Rebooting 60, let's go on a rampage with the orange cat!

Zhong Hanzhe only does his coal cinder business one day a week, and he earns nearly 180 yuan a month! He divides this money into two parts and deposits them in different banks. He only needs to pay the Yu family 30 jin of rice and 6 yuan for food each month, and that solves their problems with food and laundry! Occasionally, he'll go home and give his mother a yuan or two. Apart from a setback in Huai'an, he's quite satisfied with everything else!

Yu Liang was introduced to a girlfriend by a friend. When they were discussing marriage, the woman asked for a dowry of 200 yuan, as well as the "three turns and one sound" (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument), "four big items" (a set of four essential items for weddings), and the wedding would cost about 1,000 yuan. The family had only about 500 yuan left after taking out all their savings. The family was worried about their eldest son's wedding.

Back in March, for his son's bright future, Lao Yu bought him cigarettes and alcohol and asked Zhong Hanzhe to help his brother-in-law introduce Taozi to the housing management bureau as an apprentice. Moreover, because Zhong Hanzhe didn't charge him for repairing the leaks in his house and also helped facilitate Taozi's apprenticeship, he didn't start charging Taozi for meals until the third month!

Taozi and his brothers have a very good relationship. The second brother, Yu Zhong, even took out 100 yuan of his savings from work for his eldest brother.

Taozi also wanted to earn money, but the current apprenticeship salary was 17.84 yuan/month in the first year, 19.84 yuan/month in the second year, 21.84 yuan/month in the third year, and 36 yuan/month after completing the apprenticeship. Taozi worked for a few months. According to the agreement, the apprenticeship salary for the first three years would go to the master, and he would only start receiving a salary after completing the apprenticeship in the third year. He only learned half of the skills and was constantly being bossed around by his master, but he was still thinking about how to make money.

Just after finishing dinner that day, Zhong Hanzhe returned to his house, and Taozi followed him over, sat down in a chair, and said, "Brother Zhong, do you think you can make money doing leak repairs?"

Chung Han-cheol glanced at him and asked, "Are you doing it yourself or doing it for someone else?"

"Of course I want to do it myself. It would be great to get a few people to take on jobs together. Do you have any good ideas? You can guide me."

Zhong Hanzhe didn't tell him about the coal ash. He didn't want others to get involved and muddy the waters, so he shook his head and said, "You've only been learning for a few months and you already want to graduate? With this rudimentary skill, you probably can't work independently."

Taozi sighed and said, "I heard you only studied for a few months before going to school. It's infuriating to compare yourself to others... If you ask me, why don't we start a leak-proofing team together? With your skills, what's there to be afraid of? Although I haven't completed my apprenticeship, I'm not completely clueless. I'll definitely pick it up quickly by learning from you. My master is wary of me. He only makes me do the rough work, treating me like a laborer carrying heavy things. He tries to keep the technical knowledge from me. I really don't want to work for him anymore."

Seeing that Zhong Hanzhe remained silent, he continued, "Let's start a roof repair team together. I'll do whatever you say, okay? I'll do whatever you say."

Zhong Hanzhe secretly thought that if he could take down the smuggled team, the extra income wouldn't come with much risk of being caught. After all, this was making a living through technical skills, not speculation. If the coal slag business failed, this would be a viable alternative. Even if it didn't make money initially, he could at least get started. He just wouldn't have time during the school term, but he could manage during winter and summer vacations, though he still couldn't keep an eye on things full-time…

Taozi continued pleading, "Brother, can you give me a hand? I've investigated several neighborhoods around here, and roof repair work can really make money. Although spring, autumn, and winter are the busiest seasons for roof repairs, many families are also taking advantage of the good weather in summer to repair their roofs now that it's hot. What do you think if I get two of my apprentice friends to work with me? Wouldn't it be perfect for us to practice now? By the time autumn and winter come, we'll be more skilled and it'll be easier to find work."

Chung Han-cheol then asked, "Will your family agree? Let's discuss this with them first. I'm even staying at your place to eat."

"It's okay. I already told my dad. He said that as long as you agree, it's fine. His main concern is that my skills aren't good enough and I won't be able to stay in this position for long." Taozi said seriously, "Besides, I won't quit this apprenticeship. Anyway, I usually only work sporadically and no one cares. I can quit the apprenticeship once things are on track."

Zhong Hanzhe nodded and said, "Okay, but I don't have time. I'll take you to the building materials market tomorrow to get the prices of some materials and then we can make a plan together."

Zhong Hanzhe would provide the funding, Taozi would find jobs and organize the construction, Zhong Hanzhe would set the prices, supervise the work and finish the work. After each job was completed, Zhong Hanzhe would settle the accounts, and after deducting costs and wages, the two would split the profits 40/60, with Zhong Hanzhe taking 40% and Taozi 60%. They would try it out for a period of time before making a final decision.

Taozi was overjoyed, and the next day he and Zhong Hanzhe visited building materials markets and cooperatives. After comparing the materials, Zhong Hanzhe asked Taozi to write down the sales points, brands, and prices so that Taozi could make regular purchases and keep accurate records. They also agreed with the sellers that if a certain quantity was achieved within six months, a rebate would be given on the total price.

He asked Taozi to find two or three apprentices as backup personnel. These people could handle the simple tasks, while the complex processes would be left for Zhong Hanzhe to personally oversee on Sundays. After the summer vacation started, there would be more time, and Zhong Hanzhe would spend more time with the leak-proof team.

Business was slow at first. In the first few months, Zhong Hanzhe only received forty or fifty yuan, and Taozi received thirty-something yuan. This made the whole family very happy. Everything is difficult at the beginning, and it was already good to make money. There were many workers earning thirty-something yuan a month. This made the second son, Yu Zhong, eager to try it out. However, Zhong Hanzhe told him not to rush. He could learn in his spare time, and they could work together when the business expanded. When they needed to buy materials, Yu Zhong would help with the transportation. As business grew, they asked Taozi to negotiate a lower price and buy more materials, piling them up against the wall near the Yu family's house, since Aunt Yu was watching over them.

Zhong Hanzhe found another trustworthy brother to help transport coal slag. After reporting the amount to him, he only needed to go to the purchasing point in the afternoon to settle the account and pay the wages. He usually directed the unloading of the coal slag. Zhong Hanzhe did not neglect his studies and kept himself in the top 20 of his grade.

Zhong Hanzhe's goal was clear: Huai'an's matter couldn't be rushed. They were both still young; Huai'an was only nine. There was time to take it slow, but he needed to earn his first pot of gold for his future career. He felt Huai'an's current goal should be to go to university, so he would try his best to ensure Huai'an's studies didn't fall behind while earning money. He planned to cram for the high school entrance exam in his final year of junior high, hoping to attend the same high school as Huai'an, and later the same university, or at least in the same city…

During the summer vacation, while the sun was blazing outside, Shi's parents stayed indoors enjoying the air conditioning, eating watermelon, and watching TV dramas. Xiuzhi's medical check-up results also showed that the cancer cells were decreasing, making the whole family extremely happy.

Every day, Shi Huai'an makes her parents drink a glass of pure milk or make soy milk with a soy milk maker to supplement their nutrition. This time, Shi Huai'an decided to relax and bake an eight-inch chiffon cake herself. To avoid high sugar content, she specifically substituted half of the xylitol sweetener. After putting the cake batter in the oven, she went into her studio to focus on practicing acupuncture on the faceless puppet. She has now learned the 'Nine Needles for Resuscitation' and the 'Thirteen Needles of Ghosts,' which has further fueled her interest in learning.

Suddenly, the round, chubby orange cat Duoduo popped out of the studio and said to Huai'an, "Meow~ My cat squad found Li Huaiyuan being attacked in the alley next door. Do you need to go help?"

Upon hearing this, Huai'an immediately teleported out of the space, and Duoduo followed with a meow. Shi's parents were watching a TV series, laughing and wiping away tears intermittently, oblivious to everything else.

The summer sun was blazing, the heatwave radiating outwards, as if trying to melt the entire world. As Shi Huai'an approached the alley entrance, her keen hearing allowed her to hear the sounds of several people fighting.

Just as she was about to rush over, she suddenly saw an old man swaying beside her, his face flushed, leaning against the wall as if he was about to faint.

Huai'an quickly went over to check on the situation. The old man was clearly suffering from heatstroke and was somewhat delirious. She quickly helped him sit down on the ground, decisively inserted a silver needle into his philtrum, and then inserted several needles into acupoints on his hands, performing bloodletting. Only after the old man slowly regained consciousness did she remove the silver needles. Huai'an was now learning a faster acupuncture method that did not leave the needles in place.

Huai'an then took out some Huoxiang Zhengqi pills and a small water bottle and fed them to him. To avoid suspicion, she always carried a small backpack when she went out, so that no one would suspect anything if she took something out of the bag (actually, she took something from her spatial storage).

The old man slowly opened his eyes and thanked her, saying, "Thank you, I'm alright... What's your name...?"

Huai'an helped him to a shady spot to sit down. Still worried about Li Huaiyuan's safety, she quickly checked his pulse and said, "It's alright. My name is An'an. You'll be fine after resting for a bit. I have to go now."

With that, she hurriedly got up and ran into the alley like a gust of wind, leaving the old man sitting there in a daze, staring at her hurried figure, muttering to himself, "I never expected that a little child would save me, she's really something..."

As Huai'an ran, a 'ding' sounded in her mind, and the system automatically deducted the points she owed: she still owed 5200 points. She was already used to this and was not surprised.

When she ran to the scene of the fight, she saw a big boy rolling on the ground in the alley, hugging his knees and groaning. There were broken bricks scattered around him. Li Huaiyuan was huddled in the corner, picking up a broken brick and staring at the other two pairs of people fighting. There was also a popsicle melting on the ground.

Dodo the orange cat and several stray cats were peeking out from a distant rooftop, watching the fight unfold.

When Shi Huai'an saw Zhong Hanzhe and Taozi fighting with two young men, she felt something was off. Just as she was hesitating whether to step forward, Li Huaiyuan saw her and called out, "Huai'an, hurry up and leave! Fighting here is dangerous. Girls should leave."

Zhong Hanzhe was agile and decisive, quickly knocking the young man to the ground. Just as he was about to help Taozi, the young man on the ground got up, now holding a dagger.

In the sunlight, he gripped a gleaming dagger and thrust it toward Zhong Hanzhe's shoulder. Huai'an, seeing this, had no time to hesitate and leaped forward, kicking the young man's wrist. The fierce attack caught the young man off guard, and he instantly fell to the ground.

He groaned in pain while clutching his aching wrist, staring at Huai'an in surprise. Then he called to the other two, "There are too many of them, let's go!" He ran towards the alley fork in the road. The other young man, not daring to linger, shouted to Taozi, "Stop fighting, stop fighting..." He then helped the big boy up from the ground and ran away.

Taozi kicked him in the butt and threatened, "Damn it, if we meet again, I'll break your legs." The young man almost fell, but dared not fight back. The two helped each other walk away, limping.

Seeing that the perpetrators had already fled, the crowd did not give chase. At this moment, Zhong Hanzhe turned to look at Shi Huai'an beside him, his eyes filled with surprise and admiration. He had never expected that Shi Huai'an, who usually appeared so refined and gentle, would possess such agile skills.

Immediately afterward, Zhong Hanzhe turned his concerned gaze to Li Huaiyuan, who was standing to the side, and hurriedly asked, "Brother, are you alright?"

A few purplish bruises were noticeably visible near Li Huaiyuan's eye. His once fair face now bore a clear handprint, making him appear pitiful. Li Huaiyuan gently stroked his cheek, and said to Zhong Hanzhe and Taozi with a hint of shyness, "I am truly grateful for your help, otherwise I would have suffered a great loss today."

Shi Huai'an frowned slightly and asked, "Who exactly are these guys? Have you seen them before?" Li Huaiyuan angrily threw the brick he was holding to the ground and replied indignantly, "To be honest, I don't really know where these people come from. I just came out to buy an ice pop to share with you, but who would have thought that these three bastards would suddenly appear. They blocked my way as soon as they came up and demanded money from me as a bribe. I didn't have any extra money on me, and they started fighting without saying a word. However, during the fight, I vaguely felt that one of them looked familiar. After thinking about it carefully, I realized that he looked like my classmate's older brother. I guess it's because I had a fight with his younger brother last time, so he's looking for an opportunity to get revenge on me. Luckily, I ran into two righteous brothers who stepped in, otherwise I don't know what I would have done."

After saying this, Li Huaiyuan bowed deeply to Zhong Hanzhe and the other man again and said sincerely, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are simply chivalrous heroes. From now on, I am willing to acknowledge you as my elder brothers. If there is anything I can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask!"

Shi Huai'an couldn't help but feel a toothache. This fool, calling himself the "big brother," where did he learn all this江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) nonsense from...

Taozi laughed and said, "Hahaha... Little brat, you even recognize an older brother? If it weren't for Brother Zhong saving you today, I wouldn't have had the time to bother with your business. But if you knew that you knew Huai'an, I would definitely have helped you. We live in the same compound as Huai'an."

Li Huai'an hurriedly thanked Zhong Hanzhe repeatedly, and Zhong Hanzhe smiled and said, "It's nothing, a small matter. I live next door to Huai'an. I saw you looking for Huai'an before, so I helped you just now. If these people cause you trouble again, just ask me to help you take care of them."

Huai'an said to Li Huaiyuan, "Be careful in the future. I still have to go home to do my homework. You haven't gone home to do your homework either, have you?"

Li Huaiyuan asked curiously, "Why are you here? I was just about to come find you to play."

Huai'an casually replied, "I ran into him while I was out buying a pen."

Taozi said, "Let's go back together, it's so hot today." As he spoke, he pulled Zhong Hanzhe away. Zhong Hanzhe had finally encountered such a good opportunity to curry favor with Huai'an, so he certainly didn't want to leave like this. He said to Huai'an and Li Huaiyuan, "It's okay, it's okay, come on, I'll go buy you popsicles to calm your nerves."

Upon hearing this, Taozi happily said, "I'll go, I'll go! You all come over, it's my treat, he'll pay."

Zhong Hanzhe immediately took out 50 cents from his pocket and gave it to Taozi, saying, "Buy the best ice cream."

Taozi chuckled and said, "I understand." Then he dashed off towards the alley entrance. Li Huaiyuan scratched the back of his head and said to Zhong Hanzhe embarrassedly, "Brother Zhong, you're such a nice guy."