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Three days later, Afu returned.

"Master, we've finished our inspection of Lanyuan Village," Afu reported. "The village has a good location, very close to National Highway 107, making transportation convenient. There are over 500 mu of industrial land in the village, most of which is currently vacant. Village Chief Huang Renfa is very welcoming to our investment and has offered very favorable terms."

"What conditions?"

"The land price is 48,000 yuan per mu, which is 2,000 yuan cheaper than the market price. If we invest more than 2 million yuan, we can get an additional 10% discount. In addition, the village can help us connect water, electricity and roads, and there are also tax benefits."

“That’s good.” Su Ning nodded. “Let’s set a time, and I’ll go see Village Chief Huang in person.”

"It's arranged, tomorrow at noon, at the village restaurant," Afu said. "Village Chief Huang said he'd like to invite you to lunch to discuss investment matters."

"Okay, let's go tomorrow then."

……

The next day at noon, Suning drove Afu to Lanyuan Village.

The village is indeed quite far from the city; it took almost an hour to drive there.

But as Afu said, transportation is very convenient. A cement road leads directly into the village, and there are many cars coming and going, making it quite lively.

The restaurant in the village is called "Lanyuan Restaurant". It's a two-story building with average decor, but it's clean enough.

Huang Renfa was already waiting at the door.

He was an elderly man in his sixties, not very tall, a little overweight, wearing a white shirt and black trousers, the typical attire of a village cadre.

"President Su, welcome, welcome!" Huang Renfa greeted him warmly.

"Hello, Village Chief Huang." Su Ning shook hands with Huang Renfa. "Just call me Xiao Su."

“That won’t do. You’re an investor, a big boss,” Huang Renfa said with a smile. “Please come in, the private room is all ready.”

The three entered the private room, where cold dishes were already laid out on the table.

After taking their seats, Huang Renfa began to introduce the situation of Lanyuan Village. "General Manager Su, General Manager Fu, our village used to be all about farming, and we were very poor. After the reform and opening up, Shenzhen developed rapidly, and our village also benefited. Now there are more than a dozen factories in the village, mainly making clothing, toys, and electronic components. But they are all small-scale workshops."

"The land in our village is in a good location and the price is cheap. Many Hong Kong bosses come here to set up factories. If you, Mr. Su, come, we will definitely give you our full support."

Su Ning nodded. "Village Chief Huang, Mr. Fu told me about the village's conditions, and I think they're good. But I'd like to see the land first before making a decision."

"Of course, of course," Huang Renfa said. "I'll take you to see it after we finish eating. The best piece of land in our village is at the east end, right by the road. It's large, well-shaped, and perfect for building a factory."

During the meal, Huang Renfa kept serving food to Su Ning and urging him to drink, his attitude was extremely attentive.

Suning understands.

In 1992, attracting investment was the most important achievement of the village cadres.

Bringing in a big boss will bring in tax revenue for the village, jobs for the villagers, and prestige for the officials.

"Mr. Su, how much money do you plan to invest?" Huang Renfa asked tentatively.

"The first phase investment is two million," Suning said. "We'll buy ten acres of land and build a factory. If things go well, we'll invest another three million in the second phase to expand the scale."

"Five million!" Huang Renfa's eyes lit up. "That's a huge investment! Mr. Su, don't worry, as long as you invest, the village will definitely give you the best policies. I'll give you a discount on the land price to 45,000 yuan per mu, half off taxes for the first three years, and water and electricity fees will be charged at the lowest standard. In addition, you don't need to worry about recruiting workers. Our village has plenty of labor, as many as you need."

"Thank you, Village Chief Huang." Su Ning raised his glass. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

"Happy cooperation!"

After dinner, Huang Renfa took Su Ning to see the land.

Just as he said, the land is located at the east end of the village, right next to National Highway 107, making transportation very convenient.

The land is flat, without slope, and covers an area of ​​about ten acres. It is square in shape and very suitable for building a factory.

"President Su, what do you think?" Huang Ren asked.

"Good." Su Ning nodded. "This will do! Village Chief Huang, what about the paperwork?"

“It’s simple!” Huang Renfa said. “You first register your company, then sign an investment agreement with our village. The land price and preferential policies will all be written in. After signing the agreement, you pay a 30% deposit, and we will start processing the land transfer procedures. Once the procedures are completed, you pay the balance, and the land will be yours.”

“Okay,” Su Ning said. “Then let’s sign the agreement as soon as possible. I’ll have Mr. Fu liaise with you and finalize all the details.”

"Great!" Huang Renfa was so happy he couldn't stop smiling.

On the way back to the city, Afu drove and Suning sat in the passenger seat.

“Master, Huang Renfa seems like a decent guy, but we should be wary of him,” Afu said. “I’ve investigated him. He’s been the village chief for five years, and he’s brought in more than a dozen factories, but only five or six of them have actually taken off. The others either cheated out of subsidies or ran away when they couldn’t keep going. But his three sons are doing very well.”

“I know,” Suning said, “but we are a real investment and a real factory building, so we’re not afraid of him playing tricks. And with you here, he can’t pull any tricks.”

"Yes." Afu nodded. "Master, I will keep a close eye on the land procedures to make sure there are no problems. I've already started working on the factory design drawings, and they'll be ready in three days. The equipment procurement list is also complete, and we can place the order at any time."

"Very efficient." Su Ning said with satisfaction, "Afu, with you guys around, I really don't have to worry about anything."

"this is what we are supposed to do."

Suning looked out the window at Shenzhen, his heart filled with anticipation.

Using a robot team was something he had planned long ago.

In this day and age, people's hearts are hard to fathom.

Hiring an accountant inevitably leads to falsifying accounts.

Hiring a purchasing agent and taking kickbacks has become an open secret in the industry.

Even hiring a salesperson could lead to them running away with the money.

But robots are different; they are absolutely loyal, absolutely professional, and absolutely efficient.

Although the initial investment is large, summoning one AI robot can be equivalent to several human workers.

Moreover, these robots can not only help him build factories, but also do many other things for him.

For example, collecting information.

"Ah Fu, I asked you to investigate Xiao Ran and Liu Yuan. Have you found anything?" Su Ning asked.

“Yes,” Afu said. “They arrived in Shenzhen three days ago and are currently staying in a small hotel in Luohu District. Xiao Ran is looking for a job, but because he doesn’t have a graduation certificate, he’s running into walls everywhere. Liu Yuan does have a job, but the salary isn’t high, only about 300 yuan a month, and the company is at risk of going out of business at any time.”

It was expected that Xiao Ran would run into trouble in Shenzhen.

It's incredibly difficult for a college graduate who's been expelled, with no diploma and no experience, to establish themselves in Shenzhen.

But that's exactly what Suning wanted.

Only when Xiao Ran suffers setbacks in Shenzhen will Han Ling understand that love can't put food on the table.

Only then will you understand that what Suning said back then was all correct.

“Keep an eye on them,” Su Ning said. “Especially Xiao Ran. Tell me when he finds a job, what kind of job he does, and how much he earns.”

"Yes."

As the car entered the city, tall buildings gradually appeared.

Su Ning looked at the young city and a smile appeared on her lips.

Shenzhen, here I come.

With my robot team, with my five million, and with my ambition.

I will build my factory here, make my products, and earn my money.

……

Liu Yuan and Xiao Ran parted ways on the third day after arriving in Shenzhen.

Liu Yuan had a place to go. His father used his connections to find him a job in Shenzhen. Although it wasn't a big company, at least he had a place to stay.

Xiao Ran was different; he was expelled, didn't have a graduation certificate, and had to rely on himself.

On the day they parted, Liu Yuan gave Xiao Ran five hundred yuan, saying, "Old Xiao, take this first. I'll help you find a job after I've settled in."

Xiao Ran declined, "No need, I have money."

"You have no money to burn," Liu Yuan said, forcing the money into his hand. "We're brothers, don't be shy. Remember, if you ever have any trouble, come to me."

"Okay." Xiao Ran accepted it. "Where is your workplace? I'll come find you after I've settled in."

Liu Yuan pulled out a piece of paper with an address written on it. "It's here, Chunfeng Road, Luohu District. Call us when you get there; we have a phone number for our office."

"it is good."

The two said goodbye at the station, one heading east and the other west.

……

Xiao Ran found the cheapest place to stay in Luohu District, a tin-roofed house in an urban village, for a monthly rent of eighty yuan.

That place is no place for humans to live.

It's called a house, but it's really just a shed made of sheet metal and wooden planks, less than ten square meters, which is enough to fit a bed and a table.

In summer it's as hot as a steamer, and in winter it's as cold as an icebox.

The toilets are public and located at the end of the alley; you have to wait in line for ages.

Taking a bath is even more troublesome; you have to go to a public bathhouse, which costs fifty cents per bath.

But Xiao Ran still called Han Ling.

The call went to Han Ling's dormitory building, and the dormitory supervisor called her down to meet her.

"Xiao Ran! You've arrived in Shenzhen?" Han Ling's voice was excited.

"We've arrived and settled in." Xiao Ran tried to sound relaxed. "The place is nice, it has windows and is quite bright."

"That's good." Han Ling breathed a sigh of relief. "What about a job? Have you found one yet?"

"I'm looking, and I'm in talks with a few companies," Xiao Ran lied. "There are plenty of opportunities in Shenzhen, so I'm not worried about not finding a job."

"Yes, I believe you," Han Ling said. "Xiao Ran, take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself. I'll come find you after I graduate." "Okay, I'll wait for you."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Ran leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh.

Looking back at this tin shack, the walls are made of rusty sheet metal, the roof is made of leaky asbestos tiles, and the ground is a pitted cement floor.

This place is worse than even the pigsty in my rural hometown.

He took out his wallet and looked at the money left inside...

The five hundred given by Liu Yuan, plus the three hundred he had saved up before, totaled eight hundred.

I paid eighty in rent, and I have seven hundred and twenty left.

Looking for a job costs money for transportation, food costs money, phone calls cost money... This little bit of money won't last long.

I can't just sit here and wait to die; I need to find a job quickly.

Xiao Ran took out the note Liu Yuan had given him, which had a company address written on it: No. 128 Chunfeng Road, Luohu District, Shenhua Trading Company.

The next morning, Xiao Ran went to the address.

Chunfeng Road is an old street with old buildings on both sides.

Xiao Ran found number 128, a six-story gray-white building with mottled exterior walls, looking quite old.

He went up to the third floor and found Shenhua Trading Company.

The door was closed, and a sign was pasted on the glass door: "Our company has moved. Please contact Manager Wang for assistance. Phone number..."

The number was disconnected when I called.

Xiao Ran asked someone from the company next door, "Excuse me, where did Shenhua Trading Company move to?"

Next door was a small stationery company. A young girl poked her head out and said, "Shenhua? They moved away last month. I heard they went out of business."

"It went bankrupt?" Xiao Ran's heart sank.

"Yeah, the boss ran away, leaving a mountain of debt," the girl said. "Do you need to see them?"

“My…my friend works here,” Xiao Ran said. “Do you know where they moved to?”

"I don't know," the girl shook her head. "These kinds of small companies go out of business so easily, who would remember them!"

Xiao Ran went downstairs dejectedly.

Liu Yuan lost his job and now he has to rely on himself.

For the next few days, Xiao Ran went out early and returned late every day, looking for work everywhere.

Go to the job market; it's packed with people, with long queues in front of every recruitment booth.

Xiao Ran squeezed in to submit his resume, but many companies waved him off as soon as they saw his diploma, saying, "No, you don't meet our hiring requirements."

"I graduated from an agricultural university, but..." Xiao Ran tried to explain.

"Just what? Can you communicate in Cantonese? What level of English have you passed?" the recruiter said impatiently. "Next!"

He went to the factory to apply for a job, but they were looking for skilled workers. He was a college graduate who didn't know anything, so he could only start as an apprentice.

The apprentice's salary was pitifully low, only 150 yuan a month, with room and board provided, but they had to work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Xiao Ran thought about it and didn't agree.

He's a college graduate, after all, and he doesn't want to spend his whole life on an assembly line.

He went to an office building to apply for a clerical job, and they required him to be able to type and use office software.

In 1992, not many people could type, let alone use computers.

Xiao Ran had learned a little bit about it in computer class at school, but he had long forgotten it.

Bumping into walls, bumping into walls, and more bumping into walls.

A week has passed, and Xiao Ran still hasn't found a job.

Meals are also economical; two meals a day, one consisting of steamed buns and pickled vegetables, and the other of noodles.

Eating a boxed lunch occasionally is a way to improve one's life.

But every time I called Han Ling, he would say, "It's all good. I'll soon have a job, and I'm living in a nice place."

He didn't want Han Ling to worry.

……

The situation is much better for Liu Yuan.

After that company went bankrupt, his father used his connections to arrange another job for him. This time, he was placed in a Hong Kong-funded company as an administrative assistant.

The salary wasn't high, only four hundred a month, but it was considered pretty good in 1992.

More importantly, he had a senior colleague who was a department manager at the company and took good care of him.

My senior colleague's name is Zhang Zhiqiang. He's in his early thirties and is a rising star in the company.

He arranged a place for Liu Yuan to stay in a Hong Kong-style apartment building near the company. It was a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and bathroom, and the rent was three hundred a month.

This place is a hundred times better than the basement where Xiao Ran lives.

There's an elevator, security guards, a supermarket downstairs, and a park across the street.

Standing on the balcony, you can see the night view of Shenzhen, which is brightly lit and looks like a city that never sleeps.

Liu Yuan was good at getting things done. On his first day at work, he slipped Zhang Zhiqiang three hundred yuan, saying, "Senior, this is just a small token of my appreciation. Please take care of me in the future."

Zhang Zhiqiang declined for a moment, but then accepted it. "Liu Yuan, you're very sensible. Don't worry, work hard with me, and I won't treat you unfairly."

"Thank you, senior brother."

After settling in, Liu Yuan took the initiative to call Xiao Ran and asked him out for dinner.

The two met at a small restaurant.

Xiao Ran changed into clean clothes, but her face looked noticeably haggard.

"Old Xiao, how's it going? Have you found a job yet?" Liu Yuan asked.

"I'm in talks with a few people, and it's almost done." Xiao Ran lied so as not to worry Liu Yuan.

"That's good." Liu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. "If you can't find it, tell me and I'll ask my senior brother for you."

"No need, I can handle it." Xiao Ran changed the subject. "How about you? How's work?"

"It's alright," Liu Yuan said. "It's a Hong Kong-funded company, with many rules, but the benefits are good. My senior colleague has been very kind to me."

Then he took out a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes and handed one to Xiao Ran. "Old Xiao, now that we're in Shenzhen, we have to make something of ourselves. We can't let Han Ling look down on us, and we can't let Su Ning laugh at us."

Xiao Ran's eyes darkened when Suning was mentioned.

"I know. I will definitely make it."

After dinner, Liu Yuan took Xiao Ran to see where he lived.

As soon as Xiao Ran entered that housing development, he felt something was different.

The lobby is bright, the floor is shiny, and there are security guards on duty.

Take the elevator up to the twelfth floor, and you'll find Liu Yuan's apartment right there.

It's a one-bedroom apartment with a living room, simply but cleanly decorated.

The living room has a sofa and a TV, the bedroom has a bed and a wardrobe, the kitchen has a gas stove, and the bathroom has a water heater.

Compared to the tin shack where Xiao Ran lived, this was simply paradise.

"How is it? Not bad, right?" Liu Yuan opened the refrigerator and took out two bottles of beer. "Two hundred a month, it's a bit expensive, but it's comfortable to live here."

Xiao Ran took the beer without saying a word.

He went out onto the balcony and looked at the night view outside the window.

In the distance, skyscrapers stand tall with flashing neon lights; nearby, traffic flows and people throng.

Shenzhen's nightlife is dazzling.

“Old Xiao, look,” Liu Yuan pointed out the window, “This is Shenzhen, the city of hope. As long as you’re willing to work hard, there are opportunities. We must make something of ourselves here and let everyone see that we’re no worse than anyone else.”

Xiao Ran nodded, his competitive spirit rising again.

Yes! Shenzhen is so big, with so many opportunities, why can't he succeed?
So what if I don't have a diploma? So what if I don't have experience?

He can learn, he can work hard, he can work recklessly.

One day, he will gain a foothold in this city, make money, and give Han Ling a good life.

This will let Su Ning know that Xiao Ran is not so easy to defeat.

"Liu Yuan, thank you," Xiao Ran said. "I will try my best."

“We’re brothers, let’s not talk about these things.” Liu Yuan patted him on the shoulder. “If you have any difficulties, be sure to come to me. Don’t try to tough it out.”

"Ah."

That night, Xiao Ran returned to the tin shack and didn't sleep a wink.

He lay on the bed, looking at the sheet metal on the ceiling, a surge of energy stirring within him.

No matter how difficult it is, I must stay, I must succeed.

...(End of chapter)