A life of success begins with being a landlord.

Sister Ling was embarrassed by my praise and lightly slapped me: "You, you're quite good at sweet-talking people."

"I'm telling the truth."

"Alright, look at you, you're all sweaty. Wipe yourself off and let's go pick up Chunyan."

Sister Ling handed me a pillowcase: "The weather in the south is so humid and hot. I didn't do anything, but I'm covered in sweat..."

I took the pillowcase and wiped my sweat.

The pillowcase still smelled of familiar sweat.

Sister Ling stood up, but tripped over the bed leg and stumbled forward.

"Sister Ling, slow down, don't fall."

I quickly helped Sister Ling up and let her stand for a while to adjust before I opened the door in the dark.

I had just stepped out of the bedroom when the power came back on, and the living room was brightly lit.

Ling and I exchanged a smile.

Sister Ling rolled her eyes slightly again: "Yaozu, what are you laughing at?"

"I laughed at the power company, saying they were deliberately joking with us."

I shrugged and touched the jade pendant around my neck: "If the call had come sooner, we wouldn't have had to fumble around in the dark for so long."

"That's true." Sister Ling smiled and pulled me downstairs together.

There's also a proper barbershop downstairs, run by an older woman, located in the ground floor shop of Building 26 across the street.

When we arrived, Chunyan was trimming her hair.

There were still customers queuing up behind them.

I stood at the shop entrance, smoking and waiting.

Liu Haomei came out to chat with me and said with a smile, "Brother Zu, actually, opening a barbershop here would be quite good. I calculated that I could earn a hundred yuan a day, which is much better than working a regular job."

The cost of living in Dongguan is comparable to that in Hong Kong and Zhoushan; even a haircut for a man costs ten yuan.

If it's a woman getting her hair done, like perming, dyeing, or straightening, it's even more expensive.

Earning 100 yuan a day is no problem at all. The problem is that you need to have a skill, and you have to be an older person.

Even if you run a legitimate hair salon, young women can't be legitimate here. If you run into someone like Liu Yehai, Director Liu's nephew, he'll try to grope you!

The school teachers are quite professional, right? Yet he still dared to flirt with them!

So I smiled at Liu Haomei and said, "Don't be so fickle. Just focus on your job. The hair salon can make money, but you won't make that kind of money."

"What do you mean by 'fickle'? That's an inappropriate way of saying it."

Liu Haomei pouted and said, "I definitely can't open a hair salon. I mean, Chunyan, she could learn a skill. She's so young..."

I shook my head: "Chunyan can't open a barbershop either."

Why?

"Because there are too many hooligans here."

"Uh...that's true." Liu Haomei finally stopped asking.

Ding Zhili called from Gangzhou to say that he had bought the train ticket for 9 a.m. tomorrow.

I will pass on the message to Sister Ling and Chunyan.

Chunyan had her hair fixed and returned to room 505 with us. She sighed, "I've only been here for a little over a month, and I really love it here. I never expected to be so unlucky; something like this happened at home."

"Don't be sad, you'll be back in half a month at most," I comforted Chunyan.

"Half a month won't do; our local custom is to observe a 49-day mourning period."

Sister Ling sighed and shook her head, saying, "If I come back then, I'm afraid I'll lose my job at Sanhuan Garment Factory."

"That's alright, I'll just arrange more work for you." I didn't care.

I just feel that forty-nine days is too long. I will miss Chunyan and Sister Ling.

Back in room 505, Chunyan continued packing, saying to Liu Haomei, "Haomei, I'm leaving. Old Wang is in your care now."

Liu Haomei glanced at me and grinned mischievously, "No problem."

I rubbed my nose. What kind of talk is this?

Am I some kind of tool of yours?

"You have to make sure Old Wang doesn't get too thin from hunger," Chunyan continued, still worried. "And don't let Old Wang get too tired; you have to take good care of him for me."

Liu Haomei nodded: "I understand, a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, and a balance between work and rest."

"No need for that. I'm fine with whatever I eat, I'm not picky." I rolled my eyes.

Ding Zhili returned with Lao Xia and showed us their train tickets.

I've arranged for Ding Zhili to take Chunyan's family to Gangzhou Railway Station early tomorrow morning.

I also went to see him off in person.

Liu Haomei also wanted to go, but the double seats could only seat five people, and there was no seat for her.

Late at night, Lao Xia returned to 604.

I stayed in room 508 to rest, and whispered some tender words to Chunyan, enjoying a moment of affection.

Spring nights are fleeting, and spring dreams are easily broken.

As dawn broke, Sister Ling woke us up, helped us wash up, loaded our luggage onto the car, and headed straight for Gangzhou Railway Station.

Old Xia sat in the passenger seat.

Chunyanling and I sat in the back seat.

We remained silent the whole way, each of us feeling a little reluctant and sad.

Upon arriving at the station, Ding Zhili and I parked the car and then acted as bodyguards, staying close to Chunyan and the other two while waiting for their tickets to be checked.

These days, train stations are fraught with danger and traps at every turn; one wrong step and you'll fall into a trap.

Losing a suitcase and money is a minor matter; a beautiful woman might disappear forever, be sold to the mountains, or sent to a nightclub.

Even strong and healthy men could inexplicably end up in illegal brick kilns.

There were two young men from my hometown who went out to work two years ago and have not been heard from since.

I instructed Lao Xia and Sister Ling: "After getting on the bus, don't talk to strangers. Make sure you keep a close eye on your belongings."

I brought this 30,000 yuan back in cash, and I'm really worried about something happening on the way.

Old Xia was also very nervous and nodded repeatedly.

He's probably never seen so much money in his life.

Soon after, ticket checking began.

Ding Zhili and I had platform tickets, so we saw Chunyan and the others onto the train and arranged their seats before getting off.

The train started moving, and with a single whistle, my heart was broken.

"Old Wang, I'll come back, don't forget me..."

Chunyan waved to me, crying her heart out.

Sister Ling waved and said, "Don't fight in the future, and be careful."

Old Xia waved back, "I'll treat you to drinks when I get back. Please keep my things safe here for me!"

I chased after the train for a couple of steps, waving and shouting, "Chunyan, Sister Ling, remember to call me!"

As the train gradually disappeared into the distance, I remained standing on the platform, lost in thought.

Ding Zhili walked over and began to hum a song with deep emotion and a serious expression:

"The crowded platform, squeezing and hurting those seeing off, cannot squeeze away my deep sorrow of parting. I know you have a thousand words, ten thousand words, yet you refuse to speak them; you know how worried and sad I am, yet you dare not say them! As you step onto the platform, from now on walking alone, I can only feel deep sorrow..."

"You bastard, what are you singing nonsense for? You deserve a beating!"

I was furious and grabbed Ding Zhili, giving him a good beating!

If you're going to finish me off now, aren't you asking for a beating?

Ding Zhili cried and begged after I beat him: "Brother Zu, you're being unreasonable! Is it illegal for me to sing?"

Screw you!

I kicked Ding Zhili twice more: "Let's go home!"

Ding Zhili followed me with a grin, and then changed the song: "Stop singing 'Yangguan Die,' raise the white jade cup again. After tonight's farewell, when will you return... Come, come, drink this cup dry, and have some snacks..."

"You bastard, since you love singing so much, when we get back I'll castrate you and send you to a nightclub to work as a singer!"

I was so angry my balls hurt, and my whole body ached.

Just then, Sister Li called and asked about Chunyan's family, and then asked me:

"You lent Chunyan 30,000 yuan, aren't you afraid they won't come back? 30,000 yuan is not a small amount. Most people in our hometown don't even have 30,000 yuan if they include all their family assets."