At three o'clock in the morning of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Zheng Baiwen set off with a rented Dongfeng two-seater car. They were going to catch the first ferry to cross the Yangtze River and go to Liuyang, Hunan Province to buy fireworks bombs.

Xiao Zheng, I forgot to bring money, can you lend me 500 yuan to refuel first. Master Zhang, a driver who is as thin as a monkey spirit, said.

asked for money on the road, Zheng Baiwen annoyed him a little: Are you afraid that I will rely on your fare?

No, no, I really forgot to bring the money.

Zheng Baiwen unbuttoned the military coat; (The military coat is specially borrowed to be used as a quilt to sleep on the road); Unzip the down jacket; (The down jacket is a new dress I just bought a few years ago) The right hand reaches into the purse on the inside of the left chest, oh——? What I touched was a mobile phone; (The mobile phone was specially borrowed from my cousin for a business trip) changed hands and took out a hot bag of money from the purse on the inside of the right chest, (the money was received from the 8,000 yuan in the finance room) and took out five 100 yuan tickets in it, spit out some saliva foam on his fingers, counted the tickets twice, and handed them to Master Zhang.

I didn't have a note! Zheng Baiwen said.

Yes. Remember. The driver, Master Zhang, said. At the Sinopec gas station at the intersection of the city, the sleepy-eyed staff shouted out and added 200 yuan of gasoline. Zheng Baiwen climbed to the back seat and said, I'm sleeping.

You can sleep at ease, the driver Master Zhang said, I will call you when you arrive at the ferry.

On the gravel road, the car is bouncing around. When Zheng Baiwen lay down, he regretted not bringing a pillow. Wrapped in a coat and a padded jacket, it's quite warm. But his feet were so cold that he couldn't sleep.

Master Zhang, turn on the heater a little more.

It's already huge. Master Zhang said that after the last crash, the left rear door was a little unseamed. Zheng Baiwen tried it well, and it was really a hurricane.

Don't throw me out, you car! Zheng Baiwen pushed open the left door, closed it hard, and pressed the reverse lock casually; He pushed open the right door again, slammed it shut, and pressed the reverse lock as well.

By the time we arrived at the ferry, it was still dark, and a few trucks that had not caught the last ferry the night before were parked in front. Master Zhang got out of the car for a while, and went to count the vehicles in line. It was no problem to get on the first ferry at 7 o'clock. After the car turned off, the temperature inside the car quickly cooled. Zheng Baiwen woke up from the cold and saw Master Zhang sleeping on the steering wheel. I got out of the car and went around, and I didn't sell the early ones. lifted the hem of his clothes and peed on the river, and couldn't help but shiver. Behind again, another car came "suddenly", and mist drifted in the pillar of light shining on the river.

When Zheng Baiwen woke up again, the car had already crossed the Yangtze River. When he was about to wake up and fall asleep, Zheng Baiwen heard Master Zhang asking, there is a fork in the road ahead, Xiao Zheng, should we take the big road or the small road?

Zheng Baiwen said, you can go which side you see is easy to go.

The main road is more than ten kilometers away, and the small road is a dirt road.

Is the trail good?

Good walk.

If it's easy to walk, take the path. Zheng Baiwen said.

The roads are uneven, and cars dare not drive fast. Xiao Zheng, it seems that someone is calling us behind. Master Zhang said.

Zheng Baiwen looked in the rearview mirror, and sure enough, he saw a person riding a motorcycle following the car and waving. Ignore him! Zheng Baiwen had a bad premonition. Master Zhang, I told you not to stop!

You see! Master Zhang pointed to the front of the car. A motorcycle in front of it was in the middle of the road. Before he could figure out what was going on, the door of the cab had been pulled open.

Get down! The driver was dragged down. Someone was pulling the back door and didn't pull it open. The rear door is locked. A guy wearing a mask climbed up from the front door and put a dagger on Zheng Baiwen's chest. What are you doing? Zheng Baiwen pretended not to know.

Lao Tzu has no money to spend during the New Year, so make some money. Get the money out!

I hitchhiked to my relatives and didn't have any money with me. The honest man Zheng Baiwen told a lie.

You're not honest with Lao Tzu! As he spoke, he punched him. Zheng Baiwen couldn't dodge and was hit on the left shoulder. Fortunately, it is not a knife that is used. The hero does not suffer immediate losses, and in the face of the threat of the knife, Zheng Baiwen can only pretend to be cowardly.

Come here! Can't you get by? The gangsters reached out and grabbed it. - Can't let him touch my chest - Zheng Baiwen climbed from the middle of the front seat to the passenger seat.

A passenger car came on. Zheng Baiwen saw that the gangsters were a little panicked at this time. Master Zhang! Zheng Baiwen shouted behind the gangster. When the gangster looked back, Zheng Baiwen raised his leg sideways and kicked it, kicking the knife-wielding gangster out of the car. He shouted loudly, Master Zhang, get in the car!

After serving as an armed police soldier for several years, a few tricks of kung fu learned in the army can be regarded as coming in handy today. Looking in the rearview mirror, Zheng Baiwen saw two fools riding motorcycles, chasing in the dust rolled up behind the car.

Regardless of its bumpy road; Regardless of its "clang", it shook the sky; Call it like dancing a drunken tango; Run - run desperately! Escape from the clutches.

On National Highway 107, the two of them were frightened. All my money was robbed. The driver, Master Zhang, said dejectedly. Two hundred dollars of oil? Yes. Snatched three hundred. More than. Five hundred minus two hundred is not three hundred?

Hey—the driver sighed, I still have a few hundred dollars of my own.

Didn't you say you didn't bring any money?

Don't talk about it, it's time to memorize.

The driver can't say it: borrowing money for refueling on the road is right, how can you borrow money if you want to do something unspeakable?

Deserve! The honest man Zheng Baiwen didn't understand the mystery, and scolded in his heart, for fear that others would lose your money!

After receiving a call from Zheng Baiwen and hearing that he had encountered robbers, Li Fei was shocked. Asked: Are people all right?

Li Fei didn't ask if the money was robbed, but just asked if anyone was okay, which made Zheng Baiwen very moved. He said, "People are all right; Money is fine; There is no danger. General manager, don't worry!

After getting on National Highway 107, there were no pursuers, and the first thing Zheng Baiwen thought of was to call the general manager. Li Fei said on the phone, Bai Wen, you call Yueyang 110 and call the police. Let them check it out, at least give the bad guys a deterrent.

Okay, General Manager.

Whose phone are you using?

My cousin's.

Contact me when you arrive, don't be afraid to spend roaming fees, come back and reimburse you.

No, General Manager.

A total of five iron cannon barrels stood on the platform. A deposit of 200 yuan, rented from the factory. The factory also has a simple paper cannon barrel, 20 yuan a piece. The paper cannon barrel is disposable and does not need to be returned. I didn't ask for a paper cannon barrel, I was worried that the paper cannon barrel was not safe. Zheng Baiwen said on the phone at the time.

Five security guards each held a "watermelon", reloaded---- ignited ---- retreat! Zheng Baiwen shouted the password.

Boom ——! Not long after the evacuated crowd left, the sky suddenly exploded; In astonishment, people saw a ceremonial flower spread out in the air. Immediately followed by an explosion, the night sky of Xiangzhou ushered in its own spring full of flowers.

Looking at the fireworks that rose into the air one by one, a sense of accomplishment arose spontaneously in Zheng Baiwen's heart. It was the first time in his life that it was a wonderful experience. Like all good firsts in life, it's a wonderful feeling. Wonderful.

Only four of the five barrels were smoking, and one fireshell did not explode. After waiting for a while, there was still no movement. I ordered one that didn't blow up. A security guard was going to walk over and see.

You come back to me, Liu Xiaobing! Zheng Baiwen shouted loudly.

Li Fei laughed in his heart: I didn't expect this usually soft kid to have such a tough steel fire!

Are you looking for death?! Zheng Baiwen pulled Liu Xiaobing back.

I'm just going to check it out.

Is this something you can just watch? As he was talking, there was a sudden bang, and a salute shell with sparks rushed out of the cannon barrel and into the sky. It's dangerous! It turned out to be a slow deflection bomb.

On the night of the Lantern Festival, the cashier at the front desk, Zhu Xiuqiong, and her husband Xiao Wang spent a sleepless night. A few times, I had just fallen asleep in a daze and was awakened by nightmares. When I woke up, I cried profusely.

At work in the morning, Ma Ke received a leave call from Xiao Wang, saying that Xiao Zhu came home from work last night, and encountered gangsters on the road, and his bicycle and wallet were robbed. How is the man? Xiao Wang said that the person was only slightly injured, but because he was frightened, his mood was very unstable.

Receiving a call from Xiao Wang, Ma Ke secretly complained. The personnel of the department are all water chestnuts and a nest, and as soon as Xiao Zhu asks for leave, the department will disrupt the battle.

When Li Fei heard the news, he was also embarrassed. Among the top ten perfume Miss Xinghe selected at the beginning, Xiao Zhu was left with a baby, but he suffered this disaster again, and it was difficult to keep the only remaining baby.

Ma Ke said that he was going to visit Xiao Zhu, and Li Fei said that I would go with you. Marco asked if he was driving or riding. Li Fei asked, is it far away? Ma Ke said that the dormitory in the cement factory area is not very far.

The two bought a little fruit on the street, and one rode a bicycle to the cement factory. Walking to the embankment of the Han River, there is a section of widow road along the embankment of several hundred meters. On one side is the river embankment, and on the other side is the vegetable field. Ma Ke said that Xiao Zhu happened in this section last night.

It is a stretch of gravel-paved driveway, and the uneven road surface has a thick layer of dust. The dust is charcoal grey and rumbles up a gray mist whenever a vehicle passes by, leaving pedestrians with nowhere to hide.

In this dusty world, trees, vegetable patches, and grassy slopes are covered with a layer of fine ash. Even the air smells of dust.

Li Fei sighed: I didn't expect Xiao Zhu to live so far; And it's so lonely.

Yes, Marco said, not to mention that she is a girl, even we men are quite crazy to walk at night in this kind of place.

There are some pallet trucks and cars pulling goods parked on the side of the road at the entrance of the cement factory. The two went to the guard room to inquire, and immediately a group of local stevedores surrounded them, taking them for the people who had come to pick up the goods. The doorman pointed to the rows of bungalows on the east side of the field and said that the family dormitory was over there.

The selection of the top 10 perfume Miss Galaxy is a large-scale event planned in the early days of the hotel's opening. Society calls it a beauty pageant. The original intention was to raise the popularity of the hotel through this activity and at the same time select a group of beauties for the hotel.

Xiangzhou is not a big city, and there are not many girls who meet the selection conditions and have courage. After several rounds of competition, more than 20 contestants finally selected the top 10, including the champion, runner-up and third runner-up. On the day of the finals, in addition to the invited news media, notaries and official institutions were also invited.

Due to Li Fei's insistence, the appearance and temperament of the players are the most important conditions. Benefiting from this, Zhu Xiuqiong won the third place. Her eloquence, Mandarin, education, and culture are not dominant. But her smile and appearance are unmatched.

The champion and runner-up were picked up by TV stations and newspapers. Several other elective ladies have also become the sweethearts of various employers. Only Zhu Xiuqiong is willing to stay and work in the hotel. Zhu Xiuqiong was already a famous flower before, so she saved the trouble of being harassed by bees and butterflies. If it weren't for this accident, Li Fei wouldn't have known that Zhu Xiuqiong's lover was a worker in a cement factory. I didn't know that the environment they lived in was so harsh.

Xiao Zhu, who was leaning on the head of the bed, was very surprised to see Li Fei and the two appear at the door. Hurriedly called Xiao Wang, who was lying on the ground to do laundry. Xiao Wang wiped off a pair of foamy hands and got up to greet them, took the fruit handed over by Ma Ke, and said embarrassedly and repeatedly, it really shouldn't be. I poured two bowls of boiled water from the bowl of rice, and invited the two of them to sit down and drink tea.

Speaking of the events of the previous night, Xiao Wang still had palpitations. He told Xiao Zhu what happened last night. Say that thanks to a passing car, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

Xiao Zhu didn't want to look at people squarely. I don't want to talk too much. When I got up for breakfast and looked in the mirror, I saw that one of my eyes was swollen like two peaches. Ugly to death.

What a blessing in misfortune! Li Fei sighed and said, have you been to the hospital?

Xiao Wang looked at Xiao Zhu distressedly: I wanted to get her to see her, but she refused.

The body is a big deal. If you are sick, you still have to see. If you have financial difficulties, the hotel can give some subsidies. Ma Ke said and looked at Li Fei with his eyes.

Li Feiying said that Manager Ma was right.

Xiao Wang said, thank you.

No! Xiao Zhu yelled at Xiao Wang. Her almost angry attitude surprised Li Fei and the others: the girl who is usually quiet and quiet also has such a fierce side.

Xiao Zhu turned his face away and sobbed sadly.

I didn't say yes. Xiao Wang smiled bitterly and shook his head. Ever since she came to work at the hotel, he said, safety has been a constant concern for me. told her not to go to this class, but she didn't listen.

With your salary of 200 yuan a month, how can I live when I don't go to work? Xiao Zhu cried, still turning her face sideways inward.

Xiao Wang said weakly that he can still live his life now, but it is difficult to add another person to the family. The two got married a few years ago, and they may have children this year.

Li Fei didn't expect the factory's wages to be so low. Xiao Zhu received a salary of 425 yuan in the hotel, which was twice as high as Xiao Wang's salary. But the factory provided them with this housing for free, while the hotel did not.

More than ten years ago, Li Fei also lived in such a bungalow dormitory. That was provided by Zhang Hongyun's factory. Two beds, three generations crammed together. Eating and drinking are all in a small space. If Xiao Zhu and they had a child, they should be no better than he was back then. Later, he sold his hometown house and bought a private house in the city. If Xiao Wang's family can't give him financial support, with their salary, it is impossible to build a private house in the city.

I want to talk to the factory and let her go back to the factory as a temporary worker. She didn't say anything. Xiao Wang looked at Xiao Zhu, as if he was asking for her opinion again.

Whether to come to work in the factory, Xiao Zhu was also very hesitant. After all, it is too far and inconvenient to work in a hotel. Especially snow, rain and night shifts. On the night shift, Xiao Wang usually picks it up. Xiao Wang couldn't pick it up, so she stayed in the collective dormitory of the hotel. Yesterday, Xiao Wang couldn't pick it up, but she saw that the moon was bright and the scene was like day, so she went home alone. I didn't expect to meet the bad guys.

How much do you get to work in a factory? Li Fei asked.

One day Wu Yuan, do one day one day. Xiao Zhu said disdainfully.

Xiao Wang said, you don't think you have enough money, and you can't get it if others have nothing to do with it.

Li Fei can see from Xiao Wang's speech that he should still have a bit of a stall in the factory. Look at his appearance again: with good facial features and a medium build, he should also be more suitable for working in a hotel. Li Fei said, Xiao Wang, have you thought about it? What if Xiao Zhu didn't come to the factory, but you went to work in the hotel?

Ma Ke echoed: Yes, I think Xiao Wang is also suitable for you to be a hotel.

Xiao Wang smiled, and somehow his face turned red. I wanted to say something, but I opened my mouth and didn't say it. Xiao Zhu said for him that he was thin-skinned and couldn't do service work. Whether it's serving dishes in a restaurant or cleaning in a guest room, he is not suitable.

What do you do in the factory? Li Fei asked Xiao Wang.

Xiao Wang replied that he was working as an operator in the workshop.

Li Fei said that our hotel engineering department also has an operation class, as long as you are willing to learn, there should not be much of a problem.

Xiao Wang hesitated: I don't know if the factory is willing to let me go?

People go to higher places, and water flows to lower places. As long as you really want to go, you can go, and you can't let him go. Marco was on the side to cheer him up.

Xiao Wang, who had a difficult face, said with a wrinkled face, words can be said like this, but things can't be done like this. The factory has trained me for a few years, and I said that I would leave, which was always a little bad.

Xiao Zhu said Xiao Wang: I don't like to hear you say this kind of thing! What is cultivation? Did you get a longer salary or a job?

Like a ball that has been slapped bouncing on the ground, Xiao Wang suddenly said in a stiff tone, the factory sent me out to study, trained me to join the party, and gave us this house. According to the regulations, the team leader or above must be qualified to live in the family dormitory.

Looking at Xiao Wang, who talked back to her, Xiao Zhu pouted: Brainless! A smile flashed in the eyes of the crying freshly. It can be seen that she still approves of her husband.

If Li Fei wanted Xiao Wang to work in the hotel at first, it was out of sympathy and care; And now I want him to work in a hotel out of appreciation and recognition of him.

Li Fei said, Xiao Wang, you can talk to the factory first to see what the attitude of the factory is. If the factory agrees, you go to work in the hotel; If you don't agree, you stay in the factory. Do you think that's okay?