Returning to '97, creating a new life

Between the two games, Zhan Jizu went home to continue his usual leisure activities, while Fang Ming accompanied his father-in-law and wife on a trip.

Xu Kai followed Fang Ming's factory throughout the entire process of machine debugging, inspection, and loading. Not only that, he didn't rush to leave for several days, but stayed at Fang Ming's factory and learned from one of the maintenance masters there.

Using a soldering iron to solder the solder joints under the buttons on the machine's boom arm is not difficult. As long as you operate it correctly, there's not much trouble. Just be careful when placing the soldering iron during use to avoid accidentally burning yourself.

Xu Kai not only learned how to perform simple circuit board repairs, soldering, replacements, and debugging, but also how to fine-tune the difficulty of several gaming machines. He even personally operated and tried them out to experience the normal performance of the machines at each difficulty level.

There are some things that everyone knows if you know a little about them, and he didn't want to go back to his hometown to make adjustments.

While a few basic gear positions are not enough to hide the true skill, he still felt that some technical barriers and information gaps were necessary for more refined micro-operations.

After years of navigating the complexities of society, he learned one thing: value determines everything.

Among the four partners, Xu Kai may have been the one who organized the meeting or initiated the project, but what happens after that? He is not irreplaceable, and the other three have the ability to replace him at any time. If he insists on relying on Yunshang's relationship to maintain Yun Sheng, that is not in Xu Kai's character.

To demonstrate indispensable value, one needs to put in more effort and show partners their irreplaceable qualities.

In just a few days, he spent every day in the factory. Apart from the chip program, there weren't many technical barriers to large arcade machines. After gaining a thorough understanding, he participated in Zhan Jizu's return trip and chose to return the next day. According to the transportation schedule given by Fang Ming, he arrived at his destination by car, and the freight was almost ready to arrive in Fengtian.

Yun Sheng was responsible for finding four transport trucks.

Wang Jianshe got promoted, and after some maneuvering, he took two days off to go to Fengtian. He was carrying a weapon, but in those days, people of his status didn't have strict controls on the weapons they carried home; unless they were lost or accidentally detonated, no one would pay much attention.

Yun Sheng's truck drivers are all seasoned veterans who frequently drive this route, and they are able to handle any issues that arise on the road.

Wang Jianshe's presence was just in case.

The goods they transport are of no value to highway robbers. With the help of experienced drivers, if they do encounter such a situation, they can easily pay a small fee to get through.

Zhan Jizu and Fang Ming had connections in their town, but not so much in Guangzhou. They could find connections if they really wanted to, but Xu Kai didn't bother them. He took a hard-seat train to Beijing again, and then stood all the way from Beijing to Fengtian.

After dozens of hours of travel, I managed to sleep for a while, but being crammed into that sardine-crowded carriage made the journey a painful ordeal. It was a helpless measure taken to get there quickly, unlike many years later when convenient transportation options were no longer a problem across the country.

There was a faint smell of sweat on him, not just Xu Kai's, but also some of his. It wasn't just getting on and off the bus, but also going to the toilet once during the journey. On such a popular route, getting from your seat to the restroom is a little ordeal. It's normal to get covered in other people's sweat and smell a bit strange.

After getting off the bus, I went straight to a public phone and contacted the transportation contact person Fang Ming had given me, Wang Jianshe. Then I went to the bank and withdrew some money to settle the moving and travel expenses.

Wang Jianshe watched Xu Kai moving the machines with the porters. He didn't need Xu Kai, but Xu Kai personally joined in to better protect the machines.

The host family came down to the scene with a friendly attitude and a lot of nice words. They offered him Yuxi cigarettes and Coca-Cola and Sprite. The movers, who were already being paid, didn't mind Xu Kai's constant reminders to handle the items with care.

The machine, which was originally wrapped in soft foam, was not in the category of handling with care during normal transport. For similar large items, the movers would not notice any bumps or knocks on the edges and corners. If we were to handle it normally, it would be a problem with the packaging and protection of your goods. A little bump or knock is not our responsibility.

Especially the octagonal round animal park gambling machine. Xu Kai lit a cigarette first, then said nice things, and then helped move it. His carefulness prevented the other movers from moving it "quickly and roughly". With a cigarette in his mouth, they had a good impression of the young man and didn't say anything. They carefully moved it onto the truck according to Xu Kai's requirements and even helped to secure it.

Xu Kai didn't care that his clothes were dirty.

After loading the goods onto the truck, Xu Kai showered the drivers with New Year's greetings, generously offering cigarettes and drinks. The drivers couldn't refuse his requests, so they took out the ropes used to secure the cargo in the truck and helped to fix the equipment in place, preventing any minor damage to the goods that might occur during the bumpy journey of the last two or three hundred kilometers.

"Brother Bai, Brother Bai, have a smoke and take a break."

Xu Kai offered him a cigarette, lit it with a lighter, and let the driver, Lao Bai, stand by the car to smoke. He then climbed onto the car, took some cardboard and foam pads that the movers had given him, and carefully stuffed them between the fixing rope and the machine to create a vibration damping effect.

He didn't ask the driver for help with this task. He did it almost by himself, and then looked at the driver, Lao Bai, with a big smile on his face. Lao Bai smiled, threw his cigarette butt aside, got into the car, and helped him with the final securing.

Xu Kai had no experience in tightening the rope for maximum effectiveness; that was the driver's years of experience. Having finished the initial tasks without adding to the driver's workload, and only waiting a short while, Lao Bai found this young man quite interesting—a "good at handling things" (sensible, well-mannered, and good at flattering)—and was happy to help out.

"Uncle Wang, I'll take the lead car. I'm young and not sleepy. You can rest in the back. If anything happens, you can step in."

When they arrived at Wang Jianshe's side, Xu Kai had already made arrangements in advance. The former smiled and nodded, his eyes narrowed. He had already looked at Zhao Jianshe differently after the previous incident, and now he had even more confidence in this young man as a future partner.

They are not young and arrogant, nor do they achieve early success. What they have is experience, worldly wisdom, and the ability to endure hardship. It is very important that they can maintain this state of mind. In their business, the biggest fear is not being steady enough.

After loading the truck and preparing to depart, Xu Kai made everyone wait a little longer. He ran to a small shop outside the freight station, bought two packs of Yunyan cigarettes, asked the owner for a black plastic bag, rolled it up, and returned to the station. He greeted the station staff member and contact person introduced by Fang Ming and expressed his gratitude.

Fang Ming's relationships were maintained through mutual benefit and various other means. He had no real connection with Xu Kai, yet he still offered him two packs of cigarettes. Despite Xu Kai's polite but overly enthusiastic refusals, Fang Ming forced the cigarettes down and left.

Xu Kai wrote down the other party's office phone number and pager number.

The other party also remembered this young man named Xu Kai.

With the expressway, it only takes three or four hours. Now that the Beijing-Harbin Expressway has just started construction in sections, facing the national highway that takes more than ten hours, Xu Kai pursed his lips and thought, "Just endure it. I'm young and healthy. If I don't take responsibility for my own business, who will?"

First, they had a meal. In Northeast China, there were many restaurants for truck drivers along the national and provincial highways. Lao Bai and his group were all seasoned veterans, and they knew exactly where the food was good and where the portions were large.

Xu Kai wasn't stingy at all when ordering food. He ordered two vegetarian dishes and six large meat dishes. Since the journey wasn't far, none of the drivers brought substitute drivers or driving apprentices. The six people had eight dishes and each drank a bottle of beer.

Xu Kai wanted to advise drivers not to drink and drive, but he held back. These drivers drink beer like it's water. You say drinking a bottle of beer will affect driving? They'll just shove it into the gutter. I've been driving for over ten or twenty years, and I can drink half a jin of baijiu without any problem. You think drinking a bottle of beer will affect driving? It's just like rinsing your mouth.

After finishing the meal and settling the bill, Xu Kai bought a carton of cigarettes, throwing two packs into each car, and also bought some drinks and fruit, which he distributed to each car as well.

Long-haul truck drivers are practically kings these days, it's the peak season for them. If it weren't for connections or introductions from acquaintances, they wouldn't bother with such short trips. If the employer provides food and drink, they'll just offer a thank you and say nothing more. But when the lead truck driver, Old Bai, drove more steadily, the trucks behind him followed suit, and the bumps on the road were significantly reduced.

Wang Jianshe saw all of this and was very satisfied. He could do it himself, but with someone else doing it for him, he only needed to follow along easily. Anyone would feel much happier that way. He was also happy to chat with the driver in the car and even received praise from the driver for Xu Kai's sensible nature.

After driving for seven or eight hours without incident, Xu Kai kept his eyes wide open the whole time.

"It's alright, nobody's after our goods. Xiao Xu, take a rest if you're tired."

"I'm alright, Brother Bai. I slept for a while on the train."

Old Bai knew perfectly well that taking the train these days wasn't a comfortable experience. With a knowing glint in his eye, he said, "It's still better for you young people, with your boundless energy. I'm too old for that. When I was young, I could drive for over ten hours straight without stopping, but now I'm too old for that."

Although Xu Kai had never experienced it before, when Lao Bai parked his car on the side of the road at a pink-lit "rest area" to indicate that he needed to use the restroom, he immediately understood.

"Brother Bai, it's getting late, and driving at night is tiring. Why don't we rest here for the night and set off again tomorrow morning? It's safer to drive during the day, don't you think? I just don't know if it's safe here, and if we need someone to watch over the goods."

The driver, Lao Bai, smiled broadly. He was pleased to have met such a considerate cargo owner, making this job, which was done out of goodwill, quite enjoyable.

"Alright then, take a rest. Don't worry, there are people on night duty here." Old Bai pointed to a small mud house in the truck parking area, with an incandescent light on at the door and a light on inside.

As soon as Wang Jianshe saw the pink lantern hanging on the eaves of the bungalow, he understood. He had never revealed his identity and would not do anything unnecessary now. He himself disdained it and just asked for a quiet room to rest. He had originally intended to give Xu Kai a few pointers so that he wouldn't misunderstand the meaning of these drivers.

Just as I was about to stop Xu Kai, he had already greeted the plump landlady and ignored the drivers heading towards the back courtyard. He chatted with the landlady for a few words, telling the drivers to get some rest and to come and settle the bill with me tomorrow morning, but he himself asked for a room next to Wang Jianshe's.

Wang Jianshe took one look and thought, "Wow, this kid knows something."

What kind of environment can you expect from a bungalow lodging by the roadside? It's so late, and there's no hot water in the bathroom at the back; you have to boil water. The rooms are all partitioned off, so there's only a little privacy, and even snoring can't be completely blocked out.

When you're out and about, you don't have that many requirements.

The colorful and pink lights in the backyard shone brightly, making the pink curtains inside the house appear even more vibrant. Xu Kai had only heard of this before, but had never seen it in person.

The prices are low, long-distance drivers have money, and they need to relieve the fatigue of long journeys. This place provides the "relaxation and entertainment" services they want.

Xu Kai didn't mind being ripped off for a few hundred yuan.