Around 8 p.m., the three of them finally returned upstairs with bags and bags of computers. The two women were exhausted, but Zhao Qiang was fine. Apart from being extremely sleepy while shopping for clothes with them, he was now full of energy again. He busied himself setting up the computers on the table, plugging them in and turning them on. The wireless network card had a USB interface, and after plugging it in, the installation program was automatically installed. This was no longer a technical task for Zhao Qiang, who had been working on computers for a long time.
The two women lay in bed for about half an hour before getting up to cook. Chen Xinxin was alright, but Zhao Ling could only do odd jobs. Since they were new to cooking, the two of them were very busy and didn't get to eat dinner until after 10 p.m. It was very simple: a big bowl of rice, a stir-fried cabbage dish, and a stir-fried potato dish. The taste was just average, but Zhao Qiang wasn't picky and ate with relish. This made the girls, who had been busy for two hours, very happy, and they were much more efficient when washing the dishes.
After dinner, the two women stood behind Zhao Qiang and watched him surf the internet for a while before going to bed. After waiting for an hour without any movement from Zhao Qiang, Chen Xinxin asked Zhao Ling, "He's not going to go to bed tonight, is he?"
Zhao Ling said, "Who cares? Let's sleep. Letting him touch us will only make it harder for us to sleep."
Chen Xinxin was a little worried: "Do you think he might turn bad again and then execute us on the spot?"
Zhao Ling said, "Probably, but this is a test of his character. If he tries to force himself on us, we'll teach him a lesson."
Chen Xinxin said, "What if he's just trying to coax us?"
Zhao Ling said, "Then I have no choice but to test the waters myself. A man once told me something that was right: if you walk by the river long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet. Every woman has her day. I've decided to give myself to him willingly."
Chen Xinxin said, "Isn't he handsome?"
Zhao Ling said, "Didn't you like him? Let me tell you, he touched me first. If anyone is going to take responsibility, it should be me first."
Chen Xinxin said with dissatisfaction, "You're not being fair. You said before that you were willing to step back and stay behind the scenes, but now you're competing with me for it."
"Oh, so you're feeling all horny. Tell me, did he touch you comfortably last night? Did you get wet down there? This bed is brand new, so don't wet the bed again."
"Why should I tell you? Let me touch you, see if it's wet..."
Zhao Qiang didn't go to bed all night. He completely forgot about the two girls. His thirst for knowledge far exceeded that for women. The more he looked at them, the less he could control his thirst for knowledge. However, Zhao Qiang later discovered that many of the materials he urgently needed to know were not accessible to ordinary users. So, Zhao Qiang had no choice but to learn how to crack them. This led him to study computer science. The amount of knowledge in this area was not something he could learn in one night. In the end, he even had to carefully analyze and study various operating systems. He was still hunched over his computer when dawn broke.
Chen Xinxin stretched and removed Zhao Ling's hand from her chest. The two large mounds looked quite erotic under the covers. Zhao Ling, dissatisfied, put her hand back on them and said in a coquettish voice, "Is it dawn?"
Chen Xinxin said, "Yes, he didn't sleep all night."
Zhao Ling said, "Forget about it, it's good to learn more knowledge. Maybe he can support us in the future."
Chen Xinxin said, "I hope so. What are we going to do today?"
Zhao Ling said, "This money doesn't last long. Why don't we go out and find a job? I'm afraid Zhao Qiang will be unhappy if we keep swindling money from men. This little man has quite a bit of pride. Let's not make him angry."
Chen Xinxin said, "My mom said she wants to be a sanitation worker, but I have to get up before dawn to sweep the floor. I can't stand that."
Zhao Ling said, "If we go to the mall to work as sales clerks, with our qualifications, we'll definitely be top sales performers."
Chen Xinxin said, "What about Zhao Qiang?"
Zhao Ling said, "Let him stay home and continue studying. I don't think we can get him out of his seat in front of the computer anytime soon."
Zhao Qiang was truly engrossed. Except for brief breaks to eat, he would still eat in front of the computer, his eyes glued to the constantly scrolling screen, endlessly copying vast amounts of knowledge into his mind. This relentless work continued for two days and two nights. The two girls were terrified, fearing they were exhausting him. Finally, they had to force him to bed, holding him down on either side to compel him to rest for one night. But in reality, Zhao Qiang's brain didn't stop; it continued to analyze the newly acquired information. Now, Zhao Qiang had become stronger, because as someone once said, knowledge is power.
(Thanks to the following for their monthly ticket support: I Go My Own Way, Versailles Rose [3 images], It's Hard to Be Loved, Jerry.H, Huan Shuang, jwx2003, Lu Niu Niu, Jing Heng, Lonely Night Sleep, Book Friend 080824255472, etc.)
(Thanks to Ghostly Talk, Si Ni San Nian, and Lu Niu Niu for the 588 coins donation; thanks to Evil Light and 517336 for the donation)
Volume 2 [436] Starting Point
[436] Starting point
Two weeks later, a disheveled Zhao Qiang seemed to wake from a dream. It was past midnight when he suddenly shouted, "Ah!" Zhao Ling, who had already fallen asleep, jumped up. "Ah, an earthquake?" There had been so many rumors circulating lately that Zhao Ling had developed a conditioned reflex. Without even putting on clothes, she grabbed the blanket and tried to open the door. Suddenly remembering that someone was still at the computer, Zhao Ling ran back and grabbed Zhao Qiang's arm: "Run!"
Zhao Qiang asked, puzzled, "Are you out of your mind? Why are you running around? Wake up!"
Zhao Ling rubbed her eyes: "Was there an earthquake? Who shouted just now?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I was just expressing my feelings; it has nothing to do with the earthquake."
Zhao Ling tapped Zhao Qiang on the head: "Are you trying to scare me to death? What are you yelling about in the middle of the night? What if a neighbor comes looking for us?" These past few nights, Chen Xinxin has gone back to sleep with her mother, leaving only Zhao Ling and Zhao Qiang upstairs. Zhao Qiang is so engrossed in his computer that Zhao Ling almost forgets he's there, except she has to bring him food to his computer desk every day, otherwise she's afraid he'll starve.
Zhao Qiang waved his fist proudly and said, "I've mastered the skills. I'll go out and look for a job tomorrow. If I have the funds, I'll open my own repair shop. If I don't have the funds, no problem, I'll earn it with my own two hands."
Zhao Ling plopped back onto the bed. "Oh my god, you've finally finished studying! These past few days have almost given me a heart attack. I thought I'd have to send you to an internet addiction rehabilitation center for a couple of days. Now that Xin Xin and I both have jobs, we're confident we can support you, so your job doesn't matter. Just don't be as obsessed with the computer as you were a few days ago."
Zhao Qiang said seriously, "How can that be? It should be the man supporting the woman."
Zhao Ling pulled the blanket over her head, preparing to fall asleep again: "We're so happy that you have this thought in your heart, and we're happy to take care of you."
Zhao Qiang said, "Don't worry, you and Xin Xin will be happy. I have the confidence and ability to do so. Besides, after I finish my studies, I won't need to go online anymore. Even if I do go online, I'll have the materials. I won't need to study day and night like this anymore."
Zhao Ling pulled down the blanket and stretched out her arms in a hugging gesture, looking both cute and alluring. "Really? Then come to bed and hug me. You haven't spoken to us for the past few days. I miss you. I really don't know what you're thinking. Is a computer more important than a beautiful woman? This makes me very sad. My charm is not even as good as a computer."
Zhao Qiang pointed to his messy clothes and said, "I think I'll go take a shower. I won't sleep tonight; let's have a good talk."
Zhao Lingjiao laughed: "You should just have a good touch, you should call Xin Xin over, her touch is much more satisfying."
The next morning, Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin both took the day off. They took Zhao Qiang to the hair salon and got him a trendy new haircut. In just half a month, Zhao Qiang's hair had grown to look like a girl's, jet black, making Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin envious. His skin, while still fair, no longer looked like it could be squeezed for water; instead, it had a healthy vitality. After shaving off his stubble and pairing it with designer clothes and his new hairstyle, the two girls were extremely satisfied. Taking such a boyfriend out made them feel confident enough to keep such a pretty boy as a boyfriend; they were willing to do it.
"Zhao Ling, take a closer look. I haven't noticed these past few days, but Zhao Qiang seems to have changed a lot." After leaving the barbershop, Chen Xinxin felt more and more uneasy as she examined him.
Zhao Ling straightened Zhao Qiang's head and looked at him carefully for a moment: "Yeah, who does he look like?"
Chen Xinxin took out a printed sheet of paper from her handbag. On it was a color photograph, which the two women had paid to have printed at a copy shop using a color laser printer. Their purpose was simply to find the person in the photo and make their hundreds of millions. Chen Xinxin placed the photo next to Zhao Qiang's head and said, "God, it looks so good. Don't they look alike?"
Zhao Ling said, "Of course they look alike. If he keeps changing like this, the two of them might become exactly the same. Don't you think he's also short of money, so he's trying to grow up to be like the rich Zhao Qiang? How about we disguise him and then swindle money from Zhang Lingfeng? We don't need billions or hundreds of billions, just get the ten million he promised."
Chen Xinxin said, "The idea is good, but the problem is that if Zhang Lingfeng talks to Zhao Qiang, he will be completely exposed."
Zhao Ling said regretfully, "That's right, he's not Zhao Qiang at all, and we know nothing about Zhao Qiang, so we can't pretend."
Zhao Qiang pulled away Zhao Ling's hand that was supporting his head and said, "Don't be so picky. Being handsome won't put food on the table. I need to go find a job. What about you guys?"
Zhao Ling said with dissatisfaction, "Why do you need to find a job? We'll support you."
Chen Xinxin said, "That's right, we're on a weekly pay system now. Zhao Ling and I have each earned over two thousand yuan in the past two weeks." The two women sell men's clothing, and their looks naturally attract many male customers, so it's not surprising that they each earn a thousand yuan in commission per week.
Zhao Qiang disagreed, "I want to do repairs. It seems like it's my destiny. You guys go shopping. I'll just look around and see if there are any job openings. If a grown man has to rely on a woman to support him, I think he might as well just kill himself."
Zhao Ling said disdainfully, "Tch, we've been raising you for over half a month, and we haven't seen you go and kill yourself."
Zhao Qiang said, "I didn't kill myself because I wanted to repay you."
Zhao Ling said, "Alright, you work hard to make money so we can have more money than we can spend. From now on, you can support me and Xin Xin, and we'll be your wives."
Zhao Qiang snapped his fingers: "No problem, give me a month, I'm leaving now." Without further ado, Zhao Qiang strode towards the job market. The map of Yihai City was already in his mind; now he needed an opportunity to get started.
Zhao Qiang hadn't expected that starting an opportunity wouldn't be so easy to find. Every job posting required at least a college diploma. Since it wasn't a job fair, there were only job announcements. Zhao Qiang wrote down the phone numbers and called several companies, but they wouldn't even consider him without a diploma. College graduates were everywhere; there was no need for employers to lower their requirements. Even security guards required at least a high school diploma. Where was Zhao Qiang supposed to find a high school diploma? He didn't even know who he was. Besides, he wanted a repair-related job; for some reason, that was his subconscious thought. But after searching the entire job market, he couldn't find any companies hiring repairmen.
Zhao Qiang walked out of the job market somewhat disappointed. It was truly a troublesome situation; even with his exceptional skills, he couldn't earn money without opportunities to use them. Lost in thought, Zhao Qiang wandered aimlessly through the streets. Ahead lay Haiyun Building, the largest shopping mall in Yihai City. Several alleys nearby were lined with shops selling snacks, mobile phones, and street vendors. Zhao Qiang idly strolled in.
An elderly man in his fifties was repairing a bicycle by the roadside. Zhao Qiang squatted down and watched. About an hour later, the old man straightened up and said, "Young man, you're really bored. You're the first person to stay in front of my stall for so long without repairing a bicycle."
Zhao Qiang smiled and said, "I like repairs, so I also like watching others do repairs."
The old man said, "But there are fewer and fewer bicycles, so this industry has no future."
Zhao Qiang said, "Not necessarily. We can repair electric vehicles and motorcycles, or even cars and airplanes."
The old man laughed heartily: "Are you kidding me? Cars and airplanes? They're the ones that will fix me. My old bones can't even fix an electric bike, let alone those things."
Zhao Qiang said, "Grandpa, how about you hire me to fix your bike?" Zhao Qiang had no stall, tools, or even customers, so he needed a starting point. Since the company wouldn't take him in, what about a bicycle repair stall?
The old man was somewhat surprised: "You want me to hire you? Young man, I can't even earn a few dozen yuan a day. After deducting the stall fee and food and drink, I don't even have twenty yuan left. How can I dare to hire you? Do you expect me to pay you out of my own pocket?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Of course not. How about this, sir? You hire me to fix your car, and we split the wages."
The old man asked curiously, "How is the wage calculated in shares? How exactly is it calculated?"
Zhao Qiang said, "We'll split the money I make from repairing your car 50/50. If I don't make any money, we don't have to split it; I'll bear the losses myself."
The old man asked doubtfully, "Are you kidding me?"
Zhao Qiang said very seriously, "No."
The old man banged his hammer and said, "Alright, I'm an old man with no one to talk to anyway. You can keep me company for a while. If we can really make money, I'll treat you to lunch."
Zhao Qiang said happily, "Then it's settled. Grandpa, let me take over your work. This will be your own income, and I won't take a share."
The bicycle moved into Zhao Qiang's hands like a child's toy, so easily that the repairman was astonished. Changing the spokes was a task the repairman would normally take nearly an hour, and sometimes even then, he might not be able to finish. This was because he not only had to remove the tires and inner tubes, but also the entire rear wheel to tighten the spoke bolts. The crucial step was aligning the rim, adjusting it by loosening and tightening the bolts on different spokes. This was a job that an inexperienced person might struggle with for an hour. But Zhao Qiang completed the entire task in just five minutes, including aligning the rim perfectly on his first try. He didn't even need to use a screwdriver to check if the rim was correct; Zhao Qiang absolutely trusted the data from the X-ray scan.
The mechanic inspected the car and then gave it a thumbs up, saying, "Well done, young man. I didn't expect you to be so skilled. No wonder you dared to say you'd split the profits with me. Your speed and accuracy are something even I, a veteran mechanic with decades of experience, can't match."
A body controlled by a super biochip, a body with infinite power, a brain with unparalleled knowledge of the structure and performance of all kinds of bicycles, plus X-ray glasses—if repairing a bicycle is still difficult, Zhao Qiang might as well buy a block of tofu and smash it to his death.
"Hehe, it's just a hobby, so I'm quite skilled at it, nothing special," Zhao Qiang said modestly.
The mechanic stood up and said, "Alright, with your skills, I'm willing to hand over the stall to you. I'm going out for a walk. You can fix it yourself here. We'll split the rest of the work 50/50. I'll explain the prices for different parts."
The old man left with his hands behind his back. He was so happy to do this job, even though he didn't have to work and still got half the money. He was busy every day, and now he could earn money and go wherever he wanted. It was like a windfall.
Volume 2 [437] Car Repair
【437】Car Repair
The first and second floors of Haiyun Building house a supermarket, the third, fourth, and fifth floors sell clothing and shoes, and the sixth and seventh floors sell furniture and restaurants. Even on weekdays, it has the highest customer traffic among all shopping malls in Yihai City. Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin work on the fourth floor. Zhao Ling sells Qipai menswear, and Chen Xinxin sells Caizi brand clothing. Their seats are very close, and they can even secretly chat when they are not selling.
The two women's makeup was mature and alluring, while the other was innocent and sexy. Their appearances were absolutely outstanding, and they were the focus of attention on the entire fourth floor. At first, not many people paid attention to them, but after two or three days, men frequently appeared in front of these two brand counters.
The men who came all bought some clothes, using the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Zhao Ling and Chen Xinxin. Some even managed to get their phone numbers, claiming it was for convenient after-sales service. If it weren't for these men's support, the two of them wouldn't have been able to earn over a thousand in a week. You should know that other female sales clerks at the counter only earn a little over a thousand a month, and even during the promotional period close to the New Year, they only earn around three thousand.
"Xin Xin, I wonder if Zhao Qiang has found a job yet." Zhao Ling was a little uneasy all morning. She felt at ease when Zhao Qiang was at home, but he wasn't home today. She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to find him when she went back. After all, Zhao Qiang's appearance was sudden, and he might disappear again any day. Zhao Ling was used to his protection and didn't dare to imagine how she would live without him. Did she have to go back to the massage parlor to swindle men out of their money?
Chen Xinxin said, "Let's buy him a cell phone later, so we can contact him anytime."
Zhao Ling took out her bag from under the counter and started looking for money. "Let's go buy it now." Chen Xinxin said, "Okay, let me see how much money I have." The two of them pooled their money and found they had a little over two thousand yuan left. So Chen Xinxin ran to the mobile phone counter on the sixth floor and bought a candybar phone, spending over a thousand yuan. However, the two girls didn't feel bad at all. They weren't the type of girls who knew how to manage money. They spent money as soon as they had it and never thought about saving money.
A salesperson from the brand next door was chatting with another person, "Hey, did you know? The old man who used to fix cars on the back street has changed."
My friend asked, puzzled: "They changed people? The old man from before quit?"
"I don't know. When I came in, I saw a young man. You have no idea how handsome he was. He was absolutely stunning." The saleswoman exaggerated, which was enough to prove that he was indeed handsome.
"How handsome can he be? You're exaggerating. If a handsome man were going to fix bicycles, would he need to?"
"I'm not lying to you, he's not only handsome, but also has incredibly fair skin. Most importantly, he repairs bicycles like it's nothing, he's so skilled that it's a beautiful sight to watch."
"Really? Shall we go down and take a look?"
Companion: "Okay, how will we know if I'm telling the truth if we don't see it for ourselves? Come on, Xiao Wang, you keep an eye on things for us. If the boss comes, just say we went to the restroom and will be back in a bit. If someone wants to buy clothes, we'll sell them at the original price. If they don't want to buy, fine."
Zhao Ling asked Chen Xinxin, "Xinxin, who do you think they're talking about?"
Chen Xinxin said, "No way, how could Zhao Qiang possibly go and fix bicycles?"
Zhao Ling said, "It's really hard to say. Why don't we go down and take a look too?"