Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 760 Xin'an Restaurant
"Well, there are many ways to go to Hong Kong, by sea or land, long or short distance. The key is how much money you can afford."

Cai Asheng took out a Zippo lighter, flicked off the cap with a ding, and rubbed it against his jeans. Sparks flew from the flint, and a small flame immediately appeared.

He lit the cigarette, took a puff, and then closed the cap with a ding. He looked up at Wang Jianguo and said in broken Mandarin, "You are Qiangzai's comrades-in-arms, and you were personally brought here by Qiangzai. I won't make a penny off you. Just say what you have to say."

Fifty-five years ago, there were no border lines here, just things like barbed wire, and people could come and go as they pleased. But by the mid-to-late 1950s, that was no longer the case; not only were there barbed wire fences, but there were also patrol teams.

However, it's not impossible to go by land. I have a route that goes over mountains and valleys. Once you swim across the Shenzhen River, someone will take you through the New Territories to Kowloon, which is the urban area of ​​Hong Kong.

Since 74, Hong Kong has implemented a base policy, which allows anyone who arrives at any police station in Kowloon to apply for a Hong Kong identity card and legally stay there.

However, this route is quite expensive, costing 500 for transportation and 500 for processing fees, totaling 1000. They only accept Hong Kong dollars or equivalent amounts in gold or silver dollars, so I'll skip the 200 for mine.

Wang Jianguo immediately looked at Cai Guoqiang, who was also known as Qiangzai by Cai Asheng.

Cai Guoqiang was not from the same company as him, but they belonged to the same regiment. They had cooperated during the operation in February, and he was generally reliable.

The reason I say "basic" is that Wang Jianguo himself wasn't very confident. He wasn't very familiar with Cai Guoqiang, and he was betting on the camaraderie they had shared in the war.

If Cai Guoqiang dares to lie to them, once this news gets out, he will surely cut himself off from his comrades, and none of them will believe him anymore.

Noticing Wang Jianguo's gaze, Cai Guoqiang raised his right hand without saying a word and swore, "I guarantee in the name of Mr. Li and Dr. Chen that what Brother Sheng said is true."

Wang Jianguo's lips twitched slightly. Mr. Li was one thing, but he didn't expect him to add Dr. Chen as well. It seems that he really has no ulterior motives at all.

He immediately laughed and said, "It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that I can't believe it costs so much money to smuggle myself across."

Upon hearing this, Cai Guoqiang and Cai Asheng's expressions softened somewhat.

Cai Asheng said with a smile, "It's definitely expensive, but it guarantees safety. The money isn't wasted. And for other people, I won't talk about the counter-policy. If they want to get an ID card, they have to pay at least two thousand dollars. If they run into a big spender, five or eight thousand won't be too much."

"I'm telling you, 500 yuan for an ID card, that's a real stab in the back, so please don't tell anyone."

Wang Jianguo immediately assured him, "We came to him because we trust Lao Cai, and Brother Sheng can trust us just as much as he trusts Lao Cai."

The people behind him nodded in unison.

Cai Guoqiang took out a pack of Double Happiness cigarettes, pulled one out for himself, handed one to Cai Asheng, and threw the rest to Wang Jianguo, saying, "You guys divide them up yourselves."

Wang Jianguo pulled out one himself, turned around and handed it to Wang Jianjun behind him, letting them divide it among themselves.

This time, in addition to himself and his younger brother Wang Jianjun, he also brought seven comrades-in-arms to Shenzhen, including Li Nan, who came to him to borrow money.

Cai Guoqiang took out a match, lit a cigarette, took a puff, and then said seriously, "This is the price for the land route. Although we are not close friends, we fought together on the battlefield for half a month. If it weren't for Dr. Chen, we would probably still be buried in a pit. I would never cheat you guys."

Besides, since you've all come to me, I might as well be frank with you. My dad—oh, I mean, my father—is the village head here. Because our village is close to the border, quite a few people in the village are doing this kind of business, and it's been going on for over twenty years. My family used to do this too; a thousand or two yuan in information fees was nothing to me.”

After a pause, he added, "Generally speaking, the route that Brother Sheng mentioned is the safest. As long as you clear the few checkpoints along the way, it's easy to get through. The downside is that it's expensive."

Besides this route, the waterways in Chaoshan are the safest. They use speedboats to transport people, and the success rate is very high, but the price is not cheap. It costs 500 yuan per person, which only guarantees that you will be taken to the seaside. You have to walk the rest of the way yourself. The price for obtaining a permit is another one. Even if you can find comrades in Chaoshan, it will probably be about the same as here.

I know you don't have much money. I'm just showing you the route so that when you get there, you don't get misunderstood if you know there's a safer route but don't point it out.

Wang Jianguo nodded slowly, "I understand."

He then took a deep breath, turned to look at Cai Asheng, and smiled, "Please, Brother Sheng, show me the way."

Cai Asheng exhaled a puff of smoke, smiled, and said, "Actually, there are relatively few people who take this land route. I only pick up three or five a year. Most of them are poor people, otherwise they wouldn't think of going to Hong Kong. Most people still take the water route or hitch a ride on a train."

Before he could finish speaking, Cai Guoqiang said, "Old Wang, hopping on a train is one thing, but that's gambling with your life, and the dice are in someone else's hands..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Jianguo raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"

Cai Guoqiang flicked his cigarette ash and said seriously, "Hong Kong is a small place, but it has millions of people. Where do they get their food and drink? In fact, the vast majority of them come from the mainland."

He pointed in the direction of the train station and said, “Shenzhen Station is a big station because it is the main port of entry from the mainland to Hong Kong. Every day, trains from Hunan pass through here. After inspection, these trains can go directly to Hung Hom Station in Kowloon. So many people want to hitch a ride on the train. Not only does it not cost money, but it also has a smooth journey. As long as they are not discovered, they can arrive in Hong Kong in two hours.”

Wang Jianguo asked, puzzled, "Is the inspection particularly strict?"

Otherwise, why would it be called gambling with one's life?

Cai Guoqiang shook his head and said seriously, "The inspection is just a routine inspection, and it's not particularly strict. The main problem is that the meat transport cars are refrigerated cars. If you're unlucky enough to get into a refrigerated car, two hours is enough to freeze you into an 'ice pop'."

Cai Asheng continued, "For a while, people in Hong Kong didn't dare to eat frozen meat shipped from the mainland. They often found 'ice popsicles' in it. Who would dare to eat that?!"

Wang Jianguo took a puff of his cigarette and nodded to indicate that he understood.

Cai Asheng continued, “Swimming across the Shenzhen River and crossing mountains is one way, and of course you can walk by yourself without spending money, but the chances of being intercepted are very high.”

Hitchhiking across a train is another option; there are freight trains and buses, it's free, but dangerous, and the chances of being discovered are very high.

Finally, there's swimming, which is the most dangerous. There are hidden reefs underwater and patrol boats on both sides of the water. Less than 70% of those who reach the other side safely survive; over 30% become drowning victims.

He spread his hands and said, "But this road is also the cheapest. You can buy a tire for a few dozen yuan, hang on it, and swim all the way. You don't need to pay anything else."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Another option is to take the Hong Kong-Kowloon Through Train, but that's dangerous. Or you could get a small boat and row across yourself."

In short, the cheaper the route, the more dangerous it is; the more expensive the route, the safer it is.

Wang Jianguo nodded. "Understood."

He then took out the Peony cigarettes he had bought at great expense and handed them to Cai Asheng, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Sheng."

Cai Asheng took it, tore it open, pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then threw the rest back to Wang Jianguo, patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "If you and Qiangzai are on the same side, then we are on the same side too, no need to be polite."

He then looked at Cai Guoqiang and said, "You two talk first, and let me know when you've decided, and I'll make the arrangements." After saying that, he got up to leave.

Cai Guoqiang quickly called out, "Let's grab a late-night snack before we go back."

Cai Asheng waved his hand without turning his head, "No, I just finished dinner, why would I want a late-night snack? I'll take your comrades to get something to eat, your third brother is waiting for me to play mahjong."

After Cai Asheng left, Cai Guoqiang turned to look at Wang Jianguo and the others and said with a smile, "Now that you're here, listen to my arrangements. First, go to Xin'an Restaurant to fill your stomachs, then find a place to get a good night's sleep. We can talk about anything else tomorrow."

……

"Is Xin'an Town the county seat of Bao'an County?"

Chen Fan looked at Liao Guangzhi, his eyes full of confusion, "What about Shenzhen Town? I remember there's a Xin'an Restaurant there, what does it have to do with this Xin'an?"

Cai Guangzhi was just as surprised as him, "Oh my, you know about Xin'an Restaurant? You've been to Shenzhen before?"

After a pause, he explained, “Originally, it wasn’t called Bao’an County, but Xin’an County. However, in 1914, a nationwide survey of place names was conducted, and it was found that Xin’an County had the same name as Xin’an in Henan. Our small place couldn’t compare with the Central Plains, so we had to change it to the old name Bao’an County from the Eastern Jin Dynasty. But Xin’an Town is still called Xin’an Town.”

Actually, Xin'an Town was not the county seat of Bao'an County at that time. The county seat was Nantou City. In the year that Mr. Sun passed away, Zhongshan Parks were being built all over the country. Zhongshan Park in Bao'an County was located in Nantou. Later, the county seat was moved to Xin'an.

The Xin'an Restaurant in Shenzhen Town is indeed located in Xin'an, but it's not the Xin'an in Xin'an Town, but the Xin'an in Xin'an County. It's a unit of the county located there.

After all, Shenzhen is a gateway to Hong Kong, and the Shenzhen Railway Station is quite large, with frequent comings and goings of foreign guests and overseas Chinese. It definitely needs a decent-looking restaurant.

As the car slowly drove along the streets of Xin'an Town, Chen Fan looked out the window at the city's architecture and felt that it was not much worse than that of Yunhu and Gufeng counties.

It's not like a small fishing village has transformed into an international metropolis.

I wonder what Shenzhen Town is like now, but since it has Shenzhen Railway Station and the Xin'an Restaurant which sounds impressive, it shouldn't be too much worse than Bao'an County, right?

Seeing that Chen Fan seemed quite interested in Shenzhen and asked many questions about the town, Liao Guangzhi couldn't help but ask, "Writer Chen, would you like to rest here tonight, or go to Shenzhen to rest?"

Chen Fan turned to look at him and asked, "Is there anything different?"

Liao Guangzhi smiled and said, "There are still some differences. Although Xin'an Town is slightly larger than Shenzhen Town, there is Xin'an Restaurant in Shenzhen, which has an international standard of decoration and is more comfortable to stay in."

Chen Fan turned around to look at the three girls behind him and asked, "What are your opinions?"

After six hours of bumpy travel, the three of them were already exhausted.

Jiang Tiantian and Jiang Lili were a little better off, especially Zhou Yali, who had the shortest training time in martial arts. She leaned against Jiang Tiantian, who was sitting in the middle, and stared blankly at the street scene outside the car window, asking herself questions from the bottom of her heart.

Why did I insist on dragging Xiao Fan here?
Wouldn't it be better to go hunting in Northeast China again?
Or you could visit Huangshan Mountain, tour Yunhu Lake, see the Yellow River, or climb the legendary Five Sacred Mountains...

Why make yourself suffer when your dear old man can handle the field research?
Upon hearing Chen Fan's question, he immediately replied listlessly, "Whatever."

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly. He was still shouting that he wanted to travel all over China, and this is the result?

He then looked at Jiang Tiantian and Jiang Lili, "What about you two? What are your opinions?"

The two sisters exchanged a glance and smiled simultaneously, "It's up to you."

Chen Fan gestured, "No problem."

He then asked Liao Guangzhi, "Approximately how long does it take to get to Shenzhen from here?"

Liao Guangzhi squinted and thought for a moment, then said, "It's about 30 kilometers along the way. If we take the national highway, it will take less than an hour."

Chen Fan glanced at his watch; it was already past six. He said, "Then let's go to Shenzhen. Since you said the Xin'an Restaurant there is better, let's try to get a comfortable sleep. It's not like we'll miss out on half an hour of travel time."

The three girls behind him agreed, and nodded in unison, "Okay."

Liao Guangzhi laughed and stepped on the gas pedal. "There's a gas station up ahead. Let's fill up first, then we'll go to Shenzhen for dinner."

(The Xin'an Restaurant, built in the 70s, was completely renovated and reopened in 83, and was one of the most famous restaurants in Shenzhen at the time.)

As the car sped along, Liao Guangzhi suddenly pointed in a certain direction and said, "Shekou is just over there. All the plans have been initially completed, and construction will officially begin in a few days."

Chen Fan looked out the window at the dim scenery. Apart from the rolling hills in the distance and vegetable fields full of green vegetables, he could not see anything else.

He then asked, "Has the start date been set?"

Liao Guangzhi nodded and said, "It's settled, it will be on July 8th."

He turned to look at Chen Fan and smiled, "If you stay a few more days, you might as well attend the groundbreaking ceremony. The leaders will be very happy to know that Writer Chen and Ms. Zhou can come."

Ms. Zhou, of course, needs no introduction. She is a big businesswoman that the leaders of Shekou Industrial Zone have gone to great lengths to win over. She is the daughter of Mr. Zhou Zhengdong, who came two months ago. However, it is strange that their businesses are separate.

As for writer Chen, despite being a literary figure, he has little to do with the industrial area.

On the contrary, for this reception mission, the leaders repeatedly emphasized that Writer Chen must be treated as the guest of honor.

On the one hand, he is Ms. Zhou's cousin and has a certain influence over her. On the other hand, as one of the most famous young writers in China, if he can publicly express his support for the Shekou Industrial Zone, he will surely win the understanding and support of a large number of ordinary people, which will help promote the construction work.

Chen Fan had no idea what Liao Guangzhi was thinking. He hesitated for two seconds before saying, "Okay, then we'll be bothering you then."

Liao Guangzhi was overjoyed. "I couldn't be happier!"

At the same time, a sudden realization dawned on him: there was no need to even consult Ms. Zhou; it seemed that Writer Chen was the one making the decisions for this field investigation.

Yes, this news must be reported to the leader tonight; we can't let it interfere with important business!
(End of this chapter)