Xu Bin ultimately secured a better deal from Che Dong. It must be said that Xu Bin had an innate business acumen; with a bit of guidance, he became self-taught. Accumulated goods weren't money—they were just inventory. One had to find every possible way to convert them into real cash. When your products weren't good enough to be in high demand, the priority was rapid cash flow, not hoarding.
After earning nearly a thousand yuan from Che Dong, Xu Bin treated himself to a meal of two dishes and a soup at the fast-food restaurant that evening. Over the past few days, they had become familiar with each other. Both ran small businesses under the same roof, constantly crossing paths. Realizing neither found the other annoying, their interactions deepened. Sharing a bathroom, separated by just two wooden doors, required a certain level of trust.
Eating together wasn't an issue; it was just a matter of who treated more often.
They would sit on the steps at the entrance, using three plastic stools—two for sitting and one with a wooden board on top as a table. After eating, they'd toss the leftovers into the large trash bin near the fast-food restaurant. It was convenient and suited their inherent aversion to cleaning—unless absolutely necessary, they'd avoid it.
Zhong Yu didn't know how much Xu Bin earned, but judging by his spending habits, she realized her earlier comments were meaningless and dropped the topic. Watching Xu Bin gulp down half a bottle of cola from the fridge, she enviously remarked, "Aren't you afraid of getting fat?"
She then put down her chopsticks. Initially intending to finish her meal, she reconsidered, thinking about the consequences of overeating. Comparing herself to the guy beside her, who indulged in chocolates, coffee, chips, cream, and various fried snacks, her comment seemed justified.
Xu Bin chuckled, slung his bag over his shoulder, locked the glass door, and bid Zhong Yu farewell. To make everything seem more legitimate, he had to make arrangements in multiple areas. The number of refrigerators and freezers in the room was sufficient to meet his weekly targets. However, to earn money with peace of mind, he needed to do more. Indeed, chatting with a girl like Zhong Yu, who could be considered a beauty, was enjoyable and pleasant. But facing a rent of 2,500 yuan—a high amount in the area—he couldn't afford to slack off.
Outside the pedestrian street, Xu Bin waited for a few minutes. Ji Peng arrived in his box truck, chewing on a toothpick and waving at Xu Bin.
Upon getting in, Xu Bin immediately took out 200 yuan from his bag and placed it on the dashboard. Before Ji Peng could speak, he said, "Tonight and tomorrow morning, I need your help for a few hours. We're buddies, so I won't say much—this is for gas."
Ji Peng nodded, "Alright. In the future, if you need the truck, don't hesitate. I might be busy during the day, but I'm available anytime at night."
Xu Bin laughed, expressing his gratitude. He took out a pack of Furongwang cigarettes from his bag, opened it, handed one to Ji Peng, and placed the rest on the dashboard. Ji Peng didn't hesitate—some things were mutual. He wasn't trying to take advantage, and he didn't want to be used for free.
Their first stop was a cardboard box factory someone had referred them to. Xu Bin bought some finished packaging for refrigerators and color TVs. The brand didn't matter; as long as the packaging and internal foam straps were new, it was fine. Then, using his phone's navigation and recommendations from the Spring City forum, they visited three second-hand markets in Spring City before the evening rush hour. Xu Bin didn't need to be picky. He took out a multi-purpose screwdriver from his bag, disassembled items to check for missing parts, and used their condition to negotiate prices. He wasn't concerned about minor damages. He bought not only finished household appliances like TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and microwaves but also various components, such as refrigerator compressors, TV circuit boards, and washing machine motors. These were priced at scrap value. After visiting three second-hand markets, they finished around 7 PM. Ji Peng initially helped with the loading but, seeing Xu Bin's impressive strength—lifting a refrigerator with both hands—he eventually just assisted occasionally. He watched in confusion as Xu Bin spent 2,000 yuan on what seemed like junk.
"Heh, just practicing refurbishing. Once they're decent, I'll pass them on for further refurbishment. I'm just earning some delivery money. It's hard to make a living in Spring City."
Xu Bin's explanation wasn't convincing, but he didn't feel the need to elaborate. After transporting the items to the store, he spent over twenty minutes meticulously moving them into the back warehouse. Apart from the aisles and a few chairs, there was no space left in the store.
"Come on, Da Peng, we've had a long night. Let's go for some all-you-can-eat. Hey, beauty, want to join us?"
It's said that two men eating without drinking is a race against time. But with a beautiful woman present, it becomes the perfect lubricant. Zhong Yu often went out to have fun until the early hours three or four nights a week. Being an outgoing and cheerful girl, she didn't mind interacting more with guys. By 8 PM, there were hardly any customers left, so she didn't refuse. The three of them went to a nearby all-you-can-eat barbecue place, priced at 48 yuan per person, and had a feast. Both Ji Peng and Xu Bin had large appetites, and Zhong Yu wasn't one to pretend to be modest. She selected some seafood and premium items and ate quite a bit.
Ji Peng, being single, naturally tried to make a move on Zhong Yu. However, she was a seasoned player and didn't feel anything for Ji Peng. Subtly, she made him realize this, and he didn't push further. Seeing that Zhong Yu could take a joke, the atmosphere at the table was lively, filled with occasional risqué jokes, which she didn't mind—a typical modern urban girl.
Xu Bin had planned tasks for himself that night, so he didn't drink with Ji Peng. The reason for choosing an all-you-can-eat place was also practical—eat more to get your money's worth. Ji Peng didn't drink either, as he hadn't returned the truck and didn't want to risk a DUI. In Spring City, with no roots or connections, he couldn't afford to lose his livelihood. After more than an hour of dining, everyone was satisfied. Ji Peng was willing to help with such tasks—he got gas money, a meal, two packs of cigarettes, and owed a favor.
Returning to the store, the pedestrian street had returned to its quiet calm. The night wind was chilly and somewhat intimidating. Most nearby shops had closed, except for a clothing store adjacent to Xu Bin and Zhong Yu's shops, which paid over 100,000 yuan annually for rent on the main street. They had already pulled down their shutters early.
Zhong Yu hadn't gone out, perhaps due to a lack of invitations. She sat in front of her computer, watching Korean dramas and chatting on WeChat, with only a desk lamp on. The rolling shutter wasn't lowered. Xu Bin's door was open, with an induction cooker boiling water. He filled a plastic bucket with water and began cleaning the purchased components with a cloth. He used a welding torch to open compressors, disassembled motors, and cleaned them with machine oil. In essence, these were futile efforts, meant to make some components appear refurbished for the benefit of certain individuals like Li Jiuren and Che Dong. He not only used Ji Peng's truck and some temporarily rented vehicles to create the illusion of transporting goods but also staged some self-refurbishing activities in the store.
Working at night was exhausting. At such times, lounging in a chair, watching TV, or playing games would be delightful. But he couldn't afford that. Success was reserved for those prepared. Now, fate had favored him, providing a path to success. All he needed to do was work diligently. If he couldn't manage that, he shouldn't talk about achieving anything.
After using up both hot and cold water, he poured the wastewater into the roadside drain. He moved a few components into the room and sat on the steps. To his right was the dark pedestrian street, illuminated only by sporadic streetlights. To his left, most fast-food restaurants had closed, except for a barbecue place with a couple of tables occupied, providing some light. The night wind was cold. Xu Bin smoked a cigarette, feeling waves of fatigue. He longed to call home, to hear his mother's nagging. Life alone, striving outside, was tough. He missed his mother's handmade noodles and stir-fried chicken.
Seeing those protagonists in novels and movies who transformed dramatically in times of crisis, Xu Bin didn't find it unrealistic. It was just an artistic expression that couldn't capture every moment of life. Behind every success lay countless efforts. He believed he could succeed too. If someone were to write a novel or make a movie based on his life, it would undoubtedly be filled with thrilling moments, not just the helplessness of fatigue on a midnight street.
"Alright, time to work hard."
At midnight, when his stomach had settled, Xu Bin began another round of intense work. While others might die from exhaustion or hunger, he risked overeating.
At 11:30 PM, a Jetta car picked up Zhong Yu. The two young men who came for her had their usual arrogant and self-important demeanor. Whenever they deliberately stared at Xu Bin, he chose to avoid eye contact. Zhong Yu would often chide them, saying, "What's wrong with you? Why are you picking on a kid? It's not easy for him to work in Spring City. If he ever needs help, would you just stand by and watch?"
Xu Bin had heard such remarks before. Sure, there was a sense of masculine indignation—"What are you looking at? Think I'm easy to bully?" But then he thought, only those with capital could be arrogant. Without it, acting tough was just foolish. It had nothing to do with him. They had never said a harsh word to him. So what if his girlfriend lived under the same roof? What's the big deal?
He pulled down the rolling shutter, turned on the lights inside, and began refurbishing appliances one by one, starting with refrigerators and freezers to quickly meet his weekly targets. So far, he had earned over 10,000 yuan, excluding investments and rent. He had spent over 1,000 yuan himself. Previously, he didn't dare to hope for monthly targets, but now he saw a glimmer of hope.
As long as you work hard, opportunities will come your way.
While others enjoyed eating nuts, Xu Bin swallowed them as if taking medicine.
But it's just eating—is that really suffering? If you can endure this, you can succeed. Don't you want that success?