Era: Rise from the Wilderness

Li Yunjing remained silent for a moment.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face.

In the distance, the earthen walls of Xiatun stood silently, and even the dust floating in the air seemed to have stopped.

He looked into Lü Ruoxi's clear yet exceptionally determined eyes and saw the light within them that had not been extinguished by reality, as well as the courage to step into the unknown.

This courage may be naive, but it is precious enough.

And he did indeed need the money.

"it is good."

He finally spoke, his voice low but firm in agreement, "Then it's settled. Three thousand yuan, consider it your investment. If we make a profit, we'll split it fifty-fifty. If we lose..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Consider the principal a loan; I will pay you back."

"Need not!"

Lü Ruoxi immediately shook her head, "If I say I'm investing, then I'm sharing the risks. If we lose... I'll accept it."

She spoke with absolute certainty, as if she had already thought it through.

"Then let's go get the money this afternoon. The sooner the better."

Li Yunjing didn't insist any further, and simply nodded.

"Um!"

A smile bloomed on Lü Ruoxi's face, a bright smile that mixed excitement and relief, dispelling the dullness of the afternoon in Xiatun.

The two didn't linger any longer, got on their bicycles, and left the village they had just "developed".

On the way back, Lü Ruoxi's mood was noticeably lighter, and she even hummed an unknown tune softly in the back seat.

Li Yunjing continued pedaling silently, but his mind was racing, calculating his next move after receiving the three thousand yuan.

Money makes things easier, and three thousand yuan can indeed help alleviate his pressure. However, to make things work, he still needs a business with a steady cash flow.

This is the only way to ensure that he has enough funds to carry out his business of reselling treasury bonds over the next two years.

Financial measures?

There is absolutely no hope!

Li Yunjing didn't believe that a 19-year-old "kid" could get a loan from a bank, let alone private lending.

The only way is to take it one step at a time, earning money little by little to accumulate initial capital.

As the car entered the town, the scenery along the streets gradually became familiar.

As Li Yunjing passed by the few newly built residential buildings in the town where Lü Ruoxi lived, he subconsciously slowed down.

"Would you like to come to my place for a bit?"

Lu Ruoxi suddenly suggested, her voice tinged with anticipation, "Perfect timing... to get the money."

Li Yunjing hesitated for a moment.

Although his family and Lü Ruoxi's family lived in the same town, they seemed like two different worlds.

He never went inside.

But at this moment, there seems to be no reason to refuse.

"it is good."

Since Lü Ruoxi had invited him, he went up to see what the homes of "rich people" were like in this era.

Lü Ruoxi's home is on the third floor.

The hallway was very clean, and the walls were painted with a light green wainscoting that was about half a person high, which was considered quite nice for a residential building in the early 1990s.

Lu Ruoxi took out her key and opened the dark brown security door. A cool breeze carrying a faint scent of cleaning agents immediately rushed out.

"Come in."

Lü Ruoxi stepped aside to let him in.

Li Yunjing stepped through the door, and a bright and clear view suddenly appeared before him.

This is a standard three-bedroom, one-living room apartment, spacious and bright with clean windows.

The floor is covered with smooth beige tiles, reflecting the bright light streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

In the living room, there was a set of dark brown leather sofas, in front of which was a glass coffee table, and opposite was a 21-inch color television covered with a white lace-trimmed TV cover.

A double-door refrigerator stands in the corner, its green "Haier Brothers" logo very eye-catching.

A uniquely designed ceiling fan is slowly rotating overhead, sending in a gentle breeze.

What surprised Li Yunjing the most was that there was a cabinet air conditioner standing in the corner of the living room.

In a small town in 1990, this thing was an absolute rarity, a symbol of status and wealth.

A faint jasmine scent wafted in the air; I couldn't tell if it was from air freshener or real jasmine.

The room was neat and comfortable, exuding a sense of "modernity" and affluence that was hard to match in Li Yunjing's traditional courtyard house.

"My parents haven't come home from get off work yet, and I'm home alone."

As she spoke, Lü Ruoxi bent down and took out a pair of brand-new men's slippers from the shoe cabinet.

It was obviously prepared for the guests.

Li Yunjing changed into slippers and stepped onto the cool, smooth tiles. The small sense of accomplishment she felt from the harvest in Xiatun was suddenly replaced by a more complex emotion.

This is the environment in which Lü Ruoxi grew up.

They were well-off, secure, and well-protected.

But he wanted to pull her into his own world, full of uncertainty and even risk.

"Please sit down, I'll get you some water."

Lu Ruoxi gestured for him to sit on the sofa, then turned and went into the kitchen.

Li Yunjing did not sit down, but walked quietly to the center of the living room, his gaze slowly sweeping over this unfamiliar space.

He saw the family photo hanging on the wall, with Lü Ruoxi's parents dressed appropriately and smiling gently; he saw some Moutai liquor and handicrafts displayed in the wine cabinet; and he saw several potted green plants on the balcony, growing lush and verdant.

All of this was completely different from his old home, which was filled with old furniture, had mottled walls, and was stuffy in summer and drafty in winter.

"This bank manager position wasn't for nothing!"

Li Yunjing could only sigh in his heart.

Here, some cooled boiled water.

Lu Ruoxi brought out a glass of water and handed it to him.

"Thanks."

Li Yunjing took it; the water temperature was just right.

"My room is over there, shall I show you?"

Lu Ruoxi seemed to want him to feel more at ease, so she pointed to one of the rooms, her face showing the kind of excitement that comes with a young girl sharing a secret hideout.

Li Yun nodded at the scenic spot.

Pushing open the door reveals a completely different world.

The walls are a soft light pink, covered with posters of Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities and scenic postcards.

There was a desk by the window, with textbooks and reference books neatly stacked on it, along with a pink desk lamp.

A single bed is covered with a sheet with a small floral print, and several plush toys are placed on the quilt.

A big teddy bear, and a rabbit wearing a skirt.

On the cabinet against the wall, there were even more dolls, including Barbie dolls, porcelain dolls dressed in ethnic costumes, and some cartoon characters that Li Yunjing couldn't name.

The curtains were trimmed with white lace, and the breeze blew in through the half-open window, causing them to flutter gently.

The entire room was filled with a girl's dreamy and warm atmosphere, spotless, as if it existed in a parallel time and space compared to an ordinary family in this era.

Li Yunjing stood at the door, speechless for a moment.

For the first time, he saw another side of Lü Ruoxi's life so directly—the world of being pampered and carefully cared for, the world of a "little princess."

"How's it going? It's a bit messy..."

Lu Ruoxi said somewhat shyly, and started to straighten the teddy bear on the bed.

"very good."

Li Yunjing spoke in a low voice, his tone sincere.

He walked to the desk, his gaze sweeping over the neatly arranged textbooks, finally settling on a delicate, locked wooden box on the corner of the desk.