Reborn in 1985: From Selling Braised Duck to Becoming the World's Richest Man

Being exposed on the spot, Song Mei's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

But quickly, her expression returned to normal, and she said earnestly:

“My brother isn’t an outsider, and since you gave me this watch, it’s mine now. I can give it to whomever I want, right?”

At this point, she added sarcastically to Liang Ming: "Liang Ming, are you even a man? You're so petty about such a small thing."

"How can I possibly marry you like this!"

“Then let’s not get married. This is the end for us,” Liang Ming said decisively.

"Liang Ming, are you serious? Our wedding is only three days away, and we've already sent out the invitations! How can you just say we're not getting married?!"

Song Mei started to panic.

Although she was somewhat attractive, in terms of family background, it was hard to find many families like Liang Ming's.

She was willing to marry Liang Ming because she wouldn't have to do any work.

"Just cancel the wedding. We haven't registered our marriage yet, so we're not considered husband and wife."

Liang Ming said calmly.

"What about my parents' reputation if you do this?"

When Song Mei saw that Liang Ming had actually canceled the wedding, she was both flustered and angry, and asked him questions.

"That's your problem to consider, it's none of my business."

Liang Ming coldly said to Song Mei:

"Now, you can get out of my house!"

Seeing Liang Ming's resolute attitude, Song Mei was utterly terrified.

She quickly grabbed Liang Ming's hand and said, "Liang Ming, I don't want you to buy my brother a radio anymore. Can we still have our wedding?"

"not good!"

Liang Ming shook off Song Mei's hand and kicked them out.

Seeing that there was no show to watch, the surrounding villagers all left.

However, the news of Liang Ming annuling the engagement spread throughout the surrounding villages in less than an afternoon.

……

Liang Ming works odd jobs in town.

He was delayed from working because Song Mei came to visit today.

He hasn't been there for half a day; the foreman has probably already given his work to someone else.

However, having been given a second chance at life, Liang Ming naturally wouldn't work for someone else again.

After leaving the courtyard, Liang Ming walked along the country lane.

Tall trees stood on both sides, and the smell of firecrackers could still be smelled in the air.

The village children, dressed in brand-new clothes and carrying firecrackers bought with their New Year's money, were setting off firecrackers everywhere to dry cow dung. Having just celebrated the New Year, they still had plenty of New Year's money in their hands, and even the small snacks they usually couldn't afford to buy at the village store were now a must-have for everyone.

Seeing this scene, Liang Ming became somewhat excited.

It is now the mid-80s. After the implementation of the household responsibility system, rural grain production has grown rapidly, and the country has experienced a surplus of grain for the first time.

In order to avoid the situation of "cheap grain hurting the people", farmers began to spontaneously adjust their livelihood structure based on land and started to go to the city to work.

In the same year, a researcher from the Kyoto Academy of Social Sciences published an article in the journal Sociology Newsletter, in which the term "migrant worker" was first mentioned and has been widely used ever since.

However, at that time, "migrant workers" were not a symbol of the lower class of society, but rather the first group of "gold diggers who came to the city".

Taking advantage of the reform and opening up policy, they quickly earned their first pot of gold. In addition, the migrant workers themselves have the characteristics of hard work and perseverance. By doing small businesses in the city, they quickly became rich.

As the old saying goes, "Standing at the forefront of reform and opening up, even pigs can fly."

Liang Ming doesn't plan to work for someone else; he intends to start his own business and run a small business.

"What should I sell?" Liang Ming wondered to himself.

Although the street vendor economy was just emerging in this era, the market share of various industries was still very large, and you could make money no matter what small business you did.

However, the upper limits differ across industries.

"It's so cold, I don't even want to cook at home."

“That won’t do. The men in the family have been working all day, so we need to make sure we have meat and oil available.”

Upon hearing what the two village women said, Liang Ming's eyes lit up, and he immediately thought of what he could sell at a stall.

That's selling braised duck at a street stall!

This business is definitely not something anyone is doing yet, and if no one is doing it, it means there is still a large market share.

He went to the town market and bought some braising spices.

Back home, Liang Ming slaughtered a duck in the yard, plucked its feathers, and then blanched it in boiling water.

Add red rice flour, soy sauce, salt, rock sugar, cinnamon, scallions, ginger, garlic, and other braising spices, and simmer over high heat.

An hour later, Liang Ming scooped out a braised duck with a reddish-brown and glossy appearance.

After taking the braised duck out, Liang Ming took a sieve and poured the braising liquid from the pot into another pot.

Then add soy sauce and sugar, bring to a boil over high heat, and finally add cornstarch slurry. Stir and cool before transferring to a bowl.

A pot of fragrant braising liquid is ready.

"It smells so good, big brother, what are you cooking?"

It was already evening when Liang Jing, the younger sister who was in her final year of high school, came home from school. After smelling the delicious aroma filling the house, she asked curiously.

Seeing his younger sister's innocent and naive face, Liang Ming was somewhat dazed.

In their previous life, after Liang Ming and Song Mei got married, their home was a bit crowded, but still big enough. However, Song Mei never liked her sister-in-law Liang Jing, who was good at studying.

To avoid putting her older brother in a difficult position, Liang Jing rarely went home after being admitted to university. She studied and worked part-time while studying.

My younger sister is the only college graduate in the family. In those days, that was a highly prestigious degree. Once she graduated, she was considered a high-ranking official by the villagers.

Unfortunately, she later met a scumbag and, without her family's approval, hastily married him. She even gave up the government job she was assigned to after graduating from university.

After marriage, her scumbag brother-in-law changed completely, often beating and scolding her, making her life miserable.

In this life, Liang Ming will never let his sister experience such a tragedy again.

"I'm making braised duck. I'm going to wash my hands. Then I'll stir-fry a dish, and we'll be able to eat soon."

Liang Ming said to his sister with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Liang Jing innocently exclaimed, "Braised duck? What kind of dish is that? It looks delicious!"

"Whether your brother can make money setting up a stall with the cooked food I developed depends on it," Liang Ming said.

"Wait a minute, could you get me the flavor?"

Liang Jing was surprised to hear that her older brother was going to set up a stall to sell braised duck.

Just as Liang Ming finished cooking and set up the table and benches in the yard, Liang's parents returned from work.

"Dad, Mom, you're back. Dinner is ready. Come sit down and eat."

Liang Ming smiled and said this when he saw his parents return.

Seeing Liang Ming's calm expression, as if he hadn't been affected at all, she breathed a sigh of relief.

On their way back, they also learned about their son's annulment of his engagement with Song Mei.

"Son, have you thought it through? Are you sure you don't want to marry Song Mei?"

At the dinner table, Liang Min, the father, took a puff of his pipe and asked with a serious expression.

His mother, Li Lan, and his sister, Liang Jing, who were standing to the side, also looked at him.

“Dad, I’ve made up my mind. Marrying a woman like that will only bring ruin to our family.”

Noticing the gazes of his family members, Liang Ming spoke with a serious expression.

"If I'm going to marry, I'll marry a gentle, virtuous, thrifty, and good wife!"

"Alright, then let Dad handle the cancellation of the banquet and the return of the betrothal gifts. You don't need to worry about it."

The father, Liang Min, was a decisive person. After seeing that his son had decided to call off the engagement, he immediately made the decision.

After saying that, he prepared to leave.

"Husband, where are you going?" Liang's mother, Li Lan, asked.

“Nothing should be left undone overnight. Since our son has decided to call off the engagement, let’s go get the marriage certificate and the betrothal gifts back today,” said Liang Min, the father.

"Isn't there a need to rush?" Liang's mother, Li Lan, asked hesitantly.

"We really need to get the marriage certificate and betrothal gifts back. Who knows what kind of trouble might arise after tomorrow?"

Liang Ming agreed with his father's words.

He remembered that in his previous life, the Song family spent most of the dowry they received from him not long after.