14: Chapter 14 A tough guy bows his head only for his family

It was after eight in the evening. Li Xin had just finished dinner and was sitting on his bed reading a marketing book when Qiang Zi pushed the door open and walked in.

"Li Xin, you there?" Qiang Zi poked half his body inside. "I brought someone to see you."

Li Xin put down his book and stood up. "Come in."

Behind Qiang Zi followed a man. He was half a head shorter than Qiang Zi but just as sturdy; one look and you could tell he had trained in the military. The man's skin was dark and glistening, with deep wrinkles on his face. His hands were incredibly rough, covered in calluses, with thick, large knuckles—a pair of hands that clearly had done heavy labor.

"Li Xin, this is that comrade-in-arms of mine." Qiang Zi patted the man on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Zhao Tiezhu, we were in the same squad back in the army, and he slept on the bunk above me. Tiezhu, this is Li Xin, the one I told you about, my brother."

Zhao Tiezhu stood at the door, looking somewhat reserved, not knowing where to place his hands. He looked at Li Xin, took two steps forward, and reached out his hand. "Hello, Brother Li."

Li Xin quickly shook his hand. "Don't call me Brother, just call me Li Xin. Qiang Zi's comrade is one of us, no need to be so polite. Sit, sit down and let's talk."

Zhao Tiezhu nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. His back was straight as an arrow, and his hands rested on his knees—a soldier's habit that clearly hadn't faded.

Qiang Zi sat down beside him and handed a cigarette to Zhao Tiezhu, then offered one to Li Xin. Li Xin waved his hand, declining. Zhao Tiezhu took it, lit it, and took a deep drag, exhaling a heavy cloud of smoke.

"Tiezhu, tell Li Xin about your situation," Qiang Zi said. "We're all our own people here, don't hold anything back."

Zhao Tiezhu took another drag of his cigarette and was silent for a moment. "Li Xin, Qiang Zi told me about your situation. He said you've been doing business lately, have some capital on hand, and are looking to invest. I want to open a small shop."

Li Xin listened intently, then asked, "What kind of shop are you planning to open? What products do you intend to sell?"

"I want to open a breakfast shop." When Zhao Tiezhu mentioned this, his eyes clearly lit up, but they quickly dimmed again.

Then he continued, "My wife is a good cook; her steamed buns are delicious. The neighbors in our area have eaten them and always praise them. Back in our hometown, she often helped people make breakfast. Things like kneading dough, preparing fillings, and wrapping buns—she's very skilled at all of it. After I retired from the military, we discussed it for a long time and decided that opening a breakfast shop would work."

"Hahaha, that makes my mouth water. Opening a breakfast shop has low starting risk. As long as you choose the right location and the taste is decent, you basically won't lose money." Li Xin nodded and continued to ask, "So, what difficulties are you facing now?"

Zhao Tiezhu looked down at the cigarette in his hand, his voice muffled. "I've been out of the military for two years and haven't found a stable job. I've just been doing odd jobs at construction sites—carrying cement, moving bricks, that sort of thing. I don't mind the hard work, it's just that the pay is low. Later, a friend introduced me to a factory job, tightening screws on the assembly line. I worked there for eight months, but the factory's performance was poor, they were behind on wages, and eventually, I was laid off. I've done quite a few scattered jobs, but none lasted long. Over these years, my wife and I have scrimped and saved, and we've managed to scrape together fifty thousand yuan."

He paused, his voice sinking lower. "But renting a storefront, renovations, buying tables, chairs, pots, pans, and so on—it all adds up to at least two hundred and fifty thousand. I'm still short about two hundred thousand. I asked around among my relatives and friends back home, but they all have their own difficulties, so I couldn't borrow the money."

Zhao Tiezhu looked up at Li Xin, his eyes somewhat red. "Qiang Zi and I are very close; he's always cared about us. After he found out about my situation, he contacted me and said he had a close friend who might be able to help. He said you're doing business now and have some spare cash on hand, so he told me to come and talk to you."

"Li Xin, I'm not asking for your money for nothing. I'm really at my wit's end." Zhao Tiezhu steadied himself.

Li Xin looked at him, feeling as if something was clogging his chest, a very uncomfortable feeling.

In his past life, when he worked at construction sites, he had seen too many people like this. After returning from the military, they were honest and hardworking, willing to suffer and not afraid of fatigue, but they just lacked an opportunity. They weren't eloquent, didn't know how to scheme, and didn't understand the ways of social maneuvering, so they could only struggle at the very bottom of society, doing backbreaking work for meager pay.

"I can invest this two hundred thousand." Li Xin said directly, without hesitation.

Zhao Tiezhu was stunned, clearly not expecting Li Xin to agree so quickly. "Re... really?"

"Yes, you heard right. I can invest that two hundred thousand." Li Xin repeated, "But I have a few conditions. See if you can accept them."

Zhao Tiezhu stood up abruptly, somewhat excited, his voice trembling. "Tell me! Tell me! I'll agree to any condition!"

"Sit down first, don't get excited." Li Xin smiled and gestured for him to sit.

"First, this money is an investment, not a loan. I need to take a stake—thirty percent will do. If we make money, we split it according to the shares; if we lose money, it's on me."

Zhao Tiezhu nodded repeatedly. "Fine, fine, fine, thirty percent is no problem! You're providing the capital; taking a stake is only right!"

"Second, since you've chosen to open a shop, you must be dedicated. A breakfast shop looks simple, but there's a lot involved. You have to get up at three or four in the morning to prepare, and you can't stop, rain or shine. If there's no improvement within three months, I will withdraw my investment. But if you do well and the business stabilizes, and you want to expand or open branches, I can provide additional investment."

Zhao Tiezhu patted his chest and said, "You can rest assured about that, I will definitely work hard! I spent five years in the army; I may not have other skills, but I can definitely endure hardship! My wife is even more hardworking than I am. We will definitely make this shop a success!"

"Third," Li Xin looked at Qiang Zi and said with a smile, "let Qiang Zi keep an eye on things for you. He understands management and might be able to offer you some suggestions. If there's anything you're unsure about, discuss it with him more."

Zhao Tiezhu turned to look at Qiang Zi. Qiang Zi nodded and punched him on the shoulder. "Don't look at me, I'm just the bridge-builder here. You work hard and don't embarrass us brothers."

Zhao Tiezhu's nose felt sore, and his eyes reddened slightly. "Qiang Zi, I..."

"Alright, don't get all mushy, you're a grown man." Qiang Zi waved his hand, but his own voice was a bit hoarse.

"Then it's settled." Li Xin stood up with a smile. "Tomorrow I'll go to the bank and transfer the money to you. You go ahead and rent the storefront and handle the paperwork. Just keep clear accounts for the rent, deposit, equipment, and so on. It doesn't need to be too formal, but I need to have a general idea of the numbers. If you have any problems, come to me anytime."

Zhao Tiezhu also stood up and shook Li Xin's hand, gripping it tightly. "Li Xin, thank you. Qiang Zi and I are comrades-in-arms; I trust his word. I've accepted you as a brother. From now on, if you need anything, just say the word, and I, Zhao Tiezhu, will never hesitate."

Li Xin smiled. "Don't mention it, just work hard. If you open the shop successfully and make money, that's the best repayment for me."

"I will!" Zhao Tiezhu nodded vigorously. It seemed like something was swirling in his eyes, but he held it back and didn't let it fall.

After seeing Zhao Tiezhu off, Qiang Zi didn't leave; he stayed behind.

Only the two of them were left in the dormitory. Qiang Zi sat on the bed, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then looked at Li Xin seriously.

"Li Xin, tell me the truth." Qiang Zi's voice was very low. "You invested so much money in Tiezhu; aren't you afraid of losing it? Two hundred thousand is not a small amount."

"I am." Li Xin said truthfully. "How can there be a business that only makes money and never loses? But I'm even more afraid of seeing my brothers unable to climb out of the mud."

Qiang Zi was silent for a moment, the smoke drifting in front of him.

"When Tiezhu was in the army, he was the best soldier in our squad," Qiang Zi said slowly. "He was in the top three of the entire company for the five-kilometer cross-country run, and he never fell out of the top ten in shooting assessments. During one exercise, to save a recruit, he rolled down a mountain himself and needed seven stitches on his leg. A man like that, after retiring, has to work hard carrying cement at a construction site, earning only one hundred and twenty a day."

Qiang Zi took another drag of his cigarette, his voice dropping even lower. "The last time I saw him was at the construction site. He was wearing a hard hat, his face covered in dust, carrying a bag of cement down from a truck. When he saw me, he smiled, but it looked worse than crying. I felt so terrible inside, really, I can't even describe how terrible."

Li Xin didn't speak, just listened.

"Before, I felt you were just an ordinary student," Qiang Zi turned his head to look at Li Xin, his gaze very serious. "Introverted, quiet, having no strong opinions, the kind with very low presence at school. But during this time, I've realized I misjudged you."

"You didn't misjudge me." Li Xin leaned against the headboard, his voice calm. "I really was like that before. It's just... I've figured things out now!"

"Figured what out?"

"I was too spineless before." When Li Xin said this, his tone was light, but every word carried weight. "Watching opportunities slip away right before my eyes, watching the people around me live poorly and being unable to do anything about it. I don't want to be like that anymore."

Qiang Zi looked at him, didn't ask any more questions, and just nodded.

"Alright." Qiang Zi extinguished his cigarette and stood up. "Then I won't say anything more. If you need anything in the future, just say the word, and I'll be there. No matter what it is, I've got your back."

"Good."

Qiang Zi walked to the door, stopped, and turned back to say, "Li Xin, thank you. Not just for me, but for Tiezhu. That guy, thank you for giving him a hand."

"I know," Li Xin said.

The door closed.

The dormitory fell quiet. Li Xin sat on the bed, picked up the marketing book, and opened it to the page he had been reading.

But he couldn't focus on the text.

He thought of his days moving bricks at construction sites in his past life, thought of those who, like him, were struggling in the mud. He would help as many as he could.

At least in this life, he didn't want to just watch helplessly anymore.