Fang Bai stood at the threshold, cautiously observing the expressions and movements of his parents, ready to flee at any moment.
He began to explain how he made money: "It's like this, I've recently been doing some business in my spare time outside of studying, and this has already received the principal's approval!
I spent some time reselling equipment and earned over ten thousand yuan, then went to T City to buy a truckload of used televisions for refurbishment.
This color TV is one I repaired; the cost was less than a hundred yuan, and I have several hundred such TVs.
I want to come back and ask my dad to help me manage the shop. If we sell that batch of TVs, even if each one sells for a few hundred yuan, I can earn at least tens of thousands of yuan. Then our family won't be short on money, and Mom won't have to do odd jobs anymore, enduring cold stares."
"Don't worry, I won't neglect my studies."
Fang Bai finally emphasized the importance of studying, stating that he only used his spare time to earn money.
The amount of information he conveyed was too vast. After hearing Fang Bai's words, his parents stared at him, dumbfounded.
Their son earned over ten thousand yuan!
Their son can repair color TVs!
Their son bought several hundred used TVs!
He can earn tens of thousands of yuan!
One shocking piece of information after another stunned them. They simply couldn't believe it; were they dreaming?
Forget tens of thousands, their family struggled to save even a thousand yuan a year without eating or drinking. Was their son just spouting nonsense in the dark?
Liu Fengqing even pricked the back of her hand with a needle, letting out an "ouch" that made her shiver, confirming she wasn't dreaming.
Fang Shi opened his mouth as if to say something, then swallowed it back. His slightly trembling hands fumbled for a long time before pulling his pipe tobacco out of the box. The matches, which usually lit quickly, seemed to be working against him, striking several times before producing a spark.
At the same time, they were shocked by their son's money-making plan, but more than that, they were worried.
Of course, as people from Wen City, they knew that the area around their home was surrounded by mountains, with only a small amount of valley land suitable for farming. State-owned enterprises and public institutions were difficult to enter, so doing business was an easier path to success. They didn't have the same obsession as people from other provinces with breaking their heads to get a job in a unit or state-owned enterprise.
However, at his son's current age, academics should naturally be the priority; there would be many more opportunities to do business later.
"I don't agree. At your age, your studies should naturally come first. You don't need to worry about money; your old man will break the pot and sell the iron to send you to university.
Don't get involved in all those messy things." Fang Shi slowly sat on the bench in the main hall, took a deep puff of his pipe tobacco, and shook his head.
"Yes, Xiaobai, don't overthink things. It's not easy to get a chance to repeat a year; you need to strive for success." Liu Fengqing chimed in.
They had been farmers their entire lives, their faces to the soil and backs to the sky, bent by life and looked down upon by relatives. She hoped her children's generation wouldn't be like them, but would study hard and become educated people who knew everything from astronomy to geography.
They also understood in their hearts that their son's intentions were good, wanting to earn money for the family and lighten their burden, but as parents, they naturally considered their son's future more.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry, I will definitely get into a bachelor's program. But now that I've found this business opportunity, I have to act early. If someone else gets there first, we'll lose the most favorable timing, and my ten thousand yuan will be wasted!" Fang Bai patiently explained to his parents, speaking with great resolve.
An investment of over ten thousand yuan indeed shocked his parents.
Liu Fengqing looked at her son's firm gaze, a hint of worry in her eyes: "Then what about your studies? Don't say you're guaranteed to get into university."
"I already said, I guarantee I'll get into a bachelor's program. At worst, I'll repeat another year, but a money-making opportunity, once missed, is missed." Fang Bai patiently told his parents.
Making him repeat a year was impossible. The most urgent task was to convince his parents to work with him on the business. Although he had a Golden Finger, he didn't have Sun Wukong's ability to create clones!
"Can this really make money?" Liu Fengqing worried.
"The cost is less than a hundred yuan per unit, and you both said this TV can sell for over a thousand. Are you still afraid it won't make money?"
His parents saw their son's determined eyes and knew it was no use trying to persuade him further. Besides, several hundred TVs had already been bought, and ten thousand yuan had already been invested. It would be a shame not to go through with it.
Ten thousand yuan! He didn't know if he could save ten thousand in his lifetime.
If it was really as easy to repair and profitable as his son said, then, taking a step back, they could seemingly accept their son repeating another year.
As people from Wen City, they were not averse to doing business. Most children of wealthy people who went to university eventually returned to their family businesses.
The ultimate goal was always to make family life better.
His parents exchanged glances, unsure what to say for a moment.
Next, his parents asked many questions, and Fang Bai answered them one by one, concealing some information but telling everything he could.
After about half an hour, his parents finally ended their "interrogation" and "strict examination" and agreed, and Fang Bai breathed a sigh of relief.
Fang Shi asked his son: "Then what can I do to help you?"
His son had started such a big venture. According to his conservative estimate, if this batch of TVs sold successfully, he would earn at least tens of thousands of yuan.
His son was capable and had his own ideas, while he, the old man, wasn't very capable.
So Fang Shi didn't want to interfere anymore; he just wanted to see what he could do to help his son.
"Let's start with some trivial chores, and slowly get familiar. Mom can also resign; it's only a few dozen yuan a month, and she works herself to death and is still discriminated against." Fang Bai wanted to change his parents' way of thinking. He had to involve them personally and cultivate their business mindset.
In a few years, his parents would definitely become a great help to him.
His parents were only in their early forties, and he needed to slowly change their agricultural mindset.
Fang Bai knew his parents' personalities very well. Even if they had money, it would be impossible for them to do nothing; they couldn't sit still.
Farming, or doing business, was completely different from what they had done for the first half of their lives.
Ever since the spring breeze of reform swept across the country, many people around them had also put down their hoes and started doing business, and most of them had become rich. Not to mention, his parents had long been itching to do so, but when their two children were young, for the sake of stability, they never took that step, wanting to wait until the children grew up. As a result, several years passed in a flash!
Now, seeing their son enter the business first, they definitely had ideas.
Local family businesses were built this way, with many expanding their enterprises by involving family members.
It can be said that most of the large private enterprises in Jiangzhe Province in later generations were built through family unity.
In this era of unstable public order, Fang Bai could currently only trust his family.
Whether Fang Bai's future enterprise would be family-run or take other forms was hard to say for the future, but for the next decade, it would definitely be a family model.
"Son, I won't resign for now. It will be more stable if I resign after you and your dad earn money." Fang Bai's mother was a bit conflicted.
"Alright, as you wish."
Fang Bai knew it would be difficult to change his mother's mind all at once, but it was good that she could accept it.
His father said nothing, which meant he agreed with his arrangements.
Suddenly, Fang Bai's stomach rumbled, and the family looked at each other and smiled. Liu Fengqing felt a little pained: "Carrying such a big color TV, and the village roads are bad, you haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Fang Bai rubbed his belly and smiled: "Not yet. I just rushed back from the shop, and I'm really a bit hungry."
"Then let's eat first. Luckily, I made some extra rice for tomorrow's breakfast. There are just fewer dishes. Your dad can stir-fry another one. There are still some vegetables and some eggs at home." Fang Bai's mother prepared a bowl and chopsticks for her son and pushed her husband to stir-fry dishes.
Fang Shi said: "There are fewer dishes. It's a pity we can't buy meat now."
"Dad, just stir-fry some vegetables. I eat meat every day; missing one meal is nothing."
"Alright then."
Fang Shi knew his son had money, and he went to the kitchen to stir-fry dishes with relief and joy.
Fang Bai unplugged the black and white TV in the main hall, replaced it with the color TV, connected the wires, and fine-tuned it. A clear picture appeared on the screen, and familiar singing reverberated through the room.
"Waves surge, waves flow, the vast river waters never cease;
Washing away the affairs of the world,
Mingling into a mighty current..."
At this moment, "Shanghai Bund" was being replayed, and it was just the opening theme song.
Hearing this song, Fang Bai suddenly felt his blood boil and stopped turning the knob. His mother, standing beside him, also exclaimed, "Son, this one is good, this one is good!"
He missed Qin Shuyu, who was studying in Shanghai, and greatly desired to visit the Shanghai Bund, planning to develop there.
This year, the country decided to develop Pudong, and two years later, Pudong New Area would be established.
One district, whose GDP contribution in later generations exceeded one trillion yuan, where every inch of land was like gold.
Even a single apartment in Tomson Riviera was something people yearned for, so what if one owned a piece of land there?
This was an undeveloped, treasure-filled land waiting to be discovered, and Fang Bai naturally wanted a piece of the pie.
It didn't matter how much he earned; being able to leave his mark there would bring immense satisfaction.
He was full of aspirations and ambitions for the future, wanting to continuously expand his business empire in Shanghai.
A moment later, the song finished, and the main drama began.
Fang Bai felt the lingering charm and wanted to listen to it again.
"Son, this picture is amazing!"
"Haha, from now on, we won't have to go to other people's houses to watch color TV; we have a big color TV ourselves."
His mother looked at the clear picture on the color TV, her face beaming with smiles.
A few minutes later, his father came into the room carrying a plate of seasonal vegetables and saw his mother and son sitting and watching TV. He praised, "This color TV is really good. Let's eat while we watch."
The family gathered around the dining table, facing the TV, eating, watching, and chatting.
That night, Fang Bai's parents watched TV for a long time before going to sleep.
Fang Bai watched TV, feeling only a hint of nostalgia. Seeing his parents happy, he also felt a sense of relief and experienced the warmth and joy of family.
He knew that his efforts were not just for his personal success, but also to enable his family to live a better life.