Back to 1993: The family splits up at the start, and the ingrates regret it so much they cry.

On Huanghe Road, there is a shop that makes stainless steel security windows and stair railings, called Changsheng Stainless Steel Complete Store.

Four workers were welding security windows, with a pile of finished products lying on the ground. The boss, Li Changsheng, had received a big project.

"Hello boss, I'd like to make a stainless steel food cart," Wang Peng said.

"What's a food truck?" Li Changsheng shook his head. "I've never made one."

"I brought the blueprints, I'll show you how to do it." Wang Peng took out the blueprints and explained them to him.

This is where the gas cylinders are kept, this is where the gas stove is kept, this is the vegetable rack, this is the money box...

He stayed up until 2 a.m. yesterday, meticulously drawing up blueprints based on the structure of the future food truck.

Li Changsheng was confused, but he laughed and said, "This cart is too troublesome. You can just use a handcart to sell food."

“A handcart won’t do,” Wang Peng said with a smile. “Boss, give me a price.”

Fried rice is a food product, and hygiene is very important, so he chose stainless steel that does not rust.

If you set up a food stall using a dirty bunk bed, people will lose their appetite as soon as they see the food stall, and it will be difficult to do business.

Li Changsheng took out paper and pen to calculate the cost of materials and labor.

A few minutes later, he said, "Two hundred yuan, I'll make it for you."

"Two hundred?" Li Fang exclaimed. "That's too expensive. I'll give you one hundred and fifty at most."

"Two hundred, no less," Li Changsheng boasted. "Young man, I'm the only one in the whole county who makes stainless steel."

"Two hundred it is, let's get started." Wang Peng accepted the offer.

Li Changsheng lit a cigarette and called over a young man, "Xiao Wu, you make it for him."

"Boss, am I capable?" Liu Xiaowu asked hesitantly, scratching his head.

He was just an apprentice; the masters were all welding security windows.

“Okay!” Li Changsheng pointed at Wang Peng, “This boss is an expert too, you two discuss it.”

Wang Peng had worked on construction sites for over ten years and had some knowledge of carpentry and welding.

He laughed and said, "Brother Wu, let's start cutting the materials. I'll tell you the dimensions."

A few minutes later, the noise of the cutting machine started.

Under Wang Peng's guidance, Liu Xiaowu quickly welded the frame and then welded stainless steel plates onto it.

Wang Peng told his cousin to wait there while he went for a stroll on the street.

I walked from south to north and found an advertising shop where I got the words "Golden Egg Fried Rice" printed on stickers.

I also saw a stainless steel shop, and sure enough, the owner, Li Changsheng, was bragging.

He continued wandering around, found a gas shop, rented a gas cylinder, and bought a gas stove.

Finally, I went to the People's Department Store, bought four small car wheels, and returned to Changsheng Stainless Steel Store.

Liu Xiaowu welded the wheels to the car, inserted the gas stove, and pasted on the advertising lettering. Mission accomplished.

"It's so beautiful!" Li Fang's eyes lit up. "Pengdi, you designed it so well."

"You give it a try," Wang Peng said.

Li Fang pulled the food cart around a few times, then gave her cousin a thumbs up, saying, "It's very light; I can pull it by myself."

"This is exactly the effect I wanted." Wang Peng was very satisfied.

Later, my older cousin would help him set up and close the stall, and he would be in charge of frying rice after school. He would then do business with the students.

He took out two hundred yuan and gave it to the boss, Li Changsheng, put the food cart design in his pocket, and prepared to pull the food cart away.

Just then, two women on bicycles passed by.

They saw Wang Peng's food cart, stopped a few meters away, and then returned to the food cart.

"Sister Hua, this car is nice."

"It's really good; the stainless steel looks very clean."

"Hey girl, can I try out the car?"

Li Fang looked at Wang Peng, and Wang Peng nodded.

The woman with the permed hair pulled the cart a few steps and exclaimed in surprise, "It's so light! Comrade, how much does it cost to ride this cart?"

“We’d like to make two too,” another woman laughed. “We sell mashed potatoes; we won’t steal your business.”

"Two hundred yuan a car," Li Changsheng hurriedly quoted.

He never expected that the welded food truck would be so beautiful and could attract new customers.

After discussing it, the woman with the perm said, "Make us two, exactly the same as this one."

“No problem.” Li Changsheng instructed Liu Xiaowu, “Don’t just stand there, hurry up and make the food cart for the eldest sister.”

"Uncle Changsheng," Liu Xiaowu said, his face flushed. "I... I didn't know what to do. He was the one who guided me just now."

Liu Xiaowu pointed at Wang Peng.

Wang Peng smiled slightly, waved goodbye.

"You're so stupid!" Li Changsheng cursed Liu Xiaowu, then grabbed Wang Peng's hand. "Brother, leave the blueprints to me."

"Don't joke around," Wang Peng refused outright.

She stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to draw the blueprints; how could she possibly give them away so easily?

"Boss, what's going on? Can you do it?" the woman with the permed hair asked Li Changsheng.

"Yes, we can make it. We'll make it for you soon." Li Changsheng pulled Wang Peng into the store.

He pulled out two hundred yuan from his pocket, his old face beaming with joy, "I'll give you the fare, and you give me the blueprints."

Wang Peng scratched his head, already satisfied; he had gotten a car for free.

At the same time, he had the means to become greedy and want more.

“My food truck design is sure to sell well; those two ladies outside have already proven it.”

"Boss, I'm the only one in the whole country who has the blueprints."

"Give me another five hundred yuan, and I'll transfer the patent for the blueprints to you."

Wang Peng demanded a higher price on the spot.

“Don’t joke around, bro.” Li Changsheng laughed in exasperation. “If I study it, I can design an exact replica of the food truck.”

"Yes, I believe you have the ability." Wang Peng refused the two hundred yuan and turned to leave.

“Brother,” Li Changsheng gritted his teeth, “I’ll give you another two hundred.”

There are two other stainless steel businesses in the county, and he was worried that Wang Peng would sell the blueprints to others.

He was confident he could develop the food truck, but he would also lose the two orders he had in the moment.

In business, generally speaking, the earlier you enter the industry, the more likely you are to gain a foothold in it.

"Deal." Wang Peng took out the blueprints from his pocket.

"Little brother!" Li Changsheng sighed helplessly and took out another two hundred yuan from his pocket. "You really have the makings of a businessman."

"Thank you for the compliment." Wang Peng handed him the blueprints and put the four hundred yuan in his pocket.

On his way home, he shared the story with his cousin.

"This?" Li Fang was stunned. "Boss Li gave away a food cart for free and then gave you two hundred yuan in return, just to buy your blueprints?"

Wang Peng chuckled, his face full of smugness.

"Pengdi, you're so smart, so...so amazing." Li Fang didn't know what to say.

The siblings chatted and laughed as they returned home, and then immediately went to the farmers' market.

The market is huge. During the planned economy era, this was the supply base for vegetables, fruits, meat, and grains for the entire county.

The two walked through the market and came to the rice and grain sales area.

"Hello comrade, how much is the rice?" Wang Peng pointed to the japonica rice in the bag.

"Do you have grain coupons?" the salesperson asked. "Without coupons, it's three cents a pound; with coupons, it's two cents."

Wang Peng didn't have any food coupons and was about to buy a bag when he suddenly remembered something important.

Grain coupons were a product of the planned economy. In the early days after the reform and opening up, the market economy and the planned economy coexisted, and grain coupons were still discount coupons for buying grain at grain stations.

It seems that this year, the government abolished various ration coupons, such as grain coupons and stamps.

With the coupons gone, food prices naturally skyrocketed.

This was the first time since the reform and opening up that food prices in China had skyrocketed.

Wang Peng left 200 yuan for tuition, 300 yuan for living expenses, and took out the remaining 900 yuan.

"Comrade, I want to buy three thousand catties of japonica rice."

Everyone was stunned by these words.

"Pengdi!" Li Fang hurriedly grabbed his hand. "Why are you buying so much rice? The rice shop isn't going anywhere."

Wang Peng laughed. The rice shop can't disappear, but the price of rice can.