Era: Rise from the Wilderness

"Your agreement is written very clearly, the requirements are stated clearly, and the interests are laid out on the table."

He patted his not-so-broad chest and said in a loud and firm voice, "I've been in this line of work for decades. I wouldn't dare boast about anything else, but the words 'diligence' and 'trustworthiness' are etched into my bones!"

"I'll take this job!"

"Leave it to me!"

He straightened his slightly hunched back, his gaze intense: "From the very beginning of plate making, I personally oversaw these key plates!"

"When printing, I'd move a stool and sit next to the machine, watching it closely!"

"While sorting, I wore my reading glasses and went through each one one by one!"

"I personally handled the final packaging!"

"There absolutely cannot be the slightest mishap!"

Finally, pointing to Article 5 of the agreement, he said slowly and deliberately, "If my negligence or carelessness has caused a mistake in the quantity and resulted in losses for the factory, I, Liang Yongshi, will accept it!"

"I'll pay exactly what's written in the agreement!"

"Absolutely no doubt about it!"

The old man's words, carrying the credibility, dignity, and responsibility of a veteran craftsman, echoed in this simple office, giving people a profound sense of security.

"With your words, sir, and this written agreement, I can finally rest assured!"

"On behalf of our factory leadership, I would also like to thank you for your conscientiousness and responsibility!"

Li Yunjing showed a sincere, relieved smile and extended his hand.

Liang Yongshi quickly reached out his hand, and the two hands clasped tightly together.

Next, the two parties finalized and supplemented some details, such as how to handle the rough edges after the lottery tickets were cut, the packaging method, and the counting process upon delivery.

Li Yunjing considered each clause extremely carefully and recorded them in the supplementary clauses of the agreement.

Finally, Liang Yongshi took out the cooperative's round official seal, dipped it in ink, and solemnly stamped the bright red seal on the "Party B" section of both agreements.

Li Yunjing, representing "Party A," signed the pseudonym he had already chosen and pressed his fingerprint on it.

Li Hongfeng, as a "witness," also signed his real name next to him, his feelings complicated and hard to describe.

After the agreement was signed, Li Yunjing immediately took out a prepared deposit of one thousand yuan from his pocket, counted it, and handed it to Liang Yongshi.

Liang Yongshi took the receipt with trembling hands, carefully counted the items, and then issued a receipt.

When I left the farmhouse courtyard of the Cuitun Printing Cooperative, the sun was already setting.

"Drive slowly! Be careful! This dirt road is difficult to drive on at night!"

Grandpa Liang Yongshi escorted the father and son to the gate of the courtyard. Standing beside the dusty bread cart, he waved enthusiastically, his face beaming with the joy of receiving a large order. "The end of the month! I'll definitely be there to pick up the goods on time at the end of the month! I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

"Don't worry, old man, he'll definitely come at the end of the month!"

Li Hongfeng responded politely, turned around and opened the car door, but did not climb directly into the driver's seat as usual.

He took out the key with the unit number on it, weighed it in his palm, and the metal key made a soft clinking sound.

Then, unexpectedly, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the key in an arc toward Li Yunjing.

"You little brat, you drive the way back!"

Li Hongfeng's face held a mixture of serious testing, subtle worry, and a hint of barely perceptible expectation as he stared intently at his son. "Let's see what your level is! Whether you really 'know it' as you boasted!"

He's leaving for a business trip to the Northwest early tomorrow morning.

I left this "Daifa" van, which I had finally managed to borrow from my workplace, for my son to use, so that he could run that seemingly risky and huge "scratch card business." It was a gesture of support, but also a helpless one.

But as a father, he still had a heavy weight on his mind that he couldn't let go of.

My son is only nineteen years old and hasn't had a proper driving lesson. Although he talked a lot about it before and it seemed like he knew what he was doing, can he actually drive well?

In case something goes wrong...

Today, while I'm still here, I must personally test his true driving skills!

This is the bottom line!

If the driver's skills are not up to par, or if they are clumsy and slow to react, regardless of whether they are doing serious work or making big money, for the sake of my son's safety, I have to return the car to the company today no matter what!

Money can be earned again, plans can be made again, but a son's life is only once!

No matter how important material possessions are, they are not as important as my son's safety!

Li Hongfeng made up his mind, and his eyes sharpened.

Li Yunjing stared at the key flying through the air, paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly.

Without the slightest hesitation, he nimbly reached out and grabbed the key firmly in his palm.

A cool, metallic touch came through.

"Alright! Dad, just you wait and see!"

Li Yunjing waved the keys in his hand, his tone relaxed yet confident, "I guarantee a smooth and safe journey, and I'll get you home comfortably!"

"Consider this stretch of road my 'internship assignment' for you!"

He understood that this was a test from his father to his son, and also a heavy trust with risks.

He must prove himself worthy of this trust and this vehicle that will carry his "career" into the future.

He opened the car door, skillfully sat in the driver's seat, and the old foam cushion under his buttocks sank in.

Li Yunjing first adjusted the seat's position so that his legs could comfortably reach the pedals, and then carefully adjusted the angles of the interior and exterior rearview mirrors.

These preparatory actions were carried out in one go, appearing to be orderly and methodical.

Insert the key and gently turn it to the right.

The engine emitted a muffled roar, and the exhaust pipe sputtered out several puffs of white smoke, which quickly dissipated in the cool evening air.

Several dim indicator lights on the dial lit up.

He gently pressed the clutch with his left foot; it felt a bit stiff.

With your right hand gripping the gear shift lever, apply a little force to engage first gear, and the gears mesh with a soft "click" sound.

Then, he slowly released the clutch while simultaneously applying a very gentle touch of throttle with his right foot.

The car paused slightly at first, then glided forward smoothly and almost without any jerking, leaving the earthen platform in front of the printing shop.

The initial stretch of road, from the printing house courtyard to the village entrance, was narrow, winding, and had several noticeable potholes.

Li Yunjing's movements seemed a little clumsy, and his expression became cautious.

After all, cars these days aren't easy to drive. The steering wheel is a bit heavy, and the steering isn't very agile; the clutch engagement point is relatively high, requiring more precise control; and the gear shift lever's gear positions are somewhat vague, requiring a little force to engage and confirm that it's in the correct position...