Reborn in 2005, starting with repairing mobile phones

He glanced at his son.

"What are you going to Shenzhen for?"

The father spoke, his tone calm and even, "Your mother and I have lived here for decades, and we know all the neighbors. Going to Shenzhen, we'd be unfamiliar with the place and even going out to buy groceries would be a hassle."

The mother then came to her senses and quickly waved her hand, saying, "No, no, your father and I are doing just fine here. You go and study, take care of your business, don't worry about us. We're both healthy and can take care of ourselves."

"But..." Lin Dong wanted to say more.

"There's no 'but' about it."

His father interrupted him, his voice low but firm, "You have your own things to do, and we have our own lives. Taking care of your own affairs is the greatest act of filial piety."

He paused, then added, "Spend money where it's necessary, and don't waste it on unnecessary things. As for the house... we'll talk about it later."

Having said all that, Lin Dong knew he couldn't persuade him otherwise.

Parents have their own ingrained way of life and stubborn pride, which money can't change immediately.

He paused for a few seconds, then nodded: "Okay. Take good care of yourselves at home, and call me anytime if anything happens. I'll settle in Shenzhen and then pick you up."

"Okay, sure."

The mother smiled, as if she had breathed a sigh of relief, "You need to be careful over there, take good care of yourself, and eat on time."

The next morning, Lin Dong went out with his bag on his back.

His parents escorted him downstairs.

"I'm leaving." Lin Dong waved his hand.

"Drive carefully," the mother instructed.

"Hmm." The father nodded and stood next to the mother without saying anything more.

After he finished speaking, he didn't linger any longer, afraid that if he looked at his mother's reddened eyes any longer, he would soften his heart.

He turned around, waved goodbye to his parents with his back to them, and then strode towards the alley entrance with his luggage.

The morning breeze was cool and brushed against my face.

When he reached the old banyan tree at the alley entrance, he subconsciously stopped and couldn't help but look back.

My parents were still standing in the hazy morning light at the entrance of the building, their figures outlined in gentle contours, and my mother was wiping the corner of her eye.

This scene, like a warm stamp, was deeply imprinted on his heart.

He took a deep breath, as if to inhale this concern and strength into his lungs, turning it into fuel for his journey.

Just then, my phone vibrated slightly in my pocket.

He took it out and saw that the screen was lit up with an unread message from Uncle Cai.

Mr. Lin, Ah Hao and I are near the Miancheng bus station. Where are you? We'll come pick you up.

Lin Dong dialed the number directly.

"Hey, Uncle Cai. What are you doing in Miancheng?" Lin Dong asked.

Immediately, Uncle Cai's warm and respectful voice came from the other end of the phone: "Oh, Boss Lin! How could we let you squeeze onto that bus again! Ah Hao and I discussed it, and we absolutely had to come and pick you up! Where are you now? We're coming right away."

"I'm next to the station, by the old banyan tree," Lin Dong told him his location.

"Okay! Please wait a few minutes, I'll be right there!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin Dong picked up his luggage and walked to the iconic old banyan tree to wait.

The station was bustling with people in the early morning, mostly travelers carrying large bags and looking hurried. Occasionally, motorcycles and tricycles would honk their horns and drive by, and the air was filled with the smells of dust, gasoline, and breakfast stalls.

Amidst this familiar, bustling city, a completely different scene slowly cuts in.

A brand-new Mercedes-Benz, its paint so black it reflected a person's image, smoothly drove over the bumpy road and silently came to a stop beside the banyan tree.

In 2005, the appearance of this car on the streets of Cotton City was like a black diamond rolling into a pile of gravel, instantly attracting the attention of all passersby.

"Wow! A Mercedes!" a young man waiting for the bus couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.

"Whose car is this? Is it here to pick someone up from the station?" The middle-aged woman next to her craned her neck.

"Looks impressive..."

The car door opened, and Uncle Cai got out first.

He was wearing a high-quality polo shirt, his belly was sticking out, and his face showed the shrewdness he had gained from years of experience in the underworld, but at this moment it all turned into an eager smile after finding his target.

Immediately after, Zheng Hao got out of the driver's seat. He had changed into a clean and neat jacket, his hair was combed neatly, and his eyes were sharp and steady. He was no longer the down-on-his-luck repairman who was bullied in the alley.

As soon as the two got out of the car, their eyes were fixed on Lin Dong under the banyan tree, and they walked over quickly.

Just then, an uncertain, raised voice rang out from the crowd:

"Huh?! Isn't that... isn't that Lin Guodong's Ah Dong from the end of the alley?"

This statement was like a pebble thrown into a pond, creating even bigger ripples.

Several pairs of eyes suddenly shifted from the Mercedes to Lin Dong, filled with incredulous scrutiny.

"Lin Guodong? That guy who used to be drowning in debt?"

"It really is Ah Dong! My son is in the same class as him!"

"My God... Is this Mercedes here to pick him up? Is he the boss?"

"Wow! In just a few months, he's already made such a fortune in Shenzhen?"

"Look at them, and then look at our own good-for-nothing son... The Lin family has finally turned their lives around!"

These hushed yet incredibly clear discussions, mixed with envy, amazement, and a hint of sourness, drifted into Lin Dong's ears.

He could feel those gazes, like spotlights shining on him.

In his past life, he and his parents walked with their heads down for over a decade under such gazes; in this life, the meaning behind those gazes has been completely reversed.

"Boss Lin! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!" Uncle Cai jogged forward, his smile incredibly warm, and took the luggage from Lin Dong's hands without saying a word, his movements natural.

Zheng Hao followed closely behind, stood ramrod straight, and shouted loudly, "Brother Dong!" His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and respect.

He stepped forward and opened the heavy rear door of the Mercedes for Lin Dong, carefully placing his hand on the top of the door frame to protect it.

Lin Dong remained calm, as if the intense gazes and whispers around him did not exist.

He simply nodded to Zheng Hao, glanced at the black Mercedes gleaming in the morning light, and then calmly bent down and got into the car.

The soft, enveloping feel of the genuine leather seats and the subtle, premium new car smell instantly shut out the noise and dust from the outside world.

Uncle Cai quickly put away his luggage and got into the passenger seat.

Zheng Hao closed the car door, returned to the driver's seat, and firmly gripped the steering wheel with both hands.

The car started smoothly and slowly drove away from the roadside.

Through the tinted car window, Lin Dong could still see the neighbors under the old banyan tree, craning their necks to look at the back of the car, pointing and whispering. Their expressions appeared somewhat blurry and distant through the car window filter.

The car merged into the main road and accelerated.

The streetscape of Cotton City rushed past the window.

Uncle Cai turned halfway around, his tone full of excitement and inquiry: "Boss Lin, are we heading straight to Shenzhen? Or do you have other plans? Ah Hao is a steady driver, so you can rest assured!"

Zheng Hao gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, staring straight ahead, his back ramrod straight, as if he were carrying out an incredibly sacred mission.

Lin Dong leaned back in the spacious and comfortable back seat, watching the scenery rushing past the window.

The last time I went south, I was alone, carrying a heavy burden, and was on a bumpy ride in a dilapidated bus heading towards a life-or-death struggle.

This time, heading south, they were accompanied by their right-hand men and a large entourage, embarking on a determined conquest amidst the quiet of their speeding journey.