Reborn in 1993, Dark Sea

When An Xiaohai got home, he saw Zhou Xun sitting alone on the sofa, looking somewhat forlorn.

An Xiaohai smiled slightly, sat down opposite Zhou Xun, brewed a pot of ripe Pu'er tea, took a cup for himself, and pushed the other cup in front of Zhou Xun.

An Xiaohai understood Zhou Xun's feelings at that moment. He had finally met a woman who moved him, but after getting to know her, that beautiful dream shattered quickly.

Sipping hot tea, I looked out the window at the tranquil night in the garden community. The previous crises, the bloodshed, and the gunfire and flames seemed like a distant memory.

The struggles in the underworld are indeed more thrilling. There are no rules in that world, only cruelty. People in that world wield sharp blades and kill each other by instinct, leaving them bloodied and mangled.

In the civilized world, all of this suddenly became incredibly distant. People put away their weapons, donned masks, and fought to the death using seemingly civilized means, both within the bounds of the rules and on the fringes beyond their reach.

Which kind of struggle is more brutal? It's hard to say.

An Xiaohai suddenly realized that he seemed to be increasingly drawn to the ways of the underworld, at least that world was much more real than the one in front of him.

"Zhou Xun, if you really fall in love with Han Shasha, then be brave and pursue her. How will you know if it will work if you don't try? If you try, even if you fail, at least you won't have any regrets."

If you agree, I can keep Han Shasha out of all this.

After finishing his cup of tea, An Xiaohai suddenly spoke up.

Zhou Xun was visibly taken aback. He lowered his head and thought for a while before finally shaking his head: "Never mind, I was just thinking about it. Ultimately, she and I are not from the same world."

Zhou Xun let out a long sigh: "Xiao Hai, am I really that useless?"

"No, I think you're very smart. Some people are just meant to be your ideal type, but when it comes to real life, you should choose someone down-to-earth, gentle, and considerate."

If your ideal love becomes your bedmate, it's more likely that the light that once illuminated your heart will go out, and the only ray of light will disappear—how terrible!

The glamour in public can't compare to the quiet, enduring companionship of a long and mundane life. Your decision to let go was wise.

"Isn't your whirlwind your white moonlight?"

"No," An Xiaohai shook his head, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face when he thought of Lin Xuan'er: "She is my sun, she illuminates my whole world, my world doesn't need a white moonlight anymore."

Okay, stop overthinking and do me a favor.

"What do you need me to do?" Zhou Xun took a deep breath and sat up straight.

"Drive to the entrance of the club and wait for Secretary Xiaoyu to come out. Don't let her fight this battle alone."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I have their people nearby, so you don't need to worry."

"By the way, if it's convenient, try to find out where Zhan Weiting is staying, and also that Mrs. Gu. I always feel like there's something strange about that woman."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Zhou Xun rallied her spirits and went to carry out the mission. An Xiaohai returned to his room, turned on his laptop, and logged into the Sky Forum.

There wasn't much information online in those days, and Sky Forum was like an online community with countless experts lurking within it.

An Xiaohai browsed the forum casually, replied to a few posts, and then opened the Penglai Night Talk section to search carefully.

After a while, An Xiaohai closed his laptop; he found no trace of Xu Tianyou.

"What on earth is this guy up to? Why is there no news at all? ...And Pan Zhuangzhuang, why is there no word from him either..." An Xiaohai frowned and thought for a while before finally going to bed.

These two guys are not easy to deal with when they're together.

When I woke up early the next morning, Mai Xiaoyu was already making breakfast. She seemed to be in good spirits, but Zhou Xun was nowhere to be seen.

The TV was showing Journey to the West again, specifically the episode where they fought the White Bone Demon. An Xiaohai casually picked up the remote and changed the channel.

"Hey, don't you love watching Journey to the West? Why did you change the channel? Are you tired of it?" Mai Xiaoyu pushed the breakfast she had made in front of An Xiaohai and said with a smile.

How did you know I love watching Journey to the West?

"It was a guy whose name suggested he was very healthy who told me that."

"Oh, it's that guy Pan Zhuangzhuang. I do love watching Journey to the West, but I really hate this part."

Why?

"Because no matter how powerful the demons and monsters we encounter, I will not worry about Sun Wukong. I firmly believe that no matter how powerful the demons are, Wukong will always be able to defeat them in the end. He will never fall."

But the Great Sage collapsed under the spell of the headband chanted by his own people, clutching his head and writhing in agony on the ground; it was a heartbreaking sight.

"Hmm, that makes sense..." Mai Xiaoyu pouted and nodded in agreement: "I suddenly understand why the boss didn't bring you in. It turns out he didn't want you to be under his control."

Yes, that must be it!

"Secretary Xiaoyu, there's a saying that goes, 'See through things but don't say it!'"

"I was wrong! I'll shut up!" Mai Xiaoyu immediately raised her hands in surrender: "What are we doing today?"

"Rest, don't do anything today. By the way, where's Chen Xun? Didn't he come back with you?"

"He's keeping an eye on Zhan Weiting. Guess who Zhan Weiting went to see after the party last night?"

"I can't guess."

"Han Shasha".

"Impossible?!" An Xiaohai was startled.

"To be precise, after the mahjong game ended, he came here to find Han Shasha and stayed at her house for more than an hour before leaving. What do you think they were doing in the middle of the night?" Mai Xiaoyu raised her eyebrows and asked mysteriously.

"My God..." An Xiaohai couldn't help but rub his forehead.

Oh no, Zhou Xun's "white moonlight" (ideal figure in Chinese literature) has been extinguished as soon as it appeared. Thank goodness I gave him a heads-up beforehand, otherwise he would have been devastated!

"Do you think it's possible that Han Shasha is one of his people?"

"I can't rule out that possibility, but I don't think it's likely."

Why do you think so?

"If Han Shasha is his person, she most likely won't get involved with Zhan Weiting; it's too dangerous."

"Hmm, you're right. Are you really taking the day off today?"

"Yes, take a break. There's no war now, so we need to have a balance. You can take this opportunity to relax and go out and have some fun."

"No, I'm watching TV at home."

"You watch TV dramas too?"

"certainly."

What show are you watching?

"Tokyo Love Story is almost over. Four episodes will air this afternoon."

"..."

"What kind of expression is that?"

"It's nothing, you see, I'm just going out for a walk."

"Don't you like Tokyo Love Story? I think it's a great show!"

"It's pretty good. Women can watch it freely, but men are better off not watching it. This show is addictive for men."

"Why is that?"

"Because after watching it, most men will fall in love with Rika Akana, but years later they will find that a woman like Rika simply does not exist in reality, which is tragic."

"Then why can women look at it freely?"

"study."

"Learning from Rika?"

No, I'm learning from Rimi.

"Secretary Xiaoyu, I think you, especially, should learn more from Rimi. Learn how to show weakness and act pitiful; maybe that will help you win over your dream guy."

"Really? Okay, then I'll have to study hard. When I succeed, I'll treat you to a drink!"

……

"Alright, good luck. By the way, how much did you win last night? Why did you leave so early?"

"We didn't win much," Mai Xiaoyu said, her eyes darting around. "Everyone was a bit tired, so we ended the game early."

"Okay, can I have my card back now?"

"You stingy guy!" Mai Xiaoyu rolled her eyes at An Xiaohai and slapped the black card into his hand.

An Xiaohai drove the car that Xu Tianyou had given him away from the community. He spent almost a whole day walking around the main streets of Nancheng City, and also visited several well-known shopping malls and many street shops.

An Xiaohai had been searching for Fuwang Grain and Oil stores and products. After a whole day of searching, An Xiaohai finally understood why Zhao Gang was so eager to create a unified brand image.

Thanks to the previous supply and marketing system, Fuwang Grain and Oil stores are actually in very good locations, but there is no unified signage and the names are also very chaotic, still using the supply and marketing cooperative's method of naming stores by location.

Inside the store, the merchandise was arranged haphazardly, making it look like an ordinary mom-and-pop shop; the staff were also in poor condition, offering virtually no service other than taking money.

Because of their good locations, these stores weren't doing too badly. An Xiaohai found a few stores with particularly friendly staff, and unsurprisingly, these stores were extremely popular.

As for those large shopping malls and supermarkets, you won't find Fuwang grain and oil products.

An Xiaohai bought some Fuwang grain and oil products and put them in his car to take back. Compared with other brands, Fuwang grain and oil products are relatively expensive.

When An Xiaohai got home, Mai Xiaoyu was still watching TV, tears streaming down her face, and Zhou Xun was nowhere to be seen. Helpless, An Xiaohai went downstairs again to buy some groceries and cooked dinner himself.

While cooking, An Xiaohai discovered that Fuwang Grain and Oil's products were of very good quality, especially the peanut oil, which smelled very fragrant when cooked.

"Are you planning to start with Fuwang Grain and Oil?" Mai Xiaoyu asked with a mouthful of rice in her mouth. She had a good appetite and finished most of the dishes.

"I think they're pretty good," An Xiaohai nodded.

"Could you explain why?"

"Actually, I've already told you the reason."

"Is it your entrepreneurial theory?" Mai Xiaoyu thought for a moment and then nodded: "It seems so. Grains and oils do fall within the framework of clothing, food, housing, and transportation."

"Yes, not only that, I found that they actually have a very good foundation, but they just don't know how to bring out their strengths."

"So what do you want to do?"

"It's too early to draw conclusions, after all, my understanding of them is still superficial. Let's wait and see. Have you investigated the details of Fuwang Grain and Oil?"

"I've checked, and the detailed information is on your desk in your room."

Zhao Gang looked very clean, and his resume was very simple. He was a soldier who was assigned to Fuwang Grain and Oil after retiring from the army, where he has been working ever since.

Zhao Gang is also very diligent in his work, and he has worked his way up step by step.

"Okay, I'll take a closer look at their information after I finish eating."