Xiao Wei said, "That's no problem, but because of the lack of information, I also need to learn. I hope that Master can let me go online often. But Master, you don't think I only know how to fix computers, do you? The concept of repair I'm talking about is much broader. It's not just about fixing the broken ones, but also about making the good ones even better."
Zhao Qiang laughed and said, "You, it's good enough that you can teach me how to fix computers first. Alright, hurry up and hide. I'm afraid Sister Ma will come in and see. To be honest, I don't even know where you come from. How am I going to explain this to her? You know, your behavior has already exceeded the comprehension of ordinary people."
Xiao Wei asked, "Wait, Master, do you still remember that golden chip?"
Zhao Qiang was taken aback. Of course he remembered. "You're not going to say that you came from that chip, are you?"
Xiao Wei meowed: "What else did you think? You really think I'm a pet program?"
Zhao Qiang thought about it and realized that if Zhang Chunjiang's pirated system disk had a problem, he would have noticed it long ago. So Xiao Wei's problem couldn't have come from the installation disk. It seemed to really be related to the strange chip! This matter was quite complicated. That black box was so amazing that it could withstand dozens of heavy hammer blows. This design fully demonstrated the importance of the chip inside the black box!
This way, he couldn't let anyone know about Xiao Wei's existence. What if she was a high-tech product that had slipped out of a national research institution? He would have to return her, and then he would not only have to buy a new CPU, but also have no one to help him learn how to repair computers. Such a highly intelligent pet program was priceless! Thinking of this, Zhao Qiang decisively pressed the power button, then opened his backpack and stuffed the laptop inside.
At 10:00 a.m., Wang Yidong arrived late, his tired face suggesting he had been out partying somewhere the night before. Ma Xiaohua immediately reported what had happened that morning to Wang Yidong, who praised her repeatedly: "Ma Xiaohua, you handled it well. Zhao Qiang, you did a good job too. You'll each get a ten-yuan bonus today."
Zhao Qiang was a little happy. He didn't expect that he could repair computers thanks to Xiao Wei's reminder. After all, it was a skill to make a living. Ten yuan wasn't much, but it was enough to buy steamed buns for lunch and also cover his dinner expenses.
Ma Xiaohua, however, was somewhat dissatisfied. "Mr. Wang, it's only ten yuan. That's not even enough to buy snacks for my son."
Wang Yidong complained about being poor: "Oh dear, you know how well the company makes money. I have to support my family and pay your salaries at the end of the month."
Ma Xiaohua said, "Okay, okay, ten yuan is better than nothing. But Boss Wang and Zhao Qiang have performed really well. You should give them a raise. I think it won't be long before they can take on the responsibility of maintenance for our company on their own."
Wang Yidong casually replied, "Let's talk about it after he graduates."
Ma Xiaohua wanted to say a few more words of praise for Zhao Qiang, but then the phone rang. She had no choice but to answer it, "...Where is this? Oh, it's Shiwu Finance Company. Hello, hello, what can I do for you?"
Ma Xiaohua handed the phone to Wang Yidong, "Mr. Wang, it's Wushi Finance Company. They're looking for you. It seems like there's a big problem."
Wang Yidong took the phone, listened for a couple of sentences, and nodded solemnly: "Okay, I'll send someone over right away. Don't worry, our company's technology is absolutely top-notch. Otherwise, why would you have come to us? Rest assured, our company has strong technical capabilities..."
With a snap, Wang Yidong hung up the phone, saying sullenly, "I haven't even finished introducing myself before you hang up. That's really impolite."
Ma Xiaohua said, "President Wang, is there a big problem with their company's computers? Stop praising them and hurry up and think of a solution. I forgot to tell you earlier, Zhang Chunjiang has taken leave and we can't reach him by phone."
Wang Yidong was taken aback at first, then said, "Damn, is his mother forcing him to go on another blind date? I'm going to the internet cafe to find him."
Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "The boss really understands his employees; he even knows where Zhang Chunjiang went."
At noon, Ma Xiaohua went home to cook for her husband and children, while Zhao Qiang stayed at the company. With Xiao Wei as his support, he wasn't too intimidated. After all, he was a semi-technician and could handle most customers.
However, nothing worth Zhao Qiang's attention came up at noon today. Only one customer came to buy a mouse, and the price was listed above. Zhao Qiang just had to collect the money and keep track of the transaction.
After arriving at work in the afternoon, Zhang Chunjiang entered the company with a gloomy face. Zhao Qiang wanted to greet him but was so frightened that he swallowed his words. Zhang Chunjiang went into the repair room, picked up his computer bag, and left. Ma Xiaohua asked from behind her desk, "Zhang Chunjiang, you're leaving early again? That's way too early. You've just started work."
Zhang Chunjiang said angrily, "It's none of your business!"
Ma Xiaohua was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "Are you out of your mind?" But by then Zhang Chunjiang had already left the company and couldn't hear her anymore.
Not long after, Wang Yidong returned, still on his phone as he entered the store: "Yes, I understand. He will definitely be criticized. Isn't it because your company's situation is special? Our business here is really too heavy. How can we send an expert in a short time? Other companies have also paid us. We can't just ignore it... What, more money? I'll think about it."
Wang Yidong put down his phone, and Ma Xiaohua said, "What's wrong, Mr. Wang? Zhang Chunjiang is acting like someone owes him a fortune."
Wang Yidong pointed to the phone in his hand and said, "The finance company called and said that Zhang Chunjiang stayed at their company all morning, ate lunch and left without saying anything. They want me to explain."
Ma Xiaohua said, "So what exactly happened? Even Zhang Chunjiang got the short end of the stick."
Wang Yidong said, "The computers at Shiwu Finance Company were hacked, and some data was reportedly lost. I asked Zhang Chunjiang to help repair the system to prevent further data loss, but who knew that bastard would just abandon the task and not care about it anymore."
Ma Xiaohua said, "What should we do?"
Wang Yidong said, "There's no other way, Zhao Qiang, you're coming with me."
Zhao Qiang was still in a daze. "Huh? Mr. Wang, did I hear that right?"
Wang Yidong said, "What's wrong with that? Ma Xiaohua, just copy 720 antivirus and anti-hacking software onto a USB drive and give it to me. It's just anti-hacking, right? I'll just patch it up and install the anti-hacking software for them. This Zhang Chunjiang is getting more and more backward. He can't even handle this little thing. Zhao, you should study hard. I have faith in you. As long as you graduate, I'll officially hire you and pay you 2,200 a month. This Zhang Chunjiang really doesn't give me, Old Wang, any face."
Zhao Qiang was overjoyed. "Really? Mr. Wang, thank you!" Zhao Qiang could tell the difference between 2,200 and 6,000, but how could Zhao Qiang and Wang Yidong handle something that even Zhang Chunjiang couldn't?
Volume 1 [008] Master Zhao Gong
Wang Yidong had an electric scooter, and the two drove to Wushi Finance Company. It was a really big company, with a magnificent office building and beautiful receptionists that made Zhao Qiang's eyes hurt!
The woman who received Wang Yidong was around forty years old, dressed in office attire. She introduced herself as Ms. Liu, a section chief. She appeared to be a woman of considerable age but still possessed a certain charm. She led the two into her office. The Shiwu Finance Company had many departments, each with computers; some had internet access, while others did not.
The company has its own technicians, but they couldn't solve the problem this time, so they thought of asking for outside help. As for Wushi Finance Company contacting Rujia Computer Company, it was somewhat unexpected. Before calling Rujia Computer Company, three other computer companies had already come, but none of them could solve the problem. Hiring a professional security company to handle a computer seemed like overkill and would also damage Wushi Finance Company's reputation. With a "let's give it another try" attitude, they dug out promotional materials that Wang Yidong had distributed to the company a long time ago.
Section Chief Liu pointed to a computer in the corner and said, "This is it. This computer is usually used for sending and receiving emails and external communications. Now there are two problems. One is that our dedicated accounting software cannot run and always reports an error saying that the permissions are insufficient. The other is that the firewall will issue an intrusion alarm as soon as it connects to the external network. Fix it quickly, we are waiting to use it this afternoon."
Wang Yidong, stroking his chin, said, "The accounting software is malfunctioning. This isn't our area of expertise. Haven't you tried reinstalling the software?"
Section Chief Liu said, "Of course we've tried, but it didn't work. We even reinstalled the system, which temporarily solved the problem, but the accounting software would report an error as soon as it went online and then it would never run again. Didn't you say there was no problem that couldn't be solved? Please fix it as soon as possible."
Wang Yidong said with difficulty, "Judging from what you said, this computer has definitely been targeted by hackers. This is no small matter. The technology involved is complex and not as simple as it sounds."
Section Chief Liu smiled calmly, turned around and pulled out a checkbook from somewhere, saying, "Tell me, how much money do you need to solve this problem?"
Wang Yidong's eyes widened in an instant. "Sure, let's talk outside. Don't disturb Engineer Zhao in dealing with this nasty hacker. You should know that programmers are most afraid of being disturbed while they're working. Once their train of thought is interrupted, they may not be able to pick it up again."
Without another word, Section Chief Liu turned and walked out. There was still a staff member in the office. Section Chief Liu waved to him, and the man hesitated before following. Wang Yidong's reason for repairing computers in private was understandable; many people were unwilling to share their technical skills, otherwise they would lose their jobs.
Wang Yi lay in last without making a sound. He took out a USB drive and tossed it to Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang was puzzled: "Mr. Wang, why are you giving me a USB drive? You should know that I've only been here for a few days and I don't know anything. You just told me to solve the hacker problem, isn't that ridiculous?"
Wang Yidong said, "Never mind whether it's nonsense or not. You already have an operating system installed on your own laptop, right? Do you know how to install an operating system but not antivirus software?"
Zhao Qiang was startled: "President Wang, you're not planning to just install antivirus software and get away with it, are you? If that worked, we wouldn't be doing this job."
Wang Yidong glared at him and said, "What do you mean by 'getting away with it'? I say it's fine, so it's fine. Get the money first. You'd better get moving right now. If you're going to pretend, at least make it look like you're a highly skilled person, or you'll be fired."
Zhao Qiang was in a dilemma: "How can I pretend? I don't even know what advanced techniques look like."
Wang Yidong pointed to Zhao Qiang's ever-present backpack and said, "Don't you have a laptop? Take it out and connect it to this machine. Just make it look profound and incomprehensible to outsiders."
This was like being forced into a corner, but since he was being paid by the boss, he had to do his job. Zhao Qiang didn't refuse, took out his laptop, plugged it in, and turned it on. His laptop didn't have a battery, so he had to use an external power source.
Wang Yidong smiled at Section Chief Liu, who was standing at the door, and said, "Our Engineer Zhao is also a hacker expert. Although the problem is big, there are still ways to fix it in the eyes of an expert like him. Everyone, please be patient. Also, could you please bring over a straight-through network cable?"
Section Chief Liu made a phone call, and soon the company's technicians arrived. Wang Yidong tossed the network cable to Zhao Qiang, and then chatted idly outside with Section Chief Liu and the technicians. "Our Home Inn Computer Company always puts customers first and aims to establish good cooperative relationships with various companies. We will never overcharge you by a single penny. Hackers these days are so heartless..."
Zhao Qiang cursed inwardly that Wang Yidong would do anything for money, but he was just a part-time worker who got paid to do it. The boss told him to do it, so he did. But how was he supposed to connect the network cable? Zhao Qiang was at a loss. Wang Yidong trusted him too much, but he really didn't know anything about it!
"Meow," the laptop booted up successfully, and Xiao Wei appeared on the screen. The meow reminded Zhao Qiang that he didn't know anything, but Xiao Wei did. He was really stupid to think he could solve it himself.
"Xiao Wei, your master is in trouble now. You'd better help me think of a solution quickly," Zhao Qiang said to the little white cat in the notebook, away from the eyes of those outside.
"Master, it's my pleasure to serve you. Is it computer repair again?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, tell me how to plug in this network cable first." Zhao Qiang is really too clueless.
Xiao Wei asked Zhao Qiang to come closer to the camera and look at the two RJ45 connectors. She said, "One end is T568B and the other end is T568A. The 1-3 and 2-6 ribbon cables are crossed. This is a straight-through cable. You can plug it directly into the network cards of the two computers to establish a connection. Leave the rest to me, but you'd better explain the situation to me first."
Zhao Qiang understood immediately. He bent down, plugged one end into the computer to be repaired, and the other end into the laptop. He then explained the two faults to Xiao Wei in a low voice. At this moment, a program box automatically popped up on the laptop, which was constantly running data. The hard drive light on the other computer kept flashing, as if Xiao Wei had taken control of the computer.
Zhao Qiang couldn't just do nothing, since people outside could vaguely see his actions through the blinds. So Zhao Qiang plugged in the USB drive and started installing the 720 antivirus and anti-hacking software. As the installation began, Xiao Wei exclaimed, "This is unbelievable! Is this an operating system? I am utterly shocked by this world."
Zhao Qiang said, "What's wrong? It's Microsoft XP, that's right."
Xiao Wei said, "This is basically a broken fishing net, full of loopholes. Even a child could break it with a single poke, let alone a hacker with ulterior motives."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's that serious? What can we do? Will installing antivirus software still not work?"
The kitten meowed smugly: "Although I can't repair hardware right now, fixing a broken operating system like a fishnet is no problem. Give me three minutes and I'll take care of it all. As for the accounting software with insufficient permissions, I've already fixed it."
Those outside could make out the general outline through the blurry vision. The technician from Wushi Finance Company was watching Zhao Qiang's operations closely. They saw Zhao Qiang busy at the malfunctioning computer for a while, then move on to his laptop. Whenever Zhao Qiang stood up, they could see the data flashing on the laptop screen. The technician from Wushi Finance Company sighed inwardly, "He's really a master. Look how professional he is. It's just that the boss of this company is too stingy, providing his employees with such a broken work laptop."
Wang Yidong initially only wanted to scam some service fees to make up for Zhang Chunjiang's wasted trip that morning. As for whether he could actually fix it, he wasn't sure. But seeing Zhao Qiang's enthusiasm as he worked inside, Wang Yidong began to have doubts. Was this kid really good at pretending, or was he just hiding his true abilities? Watching his hands fly across the keyboard, even Wang Yidong, a computer enthusiast for many years, was impressed.
Volume 1 [009] Making Money Isn't That Hard
Zhao Qiang was typing on the keyboard when Xiao Wei said to him helplessly, "Master, please stop typing. You've typed a lot of commands incorrectly, which will increase my workload. Now I have to repeat them."
Zhao Tou broke out in a cold sweat, hurriedly putting down the laptop and continuing to install the antivirus software on the desktop. Whether it worked or not, he had to give an explanation, otherwise he couldn't tell people that a cat had fixed their computer.
"Master, it's a success! Both problems are solved." Xiao Wei said with a boastful expression. Zhao Qiang glanced at his watch. Only five minutes had passed. Was it really done? He was really unsure. He secretly used Wang Yidong's USB drive to copy the Red Star scanner from the laptop to the desktop computer for scanning. He didn't know if the scanner was malfunctioning or if it was truly fixed, but the scan results showed that no vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers were found on the computer.
Zhao Qiang, being more cautious, used the built-in screenshot tool on the scanner to save the scan results to a USB drive and then copied it to his laptop. He then closed the laptop, unplugged the network cable, and got up to call the people outside to come in.
Wang Yidong spoke first, lowering his voice to ask, "What's going on?"
Zhao Qiang said, "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be fine." Zhao Qiang knew that there was something strange about the golden chip, so he had some confidence in Xiao Wei's abilities, but he didn't dare to be too sure and could only be ambiguous.
Wang Yidong secretly gave Zhao Qiang a thumbs up, then turned to Section Chief Liu and said, "Section Chief Liu, have your technician try out the results?"
Without Wang Yidong saying anything, Section Chief Liu would have done the same. So the technician sat down at the computer, first plugged in the network cable to connect to the external network, opened a webpage and found no problem. It turned out that the system's built-in firewall had not received any alerts. Then he ran the accounting software, and it opened smoothly without needing to verify permissions. The technician was amazed: "You're a master! I admire you so much. You're the one who used the least amount of time but was the most effective among all the groups that came."
Wang Yidong felt incredibly proud and said shamelessly, "That's right, I've always said that Engineer Zhao's skills are unparalleled. This is a big problem for ordinary people, but it's a piece of cake for him. However, I paid a high price to hire Engineer Zhao, so..."
Section Chief Liu quickly signed the check, then tore it off with a sizzle and handed it to Wang Yidong: "Is this enough?"
When Wang Yi took a look, he was amazed to find that the person was incredibly wealthy. It was a number 3 followed by three zeros. He had made a fortune in just a few minutes of work!
Wang Yidong was overjoyed inside, but he didn't show it on his face. "Well, our goal is to establish a cooperative relationship in the future, so the price is naturally negotiable. Okay, I wish us a pleasant cooperation in the future!" Wang Yidong stuffed the check into his pocket and reached out to shake hands with Section Chief Liu.
Section Chief Liu shook hands with Wang Yidong politely and said, "It's a pleasure working with you. I'll contact you if there are any problems."
The technician tried for a while but found no problem. He asked Zhao Qiang, "Mr. Zhao, I just don't understand, is this 720 anti-virus software useful? I saw you did some operations online, hehe, could you teach me?"
Wang Yidong secretly winked at Zhao Qiang, meaning, "Don't teach him! If you teach your apprentice, you'll lose your job as a master." In truth, how could Zhao Qiang possibly teach the technicians at Wushi Finance Company? He had no idea how Xiaowei had fixed it, so Zhao Qiang replied without hesitation, "Of course not."
Section Chief Liu stopped the technician from asking further questions, as it concerned the company's confidential information. She said, "Alright, don't waste Mr. Wang's time. Continue to try it out. You'll need to use this computer later. If there are any problems, notify Mr. Wang as soon as possible so he can handle them."
Wang Yidong said goodbye and walked ahead. The technician from Wushi Finance Company quietly followed behind Zhao Qiang and said, "Engineer Zhao, your boss is too stingy. I recommend you to come to our Wushi Finance Company. Don't worry, as soon as you come, we'll provide you with a top-of-the-line laptop. As for the salary, it's negotiable."
If Zhao Qiang were truly capable, he would naturally agree. Wushi Finance Company is the most famous finance company in Donghai City. However, Zhao Qiang has no ability whatsoever. He was only able to get things done this time thanks to Xiao Wei. If he works here in the future, his problems will be discovered sooner or later. Therefore, he must not be greedy and suffer a great loss. Zhao Qiang refused outright.
Perhaps it was because the technician from the pragmatic finance company spoke a little loudly, Wang Yidong, who was walking ahead, heard it all. When he got outside, he reluctantly took out three red bills from his wallet, but gritted his teeth and handed them over anyway, saying, "Zhao Qiang, you did a great job today. This is a reward for you."
Zhao Qiang was taken aback. Door-to-door repairs were part of his job, he hadn't expected such a good deal! Three hundred yuan was half a month's salary for him! That could buy over three hundred steamed buns! Although Wang Yidong earned the lion's share of the repairs, he was the boss; without him bringing in the work, Zhao Qiang wouldn't even have gotten the three hundred yuan bonus!
Zhao Qiang excitedly accepted the money; he had to accept the bonus from his boss. "Thank you, Mr. Wang, you're so kind!"
Wang Yi was overjoyed and no longer felt the pinch of the three hundred yuan he had taken out. He said, "Your laptop is indeed a bit old. How about I trade mine for yours?"
Zhao Qiang hurriedly shook his head: "No, no, no, Mr. Wang, you misunderstand. I have no such thoughts. After all, this is a notebook that I made myself, and it has great significance. Besides, I'm comfortable using it, so it's fine."
Wang Yi was reluctant to part with his laptop, but thinking that you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub, and you can't catch a lecher without risking your wife, he had to take the initiative to bring up the matter if he wanted Zhao Qiang, this potential catch, to stay. He had heard every word the technician from the pragmatic finance company said earlier.
Since Zhao Qiang himself refused about the laptop, Wang Yidong naturally wouldn't press the issue. "Alright, tell me if you have any difficulties. You're my employee now, and I have a responsibility to take good care of you. By the way, there are no outsiders here. Tell me how you're going to get that computer sorted out."
Zhao Qiang stammered, "Well... their computers were too old, so I fixed them up." This was almost exactly what Xiao Wei said.