A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1476 A Terrifying Endgame! (Please Subscribe!)
P.S.: Summer wishes all my brothers a Happy New Year! May you all have boundless ambitions, soaring success in the Year of the Horse, and be accompanied by good fortune!
In fact, given today's situation, Hua Shier didn't need to leave the factory at all. But he used the excuse that Director Chen said he was going to fire him to go out and relax for a few days to take care of his own business.

One reason is that the karaoke competition organizers want to record a song for him, so Hua Shier plans to take two days off to record it.

In addition, among the things he had previously compiled about the original owner's failures, there was also a chess endgame. He planned to take advantage of his few days off to go to the park to set up an endgame and set a small goal: to play a thousand games without losing.

He would only consider going back to work when Director Chen came to beg him to promote him to a higher engineer position.

Well, although it sounded a bit unreliable, Hua Shier was very confident. Even when he was strolling around Dingqing Tower that afternoon, and Grandpa Cui and Li Xiaozhen asked him why he wasn't at work, he just smiled and said:
"I've taken a few days off, and I'm going to be promoted to senior engineer as soon as I get back!"

One sentence made the old man so happy that he believed it. Before dinner time, the old man had already made a few drinks in his office.

When the old lady arrived and learned about the situation, she privately spoke to her son:

"You wanted to apply to the Central Conservatory of Music, but your dad didn't let you. When you graduated from university, you wanted to join the aerospace industry, and your dad stopped you again!"

"For so many years, you've never moved from your position as an engineer. Although you haven't said anything, your dad is unhappy about it, especially seeing your classmates, some of whom are driving cars and others running clothing stores, while you're still stuck in the factory earning a fixed salary. He just can't stand it!"

"So he's been hoping you'd get promoted to a higher level, hoping you'd have a better life. If you really do get promoted this time, the happiest person will probably be this old man!"

Hua Shier has Cui Guoming's memories, as well as Cui Guoming's feelings for his family. At this moment, for some reason, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart!
He put his arm around the old lady's shoulder and smiled upon hearing this:

"Just get well soon, and we'll see. I have many more things to make you proud!"

The old lady smiled after hearing her son's words.

"I'm leaving, I have things to do tonight!"

Hua Shier was still not quite used to this kind of scene. After saying goodbye to Li Xiaozhen, he quickly got up and rode his bicycle to People's Park.

There were many chess puzzles set up in the park. Hua Shier walked over and sat down opposite one of them. The person setting up the puzzle immediately asked:

"Want a plate?"

Hua Shier looked at the unfinished game: "What's the outcome if we win, and what's the outcome if we lose?"

Seeing that there was a chance, the man quickly said, "You can choose either side, the red side goes first, and it's two dollars whether you win or lose!"

Hua Shier asked with a smile, "So confident?"

The man yelled, "Hey! This is how I make a living. What's the point of playing if I'm not confident? Hey buddy, wanna grab a round?"

"Go for it!"

Hua Shier took out two yuan, threw it on the chessboard, and then made a move with the red piece:
"A direct shot!"

There's no such thing as a guaranteed loss in a game of endgames. And those who set up endgames wouldn't create dead ends like "Seven Stars Gathering" or "Great Roc Spreading Its Wings," otherwise it wouldn't be an endgame, but a scam, which is illegal.

The outcome of an endgame depends primarily on both players' understanding of the endgame.

Of course, most people can't possibly understand the game better than the person who sets up the endgame, so even if it's not a scam, it's still very difficult for the average chess enthusiast to win.

To achieve his "small goal," Hua Shier decided to first target his competitors. Once he had driven all his rivals away from People's Park, he would monopolize the "setting up the endgame" business.

Two hours later, Hua Shier stood there with fifty yuan in his hand, muttering to himself:
"If you can't do it, then forget it. I can tell you don't earn money easily. Losing twenty-five games in a row, can your heart take it?"

Those who had gathered to watch the game were cursing inwardly, "What a beast! He's won twenty-five games in a row and still makes sarcastic remarks! Spit on him!"
The opponent, having abandoned his pawn and conceded defeat, took a deep breath and said with reddened eyes:

"One more plate, please!"

Hua Shier waved his hand: "One more round is fine, but if I win this time, I won't charge you."

The man looked completely bewildered: "So you want it?"

Ten minutes later, Hua Twelve won the chess game against his opponent:

"This chess set and board are mine now. I'll be able to use them when I set up my stall."

Only then did the man realize he had run into a fellow chess player, and he was so angry his face turned red: "How could you be so mean? Couldn't you have brought your own chess set?!"

Hua Shier returned the hundred yuan he had won to the other party, smiling as he said:
"Alright, I can give you your money back, but you have to promise me you won't set up a stall in People's Park for a month!"

The other party breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. After all, a chess set was nothing, but a hundred yuan was several days' income for him. If he couldn't set up a stall in the park, he could just go somewhere else.

The deal was done, and Hua Shier, carrying the chess set, went to an old man's stall where he set up an endgame puzzle:

"Grandpa, wanna play a game? If you win, I'll give you fifty; if I win, you just give me the chess set."

Since winning money takes too long, Hua Shier simply got straight to the point.

Fifteen minutes later, the old man started swearing venomously.

Hua Shier chuckled and left with the second chess set, his eyes fixed on a man setting up a chess puzzle.

Big brother: Don't come any closer!
In one afternoon, Hua Shier swept through the endgame scene in People's Park, earning him the nickname "Endgame Demon's Nightmare."

Those who were trying to sabotage him were all gnashing their teeth, but Hua Shier didn't care. As Lao Guo had said, among colleagues, there was only naked hatred.

That evening, he stored all the chess pieces he had won in his storage space, then rode his fiery chariot directly to the 'old spot' barbecue near the machinery factory.

Well, the barbecue restaurant isn't called "Old Place," but this is the old place of Cui Guoming, Zhao Hailong, and Liu Ye.

Upon entering the barbecue restaurant, Hua Shier saw four or five tables of customers. He noticed the two guys had already arrived and was about to walk over when the restaurant owner, Mr. Liu, came to greet him.
"Brother Cui, what about your friend, the one with the guns and cannons?!"

Hua Twelve laughed and said:

"Stop right there! His name is Guo Dapao (Guo the Cannon), and you're talking about guns and cannons like that? People who don't know better will think you're trying to buy weapons. Don't drag us both into this mess!"

Seeing the barbecue restaurant owner in front of him, Hua Shier was filled with emotion. In the original story, Cui Guoming failed at everything he tried, but after giving this Boss Liu a few pointers, he managed to take his company public.

Isn't it embarrassing? Isn't it heartbreaking? He felt awkward for the original owner of this body!
After hearing what Hua Shier had to say, Boss Liu chuckled.
"Brother Cui, you're joking! What weapons? I only have charcoal. Um, your buddy Big Cannon was on TV, right? I was thinking of talking to him about this: next time he gets arrested at a hair salon, um, during the interview, I guess?"

Hua Shier couldn't help but laugh and said, "So, you're giving me a little free advertising, huh?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The boss nodded repeatedly, feeling that he had seized a business opportunity!

Hua Shier laughed uncontrollably: "What good thing is that? Are you sure it can have a positive effect?"

"Of course! Why not!"

Mr. Liu was certain that his idea was correct:
"I've already thought of the advertising copy. I'll have Brother Cannon say this: 'I was eating grilled leeks and grilled kidneys at 'Old Liu's Halal BBQ,' and it was so good that I had nowhere to vent, so I made a mistake.'"

After saying that, Boss Liu clapped his hands and said, "That's it! With just this one line, my business will definitely take off!"

Hua Shier patted him on the shoulder, suppressing a laugh:

"That's a quick jump, it's gone, not gone up!"

"Alright, I'm telling you, stop with all those shady tricks. Give me thirty skewers of those chives and kidneys, the three of us can have a good boost and see how it goes. And the other beef and lamb skewers, tendon, heart tubes, uterine tubes, stone eggs, and the like, thirty skewers of each!"

When Boss Liu saw how much he had ordered, his eyes lit up:
"Hey Brother Cui, the chives are a gift from me, please go in quickly."

As Hua Shier walked in, he saw Zhao Hailong and Liu Ye peeling garlic and chatting, neither of them noticing him approaching.

He plopped down next to Zhao Hailong:
"What are you two talking about about colors? You're so focused on it! I'm here and you didn't even see me!"

Liu Ye asked, "We were talking about Secretary Zhang. You weren't at the factory this afternoon, so you didn't know, but the whole factory is buzzing with the news that he got beaten up, and beaten really badly!"

Zhao Hailong laughed and said, "I heard that when he went to the factory hospital for a checkup, his genitals were swollen like a peach, and he was walking with bowlegs, unable to close his legs at all. Which bastard hates him so much that he would do something so underhanded?"

Hua Shier looked at Zhao Hailong with an annoyance: "I'm treating Liu Ye today, so you'll have to pay for your own share!"

Zhao Hailong immediately protested: "Why should I?!" "Because the grandson you're talking about is me!"

After Hua Shier finished speaking, Liu Ye and Zhao Hailong were taken aback at first, then the former burst into laughter, while the latter said awkwardly:
"I was just saying it casually, why did you take it so seriously? Look, I've already peeled the garlic for you."

Just then, Boss Liu brought over a plate of skewers, and the three of them ordered beer and chatted while eating.

Liu Ye and Zhao Hailong were just curious about what happened at noon, asking him why he beat up Secretary Zhang.

Hua Shier had nothing to hide, so while eating skewers, he recounted what had happened at noon:
"Beating him up is too lenient. If he dares to act tough with me again, I'll beat him up again!"

Liu Ye slammed his hand on the table: "Well said! Li Bai has a poem that goes something like this..."

Hua Twelve said, "How can I bow and scrape before the powerful and wealthy, making me unable to be happy!"

Liu Ye nodded repeatedly: "Yes, that's it! But Brother Cui, you're being straightforward, but you hit Secretary Zhang, are you still going to work?"

Hua Shier took a swig of beer, burped, and then said with a smile:
"So what if I hit him? Believe it or not, even if I hit him, he'd still have to come and apologize to me, beg me to come back, and promote me to a higher engineer position!"

Liu Ye shook his head and said, "I don't believe it. I don't understand why he would come to you for help after being beaten."

Zhao Hailong: "I don't understand either, but I trust Brother Cui. Liu Ye, just you wait and see when he makes a mistake!"

He laughed heartily as he spoke:

"I find it funny to think about Brother Cui singing 'Tears Behind Bars' to the factory director. Iron gate, iron bars, iron chains."

Emboldened by the alcohol, Liu Ye joined in the singing: "Holding my hand on the iron bars, I look outside."

Just then, someone behind him suddenly yelled, "Can you stop singing? I just got out of here, and it's annoying to hear you sing this lousy song. If you sing again, I'll break your teeth, you believe me?"

Hua Shier recognized the voice and thought to himself, "It can't be such a coincidence, can we really run into each other?"

He turned his head and saw that it was indeed that 'dog intestines'!
By this time, Gou Changzi was completely drunk. When he saw him looking over, he asked, "What are you looking at!"

Upon hearing the other party's provocative tone, Zhao Hailong, who had drunk a few cups of cat urine, stood up with the wine bottle in hand and turned around to support Hua Shier.

As a result, there were four or five people on the other side of the dog intestines. When they saw someone standing up, they all stood up at once.

Zhao Hailong turned around and sat down again, pretending to be confused as he leaned on the table.

Hua Shier found this hilarious, and he said to Gou Changzi:

What are you looking at?!

Just as the dog's intestines were about to explode, it suddenly sensed something was wrong:
"That sounds familiar... Have I seen you before? Hey, don't panic, you're double-image!"

Hua Shier slapped him across the face, putting him into a deep sleep.

Dog Intestines' henchmen were about to step forward when Hua Twelve was faster. He stood up and started slapping them, one slap for each of them, until they all fell to the ground on the table, neatly arranged.

With this commotion, the other customers in the barbecue restaurant were about to leave, so Hua Shier quickly called out to them:

"Everyone, this is a personal matter and has nothing to do with you. Ten extra skewers of lamb kidneys for each table, on my tab!"

After he said that, the customers were no longer afraid, and those who wanted to go out and call the police gave up the idea. After all, they were indebted to those who had eaten their food, and the lamb kidneys were delicious. It wasn't worth calling the police for a few thugs.

Mr. Liu from the Hua Twelve Dynasty said:
"One table plus ten large kidneys, and these sleeping guys too, on my tab!"

Boss Liu gave a thumbs up: "Brother Cui is truly generous!"

Hua Shier sat down and invited Zhao Hailong and Liu Ye to continue drinking, while the two men were trembling with fear.

"Are they still drinking? Won't they get into trouble?"

"It's okay, you'll wake up in an hour. Eat and drink as usual!"

Sure enough, after the three of them finished eating, paid the bill, and had barely stepped out of the restaurant, Gou Changzi woke up, wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth:
"How did you fall asleep? I didn't drink too much. Hey, why does my face hurt again? It feels like someone punched me."

The next day, Hua Shier didn't have to go to work. He slept until noon and then rode his bike to Dingqinglou for a free meal.

When Grandpa Cui saw his son coming over, he asked curiously:
"Why did you come here instead of staying home after taking leave?"

Hua Shier laughed and said, "I just got up and came over to freeload!"

Grandpa Cui dotes on his son. He pointed at Hua Twelve, but still went to the kitchen to cook two dishes for his son himself.

Just as Hua Shier was about to serve the dish after it was cooked, Grandpa Cui said, "Give half of it to Ji Qiang first!"

"Alright, leave it to me!"

Hua Shier gave Ji Qiang a serving and placed it in front of Ji Qiang, who was doing his homework.

Ji Qiang didn't even thank him, he just picked it up and started eating, smiling at him as he ate.

A Crown car pulled up next to the two of them, the door opened, and a beautiful woman with long, wavy hair stepped out.
"Cui Guoming?"

Hua Shier turned around and glanced at the other person, who smiled and said:
"It really is you! I'm a big fan of yours. I was there for the karaoke competition, both the preliminary and final rounds. You sang so well; I thought you were going to be the champion even in the preliminary rounds."

Hua Shier naturally knew who this was, but still pretended not to recognize him and asked, "Who are you?"

The man with the big wavy hair smiled and pulled out a business card: "You know Nightshade, right?"

"I know it, it's the biggest nightclub in Donglin!"

Big Wave handed over his business card:
"My surname is Yang, Yang Baihui. I own Nightshade. I really admire your singing and stage presence, Mr. Cui. If you were to perform a few shows at my place, we could discuss anything. Aren't you an engineer at the machinery factory? Don't worry, our shows at night won't interfere with your work."

Before she could finish speaking, she heard Hua Shier laugh and say, "Okay."

"Huh? What did you say?"

"I said yes!"

Hua Shier smiled and said, "Singing is my hobby. Singing at your place will allow me to pursue my hobby and earn money at the same time. Why not?"

Yang Baihui was overjoyed: "Then it's settled! I'll be waiting for you!"

The two agreed to start work next week, and Yang Baihui got into the car and left with a smile.

In the afternoon, Hua Shier took his chessboard to People's Park to start his stall. He laid out the chess set he had won the day before on the ground and opened for business.

His pricing was different from others. Others charged two yuan regardless of winning or losing, but Hua Shier only charged two yuan for winning. If he lost, the other party would take all the money from his pocket.

This attracted many chess enthusiasts. Some wanted to make money off him, while others thought he was too arrogant and wanted to teach him a lesson.

Anyway, business was booming that afternoon.

By the time he packed up, Hua Shier had made over a hundred yuan, more than he would have earned at a regular job.

That evening, Hua Shier took out the money he had won that day and showed it off to Li Xiaozhen, who laughed and said:
"You have so many hobbies, like billiards and chess, and you can even make money from them."

Hua Shier said smugly, "That's right, don't you know who your husband is!"

Just then, there was a rapid knocking at the door. Hua Shier went to open it and saw his nephew Huo Xiaoyang and a somewhat disheveled girl standing at the door.

He recognized the girl; she was Guo Xiaoxue, Guo Dapao's daughter.

The girl wiped away her tears: "Uncle Cui, my dad has been arrested."

Thank you to 08a and Little Tiger of the Demon Realm for the donations, and thank you to all the brothers who voted with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you so much!