boyutpedia Chapter 10 The Past of Over the Mountain Peak
Chapter 10 The Past of Over the Mountain Peak
A gentle breeze blows along the Shenzhen River.
The leaky tarpaulin was constantly dripping water, the corner wall was covered with little "GG"s, and there were many flyers on the ground.
There were no streetlights in the alley, so we could only make our way forward by the dim light from the windows along the roadside.
"Brother Yang, where is this old man taking us?"
After walking for more than half an hour, from the bustling streets to the secluded alleys, Liu Hui's heart began to pound with anxiety.
Before leaving home, Liu Hui's parents told him to be careful outside, as bad people outside would use sacks to trap people, so Liu Hui was always on guard against Wang Feng.
"Take two more turns, and we'll leave before we get there. I remember the way."
Wang Yang was meticulous and kept remembering the road markings.
Although the alleyways were intricate and similar in appearance, Wang Yang had a good memory and easily returned the way he came.
Just as Wang Yang and Liu Hui were hesitating about whether to turn around and leave, Wang Feng finally stopped.
What came into view was a tiled house made of piled stones and a somewhat moldy wooden door.
If it weren't for the dim light shining through the old window paper, the two would have thought it was some kind of abandoned house.
"Old Wang, where is this place?"
"What's with those expressions on your faces?"
Wang Feng looked up, noticed their expressions, and seemed somewhat displeased.
"It's getting dark. This is my house. I'll charge you twenty yuan a night, which is very cheap in Shenzhen!"
Upon reaching this point, Wang Feng revealed his true intentions and began collecting the rent from the two men.
"This dilapidated mud house? Why don't you just rob it!"
Liu Hui was dumbfounded; sometimes he couldn't even earn thirty yuan a day.
"You little rascal, you've never seen the world before. This is Shenzhen, the special economic zone!"
Wang Feng looked smug and spoke to Liu Hui in the tone of someone who had been through it all.
"Brother Yang, shall we go..."
"Thank you, sir. We'll stay."
Wang Yang took out thirty yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into Wang Feng's hand.
Although the price was a bit high, Wang Yang felt something different.
River breeze.
Led by Wang Feng, they arrived at the Shenzhen River.
Smugglers use this river to enter Hong Kong Island, buy goods at low prices, and then sell them to the mainland market.
Snakeheads have their own cargo owners and sales channels, and they don't operate openly.
Wang Yang knew that without an introduction, it would take a lot of effort to find a human trafficker.
Wang Yang needed a bunch of heavy and cheap scrap parts, but the other party might not even accept his order.
Wang Feng lives by this river; he might actually know something and could help introduce us.
"Ah Yang, right? How come you have such a foolish friend?"
"Who are you talking about!"
"Hui Zi, getting things done is the priority."
Although Liu Hui was dissatisfied with Wang Feng, he ultimately swallowed his anger at Wang Yang's prompting.
Wang Yang was fairly satisfied with Liu Hui's performance.
When you're out and about, you won't get far if you act recklessly.
"Ah Feng, I want an ice pop!"
As soon as he entered, a seven or eight-year-old child wearing ill-fitting clothes rushed up to Wang Feng.
Upon seeing that two more people were following behind Wang Feng, he sheepishly retreated and hid by the bed.
"Xiao Kai, go to the yard and pick two cabbages. We have guests today."
Wang Feng stepped forward, took out an ice pop, put it in Wang Kai's hand, and patted his head.
"Is this child your grandson?"
After Wang Kai left, Wang Yang began to look around the room.
Textbooks were haphazardly laid out on a wooden table with several small holes, old plaster was constantly crumbling off the walls, and some firewood was piled up in the corner, no one knew where it had been collected from.
The area, which is about 50 or 60 square meters, is divided into a front and a back door. The back door connects to the alley, while the front door connects to the courtyard. Through the holes in the window paper, you can see the Shenzhen River in the distance.
The dazzling lights of Hong Kong Island are reflected on the river, seemingly never ending, creating a world apart from the old villages and towns on this side of the river.
"My son ran away to the other side of the street, and I don't know if he's dead or alive. He left me with this child."
Wang Feng didn't hide anything. He was old and broke, so he was more carefree and didn't care much about saving face.
What's this talk about not airing dirty laundry in public? Having lived this long and experienced the ups and downs of life, Wang Feng has long since come to terms with it.
"The other side? He went to Hong Kong Island? Didn't you ask someone to look for him?"
Wang Yang got really into it and finally managed to find out some things about Hong Kong.
These days, illegal immigrants need to know smugglers to successfully reach the mainland.
Only they know the way and how to find loopholes to legally and compliantly get ashore.
Of course, you can also find a plastic oil drum, hug it, jump into the icy river, and then wait for good luck to come.
Perhaps the waves will carry the illegal immigrants to the other side, where they'll spend some time in jail, or they might successfully enter the country.
"We've searched, we've asked several smugglers to search, but that brat is like he's hiding from us, none of them can find him."
"When I find that brat, I'm going to give him a good spanking."
At this point, Wang Feng's tone was clearly tinged with anger.
With his son gone, Wang Feng was left to rely on his grandson for survival.
As a result, Wang Feng now has to rely on selling popsicles to support his child, and he has to find ways to earn more money from time to time.
Wang Feng is already in his sixties. He doesn't seek great wealth or status, but now he can't even enjoy his retirement.
What's all this about?
"Ah Feng, cabbage."
Wang Kai was holding two cabbages, with an ice pop stick dangling from his mouth.
Seven or eight-year-old Wang Kai already knew that his father had abandoned him and his grandfather. He was depressed, somewhat timid, and shy.
"A snakehead? Sir, you know a snakehead?"
Wang Yang feigned surprise, trying to coax Wang Feng into continuing.
Only by finding the smuggler can it be possible to import goods from Hong Kong Island.
"Of course! Do you think my reputation as a mountain climber is just for show?"
Wang Feng paused, deliberately not continuing, wanting to show off in front of the younger generation.
"Everyone says that when Ah Feng was young, he led a group of people to the other side, and they were called 'Mountain Peak.' Later, the brigade discovered this, and he lost his job..."
Wang Kai spoke timidly, thinking that Wang Feng had forgotten, which was why he didn't continue.
"You little rascal, have you done your homework today?"
Wang Feng was a little angry when his child exposed him. He raised his hand to slap the child, but didn't actually do so.
Children speak without thinking, and besides, he only has this one grandson.
"Brother Yang, what did that kid say just now? That old man used to be a human smuggler and crossed the river?"
Liu Hui leaned closer to Wang Yang and whispered something.
Liu Hui couldn't believe that this disheveled old man in front of him had been so charismatic in his youth.
It's important to understand that things were very different back then. During that special period, illegal immigration was punishable by death.
"If what that child said is true, then this old man is something else."
Wang Yang looked at the figure cooking on the stove not far away and knew that he had made the right trip.
Wang Feng's ability to make a name for himself during the exodus to Hong Kong and ultimately survive proves he was no ordinary old man who loved to boast.
"Uncle, do you remember? You said you'd find us good jobs?"
"Yes, I know an ice cream factory. Summer is coming soon, and they're short-staffed, so they're offering really high wages."
If Wang Feng recommends two laborers to the popsicle factory, he can earn a referral fee.
"If I weren't too old and Xiao Kai wasn't too young, we would both be making money."
"No, sir, we're interested in Hong Kong Island."