Era: Rise from the Wilderness

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the family of three got up early.

He Ling quickly cooked a thin porridge, shredded some pickled vegetables, and reheated the leftovers from last night.

After quickly finishing their meal, the three of them got to work.

Li Hongfeng pushed the 28-inch Forever bicycle into the yard, squatted down to check the tires, and pumped some air into them with an air pump.

He Ling and Li Yunjing tied buckets, basins, newly bought mops, several old towels turned into rags, and a large bag of laundry detergent to the back racks of their two bicycles.

At 6:30, the morning light was just beginning to break.

The family of three set off on their bicycles.

The wheels rolled over the potholes on the dirt road, making a light, rustling sound.

A breeze blew in my face, carrying the fresh scent of dew and green grass.

It took more than half an hour to ride ten miles.

When we arrived at the gate of No. 25 Middle School, the campus was quiet due to the summer vacation.

Li Hongfeng handed a "Shilin" cigarette to the gatekeeper and said a few kind words.

The old man, clearly having been greeted, opened the door with a smile.

After crossing the empty playground, the red brick bungalow of about fifty square meters came into view.

The wall paint was somewhat mottled, and the green paint on the wooden door was peeling off badly.

But in the eyes of the family, this was a gold mine waiting for them to discover.

The three parked their bicycles and looked at the small house that would soon hold the hopes of their family. Their faces lit up with genuine, energetic smiles.

Li Hongfeng took a deep breath, took out the brand-new key from his pocket, inserted it into the lock, and with a "click," the door opened.

Pushing open the slightly heavy wooden door, a whiff of dust mixed with a musty smell hit you.

The room was empty except for some unknown discarded items piled up in the corner. A thick layer of dust covered the floor and windowsills, and spider webs swayed on the roof beams.

"start!"

At Li Hongfeng's command, the whole family sprang into action.

First, clear out the clutter and pile it in the garbage area. He Ling took a big broom and swept the first time. Li Hongfeng and Li Yunjing filled a basin with water, added laundry detergent, wrung out a rag, and started wiping.

The dust made people cough, and their sweat quickly soaked through their shirts.

But no one complained of being tired; everyone had a smile on their face.

This is work done by our own family, so naturally, our own people are full of motivation!

"dad,"

As Li Yunjing wiped the window, he said, "This shop has nothing. We need to find a carpenter quickly to make a glass counter and some shelves. The storefront is the most important thing."

There were no supermarkets in town back then; it was all old-fashioned counters.

Li Yunjing didn't intend to change anything; when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

After all, purchasing the modular shelving systems of later generations would require going to big cities, involving a lot of time, money, and energy, which would be a losing proposition.

Another point is that in the supermarket model of later generations, during breaks between classes, students would rush in, and countless goods would be lost every day.

His family can't afford it!

The old-fashioned countertops are much safer; they're less likely to be stolen from.

"Yes, we need to get them."

Li Hongfeng looked around. "When the principal comes to work later, I'll go pay the rent and then find someone. This house is too old; the paint is peeling off the walls. I need to repaint it inside and out and replace the light bulbs with brighter ones."

"Oh dear, let's save where we can!"

He Ling, who was bending over to mop the floor, straightened up upon hearing this. "Is it enough to just get by? How much will painting cost? Building a counter will cost money too! The real expense will be the stocking later!"

"Mom, the money that needs to be spent should be spent!"

Seeing his mother's distress over the money, Li Yunjing felt a warmth in his heart, but also a little anxious: "First impressions are crucial for a new store opening."

"The room is bright and spacious, making students feel comfortable and happy when they come in, and they can shop with ease."

"Look at those fluorescent lights, flickering on and off, isn't that annoying?"

"They all need to be replaced!"

Seeing that his mother was about to argue, he chuckled and said, "This is called an investment; you'll earn it back later!"

"You two always have so much to say!"

He Ling rolled her eyes at her son and continued mopping the floor vigorously. "Alright, alright, you two spendthrifts, get back to work!"

Li Hongfeng and Li Yunjing exchanged a smile, dared not argue any further, and buried themselves in their work.

By 8:30, after two hours of hard work, the small house was completely transformed.

Sunlight streamed in through the polished windows, the cement floor was so smooth it reflected a person's image, the walls revealed their original white color, and all the cobwebs were gone.

Although the house was still empty, it exuded a fresh and vibrant energy.

The family stood at the door, looking at the fruits of their labor, their faces filled with satisfied smiles.

Li Hongfeng wiped his sweat, took out 2000 yuan in rent money wrapped in newspaper from his briefcase, and said to his wife and children, "You rest here for a while, I'll go to the teaching building to find the principal, pay the rent, and bring back the receipt."

After a while, Li Hongfeng returned with a relaxed smile on his face and solemnly handed a receipt stamped with the school's financial seal to He Ling for safekeeping.

"The money has been paid, and all the formalities have been completed."

"I'll go find a carpenter and a painter right now. Are you and your daughter going to wait here, or go home first?"

Looking at the empty room, He Ling suddenly felt uncertain, and a sense of anxiety welled up inside her.

"Yun Jing, do you think... our little shop can really do this?"

She stopped her husband, who was about to leave, then looked at her son and asked hesitantly, "We've invested so much money, what if...?"

Looking at his mother's anxious expression, Li Yunjing felt a little amused, yet also very understanding.

After all, this was the first time the whole family had ever done business, and it was an unfamiliar industry with no experience whatsoever. The mother had been frugal all her life and was reluctant to spend money.

Such a large investment, gone to waste. I bet he'll be secretly crying in bed tonight.

"Mom! You can rest assured!"

He reassured you firmly, "Absolutely! Once school starts on September 1st, you'll be busy! I'm afraid you'll be counting so much money your hands will cramp up, and you'll still complain about being tired!"

"Get out of here! This is getting more and more absurd!"

He Ling was amused by her son's exaggerated statement and playfully patted him, saying, "You're just trying to make me happy."

Although I said that, my worries did indeed dissipate quite a bit.

Although her son's words were exaggerated, his unwavering confidence was infectious.

Li Yunjing smiled and offered no further explanation.

Facts speak louder than words.

Once the school year starts and the prospect of making a fortune appears, his mother will naturally understand that his "boast" today was actually a very conservative prediction.

There's absolutely no problem with this!

Li Hongfeng rode his bicycle to find someone to do work.

"Mom, are you going home or waiting here?"

After his father left, Li Yunjing added, "My classmate invited me to hang out..."

"Alright! Alright!"

Upon hearing this, He Ling waved her hand and pointed outside the door, "Go play! I'll wait for your dad here!"

He Ling was very satisfied that her son came to help with the work early this morning, and she didn't have any objections to him going out to play.

"Oh! I'll be going now!"

Li Yunjing darted out the door with a grin and called out from afar, "Don't wait for me for lunch!"