Chapter 10: I Have a Dream

After enduring oppression for so long, once someone overturns their fate, their desire for revenge amplifies tenfold, even a hundredfold.

Take Old Yu Liu, for example.

In the past, he had only his elderly father and second older brother in the village. Faced with the village chief, who had many supporters, he could only meekly yield again and again. As a result, their farmland shrank by half a foot each year, little by little, until almost none was left.

Later, when the second brother was imprisoned, Old Yu Liu became even more timid. Even when he saw his nephew lead a group to storm the village chief’s house, he only dared to watch from a distance with his two sons.

But now, things were different.

The nephew had risen up.

Our side was no longer weak.

As the saying goes, life is about standing up for oneself.

If you can’t even vent your anger when you become strong, then what’s the point of living?

So, honest Old Yu Liu was truly determined to bury the village chief.

And the village chief understood this clearly.

The more brutally he had bullied Old Yu Liu before, the fiercer the revenge would be now.

Besides, Yu Yang’s entourage was full of outsiders.

So he didn’t dare return home. He jumped on his motorcycle and fled directly.

...

Yu Yang, unaware of the feud between the two families, searched the small mansion from top to bottom but couldn’t find the village chief.

To claim the land, he had to turn to the venerable but largely inactive former party secretary.

Unfortunately, the old party secretary, tinkering with a Hanyang-made device, either due to poor eyesight or confusion, mistook Yu Yang for the village chief.

No matter how much Yu Yang explained, the old man kept repeating, “You handle it yourself.”

“I’m not the village chief, how can I handle it?” Yu Yang muttered.

As he stepped out of the old secretary’s courtyard, sudden understanding dawned on him.

He hurried back to the yard and, in front of the watching villagers, declared the ownership of the barren land to the north.

“This belongs to the village collective. I’m taking it for use now, and at the end of the year, every household will get two hundred yuan.”

“Who agrees? Who objects?”

“Those who oppose, step forward!”

As expected from the old secretary’s attitude, no one opposed.

With the land secured, ample money in his pocket, and no shortage of labor, everything was negotiable.

He purchased red bricks from the Han Gai brick kiln.

Bought bamboo strips from the Shiliyíng timber factory.

Got large rolls of plastic sheets from the Buddha Temple.

Borrowed shovels and pickaxes from every household in the village...

But this time, Yu Yang didn’t mobilize all the strong men collectively, as they needed to farm and rest.

Instead, he returned to the small mansion, turned on a loudspeaker, and called on idle young men in the village, as well as bricklayers returning from work in the Northeast, to form a construction team.

He appointed Sixth Uncle as the team leader and contracted out five plastic greenhouses at 2,000 yuan each to the group.

Completion would be paid upon delivery.

“If you finish tomorrow, it shows your capability, and I’ll pay without hesitation.”

This approach was far better than paying daily wages.

He had experience working on the subcontractor side, and the main contractors always played such tricks.

Of course, if they dragged it out and couldn’t finish in ten to fifteen days, he wouldn’t just withhold payment but demand compensation.

Material costs, lost work fees, direct and indirect economic losses...

By then, the courtyard would belong to him.

...

By evening, the work was well underway.

“Time flies!” Yu Yang sighed as he returned to the courtyard.

The bean sprouts planted in the afternoon were already being delivered.

...

Only a few vegetable vendors still patiently queued.

Out of 750 baskets, only a small portion had been wholesaled.

Looking at the remaining more than half, and knowing there would be 1,500 baskets tomorrow, Yu Yang felt a twinge of worry.

Just then,

The vendor who first bought the bean sprouts in the morning returned.

“Brother Yu, remember me?”

“Of course!” Yu Yang handed out soft-pack Huaxia cigarettes, one each. “Why come back so soon?”

“Sold out. Thought I’d hurry back to queue and load a few more baskets... Got any left?”

“Plenty.”

Yu Yang didn’t beat around the bush but led the man straight into the plastic greenhouse. “Load as much as you can!”

“Hey, thanks, Brother Yu.”

“No big deal.”

In another timeline, Yu Yang would definitely have spun some words.

For instance, all the bean sprouts were already reserved, none left, but since you gave me a pack of soft Huaxia cigarettes, I’ll spare you a few baskets.

A way to gain favor and build relationships.

That was a detail many had to learn at the start of entrepreneurship.

But having lived a hard life, Yu Yang decided to embrace a more open attitude.

Treat others sincerely!

Soon,

The vegetable vendor finished loading and counted out payment for 20 baskets.

“Brother Yu, actually, it’s best to line these woven baskets with a plastic bag for freshness. Otherwise, the bean sprouts wilt after half a day in wind and sun. Luckily, we didn’t weigh them, or we’d lose money. But this way, the appearance isn’t great.”

“Know that, but haven’t found suitable cling film.”

“Ah, no need for cling film. You know, the plastic bags inside fertilizer bags can be used.”

“Is that safe?”

“Everyone uses it. Haven’t heard of anyone dying from it.”

“Not the same. We have dreams.”

“Huh?”

“Everyone knows bean sprouts sell well only in winter. Who buys them in summer? But I’ve started this business, and I can’t just waste it.”

Yu Yang took a drag of his cigarette and continued, “So, I plan to build our bean sprouts into a brand.

What’s a brand?

Packaging, quality assurance, shelf life, unique logo, company name, product inspection.

When that happens, our bean sprouts can enter the city market, even appear on shelves at Walmart, Metro, RT-Mart.

You see, city folk don’t grow bean sprouts and don’t have time to do so.

But they want fresh green sprouts all year round.

Reaching that stage means we’re just getting started.

We can also grow other off-season vegetables, like pork head meat with cucumber for the New Year, sugar-coated tomatoes, stir-fried zucchini, shrimp with broccoli...

In the future, street barbecue stalls, small eateries, even five-star hotels will be our territory.

With this groundwork, our off-season vegetables can light up countless homes.

That’s called a dream!”

“Well said!”

The vendor was still stunned when a loud shout came from outside the yard.

The township head, accompanied by four or five officials, briskly entered.

“Sanyuan, you’re even stronger than your father!”

“Oh, leader, when did you arrive?” Yu Yang quickly offered a soft-pack Huaxia cigarette, giving one to each.

The township head noticed the brand, “Good smoke!”

He didn’t light it, instead tucked it behind his ear.

Then he glanced at the plastic greenhouses and, through the low courtyard wall, surveyed the busy scene on the northern barren land.

“When did all this start? Why didn’t you tell your uncle?”

“My father was fooled by you all into taking over that long-idle brick kiln. I’m finally getting something going now, so I don’t dare inform the township again.”

“You misunderstood. Actually, we were also tricked by your father.”

“Huh?”

The township head smiled wryly, “Back then, Yu Jianjun came to us with money, wanting to start a business. After a drinking session, he bragged, saying he could handle that long-idle brick kiln if we gave it to him.”

The director of the investment office sighed, “We were all drunk and believed his boasts, immediately approving the deal and saying you could have it for 100,000 yuan if you wanted.”

“Your father slammed the table, saying refusing was impossible.”

“And that’s how the long-idle brick kiln came into your father’s hands.”

“The next morning, your father sobered up and was stunned. He begged us to guarantee loans from banks and to act as intermediaries for private loans.”

“Who would have thought the brick kiln, which had troubled the township for years, was repaired and operational in less than half a month.”

“We suspected your father knew in advance it could be fixed and set up a low-price deal to take it.”

“Later, as you know, the kiln was collective property—belonging to the entire township. Many people saw smoke rising from the kiln, then realized it had been sold cheaply. They filed complaints with the county, accusing your father of embezzling collective assets.”

“Your father was imprisoned, and we were investigated too.”

“If your father admitted guilt, the collective might have been penalized.”

In another timeline, Yu Yang had no idea about the kiln’s story.

At that time, he was young, focused on selling bean sprouts and repaying debts, with no contact with township officials.

By the time he knew them, the kiln incident had long passed.

Hearing the rumors now, Yu Yang understood.

Drinking causes trouble.

And next time, don’t brag.

“小 Yu, our plastic greenhouse business could almost form a company, right?”

“Don’t know!”

“Huh?”

“See those five on the left? They deliver vegetables to Beijing. They had a truck accident passing by here and were luckily saved by me.”

“I heard about that from the police,” the deputy township head nodded.

Yu Yang continued, “They’re staying here to earn some money before returning home for the New Year.”

“Not staying long?”

“Don’t know. I’m trying to keep them here.”

He pointed to the right, “Those twenty came after a highway accident yesterday. They followed the lights in my yard, heard about the bean sprout business, and decided to stay.”

“Another accident?” The township head was incredulous.

The deputy nodded again, “A bus also crashed, supposedly because they saw a road robbery. But who robs on the highway in Shiliyíng? Probably fatigue driving and a made-up excuse. The driver’s still resting in the clinic.”

“Three days, four accidents. This road’s cursed,” the investment director interjected.

The township head ignored this, “So, little Yu, they might all leave?”

“Not necessarily. If I can grow this business big and strong, they won’t leave. After all, who turns down money?”

“Makes sense!”

“But there are difficulties.”

“Speak up, the township will help.”

“Help me get a loan—a minimum of 500,000 yuan.”

“With so much family debt, who would lend you money? Besides that, everything else is negotiable.”

“Then sell me the farm machinery station’s five large tractors at a low price.”

“How low?”

“My business is just starting. I’m still deep in debt. When I have money later, we can talk.”

“...”

Suddenly,

Yu Yang spun around and stopped a burly man holding bedding, ready to leave.

“Big brother, where are you going?”

“Going home for the New Year.”

“Hey, second brother, you’re leaving too?”

“This place is too poor. Bad food, restless sleep, no hope of making money.”

“Third brother, fourth brother, don’t go!”

“Ah, you’re all leaving? Fine, wait for me—I’m going too!”

The township head watched the scene unraveling, his face darkening.

“Go, go, go, you start now!”