Who else could be called a "scoundrel" by everyone at the Aircrew Base?
Of course, it was none other than the stuck-in-the-mud, Park Ae-hwa.
After setting down the three boxes he had in hand, Chen Fei greeted the short-haired girl, "Devil Pepper" teacher, and hurriedly ran over.
He had thought that the merchant had been executed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs already, yet now there was news about him again.
Xiao Jiu flapped its wings, flying above Chen Fei's head.
Not far from Hangar One, on the tarmac, Chen Fei indeed saw the disheveled, scruffy-bearded, deeply sunken-eyed, and haggard-looking scoundrel Pu Aihua, with a large duffel bag and a suitcase beside him.
Seeing Chen Fei coming over, Pu Aihua mustered some energy, calling out with a somewhat hoarse voice.
Obviously, his recent times had not been good.
"Old Piao, are you okay? Without you, Chef Abel in the cafeteria is almost at his wits' end."
Chen Fei asked with concern—it was not an empty statement.
Mr. Chef, failing to find someone else to replace him and unwilling to become a simple package opener, flatly conscripted Chen Fei, managing to get by only with his help.
Chen Fei had to put in at least two hours in the kitchen every day; while it was somewhat hard work, the bit of money he earned was really quite sweet to him.
"I know, I really appreciate it," Pu Aihua said, then bowed deeply to Chen Fei on the spot.
Chen Fei quickly stopped him, saying, "No need, no need, I wasn't working for free—Chef Abel pays me wages! The Ministry of Internal Affairs didn't give you a hard time, did they?"
Chen Fei looked around; not far off stood a few figures in black suits, sporting sunglasses—clearly, they were those Ministry of Internal Affairs guys.
"No, no, it's nothing. It's my own fault for being too greedy, and there are some things I shouldn't have touched. I don't blame anyone else," Pu Aihua said with a bitter smile, continuously shaking his head.
Taking small advantages in daily life wasn't considered a big deal; even if the company knew, they often chose to turn a blind eye, taking the stance of "where water flows, a channel will form," pretending not to see.
But the Metallic Dragon remains were far too sensitive. Pu Aihua had just started to get an idea when the Ministry of Internal Affairs quickly zeroed in on him. They detained him immediately, interrogated him for over half a month, and finally let him go when they were sure he hadn't succeeded—but the incident was far from over.
"Old Piao, where are you headed?"
Chen Fei's gaze fell on the two pieces of luggage beside Pu Aihua.
"My contract has been terminated, and I'm going back with the airship later. Oh, and I plan to open a small restaurant when I return," said Pu Aihua as he sniffed and wiped the corner of his eyes. He fumbled on his person, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it over, adding, "This is my home address. If you have time in the future, you can come and visit.
My daughter is very smart; she's going to take the university entrance exam soon."
Nowadays in the field of education, there was a tremendous divide, with only the best students having the privilege of attending university. Those who were less academically inclined had no second or third-tier universities to attend; they could only go to higher vocational-technical education, equivalent to a junior college degree.
Hence, the value of university students had risen again—it was no longer the case that undergraduates were a dime a dozen and PhDs as common as dogs.
No wonder every time Pu Aihua mentioned his daughter, his face beamed with pride. This sense of superiority was understandable, but the reason he racked his brains and exhausted all efforts to make money had its roots.
On the one hand, it was to save for his daughter's college tuition, and should she wish to pursue further education beyond the undergraduate level, the expenses wouldn't be small.
On the other hand, with talent often comes hardship; his daughter had been ill for a long time, and to gather the exorbitant surgery fees and subsequent care costs, for a man already burdened with providing for his family, this weight was anything but light.
"Okay! If I have time, I'll definitely visit!"
Chen Fei glanced at the piece of paper in his hand—an address in Goryeo Han River City, along with a contact number.
"And also this, please be sure to accept it. I won't need it anymore. Anything you want to buy here, it's all listed on this," Pu Aihua said.
Pu Aihua took out another small notebook and handed it to Chen Fei with great earnestness.
The notebook was filled with names, phone numbers, addresses, and notes. It was essentially an address book, but Chen Fei knew its real value. It represented the network and channels Old Piao had built at the Aircrew Base.
Snakes have their paths, and rats have their trails, even the most insignificant people still have their own special circles that can effortlessly accomplish tasks that the powerful would pay a hefty price for.
This little notebook meant that Pu Aihua had transferred his entire network at the base to Chen Fei without reserve. It might not be of much help, but it was still somewhat useful. If there were ever any questions, one might find some hints or even answers within this circle of relationships.
For a young person, this network could save a decade or more of effort in building similar connections.
A loud roar came from not far.
Chen Fei turned his head towards the sound and saw Chef Abel from the base's canteen striding over. Without a word, Abel swung a fist at Pu Aihua, causing him to stagger back a few steps.
Wincing, Pu Aihua steadied himself back on his feet, but he was not at all angry. Instead, he opened his arms and gave Abel a fierce hug.
Perhaps a single embrace was enough to quench the chef's fiery temper, as Abel finally said gruffly, "You scoundrel, what mischief have you gotten into now?"
He could tell that Pu Aihua, who had already packed his bags, was about to leave the Aircrew Base.
Though a bit of a swindler, Pu Aihua wasn't inherently bad; at least, he didn't exploit the equally impoverished newcomer, Chen Fei, but instead provided him with much assistance.
"Hehehe, too greedy, too greedy."
Pu Aihua laughed dryly. The hard times he had eaten recently were all due to his excessive greed.
It was crossing the line that got him noticed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who detained him for over half a month. Only after confirming that he had merely entertained the thought without actually succeeding in his scheme, was he released.
Though he was released, he lost his job, as the Apocalypse Defense Group could not possibly allow an employee who had committed such an error to remain in his post. A termination of the employment contract was sent out without any need for compensation.
Chef Abel landed another punch on Pu Aihua. After all, he wasn't the type to coolly turn his back the moment someone left. He added, "After you get back, if you run into any trouble, call me. Don't play tough. You've said it yourself, having one more friend means having one more path to take, so why wouldn't you walk it?"
Given Pu Aihua's age, in an economically competitive region, it might be difficult to find a job that pays well. He would probably have to rely on himself for an extended period. With a daughter at home who was seriously ill and urgently needed surgery, financial difficulties were inevitable, whether for tuition or surgery costs.
At least Abel was a proper chef with both level and certification in the culinary circle, and he recognized a few fellow chefs. Perhaps by calling in a few favors and selling some face, he could help Old Piao sort out an urgent employment issue.
Having worked in the canteen at the Aircrew Base for so long, he had become deeply familiar with the ins and outs of the kitchen, and certainly lacked no related experience. He could start working immediately given the opportunity.
"Thank you, thank you!"
Pu Aihua's eyes grew somewhat moist as he held onto Abel's hand, nodding vigorously.
The ones who allow you to trouble them are your true friends.
"Pu Aihua, ready to go!"
The Ministry of Internal Affairs personnel nearby received a signal from the "Luo Jing Number" heavy Transport Airship.
"Little Chen, Chef Abel, I'm leaving!"
No matter how reluctant he was to leave this place where he had worked for many years, Pu Aihua's time here was running short.
All feasts must come to an end, and the time to leave had arrived.
Pu Aihua looked back three times with each step he took, but as he neared the heavy Transport Airship, he suddenly turned around and shouted, "Little Chen, that bird egg isn't a Magical Beast Egg, I found it in the wild, I lied to you, I'm sorry!"
After bowing deeply and then standing up to wipe his slightly reddened eyes, he took his luggage and, without looking back, followed the Ministry of Internal Affairs personnel onto the gangway leading to the airship's cabin.
In the end, Old Piao could not keep this secret buried in his gut. Before leaving, he apologized to Chen Fei for his lie.