Returning to '97, creating a new life

New Year.

Business is open.

The number of DVDs available for rent was only about a hundred, which was not enough to cover all the films. Xu Kai first selected Hong Kong and Taiwan movies, even old films from a few years ago, which many people in Northeast China had not seen. The appeal of Hong Kong and Taiwan stars was something that mainland stars did not have at the moment.

In terms of discerning taste, Xu Kai absolutely surpasses his contemporaries. He has two channels: for those rare and exclusive items, there aren't many choices, and any new one is a treasure. For regular DVDs, when budgets are limited, choosing popular and trending titles requires a keen eye.

Xu Kai has appeared in at least two of the same shows, including those starring Stephen Chow, Jackie Chan, and the Four Heavenly Kings, and even three of the most popular ones.

Only a few TV series were selected because the cost was too high.

When it comes to foreign films, Xu Kai chooses action movies and comedies, especially the former, which involve fighting from beginning to end, with various car chases and explosions, and is very popular in Northeast China right now.

Basically, if you rent a disc to an individual, you can recoup the cost in three or four rentals, and the rest is profit.

If you play it in your own store...

The level of popularity exceeded Xu Kai's expectations. He had thought that with so many video arcades before the war, his place would have to rely entirely on special films to keep the atmosphere lively.

Little did they know they were completely wrong; even the pricing was revised twice within three days under Song Jun's urging.

I was planning to show you three videos during the day for two yuan.

The large room could seat more than 20 people, and the small room could seat seven or eight people. However, once it opened, Song Jun and his circle of friends promoted it, and the students' spending power exceeded expectations. The number of people watching in the room could not be counted by the number of seats. Two or three people were squeezed onto a wooden sofa.

In video arcades, people just watch whatever they have on display. Here, we can request what we want to watch. Just shout it out to Brother Song. How awesome is that?

There's no sense of unfamiliarity or fear in this unfamiliar environment, and we won't be crammed together with a bunch of men; this is our place.

The excuse of "grand opening promotion" is over; the price has been changed to three dollars.

Later, Brother Song had to clasp his hands in greeting to everyone. There were too many people, and we were all friends, so please be understanding. It would cost one yuan per person to watch a movie. In a few days, when there were fewer people, we would all be brothers, and it wouldn't be a problem to watch a little longer and pay less.

Poor environment?

Nobody complained about that one. Besides, what was wrong with the environment? It had a 25-inch color TV and comfortable seats. Back then, the old, run-down video arcades in front of the train station still had long benches.

Song Jun wanted to raise prices, but Xu Kai stopped him. They were doing business with acquaintances, and since it was a holiday, it was impossible for the place to be packed every day. However, it was still necessary to give everyone a little incentive.

After whispering in someone's ear, the next day, Song Jun brought a group of students from a financial vocational school. His mysterious smile and the film "When Peach Ripens" instantly made the place a legend.

"This is nothing. If you want something better, we have plenty. Come over tonight."

Xu Kai didn't join in the fun much, nor did he intend to use the place to make more friends with young people. He fully satisfied Song Jun's boss-like attitude and avoided making him overthink things.

This business doesn't sound good to outsiders. He doesn't want to be too involved with this place, and he doesn't want more people to tie him to it.

During holidays, I would come by in the morning to check accounts, collect money, and deposit money. Each time, I would leave Song Jun an extra ten or eight yuan outside the accounts so he could buy a pack of cigarettes. I knew in my heart that when I wasn't around, Song Jun would inevitably slip some extra money into my pocket every day.

Business was good, so Xu Kai chose to play dumb. He believed that if the water was too clear, there would be no fish. He wanted Song Jun to earn more money so that he would pay more attention.

Xu Kai didn't want to consider the greed in human nature, nor was he too lazy to consider it. With business so good, it wouldn't be long before Song Jun would feel uneasy, thinking that he was doing more work for less pay, and might even have the idea that he could do this business himself.

By then, he wouldn't think about Xu Dalong's role, nor would he think about his own investment, nor would he appreciate his partner's eye for good DVDs. All of that combined wouldn't be as valuable as his presence and management of the business.

"call."

For the time being, Xu Kai has no good way to curb the expansion of his ambition and greed.

The winter sun felt warm on their skin. Inside the coffee shop, Xu Kai and Yun Shang sat on the edge of the bed, basking in the sun and drinking coffee.

The reborn personality from Xu Kai makes their interaction completely different from that of ordinary students. They rarely stroll around, as Yun Shang is not short of money, and Xu Kai's empty pockets are now full again, allowing them to enter various situations without any pressure.

"What's wrong?"

Xu Kai didn't hide anything from her and expressed his concerns: "For the first time, I feel that having too much business isn't necessarily a good thing."

Yunshang's eyes darted around, and she grinned mischievously: "Then play the bad guy. When things get too out of control, arrest a bunch of them, and then you can arrange for someone to bring them out so they know it's okay, this business can't be done anyway."

Xu Kai looked up at the other person and said with a wry smile, "Are you blaming me?"

Yunshang pouted and snorted, "Who told you not to come to me when you needed something? You're so subservient, acting like a grandson to others, trying to find connections. Are you that proud? Or do you think using my family's connections will make you inferior?"

"Not really. It's just that I feel it's good to gain more experience when you're young. The network you build yourself is easier to use and more solid, giving you more options in the future. Right now, these are all small-scale operations, just because I don't have the capital. Sometimes I'm even embarrassed to go. The money I earn here is nowhere near as secure as setting up a stall."

"Oh, when did our Boss Xu ever have this kind of moral compass?"

Yunshang extended her index finger and tapped Xu Kai's forehead. In the primitive era, people believed that no matter how you started, as long as you got started, it was fine. Whether a cat is black or white, you had to catch mice first.

Therefore, neither Yunshang nor anyone else felt there was anything wrong with Xu Kai's business arrangement. Earning money through one's own abilities is acceptable as long as there are no explicit rules against it. Even if it is against the rules, many people are reluctant to give up the wealth they have accumulated quickly and instead secretly work for a few more years. For example, the gambling machines in arcades are much more profitable than regular arcade machines. They would rather close the arcade doors and not operate, only serving regular customers through the back door.

"Let's wait and see. Once things start to look promising, I'll discuss it with that Uncle Xu."

Faced with Xu Kai's opinionated attitude, Yunshang simply shrugged, indicating that it was up to him and that he could speak up if needed.

Her eyes darted around; after all, they had had some relatively intimate contact, and she hadn't noticed that Xu Kai had unbuttoned the back of her shirt. Although it only happened once, it made their relationship much closer, and when they were alone, there were fewer taboos about certain topics.

"Aren't you embarrassed to have so many men gathered together watching porn at night?"

Just as boys are curious about girls, girls are also curious about boys.

Yunshang had experienced the physiological changes in Xu Kai's body and was very curious about how a group of men could sit there and watch in such a place.

"I have a latch on the inside of my toilet door, and I also have some good quality toilet paper on hand. Damn, I need several rolls every day."

One sentence made Yunshang's face turn red instantly, but the humor was so bad that she couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't control herself and could only lower her head and lie on the table, trying to suppress her laughter.

Xu Kai sighed and said seriously, "We must effectively manage this; I'm doing this for everyone's health."

Yunshang couldn't stop laughing. Under the table, her two little feet kept kicking Xu Kai's calves. "Stop teasing me, or I won't be able to stop."

"I'll find you two with good storylines sometime."

Yunshang raised her head, her eyes darting around. This level of activity posed no challenge for her, and she certainly wouldn't act coy or resistant.

"Don't go for anything random. I heard that the third one over there is pretty. Something like that will do. Those girls don't have such heavy tastes."

Xu Kai casually remarked, "A contestant who has the desire to steal but not the courage."

Yunshang glared, fully understanding what he meant, and gritted her teeth: "Xu Kai, I dare, but do you dare?"

Xu Kai: "I wouldn't dare, I'm afraid your brother will kill me."

Yunshang didn't believe his nonsense. This bastard always took an inch and then a mile. If she gave him a little chance, he would definitely take her straight to a hotel.

………………

However, within seven days, Xu Kai delivered money to Xu Dalong. Because of Xu Dalong's previous caution and evasiveness, Xu Kai carried some fruit and went directly to Xu Dalong's house, placing the envelope containing the money inside the fruit and handing it to Xu Dalong's wife.

Five hundred yuan.

This is quite a lot, enough to make Xu Dalong's wife very happy. In this era, there is not much fear or anxiety about the conversion rate. The conversion rate generated by Xu Kai in this way can make the couple mainly happy.

After all, this is just a small amount of help that won't make them feel guilty about their profession. Many people are doing it, and even if problems arise in the end, they will be within a controllable and acceptable range.

Confident in making money, Xu Dalong, during a break, dressed casually, took a look at this "underground video arcade".

"Little Song, be careful. There are too many monsters and demons around; it's not a good thing."

Standing at the garage entrance, Xu Dalong took the cigarette from Song Jun and lit it. He glanced at the bustling crowd coming and going. Fortunately, there was an arcade nearby, and the locals were already used to this kind of lively scene.

Xu Kai didn't need any reminders; Xu Dalong knew perfectly well that while he needed to accept the mischievousness of the mischievous boy, he also needed to be careful to control him. He had already investigated who Song Jun was and whether he could behave himself. Xu Dalong also had his own considerations.

Seeing the potential profits from this small business, he became even more dedicated and began to mentor Song Jun. While Song Jun might be an unstable factor in front of Xu Kai, he could be easily manipulated by Xu Dalong. Even without open suppression, any one of the underworld figures Xu Dalong knew could make Song Jun smile obsequiously and feel terrified.

"Uncle Long, don't worry, I promise I won't let these kids cause any trouble."

The two were only twelve or thirteen years apart in age, but Xu Dalong simply nodded in acceptance when Song Jun addressed him as "Uncle Long."

"If anything happens, just page me, or you can go directly to Da Liangzi and I'll tell him. You know where to find him, right?"

"I know, I know. Don't worry, Uncle Long, I guarantee there won't be any problems here."

Da Liangzi, a true江湖人士 (jianghu figure) who frequents the neighborhood, is incredibly powerful in front of Song Jun and his fellow unemployed vagrants and petty thugs.

"Sis, this is a pig that your sister-in-law's family slaughtered for the New Year. I brought some for you and Xiao Kai to try."

Xu Dalong visited Xu Kai's home, bringing ten jin of local pork. Sun Xiuyun was puzzled, but Xu Kai gladly accepted. After sitting for a while, Xu Dalong took his leave.

Xu Kai saw him to the door, and Xu Dalong casually remarked something. The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

"I gave that kid a few pointers. You either crush him and make sure he doesn't cause trouble later, or when things are about right, I'll let you know and give him the business."

"I know, Uncle."