It took less than a day.
By evening, the news that the kid from Tan Lihua's family had made a lot of money and bought a car had spread throughout the village.
Before going to school, Tan Jincheng also grew up in the village, and after causing such a scene the summer before last, the villagers still had some memory of him.
In the past year and a half, Tan Jincheng had often been cited by some parents as a negative example: disobedient, willful, refusing to study and instead going out to sea to work, even causing his parents great worry.
In a city with a thriving literary atmosphere, even in rural areas, every family took pride in their children getting into university.
If he lived a mediocre and unaccomplished life after coming ashore, Tan Jincheng would forever be a negative example for child education in the village.
For Tan Jincheng, who had little affection for his hometown, these things didn't matter.
But Tan Lihua certainly didn't think that way.
Not studying was an unchangeable fact, but being able to make money even without studying somewhat saved face.
Tan Jincheng didn't elaborate much to his relatives about what he specifically did, only saying that he sold clothes, sourcing them from factories and then wholesaling them.
If it were other industries, the villagers might not understand, but when it came to making clothes, at least half of the people from Tanjia Village who went out to work knew about it.
Among the migrant workers from Tanjia Village, more than half worked in the children's clothing city in Zhili, Huzhou.
Some of these workers seized opportunities, opened factories there, and became prosperous.
He first learned about the clothing industry when he was a child, hearing about it from these migrant workers when he returned home.
Zhili's children's clothing industry accounts for a large proportion of domestic children's clothing.
Small and large garment processing factories are everywhere.
Tan Jincheng had been to that place, and the working environment was much worse than in Yongcheng.
A terraced residential building, three to four stories high, with the fabric cutting workshop on the ground floor, the flat sewing workshop on the middle floors, and staff dormitories on the top floor.
Unlike the small garment factory model in Yongcheng, Zhili implemented a policy of providing food and accommodation, but simultaneously exploited workers more severely.
Employees there started work at eight in the morning, had half an hour for lunch, and worked until around eleven at night.
They only didn't work overtime on Sunday evenings, euphemistically calling it a day of rest.
Another thing Tan Jincheng couldn't understand was that due to the peak and off-peak seasons in the garment industry, factories in Zhili would take two to three months of long holidays annually around the Dragon Boat Festival and Chinese New Year.
Their wages were settled all at once when they went on holiday, rather than being paid monthly.
Some less profitable factories would abscond with the funds when holidays began.
Therefore, for the workers from Tanjia Village who went to Zhili to make clothes, finding a reliable factory was their greatest wish.
Yet, even with the risk of not getting paid for half a year, people still flocked there.
The supply and demand relationship was extremely imbalanced.
A large number of migrant workers entering the cities meant that even the most unscrupulous bosses never worried about not being able to find workers.
In those days, finding a job for migrant workers entering the city was indeed difficult.
Not only were there pitfalls everywhere, but wages were also very low.
Decoration workers, who would earn good wages in later generations, considered 50 yuan a day a high salary at that time.
To earn more, one could only become a foreman, but foremen faced greater risks, and not everyone could do it.
The next day, the news that the old Tan family's willful, uneducated eldest grandson had made a fortune selling clothes spread throughout the village.
Moreover, as today was the day for receiving gifts, people came and went in the ancestral house from morning onward.
Those bringing gifts and those not bringing gifts all came to observe.
In Tanjia Village in 2005, families who could afford a car were few and far between.
Villagers actually lived quite hard lives and had no concept of leverage.
In fact, even Tan Lihua and his wife were like this.
They found it hard to accept a mortgage when buying a house, fearing that an accident might one day prevent them from repaying it.
The concept of "spending in advance" simply didn't exist in their ingrained mindset.
"How much is a pack of these cigarettes?"
Tan Licheng squatted at the doorway, looking at his nephew next to him.
There wasn't much work today, so it was impossible for him, a habitually lazy person, to work honestly.
Tan Jincheng also had nothing much to do; his task was to look after Tan Jinyue.
The sun was nice today, and little Jinyue's crib was moved under the eaves to bask in the sun.
"20 kuai, what's wrong?"
"They're bland to smoke, not as good as the few-kuai Hong Sanhuan,"
Tan Licheng pouted.
"Bland, yet you still took a whole carton? Give it back to me,"
Tan Jincheng said speechlessly.
This was one of Dahongying's most classic varieties; in a few years, one wouldn't even be able to smoke it anymore, as it disappeared from the market after being acquired by Liqun.
"It's for impressing people during Chinese New Year. I won't have to buy any. Also, give me a bottle of the liquor from your trunk."
"No way, that's Wuliangye. There are only a few bottles in total. I bought it for my uncle. You don't even drink, what do you need it for?"
"Guests are coming to my house for Chinese New Year, so I'll need liquor. Having a good bottle will enhance the occasion and save face."
"There's definitely leftover liquor from the banquet. Just take a few bottles back. Is Kouzijiao not good enough? What kind of distinguished guest at your house needs to drink Wuliangye?"
The uncle and nephew chatted idly in the sun, without much regard for age.
After a while, Tan Jincheng's younger paternal uncle, Tan Liye, also came over.
The younger uncle was a more serious person, so Tan Jincheng naturally didn't dare to joke around like this.
Although the three Tan brothers had a good relationship and were role models for filial piety in the village, their personalities differed.
The eldest was steady and authoritative, the second was lively and free-spirited, and the third was serious and earnest.
With such contrasting personalities between the second and third brothers, joking around was impossible.
Feeling bored after a while, Tan Licheng found an excuse to go play elsewhere.
Second Big Brother took a carton of cigarettes, and of course, Third Big Brother, a heavy smoker, couldn't be left out.
Tan Jincheng gave Third Big Brother a carton of cigarettes, but it resulted in a lecture instead.
These were life lessons such as learning to be frugal when starting a business, not spending lavishly, not being ostentatious in one's conduct, and learning to build good relationships with clients.
All were good words, and sincerely meant to teach his nephew how to conduct himself, but which young person truly enjoys listening to such advice?
Even with the soul of a middle-aged man, Tan Jincheng didn't care for these things.
However, compared to actual young people, Tan Jincheng was good at hiding his emotions.
His younger uncle should have been born in 1972, right?
In fact, he probably hadn't seen as much of the world as Tan Jincheng had.
Tan Jincheng didn't like listening to people preach profound truths, nor did he like to preach them himself.
Many people knew many truths but still failed to live a good life.
In his past and present lives, he had no desire to be a teacher.
Having been reborn, besides doing things within his capabilities, he simply wanted to live this life well and minimize regrets as much as possible.
(End of Chapter)
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