Chapter 003: Determining the Path to Profit, the First Business Talent

[Beating to death highway robbers is not a crime!]
[One person sets up a roadblock, the whole village goes to jail!]
...
Warning signs with a distinct flavor of the times stood tall on both sides of the road, flashing suddenly into view and vanishing just as quickly.

The bus was packed with people, the sounds of chickens, ducks, and geese mingling with human voices and the rumble of the engine—a cacophony both headache-inducing and deeply nostalgic for Zhang Tianfeng. It had been a long time since he’d been immersed in such an atmosphere.

“Driver, stop at the farm road junction ahead!”

The rural bus line to the city had no fixed stops; people got on and off wherever they pleased. As soon as one group disembarked, another squeezed aboard; those who couldn’t fit could only wait wistfully for the next ride.

So the journey went, stop and go, until at last, after two hours, they reached Xiyan City.

This prefecture-level city had once been a major donor during the War of Resistance, and after the reforms, it took on the heavy aura of industry. Chemical plants, coal depots, printing factories—various workshops dotted the outskirts, and heavy trucks roared through, coating the buildings in layers of black grime.

Zhang Tianfeng disembarked at the train station, oriented himself quickly, and strode ahead. Shortly after, he stepped into a game arcade shrouded in smoky haze. Inside, a throng of children was engrossed in “Warriors of Fate” and “The King of Fighters,” while the older ones crouched in corners playing slot machines.

Zhang Tianfeng walked straight over, placing his hand on his fourth uncle’s shoulder. “Looking for trouble again? Should I go home and tell Grandpa about this?”

The Zhang family had six members; the fourth uncle, Zhang Jizheng, was the eldest son.

Grandfather had chosen his name in hopes he’d inherit a sense of integrity, but he had turned out to be the most wayward of all. In his youth, he’d run with street toughs, spent two years in jail, and upon release, returned to his idle ways.

In his previous life, he’d continued this lifestyle until age forty-five before marrying, then divorced, working long hours as a taxi driver to support two children—a hard life.

“Nephew, what brings you here?”

“Just came to play.”

“Right, today you come of age—you’re a man now!”

With that, his uncle placed two game tokens in his hand. “Go play some arcade games. When I’m done here, I’ll take you out to see the world.”

At this time, arcade games were just becoming popular in Xiyan. Many classics had yet to appear.

Listlessly, Zhang Tianfeng returned the tokens, tossed his uncle a Five Bulls cigarette, and lit one himself.

“Kid, you smoke better than me! Here, I’ve got some Red Plum—stronger stuff. Have one of mine.”

“No, I’ll finish this pack first.”

Five Bulls, Red Plum, Ashima, Hongtashan, Yunyan—these were all beautiful memories of youth.

Step by step, he savored their unique charm.

Soon, having lost all his tokens, the uncle got up, and Zhang Tianfeng followed him out.

By now, dusk had fallen. The streetlights glowed amber, and street vendors were out in force.

“Boss, two bottles of New Union Cola. Don’t bother with the deposit—we’ll drink them here.”

Sitting by the roadside, Zhang Tianfeng sipped his cola, observing the passing crowd and their attire.

Though Xiyan was only a prefecture-level city, the highway to the provincial capital was open. Many traveled from the capital to the coast, bringing back the coastal vibe.

People’s fashion sense was catching up with that of Hong Kong, though their accessories and hairstyles lagged behind.

It seemed a promising business opportunity.

“Nephew, where do you want to go later? Drinking, meeting girls, arcades—I’ll arrange it all,” his uncle boasted, pounding his chest.

“I want to check out the roller rink and the ballroom dance plaza.”

No matter the era, women and children’s money is the easiest to earn.

Limited start-up capital meant Zhang Tianfeng had to target women for his first venture.

Roller rinks were the trendiest venues, filled with young women. As for ballroom dance plazas, the ladies there were never short of money!

His uncle leaned against the wall, grinning. “Kid’s really grown up—starting to chase girls now.”

“Making money is much more comfortable than chasing girls. Not interested for now.”

“What do you know about making money, you little brat?”

“Fourth Uncle, don’t just pick on me. What about you? Grandpa’s always worried about your work.”

“I know, I’ve been thinking about ways to earn money lately.”

“Tell me about it. I’ve been to school—I can help analyze.”

“I want to open an arcade.”

...

That first idea stumped Zhang Tianfeng right away.

Opening an arcade these days wasn’t cheap. Just getting machines from Hong Kong was no small expense. Add in shipping and the necessary bribes—without a hundred thousand, forget it!

When the arcade idea was shot down, his uncle mentioned opening a roller rink.

Ambitious and impulsive—those traits were on full display.

But Zhang Tianfeng noticed his uncle’s strength: he was especially skilled at networking.

Annoyed by the lecture, his uncle turned to chat with a stranger in a suit. In less than ten minutes, he’d learned the man’s age, name, hometown, and family circumstances.

As the man left, he handed over a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes, delighting his uncle.

“Ha, enough to enjoy myself for a while!”

Unwrapping the pack and offering one to Zhang Tianfeng, his uncle said, “Actually, I want to try my luck on the coast. My friend went to make his fortune there last year—came back and bought a big color TV and a ceiling fan.”

“I talked to your grandpa about it, but he’s always refused.”

Zhang Tianfeng’s eyes lit up—the opportunity matched his plans!

His next step was to head to Hong Kong; having someone to lead the way was much better than groping alone.

“Alright, I’ll take you to Hong Kong at the end of the month.”

“You... you’ll take me? Big talk for someone just come of age. Come on, let’s go stroll Fuhu Park—the girls should be out by now.”

Fuhu Park was situated in the center of Xiyan, the largest open-air plaza in the city. By the time Zhang Tianfeng and his uncle arrived, it was already 8 p.m.

In the middle of the plaza, a huge screen was playing “Green Riverbank Grass,” drawing a crowd of thousands.

“A mobile cinema showing a TV series? That’s odd,” Zhang Tianfeng remarked in surprise.

His uncle chuckled. “You don’t get it, do you? They only play the first few episodes, then start selling DVDs. They can make thousands in a single night.”

“How do you know all this?” Zhang Tianfeng asked, wide-eyed.

“Of course I know—my friend runs this business. I’ll introduce you tomorrow.”

Wow, his uncle was impressive—how had he never known he had a friend in the piracy business?

“Let’s go. What’s so great about a Qiong Yao drama? Just something to make women and kids cry. I’ll show you some real dancing beauties.”

Around Fuhu Park, four ballroom dance plazas and three roller rinks were scattered, filled with stylish young men and women brimming with youthful energy—a sight to stir the blood.

They wandered until midnight before returning to his uncle’s home.

“Don’t wander off tonight; I’m going out.”

“Go ahead, but be careful. Don’t get involved in anything illegal.”

“Now the brat’s lecturing me!”

As the door closed, Zhang Tianfeng suddenly remembered something important.

“Fourth Uncle, do you know Pei Guan?”

Pei Guan—the man who helped Niu Dayun conceal evidence of his corruption. Catch him, and Niu Dayun was finished.

“Sure, he was holding a banquet at Splendor Nightclub just yesterday, boasting about making millions in Hong Kong.”

“Nothing, go enjoy yourself.”

Since Pei Guan was in Xiyan, he could eliminate this threat early, preventing trouble at home.

Once his uncle left, Zhang Tianfeng sat down, took out pen and paper.

“Dear City Leader, I wish to report Niu Dayun for corruption and have key evidence...”

In his past life, Niu Dayun had been taken away on July 15th, but the investigation must have started much earlier. For now, the authorities probably lacked concrete proof, which was why they hadn’t acted.

If this report landed on the leader’s desk, they’d have reason to move.

Halfway through the letter, his memory blurred. By now, it was 3 a.m. He hid the letter and took out a blank sheet.

Tonight’s reconnaissance had clarified his next business direction.

In Xiyan, a group specialized in pirated goods, bringing the latest trends from coastal cities. Open-air theaters sold DVDs, street stalls sold posters of Hong Kong stars, clothes, bootleg tapes—all evidence of this trade.

Though he couldn’t break into this business directly, he could leverage it.

These people had already cultivated a large, loyal audience chasing the latest trends—fans of Qiong Yao, Hong Kong films, Cantopop... Their appetites were whetted. All Zhang Tianfeng needed to do was reap the harvest.

In his previous life, he’d studied Hong Kong pop culture from the 1980s to 2000s to court a girl who loved it—films, TV, music, fashion, accessories—all committed to memory.

Now, these would be his tools for making money.

Of course, money-making required a team. This time, he didn’t want to exhaust himself. He’d cultivate talent, let future business tycoons work for him, or partner up.

Earning money from the sidelines, doing what he loved, fulfilling his personal ambitions—that was the true path to success.

On the paper, Zhang Tianfeng wrote the name “Qin Yuelan.”

Among the many business moguls of his past life, this woman seemed unremarkable. All her companies together were worth just a billion. Later, she was betrayed by those around her, fell into prison, and her reputation was ruined.

But Qin Yuelan was from Xiyan, and right now, she was struggling on the edge of survival. Too soft-hearted and trusting, she was otherwise full of strengths.

“Offering help in desperate times is never forgotten.”

“But if I want her to work for me honestly, I’ll need to toughen her up, change some bad habits.”

“Hmm, I’ll set a trap for her to fall into.”

Taking up his pen, Zhang Tianfeng began designing an accessory: the Summer Breeze bracelet.

Target customers: high-quality, literary-minded female fans of Qiong Yao dramas.