Era: Rise from the Wilderness

Outside the window lay a vast, sleeping field, with a few lights occasionally twinkling in the distance, like the blinking eyes of the earth as it slept.

Inside the carriage, the father's simple yet sincere words of advice dispelled the lingering fear and chill of the train journey.

A minor incident, a close call, became a profound mark on my path of growth, thanks to my father's affirmation and admonition.

Li Yunjing leaned back in his chair, looking at his father's sharply defined profile in the darkness. The slight ripple in his heart caused by "not giving it his all" gradually subsided.

His father's approval made him realize that his choice, in the context of this era, was not cowardice, but a choice based on responsibility.

After experiencing initial fear and confusion, Lü Ruoxi gained a more comprehensive understanding of "courage" and "responsibility" through the words of her father and Li Yunjing.

The night was deep, and there were still twenty miles to go.

Seeing that the car was a bit stuffy, Li Yunjing rolled down the window a crack, and a breeze blew away the stuffiness and dusty smell in the car.

"Dad, how did I do today? I saved you 75 yuan!"

The atmosphere was still somewhat heavy, but Li Yunjing said with a grin.

"You little brat!"

Upon hearing this, Li Hongfeng laughed, but then remarked, "Where did you learn to be so cunning?"

"Dad, what does 'cunning' mean?"

"I call this applying what I've learned and adapting to changing circumstances!"

"Anyway, I'm young, so it doesn't matter if I'm a little thick-skinned. Whatever I say or do, adults usually won't really hold it against me. At most, they'll just think that I'm a naughty kid or too clever."

"See? Just a little talk, a little acting, and I saved seventy-five!"

"How many kilograms of pork is that enough for our family?"

"value!"

Upon hearing that his father's description was inappropriate, Li Yunjing began to complain unhappily.

"Pfft!"

Sitting to the side, Lü Ruoxi covered her mouth and chuckled, seemingly also surprised by Li Yunjing's "shamelessness".

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Li Hongfeng couldn't help but burst into laughter. His hearty laughter echoed in the narrow carriage, and the fatigue of the past few days and the slight awkwardness caused by "acting" that afternoon all vanished in the laughter.

My son is right. In this day and age, the real key is to save money and get things done.

Looking into his son's bright, mischievous eyes in the twilight, he suddenly realized that he might not have to worry about the boy so much anymore. This kid is shrewd!

"But you better remember this!"

After laughing, Li Hongfeng put on a stern face and warned, half-jokingly, "From now on, when you're with me, say what you mean and mean what you say!"

"If I find out you dare to play tricks on me without even knowing what's going on, I'll skin you alive!"

"That's impossible!"

"Dad, my loyalty to you is absolute and unwavering, as the sun and moon can attest!"

Li Yunjing quickly pledged his loyalty with a sincere tone, but inwardly he wondered: certain "strategic" concealment and exploitation of information gaps should... not count as "deception," right?

By the time we returned to Fuzhou Town, it was already completely dark.

The town doesn't have as many streetlights as Bincheng; there are only a few dim lights scattered along the main road, barely illuminating the potholed asphalt surface.

Warm light shone from the windows of most homes, and the air was filled with the aroma of dinner from each household.

The father and son didn't even bother going home; they first dropped Lü Ruoxi off at her apartment building.

"Dad, I'd like to go downstairs and say a few words to Ruoxi."

After parking the car, Li Yunjing and Lü Ruoxi whispered to each other downstairs.

"Won't your parents scold you for coming home so late?"

Li Yunjing asked with some concern.

"It's alright! Don't worry!"

Lü Ruoxi comforted Li Yunjing with a smile, feeling very sweet inside, even though Li Yunjing still cared about her at this moment.

"real?"

Li Yunjing was still somewhat worried.

It's already 7:30 pm!

Let alone girls, even I would get scolded if I went home at this time!

"It's really okay, I'll go upstairs now!"

Lu Ruoxi was actually very worried, but now that things had come to this, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

She didn't want Li Yunjing to worry about her, which is why she acted so relaxed.

"Alright! You can rest well at home tomorrow, and we'll continue our treasury bond acquisition spree the day after!"

Li Yunjing nodded and watched Lü Ruoxi enter the building.

After getting back into the car, Li Hongfeng wisely didn't ask any more questions, nor did he drive home. Instead, he drove into the empty and quiet campus of No. 25 Middle School.

The wheels made a rustling sound as they rolled over the gravel road.

The newly painted green wooden door of the convenience store was tightly closed, but light shone through the window, making it look like a lonely star in the dark campus.

Upon hearing the car, the door creaked open.

He Ling rushed out to greet her anxiously: "Oh! You're finally back!"

"Why are you so late?"

"It's completely dark!"

"Are you alright? Did anything happen on the way?"

"Mom, it's okay! Everything's fine!"

Li Yunjing jumped out of the passenger seat, his face beaming with undisguised excitement. "Our family's convenience store is fully stocked now!"

The father and son took turns telling He Ling about their afternoon's experiences.

The story focuses on how Li Yunjing outsmarted Manager Zeng and how he cleverly staged a "not enough money" scenario to save seventy-five yuan.

"You little devil!"

He Ling's eyes widened as she listened, her expression shifting between surprise and amusement. When she heard about saving money, she playfully tapped her son's forehead with a mixture of reproach and pride: "How could you even come up with such an idea!"

The family helped the mother put all the goods on the shelves, and they were just waiting to officially open for business.

With everything ready, looking at the results in the convenience store, He Ling's heart, which had been hanging in her throat, finally settled back into her stomach with a "thump".

"Sigh, we've invested almost seven thousand yuan to open this little shop."

Her voice lowered, trembling slightly, "My heart has been pounding like a rabbit's, I've never felt at ease."

"I'm terrified that something might go wrong and the money will be wasted..."

"Let's get ready to open for business tomorrow!"

"The sooner I open the store, the sooner I see a return on my investment, the sooner I can finally put my mind at ease."

Li Hongfeng, squatting at the doorway smoking, waved his hand dismissively upon hearing this: "What's the rush? Schools aren't open yet, there's hardly anyone around. Who are you opening for? Let's wait until school starts!"

"Dad, Mom is right, we can have a trial run."

Li Yunjing put down a cardboard box, wiped his sweat, and analyzed clearly, "Although school hasn't officially started yet, during the summer vacation, many students come to the school playground to play football and basketball every afternoon."

"It's so hot today. They must be thirsty and hungry after exercising, their throats must be parched."

"We keep our ice cream and soda ice-cold in the freezer, so when the store opens, we're sure to sell them!"

"Every penny counts; even a small profit is still profit!"

He paused, then continued, "Moreover, by opening for trial operation in advance, we can familiarize ourselves with the process, such as collecting money, giving change, and organizing goods, and see if there's anything we haven't prepared yet."

"Once school really starts and everyone comes in droves, we won't be caught off guard and make any mistakes."

Congratulations