Rebirth: Fan Debiao rises from the Liaobei land

The first batch of 300 broadband subscribers went smoothly, and Fan Debiao was in a good mood. When the second batch of 500 subscribers came in, Gangzi arranged for people to start construction.

That afternoon, Fan Debiao and Gangzi were discussing the commencement of base station construction in the inner room when the door was suddenly pushed open.

Xiao Liu, who was in charge of leading the team, ran in, his forehead covered in sweat.

"Brother Biao, Brother Gang, we can't do this anymore!"

Fan Debiao raised his head.

"What's wrong?"

Xiao Liu took a breath.

"The newly built Happiness Garden in the east of the city is being blocked by the property management. My brothers and I went there, and the security guards stopped us from entering. I tried to bribe them with two packs of cigarettes, and they were about to let us in. But then a security captain came out, acting all high and mighty, and said there was an entrance fee to enter the community and a kickback to go up to the roof. If we didn't pay, they wouldn't let us in, and they were just stalling us."

Fan Debiao frowned.

How much do you want?

"The entry fee is five thousand, and the kickbacks are separate," Xiao Liu said. "I argued with him, and he said that if you want to do it, you have to pay. No one can do it without paying."

Gangzi jumped to his feet.

"Let's go take a look."

Happiness Home is a new residential complex that was completed and handed over to residents two years ago. It consists of six buildings and more than 300 households. The exterior walls are painted with light yellow paint, and there are flower beds and fitness equipment in the courtyard. It looks quite decent.

Fan Debiao parked the car at the entrance and walked with Gangzi towards the property management office.

The property management office was on the first floor, and the door was open. Before I even went in, I could hear people talking inside, their voices quite loud.

"Let me tell you, I didn't even hit Ben with those 16 knife scars on my back, from my neck down to my lower back!"

Fan Debiao paused for a moment.

The guy inside was still bragging.

"What's a real man? What's Mongolian? Let me show you. I got beaten up in the trunk, are you convinced? I said no, so I beat him up again, I'm still not convinced! Later, when he got tired of beating me, he handed me a cigarette and said, 'Bro, you're awesome!'"

Some people joined in the commotion.

"Captain, what happened to you in the end?"

"In the end?" the voice rose. "In the end, I stood up, and he lay down! What am I called? I'm called a man from Hailar!"

Fan Debiao and Gangzi exchanged a glance.

Gangzi sneered and pushed the door open to go inside.

Inside, five or six men in security guard uniforms were gathered around a table. In the middle stood a young man in his early twenties, wearing glasses, with a crooked mouth, looking rather awkward. He was currently engrossed in his conversation, his face flushed, gesturing wildly.

When he saw someone come in, the man stopped and looked Fan Debiao and Gangzi up and down.

"Who should I look for?"

Fan Debiao didn't say anything, walked over, pulled out a chair and sat down.

Gangzi stood next to him.

The man was stunned for a moment.

"Who the hell are you guys?"

Gangzi looked at him.

"Were you the one who asked for an entrance fee just now?"

The man realized what was happening, took a step back, and stiffened his neck.

"It's me, so what? You're the construction workers? Five thousand for entry fee, kickbacks on the side. If you don't pay, get out, got it?"

Gangzi smiled.

"You just said you have 16 knife scars on your back? From your neck to your lower back?"

The man was taken aback.

"Oh, what's wrong?"

Gangzi suppressed a laugh, "Brother, are you roasting a whole lamb or a three-scaled lamb? Did someone else make those fancy cuts on it?"

The man's face turned even redder. He suddenly darted in front of Gangzi, pointed at him, and cursed, "Are you fucking crazy? Say it again if you dare!"

Gangzi reached out and pinched the man's fingers, saying, "Watch your mouth, didn't your parents teach you how to talk?" He then slapped the man and pushed him back into a chair.

"Have you heard of Gangzi from Fourth Road?"

The man's red face turned white in an instant, and he immediately stood up and said.

"Steel... Brother Steel..."

Gangzi patted him on the shoulder.

"Sit down and talk."

The man plopped back into the chair, his legs trembling.

Just then, the office door opened.

A middle-aged man in his forties walked in, wearing a white shirt, with his hair combed back, looking quite refined.

"What happened?"

The man saw him as if he had seen a savior.

"Manager Wang, they..."

Manager Wang waved his hand to stop him from speaking. He looked at Fan Debiao.

"Who are you?"

Fan Debiao stretched out his hand, his index finger bent backward.

"Dexing Communications, Fan Debiao".

Manager Wang shook hands with him and smiled very politely.

"Mr. Fan, it's an honor to meet you. My subordinates are incompetent and have caused you trouble."

He turned to look at the man.

"You can go out now."

The man felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He stood up and ran outside, but as he passed Gangzi, his legs went weak and he almost fell.

Gangzi didn't even glance at him.

Manager Wang invited Fan Debiao to sit down and personally poured him tea.

"President Fan, I just heard about this. It was definitely the subordinates' fault. Please don't take it to heart."

Fan Debiao picked up his teacup but didn't drink it.

"Manager Wang, my people came to do construction, and we gave them cigarettes and said all the right things. But your security captain stopped them from entering, demanding a 5,000 yuan entry fee, with kickbacks to be paid separately. He's not being very ethical!"

Manager Wang sighed.

"Mr. Fan, you have to understand me. This is one of the most upscale communities in Kaiyuan, and the residents are all prominent figures. What do they want from buying a house? They want quiet, privacy, and prestige. Your construction workers are coming and going, drilling holes and laying wires, making a lot of noise. If the residents complain to me, it will be difficult for me to handle."

He looked at Fan Debiao.

"It's not that I don't want you to do it, it's that there needs to be a set of rules. Otherwise, if the homeowners complain every day, I won't be able to stay as manager for long."

Fan Debiao nodded.

"Manager Wang is right, the homeowners' demands must be taken into account."

He put down his teacup.

"But Manager Wang, think about this too. This broadband project is a China Netcom project; the contract is signed. The residents are waiting to use the broadband. If the installation is slow, won't they ask why? And if they find out it's because the property management is blocking them from entering, don't you think that will affect your property management company?"

Manager Wang's smile faltered for a moment.

Fan Debiao continued.

"People of high standing are most afraid of being delayed. You may be considerate of them, but they might not appreciate it. However, if you prevent them from going online, they will definitely be unhappy."

He looked at Manager Wang.

"Manager Wang, don't you think that makes sense?"

Manager Wang was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Mr. Fan is a sensible person."

Fan Debiao also smiled.

"Manager Wang, we're all just trying to make a living on the streets of Kaiyuan, let's help each other out."

He took out five hundred yuan from his pocket and put it on the table.

"Take this money, it's a small token of my appreciation. Treat the brothers to a meal and buy them some cigarettes. Don't make things difficult for that whole roasted lamb; just teach him to be more discerning in the future."

Manager Wang stared at the five hundred yuan for a moment, stunned.

"Mr. Fan, this..."

Fan Debiao waved his hand.

"Don't mention it. I'm getting broadband installed here, so I'll be dealing with your property management a lot in the future. If I need anything, I'll ask you for help, and if you need anything, you can come to me too. We can look out for each other."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"Manager Wang, there's one more thing. There are over 300 households in this community. I'll give you an extra ten yuan per household for broadband. Whatever amount you have, just make sure you get it done for me."

Manager Wang's eyes lit up.

"Mr. Fan, what's wrong...?"

Fan Debiao smiled.

"If you can contact the property management companies in other communities and they're willing to help, you get a commission. You just run errands and talk to them, and you earn money. Isn't that more reliable than those entrance fees and kickbacks?"

Manager Wang did the math and his face lit up with a smile.

"Mr. Fan, you're too kind! I can't accept this..."

Fan Debiao stood up.

"Then it's settled. My people will be arriving tomorrow, you can make the arrangements."

Manager Wang nodded repeatedly.

"Finish it up, do it however you want! Climb stairs if you want, drill holes if you want! If you're too busy, just have the security guards or cleaners clean up the trash, it's a piece of cake!"

Fan Debiao patted him on the shoulder.

"Manager Wang is a straightforward person."

As Gangzi left the property management office, he couldn't help but ask.

"Brother Biao, ten yuan per household, three hundred households is three thousand. Add that five hundred, and it's almost four thousand. Is this money worth it?"

Fan Debiao lit a cigarette.

"value."

Gangzi looked at him.

Why?

Fan Debiao took a drag of his cigarette.

"Gangzi, remember this: anything that can be solved with money is a small matter. This property manager, if you don't pay him, he'll agree on the surface but make things difficult for you behind your back. Today this resident complains, tomorrow that resident causes trouble, can you even keep doing this job?"

Gangzi thought about it.

"It looks unlikely."

Fan Debiao nodded.

"Yes. Now that we've paid him, he's one of us. Not only will he not cause us any trouble, he'll also help us resolve our problems. Three hundred households, ten yuan per household, three thousand yuan—isn't it worth it to buy a smooth and successful life?"

Gangzi smiled.

"value."

The two walked to the car, and Fan Debiao opened the car door.

"Have Engineer Wang bring Wang Yinghui along tomorrow. Let him see that working isn't just about skills, but also about all these miscellaneous things. If he learns, he can avoid making the same mistakes in the future."

Gangzi nodded.

"Okay, I'll arrange it."

The Happy Home project was successfully launched the next day.

The security guard changed shifts, saw the construction team, opened the gate directly, and even pointed out the ladder to the roof. That guy with the three scales (a type of scale) had disappeared; he hadn't shown up all day.

Xiao Liu led his team and worked for a day, installing appliances for more than 30 households.

When he returned that evening, he reported to Fan Debiao.

"Brother Biao, things are going well. That Manager Wang even had the cleaning staff help with the trash."

Fan Debiao nodded.

"Okay. Keep an eye on it. If similar situations occur in other communities, follow this approach."

Xiao Liu responded and went out.

Fan Debiao sat in his office and lit a cigarette.

He recalled the security captain's boastful manner and couldn't help but laugh. "Idiot."

Sixteen knife scars, from his neck to his lower back. Eight scars in total!