Back to 2008: I Helped My Dad Become the Richest Man

"How...how did you know I came from the future?" Luo Xiyuan's question was tantamount to an admission.

Luo Wen's eyes lit up, and a fleeting "I knew I was right" expression crossed his mind.

"I read a lot of books," he said softly, as if it were a secret. "That's how it's written in science fiction. If someone suddenly changes their personality and can predict the future, then they're either possessed by a ghost or reborn."

Luo Xiyuan was both amused and exasperated. It turned out that the inspiration came from science fiction novels.

She let out a long breath, her tense body finally relaxing. After the initial panic of her secret being exposed, a strange sense of relief washed over her. She no longer had to bear this enormous secret alone. In this house, she had an ally.

"Then... are you scared?" Luo Xiyuan squatted down so that she could look her younger brother in the eye.

Luo Wen shook her head: "Why should I be afraid? You're still my sister, and you saved Dad. I heard you say that Dad won't be coming back today."

His voice was soft, but every word carried power.

Luo Xiyuan's eyes instantly reddened. She reached out and hugged her younger brother's small body tightly. This winter, she had lost a family member, so she knew better than anyone how precious this regained family was.

Rowan's body stiffened for a moment, then he stretched out his small arms and awkwardly hugged her back.

"Sister," he buried his head in Luo Xiyuan's shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "Is Dad... really going to have an accident?"

"Hmm." Luo Xiyuan's voice was thick with a nasal tone. "In my previous life, tonight, Dad went out to borrow money and was hit on the head by a car on the way. By the time he was found, his body was almost frozen stiff..."

She couldn't say anything more, her arms tightening around her brother's, her body trembling uncontrollably. It was a fear etched deep in her soul, one that even a second chance at life couldn't easily erase.

Luo Wen didn't say anything, he just hugged her tightly and comforted her with his body heat.

After a while, Luo Xiyuan gradually calmed down. She let go of her younger brother and wiped the tears from her face.

"It's all in the past," she told herself, and to Rowan. "In this life, I will never let that happen again. Never."

Luo Wen nodded heavily.

"Sister, what do we do now?" He looked at Luo Xiyuan, his eyes full of trust. "Dad didn't borrow any money, and we only have a little over two hundred yuan left. How are we going to get through the New Year?"

This is the most practical problem.

The tragedy was averted, but the burden of poverty still loomed large over them. They couldn't possibly let the family eat nothing but cabbage and potatoes for the New Year.

Moreover, her mother, Li Minxia, ​​is working overtime at the textile factory in town and won't be back until the day after tomorrow. She works so hard to earn money outside, and she must be heartbroken to see her home like this when she comes back.

No, I have to find a way to make money.

Luo Xiyuan's mind raced.

It's 2008, a time before smartphones were widespread and e-commerce had taken off. Her futuristic knowledge about the internet and finance is utterly useless in this small village besieged by a blizzard.

She is just a fourteen-year-old junior high school student, penniless, and her only asset is her ability to predict the future course of this snow disaster.

Snow disaster...

Yes, it was a snow disaster!

Disaster itself implies need. What do people need most when they're stuck at home?

"Brother!" Luo Xiyuan's eyes lit up. "Do you remember what sold out the fastest at the village store a few years ago when the power went out in winter?"

Luo Wen thought for a moment and immediately replied, "Candles! And batteries, for the flashlight."

"That's right!" Luo Xiyuan clapped her hands. "The news said this is a once-in-fifty-year ice storm. The power lines are covered with such thick ice that they could snap at any moment. I'm sure there will be a large-scale power outage in our area tonight or tomorrow!"

She became more and more excited as she spoke, and her thoughts became clearer and clearer.

"In the event of a power outage, candles and batteries will be necessities. There are only a few shops in the village, and their stock is definitely limited. If we can buy these things in advance and then sell them after the power goes out..."

"We can make money!" Luo Wen chimed in, his face flushed with excitement.

"Yes!" Luo Xiyuan nodded vigorously, "This is our first pot of gold!"

This plan is simple and straightforward, yet highly effective. It requires little technology and minimal capital; its core principle is information asymmetry—leveraging future information to seize opportunities.

"But..." Rowan's excitement quickly faded a little. "Will Dad agree? We only have 288 dollars left. Dad just counted it. Will he let us take all the money in the house to buy candles and batteries? He'll definitely think we're crazy."

This is indeed a problem.

Luo Xinde, the father, was an honest and hardworking worker. Getting him to take out all his savings for speculation was harder than getting him to believe that his daughter had been reborn.

Luo Xiyuan fell silent. She knew her father's temper: stubborn and chauvinistic. The only way she had stopped him earlier was by crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide, speaking so harshly, taking advantage of his love for his children and his momentary shock.

But now, it's too difficult to get him to calmly part with his money to support a plan that sounds far-fetched.

"Sis, how about we sneak the money?" Luo Wen suggested in a low voice.

Luo Xiyuan immediately shook her head: "No. First, we're doing this for the good of the family, we can't do it secretly. Second, don't you know Dad's temper? If we act without consulting him first, he might break both of our legs. This matter requires his approval."

"What should we do then?" Luo Wen also looked worried.

Luo Xiyuan looked at her younger brother, then at the dark yard outside the kitchen. Her father was still outside checking the roof, the beam of his flashlight flickering in the wind and snow.

She took a deep breath and made up her mind.

"Brother, when Dad comes in, don't say anything. Just watch my expression and do what I say," she instructed. "We need to let him figure out this solution himself."

"Huh? Let him figure it out himself?" Luo Wen looked confused.

"That's right." Luo Xiyuan's lips curled into a smile. "We can't just tell him what to do; we have to guide him. Remember, the best way to persuade a stubborn person is to make him feel that the idea came from his own mind."

Luo Wen nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Not long after, Luo Xinde came in from outside, rubbing his hands together, having finished inspecting the house. He carried a chill with him, and his eyebrows and hair were covered in frost.

"This awful weather, the roof tiles are all frozen solid, I don't even know if they're sturdy enough," he said, stamping his feet, before noticing the two children in the kitchen.

"What are you two whispering about? Go to sleep, don't you have to get up tomorrow?"

Luo Xiyuan immediately stood up from the stove, picked up a cup of freshly boiled water, and handed it to him: "Dad, have some water to warm yourself up."

Luo Xinde paused for a moment, then took it. His daughter was indeed a little different tonight; her maturity made him somewhat unaccustomed to it.

"Dad," Luo Xiyuan said casually, "the weather forecast just said that the snow disaster is very serious. Power lines have been broken in many places, and there are no power outages."

"Yes, I heard that." Luo Xinde took a sip of hot water, feeling much more comfortable. "These utility poles are all made of iron, and they're covered in ice, like popsicles. If the wind blows, they'll definitely break."

"Then... will our village also lose power?" Luo Xiyuan asked cautiously, while giving Luo Wen a wink.

Luo Wen immediately understood and replied, "Definitely! I remember the winter before last, even though the snow wasn't this heavy, we still had a two-day power outage. It was pitch black inside, and we couldn't do anything."

Luo Xinde frowned: "If there's a power outage, just light candles, it's no big deal."

"But do we still have any candles at home?" Luo Xiyuan immediately asked.

Luo Xinde was stumped. He thought for a moment, and realized... all the candles they used during the last power outage had burned out, and he hadn't remembered buying any more.

"It seems...it's gone," he said somewhat uncertainly.

"What about the flashlight? Do you still have batteries?" Luo Xiyuan continued to guide the conversation.

Luo Xinde subconsciously shook the old-fashioned flashlight in his hand; the light had dimmed considerably. "The batteries are probably dead too."

The living room fell silent immediately.

Outside the window, the wind howled louder and louder, like the roar of a wild beast.

Looking at her father's face, Luo Xiyuan continued to add firewood to the fire: "Dad, what if the power goes out tonight? It'll be pitch black inside, you won't be able to see your hand in front of your face. What if my younger brother slips and falls when he goes to the toilet? The yard is slippery, it'll be dangerous for you to go out and add coal."

She emphasized the word "danger".

Luo Xinde's expression changed as expected. He had just been kept at home by his daughter under the pretext of danger, and now, upon hearing those two words, his heart skipped a beat.

He is the pillar of his family. He can be poor and suffer, but he cannot let his wife and children be in danger.

"Then...then I'll go to the convenience store and buy a few candles." He said, getting up.

"Dad!" Luo Xiyuan immediately stopped him. "It's so windy outside, and the roads are slippery. Don't go out. If you have to go, wait until it's light tomorrow morning."

"What if the power goes out at night?" Luo Xinde asked in return.

"So..." Luo Xi sighed, feigning concern, "I was thinking, not just our family, but many families in the village must not have prepared either. If the power really goes out, everyone will definitely have to buy candles. And how will the little stuff at the corner store be enough to go around?"

Her words were like a pebble thrown into a calm pond.

Luo Xinde suddenly looked up. He wasn't stupid; on the contrary, years of working on construction sites had given him a sharp mind, having seen many people and experienced many things. He had simply been limited in his thinking by poverty and the pressures of life. Now, with his daughter's simple suggestion, he instantly understood the crux of the matter.

need!

shortage!

Business opportunity!

He looked at his daughter, then at his son beside him who looked so worried, and a thought popped into his head uncontrollably.

If... if I went to the convenience store now and bought all the candles and batteries... then after the power outage...

The moment the thought crossed his mind, he was startled. Wasn't this speculation and profiteering? If the villagers found out, wouldn't they gossip about him behind his back?

But... his daughter's words just now echoed in his ears again.

"Our family doesn't need that 500 yuan for the New Year, but I can't live without you."

"If something happens to you, what will my brother and I do? What will Mom do?"

His most vulnerable spot was deeply touched. Yes, he almost lost his life for the sake of saving face. Now that he had a chance to earn money honestly and give his wife and children a good New Year, what did saving face matter?

His eyes flickered intensely, and his facial expression shifted rapidly.

Luo Xiyuan and Luo Wen exchanged a glance and held their breath. They knew that success or failure hinged on this moment.

Finally, Luo Xinde slapped his thigh and stood up abruptly.

"No, we can't wait!" He seemed to have made up his mind, his voice rising, "Xiyuan, you're right! It's not just our family, the whole village needs them! Go now and buy all the candles and batteries from Uncle Chen's shop!"

After he finished speaking, he turned around and rushed into the inner room, pulled out the wad of crumpled banknotes from under the mattress, and stuffed them into Luo Xiyuan's hand.

"Two hundred and eighty-eight yuan, it's all here! You go with your brother, be careful on the road! Go and come back quickly!"

Luo Xiyuan clutched the stack of money, still warm from her father's touch, her heart pounding.

It worked!

She looked at her father's face, which was flushed with excitement, and nodded vigorously.

"Dad, don't worry!"

She grabbed Luo Wen's hand, turned around, and rushed towards the door.

"Put on your cotton-padded coats! And put on your shoes too!" Luo Xinde shouted loudly from behind.

The brother and sister hurriedly put on thick clothes and shoes, pushed open the door, and a gust of cold wind carrying ice particles rushed in.

"Sis, are we really going?" Luo Wen shivered from the wind.

Luo Xiyuan turned around and glanced at her father, who was standing under the light, his eyes full of expectation and nervousness.

She tightened her grip on her brother's hand and said, word by word, "Yes! Let's go earn money and give our family a different kind of New Year!"

After saying that, she grabbed her younger brother and rushed into the boundless snowstorm without looking back.