Chén Zhāoyáng and Lín Xiǎotáng successfully defended their rights in the battle for control of the seafood cold storage. Through fighting side by side, their bond grew ever deeper, and that hazy, delicate ambiguity thickened like mist after a spring rain. Yet the joy did not last long, for Chén Zhāoyáng remained deeply concerned about his father's health. His father had a history of underlying health issues, and smoking was undoubtedly a major stumbling block on the road to well-being. Chén Zhāoyáng decided to implement a quit-smoking plan for his father, launching a battle against cigarettes.
Chén Zhāoyáng knew very well that if he simply told his father to quit outright, given his stubborn temper, he would most likely resist. Therefore, he decided to take the long view and adopt a roundabout strategy. First, he went to the library and consulted a vast amount of material on the health hazards of smoking. Those startling statistics and case studies only strengthened his resolve to get his father to quit. He compiled these materials into a booklet, preparing to find a suitable moment to show his father.
One evening, the family was gathered around the dinner table. Looking at the cigarette in his father's hand, Chén Zhāoyáng felt a surge of inspiration and initiated the first step of his plan: appealing to reason.
Chapter 77