Reborn veteran, lying flat since high school

Shunjing Street is a north-south street.

The south end is Heihuquan West Road, and the east and west ends are Kuanhousuo Street and Shualu Lane, respectively.

Tang Yisheng and Zhang Lei walked hand in hand to the pedestrian street and headed straight for Genesis Communications City at the north end of Shunji Street across the street.

Genesis Communications City was built last year, in 1998, by connecting and integrating more than 30 communications equipment and supplies vendors.

It is an indispensable and important factor in the development of Shunji Street into an electronics product commercial street.

It will also be the leading mobile phone manufacturer in the provincial capital in the future.

This led to Shunjing Street gradually becoming the largest mobile phone distribution center in Jiangbei after the millennium, ranking alongside Guangzhou Lingyuan West, Hangzhou Wulinmen, and Chengdu Taisheng Road.

"Buy a mobile phone at Shunjing" will be a slogan that everyone in the provincial capital will know by heart for the next twenty years.

Shunjing Street is lined with shops of all sizes, and the counters in the telecommunications city are bustling with people.

Zhang Lei was slightly nervous. She tightened her grip a little, and Tang Yisheng immediately responded by squeezing her hand firmly, which instantly filled Zhang Lei with a sense of security.

Not far to the right of the entrance is a large, high-end-looking counter with a very prominent sign.

Tang Yisheng went over and asked, and then decided to buy from this store.

Nowadays, mobile phones are still luxury and high-end products, and as long as it's a new phone, you don't need to worry about the warranty.

Moreover, buying a mobile phone is a necessity for Tang Yisheng now.

If he hadn't been so desperate to wait, he would have loved to wait another four months and buy the Nokia 3210, which had no antenna and allowed for easy resealable casings. Wouldn't that have been a better deal?

The Motorola CD928+, released in February of this year, was the first truly fully Chinese-language mobile phone.

You can input Chinese characters when editing newsletters.

The address book also allows users to input Chinese names.

Putting everything else aside, just considering Motorola's attitude towards the Chinese market, Tang Yisheng could tolerate its round, clumsy, and ugly appearance.

In the entire mobile phone market, it is the only one that is most user-friendly for Chinese. To some extent, the Motorola CD928+ is a model of epoch-making significance.

Supports dual-band GSM900MHz/DCS1800MHz.

The battery capacity is 900 mAh.

Standby time is 80-100 hours.

Tang Yisheng was most surprised that the Motorola CD928+ could not only record for 180 seconds, but also transfer data with a PC data transfer card!

During the summer vacation of 1999, a mobile phone that could transfer data with a desktop computer was quite novel.

Once you've chosen your phone, the next step is to pay for it.

There is no mobile payment, facial recognition payment, or even UnionPay card payment.

Tang Yisheng could only pay a deposit of 300 yuan before going out to find an ATM to withdraw the money.

"Are you really going to buy it?"

The phone was too expensive, and Tang Yisheng wanted the latest model, a big brand like Motorola.

"I've already paid the deposit, of course I'll buy it. Otherwise, how can you find me anytime, anywhere?"

If Tang Yisheng were holding hands with Jiang Ruoxi, that fiery little woman, he would definitely retort with "I can't be bothered with you."

Zhang Lei, however, did the opposite. She simply tightened her grip on Tang Yisheng's hand, expressing her emotions and conveying her true feelings through her actions.

There was an ATM not far across the street, and Tang Yisheng didn't let go of Zhang Lei's hand when he inserted his card to withdraw money.

Since it's not easy to hold hands, let's hold hands for a little longer.

In the sweltering heat of over 30 degrees Celsius, Tang Yisheng's hands were already a little damp and warm, while Zhang Lei's hands were still a bit icy cold.

I don't know if it's just her hands that are cold, or if her whole body is ice cold.

Girls who naturally feel cold must have a harder time during their period than other girls, right?

Zhang Lei didn't want to watch, but Tang Yisheng pulled her to his side and she couldn't resist her curiosity.

I accidentally glimpsed a long string of numbers in Tang Yisheng's bank card.

In a daze, before I could even count how many there were, I was so frightened that I turned my head away and looked elsewhere.

Tang Yisheng took out a thick wad of banknotes, and then let go of Zhang Lei's hand to get the bank card.

Zhang Lei felt lost and disappointed.

Fortunately, Tang Yisheng put the money and card into his pocket and held them again. Zhang Lei turned her head and smiled at Tang Yisheng.

With her eyes and lips curving into crescents, she captivated Tang Yisheng's heart, making it leap and bound like a winding mountain road.

I'm buying a phone and getting a SIM card while I'm at it.

Tang Yisheng specifically applied for a global roaming plan and also activated international calling service.

Calls within the province cost 2 cents per minute, and calls outside the province cost 3 cents per minute.

It costs 60 cents a minute to make a phone call.

International fees are charged separately.

Tang Yisheng decisively deposited the remaining 1,200 yuan in his pocket into his phone bill.

When I withdraw money later, I'll have to queue at the counter.

The daily withdrawal limit for ATMs is 5000 yuan.

Zhang Lei was still somewhat dazed when she left the telecommunications mall.

You're buying a phone already?

Several thousand dollars were spent as lightly as a feather, without even a hint of humor.

Thinking about how my parents work tirelessly every day to run the noodle shop, and how they could save up for three months without eating or drinking just to buy this one phone...

Zhang Lei felt a great sense of loss and was somewhat afraid to look Tang Yisheng in the eye, and she also dared not bring up the topic of cell phones.

This era is somewhat naive.

Or perhaps the vibrant colors of society haven't yet tainted the academically focused environment of high school.

When Zhang Lei discovered that the man she liked was more outstanding and richer than she had imagined, her first reaction was not to hold on tightly, but to feel ashamed and avoid him, thinking that the two of them were "not a good match".

Tang Yisheng was unaware of the subtle changes in Zhang Lei's mindset. The girl he was holding hands with had always been gentle, obedient, and traditional to the core, like a girl from a modest family.

As Tang Yisheng left the telecommunications mall, he saw a yellow van passing by and immediately waved it down.

The earliest taxis in the provincial capital were yellow Tianjin Dafa cars, and later red Xiali and Santana cars were introduced.

Back in 1999, there weren't many Xiali and Santana models available, and their starting prices were much higher.

Tang Yisheng wasn't trying to save money; rather, it was nearing noon, and the weather was too hot. Standing there for even a short while made him feel suffocated by the lack of oxygen in the air.

A bread cart it is, it's better to let it air out than to let it dry in the sun by the roadside.

"Driver, go to the Shandong University Road Science and Technology Market."

Tang Yisheng continued to hold Zhang Lei's hand.

Zhang Lei indeed offered no rebuttal, objection, or refusal.

Obedient and compliant, she follows her husband's lead.

Her temperament was like clay, allowing Tang Yisheng to mold and shape her as he pleased.

This is very comfortable.

Tang Yisheng had three things he planned to do upon returning to the provincial capital.

One reason is to buy a mobile phone for convenient communication.

Secondly, we need to coordinate with Attorney Wang to finalize the dismantling and transportation of the prefabricated houses as soon as possible.

The newly purchased phone and SIM card won't be officially activated until tomorrow, so there's no rush to contact Attorney Wang.

The third is to buy a computer.

Li, the deputy director of the infrastructure construction group of the Binjiang County Oilfield Office, has connections with the post office, and several households in Tangjia Village already have telephones installed.

When Tang Yisheng asked a few questions, Deputy Director Li, who had already had a few rounds of drinks, patted his chest and made a grand promise.

Tang Yisheng understood that not using something after it expires is a waste.

A computer is a must.

Since a telephone can be installed in my hometown, I can use the telephone line to dial up and access the Internet.

The cost will likely be high, but there are so many things you can do online.

It can also help pass the time when you're bored.

Tang Yisheng went from the era of advanced internet to the era of internet enlightenment, and from new energy SUVs that could start in five or six seconds to human-powered two-wheelers.

Although I adapted quickly, I still longed for it.

If I have the chance to use a computer, I really don't want to keep writing.