Reborn in 2005, starting with repairing mobile phones

West District, No. 17, old cannery dormitory.

Zhao Dashan sat in the dimly lit room. The stove and pots were cold; the coal stove in the kitchen had long since gone out.

There were two empty medicine bottles on the table; my wife had finished her week's medication yesterday.

He was wearing his cleanest Zhongshan suit.

My hand remained pressed against the inside pocket of my chest; there was something hard there—the small tape recorder.

He seemed not to hear the joyous sounds of the Lantern Festival coming from outside the window.

"today,"

He spoke hoarsely to the empty room, "Either he dies, or I die."

West Street, "Liu's Tailor Shop".

The roller shutter door was closed, and a sign that read "Closed Today" was hanging above it.

The sign swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, making a soft creaking sound.

Third floor of the old cotton mill residential area.

Uncle Sun stood by the window, looking at the bustling street scene below.

On the windowsill, a new member joined the row of cigarette butts. He hadn't slept since last night, smoking one cigarette after another.

In the swirling smoke, his hunched back appeared even more bent.

But when he turned around and took out a copy of his son's college admission letter that he had sent back last year from the drawer, his back straightened up for a moment without his noticing.

The young man in the photo is smiling broadly.

"Son," the old man said to the photo, "Dad is being a man today... for once."

It was 2:30 p.m. on the commercial street where Xinglong Teahouse was located.

It's more lively here.

Shops along the street were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the stalls where people guessed lantern riddles were crowded with people, while the sugar painting stalls filled the air with a sweet aroma.

Lin Dong stopped across from the teahouse.

The father caught up and pointed to the convenience store diagonally across the street: "I'll wait for you there."

"dad,"

Lin Dong suddenly said, "If...if a police car comes in a little while, don't panic. Go home and stay with Mom. I'll be back soon."

His father gave him a deep look, but didn't ask why. He simply nodded and said, "Okay."

Lin Dong turned around and walked towards the teahouse.

Red lanterns swayed under the eaves, and brand-new Spring Festival couplets were pasted on the door: "May your business prosper throughout the world, and your wealth flow in from all directions."

He pushed the door open and went in.

The sales clerk behind the counter looked up, saw the heavy handbag in his hand, and her expression changed: "How many are in your party, sir?"

"I'm looking for Uncle Xiong."

"Second floor, 'Wealth Gathering Pavilion'."

Lin Dong stepped onto the stairs.

The second-floor corridor was quiet, isolated from the noise downstairs. The door to "Jucai Pavilion" was ajar.

He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Chen Xiong's voice came from inside, with his usual self-assured, all-powerful smile.

Lin Dong pushed open the door and entered.

Inside the private room, Chen Xiong sat in the main seat, dressed in a dark red Tang suit, and twirled a string of Buddhist prayer beads in his hand.

The tea master next to me set up the Kung Fu tea set on the tea table, and the water was boiling.

"Is Ah Dong here?"

Chen Xiong smiled broadly. "Sit down and have some tea. It's the Lantern Festival today, so Uncle Xiong has specially prepared some fine tea."

Lin Dong sat down opposite him and placed his briefcase at his feet.

"Uncle Xiong, Happy Lantern Festival," he said.

Chen Xiong smiled broadly and waved to the tea master, "You can go out now, I'll do it myself."

"Yes, boss." The tea master replied softly, got up and left, gently closing the door behind him.

Only two people remained in the private room.

Chen Xiong personally handled the teapot, scalding the cups, adding tea leaves, and pouring water, his movements skillful and fluid.

The tea soup is poured into the tasting cup, its orange-red color bright and clear, and its aroma spreads with the steam.

"Try it, Dancong Honey Orchid Fragrance, a fine tea from our own Chaoshan region." He pushed the teacup in front of Lin Dong.

Lin Dong didn't touch his teacup: "Uncle Xiong, I'm here today to pay back the money."

"No rush."

Chen Xiong poured himself a cup, picked it up, and smelled the aroma. "The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is a day for family reunion. Let's have a cup of tea and chat first, uncle and nephew."

"I heard you're doing well in Shenzhen?" Chen Xiong put down his teacup and looked at Lin Dong's face.

Lin Dong raised his eyes and said calmly, "Uncle Xiong is really well-informed."

"Hehe, you've been back these past few days, going door to door to return the money, making quite a fuss."

Chen Xiong smiled and tapped his fingers lightly on the tea table. "Miancheng is only so big, but your name, Lin Dong, is already widely known."

He paused, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice: "Tell me, how much did you earn?"

Lin Dong met his gaze: "I was lucky and made a little money."

"Small change?"

Chen Xiong laughed and leaned back in his chair. "Being able to pay off a debt that I've owed for over a decade in one go, and even buy a new TV and a new refrigerator, that's no small amount of money."

He picked up his teacup but didn't drink it. Instead, he looked at Lin Dong through the rising steam and said, "Dong, tell Uncle Xiong the truth. Your V3 Speed ​​Repair Treasure, half a month... this price?"

He held up two fingers and made an "eight" gesture.

Lin Dong neither confirmed nor denied: "Uncle Xiong is also interested in this?"

"I'm interested in anything that can make money."

Chen Xiong put down his teacup and his tone became serious, "Especially someone like you, who came to Shenzhen empty-handed in a month and managed to make such a splash, I admire you."

Lin Dong didn't respond.

Chen Xiong didn't care and continued, "Adong, you're still young and capable, which is a good thing. But in this world, ability alone isn't enough; you also need connections and powerful backers."

He picked up the teapot and refilled Lin Dong's already cold teacup with hot water: "How long can you last fighting alone in Shenzhen? You've only been in Huaqiangbei for half a month, you don't know how deep the water is."

"Uncle Xiong, do you have any suggestions?"

Lin Dong finally spoke.

"cooperate."

Chen Xiong was straightforward: "With your skills and my connections in Chaoshan and Shenzhen, we can expand our business."

Set up a factory, hire people, and start mass production.

"At that time, not only Huaqiangbei, but the entire Guangdong market, and even the whole country's market, will be ours."

His eyes gleamed with eagerness: "Ah Dong, you provide the technology, I'll provide the capital and connections. We'll split the shares 50/50, how about that?"

The deafening sound of gongs and drums from the Lantern Festival parade drifted in from outside the window.

The private room was so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of the tea boiling.

Lin Dong watched the steam rise again from the cup and slowly shook his head: "Uncle Xiong, I'm about to take the college entrance exam. Let's talk about business after I get into university."

Chen Xiong's smile faded slightly: "Adong, you can study anytime. Opportunities don't wait for anyone."

"For me, the college entrance examination is the most important opportunity right now," Lin Dong said calmly.

Chen Xiong stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, though the smile didn't reach his eyes: "Alright, that's ambitious. Uncle Xiong won't force you."

He tapped his fingers lightly twice on the tea table.

"The college entrance exam...good, really good."

He nodded, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger, but the air in the private room seemed to have cooled down several degrees.

Then he changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "But Dong, you probably don't understand the rules of the business world."

Some roads, if walked alone, are easy to stumble on. Some people, if offended, have consequences you can't afford to bear.

After saying that, he slowly pulled open the drawer under the tea table and took out a flat wooden box.

The box was opened, and inside were several documents neatly arranged. The one on top was the Lin family's yellowed IOU.

He gently picked up the IOU with two fingers, held it up to his eyes, and looked at it against the light coming through the window.

"This 100,000,"

He said slowly, his gaze falling on Lin Dong's face through the edge of the paper, "Uncle Xiong can refuse to accept it today."

Lin Dong raised his eyes and looked at him.

A smile returned to Chen Xiong's face, but it lacked warmth. "Consider this my gift as a token of my investment in your 'Quick Repair Treasure' business. Consider Uncle Xiong a share in your business."

"I'll provide the money; I'll pave the way with the connections. Once we make money, we'll split it 20/80—you get 80%, I get 20%."

He pushed the IOU towards Lin Dong, his tone softening but still leaving no room for refusal: "A Dong, take the IOU and burn it. Consider this 100,000 as your investment from Uncle Xiong. Let's do business together."

Lin Dong leaned back, his back pressed completely against the chair back.

He took out the pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket, flicked one out, and put it in his mouth.

He bent down and lit it with a lighter with a "snap".

Take a deep breath and slowly exhale the smoke.

He looked at Chen Xiong through the smoke, a slight smile playing on his lips:

"Uncle Xiong, what if I don't agree?"