Chapter 2

Old Li saw Feng Xiaotian staring blankly at the computer monitor and patted his shoulder, saying, "Xiaotian, what's wrong with you?"

Feng Xiaotian realized he had lost his composure and responded with an "Oh," then tried to cover up, "I think these two items are a bit strange, Uncle Li, do you know what they are used for?"

Old Li laughed and said, "I'm just a scrap collector, how could I know about these things? So, do you want them?"

Feng Xiaotian rolled his eyes and said, "Well... how much do you want for them?"

Old Li looked at Feng Xiaotian, then at the computer monitor and keyboard, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Both items together... fifteen yuan. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Xiaotian immediately started to think: from the look of Old Li, he probably didn't spend much money on these two items. The keyboard is made of plastic, how heavy could it be? As for the monitor... he can't use it, so what good is it to him? Since that's the case, I need to haggle down the price.

In fact, Feng Xiaotian already knew he was getting a great deal. Computers in this era were extremely expensive, costing thousands or even tens of thousands of yuan. However, since he's already getting a good deal, why not make it even better?

Feng Xiaotian made up his mind and put on a ridiculous expression, laughing, "Uncle Li, are you joking? How can these two items be priced so high? — First, let's look at this plastic. It doesn't weigh more than three taels, how much could it be worth on a scale? Then, this thing, it looks like a TV, but it's not. What can you do with it at home except use it as a mirror?"

Since they were haggling, he had to point out the flaws and devalue the items as much as possible. Feng Xiaotian stared straight at Old Li, trying to gauge his thoughts from his expression.

Old Li was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Xiaotian, although I don't know what these are, just by looking at them, you can tell they're not simple. This plastic... let's not talk about that. Look at this 'TV'... even though it's not a TV, it's at least similar, right? A broken TV can sell for over ten yuan, and I'm offering you both items for fifteen yuan, which is a great deal, isn't it?"

Feng Xiaotian knew Old Li was just putting up a front. At this point, it was a matter of who could hold out longer. Feng Xiaotian rolled his eyes and said, "Uncle Li, we've known each other for so long, and you know me well. I was originally just interested in the iron box outside. As for these two items..."

Feng Xiaotian paused, and Old Li's face showed signs of anxiety. Feng Xiaotian continued, "I don't know much about them. Although I can buy them, you can't price them too high. How about this, both items for... seven and a half yuan. What do you think?"

Feng Xiaotian cut the price in half. After saying this, he stared intently at Old Li. Old Li looked disappointed, but he was secretly thrilled. He hadn't spent any money on these items; he had traded a pack of cigarettes for them. The security guard who sold them to him was eager to get rid of them and didn't haggle. Old Li had just facilitated the transaction, and this deal had earned him several yuan. Although it wasn't a lot, it wasn't insignificant. In those days, a stick of fried dough cost 25 cents, and a notebook cost 30 cents. A few yuan was a significant amount.

Old Li pretended to be disappointed and hesitated for a moment before finally nodding, "Alright... alright, I'll sell them to you. As long as you pay me, you can take them."

Feng Xiaotian nodded, took out an old wallet from the inner pocket of his shirt, counted out seven and a half yuan, and handed it to Old Li. After putting away his wallet, he quickly tied the computer monitor and keyboard together, picked them up, and walked out, so excited that he even forgot to say goodbye to Old Li.

Feng Xiaotian picked up the computer case from the yard and ran out as fast as he could, looking like he was being chased by a dog.

The entire computer fell into Feng Xiaotian's hands, almost like a windfall. If Old Li had known more about computers, there's no way Feng Xiaotian could have bought it for ten yuan. The computer looked brand new, with no signs of wear on the monitor or case, so it should be in good condition. If valued at market price, it would be worth at least seven or eight thousand yuan!

The computer was a bit heavy, but Feng Xiaotian felt it was very light in his hands. After walking a long distance, he couldn't help but cheer. If there had been people on the road, he might have been mistaken for a madman.

Feng Xiaotian held the computer and took the back roads at a fast pace. When he finally got home, he let out a sigh of relief. After closing the door, he moved the computer to an old table. However, he was a bit at a loss because he had never truly used a computer before and didn't know how to assemble it.

Feng Xiaotian examined the three main components of the computer, especially the numerous ports on the back of the case, which almost made his eyes cross. After observing for a while, he found a method that seemed clumsy but correct—grabbing various cables and comparing them one by one to the ports on the computer. After a few minutes, Feng Xiaotian finally figured out the correct way to connect the cables.

A few more minutes later, a fully assembled computer stood before Feng Xiaotian. He stared at the computer, feeling a bit hesitant. He wasn't sure if the assembly was correct, and if he connected the wrong cable, the computer might be ruined when he turned it on.

To be safe, Feng Xiaotian checked all the ports again before connecting the power. After pressing the power button on the computer, the indicator light immediately turned on, and the case emitted a "buzzing" sound, indicating that everything was working normally.

However, the computer monitor showed no reaction. Feng Xiaotian was taken aback for a moment, then realized he had forgotten to turn on the monitor. He laughed at himself and pressed the power button on the monitor. A few seconds later, the monitor lit up, and Feng Xiaotian saw the Microsoft logo, followed by the number "3.0"—this computer was running the latest version of the software!

Feng Xiaotian was extremely delighted because Windows 3.0 had just been released this year, and he hadn't expected this computer to have it installed. This was a pleasant surprise. Feng Xiaotian had studied computer programming theory and knew the importance of the operating system.

After a moment of joy, Feng Xiaotian picked up the mouse and started to open the computer's folders. After the interface changed, he found that the folders were empty, indicating that the computer had not been used before.

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