Yang Rui, along with her two elder cousins, not only toured the new bridge but also visited surrounding villages to witness the dragon dance, a unique local folk custom for the Spring Festival. More than ten cloth dragons, each twenty to thirty meters long, coiled and twisted amidst the smoke of firecrackers and fireworks, appearing like true dragons emerging from the heavens, which greatly impressed and amazed the Feng brothers.
The three cousins played until five in the afternoon before returning. During their outing, the Feng brothers repeatedly tried to subtly inquire about Yang Jian's situation, but Yang Rui managed to brush them off each time.
After dinner, Yang Shuangyan's family of four moved into the dormitory of the template factory.
Yang Shuanglin chatted with them for a while before taking the large wolfhound to conduct his patrols. He was responsible for not only looking after the template factory but also for inspecting the trading company. The latter had hired an old bachelor to guard it at night, and Yang Shuanglin, not entirely at ease, had to check on him periodically.
“Mom, did you talk about Brother Jian with Aunt this afternoon?”
Once their uncle left, Feng Wen and Feng Wu quickly entered their parents’ room. They had a sneaking suspicion that their uncle’s family harbored a significant secret and were far from the simple, impoverished life they presented.
Yang Shuangyan shook her head. “I was with Grandma all afternoon and didn’t chat much with your aunt. What’s wrong?”
“I think Uncle’s family might be very wealthy, and Brother Jian’s business could be huge. Rui Rui mentioned today that he donated six hundred thousand yuan for road repairs. And that Manager Lu gave ten thousand yuan as a New Year’s gift, which shows his relationship with Uncle’s family is extraordinary. Manager Lu clearly looks like a very rich big boss. Even if Jian Ge is just working for him, he could get rich. I even suspect this template factory belongs to Uncle’s family.”
Feng Wu’s words left Yang Shuangyan stunned. “If your uncle’s family is so rich, why don’t they build new houses? These houses are still from over ten years ago.”
“Mom, why don’t we stay here for a few more days? We’re bound to find out more about their situation.”
“Find out what?”
“Mom, are you silly? If Uncle’s family has struck it rich, we can benefit too. To be honest, I don’t even want to go work in the south anymore; the risk is too great. Last year’s earnings were purely due to luck.”
“You still haven’t told me the truth. What kind of work were you doing in the south to earn over a hundred thousand last year?”
“Mom, I was helping people with their betting operations, taking bets. To make quick money, I took private orders. It was just good luck that no one hit the jackpot, and the boss didn’t find out. But this isn’t a sustainable plan. Once someone wins big, not only will I be unable to pay, but the boss won’t let me off either. The boss is a ruthless gang leader. If he catches me, he’ll definitely cripple me.”
Feng Wu put on a dramatic performance for his mother, revealing his true situation in the south, which he had kept hidden from the family.
Yang Shuangyan was terrified upon hearing this. “Xiao Wu, how could you do something so dangerous? Someone in our town also sells lottery tickets. I heard that one lottery shop couldn’t pay out winnings, and the owner had his leg cut off.”
“Selling lottery tickets is dangerous, which is why I want to find legitimate work. Can you find out tomorrow what exactly Jian Ge is doing? If that doesn’t work, ask Uncle to talk to Manager Lu and arrange a management position for me at the factory.”
“Didn’t you ask Uncle and Rui Rui today?”
“I did, but they were deliberately evasive about Jian Ge’s affairs. They wouldn’t even give me Jian Ge’s phone number. It’s too strange.”
“Then I’ll ask your aunt tomorrow.”
“Don’t ask Aunt. They’ve definitely coordinated their story. You were born in Yang Li Village; you must have some acquaintances there, right? You can find out by asking them.”
“But we decided to go back tomorrow. Where will we find the time to ask around?”
“We’re not going back. The accommodation here is so good. Let’s stay a few more days. You can say you haven’t been back in so many years and want to spend more time with Grandma. Uncle and Aunt won’t refuse that request.”
“Alright. I’ll talk to your uncle when he gets back, and then tomorrow I’ll ask Aunt Guihua next door to find out about your Brother Jian’s situation.”
Yang Shuangyan, who always doted on her son, was easily persuaded.
Just as Feng Wu had predicted, Yang Shuanglin couldn't refuse his sister’s reason for wanting to look after their elderly mother for a few more days. His family of four settled in with peace of mind.
True to her son’s request, Yang Shuangyan learned the true situation of her elder brother’s family from their neighbor Guihua the next morning, which left her utterly astonished.
That evening, back at the factory, she called her two sons to her. They had accompanied Yang Rui to the county town that day to pay New Year’s visits to Yang Hui’s family. This time, the two brothers were very thoughtful, giving Gao Yang and Gao Lu two hundred yuan each as New Year’s money.
“Xiao Wen, Xiao Wu, your guesses were indeed correct. Your uncle’s family has struck it rich. Not only is this template factory theirs, but the trading company next door is also theirs. They’ve even partnered with your sister Hui to build a large building in town. The bottom two floors have already been rented to Manager Lu’s company, bringing in two million yuan in rent annually.”
Yang Shuangyan’s words left Feng Jiandong and his two sons completely dumbfounded. In those times, while millionaires weren’t unheard of, they were still rare in rural areas. Moreover, the Yang family’s assets were easily worth tens of millions.
Feng Wu became instantly excited. “No wonder when we visited Sister Hui’s house today, we saw a building under renovation behind their repair shop. It turns out it belongs to Uncle’s family. Uncle was always a tycoon!”
Feng Jiandong scratched his head. “Yesterday, I was commenting on how old their house looked. I never imagined they were so wealthy. The tables have turned so quickly.”
Feng Wen also chimed in, “We’ve really come to the right place this time. I’ve suddenly become the nephew of a millionaire. By the way, Mom, how did Uncle’s family get rich?”
“All these assets were earned by your Brother Jian. He made his fortune by opening casinos. You have no idea, your Brother Jian is a household name in Xinhe and well-known in Hancheng.”
“Wow, if you say so, then Brother Jian is a powerful underworld boss. Does that mean we can walk around the Xinhe district with impunity?”
Feng Wu nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! Brother Jian is so influential here, so let’s come and join him. We don’t need anything too high, just a million or so a year.”
Yang Shuangyan, however, shook her head. “Join him in what? Your Brother Jian is wanted nationwide by the police for operating such large casinos in Hancheng. He’s currently on the run and can’t go home.”
The father and his two sons were stunned once again. The repeated twists and turns were almost too much to bear.
Feng Wen looked dejected. “No wonder Uncle and Rui Rui were deliberately avoiding the topic of Jian Ge. So, such a big thing happened, and he’s wanted nationwide. It’s a major case, and he probably won’t be able to recover in this lifetime. I was hoping to get rich with his help, but that’s out now.”
“Why is it out? Since Brother Jian can’t go home, we, as his cousins, should help guard these industries and develop them further under our management. This way, we can also support Grandma and Uncle and Aunt, fulfilling our filial duties on Brother Jian’s behalf.”
After a brief moment of annoyance, Feng Wu became excited. With Yang Jian absent, wouldn’t he, his cousin, have a greater opportunity?