Chapter 10: 10

The glass counter with the MP3 players was the focal point of the shop. It was like the little cube-shaped boxes were beckoning Jiang Xiao from the future.

As he took a closer look, it evoked a lot of memories. MP3 technology was developed abroad but it wasn’t too complex. At the end of 2002, domestic MP3 players had been out for a while. The smaller size and greater convenience were key. But right now they weren’t cheap. The domestic price was seven or eight hundred yuan. Foreign brands sold for four digits.

But this was just a snapshot. Technology would develop at a rapid pace in the future

Many well-known smartphone manufacturers from later years made MP3 players. Jiang Xiao saw the predecessors of what eventually would become famous brands. Because the technology wasn’t difficult and the devices were well-received, they would spread over the next few years. After small manufacturers mastered the technology and the MP4 format became more functional, there would be a wave of big price reductions around 2006. You could buy a low-end music player for just a few dozen yuan. But right now in Houlin, this was cutting edge.

Jiang Xiao counted the money he had on hand. Not enough. After the initial surprise, he wasn’t in a hurry to buy. The price was still too high. He would only be able to buy three or four at most, and there was no way to lower the price. More importantly, the players would be almost impossible to sell to students in Houlin. He wouldn’t be able to find buyers for something that cost hundreds of yuan.

“I’ll come back during winter break,” Jiang Xiao said. “Keep an eye on it for me.”

By then he would have made a few more trips to Liujiang, so he should have more money. And right now the domestic MP3 market was fighting a price war. He vaguely remembered that at the end of this year a factory would launch a 499 yuan MP3 player, which would be regarded as the king of cost performance. In his last life, Jiang Xiao bought one in the first semester of his second year in senior high. By that point, MP3 was no longer a new thing in Houlin.

The development of technology was rapid. If Jiang Xiao hit just the right time window, students on winter vacation would get their New Years’ money, and people would be more relaxed about spending. But digital devices got stale quickly. If the unit price was too high, Jiang Xiao wouldn’t be able to afford it.

With two heavy bags of goods he went back to the motel to find Ye Bing. He’d been racing against the clock as he bargained down prices. When he put down his things he noticed he was hungry. The truck was already loaded and parked not far from the hotel. Ye Bing had to drive a long distance, and he’d already fallen asleep, so Jiang Xiao gingerly slipped out to grab a late night snack.

There was a snack bar not far away. Jiang Xiao ordered the cheapest bowl of noodles. He lowered his head and ate the bowl clean. The light was better under the streetlight. His face was clearly exposed.

Jiang Xiao started to get a strange feeling while he ate the noodles. It felt like someone was sizing him up. He glanced around unobtrusively and noticed a table of people sitting diagonally across the way. Several of them looked at him from time to time, then quickly avoided his eyes, whispering to each other.

Jiang Xiao was instantly on the alert.

It was late at night. He was young and probably looked easy to bully. He didn’t want any trouble when he left, so he waited as one of the people at the table stood up and went to the checkout. He took advantage of the distraction, sprang to his feet, and ran.

For a moment the people at the table were stunned. Then they all stood up and chased him.

Jiang Xiao saw the situation and ran as fast as a rabbit. There was a voice behind him: “Don’t run!”

Only a fool wouldn’t run! Who knew what the hell they wanted?

Jiang Xiao ran into the alley, made seven or eight turns to throw them off, and sneaked back to the hotel.

When he closed the door of the room he felt relieved. Public security in Liujiang City didn’t seem that good right now. Jiang Xiao was surprised there were so many petty gangsters causing trouble. Fortunately he was resourceful enough to get away.

The next day, Lin ChengYu received the news. By then Jiang Xiao had already returned to Houlin in Ye Bing’s truck.

The people who reported to Lin ChengYu were convinced it really was the person he was looking for, but Jiang Xiao had been too wary. He ran away too fast and they lost him. To be honest, Lin ChengYu didn’t believe it. Recently there’d been a lot of made up claims with fake information from people who wanted money. However, there was a big factory to the left of that small hotel. And there, above the door, was a surveillance camera.

Jiang Xiao was sitting at a table outside eating noodles, and then he ran like a hare. The scene was recorded in full. There was no need to check with the owner of the snack bar. Lin ChengYu recognized his face.

They’d been together more than ten years, and his heart ached whenever he thought of this person, so how could he ever be mistaken?

He watched the blurred video over and over again with shaking fingers.

In the video, it was early in the morning. Jiang Xiao was by himself, and he ordered the cheapest noodles they sold. He was always on guard. When Lin ChengYu saw this, he felt worse than if he’d experienced it himself.

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But when they searched nearby, Jiang Xiao was already gone.

Just a single night had passed. Jiang Xiao should have left some traces even if he’d only worked there a short time. But when Lin ChengYu asked at the nearby factories, they told him it wasn’t possible to hire minors.

As for the nearby motel, Lin ChengYu didn’t pay much attention. It was a truck driver’s hotel which specialized in working with various transportation companies. At most, Jiang Xiao might have worked there. But when the Lin family’s people went to check, the boss at the counter waved his hand and said he’d never seen him. None of the registered guests matched his name. Everything was recorded under Ye Bing’s account, so there wasn’t any record of an underage unskilled laborer.

Lin ChengYu was more and more agitated by the fact that he couldn’t catch Jiang Xiao even after seeing him twice. In the next two weeks, he combed everything nearby but still couldn’t find him. Finally, he took the photo and went around to ask potential witnesses one by one himself. This time, the hotel was staffed by the aunt1 who worked the night shift. She looked at the photo and said she’d seen him before.

“His parent brought him here, and they aren’t from Liujiang,” the aunt told him. “During the National Day holiday he stayed here by himself for a few days, carrying a big black bag on his back, going out early and coming back late.”

When Lin ChengYu walked into the hotel, he didn’t have any hope. But when he heard this response, he suddenly had an unreal feeling, like he was stepping on clouds. So he stammered and asked again.

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“You… Have you seen him?”

“I’ve seen him!” The aunt thought he had bad ears, so she answered loudly. “He stayed twice at our hotel. What exactly do you want with him!”

When Lin ChengYu went on to ask for details, she wasn’t very willing.

The older aunt didn’t know much about customer privacy. When he asked what Jiang Xiao, a teenage boy, had said, she’d answer, but when he asked for details about Ye Bing, she didn’t want to say. Even when Lin ChengYu took out money, her eyes wandered. She just vaguely said that the truck drivers and the hotel had a long-term relationship. In case he was seeking revenge or had some other bad reason for searching for this person, as long as a driver was involved, they couldn’t do business.

But with this one definite clue, Lin ChengYu finally had a lead. It might still take some time, but there wouldn’t be any more detours.

Information flow was poor these days. Lin ChengYu didn’t know exactly what Jiang Xiao had done in Liujiang. After all, the hotel only knew he’d stayed there, they didn’t know what Jiang Xiao was heading out to do. But as long as he followed the trail leading from the driver’s hotel, if he found Ye Bing, he’d find Jiang Xiao. It was the fastest and most direct way.

A few days later, he found out where Jiang Xiao came from. He lived in Houlin, ten hours’ drive away.

But Lin ChengYu didn’t have time to go there today. And he didn’t know if Jiang Xiao had also been reborn, in fact, he didn’t have much information at all. He was dazzled by surprise. He hadn’t inquired about the situation of the Jiang family in Houlin—the hand of the Lin family didn’t stretch that far. But Lin ChengYu wanted to go over by himself. It wouldn’t be too late to find out when he got there.

The Jiang family’s financial situation clearly wasn’t good. Lin ChengYu had seen Jiang Xiao twice, and his clothes were very plain. In his last life, Jiang Xiao rose from poverty bit by bit. This time, Lin ChengYu couldn’t wait to make up for his regret. Jiang Xiao had spoiled him starting with his teenage years, and he wanted to treat Jiang Xiao the same. He wouldn’t let him suffer any more. They’d be childhood sweethearts, then he’d push the boat along the current, and they’d never separate again.

Lin ChengYu, lost in such a fantasy, wouldn’t let any accidents get in the way.

But fate had always failed him.

Jiang Xiao, who had returned to Houlin, was completely unaware of these events. After his rebirth he’d gradually shed the heavy shell of his previous life. Lin ChengYu hardly appeared in his thoughts at all. He was busy learning and making money. His life was full.

After coming back from Liujiang for the second time, his goods were well-received again.

Jiang Xiao didn’t have a stall. At the beginning, his items sold little by little through word of mouth thanks to a few female classmates. After school he could concentrate on studying without much interference.

But now that his operation was getting busier, he kept getting interrupted by people looking for him after class. And he only had a schoolbag, so it was hard for him to bring goods here. Moreover, he couldn’t let the teacher see him doing too much business at school.

Jiang Xiao made plans early on for this.

After discussing things with the owner of the video store, he agreed to bring the latest products to him every month, and to sell only to him, which meant he was an exclusive supplier. They also negotiated the price. In exchange, the owner of the video store cleared a small shelf for him in the store. Jiang Xiao arranged his merchandise, posted a price list, and asked him to help ring up sales. He checked the inventory every day after school. What’s more, Jiang Xiao’s goods attracted a lot of students to come in, and provided the boss with a flow of merchandise. It was win-win for both sides.

The reason the owner of the video store agreed to Jiang Xiao’s troublesome request wasn’t just because of money. Jiang Xiao figured it out before his second trip to Liujiang—the owner was a video enthusiast. Jiang Xiao went back to the store in Liujiang and bought him several limited edition foreign discs. They were almost at the collector’s level and would be worth a lot of money in the future. For the boss, it really hit the spot. He couldn’t say no.

“That’s great. You’re so good,” The video store owner held his beloved discs like they were his wife, with stars in his eyes as he watched the junior high school student he’d rejected at the beginning. “Jiang Xiao, when you get rich later, remember to help your brother out.”

Jiang Xiao smiled at him. “Don’t exaggerate. I only earn a couple yuan here and there.”

“You’re just getting started,” said the video store owner. “With this kind of ability, you can earn money doing anything in the future.”

He watched how Jiang Xiao arranged the little shelf, neat and orderly, tidying up a bunch of bracelet weaving supplies, next to a few examples that were already braided. They were very beautiful. When he asked, he found out Jiang Xiao had made them by himself, how awesome was that?

At such a young age, he was so motivated, willing to work, and had ideas. If he didn’t get rich in the future, who would?

While Jiang Xiao’s booth wasn’t big, it was of great significance to his long-term business, which made sense. He took good care of it too. He kept an account book and checked the inventory twice a day. Although the owner of the video store was cooperating, and he was a good man, it was still necessary to settle the accounts and make everything clear when it came to money. That was how business and friendship could last a long time.

After the shelf was set up, there was no shortage of people coming in. Besides the girls, there were boys who wanted to sneak a look and give gifts to their female classmates. A public forum and full display were naturally much more efficient than the previous way Jiang Xiao had relied on fellow students to spread the word.

All the girls who bought from him before knew it was his stall. Many people became familiar with him and called him Little Boss with a smile.

Jiang Xiao’s image seemed to have improved by leaps and bounds. Because he sold those items, aside from calling him Little Boss to his face, he had another, secret nickname underground. They called him “Friend of Girls”.

TL Notes:

Happy Chapter 1-0! ﾟ･✿ヾ╲(｡◕‿◕｡)╱✿･ﾟ

childhood sweetheart – 竹马竹马 – bamboo horse – childhood sweetheart for a boy

Footnotes

aunt – 阿姨 – āyí – Alternatively: aunty, auntie. This is a common way to refer to a woman of your parents’ generation

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