Chapter 122: An Unexpected Incident, Xu Kuangdao’s Treacherous Move

That noon, Lu Ling delivered the selected items to Yun Tianhe’s home, each wrapped in exquisite little boxes. There were five in total: two animal-shaped toys that could be disassembled into ninety-six parts, and three practical tools—a stationery box, a book case for assembling words, and a pencil. These were all crafted by Lu Ling for Yun Qian, prepared for her schooling, but now they had all been taken by Zhang Tianfeng.

Of course, the limitations of these items were considerable, and after returning home, Zhang Tianfeng did not idle. Drawing on his experience, he wrote several suggestions for Lu Ling, all aimed at enhancing the playability of the mortise-and-tenon toys. He proposed puzzles for intellectual development and secret-solving adventure types. Lu Ling replied that these would take at least half a month to produce.

Half a month was just right for Zhang Tianfeng, as the Canton Fair would begin in mid-October, leaving him enough time for batch production and early promotion. These products were mainly targeted at foreigners—those who, well-fed and idle, loved tinkering with difficult toys. Sending them some high-level puzzles would keep them occupied.

He stayed another night in Shuangshen Village, and on the third morning, Zhang Tianfeng and his companions began their journey home. This time, Yun Tianhe’s wife, Ji Ling, returned with them. True to his word, Zhang Tianfeng covered Ji Ling’s medical expenses. Before leaving, he reminded the villagers that the next time he came, it would be to take them out of the mountains.

“Look at that—the gap between people can be so wide. The previous boss tried to cheat us, but this young boss is truly good to us.”

“Isn’t it just as the ancestors said—a hundred kinds of people are raised by the same rice? You have to look at the person. Thankfully, he didn’t hold it against us.”

“What would he hold against us? We didn’t do anything.”

“Have you forgotten what we said the day he first arrived? When he saved Old Chen, he spoke Hakka. You all forgot, didn’t you?”

With this reminder, everyone recalled the incident, and their faces turned hot with embarrassment. While others had given their all to help them, when danger struck the village, even the neighbors who lived with them day and night dared not intervene, yet that young man stepped forward. Comparing themselves to him, they felt utterly ashamed.

“So what? No one begged him to help us,” Wang Mazi said, stepping out of his house. He had not shown himself all day yesterday. Another absent villager was Zuo Pan, notorious as the village rascal.

Wang Mazi would do any petty thing. He was laziness personified—if he could eat lying down, he’d never stand; if someone handed him chopsticks, he’d never reach for them himself.

“Wang Mazi, what happened to your face? Who hit you?”

“The night that young boss arrived, I heard Wang Mazi’s cries. He probably tried to scare someone and ended up scaring himself.”

“Nonsense, I just stumbled at night.”

“Go on, you and your night strolls. Next time that young boss visits, let’s see if you dare to come out and shout.”

Wang Mazi shrank his neck and said nothing. The villagers all thought highly of Zhang Tianfeng; if he spoke up now, he’d only invite trouble.

……

Time flew by. It had already been half a month since their return from Shuangshen Village.

In these ten days, Ji Ling’s condition had stabilized. Her stint at the asbestos factory was short, so her health wasn’t severely damaged, and now it was under control.

Gao Ran started school and was mostly living on campus, rarely returning home. Word was that he got along well with his new roommates.

As for Zhang Tianfeng, he had received promising news about his schooling. His exam papers had been approved, and the school granted him a month and a half’s leave, asking him to return at the end of October. This delighted him, and upon inquiry, he discovered he now had a tragic backstory—his mother bedridden, and he and his father working in the coastal region for a living, his father at a factory, and himself selling goods on the street. It was Yun Qian’s life story, transferred onto him. No doubt, this was Gao Ran’s doing.

The excuse wasn't much, but he finally got the coveted break, allowing him to devote himself fully to the toy factory’s first promotional campaign.

During this time, he followed Wang Tiancai and the sales team across the country, personally inspecting branch locations, business qualifications, rents, and other details to ensure nothing went wrong. He even discussed tax matters with local officials, hearing the same answer everywhere: as long as your enterprise grows strong, you’ll enjoy tax benefits.

That was precisely what Zhang Tianfeng wanted to hear, and he left satisfied. He even took the opportunity to visit home, checking in on his family and his siblings’ studies. He suddenly realized that when just one person achieves success, the family atmosphere becomes much more harmonious.

Before, his family constantly quarreled over money, meeting like enemies with sullen faces. Now, with Zhang Tianfeng prosperous, Grandpa played the villain and said the hard truths, but everything was well, and the family lived together affectionately.

After spending a day at home, Zhang Tianfeng rushed back to the toy factory, as a problem had arisen with the promotional plan.

In the office, the four pillars of the sales department gathered, and Zhong Xiaoyi, increasingly showing the poise of a secretary, sat nearby with paper and pen, ready to take notes.

“What’s the real situation? Tell me,” Zhang Tianfeng demanded.

“Boss, we’re under attack from competitors,” Wang Tiancai replied. “Our companies in all provincial capitals have been reported for unauthorized imitation of others’ works. Now, eight provincial capitals have blocked our sales channels.”

“Also, the competitor who reported us has copied our business model to expand their distribution. They have a patent authorization for a foreign toy, and with it, they pass unimpeded before provincial leaders, receiving the policy benefits that should have been ours.”

“These bastards are truly insidious.”

“Do we know who it is?”

“All we know is the name—Tianlong Toy Company. The boss, the investors—no clue, and no way to find out.”

Clearly, their intelligence was still weak.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Tianfeng nodded. “You all go out for now and stand by. I need to think.”

The four withdrew, leaving the office in silence.

Meanwhile, in the Xu family’s home in Deep City, the long-dormant Xu Kuangdao finally allowed himself a smile.

“Hahaha, that little runt will never guess we’re the troublemakers behind all this.”

“Copying someone else's business model is so satisfying—no need to think, just get it done.”

“Third Uncle, should we keep watching and wait for Blue Square Toy Factory to go bankrupt?” Xu Maocai whispered.

“No. I want to take Blue Square Toy Factory to court. I’ve secured the patent rights for their toy production,” Xu Kuangdao said through clenched teeth. “This time, I’ll make Zhang Tianfeng infamous for generations! He’ll learn that the Xu family is not to be trifled with!”