Chapter 14: As Mr. Lu Xun Once Said
Zheng Fei took the packed items back to Tanziwan to share them with Xiao Yun.
As he carefully unwrapped the fried pork chop wrapped in greaseproof paper, the little girl with twin ponytails sniffed it and her eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment.
“Try a bite,” he said.
Xiao Yun took a tiny bite, and her eyes immediately widened, her face glowing with bliss. Zheng Fei found her utterly adorable.
“Brother, have you eaten yet?” she asked.
“Of course, I’ve eaten most of it. This is specially packed for you to take home.”
“Can I leave the food for my grandmother and parents to eat?”
Upon hearing this, Zheng Fei fell silent for a moment. Though the child was young, she was remarkably sensible.
Such is reality: what the wealthy eat daily are things ordinary people can only yearn for.
“There’s not much, so you eat first. When your brother makes it big, I’ll take you to Nanjing Road for the finest Western cuisine.”
The little girl’s eyes sparkled like stars.
“Brother, then I wish you find a good job soon, so you can start working.”
Zheng Fei felt something was off about that phrase, but given the times, it didn’t seem strange.
...
Now that the camera was finally borrowed, the plan to earn the first pot of gold could officially begin.
But at best, he could only make two yuan a day, meaning at most about fourteen yuan a week.
Yet film and development were expensive, totaling nearly fifty yuan, leaving a large gap.
If he had a team, he even thought of gathering a group to set up a stall at the Bund selling large bowls of tea!
With no better solution, Zheng Fei gathered the project’s “shareholders” to report the current situation.
Zhu Xiaotao and Wang Qiusheng were genuinely surprised that Zheng Fei had managed to borrow a camera so quickly.
The three of them together barely had a few dimes in their pockets, and raising such an amount within a week left Zhu Xiaotao and Wang Qiusheng speechless.
Zhu Xiaotao bluntly said, “I can contribute effort, but there’s really no spare money at home. I have two older brothers who are courting, and my father definitely won’t lend me money.”
Wang Qiusheng, looking somewhat anxious, lowered his head in thought before asking, “Fei, are you sure you can borrow the camera next week?”
“Should be able to.”
Wang Qiusheng continued, “There’s something I need to tell you all first. I wanted to come with you, but my father’s back is bad, and he can’t pull the manure cart alone. How about this: I’ll cover the film costs as my buy-in.”
Zhu Xiaotao frowned, “Where do you have that much money?”
Wang Qiusheng shot him a disdainful glance. “Why so nosy? Anyway, I don’t steal or rob.”
“Couldn’t you just tell me?”
“I’d rather die.”
“Damn, you’re still a true brother.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll pay for the film and give you the money within a week.”
“Awesome!”
...
Over the next week, Zheng Fei worked tirelessly, sketching portraits at the Bund.
But Haitang worked at No. 14 on the Bund, and the thought of a beautiful woman watching him from the window every day was terrifying.
What if he picked his nose, scratched his toes, or scratched his behind—would she see it all?
How could he keep up appearances in front of her then? To avoid being watched, Zheng Fei moved closer to the Waibaidu Bridge.
To earn more money, he chose to go for volume over profit, adding quick sketches for just two cents each.
After several days, Zheng Fei’s wrists felt nearly useless. He had used a whole pack of sketch paper, gone through countless pencils, and lost several erasers, but had only earned fifteen yuan.
The night before the appointment with Haitang, Qiusheng came over with a wad of money and placed it on Zheng Fei’s desk.
On top was a large denomination note, with the rest scattered in smaller bills—some one yuan, some a few dimes, even pennies.
“Fei, count it—it’s twenty-five yuan total.”
But Zheng Fei noticed Qiusheng’s face didn’t look good. A long bruise stretched along his right forearm, and there was another on his neck.
Seeing this, Zheng Fei immediately guessed what had happened.
“Take off your clothes.”
Qiusheng laughed and swore, “Are you crazy? It’s all men here. What’s the point of taking off clothes?”
At that moment, Zhu Xiaotao stepped in, pulled up his shirt, revealing a back covered in shocking whip marks.
“Damn it, Tao Tao, you bastard!”
“It hurts like hell.”
Seeing this, the two understood how the money was earned.
Zhu Xiaotao said, “Qiusheng, you didn’t really steal your father’s secret stash, did you?”
Wang Qiusheng replied, “Speak properly. That’s not stealing, it’s borrowing. I’ll pay him back someday.”
“Besides, I’ve been pulling his manure cart for three years. Taking ten yuan from him isn’t too much. He gives more to that widow.”
Zheng Fei: ...
He realized Qiusheng indeed had some kind of relationship with that widow. So that large denomination note must be his father’s secret stash.
The rest of the scattered money was likely what Qiusheng had saved little by little over the years.
Honestly, having childhood friends like this moved Zheng Fei deeply. Thinking back, his rebirth wasn’t a bad start after all.
“Alright, I’ll take the money. I promise to earn you ten, even a hundred times that. I won’t let my brothers lose out.”
Wang Qiusheng grinned, “I believe you, Fei. But if we do lose out, no worries—I’ll just keep pulling the manure cart.”
“That’s impossible.”
Zheng Fei promised, “One day, we will rise out of Tanziwan and make something of ourselves.”
“Absolutely.”
The brothers all laughed happily. If they had money for wine, they’d have celebrated properly.
...
After receiving the money, Zheng Fei went straight to the Seagull Camera Materials Store, placing the coins on the counter and buying a roll of 135mm color film.
Not far from the camera shop, in a Shikumen alley, was a modest yet well-equipped room. Though small, it had everything—a desk, a dressing table.
“Are you really going with him tomorrow?”
A woman lazily lying on the bed replied, “He promised to lend the camera; what choice do I have?”
“But you just met him. You don’t even know his name. What if he’s a bad person?”
“Hmph, I know self-defense. If he dares to lay a hand on me, my brother won’t let him off.”
“Pfft...”
Li Wenwen didn’t know what to say and lowered her head to continue reading *Long Live Youth*.
“We’re already at my place. Can you stop reading and just chat with me properly?”
“Your heart isn’t with me, so what’s there to talk about? Maybe about that free-spirited young painter?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I just agreed to lend him the camera because I didn’t want to refuse. I have no other thoughts.”
“Mr. Lu Xun once said, when you start mentioning him often, it means you’ve already fallen for him.”
“Nonsense. My grandfather knew Grandpa Zhou personally, and he never said that.”
“Wenwen, tell me—his cloth shoes have holes. Does he even have money to buy film?”
“How would I know?”
“There’s a roll in my father’s drawer. Should I bring it? If he thinks film is cheap, that would be embarrassing.”
“Girl, you’re doomed.”
“You’re the one doomed, always reading books.”
...