“Old Bean, let’s run away!”
That night, Zheng Bai Cheng’s words stunned Grocery Strong. He looked at his son with confusion, not understanding what he meant.
So many people had visited their store that day, it was overwhelming. All these reporters were here to ask for manuscripts, and Grocery Strong couldn’t handle it anymore. It seriously impacted his writing. Their enthusiasm wasn’t a good thing, a conclusion Zheng Bai Cheng drew from his own experience.
“Son, I’m perfectly fine here. Why move? These neighbors…”
“Old Bean, right now, I’m only making a small amount of money. Someone must be coveting it. What do you think would happen if I earned more? And what about all these people hounding me for manuscripts?”
“Old Bean, just the two of us can’t handle this. We should hide for a while.”
“Ah~"
Zheng Bai Cheng’s analysis was spot-on. In a single sentence, he highlighted the danger. Grocery Strong wasn’t one to hesitate, but he paused, surveying the entire shop, examining it from top to bottom. His childhood was here, he had lived through the Japanese occupation, been injured, almost lost his life. Now, asking him to leave made him feel a bit reluctant.
“Old Bean, leaving is only temporary. We’re not selling this place. We’ll leave it to Xiao Fen to manage. She’s used to it, and she can hire more people. The store is still ours.”
“Alright, I’ll leave this to you.”
The next morning, when Xiao Fen and Xiao Hua arrived, they found only Grocery Strong. He told the two women, “We’re going to lay low for a while. Xiao Fen, you take care of the store. Work hard, and besides your salary, you’ll get a 10% share of the profits. Hire some more people. I’ll come back and check on things.”
“Xiao Hua, you come with me. Ah Cheng is waiting for you there.”
Xiao Fen was a bit nervous when she first took over, but luckily, the neighbors took care of her. They were all neighbors, and she was the junior.
The only thing missing was Grocery Strong and Xiao Hua. Most importantly, they didn’t see Zheng Bai Cheng. Their curiosity grew.
“Xiao Fen, where’s Ah Cheng?”
“Ah~ you mean Cheng Ge? Too many people came, affecting his writing. He’s gone with Chen Bo and Xiao Hua to find a place to write.”
“Oh, yeah, there are too many people here.”
These neighbors left with a sense of disappointment. They were used to seeing the talented young man every day, and now he was gone. Naturally, they felt a bit of loss. Without Zheng Bai Cheng as their talking point, their stories would be… In the past, they bragged about seeing Hong Kong's newest prodigy every day, which made them feel important. Now they couldn’t, and they were feeling the loss.
The suddenness of it all made Xiao Fen incredibly busy that day. Thankfully, she was quick-witted. She called and had someone deliver roast pork and roast meat, preparing meals with two dishes. She would be staying there at night from now on.
She also hired two more people, one was a junior high school classmate who, like her, had dropped out of school, and the other was a kind-hearted junior high school classmate. They both dropped out because they were bullied at school.
The long-haired men also came to probe. Knowing they were just leaving and that Grocery Strong was still in charge, they left. This was just a test. If it wasn't, they might have come to collect money. Grocery Strong had instructed Xiao Fen that if they came to collect, then pay them.
The most disappointed was Li Cheng Long. He had come yesterday but didn’t go inside because it was too crowded. He came again today, only to find that they were gone.
“Xiao Fen, has Zheng Sheng left?”
Xiao Fen knew Li Cheng Long, the reporter. She told him what Grocery Strong had instructed, concluding with, "Come by every Monday to pick up the manuscript."
“Tell them to contact us. This is the editor’s number.”
Not just them, but also other newspapers felt regret. They felt they should have offered a higher price. Now…
“Tell that young lady to give Zheng Cai Zi our phone number. We’re serious. Leave all our phone numbers with them.”
This was the collective sentiment of many newspapers in Hong Kong. Ming Pao had become the top newspaper in Hong Kong. How could they not be envious? As the saying goes, there can only be one champion in the literary world, just as there can only be one champion in the martial arts world.
This wasn’t just about fame, it was about resources. Hong Kong was a small place, surrounded by water, with a population of four to five million. The market was that big. They couldn’t let those who bought newspapers form a habit of… oh, there wasn’t that word yet. But anyway, they couldn’t let them get used to it. They would be very passive.
After the first day of chaos, Xiao Fen felt much more comfortable with her new junior high school classmates. But she still missed her friend.
Meanwhile, Zheng Bai Cheng was drinking water while dictating his novel. He wasn’t writing, but mental labor was exhausting. Xiao Hua simply wrote down what he told her.
During a break, Xiao Hua asked, “Cheng Ge, how do you have so many stories in your head?”
Zheng Bai Cheng felt a little awkward and insecure. He knew his own limitations, but in the eyes of others, he seemed like a humble, polite, and gentle person.
“As long as you’ve experienced enough, then use your imagination, add some artistic exaggeration, and you can write novels like this.”
Looking at Xiao Hua, if her family was richer, she would be a real white-collar, beautiful and rich woman. But born into an ordinary family, and still so beautiful, it was a sin. It was normal that she was coveted by those school gangs. And behind them, there were definitely big gangs backing them. Their business involved places like Ma On Shan.
Since becoming Zheng Bai Cheng’s secretary, no one came to her house to propose marriage, and no one harassed them. After all, beauty was also a resource, and ordinary families couldn’t protect it.
Seeing the beautiful girl’s adoring gaze, he felt a sense of accomplishment.
Last night, he went to Hong Kong Island and checked into a hotel. Then, he went to the nearby area and rented two 600-square-foot units, one for him and Grocery Strong, and the other for Xiao Hua. They were fully furnished and ready to move in.
Grocery Strong thought living there was too luxurious, but Zheng Bai Cheng persuaded him, saying that it was safe and quiet. They wouldn’t have to worry about being disturbed.
In Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island was the safest place in all nine districts. Central and Western District was even safer. This was the area where the foreigners lived. Every day, armed police patrolled this area. No gangs dared to plant their flag here.