Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He went to bed as soon as he reached home and slept until ten the next morning.
Wang Yan woke up abruptly, swallowed two mouthfuls of rice, and rushed out of his home.
Driving the trusty little pickup truck, packing everything he needed, and dropping off two melons at the Food Inspection and Testing Institute, he then went to his first destination of the day: the Yujing Villas.
1
Yujing was one of the top three villa districts in Gujiao. At their peak, prices would start at fifty thousand yuan, rivalling top-tier cities, yet the nouveau riche still gobbled them up with no hesitation.
Wang Yan wasn’t sure whether that was true or not. As a high schooler, he hadn’t paid attention to things like that.
Suffice to say, its residents were all super wealthy and had great spending power.
Who would be better to target than them?
Heeding Boss Wu’s advice, Wang Yan bought two packets of cigarettes for 100 yuan each in hopes of boosting his luck.
1
After making two wrong turns, he finally found the main entrance to the Yujing Villas. Wang Yan parked his vehicle at the square outside the entrance. A security guard started walking over to him as soon as he turned off the engine.
Wang Yan quickly took out a packet of cigarettes and went up to him.
2
“What’s your business here, kid?”
The security guard gave him a once-over and spoke to him somewhat warily.
It was hard to be taken seriously when he was young, dressed in clothes bought from the market, and driving an old little pickup truck.
Wang Yan was unable to take offence at how he was being treated, however. It would be a different story if he had money, but that was something to think about in the future. Since he needed the experience, he had to learn how to ask people for favors.
“Hi sir! Would you like a cigarette?”
1
Wang Yan spoke with a smile as he opened the pack and extended it towards the security guard.
In the end, the guard didn’t even look him in the eye.
“Hey! That’s not going to work here. Do you know what kind of place this is?” he asked.
“What are you doing here?”
He looked at Wang Yan as if he was a thief.
“Sir, I just graduated from Shi Yan High School. I wanted to acquire some work experience, so I was hoping I could park my vehicle here and sell some watermelons—”
Wang Yan was cut off before he could even finish speaking.
“No, no!”
The guard had a frown on his face, looking incredibly annoyed and impatient.
“Parking in front of the entrance is prohibited, and touting your wares here is also prohibited! Did you think this was a market? The residents are all bosses. How are you going to compensate them for the disturbance caused? You must be crazy to think of setting up your stall here! Scram, don’t be an eyesore!”
Wang Yan was a youth after all, one who had just been given the system. He finally succumbed to anger.
3
“I’m not going to be a nuisance. It’s just a stall. Do you have to be so unreasonable?”
1
“Pshaw!”
The guard snorted and motioned for him to leave. He had no interest in arguing with Wang Yan.
“Leave now, or I’ll get someone else to make you!”
Wang Yan was so furious that the veins on his forehead were practically bulging.
1
But strangely enough, despite his anger, Wang Yan still managed to stay rational.
Had it been in the past, he would have exploded in anger and started quarrelling with the other party, as youths were wont to do.
1
But Wang Yan was currently thinking, ‘I can’t waste my time on someone as trivial as this. I have to focus on the important stuff!’
2
So, he gritted his teeth, rubbed his cheeks, then turned around and walked away.
Igniting the engine and flooring the gas pedal, Wang Yan made his way out of the square.
While on the road, he was still feeling mad, but also somewhat relieved at the same time.
“Didn’t I already expect to run into problems like this? That was nothing.
“Isn’t this the whole point of experience?!
“Damn, getting scolded isn’t that scary after all… Haha!
“Snobs. Just you wait! I’ll show you!
“If the river flows thirty years to the east, it’ll flow thirty years to the west. No, wait. I don’t need thirty years. I’ll be a force to reckon with in thirty days!”
This immature droning went on for a while before Wang Yan finally brushed himself off and left for his second destination.
2
This was usually the case. After taking the first step forward, people often came to realize that all their fears and apprehension had formed a cage used specifically to lock in their inner desires.
People had to step out of their comfort zone sooner or later, to become braver, more proactive, and to work harder in the face of difficulties.
1
After all, society ruled with an iron fist. Might as well spare the rod and spoil the child.
Chuckling to himself, Wang Yan suddenly broke into song.
“Words floating in the sky, telling me that no problem is too great! Qi ge long dong qiang dong qiang, this too shall pass!”
Feet thumping along to the noisy background music, Wang Yan was in ridiculously high spirits. He had finally arrived at the second destination—the Xiangshanyuan Villas.
The Xiangshanyuan Villas had been around for much longer than the ones in Yujing. When they were first built, the surrounding area was still considered the outskirts of Gujiao, so there were plenty of trees and lakes.
This area was later developed and now had the best of both worlds, including the peace and quiet of the suburbs and the convenience of city living. It truly defined what it meant to live in luxury.
In terms of ranking… it was probably number one?
As for pricing, Wang Yan had absolutely no idea.
The properties were rarely, if ever, put up for sale, so the prices weren’t readily available.
At any rate, it was higher-end than Yujing, but that would probably make it even harder to set up a stall there.
After parking at the side of the road, Wang Yan went straight to the guardhouse before anyone could approach him.
“Hi, bro! Take a break, have a cigarette!”
1
The guard on shift was an uncle who was pushing forty. He had a weathered face and looked much friendlier than the other guy.
“Wow, that’s good stuff. Thanks, kid!”
The man lit the cigarette and took a long, sweet puff. A smile on his face, he asked. “What’s up? You here for something?”
“I’m…”
“Uncle, I’m just a student who wants to acquire some experience in the real world. I won’t be noisy or get in anyone’s way. I promise not to be a nuisance!
“Please let me drive up here. If anyone is interested, they can approach me themselves. Would that be alright?”
The man scratched his head with a hesitant expression on his face.
“It’s not that I don’t want to help, but something like this is unprecedented in our district. Sigh… Alright, let me check with our team leader. You wait here first!”
“Ah, thank you so much!”
Wang Yan was elated.
Whether or not it worked out, at least it hadn’t been an outright rejection.
The uncle spoke into the intercom, and not long after, a fat middle-aged man dressed in a suit walked out.
The guard immediately smiled at him ingratiatingly. “Ah, Manager Zhang, sorry to have alarmed you.”
“I heard about the situation, so I decided to come check it out myself.”
The fatty looked like a member of the management, but he seemed pretty easy-going.
Giving Wang Yan a once-over with a smile on his face, he said politely, “Kid, I understand what you’re trying to do. I would love to help you out, and I personally admire your efforts in trying to become independent.
“However, things are complicated at the Xiangshanyuan Villas. I can’t simply ignore the rules. And unfortunately, I don’t have enough authority to bend the rules for you. I hope you understand.”
This time around, the rejection was slightly easier to accept, since it was phrased nicely by the fat uncle.
Wang Yan understood their difficulties but still couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
“Is it really not possible?”
The fat manager shook his head. “I really don’t have the authority to grant your request of selling watermelons at the entrance. However, you can take a seat inside the guardhouse and enjoy the air conditioning for a bit. I’ll help you contact another property under our company. It’s less high-end over there, so they might allow you to set up a stall.”
“Thank you, thank you!”
Wang Yan was touched. He suddenly felt much better.
“Hang on!”
Wang Yan ran back to his truck and lifted the blanket covering the metal bucket.
The bucket was filled with ice and two watermelons of the Blackhoney No. 3 variety.
After grabbing the melons, Wang Yan brought them to the gate.
“It’s fate that we met, so I would like you guys to taste my melons. I guarantee they’re unlike anything that you’ve tasted before!”
“Oh gosh!”
The fat manager raised his hands to refuse the offer. “It’s alright. We haven’t been of much help…”
“It’s fine, have a taste!”
Wang Yan was a straightforward person. On one hand, he sincerely wanted to thank them; on the other hand, he didn’t want to give up so easily, so he was trying to give them one final push.
Even if he couldn’t set up his stall at the Xiangshanyuan Villas, he could still create positive publicity by introducing the fat uncle to the melons’ superb taste.
He had to give it a shot.
“Find a table and cut them open. Quench your thirst, guys!”
“Don’t mind us… How about I pay for it, then?”
“No worries, just go ahead and try it!”
At this moment, there was a luxury sedan heading for the entrance, seemingly about to enter the property. For some reason, it stopped at the side of the road.