A life of success begins with being a landlord.

Damn, it seems like collecting wastewater is really profitable, at least much more profitable than me, the building manager!

I wasn't in a hurry at all, and slowly asked, "Are you and Kuai Dafu the only ones collecting wastewater in Dongguan?"

"It's Kuai Dafu and my uncle competing for business in Dongguan," the young man sighed.

"I usually live in Guangzhou, but I came here specifically to help my uncle with this matter. My uncle is a bit slow and can't outmaneuver Kuai Dafu."

I chuckled: "Ordinary people really can't beat Kuai Dafa."

Such shameless, liar, and shameless people are the best of the best in the city, the kings among small business owners!

Ding Zhili continued, "Kuai Dafa doesn't know me, so I came here secretly, hoping to find a reliable friend to drive him away. Boss Wang, you can keep Kuai Dafa in check, please help me."

I smiled without saying a word.

Ding Zhili continued to lower the price: "I'll cover all the losses incurred by Boss Wang in driving Kuai Dafa away. In addition, I'll give you another five thousand yuan as a thank-you fee."

I tossed Ding Zhili a cigarette: "Tell me about this industry. How many printing factories are there in Dongguan? Is your business limited to printing factories and hospitals?"

"Our main business is printing. The business with hospitals and photo studios is negligible."

Ding Zhili started talking, beaming with pride:

"Initially, nobody wanted the washing wastewater from the printing plant; it was just dumped down the drain. But this stuff is corrosive and causes mold to grow in the drains, clogging them. But we had the technology to extract silver from the wastewater..."

I perked up my ears; business really is everywhere!

It's a pity that I used to live in the countryside and go to school, so I knew nothing about the outside world; I was like a blind man with eyes.

"At first, we helped the printing plant dispose of its wastewater, and the printing plant even paid us for it. Back then, it was like picking up money off the ground." Ding Zhili laughed heartily, then suddenly sighed softly:

"But that won't work now. The competition is fierce, and we have to spend money to buy wastewater... In Dongguan, there are eleven printing factories, six hospitals, and more than a dozen photo studios, so the market is pretty good..."

After one cigarette, I basically understood the details.

Ding Zhili's uncle now runs a small portion of the wastewater business here, while Kuai Dafa runs the majority.

I asked, "Who's running the Sihai Printing Factory business?"

"Kuai Dafa?" Ding Zhili said, somewhat surprised. "Does Boss Wang know about Sihai Printing Factory?"

I shook my head: "I'm sorry, I can't help you get rid of Kuai Dafa, nor do I have that ability."

Ding Zhili was somewhat disappointed, and forced a smile.

I added, "Dongguan is such a big city, I don't have the power to kick Kuai Dafu out. If he doesn't live in my Building 27, he can live somewhere else. Killing him is illegal."

Ding Zhili nodded and sighed, "I understand. I really had no other choice but to come to you."

"But..." I hesitated, feigning hesitation.

"Perhaps I can think of a way to cut off Kuai Dafa's business altogether. If Kuai Dafa has no business, he'll naturally be forced to leave."

It's illegal to stab someone, but it's not illegal for me to steal Kuai Dafa's business.

Mr. Wu, the general manager of Sihai Printing Factory, is a good person. I can talk to him and find a breakthrough.

If it works out, great; if not, oh well, I have nothing to lose anyway.

"Boss Wang, can you steal Kuai Dafa's business?"

Ding Zhili's face flushed with excitement: "If you can steal this business, let's cooperate! I guarantee you'll make a fortune!"

I was tempted too, but I pretended to be mature and asked unhurriedly, "Making a fortune, how much money do you mean?"

Ding Zhili sat down and pondered for a moment before saying, "Kuai Dafa has six printing factories as clients. You can secure them all, and I'll give you five hundred per month for each one. We can sign contracts. All the expenses for building relationships will be mine."

Three thousand yuan a month is not a small amount!

I shook my head: "You mean there aren't six printing factories in Dongguan, there are eleven."

"But there are five of them, which were originally my uncle's businesses."

"But your uncle is about to be ousted by Kuai Dafa, and his whole family will be ruined. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to me, right?"

"This..." Ding Zhili opened his mouth, then nodded awkwardly.

I hit him right where it hurts.

"Therefore, we should count eleven companies."

"Alright, Boss Wang, that'll count eleven companies. I'll give you five thousand five hundred a month!" Ding Zhili nodded in agreement.

"No rush, let me ask Kuai Dafa how much profit there is."

I shook my head again and took out my phone.

I just did a quick mental calculation.

Kuai Dafa is still making a lot of money. He earns three to four thousand yuan a month from sleeping with women, plus rent, living expenses, motorcycle fuel and maintenance, etc. I estimate Kuai Dafa's current profit is twenty to thirty thousand yuan a month!

Once Kuai Dafa is driven out, Ding Zhili's uncle will become a monopolist, gain pricing power, and earn even more!

Ding Zhili offered me 5,500 yuan a month, which is obviously... not much!

"Boss Wang!"

Ding Zhili panicked and grabbed my hand: "We can't let Kuai Dafu know about this. We can discuss profit sharing!"

I thought for a moment, then put my phone away: "Go back and discuss it with your uncle. If the conditions you offer are suitable, I'll give it a try and help you secure the printing plant."

After saying that, I got up and left.

"Boss Wang, let's have a meal and then chat!" Ding Zhili tugged at me.

I pulled my hand away, turned around, and went downstairs.

I know how to play hard to get. Ding Zhili wants to make money; I'm not worried he won't come to me!

I returned to 302, where Chunyan and Liu Haomei were cooking in the kitchen.

Liu Haomei should know how to cook; she's teaching Chunyan.

I sat down to have a cup of tea when the phone rang again; it was Dao Zixiong calling.

"Brother Xiong".

"Brother, I need your help with something." Daozai Xiong sighed.

"If you have time this afternoon, come to the hospital to see Wenzi. The boy is depressed right now, and no one can comfort him. I'm worried he might develop health problems."

"Brother Xiong, Wen called me yesterday, but he didn't say anything, he just cried. I called back, but he didn't answer."

I thought about it and then recounted the conversation between Awen and me yesterday.

"That's how it is, it's driving me crazy." Dao Zai Xiong sighed again: "Come and see him, talk to him, maybe it will help."

"Brother Xiong, according to the customs of our hometown, visiting patients is done in the morning; it's not appropriate in the afternoon. Can I go tomorrow morning?"

Visiting a patient in the afternoon means the patient is about to die, and if you don't come soon, it will be too late, so you have to be quick and decisive.

Dao Zixiong was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Alright then, tomorrow morning."

I said, "Brother Xiong, it's still morning, let me call Awen again."

"Don't hit me, just come over tomorrow."

Dao Zixiong stopped me: "If you make the call, he might not want to see you."

"Okay, Xiong-ge, tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."

I hung up the phone.

Alas, poor Wen, he was originally a good child, gentle, intelligent and clever, but he was harmed by his third uncle.

What happened that night will be a nightmare for him for the rest of his life.

If he can overcome this, he might become the second Dao Zai Xiong; if he can't, he will become... mentally ill.

Just as I was feeling sorry for Awen, the phone rang again.

It's Ding Zhili.