My cousin-in-law helped me achieve my ambitions.

The night wind brushed against my face, carrying the city's unique hustle and bustle and dust. The neon lights on both sides of the street flickered, like countless eyes peering into the night.

Ten minutes later, the motorcycle stopped at a busy intersection.

Su Ming got out of the car and took a look, and couldn't help but gasp.

This place is much more prosperous than the Snake Hill Industrial Zone. Shops line both sides of the street, their neon signs in a riot of colors, illuminating the entire street as if it were daytime. Pedestrians throng the street, including migrant workers in overalls, fashionable young women, and burly men shirtless, enjoying skewers.

To Su Ming's surprise, there were already five or six people waiting for them at the intersection.

Standing in front were a few blond-haired lads, clearly gangsters, wearing flashy shirts, smoking cigarettes, and acting all cocky. Next to them stood two young women: one with dyed blond hair, wearing a miniskirt that revealed her long, white legs; the other with long, straight black hair, wearing a tight tank top, and a hot figure.

As soon as Bao Yazhong got out of the car, the group of blond-haired men immediately rushed up to him, bowing and scraping: "Brother Zhong!"

Bao Yazhong waved his hand and pointed at Su Ming: "Come, come, let me introduce you. This is Brother Ming, my brother. Show him some respect when you see him in the future."

The group of blond-haired men paused for a moment, then nodded in unison to Su Ming: "Hello, Brother Ming!"

The two girls joined in, their voices sweet and coquettish: "Hello, Brother Ming!"

Su Ming was a little bewildered by this scene, and nodded with a dry smile.

Bao Yazhong seemed to think that wasn't enough, so he went over, grabbed the blonde girl's hand, and pulled her in front of Su Ming.

"Xiao Lan, Ming is in your hands tonight." He patted the girl's shoulder, his face serious. "Take good care of him."

The blonde girl named Xiaolan nodded obediently, looked up at Su Ming, blinked her eyes, and said softly, "Brother Ming, tonight I'm yours."

Su Ming was startled and waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, no! Don't do this! I'm here tonight to investigate the market!"

Seeing his nervous expression, Bao Yazhong couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright, no way." He patted Su Ming on the shoulder with a smile. "Then let's have some fun together."

A large group of people began to stroll around the Tashan Industrial Zone.

Bao Yazhong led Su Ming into an arcade. The place was filled with smoke and noise, the sounds of various arcade machines mingling together, making it painful to listen to. Some people were playing slot machines, some were playing King of Fighters, and a few teenagers were huddled around the arcade machines, watching intently.

Su Ming wandered around the arcade for a bit, but wasn't really interested in playing, so he quickly left.

Next was the ice rink. Inside the huge tin shed, deafening disco music blared as dozens of people skated around. There were couples holding hands, young people showing off their skills, and a few girls in roller skates, wobbling as they held onto the railings.

Su Ming stood at the door for a while, shook his head, and then came out again.

Then came the internet cafe. Pushing open the glass door, a stench of smoke and sweat hit me. Dozens of computers were occupied, most people playing games like "Legend of Mir" and "Miracle," their keyboards clattering loudly. On the screens, swords flashed and shadows danced; some were fighting monsters, some were PvP, and others were AFK chatting.

Su Ming walked around inside and looked at the price list posted on the wall—three yuan per hour, eight yuan for staying up all night.

He silently did the math in his head: ten computers, running for twenty hours a day, that's six hundred yuan. That's eighteen thousand yuan a month. After deducting electricity, internet, and rent, he could easily earn at least ten thousand yuan.

This business opportunity sounds good. However, the initial investment is quite large, so I'm hesitant to consider it for now.

Next was the projection room. The blackboard at the entrance listed today's films in chalk: *Infernal Affairs*, *A Better Tomorrow*, and *God of Gamblers*—all Hong Kong films. A ticket cost two yuan and you could watch all day.

Su Ming peeked inside. It was dark, with dozens of people sitting there, engrossed in watching the big screen. Some were eating sunflower seeds, some were dozing off, and a few couples were cuddling in a corner, seemingly watching a movie or doing something else.

For five yuan, you can watch all night, with about fifty or sixty people. The gross profit for one night is two or three hundred yuan.

Finally, there's the night market.

The street was lined with stalls from one end to the other, selling everything from clothes and shoes to snacks and pirated DVDs. Crowds thronged the area, and the sounds of bargaining filled the air. Smoke billowed from the barbecue stalls, teppanyaki grills sizzled, and their aromas wafted far and wide.

Su Ming was overwhelmed by the dazzling array of items, and countless thoughts raced through his mind.

Selling clothes? The initial investment is too large, and you also need to know how to pick out styles.

Selling snacks? That requires skill, early mornings, and is too tiring.

Setting up a street stall? That requires little capital, but you're exposed to the elements and have to play hide-and-seek with the city management officers…

He looked around and thought as he walked, and before he knew it, it was past eleven o'clock.

Finally, Bao Yazhong suggested going for barbecue. The group found a roadside stall, sat down, ordered a bunch of skewers, and a few bottles of beer. The two girls also came along; Xiao Lan sat next to Su Ming, constantly pouring him drinks and handing him skewers, being very attentive.

Su Ming felt a little uncomfortable being waited on, but he didn't say anything. He really couldn't eat anything tonight; this was the third meal he'd had. He had no choice but to keep up with it.

As he ate, he glanced at his phone; it was almost midnight. He couldn't help but worry. He was afraid his cousin-in-law hadn't gone to work and would be angry when she found out he was late.

"Brother Zhong, I have to go back now." He stood up, preparing to take his leave.

Bao Yazhong grabbed him: "What's the rush? We'll go to the DVD shop to watch DVDs later."

"A DVD?" Su Ming was taken aback. "Didn't we just watch it?"

Bao Yazhong smiled mysteriously: "That's different. What you just watched was a projection. This disc I'm talking about might be something you'd like. It's low-cost and quick money-making; you could learn from it."

This guy's words successfully piqued Su Ming's interest. Right now, he wanted to do a business that was low-cost and quick to make money.

Su Ming asked curiously, "What's a disc, right?"

"Haha, let's go!" Bao Yazhong winked. "You'll see when we get there."

He paid the bill and led Su Ming through a maze of twists and turns, finally stopping in front of an inconspicuous shop.

The shop is small, with a sign hanging at the entrance that reads "Audio-Visual World" and a line of smaller print next to it: DVD Rental, Private Rooms Available.

Bao Yazhong pushed open the door and went in, with Su Ming following behind.

The store was dimly lit, with shelves piled high with VCDs. The posters on the walls were all Hong Kong films like *Young and Dangerous*, *A Better Tomorrow*, and *God of Gamblers*, featuring Chow Yun-fat smoking a cigarette and Andy Lau holding a gun—each looking incredibly cool. Of course, in an inconspicuous corner, there was also a row of discs with sexy covers, some with a Western or Japanese style; experienced viewers could immediately tell what they were about.

Four or five young couples were rummaging through the shelves, some looking down at DVDs, some whispering to each other, and others had already made their selections and were heading towards the cashier.

Behind the cashier stood a woman in her thirties, fairly decent-looking, wearing a loose T-shirt, looking down as she calculated the bill.

Bao Yazhong casually browsed through a few DVDs on the shelves, then walked to the cashier and said with a smile to the young woman, "Boss, please arrange four private rooms for me. Also, please assign me a young lady to help store the DVDs."

The young woman's face immediately darkened, and she forced a smile: "Young man, we only provide plates here, we don't have any maids to arrange!"

Bao Yazhong's smile vanished. He braced his hands on the counter, looking down at the young woman, his voice turning cold: "Call your boss. What's going on? Do you think I'm a new customer? I'm a regular here."