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墨書 Inktalez
"Zhi Qiang has secured the new district project from the county!" Second Uncle messaged in the family group, "He invested thirty million!"
Soon after, Zhi Qiang himself posted photos in the group: a brand new Benz and a recently purchased three-story villa.
"Dear uncles and aunts, thanks to everyone's support over the years, my business has been going quite well," Zhi Qiang said in the group, sounding much more polite than usual.
I stared at my phone screen, speechless for a long time. The cousin who used to sit quietly in the corner during meals was now driving a Benz?
"Honey, did you see Zhi Qiang's message?" Li Xuemei walked over with some fruit, her tone filled with a kind of envy I had never heard before. "Look how capable Zhi Qiang is now!"
"What capability? Isn't it just good luck?" I retorted, feeling unconvinced.
"Good luck? He managed to secure such a big project; that shows he has skills!" Li Xuemei looked at me, her gaze somewhat complicated. "Look at him; he didn't study much, yet he's still making a fortune now."
Her words struck me like a knife. I decided I couldn't just sit back and do nothing; I had to start my own business.
Using our family's savings, I went to the provincial capital to make my mark. I opened an educational training institution called Wen Yuan Education, specializing in tutoring high school students.
"Honey, look! This is where you can truly showcase your expertise!" Li Xuemei was very supportive at that time. "You have an education; teaching students will definitely be no problem!"
In the first month of opening, I was full of confidence. But soon enough, harsh reality revealed its fangs.
Advertisements for large training institutions flooded everywhere, while my small operation couldn't even afford a decent sign. In the first month, I only enrolled five students; by the second month, three had left, and by the third month, I couldn't even pay the rent.
"Teacher Lin, it's not that you're teaching poorly; we just feel that your conditions are too basic..." one parent said as they left with their child.
Six months later, the training institution closed down. Not only did I lose all my savings, but I also owed the landlord three months' rent.
At that moment, the Spring Festival of 2019 arrived.
"Zhi Yuan, are you coming home for the New Year?" my mother asked on the phone.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" I replied, forcing a smile.
But when it came time to buy the tickets, I hesitated.
The high-speed train tickets were still too expensive.
On the twenty-ninth day of the lunar year, we took a long-distance bus back to our hometown.
As soon as we got off the bus, I saw a brand-new Benz parked at the village entrance, and the license plate looked familiar.
"Isn't that Zhi Qiang's car?" Li Xuemei pointed at it.
Sure enough, Zhi Qiang stepped out of the car, dressed in a designer suit, completely unrecognizable from the skinny construction worker he used to be.
"Bro! Sister-in-law! You’re back!" Zhi Qiang greeted us warmly.
"Zhi Qiang, nice car," I said, forcing myself to compliment him.
"It’s alright, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, cost over five hundred thousand," Zhi Qiang said nonchalantly.
"Why did you take the bus back? I thought you guys bought a car too."
His words made my face burn with embarrassment.
That night when we got home, Li Xuemei didn’t chat with me like she usually did; instead, she sat on the edge of the bed lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked her.
She turned to look at me, her eyes reflecting something I had never seen before: "Zhi Yuan, what’s the use of all those books you read?"
Her words struck me like lightning.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean nothing really; I just feel..."
Li Xuemei paused for a moment. "Look at Zhi Qiang; he didn’t even finish middle school, and now he’s doing better than us."
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