Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 125 The "Glorious" Second Sister
In the afternoon in a small town in Chongqing, the sunlight lazily bathed the signboard of "Xinglan Supermarket".

The proprietress, Chen Lan, was tiptoeing as she carefully placed a stack of newly arrived orange-brand mobile phone screen protectors in the most conspicuous spot on the counter.

On the left, three different colored orange-themed mobile phone samples lay quietly, while on the right, some generic phones were crammed together.

Since the "Nietzsche Mobile Phone Factory Direct Store" across the street also started selling Orange 1 phones, Chen Lan's store business has slowed down.

But she wasn't worried. The shop across the street was so rigid, nothing like hers.
She has a "secret weapon" here – spare parts awarded as a bonus by the manufacturer!
Phone case, ring holder, and screen protector that just arrived today.

This time, she received 100 mobile phones, which she estimates will be enough for her small supermarket to sell for a month. She also gave away 5 phone cases, 10 phone stands, and 20 screen protectors.

These unassuming little things are what give her the confidence to keep her customers.

A middle-aged man strolled over, glancing at the Nietzsche shop across the street.

Chen Lan immediately greeted him in her loud Chongqing dialect: "Brother, look at your phone? Orange 1, I have one too, and accessories too, it's more convenient than the other side!"

The man turned around, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"Hey, boss lady, now you remember to ask me to buy? Two months ago I offered you 500 yuan and you wouldn't sell, humph, too late!" After saying that, she turned and walked across the street.

Chen Lan, furious, put her hands on her hips and yelled, "You little bastard! Get out of here! Get out of here, you old hag! What do you know?! I sold it to you at a loss two months ago? What kind of dream are you having!" Her loud voice drew the attention of passersby.

The man shrank back and quickened his pace to slip away.

Just then, a girl wearing a faded blue and white school uniform with pilling cuffs walked in.

She gently placed a bag of bright yellow tangerines on the counter: "Auntie, these grew on my own tree. Thank you for leaving my phone number with me last time and for letting me buy stationery on credit."

When Chen Lan saw that it was Xiao Ying, a regular customer of her small supermarket, her face immediately lit up with a smile.

"Oh, sister, you're too kind! Take it, take it, keep it for yourself!"

Xiaoying shook her head and turned to leave.

"Hey sis! Wait a minute!" Chen Lan quickly called out to her, picking up a new screen protector: "Here, a new screen protector. Bring your phone over, and I'll put it on for you. It'll make the screen less likely to break!"

Xiaoying touched the two one-yuan bills in her pocket, a little embarrassed: "Auntie, I... I didn't bring any money."

The two yuan was for lunch; in reality, she didn't have any extra money.

"Oh! What are you talking about money for!" Chen Lan pointed to the bag of tangerines: "Consider this money! Give it to me quickly!"

Xiaoying then happily took out her phone.

Although Chen Lan had learned how to apply screen protectors in the city, she was still extra careful when doing it herself for the first time. It took her a long time to apply the screen protector properly, and she even scraped off all the air bubbles one by one.

Watching Xiaoying happily leave with her brand-new phone, Chen Lan felt much more at ease.

She had just sat down when her husband, Fan Xingping, slunk in.

Chen Lan snorted and grabbed the remote, turning the TV volume up to deafening.

Fan Xingping quickly moved closer, smiling apologetically: "Xiao Lan, don't be angry. I was wrong yesterday, please forgive me."

He carefully observed his wife's expression, and seeing that she didn't immediately start yelling, he thought there was a chance, so he continued to "reason with her."

"Xiao Lan, you lent money to your brother, you should at least have told me about it, right? My parents don't know anything about it, I accidentally let it slip yesterday."

These words stirred up a hornet's nest!

Chen Lan slammed her hand on the counter and stood up: "Oh my! Fan Xingping! What do you mean by that? It's like you're the only one earning money in this family. Do your parents think I, Chen Lan, am just freeloading at your house?"

The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she kept spewing out a barrage of words.

What were you like when you married me?
Poor and useless!
They didn't ask for a single penny of bride price!

My parents don't recognize me as their daughter anymore!

I married someone from thousands of miles away and came back to this mountain with you, haha!

"You're actually talking to me about communicating now!"

Fan Xingping panicked and hurriedly tried to explain.

"No, no! Xiao Lan, I really don't blame you! I mean you should at least have told me first, so I could have covered for you in front of the elders and you wouldn't have let it slip yesterday!"

He bowed and swore oaths, coaxing Chen Lan for a long time until he finally managed to stop her tears.

Seeing that his wife's anger had subsided a bit, Fan Xingping said in a low voice, "Don't hold a grudge against my parents. They were just worried that we would have a hard time because the factory suddenly stopped paying wages. I've already sent them back to their hometown, so don't worry about them."

Chen Lan wiped her face, the large colorful hoop earrings hanging from her ears swaying. She sneered, "Hmph! Worried? I think they just think I can't have children and want you to kick me out so they can find you a new one!"

"Heaven and earth bear witness!" Fan Xingping's face turned red with anxiety. "I, Fan Xingping, have only ever recognized you, Chen Lan, as my wife. Anyone who dares to say such a thing, I'll tear their mouth apart!"

He assured, patting his chest.

Chen Lan finally stopped crying and resumed her fiery demeanor as the supermarket owner, glaring at her husband.

"That's right! If you dare to have any tricks up your sleeve, you little bastard, I'll make you pay!"

Fan Xingping nodded vigorously.

Chen Lan sniffed, remembering the important matter at hand.

"By the way, Xiao Mo's flight arrives at Shancheng Airport this afternoon. Let's go pick him up together."

"Ah! My brother-in-law is coming?" Fan Xingping was taken aback.

"Okay!" Chen Lan pulled Fan Xingping and walked out: "Come on, come with me to buy some new clothes. I'm going to see Xiao Mo, I can't dress too shabbily!"

The two went to the best clothing store in town, where Chen Lan took a fancy to a slightly expensive but stylish outfit.

Fan Xingping looked at the label with a pained expression, and Chen Lan rolled her eyes at him: "You're making me look good! Think about it, if Xiao Mo knew that I married you and was living this kind of stingy life, what would he think? What would my parents think?"

These words struck a chord with Fan Xingping.

He looked at his wife with a complex expression, a mixture of guilt and gratitude.

"Xiao Lan, marrying you is the greatest blessing in my life, Fan Xingping."

He gritted his teeth and not only stopped objecting, but also took the initiative to help Chen Lan pick out a matching silk scarf that was also quite expensive.

When Chen Lan changed into her brand-new clothes, wrapped a beautiful silk scarf around her neck, and looked at herself in the mirror.

Although there are fine lines around her eyes and her hands are a bit rough, she still has a good foundation. With this makeover, she really looks like a fashionable city woman, completely different from the supermarket owner who used to stand with her hands on her hips and yell at people.

Fan Xingping looked at it and smiled sheepishly, "Beautiful! Really beautiful!"

Chen Lan turned around in front of the mirror, thought of her younger brother whom she hadn't seen for seven or eight years, and took a deep breath.

"Old Fan, you go and borrow a car from General Manager Feng at your factory right now to pick up Xiao Mo. He can't even pay his own wages. If he refuses to lend us a car, I'll just storm into his office and start a long chat!"

At the exit of Shancheng Airport, crowds surged.

Shen Yiwei, dressed in typical backpacker attire—a windproof jacket, hiking boots, and a large backpack—came out looking travel-worn.

He was looking down at his phone, pondering how to find that "expert" later, when he was suddenly stopped in his way by a rather fashionable woman.

The woman stared at him with bright eyes, accompanied by a man who looked honest and unassuming.

She looked closely at Shen Yiwei's face, then glanced at the large backpack behind him. The expectation on her face instantly turned into embarrassment, and she quickly apologized, "Oh, I'm so sorry, young man, I mistook you for someone else, I'm so sorry!"

Fan Xingping smiled sheepishly and nodded in apology.

Shen Yiwei was puzzled, but seeing the other party's sincere attitude, he waved his hand to indicate that it was nothing, and strode away with his bag.

"Look at you, you can't even recognize your own brother!" Fan Xingping teased his wife with a smile as he watched Shen Yiwei's retreating figure.

Chen Lan stomped her foot in frustration: "It's all your fault! When I left with you, Xiao Mo was only fifteen or sixteen years old, as thin as a bamboo pole, and he loved to run around with a tattered bag on his back all day. Seven or eight years have passed, he must have grown up by now!"

"I remember him always having this 'wanting to travel the world' backpacker vibe when he goes on long trips!"

She paused, then added with a touch of pride, "But what does this outfit show? It shows that my brother has perseverance, just like you. Even without a bit of drive, he can still achieve great things?"

Fan Xingping laughed and chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes, my brother-in-law is definitely got the makings of something great!"

As the two were talking, another figure emerged from the exit.

Chen Lan's gaze swept over instinctively, then froze instantly.

Chen Mo was dressed in a well-tailored, high-quality dark suit. His hair was meticulously styled, and his face had shed its youthful naiveté, revealing sharp, angular features and a calm, sharp gaze.

He walked out with a composed gait, pushing a very high-quality aluminum suitcase, exuding an elite aura that seemed out of place in the noisy airport.

This...this is really the skinny little brother she remembered, the one who always carried a tattered bag and would go on a wild day at the drop of a hat?
Chen Lan was a little hesitant to recognize him until Chen Mo's gaze cut through the crowd and landed precisely on her face before walking straight toward her.

"Second Sister!" Chen Mo's voice was much lower than he remembered, with a gentle smile.

Chen Lan's heart finally settled back into her stomach, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears. She grabbed Chen Mo's arm with both hands to hide her excitement.

"Oh my god! Boys really do change a lot as they grow up! He's so handsome that even my second sister didn't recognize him!"

"Your outfit is amazing! You look like the eldest son of a big boss who just returned from studying abroad on TV!" She quickly pulled Fan Xingping over: "Xiao Mo, this is your brother-in-law, Fan Xingping."

Chen Mo's smile faded slightly, and he turned his gaze to Fan Xingping, scrutinizing him from head to toe for a few seconds with a natural air of scrutiny.

That gaze wasn't sharp, but it made Fan Xingping subconsciously straighten his back, feeling immense pressure—even more so than the stern-faced General Manager Fan at his factory!
He secretly rejoiced, thankful that his wife had forced him to wear new clothes today, otherwise he would have looked rather embarrassed.

"Brother-in-law!" Chen Mo finally spoke, his tone indifferent, which could be considered a greeting.

Fan Xingping quickly forced a smile and replied somewhat nervously, "Hey! Xiao Mo, you must be tired from your journey. Welcome to the mountain city!"

The three of them got into a somewhat old black Honda Accord.

Chen Lan pulled Chen Mo to sit in the back row, patting the seat casually.

"Xiao Mo, look, this car was bought back in 2005. It cost over 200,000 yuan back then, right, Lao Fan?"

She winked at Fan Xingping, who was driving in front.

Fan Xingping tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Not being good at lying, he could only give a vague "hmm," his face burning slightly.

Chen Mo didn't speak, but just looked at the unfamiliar mountain city through the car window.

The car drove into an old residential area that was clearly quite old, and parked in front of a residential building with mottled exterior walls.

As Chen Lan opened the door, she said, "Don't let the old house fool you, it's our own house, we don't have to pay rent to the landlord, it's reassuring!"

The house wasn't big, but it was fairly clean and tidy, though the furniture and appliances all looked like they'd been used for a long time. Chen Lan warmly invited Chen Mo to sit down and watch TV, then pushed Fan Xingping into the kitchen: "Old Fan, today's your chance to shine! Cook for Xiao Mo and show off some of our mountain town's specialties!"

Fan Xingping felt like he had been granted a pardon. "I'm good at this job," he said, and quickly went into the kitchen to get to work.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was somewhat awkward.

Chen Lan kept piling food onto Chen Mo's plate, her mouth never stopping as she said, "Xiao Mo, eat more. Your brother-in-law's cooking is pretty good!"

"He's the workshop director at the biggest micro-motor factory in our area, earning tens of thousands a month. It's a stable job, so there's no rush for you to borrow that money from me. We can talk about it when we're better off!"

Fan Xingping, wearing a red apron and holding a rice bowl, lowered his head even further, his face flushed red all the way to the roots of his neck, and silently ate his rice.

This is a treasure! It costs tens of thousands of yuan; I never even dared to dream of owning one!

Looking at his second sister's carefully constructed "respectability" and his brother-in-law's barely concealed embarrassment, Chen Mo roughly understood seven or eight parts of the situation.

He ate his meal quietly without saying a word.

After finishing their meal, Chen Lan urged Fan Xingping to wash the dishes.

Chen Mo stood up: "Second sister, brother-in-law, I've finished eating. I'm a little full. I'll go downstairs for a walk to digest."

"Okay! Don't go too far, the neighborhood is a bit winding, don't get lost!" Chen Lan instructed.

"Don't worry, Second Sister, we won't get lost!" Chen Mo smiled.

Chen Mo went downstairs and strolled slowly through the neighborhood.

He saw an old man sitting by the flower bed downstairs, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan, so he went over and said, "Grandpa, can I ask you something? I think the location of apartment 521 in this building looks pretty good. Are you renting it out?"

The old man glanced at Chen Mo, who had a friendly expression, and thought he didn't seem like a bad person: "Young man, are you new here?"

Then, he lowered his voice and spoke.

"That's an old staff housing unit at the water plant. Room 521 was rented out a long time ago; a couple lives there now!"

The old man's voice lowered even further: "That woman, oh, she's incredibly fierce! She has a huge voice! And the man, he's a henpecked husband, completely controlled by her!"

"If you're thinking of renting this building, you'd better think it over. Having a neighbor like this is going to be unsettling!"

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Oh? Is that so? Thank you for reminding me, sir. I'll be careful."

The next morning, Chen Lan took Chen Mo to her family's small supermarket.

She picked up a bright orange phone from the counter and handed it to Chen Mo.

"Xiao Mo, this color isn't selling well, so I'll give you one. Take it and use it; this phone is really good!"

Chen Mo didn't answer, but instead smiled and took out his own black orange phone, which was obviously more refined and seemed to have a slightly larger screen.

After Yuancheng produced the new battery, Zhao Tiezhu specially made the Orange 1 Luxury Edition, which had its configuration enhanced in all aspects.

"Second sister doesn't need it, I have one, it's also an Orange phone!"

"Huh?" Chen Lan, with her sharp eyes, grabbed Chen Mo's phone and examined it closely, asking in confusion, "Your phone... seems different from mine."

"Is the screen bigger?"

"Could the bezels be narrower too?"

"Wow, this feels so much more high-end!" She looked at Chen Mo suspiciously.

Chen Mo remained calm and collected, taking the phone back and putting it in his pocket.

"Second sister, you're seeing things. They're all the same. Maybe it's because I've used it for a long time and the outer shell has worn thin, so it looks bigger."

"Really?" Chen Lan was skeptical but didn't investigate further. Instead, she said proudly, "This phone is indeed excellent, and the manufacturer is very generous!"

She casually pointed to the inventory in the counter.

"Look, I sold 100 units this month, and I even gave away 5 cases, 10 stands, and 20 screen protectors for free. These freebies can make a little money!"

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow and teased, "Second sister, is the manufacturer so stingy that they only sent you this little bit to get rid of you?"

"Do you think it's possible that the middleman secretly kept half of the free gift that was supposed to be yours?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Lan immediately put her hands on her hips, full of confidence.

"Ha! I've been in business for so many years, do you think I can't see through this trick? That Manager Ba dares to play these games with me? No way! I know what I'm doing!"

She paused, then remembered the important matter: "By the way, Xiao Mo, didn't you say you were going to set up a small workshop in Shenzhen? How's it going? Is everything going smoothly?"

Looking at his second sister's "I'm so shrewd" expression, and recalling her boasting at the dinner table last night, his brother-in-law's embarrassment, and the old man downstairs's words, Chen Mo felt a mix of emotions.

The second sister cared more about her image—she wanted Chen Mo to know that she was doing well in the mountain city.

So Chen Mo revealing his identity directly to her face isn't about supporting her, but about trampling on her self-esteem!
He smiled and said casually, "It's alright, Second Sister, it's... passable."

Chen Lan stared at her younger brother's face for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing and patted Chen Mo's shoulder hard.

"Ha! Xiao Mo! Your 'not bad' is exactly what I mean. You've always been like this since you were little."

"If you get a score of 60 on a test, just hide it when you get home and say, 'No need to look at it anymore.'"
If someone gets 80 points, they'll casually say, "It's passable."
What if I got 100 points?
Hey! He practically wanted to stick the test paper on his forehead, and even in the dead of winter, he would carry it around to fan himself, shouting all over the village, "Oh, it's so hot!"
"Your work is 'not bad,' but I bet your little workshop is doing quite well!"

Chen Mo was amused by his second sister's accurate "revealing of his past".

"Haha! In the dead of winter, am I that obvious when I'm fanning myself?"

He said meaningfully, "It seems that the people of our Chen family have this strong will ingrained in their bones."

"Wasn't our dad the same? To pay off my debts ahead of time, he insisted on rowing a dragon boat for the prize money, but the boat capsized, and he even sprained his ankle while kneeling in the ancestral hall, but he was too proud to say a word."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lan immediately became nervous.

"Oh? Dad sprained his ankle! Is it serious? Did you take him to the hospital? Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

Chen Mo couldn't help but laugh when he saw his second sister's expression change instantly and her anxious concern.

"It's nothing, Second Sister, it's really nothing. I just twisted my ankle. Mom took me to the hospital, and I'll be fine in a couple of days. I was just kidding!"

"Hey! You brat, you're making fun of your sister again!" Chen Lan pretended to hit him, but her face was smiling while her eyes were secretly a little red.

The younger brother is still the same younger brother. Although his appearance has changed and his aura has become stronger, his underlying strong will, which is "not bad," has not changed at all.

In the small supermarket, sunlight streamed through the glass door, and the air was filled with the plastic smell of new cell phones and the aroma of hot pot broth wafting from next door.

While tidying up the screen protectors on the counter, Chen Lan asked casually.

"Xiao Mo, how many days can you stay this time? When are you leaving? I'm preparing some cured meat and Sichuan peppercorns from Chongqing for Dad, could you take them back with you? He loves them as a snack with his drinks!"

Chen Mo was watching with great interest the flow of people coming and going at the Nietzsche flagship store across the street when he heard this, he turned his head and smiled.

"Second sister, why don't you just send it back? Express delivery is so convenient now."

“It’s different!” Chen Lan glared at him. “Take it back to Shenzhen and then send it. I’ll pay for the shipping. Air freight is expensive, but I’ll take care of it!” She had an air of “I’m rich now” about her.

Chen Mo felt a mix of warmth and bitterness as he looked at his second sister's efforts to maintain a "generous" appearance.

My second sister and my mother exchanged harsh words back then because she wanted to marry someone from far away. Looking back now, it was all for nothing. My father said that my mother often holds my second sister's photo in the living room in the middle of the night and sheds tears.

Chen Mo suddenly felt a pang of regret—if only she hadn't told her second sister that their father's leg injury wasn't serious, she might have gone back to her parents' home this time.

So many years have passed, who knows, the mother and daughter might hug and cry the moment they meet, forgetting all those harsh words.

Chen Mo walked over, picked up a screen protector, and casually helped his second sister arrange the screen protectors more neatly, speaking in a relaxed tone.

“It’s not about money, Second Sister. I’m not in a hurry to go back to Shenzhen.”

"Huh?" Chen Lan stopped what she was doing and looked at him in surprise: "Your small workshop has just started to show some promise, aren't you in a hurry to go back and oversee it?"

"Since we're already here!"

Chen Mo looked at his second sister with a hint of the mischievousness he had when he was a child.

"I'll take a stroll while I'm at it. I've heard that the night view of this mountain city is amazing, and the hot pot is authentic. I haven't had a proper experience yet."

He paused, then added, "Besides, you can send your things to Dad. When I leave, if I see anything particularly nice, I'll buy some more and bring it to him myself. It won't conflict."

Chen Lan looked at her younger brother, her mind perfectly clear.

My brother doesn't actually want to see the night view or eat hot pot.

He doesn't trust me! He's afraid I'll only report good news and not bad, afraid I'll suffer injustice and pretend to be okay!

After seven or eight years apart, her younger brother had truly grown up. He was no longer the little boy who needed her protection; instead, he had begun to silently try to protect his older sister, who had married far away, in his own way.

A warm feeling welled up in my heart, and my nose felt a little sore.

Chen Lan quickly lowered her head, pretending to tidy up the phone cases in the counter to hide her emotions, but deliberately scolded him.

"Fine, fine! You, the big boss, have spoken up and want to 'inspect' this little place for a few days. How could I possibly stop you?"

"But it's a deal, you're staying at my place! Don't waste money on hotels! Nothing beats the cleanliness and comfort of home!"

"Absolutely!" Chen Mo replied with a smile. "I'd like to try my brother-in-law's cooking; I didn't get enough of it last night."

“No problem! I’ll have your brother-in-law make it for you every day, as much as you want!” Chen Lan looked up, her eyes still a little red, but her face was full of genuine smiles.

"But Xiao Mo," she leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said with a hint of mischief, "tell me the truth, are you doing exceptionally well in Shenzhen?"

"Look at your outfit and that phone of yours, it's 'not bad'. You're kidding me. You must have made it big now. Are you afraid I'll ask you for money?"

Chen Mo was amused and deliberately puffed out his chest: "Hey! Second sister, you really guessed it!"

"To be honest, your brother is the owner of Orange Mobile, the company you mentioned that's very honest. Although I don't have a lot of money, I can still guarantee your family a comfortable life," Chen Mo said smugly. "Come on, beg me!"

"Get lost!" Chen Lan laughed and punched him lightly.

The siblings looked at each other and laughed. The slight awkwardness that had been created by time and distance quietly melted away in the supermarket sunlight, the plastic smell of mobile phone accessories, and the aroma of hot pot broth from next door.

Chen Mo decided to stay in the mountain city for a few more days, which made Chen Lan feel much more at ease.

Whether his brother is truly "good enough" or not, as long as he's safe and sound in front of me, that's better than anything else.

(End of this chapter)