Reborn in 2005, starting with repairing mobile phones

"Mr. Lin, if you truly have the guts, if you're truly confident in this bet—" he lowered his voice, carrying an imposing air of cornering someone, "we'll shorten the cycle! One year!"

He extended his index finger and tapped it heavily on the table:

"The remaining eight million will be paid off in twelve monthly installments! If you are late for any installment by more than thirty days within a year—"

He repeated Lin Dong's words:

"The two million down payment is mine! I'm taking the house back! We're even!"

After saying that, he stared intently at Lin Dong, his eyes filled with provocation and pressure.

The private room fell completely silent. Only the faint sound of traffic outside the window and the soft hissing of the kettle on the tea table could be heard.

For the first time, a noticeable change appeared on Lin Dong's calm face.

His brows furrowed tightly, his lips pursed slightly, and his fingers tapped unconsciously on the smooth tabletop, the rhythm somewhat disordered. He even turned his head slightly to glance at Uncle Cai beside him.

Uncle Cai showed a worrying, hesitant expression at just the right moment. His lips moved as if he wanted to offer some advice, but he was stopped by a subtle look from Lin Dong.

Those few seconds of silence seemed to be the best proof for Mr. Li.

Look, he hesitated! He was scared! He was frightened by the harsh condition of shortening the deadline to one year! Sure enough, young people are just young people. They made a boast in a moment of impulse, but when it came to actually facing the challenge, they showed their cowardice!

The last vestige of doubt in Mr. Li's heart was completely crushed in the silence. He even felt a sense of relief and pleasure, as if victory was already in his grasp. This young man was nothing more than another self-righteous gambler.

Finally, as if after a fierce internal struggle, Lin Dong took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked at President Li again.

The calm and certainty of the past were gone from those eyes; instead, there was a kind of "ruthlessness" and "endurance" that came from being forced to the edge of a cliff and having no choice but to take a desperate gamble.

His voice was slightly strained, with a sense of desperate determination.

"Fine! Mr. Li, you're ruthless! One year... just one year!"

A flicker of barely suppressed joy finally appeared in Mr. Li's eyes.

"However!" Lin Dong immediately followed, his tone urgent, as if trying to grasp at the last bit of assurance, "Since I've taken such a huge risk, the conditions must be stated firmly and irrevocably!"

He held up one finger and spoke faster:

"First, the total price is ten million, that's the final price, no more than that!"

"Secondly, I will pay the down payment of two million on the spot when the contract is signed! But for the transfer of property rights, you must use all your connections to process it as quickly as possible!"

"One week, at most one week, I need to see the property certificate with my name on it! All taxes and procedures must be handled according to the rules, but the process must be smooth, and you must cooperate fully!"

Seeing Lin Dong's "gritting his teeth and going for it" and "eager for security" demeanor, President Li was secretly overjoyed. This was clearly a sign of lacking confidence but trying to put on a brave face! He could almost see the two million beckoning to him.

"Hahaha!" Mr. Li finally stopped hiding his laughter and burst into hearty laughter, leaning back in his chair in a victor's pose. "Mr. Lin! That's great! I love dealing with young people with such boldness!"

He waved his hand grandly, displaying boundless pride:

"No problem! We'll do it your way! The price remains the same, not a penny more! Leave the paperwork to me. I have some connections at the Land and Resources Bureau, so I guarantee I'll get it done perfectly for you as quickly as possible, and you'll have the property certificate in your hands!"

He felt that he had not only made a good deal, but also fought a brilliant psychological battle and won a great victory.

Lin Dong slowly stood up and extended his hand.

The two men clasped hands. Mr. Li's smile was genuine and warm, the joy of having struck gold and having everything under control.

Lin Dong smiled too.

But those eyes were calm and unfathomable, as if all the hesitation, clenching of teeth, and forcing himself to endure were just a thin mist that dissipated with the wind.

The aroma of tea still lingers.

The agreement was finalized on the spot.

On the way back in the Mercedes, Uncle Cai finally couldn't hold back any longer, his voice trembling with excitement: "Boss Lin, your move was absolutely brilliant!"

He counted on his fingers, speaking so fast it was almost explosive: "Ten million! Futian Central District! An entire floor! We...we only put down two million as a down payment! This...this is like getting something for nothing...no, this is practically turning lead into gold!"

That old fox Li Dechang is probably still gloating in the teahouse, thinking he's gotten a huge bargain! He has no idea that the contract he signed was essentially lending us the goose that lays the golden eggs!

Ah Hao, who was driving in the front seat, kept his eyes on the road ahead, but his hands on the steering wheel tightened involuntarily, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch upwards on his resolute profile.

He didn't understand much about business calculations, but he understood the courage and power behind "leveraging two million to turn ten million into ten million." In the rearview mirror, he quickly glanced at the young figure in the back seat who was resting with his eyes closed, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

Lin Dong leaned back in the leather seat in the back, his eyes closed, as if the thrilling game he had just played was just a midday nap.

Only after Uncle Cai's excitement subsided slightly did he slowly speak: "Take 300 million from the account, 200 million for the down payment, and use the remaining 100 million for simple renovations and company registration. You start making the moves tomorrow."

"Understood!" Uncle Cai nodded vigorously, then remembered the important matter and lowered his voice, "By the way, we have news about those people you asked me to investigate."

Lin Dong opened his eyes.

"Zhang Mingyuan. Confirmed to be working at 'Yongxin Electronics Factory' in Guanlan, doing production line technical maintenance. He owes 'Xinda Finance' money, 85,000 yuan in principal, which has been delayed for almost half a year, with interest compounding... now it's probably close to 90,000 yuan."

The people from Xinda have been loitering around the factory these past few days, keeping a close watch. It seems they're planning to take a hard line. Zhang Mingyuan probably won't even dare to leave the factory gates easily.

"Zhou Chengyu. A top student in the key laboratory for microelectronics at Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen campus. His technical skills are truly solid, but he's too straightforward and inflexible."

He had a core research paper that his supervisor was holding back, insisting he add the name of someone with connections before publishing it. He refused, and now he's completely fallen out with his supervisor, practically isolated in the lab, spending all his time in front of the instruments and not going anywhere else.

Uncle Cai speaks very quickly and provides accurate information.

The information is concise, yet it directly addresses the core issues: one person's desperate situation and another's frustration. Both of these can be exploited, or rather, can be "saved."

Lin Dong listened without any hesitation.

"Tomorrow." His voice was calm, yet carried a resolute force. "Uncle Cai, make an appointment with the person in charge at Xinda Finance who can make the final decision, and bring cash. Ah Hao, drive."

"Let's go to Guanlan first."

The night view of Futian outside the car window rushed past, the lights outlining the silhouette of this city of the future. Lin Dong's gaze, however, had already passed over this bustling area and was now fixed on the chaotic land beyond the city gates.

The debt will be settled tomorrow.

The person will be taken away tomorrow.