In the 90s, you could acquire max-level skills every 14 days.

Liu Decai swallowed hard, glancing at the two muscular truck drivers behind Wei Dabiao.

"I'll just...I'll give it to Factory Director Wei."

"I don't need you to deliver it, I have money."

"Even if you're not willing to give me face, it's fine."

Wei Dabiao smiled and turned to Zhang Yong, who was still inspecting the vehicle, and called out to him.

"Hey, Yongzi! Tell me, how much should I give Liu Decai for car repairs?"

Zhang Yong calculated for a few seconds, then said, "Give him 200!"

Wei Dabiao took out a wad of cash from his shirt pocket, counted out a few bills, and slapped them on the tin table.

"The water pump cost 200 yuan, plus the parking fees for the past few days. And here..."

"It's perfectly reasonable, not a penny more."

Then he grabbed Liu Decai by the collar and lowered his voice.

"I'll let it slide today because the kids are here! I'll settle the score with you next time!"

Without waiting for Liu Decai's reply, he turned his head and waved to the two drivers.

"Old Sun, Old Ma, each of you drive one car and follow along."

The two drivers responded, one got into car number two, and the other got into car number three.

Zhang Yong packed his tools into his canvas bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"People can say whatever they want, and no one can control that."

"But Mr. Liu, I've always believed in the saying, 'Leave a way out for others in front of them, so you can meet them again in the future.'"

"I'm gone."

He turned and walked toward the Santana.

Wei Shuyun had already sat in the back seat and helped her father into the back row.

Zhang Yong got into the driver's seat.

The Santana started and drove steadily out of the yard of Lida Auto Repair Shop.

Two Dongfeng trucks followed behind, their diesel engines emitting a long, drawn-out roar on the Tongxian Highway.

In the rearview mirror, Liu Decai stood motionless at the gate of the courtyard.

……

The car was quiet for a while.

The Santana drove onto the provincial highway heading back to Beijing from Tongxian. On both sides were vast cornfields, with ears of corn already sprouting, a lush green stretching as far as the eye could see.

Wei Dabiao sat in the back seat, leaning back against the chair, his eyes slightly closed.

Two or three minutes later, he opened his eyes and spoke.

"Yongzi."

"Um."

"Let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart."

Wei Dabiao's voice was hoarse from illness, but his strength was still there.

"I've taken this matter to heart. It's not just about the car repair; you also helped Shuyun get her deposit back and uncovered the counterfeit oil supply. I know all of that."

"Uncle has also sent people to investigate the Baoding area. That guy surnamed Zhou and that guy surnamed Ma can't escape either. I'll have Shuyun tell you when I get the news."

Zhang Yong shook his head. "Uncle Wei, you're too kind. If it's convenient for you, please gather information on other people who bought the counterfeit oil, preferably from large organizations and factories. That will increase the success rate of the investigation."

"well."

Wei Dabiao sighed again and continued speaking to himself.

"But what's giving me a headache right now isn't just Liu Decai."

He sighed.

"Both orders fell through. Tongxian Department Store said they've found other wineries and won't be buying wine from me again anytime soon."

"The remaining two thousand yuan payment from Langfang has been unfrozen. Although there are fewer orders, at least the connection is still established."

"Last night, Shuyun helped me check the accounts with the finance department. We lost 3,000 yuan this month, and there are still more than 400 cases of liquor in the warehouse. If we can't sell them, we'll lose another 10,000 yuan just for the cost of the bottles and the grain."

Seeing that her father was about to get angry again, Wei Shuyun quickly patted his back to calm him down.

Wei Dabiao looked at his little cotton-padded jacket with satisfaction and rubbed his temples.

"I'm thinking, if all else fails, I'll try to pull some strings in the county."

"I've already spoken to the supply and marketing cooperative; see if any of their units are planning to purchase welfare wine for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Also, try contacting Old Cheng at the grain bureau; see if he can recommend two other district logistics procurement units."

As he said this, a hint of helplessness crept into his voice.

"I'm treated like a servant as the factory manager, constantly begging people for favors. I even have to drink with them and offer them cigarettes."

"But if they give you face today, and a new section chief comes tomorrow, you'll have to start all over again."

"Everyone says a secure job is good, but a secure job is definitely more comfortable than my life."

Zhang Yong listened the whole time.

Several thoughts raced through his mind.

More than 400 cases of liquor are stuck in the warehouse. The traditional way to sell them is to use connections to find suppliers.

This was the standard practice in the 1990s, relying on personal connections and saving face.

But Zhang Yong in 2026 saw a different style of play.

Beer festival.

To be precise, it's the Qingdao Beer Festival.

The Qingdao International Beer Festival was first held in 1991, and at that time, no one in the country had ever seen such an operation that turned drinking into a large-scale public event.

Of course, Wei Dabiao makes baijiu (Chinese liquor), not beer. But the underlying idea is the same.

The key is—how to operate without breaking any taboos.

Zhang Yong thought for about ten seconds before speaking.

"Uncle Wei, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it and see if you can give it a try?"

Wei Dabiao opened his eyes and sat up straighter.

"explain."

"Please stop going from house to house begging for help."

Zhang Yong tilted his head slightly. "Let's try another method. Let's invite them over."

"Please come over? Please invite whom?"

"Don't you know quite a few of the logistics department heads and office directors in the county, including people from the supply and marketing cooperative, and the bosses of the transportation team?"

"We don't need too many, twenty or thirty people will be enough."

"Set up a few nice tables in the winery courtyard, display different types of your wines, prepare some main dishes, and hold a tasting event."

Wei Dabiao was stunned for a moment.

"A tasting event?"

"Yes. Officially, it's not called promotion, it's called tasting. The invitations will say something like 'Tongxian First Baijiu Tasting and Exchange Meeting'."

"When these people arrive, let them have a drink first. You can then introduce your winery's processes and ingredients, show them the brewing workshop, and let them taste the quality of the wine themselves."

Zhang Yong's mind raced; he wasn't actually sure if the plan would work out.

"The key is, don't just invite these officials."

"We need to invite their families and children, especially the young people. Organize a few programs to liven things up. Let these young people go back and tell them; that will be more effective than you making ten trips to their homes in person."

"And these young people will become your new customers in five or six years."

Wei Shuyun looked over in the rearview mirror, her eyes lighting up.

"Isn't this just... organizing a small event?"

"Pretty much. But you can't call it a promotion; the higher-ups are wary of that. Call it a 'tasting and exchange,' or something like 'understanding local industry support,' which is a legitimate name and no one can find fault with it. Besides, if you put Director Zhang's name from the supply and marketing cooperative first on the invitation, everyone else will naturally follow if he comes."

Wei Dabiao did not speak immediately.

He leaned back in the seat, his fingers tapping slowly on his knees.

After a long while, he slowly nodded.

"This method... is new."

He stared at Zhang Yong for several seconds, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"You've got more stuff in your head than I have, an old fox."

"I think this is a great idea! We'll get back and do it!"

"Yongzi."

"Um?"

"From now on, I'll look after you in Tongxian."

"Okay, I'll remember that!"

……

When Zhang Yong finished all his business and returned to Jinsong Community, it was already completely dark.

I took a shower in the bathroom, lay down on the bed, glanced at my progress, and then drifted off to sleep.

[Auto Repair Lv.3: Progress 98% (AFK... 30x speed)]

the next day.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Grandpa Chen's voice, booming like a broken gong, erupted from the downstairs gatehouse.

"Yongzi! Come downstairs! Hurry up!"

Zhang Yong jumped out of bed, slipped on his slippers, pushed open the window, and looked down.

Grandpa Chen stood at the entrance of the apartment building, stamping his feet anxiously.

"Your dad got into a fight!"

......