Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 114 Gathering Pavilion

These days, video arcades were all called "laser arcades," a fancy name, but they were really just rented rooms in government offices, furnished with chairs and a TV—that was all. Smoking wasn't allowed inside; it was smoky, but there were still quite a few people watching. In the early 90s, these video arcades were everywhere. Usually, several would huddle together, with a bunch of handwritten signs along the roadside, displaying the arcade's name and the movie title. They typically played a loop, changing the movie twice a day, with extra shows at night, like Hong Kong and Taiwanese Category III films.

They're all about movies like "The Mistress's Village Murders Her Husband," "The Flower-Destroying Maniac," "The Twelfth Young Master," "The Rogue Scholar," and "The Passionate Man," as well as some police and gangster films like "The Four Great Detectives" and "The Great Chase in Hong Kong." The names sound impressive, but there's really nothing there. At most, you might see a shoulder or a fleeting glimpse of someone's back.

Li Xing pointed to the signs of these video arcades and said, "Like these, there are also billiard halls, restaurants, video rental shops, and hotels. You can't avoid dealing with people from the streets. Once you're in business, you can't fight and kill anymore. You have to be all smiles and politeness. Like Fifth Brother today, he's so angry he's practically begging for forgiveness. So you have to maintain a good relationship with the police station."

That's not enough. If you just feed them and give them gifts for a while, they'll think you're easy to manipulate, understand? Their appetites will grow bigger and bigger. These days, even police stations don't have enough funds; they're scrambling for money everywhere, relying entirely on donations. Believe it or not, they can't even afford sleeper berths on business trips. Many police officers have to pay out of their own pockets to do their jobs.

So when you open your business, you need to bring some people who can intimidate the crowd, let the police station see what's going on, so they know what's good for them and avoid trouble later. Regular police officers can't just be there for show; there's also community policing. Those thugs aren't much better than these gangsters; wouldn't it be a headache if they messed things up for you? They know these people in society better than we do; some of them are even gangsters themselves.

Xia Maosheng said, "Okay, you can handle this. I promise I won't let you down."

Right now, the sun is high overhead, it's noon, the hottest and most lively time of day.

The streets were bustling with people, bicycles and pedestrians mingling together, bells ringing incessantly. Occasionally a motorcycle would pass by, drawing envious glances from passersby. The trees on both sides of the road were all bare branches, twisting and turning as they reached towards the sky, swaying in the wind.

In this era, the social polarization is quite severe. Those with jobs lead stable, repetitive lives, going to get off work, coming home, buying groceries, and shopping. Those without jobs leave early and return late, searching for any opportunity to make money in order to fill their stomachs.

But this was, after all, a brand new era, a crossroads of transition from a planned economy to a market economy. As long as one was willing to work hard, opportunities abounded, unlike later generations where job seekers struggled to survive. The stability of social order meant a scarcity of opportunities. It's not a matter of good or bad; nothing in this world is perfect.

Upon reaching Chaoyang Street, Li Xing asked, "Where do you plan to open your restaurant?"

Xia Maosheng looked at Xiaowei and said, "You mean it's next to the farmers' market? A three-story detached building. We haven't been there yet."

Li Xing looked around and pointed to the south, saying, "The farmers' market is over there. Let's go take a look."

Since they had nothing else to do, the three of them turned a corner and strolled towards the farmers' market. The further they walked, the more lively the roadside became, and the larger the crowds grew. Shops lined up one after another: tobacco and alcohol shops, grocery stores, convenience stores, small shops, clothing and shoe stores, hardware stores, appliance repair shops—all haphazardly packed together, with signs that were also a jumbled mess. But this haphazardness didn't make them feel uncomfortable; instead, it had a kind of vitality.

These days, it's quite normal to see a neatly decorated clothing store owner sitting on a small stool on the side of the road, chatting with a dirty and messy repair shop owner next to him. It's a strange kind of harmony.

These days, there are already specialty cosmetic stores, not brand-specific stores, but stores that only sell cosmetics. In the summer, the doors are open, and the fragrance inside can travel hundreds of meters. It's a favorite among young women and wives who are just learning to dress up and beautify themselves, while grown men are too embarrassed to go in.

Fifty meters below the entrance to the farmers' market, there is a T-junction. On one side are several rows of five-story residential buildings, and on the other side are various shops. A standalone three-story building stands right at the entrance of the T-junction, with three large iron characters on the awning: Jubinge.

The main road passes by the side of the building, while a side road passes in front of the small building. Behind the building is a fairly large open space, and on the other side is a two-story grocery store, about thirty meters away from this side.

The public toilet is located at the intersection of the open space and the main road. It not only provides convenience for the people in the area but also separates the open space from the main road, creating an independent space. On the other side of the open space is a row of large bungalows, all of which are locked, and there are about four or five rooms.

The three of them walked around the small building, then peered through the window. It was pitch black inside, and they couldn't see anything clearly, except for a staircase leading upstairs and a small room next to the main entrance.

Li Xing looked around and nodded, saying, "This place is great, awesome. The location and setup are impressive. It's close to the market and next to the grocery store. You can order groceries here and go buy them right away, which is very convenient. Especially here, the toilets are nearby and don't stink. Look at this area, there's plenty of parking space. You guys really hit the jackpot."

Xiao Wei looked around and saw that all the buildings in this area, stretching into the distance, were built along the main road, with the toilet right in the middle of the row of buildings. In Northeast China, the wind blows all year round, and the wind, blocked by the buildings, flows along them. With the toilet positioned horizontally, it's always in the wind's eye, so it definitely won't smell. If a house were built like that, the inhabitants would freeze to death. Go to Northeast China and see; everywhere, houses are built this way, and nobody dares to be unreasonable.

This area used to be all single-story houses, with a few small two-story buildings peeking out from among the bare tree branches. Chaoyang was indeed poorer than other cities in this era.

The area around the small building is a rare quiet spot amidst the hustle and bustle. There are no crowds on any side, just passersby. Starting from here, no matter which way you go, it starts to get noisy after about 50 meters. People are packed together, and even a convenient bicycle becomes a hindrance. Pushing a bicycle in the crowd is really tiring and makes you sweat.

But nobody puts their bicycles in this open space. People in those days were more law-abiding and had a strong sense of self-discipline. This place was clearly reserved, so no one would mess around. If it were now, well, they would have taken over your spot in a few minutes, made a mess, and act like it was perfectly normal.