Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin were isolated and helpless. The security guards dared not come over, while the nearby shop assistants were gloating. The two women usually stole most of their business and were prettier than them. They were always the two sisters talking together and were not very enthusiastic towards their colleagues, so how could they have a good relationship? At this time, who would risk offending Brother Guang to step forward?
"Slap them a few times first, then strip them naked!" Brother Guang had really lost his mind, and he gave the order viciously. Several of his underlings surrounded Chen Xinxin with sly smiles. This girl's breasts were really impressive; they would look good stripped naked.
"You, you guys stay away!" Zhao Ling blocked Chen Xinxin.
One of the henchmen laughed loudly: "Then let's strip you first. Your figure is top-notch."
Another henchman said, "Stop talking nonsense, grab her arm and let me take her off."
Suddenly, the henchman collapsed to the ground. Behind him stood a man carrying a folding chair. After knocking down the henchman who was about to undress Zhao Ling, the man swung the folding chair to the left, knocking down another henchman. The remaining men panicked and rushed over at the same time.
"Zhao Qiang, be careful!" Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin shouted with concern. The panic in their eyes was gone, replaced by tenderness and composure. When can a man win a girl's heart the most? Of course, it's when they need him the most.
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(Because it is automated, the list may be incomplete. We apologize for the inconvenience.)
Volume 2 [439] Resignation
[439] Resignation
Zhao Qiang leaped up with a whoosh, overtaking the thugs who were rushing towards him. Then, he swung a folding chair, knocking down another man. Because Zhao Qiang's leap was stronger than that of an ordinary person, somewhat like the light-footed skills of Shaolin Temple, the men who were attacking him were stunned. Taking advantage of this moment, Zhao Qiang knocked down two more men, and the last one, seeing that things were not going well, turned and ran.
Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin hugged Zhao Qiang on either side, exclaiming, "You're so amazing!" What girl wouldn't like someone who's both handsome and capable in a fight? Even the saleswomen from other brands nearby were eager to try their luck, planning to strike up a conversation with Zhao Qiang, first asking if he owned a car and a house. If he did, he would truly be the ideal boyfriend every woman dreams of.
Guang Ge looked at Zhao Qiang approaching him with some fear. "You...you don't want to live anymore? Let me tell you, Li Zhongyuan is my relative. If you offend me, you offend him." Guang Ge threw out his biggest trump card. There was no other way. Zhao Qiang's skills were indeed beyond what his men could handle. After being in this business for so long, he still had some sense. If he personally went into battle, he would only get beaten up by Zhao Qiang.
"Li Zhongyuan?" Zhao Qiang felt that the name sounded familiar, but how could he not? He had spent a long time with Li Zhongyuan in Africa, but Zhao Qiang's previous memories had been erased, which was why he couldn't remember him.
Guang Ge thought Zhao Qiang was scared. "Yes, he is Old Master Chen's nephew. He has been in charge of the decapitation strike force against Taiwan. He is the strongest expert in China. Killing you is just like stepping on an ant."
Zhao Qiang slammed the folding chair down on Guang Ge's head. "Let him come and kill me!" Zhao Qiang had no concept of fear of Li Zhongyuan in his subconscious. Guang Ge's provocation would only make things worse for him. He collapsed to the ground before he could even let out a scream.
The owner of the men's clothing store was terrified. Many people Zhao Qiang had slapped had suffered head injuries, staining his clothes. More importantly, he was afraid of being harassed by Brother Guang later. At that moment, Chen Xinxin suddenly jumped forward and violently kicked the owner of the men's clothing store, yelling, "Go to hell!" Her movements were accompanied by a display of her ample bosom, which Zhao Qiang found quite pleasing to the eye.
The owner of the men's clothing store let out a scream, clutching his groin and crouching on the ground, crying out, "Ouch, my manhood!"
The security guards finally approached, and those who arrived later were carrying rubber batons. They pointed at Zhao Qiang and said, "Don't you dare go! You dare cause trouble in the mall? We'll make you pay! We'll take you back to the security department first!"
Since Zhao Qiang wasn't afraid of Li Zhongyuan, why would he be afraid of a few security guards? He swung the chair backward, knocking down the closest security guard. The others were so frightened that they immediately retreated. The other man's attack was accurate and ruthless, and they didn't think they could beat him.
The owner of the men's clothing store struggled to his feet, pointed at Chen Xinxin, and said, "If you dare kick me, I'll dock all your wages!"
Chen Xinxin stepped forward and kicked him again, but this time the talented boss was prepared, so she only kicked his butt. "Stop kicking me, I'm not going to serve you anymore. You're always staring at me with those lecherous eyes, all those days of ice cream you've been eating for nothing."
Zhao Ling also said, "I'm quitting too. It's no big deal."
The two women tried to pull Zhao Qiang away, but if things escalated and more and more people gathered, Zhao Qiang would be no match for the pack.
Zhao Qiang, however, reached out to the talented shop owner and said, "Settle Chen Xinxin's bill first."
Seeing that there were more and more security guards, some of whom were carrying batons with high voltage, Chen Xinxin grabbed Zhao Qiang's arm and said, "No, let's go." There was a hint of panic in her voice. They might not be afraid of thugs, but the security guards represented the power of justice, and people who were used to traditional education would feel a little scared deep down.
Zhao Qiang snorted and raised his voice at the shop owner, "I'm telling you, not a penny less than the agreed amount."
Two security guards sneaked over and poked Zhao Qiang in the lower back. Crack! A strong high-voltage spark startled the people around, who backed away. But when they looked again, Zhao Qiang was still standing there perfectly fine, and didn't even feel anything unusual, as if he hadn't been shocked at all. The two security guards couldn't believe it and picked up their electric batons to check.
Zhao Qiang turned around and laughed, "It seems the power is off, try it yourself." As he spoke, Zhao Qiang kicked the electric baton at the two security guards. The switch on the electric baton was still on, and the two security guards immediately convulsed and fell to the ground. Sparks crackled and flashed on the electric baton, scaring the other security guards into running away. Little did they know that Zhao Qiang's clothes were anti-electric, and no matter how high the voltage or how strong the current, it would be useless.
The talented boss wanted to run away but couldn't. Without Zhao Qiang urging him to take out his wallet, a boss like him would have at least a few thousand yuan in pocket money. He pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to Chen Xinxin without trembling, saying, "Here, for you."
"Only a fool wouldn't take money," Chen Xinxin said, taking the money. Zhao Ling chuckled, "Zhao Qiang, what about my salary?"
Zhao Qiang knew that Zhao Ling's boss was not there, so he could only say, "Come back and ask for it later. You won't be shortchanged by a single penny."
Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin each took Zhao Qiang's hand and strode away. The two women were so excited that they could hardly walk. They had actually managed to pick up such a domineering man; it was like a windfall.
As they left the mall, Chen Xinxin waved the money in her hand and said, "Let's go eat and celebrate our unemployment."
Zhao Ling said, "No, we can't waste money like this. Working for someone else isn't free. Why don't we open a repair shop for Zhao Qiang? He'll like it, and it has potential for growth. We can help him out."
Chen Xinxin said, "What can you do with this little bit of money? You can't rent a shop without tens of thousands of yuan."
Zhao Ling said, "We can't set our sights too high. Let's find a cheap shop and pay a month's rent first."
Chen Xinxin glanced at Zhao Qiang, who said, "This can proceed, but there's no rush. You can't get fat in one bite."
Zhao Ling was a little worried. "Zhao Qiang, we've offended so many people. If we open a repair shop in Yihai, even if we have connections, we won't be able to escape if someone comes looking for trouble. Why don't we go to Lingjiang City? It's the provincial capital, the most economically developed city. We won't have any enemies there. Anyway, we're not from Yihai, so we'll just be renting a place wherever we go."
Zhao Qiang looked up at the sky and said, "It's too late to go to Lingjiang City this year. Let's wait until next year. It's almost the end of the year, and there's no need for us to keep running around. Besides, the cost of living in Lingjiang is high, and we can't go there without the funds."
Zhao Ling said, "That's true. If only we could rob a bank, or if we had a few packets of slimming tea, we could have made a lot of money by selling them. I heard that a small packet is now worth a million. If Xin Xin and I had chipped in some money to buy a packet and saved it, we would have become rich."
Zhao Qiang comforted the two women, saying, "Don't worry, we'll get the money."
Chen Xinxin complained, "Oh, how many times have you said this? We're still the same. We can't even provide you with a decent meal. You've even been demoted from a mover to a bicycle repairman. How can we trust you?"
Zhao Ling chimed in, "That's right, you said you'd take care of us."
Ignoring the surprised looks from passersby, Zhao Qiang put his arm around the two girls and said, "Believe me, a better job will be waiting for me soon. Gold shines wherever it is."
The two women pretended to vomit. "Look how smug you are! Let's go buy some steamed buns. Don't you like pork ribs? Let's buy a hundred pork rib buns today."
Zhao Qiang touched the fat on his stomach. He had a vague feeling that everything on his body, not just his clothes, was probably precious. He thought he would be unable to withstand the electric baton when it was shoved into him, but he was fine. What kind of person was he before? Was he really from outer space?
"Mr. Zheng, the software has been installed for them." A man walked into the office to report. The office lady who repaired electric bikes that morning looked up and said, "Good. How's the trial going?"
The male employee said, "It completely meets the other party's requirements. It ran for half a morning without any problems. The response speed exceeded our expectations. I have already brought back the remaining payment and handed it over to the finance department. It totals 12,000 yuan."
Mr. Zheng waved his hand: "Alright, you can go ahead and get busy. Also, let Sister Liu come in for a moment."
Sister Liu is the head housekeeper of General Manager Zheng's company. She not only acts as General Manager Zheng's assistant, but she is also involved in everything inside and outside the company. This is unavoidable, as General Manager Zheng's company is too small, with less than ten people in total.
"Mr. Zheng, you wanted to see me?" Sister Liu was in her early forties, dressed in a more professional style. Because she had never done outdoor work, she still looked charming and had the style of a mature woman.
Mr. Zheng said, "Sister Liu, could you help me check out the commercial street opposite Haiyun Building? There's a bicycle repair stall there, and I'd like to know more about the young repairman, especially his education."
Sister Liu said, "Okay, I'll go this afternoon."
After a pause, Mr. Zheng asked again, "Any valuable deals online lately?"
Sister Liu said, "Yes, the upstream pirates want the installation code for the China Red operating system and are willing to pay two million to find a key generator with an accuracy rate of over 90%." The China Red operating system comes with an installation code on a CD. Because it needs to be activated online after installation, once the installation code is activated, it is bound to the machine. If you try to install it on another machine using the same CD and installation code, it will be unusable because it cannot be activated.
General Manager Zheng asked, "Have our engineers tried to crack it?"
Sister Liu said, "We've tried, but it's still the same. We can't grasp the pattern of Rednet Technology's code calculator."
Mr. Zheng rubbed his forehead, watching helplessly as the two million yuan slipped through his fingers—it was truly a painful thing. "Besides this deal..."
Sister Liu said, "There's another order, worth one million. It involves separating the super antivirus software from the China Red operating system, modifying it for Microsoft's operating system, and ensuring it can access the official website's upgrade server."
Mr. Zheng said, "This order is only one million? They must be dreaming. One million is more like it. They require it to be able to be upgraded after being modified to another operating system. That technology alone is probably worth more than two million."
Ms. Liu said, "Pirates also take costs into consideration; the sales of pirated antivirus software CDs are not as good as those of operating systems."
Mr. Zheng asked, "Has any other company cracked Rednet Technology's CAPTCHA system?"
Sister Liu said, "Not yet."
Mr. Zheng said, "Alright, you can go out and do your work now. I have something to do at noon and I'll leave early today. If anyone needs to see me, just tell them to come back in the afternoon. Also, give me two thousand from the money Xiao Wang just handed over. I can't leave without showing my appreciation for his help this morning."
Sister Liu said, "Okay."
Volume Two [440] Stories of the North and South
After eating pork rib buns, the two women went to various information departments to look for a shop. Zhao Qiang, on the other hand, returned to his bicycle repair stall. The old man was happy because he had saved twenty yuan on buns at noon. He specially bought a pack of cigarettes for seven yuan and gave one to Zhao Qiang. The two squatted on the ground, smoking and chatting.
"Hey Zhao, do you have a girlfriend?"
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "I don't need it."
"Oh, if you don't have a girlfriend, I'll introduce you to one. But looking at your fair skin and delicate features, girls would definitely like you. You don't need to worry about that."
Zhao Qiang asked, "Grandpa, which company in Yihai City is the most powerful?"
The old man said, "When it comes to Yihai City, Yihai Pipe Industry is definitely the best. Their various pipe products sell well both domestically and internationally."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's so famous. The owner of Yihai Pipe Industry must be very talented."
The old man said with some disdain, "You've really got it backwards. The boss of Yihai Pipe Industry has absolutely no talent."
Zhao Qiang asked in bewilderment, "Oh, why is that? If he didn't have talent, how could he have sold Yihai Pipes all over the country?"
The old man said, "Actually, it's mainly in the large and medium-sized cities in the south. Yihai pipes from the north simply can't get in."
Zhao Qiang was even more puzzled, "Why are there different types of pipes for the north and south?"
The old man said, “You young people wouldn’t know these things, would you? Let me tell you, families in the south and north of China are different. In the south, there are almost no factions. The Chen family has always controlled half of the country, and other small families bow down to them. But the north is different. It is the power center of the country, and the various factions have always been fighting fiercely.”
Zhao Qiang was speechless: "Really? Isn't the country ruled by one party? How come there's this family thing?"
The old man said disdainfully, "You believe those high-sounding words? For example, if you became an official, wouldn't you arrange for your relatives and friends to enter the officialdom? Or would you arrange for your enemies and rivals to enter the officialdom?"
Zhao Qiang thought for a moment: "They'll probably arrange for relatives and friends." This is common sense; isn't there an old saying that fathers and sons go to war together?
The old man said, "That explains it. So those powerful families grew bigger and bigger, branching out and gradually forming the current situation. Uh, of course, I'm just hearing it from the sidelines. We're just chatting idly because we're bored. It doesn't have any political significance."
Zhao Qiang nodded; he wasn't interested in politics either. "Grandpa, which families are more powerful, the Northern families or the Southern families?"
The old man said, "The families in the north hold power in the country, so they seem more powerful on the surface. However, the economy in the south of China is more developed, and the families in the south control the economic lifeline of the country. So, they should be evenly matched. If we compare a family from the north and south individually, since there is only one Chen family in the south, we in the south should be considered more powerful."
Zhao Qiang said, "The economy in the north has developed rapidly in recent years, and the country is also investing heavily in developing the west. Considering resources and minerals, I think the north is no weaker than the south. Moreover, the military strength is also relatively strong, with some major missile units located in the mountainous areas of the north."
The old man said, "The families in the north have only started to improve in the last two years. Before that, they couldn't compare to the Chen family in the south. It's said that it's because the Hu and Yang families joined forces. Otherwise, no matter what decisions they make, they would still have to consider the opinions of the south."
"The Hu and Yang families?" Zhao Qiang was already unfamiliar with them; it's not so easy to recover formatted memories.
The old man said, "That's right. The Hu family has not been very prosperous. In this generation, there is only one son and one daughter. The son is young and doesn't care about politics, so the family has declined. But in the past two years, the Hu family's daughter has suddenly risen to prominence and founded Rednet Technology on her own. Now it is a leading technology company in our country, and the country attaches great importance to it. This has played a crucial role in turning the tide for the Hu family's prestige."
The old man must be bored on weekdays, which is why he is so knowledgeable about these gossips. Zhao Qiang nodded and said, "The Hu family's daughter is quite capable. I have studied her Rednet Technology, and its technology is indeed at least ten years ahead of the United States."
The old man said, "That's right. If it weren't for this, would the Hu family have been able to rise up again?"
Zhao Qiang asked, "What about the Yang family?"
The old man said, "The Yang family is the largest military family in the north. Even the Chen family in the south dares not underestimate its power. However, they haven't produced any outstanding talents in recent years, so their momentum has weakened considerably. But not long ago, a third young master suddenly appeared in the Yang family. It is said that he is very prominent now and has been registered in the Central Military Commission. There are some legendary stories circulating outside, saying that he is a star descended to earth and may lead our country to rule by force in the future."
Zhao Qiang scoffed, “Governing a country by force is not necessarily a good thing. We need to focus on both the economy and the military.”