Customers are always welcome, and you can't turn away business just because someone looks intimidating. Zhao Qiang was a bit bolder now. He picked up the computer and went into the repair shop. He tried to power it on, and the power started, but he didn't hear the self-test beep. He plugged in the motherboard diagnostic card, which showed code 00. After checking the diagnostic card manual, Zhao Qiang removed the CPU and carefully cleaned the dust. He also used an eraser to clean the gold contacts of the memory sticks and graphics card. He restarted the computer, but it still showed code 00, and the monitor wouldn't light up.
Zhao Qiang put the X-ray glasses back on, but after taking a couple of glances, he took them off again. This was different from before; the internal workings of the main unit were now crystal clear, with no loose wires at all. If only the X-ray glasses could automatically inspect the wiring.
Having no other option, Zhao Qiang consulted Xiao Wei, who said, "Brother, try replacing the motherboard. It's the simplest way. Once I recover some more data, I'll help you upgrade the X-ray glasses, and they'll be able to assist you in investigating the circuits."
Zhao Qiang exclaimed in surprise: "The X-ray glasses can be upgraded again? That's great! I was just thinking about that."
Xiao Wei grinned mischievously: "Brother, are you waiting to upgrade to see-through clothes? You'd better be patient."
Zhao Qiang said, "I have patience. Okay, I'll go find the motherboard."
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, all the best, good health, and prosperity in the coming year!
Volume 1 [045] Today is an inauspicious day
After leaving the repair room, Zhao Qiang asked Ma Xiaohua, "Sister Ma, could you check the accounts to see if there are any motherboards that support AMD 3000+?"
The young man with the dragon tattoo emphasized, "I only want the old ones; the new ones are too expensive."
Ma Xiaohua checked the computer database and said, "There really is one. Zhang Chunjiang recycled it. He tested it and said it works perfectly. Look for it in the cabinet in the repair room. The serial number is ZB076."
“Okay,” Zhao Qiang returned to the repair room. There was a cabinet full of motherboards. Since they had serial numbers, it was much easier to find them. He quickly found the motherboard. It was an MSI product, so the quality should be good.
Replacing the motherboard was no big deal for Zhao Qiang; it only took fifteen minutes. He plugged in the power, turned it on, and the self-test passed. The MSI logo appeared on the screen, and then XP started running. Since it was installed using a Ghost version, all the drivers were built-in, saving him the trouble of reinstalling the system.
The young man with the dragon tattoo pushed open the door to the repair room and asked, "Is it done?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, we've replaced the motherboard."
The tattooed young man didn't even check the system and said, "Alright, how much?"
Ma Xiaohua said, "Because it's a second-hand motherboard, we don't offer a warranty. Of course, the price isn't expensive either, it's 110."
The young man with the dragon tattoo said to the young man with the tiger tattoo behind him, "Pay up and take the machine."
Ma Xiaohua had never met such a straightforward customer before. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Don't we need to try again here?"
The young man with the dragon tattoo acted as if he hadn't heard anything, and led the way out of the repair shop. His henchman threw down 110 yuan, while another man picked up the machine and left.
Xu Xiaoya watched the three of them leave the store and patted her chest, saying, "Why do you keep getting such scary customers here? But fixing computers is pretty simple, I've already handled two cases in no time."
Zhao Qiang felt something was off as he watched the three people walk away, but they had already paid, so even if something was wrong, he couldn't chase after them and stop them from leaving. Zhao Qiang could only suppress his unease and return to the repair room to continue reading his reference books. Xu Xiaoya and Ma Xiaohua chatted about this and that, and the two women quickly became acquainted.
Around noon, Xu Xiaoya said from outside, "Today is my first day at the company, so to show my respect to you two seniors, I'm treating you to lunch. You can choose any restaurant you like; I won't mind spending the money."
Ma Xiaohua said, "No, we have to have lunch at the shop, otherwise we'll have to close down."
Xu Xiaoya said, "That's not a problem. I'll just go to the restaurant and buy the food."
Ma Xiaohua laughed and said, "That's great, we can have a big meal again."
Xu Xiaoya said, "You two wait here, I'm going out to order some food."
Xu Xiaoya left, and ten minutes later the shop door was suddenly kicked open, and an angry roar came into the repair room: "Zhao Qiang, you come out here!"
Zhao Qiang was puzzled. He peeked out and saw that it was the three tattooed young men who had come to replace the motherboard that morning. Zhao Qiang said, "That's me. What's up?"
*Thump*, the computer case, with its motherboard just replaced, was thrown into the shop. The tattooed young man cursed, "Fuck you! What kind of motherboard did you give us? The network card is broken, it's ruining my game! What are you going to do about it?"
This MSI motherboard has an integrated network card, but Wenlong Youth wanted it in such a hurry that Zhao Qiang didn't have time to test whether it worked or not. However, Zhang Chunjiang must have tested it before, as the label clearly says 'OK'.
Seeing the other party's aggressive attitude, Ma Xiaohua quickly stepped forward and said, "Sir, we can talk things over. Don't be angry. It's not worth getting sick from anger. Besides, we told you when you bought it that it was a used item and there was no warranty after it left the store."
The tattooed young man shoved Ma Xiaohua: "Get out of my way. I don't deal with women. You cheated me with a faulty motherboard. I don't care if it's under warranty or not. This matter is not going to end today."
I must have forgotten to check the almanac before going out today; one thing after another has happened. But then, after some thought, Zhao Qiang suddenly sensed a conspiracy. He and these three young men were complete strangers; why were they targeting him? Was someone framing him?
Zhao Qiang said, "Since the motherboard is faulty, we'll either refund it or find you a good, identical motherboard to replace it with."
The tattooed young man cursed, "**Do you think I'm a dog? You think you can just switch me like that? My time is so precious! Brothers, beat him up!"
Upon hearing this, the tattooed tiger and lion youths pounced on him. Zhao Qiang was not good at fighting, and the two attacked suddenly, so he was thrown to the ground with a thud. However, Zhao Qiang had done a lot of hard work in the countryside, so his physical fitness was much better than the two youths. After he fell to the ground, he immediately grabbed the leg of the lion youth and lifted him up. The lion youth was pushed backward and crashed into the glass table, falling to the ground.
The tattooed tiger youth casually picked up a chair: "Damn, I'll kill you!" Zhao Qiang was hit on the back by the chair. He hadn't gotten up yet, but the impact made him roll on the ground in pain. The tattooed tiger youth chased after him and stomped on him. Zhao Qiang grabbed his leg and pulled him to the ground. The two of them started wrestling on the ground.
The tattooed young man grabbed the computer case from the ground, raising it to smash it at Zhao Qiang. Ma Xiaohua, realizing the danger if the blow landed squarely on Zhao Qiang, grabbed a keyboard from the counter and slapped it across the back of the young man's head. The keyboard shattered. The blow hit a vital spot. The young man, his eyes rolling back, turned around, slamming the computer case to the ground with a crash. Pointing at Ma Xiaohua, he stammered, "You...you..." before collapsing unconscious.
At this moment, the tattooed lion youth stood up from the broken glass. He cursed and pulled out a military knife from his waist. "I'll fucking kill you!" The knife was about to stab Zhao Qiang on the ground. Although Zhao Qiang was fighting fiercely with the tattooed tiger youth, he had seen the tattooed lion youth's attack. However, he was pinned down by the tattooed lion youth and could not move. The military knife was about to pierce his body!
In his panic, Zhao Qiang reached for the monstrous screwdriver on his keychain. He ripped it off, and the screwdriver widened at his command, becoming like a small shield. Zhao Qiang blocked it, and the military knife slid away with a crisp hum. Zhao Qiang then commanded the screwdriver to become an awl, and he plunged it into the buttocks of the tattooed tiger youth who was riding on him. The tattooed tiger youth screamed and jumped up, clutching his buttocks and hopping around on the ground.
Seeing his companion injured, the tattooed lion youth became even more ferocious, swinging his military knife at Zhao Qiang again. Zhao Qiang had just transformed his screwdriver into a shield and stabbed the tattooed tiger youth, but he didn't have time to transform it back into a shield. He could only roll to the side to dodge. The tattooed lion youth followed step by step with his military knife, determined to stab Zhao Qiang to death!
With a creak, the shop door was kicked open, and Wang Yidong rushed in, holding an iron rod. Behind him followed Ma Changfa, a scrap collector carrying a scale hook. The two were also very aggressive. Wang Yidong struck the tattooed young man on the back with the rod, and the tattooed young man could no longer hold his military knife, which fell to the ground with a clatter.
"Damn it, you dare to cause trouble in my Wang Yidong's shop without even knowing who I am in Donghai!" Wang Yidong was very arrogant. The iron rod in his hand was a meter and a half long, making it easy to whip people. The tattooed lion youth was also hit by the rod, and Ma Chang was cheering him on with his weighing hook. Meanwhile, the leader, the tattooed dragon youth, was knocked unconscious by a keyboard. The tattooed tiger and tattooed lion youth immediately had the idea of retreating. The two dragged the tattooed dragon youth off the ground and rushed out of the computer store.
Wang Yidong and Ma Changfa pretended to chase after them for a couple of steps before retreating. In reality, neither of them was confident. Fortunately, they managed to scare away the troublemakers; otherwise, the situation would have been difficult to resolve.
Wang Yidong took out his phone and dialed the police, "...Yes, there's a fight and trouble at my company...Ah, they've already run away, you guys need to come and chase them right away...What, you want me to pay for the police dispatch? Are you out of your minds...?"
The dial tone went dead, making Wang Yidong so angry he almost smashed his phone. The police (110) claimed it was a service industry dispute and demanded Wang Yidong pay for the dispatch fee, which Wang Yidong naturally disagreed with. The police then simply hung up.
At this moment, Ma Xiaohua helped Zhao Qiang out of the computer store, and Wang Yidong asked, "What happened? Why did they fight?"
Ma Xiaohua recounted the whole story, and then added, "Zhang Chunjiang tested the motherboard and said it was perfectly fine. When those three came to exchange the motherboard, they specifically asked for the old one and seemed to be in a hurry, not giving us any time to test it. I think they were clearly acting under Zhang Chunjiang's orders to cause trouble."
(Oh my god, I'm on the homepage's new author list! I'm so excited, all thanks to everyone's support. I'm adding an extra chapter to show my gratitude! Also, the following chapters are coming up fast, so please vote for me if you have any votes. Thank you so much!)
Volume 1 [046] Impatience and Greed (Happy New Year!)
Ma Xiaohua recounted what happened while repairing the laptop that morning. Wang Yi was so angry that his face turned purple: "That bastard Zhang Chunjiang! I treated him so well before, but now that he's gone, he shouldn't come back! Xiao Zhao, from now on you're a full-fledged engineer at the company, and I'll raise your salary to 2,200. Do a good job, I have high hopes for you."
Zhao Qiang's face and body burned with pain; the two men had attacked him, injuring him. Zhao Qiang said, "Thank you, Mr. Wang."
Just then, Xu Xiaoya returned with two large plastic bags full of food. When she saw Zhao Qiang's appearance, she laughed: "What happened to you? Why is your face bruised and swollen? Mr. Wang, why are you carrying an iron rod? What are you doing?"
Ma Xiaohua said, "When you went out to buy food just now, some people came and caused trouble. They were the three bastards who replaced the motherboard this morning."
Xu Xiaoya exclaimed "Oh!" and threw away the plastic bag, anxiously asking, "Zhao Qiang, are you really injured? Are you alright?"
Zhao Qiang felt a warmth in his heart at Xu Xiaoya's concern for him, and shook his head, saying, "I'm fine, it's nothing."
Wang Yidong said to Xu Xiaoya, "Xiao Xu, help Zhao Qiang to the community hospital for a check-up. I'll pay for the medical expenses. Let him stay home and rest this afternoon. We can talk about anything else tomorrow."
Xu Xiaoya didn't even bother with the food she had bought. She helped Zhao Qiang up and said, "Let's go, let's get him checked out so we can be at ease."
Zhao Qiang's back was throbbing with pain from the chair hitting him, and it felt like it was about to break. He didn't dare push himself and decided to go to the hospital, but he needed to bring his laptop; Xiao Wei was more important than his own life. Luckily, Ma Xiaohua hadn't seen the screwdriver incident, and the tattooed tiger and lion youth hadn't had time to observe and didn't know where Zhao Qiang had gotten the weapon from; otherwise, the secret would have been exposed.
The test results came back, and there was nothing seriously wrong. He was given some anti-inflammatory medication, and the doctor treated his external injuries. Zhao Qiang carried his laptop and prepared to return to Shunfeng Repair Shop. He said to Xu Xiaoya, "Thank you for your help, class monitor. I'm going back to rest. You should go back to school. Don't go to the Home Inn computer company. I know your family is well-off, so don't make yourself suffer."
Xu Xiaoya said, "If you don't agree to go to graduate school, I will continue to bother you at the computer company. Not only that, I have also decided to go to your dorm. I heard that you moved out of the dormitory, which is why I only found out about you last night. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had any peace and quiet these past two days."
Zhao Qiang had no choice; he couldn't hit or scold a woman, so he could only let Xu Xiaoya do what she wanted. He walked in front, and Xu Xiaoya followed behind. Half an hour later, the two arrived at Shunfeng Repair Shop. Qi Lai was almost never there during the day, only occasionally coming to visit. Zhao Qiang had the key to the large iron gate outside, so he opened it and went in, with Xu Xiaoya naturally following closely behind.
"Wow, Zhao Qiang, you're something else! You actually found a place to live like this. It must cost a lot of money a month. Oh, I almost forgot you're not short of money now," Xu Xiaoya said in surprise when she saw what was behind the iron gate.
Zhao Qiang opened the door to the finance department: "Eight hundred a month, don't get me wrong, it's the boss who pays me, because I also work as a doorman at night. Don't laugh at me, but I have more than ten thousand in debt right now, I'm really short of money!"
Zhao Qiang only had a little over 10,000 yuan in cash, but the electricity bill had already exceeded 20,000 yuan. If Qi Lai suddenly checked the meter, he would have to pay the bill. Even if Qi Lai didn't check it now, he would find out sooner or later when the electricity bill was collected at the end of the month.
Upon entering the suite in the finance department, Xu Xiaoya praised, "This room is nice. I guess it's for women. Okay, I'll stay here."
Zhao Qiang was startled: "Squad leader, what are you saying? I'm all alone here tonight. If you dare come here, believe me, I'll eat you up tonight."
Xu Xiaoya laughed and said, "Fine, I'll see how you eat me. Is human flesh delicious? I'm going home to get my bedding. Wait for me."
Zhao Qiang stopped Xu Xiaoya and said, "Squad leader, don't go crazy. I've been beaten up like this. Can you please let me go?"
Xu Xiaoya said very seriously, "What's wrong with being Professor Gu's student? Please don't make things difficult for me, okay?"
Zhao Qiang had nothing to say and could only let Xu Xiaoya leave, but he casually locked the door, making it impossible for Xu Xiaoya to come in again.
Zhao Qiang's body still stung with pain. He felt wronged by the beating he'd received. What had he done wrong to Zhang Chunjiang? He hadn't intended to steal his job; that man was truly petty. Putting aside Zhang Chunjiang's revenge, Zhao Qiang also resented his own powerlessness. Would he have been injured if he'd knocked someone down with a single punch?
In reality, the other side suffered a great loss. Ma Xiaohua's keyboard swing was extremely powerful, and Wang Yidong's iron rods used to strike the tattooed lion and tiger youths were also quite lethal. The other side suffered two injuries and one unconsciousness, which was much more serious than Zhao Qiang's side.
After plugging in the laptop and turning it on, Xiao Wei, who had already overheard the fight, anxiously asked, "Brother, are you alright?"
Zhao Qiang shook his head. He stared at the laptop for more than two minutes, his chin in his hand, making Xiao Wei blush. Suddenly, Zhao Qiang asked, "Xiao Wei, can you turn me into Superman?"
Xiao Wei exclaimed, "Ah, modifying living organisms? That's not my function!"
Zhao Qiang then asked, "Do you have any cultivation manuals? I don't need immortality, just some qigong and magic will do."
Xiao Wei shook her head: "No, brother, those are products of novels. I come from a high-tech civilization."
Undeterred, Zhao Qiang continued, "Then can you predict quick profits in industries like lotteries and stocks?"
Xiao Wei said, "I've been doing some research online recently, but I still don't really understand it. The stock market is too affected by policies. Unless you have someone in the provincial or central government who can give you information, it's very difficult to make big money, and you might even get your money tied up."
Zhao Qiang slapped his forehead hard: "Xiao Wei, then tell me, what can your brother do? How can I make something of myself and stop being bullied!"
Xiao Wei said, "Repair? Aren't you an engineer now?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I've been beaten up like a pig's head, and I still owe 20,000 yuan in electricity bills. Can you help me choose a more promising career? I'm a college graduate, after all. I don't want to be a repairman for the rest of my life. I don't want to be bullied!"
Zhao Qiang was very excited. Before meeting Xiao Wei, he had resigned himself to his fate, but after meeting Xiao Wei, he thought his destiny would change. Just this morning, he was still smug and full of hope for life. Who knew that this beating would wake Zhao Qiang up. He is nothing now, still just an ordinary person. Although he can eat his fill of steamed buns and instant noodles, his current situation is still plagued by internal and external troubles. Even though he has high technology, he dares not show it to others, so it cannot become a powerful arm to help him take off. He can only be a lowly repairman for the rest of his life, with no status in society and being bullied everywhere.
Xiao Wei remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "I'm sorry, brother. I'm just an intelligent program, and I'm bound by the laws of intelligent programs. These constraints are embedded in the chip, and I can't change them myself. I can't help you do bad things. The only thing I can do for you is repair. I'm sorry, brother..."
After venting his anger, Zhao Qiang calmed down. He wiped his wet eyes, rubbed his face hard, and said remorsefully, "No, Xiaowei, I lost my temper just now. This has nothing to do with you. I was too eager for quick success. I didn't have the ability and didn't want to work hard. I always pinned my hopes on others. I'm not a real man. Actually, I'm just a down-on-his-luck student. That's an undeniable fact. I had too many messy thoughts before. I won't yell at you anymore. Don't take it to heart. Let's go back to our peaceful lives. Of course, I will try my best to become stronger! There are 365 professions, and every profession can produce an expert. I believe that a repairman can also play a big role."
Zhao Qiang closed his computer screen and turned on the induction cooker to cook instant noodles. At the same time, he was thinking that, in theory, his life should have taken a turn for the better now that he possessed this incredible artifact. However, because he was afraid of losing it, he always dodged and weaved when faced with problems, which prevented him from using the artifact to its full potential. In fact, as long as he had the ability to protect Xiao Wei, what was there to be afraid of?
If he had the ability to protect Xiao Wei, who would dare to retaliate against him like this today? The police certainly wouldn't dare not come. But how could he acquire such an ability? He couldn't be transformed into a superman, nor could he cultivate any special techniques. He also lacked a quick path to becoming a successful entrepreneur. It was truly difficult.
Zhao Qiang's mind was a jumble of thoughts. The instant noodles were cooked quickly, and he slurped them down from the stainless steel bowl. He couldn't afford to skip meals while injured, and the problems he was dealing with couldn't be solved in a day. Suddenly, a car horn blared outside the factory. Zhao Qiang opened the door while still eating his noodles. Could it be Qi coming to check on things?
(A new year has begun, and Xiaoqiang will work even harder to repay everyone's support!)
Volume 1 [047] I'll cover the electricity bill
The large iron gate of the repair shop opened, revealing a black Passat. Xu Xiaoya sat in the driver's seat with a grin. Seeing Zhao Qiang open the door, she drove in without any hesitation, then got out, turned off the engine, and opened the trunk. Inside were bedding, clothes, and some daily necessities. Xu Xiaoya said to the dumbfounded Zhao Qiang, "What are you looking at? Hurry up and help."
Zhao Qiang put the instant noodle bowl aside and asked, "Squad leader, what are you up to?"