Reborn in 1977

Chapter 275: Not Happy?

Chen Fan put down his satchel, but then picked up the bag containing the easel, before turning and heading downstairs.

Lin Yuanxiang saw the bag in his hand and asked curiously, "What's this?"

Chen Fan smiled, "An easel. I'll go paint after chatting with you."

Lin Yuanxiang's eyes lit up, "Why wait until we're done chatting? Find a deserted spot, you paint yours, I'll chat mine."

Chen Fan's mouth twitched slightly. Could it be done like this?

However, since the old man had said so, then that's what they would do. Maybe he could even save some time to go home and brew wine.

After leaving the brigade headquarters, Chen Fan headed straight for the embankment. Turning his head to see the puzzled look on Lin Yuanxiang's face, he said with a smile, "I'll paint a distant view first. The riverbank is perfect for a panoramic view. Later, we'll go to the fields for a close-up."

Lin Yuanxiang nodded, walking slowly beside him with his hands behind his back, and said with a smile, "You're quite similar to some reporters I knew on the battlefield back then. They didn't have cameras, but they also held a pencil and drew on white paper."

Chen Fan said, "I wouldn't dare compare myself to them. They, like you and Captain Xiao, are heroes who dared to advance in the face of artillery fire. I'm just a young man enjoying the fruits of your victory. I can only use a paintbrush to paint a corner of the motherland's peaceful and prosperous scene, as a tribute to you and thousands of other heroes."

Lin Yuanxiang burst into laughter upon hearing this, unable to close his mouth.

After a good while, he said with a smile, "No wonder Lao Xiao likes you so much. You've said all the nice things, and I can't even accuse you of flattery."

Chen Fan chuckled, "This doesn't count as nice words. At most, it's stating the facts."

Before long, they climbed onto the riverbank. Walking a little further, past a small forest, they could see the busy scene in the fields below in the distance.

The weather was good today, with a gentle breeze and a clear sky. Chen Fan looked around and decided to paint here.

With Lin Yuanxiang's initiative to help, Chen Fan opened the bag, first setting up the easel, then placing the drawing board on the easel, taking out a sheet of white paper he had cut himself and securing it, ready to start painting.

There were naturally no professional drawing paper or brushes in Nanhua Town. The paper was just ordinary white paper, and it was the full-size kind, with an area of almost one square meter, which needed to be cut before it could be used.

Fortunately, Chen Fan's painting skills were good, having reached LV3. He wasn't picky about paper or pens, and he started drawing with a pencil.

Lin Yuanxiang stood aside, only to see a few messy lines appearing on the drawing paper first, going up, down, left, and right, making it impossible to see what he was drawing.

As time passed, the lines on the paper became more and more numerous, and gradually, the distant embankment, the hillside, and the houses and smoke on the slope could be seen.

Below were large fields, from the completely equal "grids" in the middle to the irregular paddy fields on the edges. Just by looking at the outlines, the geomorphological characteristics of Lujia Bay were vividly displayed.

Chen Fan wielded the pencil in his hand on the drawing paper. In just over ten minutes, he completed the general framework. Next was filling in the details, which was also the most challenging part.

He relaxed, turned to look at Lin Yuanxiang, and said with a smile, "Uncle Lin, didn't you say you wanted to chat with me? What do you want to talk about?"

Lin Yuanxiang came back to his senses, laughed, and said, "I've just heard so much about you these past few days, with all sorts of things being said."

Then he quickly added, "Don't get me wrong, they're all good things."

Chen Fan smiled, "I believe that. After all, I don't do bad things."

Lin Yuanxiang pointed at him with a smile, "You're quite confident."

After a pause, he continued, "I've seen quite a few outstanding young people, some who were admitted to university at the age of thirteen or fourteen, and some who became leaders in their twenties. Back on the northern battlefield, there were countless brave men who were young but killed countless enemies. They were all young but capable."

He turned to look at Chen Fan, his eyes full of curiosity, "Their prowess is naturally beyond doubt, but whether it's a university student studying knowledge or a warrior who killed more than 280 enemies in one day, repelled several platoons of enemies with his own strength, and defended two high grounds, they all specialize in one field. The literary are literary, and the martial are martial, unlike you, who are skilled in veterinary medicine, martial arts, writing articles, and even your cooking skills are far superior to those of ordinary chefs with twenty or thirty years of hard training."

Speaking of this, he asked, "I just want to ask you, do you have any special methods that allow you to learn so much knowledge at the same time and achieve success in a short period of time?"

Hearing this, Chen Fan stopped painting, turned to look at him, and said with a smile, "Uncle Lin, if I said I have a learning method, would you believe it?"

Lin Yuanxiang pursed his lips and thought for a while, then shook his head gently, "I dare not believe it."

After a pause, he said solemnly, "The so-called learning methods are ultimately just a technique that can help you master a certain kind of knowledge as soon as possible. But I have never heard of a universal learning method, and I don't believe there will be one. If there is any method that can be used universally, it is a strict schedule and a serious attitude towards learning."

Chen Fan spread his hands, "So, I really don't have any special learning methods. If I had to say one, it might be that my brain is a little more flexible, and I can delve into things I'm interested in, and my learning progress is relatively fast."

Chen Fan's ability today is all thanks to his own hard work. That skill panel can't pour knowledge into his brain, it's just icing on the cake!

Looking at Lin Yuanxiang, who was thoughtful and nodding slightly, Chen Fan smiled and said, "What's more, there's one thing that you may all have misunderstood."

Lin Yuanxiang raised his head and looked at him, "Oh? Which point?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "Don't think I know a lot of things, but if you really want to delve into it, most of them are not refined. Only my cooking skills are decent, and other things can only be considered mediocre. They think I'm great because Nanhua Commune lacks talents in this area. Without comparison, they will think I'm great.

If I were to go to a big city, the situation would be different. A veterinarian would definitely not be as good as a senior expert from the Prefectural Agricultural Bureau, and electrical appliance repair might not even be as good as the old masters in the county. Broadcasting is not as good as the announcers at the broadcasting station… In short, I know a little bit of everything, but I can't be considered great."

While saying this, he was also silently complaining in his heart. This skill panel is not very easy to use. The higher the level, the more difficult it is to increase experience points. It was okay before level 3, but after level 3, not only does upgrading require more experience points, but the difficulty of obtaining it is even higher.

This is also the main reason why he never thought of developing in a single direction, such as becoming a scientist or a great writer.

Upgrading is too tiring in the later stages!

He had been tired for more than ten years before crossing over, and in this life, he just wanted to live comfortably and happily. If he had the spare energy and it was also beneficial to himself, he could appropriately help the people around him to develop together.

It wasn't easy to cross over once, so why make himself so tired?

As for contributing to the country, he could only do it by "paying more taxes." In this regard, he guaranteed that he could become a "tax-paying model."

Hearing Chen Fan's words, Lin Yuanxiang frowned and thought for a while, "What you said seems to make some sense."

Chen Fan turned around and continued painting, "What I said is the truth, so of course it makes sense."

Lin Yuanxiang looked at the drawing board, "What about painting? I heard from Lao Xiao that you learned to paint in one day."

Chen Fan looked like it was a matter of course, "Did Captain Xiao tell you that I have amnesia? Maybe I learned to paint before, but I forgot it later. When I picked up the brush again, I remembered it as I painted."

Lin Yuanxiang glanced at him, "What about martial arts? Kung fu can't be faked. Lao Xiao is sure that you haven't practiced it before, but you were able to learn it to this extent in two months. How do you explain that?"

Chen Fan turned his head and smiled slightly, shrugging his shoulders, "Then I can only say that I have a good talent, it's innate, there's no way around it."

Lin Yuanxiang was immediately speechless.

This kid's shameless appearance is very much like his style back then.

He took a few steps to the side, took out his pipe and lit it, took a puff of smoke, and suddenly said with a smile, "Actually, the main reason I asked you out today is because there's something I want to see if you're interested in."

Chen Fan turned to look at him, "What's the matter?"

Lin Yuanxiang said with a smile, "I have a comrade-in-arms whose son is on a business trip abroad and is stationed overseas. He heard from him that the situation abroad is not the same as what is said in the newspapers. In many places, almost every household has a house upstairs and downstairs, with electric lights and telephones. They eat meat and drink wine with every meal, and there are many other good things. For example, people there can buy cars, not bicycles, but small cars with four wheels. The life they live is unimaginable."

Chen Fan looked at his exaggerated expression, somewhat puzzled.

His eyes seemed to be saying, 'Why are you telling me this?'

Lin Yuanxiang smiled and continued, "In short, as long as you have the ability and are willing to work hard, you can live a good life. With your skills, not to mention anything else, you could open a restaurant and make a lot of money. Have you ever thought about going abroad to make money?"

Chen Fan blinked, "What do you mean?"

Lin Yuanxiang chuckled, looked around mysteriously, and whispered, "It's not asking you to be a traitor, nor is it asking you to be a turncoat. It's just that my comrade's son is abroad, and everything else is good, except for one thing."

Seeing that Chen Fan's face was still full of confusion, he smacked his lips, "He just can't eat well. His stomach can't handle the food abroad, so he's thinking of finding a chef to take abroad. Besides him, there are more than a dozen staff members in his unit. If you're willing, I can recommend you to go."

"When you get abroad, he can provide the capital for you to open a small restaurant, so they can have a place to eat, and you can make money too. How about it?"

Chen Fan shook his head incessantly, as if he had a motor installed in his neck, "Not good."

Lin Yuanxiang widened his eyes, "You have to think carefully. Opportunities like this are rare. If it weren't for their high requirements, insisting on finding a skilled chef, and you being a good cook, this opportunity wouldn't be available to you."

After a pause, he added, "And now it's just recommending you to go. You still have to pass his test."

Chen Fan continued to shake his head, "I'm not going."

In his heart, he sighed secretly. It seemed that this old man Lin rarely told lies. The reason he made up was full of loopholes and couldn't stand scrutiny at all.

What era is this? 1977! If you want to go abroad, wild paths don't count. Those who go out through legitimate channels have their ancestry checked for three generations.

Whether he could withstand the investigation was not to be mentioned. If the son of his so-called comrade really needed a chef abroad, he could also report to his superiors normally. After the leader approved it, he could transfer a chef from a related unit. Even with salary and allowances, it wouldn't cost 100 yuan a month.

Borrow money to open a restaurant? How could he think of that!

However, it must be said that if it weren't for someone who had seen the world, the old soldier aura on this old man Lin could have confused ordinary people and made them believe it deeply.

But he was unlucky to have met himself. The high-paying job in northern Myanmar that year failed to trick him into going abroad, let alone now.

Chen Fan was also wondering in his heart, why did this old man want to trick him into going abroad?

After thinking about it for a while and not understanding, he stopped thinking about it.

Anyway, as long as he responded to all changes with constancy, didn't covet petty gains, and didn't think about getting rich overnight, he wouldn't be fooled. As for the rest, let it be.

Chen Fan's firm attitude also surprised Lin Yuanxiang a little, "Don't you believe me? I can guarantee to Mr. Li that I didn't say a word of a lie just now!"

This time Chen Fan was also surprised. He actually said the words "guarantee to Mr. Li"?

For people like Old Man Lin, a sentence of "guarantee to Mr. Li" could almost guarantee everything. That was an ironclad belief, a million times stronger than swearing to anything!

Could it be that what he said was true?

Chen Fan's eyes rolled slightly, and he decided to stick to his original intention and shook his head decisively, "I believe what you said, but I'm not going."

Regardless of whether it was true or not, he just wouldn't go.

Lin Yuanxiang was also helpless now, looking at him in confusion, "Why?"

He believed it all, so why didn't he want to go? Who doesn't want to live a good life?

Chen Fan turned his face to look at him and smiled, "No matter how good foreign countries are, they are still foreign countries. No matter how poor the hometown is, it is still the hometown. Even if our country has a certain gap with some foreign countries now, it's not because we are inferior to foreigners, but because we have suffered too many difficulties, which delayed development."

"Now that we have good leaders, leading the people of the whole country to seek development together, I believe that one day, we will have everything that foreign countries have, and we will also have what foreign countries don't have."

"Do you believe that, by that time, not to mention running abroad, even those who have gone out will have to find a way to run back."

Hearing this, Lin Yuanxiang was stunned. Looking at Chen Fan, his eyes were full of admiration.

But he was still unwilling to give up and continued, "But that will be God knows how many years later. Before the development, you are willing to suffer here?"

Chen Fan shrugged and smiled softly, "That's up to you."

Lin Yuanxiang was stunned again, looking at him in confusion, "Ask us?"

Chen Fan let out a long breath, looked at the busy figures in the fields in the distance, and said with a smile, "Yes, ask you. Ask you why you gave up a good life back then and crossed the Yalu River to fight. Ask those scientists why they gave up the glory and wealth abroad and returned to the country to eat cornbread. Ask the hundreds of thousands of troops who built atomic bombs and rockets, why they were willing to go incognito to the Gobi desert to suffer."

He turned around, looked at Lin Yuanxiang, and smiled, "The hometown is good or not, I know it best. Although I can't be as selfless as you, shedding my head and spilling my blood, and not even caring about my life, I won't run wherever there is money. If I can't be a hero, being a screw like Comrade Lei Feng is also possible."

After listening to Chen Fan's words, Lin Yuanxiang slowly exhaled a long breath, his eyes full of relief, "You passed."

Chen Fan was stunned and turned to look at him in confusion, "Huh?"

Lin Yuanxiang put his hands behind his back, looked into the distance, and said softly, "Actually, I came here this time for you."

Chen Fan's eyes widened, "Huh?"

What the hell?

Lin Yuanxiang smiled and said, "Lao Xiao said that he met a martial arts prodigy who could master the basic skills in less than two months, which is equivalent to two or three years of hard work for ordinary people. The old saying goes, 'A good teacher is hard to find.' In fact, for us martial arts practitioners, a good disciple is even harder to find…"

After listening to his words, Chen Fan finally understood that this old man Lin had been secretly observing him during this period. Thinking of what he had just said, he couldn't help but ask, "So you were testing me just now, and the thing about going abroad to be a chef was fake?"

Lin Yuanxiang shook his head with a smile, "No, it's true. I do have an old comrade whose son works in an import and export company and stays in the United States all year round, specializing in importing advanced American machinery. It is also true that he wants to find a chef."

After a pause, he looked at Chen Fan meaningfully again, "If your answer is that you want to go, I will also recommend you to try it, but you will definitely not pass the final test."

Chen Fan was speechless.

It's all a trick!

Lin Yuanxiang smiled and said softly, "Don't blame me for testing you. When choosing a successor, in addition to looking at talent and aptitude, you also have to look at character. Learning my kung fu means inheriting not only the mantle of my lineage, but also the connections I know. I don't require you to be great, but you must never have no bottom line and not care about righteousness. Otherwise, if you do evil, even if I die, I will have no face to see my ancestors."

Chen Fan raised his hand and smiled awkwardly, "Well, Old Man Lin, why don't you think about it again carefully?"

Lin Yuanxiang glanced at him, "What, you're still not willing?"

He rolled up his sleeves, "Today I must let you know that your little bit of kung fu is not even the tip of the iceberg, and let you see what is called a stunt!"

Chen Fan took three steps back without hesitation, "No need to see, no need to see. As soon as your old tiger body shakes, I know that you are definitely a master among masters. Last time you got out of the car without panting or shaking your feet, ordinary people can't do it, let alone someone your age. I guessed it at that time."

Lin Yuanxiang glared, "Then why don't you hurry up and become my apprentice?!"

Chen Fan grinned and smiled, "The main thing is, I don't have any great ambitions, and I don't want to make any great achievements. I just want to live a peaceful life with a few acres of land, so I'm afraid that I will delay your inheritance, which would be a great sin!"

If Old Man Lin was just an ordinary martial arts master, Chen Fan would have rushed up to call him master at this time. But unfortunately, he wasn't.

Listen to what he said? His old comrade's son is in the United States, specializing in importing machinery. Isn't that a foreign trade officer from decades later? Today, being responsible for this job, it is not an exaggeration to describe it as "high-ranking and powerful."

And that's just one comrade.

Among the old soldiers of that year, there were many like Xiao Liewen who disarmed and returned to the fields to hide their identities, but there were also many who were in high positions and continued to shine. God knows how many such comrades Old Man Lin has.

If he became his apprentice, would he still give his connections to himself?

Was this because he thought he wasn't exposed fast enough, or that he wouldn't die miserably enough one day?!