, some avoided them like the plague, while others wore expressions of schadenfreude

In accordance with the provisions of ... the judgment is as follows: The defendant Song Shumin is guilty of the crimes of embezzlement and bribery, as well as the crime of misappropriation of public funds ... multiple crimes shall be punished cumulatively, and he is sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment of eight years and six months ...

"Hmm, I understand." Song Weiyang could only nod.

Summer

Hmm," Song Weiyang replied softly

Song Shumin stood tall and proud in the defendant's seat, seemingly anticipating the outcome. He coldly remarked, "I accept the verdict and will not appeal"

The reporter finally pressed the shutter of the camera, and the audience in the courtroom began to discuss among themselves. Some applauded in satisfaction, while others felt that Song Shumin had been wronged

Unfortunately, no matter how handsome one is, one must face the law

Song Weiyang pushed the door open and looked at his mother as she appeared in her youth. Suddenly, his throat felt a bit choked, and he softly said: "Mom, you have worked hard"

The elder brother is named Song Qizhi. Due to his penchant for fighting and causing trouble, he was sent to the army right after graduating from junior high school. After serving three years as a conscript, he surprisingly received the third-class merit award twice and the second-class collective merit award once. Just as he was about to be promoted, he chose to retire from military service, citing his inability to endure the constraints of the army—a true soldier rogue.