Era: Rise from the Wilderness

On July 10th, it got light early.

The morning light was still bluish-gray, with a hint of coolness, filtering through the frosted glass of the old-fashioned windows of No. 25 Middle School and casting a hazy glow on the empty shops.

The Li family of three arrived even earlier than the sun.

Li Hongfeng held a large bunch of keys in his hand, rattling them as he unlocked the newly replaced spring lock. With a creak, he pushed open the wooden door painted light green.

A scent of fresh paint and wood shavings, mixed with the cool morning air, wafted towards me.

The shop is different from before; it's clean and tidy now.

The fresh whitewash on the wall has dried completely, gleaming cleanly.

A row of light-colored wooden shelves against the wall was made by Old Liu, a carpenter in town. The shelves were planed smooth and unpainted, revealing the natural grain of the wood.

The counter was new, and the glass was so shiny you could see your reflection.

The ground was swept spotless, and the cement floor had a damp, dark gray hue.

He Ling held a rag, wiping here and there, her eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of nervousness.

Li Yunjing leaned against the counter, his gaze sweeping over the small space that would soon hold the new hopes of his family, but his thoughts, like sparrows outside the window, fluttered far away.

"dad,"

He spoke, his voice clear and bright in the empty store, "Once Uncle Wang's goods and freezer are all set up, we'll need to think about something else."

Li Hongfeng was bending down to inspect an uneven brick joint in the corner of the wall when he heard this, he straightened up: "What are you thinking about?"

School supplies.

Li Yunjing walked to the empty shelves and ran his finger lightly along the shelves. "Reference books, notebooks, pencils, pens, ink... things students need every day. This business is solid."

That makes sense.

Li Hongfeng nodded, but his brows furrowed: "Last time in Fuxian, I privately asked a few stationery store owners to find out where they get their supplies."

He spat, as if trying to vent his frustration, "Those bastards, their mouths are tighter than clams!"

"You're just giving me the runaround, saying things like 'it's all small business, just trying to make a living,' there's not a single truth in that!

"They're as if they're afraid we'll find out how they got there and take away their jobs!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the rough cement surface: "What the hell is this world!"

"They'd weld any connections they had to into their own safe!"

"Trying to do legitimate business is harder than climbing to heaven!"

"This is the information gap."

Li Yunjing chimed in, his tone calm yet revealing a clarity beyond his years: "Everyone is protecting their own little corner of the world, building high walls around it."

"But precisely because the wall is high, whoever climbs over it first can take over the territory."

Li Hongfeng was silent for a while, then suddenly raised his eyes, and that stubbornness of a salesman came through in his eyes.

"Fuck you!"

He swore, not directed at anyone in particular, but more like a way to embolden himself, "These local bullies in Fuxian are keeping a tight rein on us, we're not going to put up with it anymore!"

"Bincheng! I'm going to Bincheng to find him!"

He walked to the window, gazing at the gradually awakening campus outside: "Bincheng is a port city, a big place!"

"The wholesale market is like an anthill; I refuse to believe we can't find a way out!"

"Tomorrow, I'll go to the factory and try to borrow that bread truck from the fleet again!"

"We're going to make a trip to Bincheng, father and son, to get this issue straightened out for his mother!"

He spoke with absolute certainty, his spittle flying in the morning light.

He Ling listened from the side, hesitant to speak, but in the end she just sighed softly and continued to vigorously wipe the already shiny glass countertop.

"To Bincheng?"

Li Yunjing's eyes lit up instantly, like stars ignited in the night sky!

He was originally going to go with Lü Ruoxi. If his father had a car, they wouldn't have needed to take the bus, which would have saved them a lot of trouble.

As for the father's thoughts?

Li Yunjing had no doubts.

After all, in this era, Bincheng is a veritable pearl of the north and one of the top ten developed cities in the country!

There you'll find a nationally renowned seaport, one of the earliest open development zones, and a wider variety of goods, more advanced information, and a broader perspective!

A bustling port, towering buildings, a constant flow of people, and a dazzling array of goods.

There, not only might be a wholesale channel for the school supplies they desperately needed, but it was also a good place for him to deal with treasury bonds, copper coins, Yuan Shikai silver dollars, and antique trinkets.

In addition, Bincheng holds special significance for Li Yunjing.

This beautiful city on the coast of the Yellow Sea holds too many fragments of his past life's memories.

Twenty years of love and hate, ups and downs in career, and emotional entanglements all unfolded there.

The first time he truly left Fuxian and set foot on the land of Bincheng was back in 2006.

Before that, all he knew about this city, known as the "Pearl of the North," was limited to television, newspapers, and other people's descriptions, which filled him with a vague longing.

He is unaware of its tortuous history, unfamiliar with its glorious present, and even less able to foresee its future development.

In this life, he will have the opportunity to witness firsthand the Bincheng in the early 1990s, a vibrant city at the forefront of reform and opening up, yet bearing the marks of the times!

An overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation surged into Li Yunjing's heart like a tidal wave.

"Dad, I'm bringing a classmate with me tomorrow!"

"I've never been to a real big city in my entire life!"

"I want to broaden my horizons with my classmates!"

Li Yunjing suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his face revealing a pure curiosity and longing for the unknown world befitting his age, and he pleaded urgently.

"classmate?"

Looking into his son's longing eyes, Li Hongfeng felt as if he were seeing his own youthful yearning for the outside world. He couldn't help but laugh, a sense of accomplishment as a father who could fulfill his son's wish welling up within him.

"Okay! No problem!"

He waved his hand dismissively and readily agreed: "Tomorrow I'll take you and your classmates to see what our largest city in southern Liaoning is like! Let's see what Bincheng is like!"

He Ling, the mother standing to the side, frowned slightly as she watched the excited father and son.

"Yun Jing, look at you! You've been having such a wild summer!"

She was more concerned about her son's studies and couldn't help but remind him, "Once you get to university, you'll have to settle down. Your dad and I will take care of the convenience store; don't get involved. Focus all your energy on your studies!"

"Once you get into university and graduate, just wait and see how I deal with you!"

After listening to his mother's "earnest advice," Li Yunjing immediately shrank back, chuckled, and dared not shout anymore. He just muttered softly, "Okay, Mom, I'll go check. I promise it won't affect my studies..."

At home, his mother is mainly responsible for "educating" him, and nagging plus the occasional "iron palm" is the usual method.

Unless he had committed a terrible crime, his father's treasured belt would not be used lightly.