Rebirth and making money first

As soon as Brother Li heard the news of Zhang Jing's return, he couldn't wait to call her. He said enthusiastically, "Xiao Jing, you're finally back! I'd like to treat you to dinner tonight so we can have a good time together." Zhang Jing said apologetically, "Brother Li, I'm so sorry. I really don't have time to eat right now. My husband is at home right now, and we're both so busy!"

Hearing this, Brother Li couldn't help but feel a little surprised and asked, "Why are you so busy? You don't need to go to work, so what could be the important matter? Are you looking down on me?" Zhang Jing hurriedly explained, "Oh, Brother Li, look at what you said! How could I look down on you? It's just that I really have too much on my mind lately."

Brother Li said, "I heard your mother sold the house! You guys are so mean! You hid such a good thing from me! If you had told me earlier, you would have sold the house to me no matter what!"

Zhang Jing sighed helplessly and responded, "Brother Li, don't be angry. Who would have thought you'd want to buy an old house? Besides, don't you already have one?"

Brother Li disagreed and continued, "The house I live in belongs to my father. It's now transferred to my wife. I bought a building but haven't renovated it yet. But I have a house, but I can buy another one to keep. No matter what, if this house is given to me, I will definitely take it without hesitation!"

Seeing Brother Li's persistence, Zhang Jing rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "Brother Li, don't worry. Although the old lady's apartment has been sold, if you really want to buy a house, I actually have a good one here that I can recommend to you!"

Brother Li said, "Then tell me. If it's a good idea, I can take a look. The main thing is that I'm getting older now, and I can't do welding all the time. It's hard in the summer and even harder in the winter. If you saw me now, you would know how much your brother has aged!"

Zhang Jing said with a smile, "The shop I bought before has now been transferred to Zhang Xiaobing's name. We all work outside now, and there's no one left at home except my mom. Well, my mom is very stubborn and refuses to leave, saying she can't bear to leave her old friends and coworkers. But fortunately, they recently let me move into the building. The shop has always been rented out. It's quite troublesome to always collect rent, and I don't make much money, and it's a hassle!"

Zhang Jing paused for a moment, then enthusiastically suggested, "If you're serious about it, I can persuade my brother to sell the shop to you. What do you think? Actually, that shop is quite nice. You could use it for a small business, selling things. The second floor is also habitable. Especially in the winter when it snows, you don't have to worry about clearing the snow. The shop has floor heating, so it's very suitable for the elderly. And putting a mahjong table inside and playing cards with friends in your spare time is also a great idea."

When Brother Li heard this, his eyes lit up, but then he asked with some concern, "So, which shop is yours? Don't charge too much, or I can't afford it!" Zhang Jing couldn't help laughing and scolded, "Oh, Brother Li, you don't even know which shop I own? It's owned by Zhang Xiaobing now. Why don't you just contact him directly?"

Brother Li said with a smile: "Then tell him that I happened to stop by to visit your old lady. I haven't seen you for a long time. Hasn't your old lady forgotten me?"

Not long after, Brother Li really came home to visit his mother. As soon as he entered the house, he shouted with a smile on his face, "Oh, my dear aunt, you don't know, I haven't been here for a long time, I miss you so much! If I had known you were going to sell the house, I would have bought it no matter what! We have been old neighbors for many years. Your son and I are no different! Is this friendship any less than that of others? If you have anything to say, just tell me! Look at me now, I can't buy anything, you have to make it up to me!"

After hearing this, the old lady couldn't help laughing and scolded: "You bastard, how come you have time to come here to make me happy?" But Brother Li didn't care. He was still laughing and joking with the old lady. For a while, the whole room was filled with laughter.

In this way, the two chatted enthusiastically until Zhang Jing and her group returned home. Brother Li turned his gaze to Zhang Xiaobing who was standing beside him, and said earnestly: "Xiaobing, you are the child I have watched grow up. I will not hide anything today. I will tell you the truth. Actually, I have been thinking about doing something recently. I heard that you are planning to sell your shop. Why don't you just sell it to me? I promise to give you all the money at once and I will definitely not let you suffer any loss! Anyway, you don't plan to stay here to develop, so why not help me."

Zhang Xiaobing stared intently at Brother Li in front of him, his lips curled up slightly as he said, "Brother, how much can you offer? As long as the price is right and fair, I'm definitely willing to sell it to you first!"

After hearing this, Brother Li pondered for a moment, then nodded and replied, "In that case, why don't you take me to see the store first so I can have a better idea of ​​what's going on."

Zhang Xiaobing readily agreed and took Brother Li to look at the shop. As he walked forward, he turned back to greet Brother Li and the lively and adorable Naituanzi. Naituanzi, like a cheerful little rabbit, hopped along behind the adults, constantly calling out, "Uncle, Uncle..." His voice was so clear and melodious that it made anyone who heard it feel endearing.

Brother Li couldn't help but laugh at the innocent look of the little boy. He knew that this little guy was the child of Zhang Xiaobing's sister Zhang Zhi. Recalling the time when he and Zhang Jing's family were neighbors, Brother Li couldn't help but sigh that time is really unforgiving!

Before long, the group arrived at the shop's entrance. Zhang Xiaobing expertly unlocked the door and led Li Ge inside for a closer inspection. After some discussion and bargaining, Li Ge and Zhang Xiaobing finally agreed on a price and successfully completed the transaction.

With the transaction concluded, Zhang Xiaobing accompanied Brother Li to the relevant authorities to handle the transfer formalities. Zhang Jing showed little concern for the situation between her brother and Brother Li, minding her own business. As for her mother, she felt completely deprived of motivation. Zhang Jing seized the opportunity to suggest a meal, prompting the old woman to roll up her sleeves and begin cooking, frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying.

Naituanzi and Achen ate with relish, and the whole family gained weight noticeably. Visitors also praised my mother for being so blessed.

I originally thought that Zhang Xiaobing's classmate didn't have a shop available for the time being. However, things took a turn for the better. Brother Li asked Zhang Xiaobing to contact his classmate again. Although he had already bought the shop, he could still rent it to him first. The main reason was that Brother Li wasn't ready yet.

After receiving the news, the student hesitated. After all, he wasn't sure if he could make his business a success. After much deliberation, he decided to try renting the property for six months. If business performed well, he would consider renewing the lease or even buying it outright. Everyone was happy!

As promised, Brother Li invited Zhang Jing to dinner, this time only bringing Ah Chen and Naituanzi. Zhang Xiaobing went to the class reunion again with high spirits; money really does give a man courage.

Brother Li stared at Achen from head to toe, then turned to Zhang Jing beside him and whispered, "Sister, you've really suffered a great loss! Oh, don't say anything, I feel really bad!" Zhang Jing was such a smart person that she naturally understood the hidden meaning in Brother Li's words in an instant.

But she just smiled slightly, waved her hand nonchalantly, and then warmly greeted Achen and Naituanzi to prepare for dinner.

As they sat together, the conversation gradually turned to future plans. Brother Li pondered for a moment before speaking, "I'd like to see how this shop performs in six months, and then make a plan. I've been thinking about opening a mahjong parlor, though. What do you think?"

Zhang Jing couldn't help but smile when she heard this, and responded, "If you can really open a successful business, you'll be so free and easy after you retire!" At this time, Brother Li suddenly changed the subject and asked seriously, "Jing, if one day I, your brother, fall into poverty and can't make it, can I come to Shenzhen to seek refuge with you?"

Zhang Jing was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly, shook her head, and replied, "To be honest, I don't really have my own physical store in Shenzhen right now. Actually, I've been trying to figure out what kind of business I should start lately. Could you give me some advice?"

Brother Li blinked and responded without hesitation, "Sister, have you forgotten that you're an accounting major? It seems to me that with your professional knowledge, running a business should be a piece of cake, right? Why are you asking me, a layman?"

Hearing this, Zhang Jing couldn't help but sigh deeply and said with deep emotion, "Brother Li, you might not know this, but there's a saying among the people: 'Like fathers, like sons, like daughter ...

"I have an old classmate whose family originally ran an auto parts business. When she grew up, she wasn't content to just work for others, so she decided to start her own business. As a result, her business became increasingly prosperous, and the scale of her business also grew..."

"There's another female classmate who's really capable! You must know her, A-Yan. The couple has now gone to Xinjiang to start a company! They specialize in selling large agricultural machinery like harvesters, threshers, and I think they even have combine harvesters."

"Look at you, too. You just quietly do some welding work every day to earn your hard-earned money! We're both from working-class families, so have you never thought about the reasons behind this?"

Brother Li was stunned upon hearing this, not knowing how to respond. Zhang Jing continued, "This all comes down to the differences between our parents! How could those who chose a comfortable life raise a child with the wildness and drive of a wolf? Someone like you, acting on a momentary impulse and impulsiveness, will inevitably suffer heavy losses when you venture out into the world! You'll be beaten to a pulp by others, and in the end, you'll have no choice but to rely on yourself to build a better life!"

After hearing this, Brother Li nodded as if waking from a dream, and sighed, "Oh, you're so right! I really regret not reading more books back then. I only understand these principles now, and it's too late. If I had contacted you earlier and learned from you, maybe I wouldn't be in such a miserable state today!"

At this moment, Zhang Jing recalled the countless hardships and tribulations she had endured along the way. These were precious experiences gained through countless blood and tears accumulated in past lives! How could this not be heartbreaking and a profound warning? As the saying goes, if you have something, don't be sick; if you don't have anything, don't be broke! It's better to die with your money unspent than to live with money tight and struggling to make ends meet!

Seeing how adorable Niu Tuanzi was, Brother Li asked about Zhang Jing's daughter. Zhang Jing was also quite talkative when she mentioned her own children. Brother Li suggested that if both of them looked like Niu Tuanzi, it would be fine to have two more.

Speaking of children, Zhang Jing asked about Brother Li's biological daughter. She also recalled Brother Li's silly look of joy as he held the child at birth. Brother Li also recalled those years from the bottom of his heart, and now looking back, he can only sigh. "I feel sorry for my daughter. Let her hate me if she wants. I don't want to think about anything else now, I just want to make more money. If you have any good suggestions, please tell me."

Zhang Jing suggested to Brother Li that if he opened a mahjong parlor, it would be best to have a refrigerator and stock cigarettes, alcohol, and beverages. He should also provide fast food meals, as this is common practice among mahjong players in the south. But the police were probably watching his family, so he didn't want to be reported. She still suggested starting a business, perhaps selling braised food or sesame cakes. It wouldn't be tiring and he could have fun. Brother Li asked, "It's so good, why don't you do it?"

Zhang Jing spread her hands and said, "Have you noticed? My old lady hates playing mahjong, smoking, and drinking, so we inherited the tradition! And in those families where mahjong is popular, parents won't stop them."

Brother Li suddenly realized and looked at Achen and said, "Don't you do these things?" Seeing that Achen didn't understand, he asked him, "Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you play mahjong?" Achen shook his head. Brother Li said, "I guess you don't do women either. No wonder you're a fool!" Achen angrily replied, "You are the fool!"

Brother Li quickly begged for mercy, saying with a wry smile, "Yes, yes, Brother Li is a fool. You are not stupid!" Zhang Jing also comforted Achen. Brother Li said, "Jing, Brother Li knows where he lost. I am the fool for not marrying you! No wonder your old lady looks down on me. It's all my own fault!"

After Zhang Jing quietly paid the bill, she earnestly advised Brother Li, "Brother Li, you should just live a good life with your sister-in-law. After all, she's been taking care of your father for so long, and that's a huge debt of gratitude. Even if this is her second marriage, it's still a huge debt of gratitude to your family."

Brother Li, however, refuted the question, saying, "That being said, I did help her raise her daughter. So, she didn't suffer any loss. We were just exchanging hands."

Zhang Jing shook her head helplessly and sighed, "Brother Li, some things really can't be delved into. If she can take good care of your father, she will definitely take good care of you in the future. You're old now, so don't mess around like you did when you were young. Besides, even if she's your own daughter, it's hard to say whether she can take care of you wholeheartedly when the time comes!"

At this moment, Brother Li seemed to have thought it over carefully. He said, "Sister, I know all these things. If my father were to die, I would leave the house to the woman and split the savings between us. That way, she would be protected, and I would be completely free!"

Hearing this, Zhang Jing nearly cursed. She thought to herself, "See, this is what men are thinking! They treat their parents with devotion and filial piety, but then they turn around and think about how to exploit women. They want to continue their carefree life outside, while at the same time coaxing women into fulfilling their filial duties, outsourcing that responsibility. Meanwhile, they never forget to leave a way out for themselves, always ready to escape unscathed! It's truly chilling."

Looking back at Achen, I'm glad I chose him. He's not scheming, listens to me, and is emotionally stable. No matter how long we can be together, we'll always be there for each other. I'm so lucky to have chosen Achen.

Seeing Zhang Jing invite Naituanzi Achen home, Brother Li also stood up. He understood that Zhang Jing had never been hers, and would never be. He could only use his identity as Brother Li, as the older neighbor, to chat with her when she returned.

Zhang Jing, however, placed her former big brother deep in her memory. She knew she could never turn back. She didn't know if this world was real or fake. What if it was just a dream? What if it collapsed? All she could do was make the script last longer, longer.

No one can ruin your beautiful life!