Chapter 2

This "Yang Yun," whose body had been taken over, had worked as a laborer for two years and had managed to save up a hundred or so yuan, which made him overjoyed.

He resigned from the factory without any hindrance, as he was not a permanent employee and there were plenty of people waiting outside to take his place.

Yang Yun did not say goodbye to his friends; a single bag of luggage was all he had. He bought a train ticket to Yangcheng at the Beijing railway station and, after a day and a night of travel, transferred to a bus. After many twists and turns and great hardships, with only ten yuan left, he finally arrived in Chongshan City.

On April 20, 1989, Yang Yun finally stood on the land of Chongshan City, his heart filled with excitement.

He vaguely remembered that the Dabawang electronics factory was established in 1987, and it had been two years since then. No matter what, it should be a factory with some achievements, and it shouldn't be a problem to stay there, right?

In 1989, Chongshan City was still in the early stages of modernization, similar to a third-tier city in the future, of course, referring to a third-tier city with a booming real estate development trend.

The city was full of factories and enterprises, with development and construction ongoing along the roads, and not far apart, there were plots of land designated for enterprises.

Over the past ten years of reform and opening up, Shenzhen had rapidly developed its economy, which in turn spurred the rapid development of surrounding cities.

The Pearl River Delta was the first place in China to come into contact with high technology, and it was filled with companies invested by people from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and the mainland. Chongshan City seized the opportunity, and the government leaders had a unique vision, focusing on the development of the electronics industry. The conditions for attracting investment were quite favorable, and the city vigorously strengthened the construction of supporting infrastructure, with various electronics factories blooming everywhere.

Yang Yun walked a few steps with his luggage, suddenly feeling that he might have been too impulsive, as he didn't know the exact location of the Dabawang factory.

"Comrade! Do you know where Dabawang Company is?"

"Don't know!"

"Comrade! Have you heard of Dabawang?"

"No!"

Yang Yun was stunned. After asking several passersby, none of them knew where Dabawang Company was.

He had to patiently ask along the way, asking merchants, passersby, and after a long time, he finally got a lead from a local person!

What a headache! The electronics factory Yang Yun was looking for did exist, but at this time, it wasn't called Dabawang; it was called Huamao Electronics Factory!

Moreover, this Huamao Electronics Factory was far from being a factory with a 100 million yuan output; it was a small factory with an annual loss of 1 million yuan!

Yang Yun then recalled that Dabawang's predecessor was indeed a small electronics factory, a subsidiary of Chongshan City's Chongyi Industrial Company, a very small factory. Dabawang's rise to fame was after 1990!

What a fool...

So he came too early...

Rebirth in 1991 would have been much better...

Yang Yun, with a stroke of luck, asked his way to Huamao Electronics Factory, looking at its somewhat dilapidated gate, feeling both amused and frustrated, and somewhat regretful.

This was going to be difficult. The factory gates were tightly closed, and the factory, which had lost 1 million yuan last year, would it still accept him, a worker from out of town?

Probably not...

If they can't even support themselves, why would they hire anyone...

Yang Yun clutched his luggage bag and sat on the ground, staring blankly at Huamao Electronics Factory, his mind clouded with worry.

He still had 10 yuan left. If he saved on food and sleep, he could probably last for two more days.

If he didn't find a job in two days, he would likely have to beg on the streets, which he couldn't bear. In his previous life, he was at least a college graduate and had seen the world; how could he beg on the streets in Chongshan?

The Dabawang he had set his sights on, why was it still a nearly bankrupt electronics factory? Wasn't this cutting off his own path?

No way! Yang Yun stood up, slung his luggage bag over his shoulder, and strode towards the gate of Huamao Electronics Factory, determined to sell himself!

"Stop! What are you doing?" The old guard stuck his head out and asked suspiciously from behind the closed iron gate.

Yang Yun bent down and smiled apologetically, "Sir! I'm here to look for a job!"

The old guard sized him up and waved his hand, "Young man, go back! The factory is currently undergoing a shutdown for rectification and is not hiring!"

Yang Yun, who had been holding out a glimmer of hope, felt his heart turn cold. It was bad enough that Huamao was losing money, but now it was also shut down for rectification!

But he couldn't give up just yet. Yang Yun asked, "Sir! Why is the factory shut down for rectification? I heard that our Huamao Electronics Factory used to be very successful, with a constant stream of business and hiring all year round!"

The old guard looked at Yang Yun and, thinking he didn't seem like a bad person, came out of the guardhouse and stood behind the iron gate to talk face-to-face.

Yang Yun quickly took out half a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, respectfully offered one through the iron gate, and smiled eagerly.

The old guard's expression improved, and he said, "That was in the past! Business has been tough these past few years. Chongshan is full of electronics factories, and investors from the mainland and Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan have been coming in waves. Our Huamao has been getting worse and worse! Last year, the factory couldn't even pay wages, let alone hire all year round!"

Yang Yun felt bitter and asked, "So what's this shutdown for rectification about?"

The old guard was about to explain when a large group of people came out of the factory building and headed towards the gate. He quickly turned around and ran to help unlock the big iron gate.

Yang Yun took a closer look and saw that there were about ten people, led by a tall, fair-skinned man, surrounded by others, both men and women, with the tall man at the center, talking as they walked.

As they got closer, Yang Yun could see clearly that the leading man had blue eyes and a high nose, and was a foreigner. The two Chinese people on either side of him were a man and a woman, the man in his twenties and looking energetic, the woman in her forties. He could vaguely hear them speaking a foreign language he didn't understand—Russian!

What the heck!

Yang Yun was frustrated. A foreigner speaking Russian? Shutdown for rectification? Could it be that they were restructuring? Were they selling the factory to the Soviets? The Soviet Union would disintegrate in a few years! Don't do this! This is the famous Dabawang!

The foreigner stood next to a jeep, speaking in Russian, while the woman in her forties translated for a group of Chinese people, and the young man in his twenties added something. The Chinese side, about seven or eight people, nodded repeatedly, and then the foreigners, along with the two translators, got into the car.

The car started, and the crowd made way for it to leave the factory. Yang Yun saw this as a good opportunity. He had to seize the chance to sell himself. There must be some factory leaders among this group, and if he hesitated, he might not even get a chance to enter the factory!

"Excuse me! Comrade! Can I take a few minutes of your time?" Yang Yun could still speak a few simple English sentences.

In 1989, it was rare for ordinary Chinese people to speak foreign languages, but not impossible.

Moreover, this man, dressed in simple, worn-out clothes, could speak a few sentences of English, which made the Chinese workers who were about to shoo him away hesitate.

"Comrade! Please move! Don't block the way for our Soviet experts!" A small leader-like figure approached Yang Yun, his tone slightly impatient.

Yang Yun saw the jeep about to drive over and panicked, saying to the small leader, "Comrade! I just want to say a few words to your Soviet experts! I..."

Before he could finish, the small leader's face turned sour, "Don't take advantage of my kindness! Who are you? Can you speak Russian? Don't cause trouble! Get lost!"

Yang Yun, determined, threw his luggage bag in the middle of the road, blocking the jeep's path, and rushed forward, shouting by the car window, "Just one minute! Please! I want to say something!"

Everyone was shocked.

No one knew what Yang Yun was up to or what was in the luggage bag. A few workers hurriedly surrounded him, and two burly men grabbed him and dragged him back, while two quick-handed workers threw the luggage bag far away, fearing it might be a bomb.

The people in the jeep frowned, watching as Yang Yun was dragged further away, but they didn't react much.

The Soviet expert never got out of the car, waved his hand, and signaled the driver to leave. The jeep sped away from the factory and quickly disappeared into the city.

"Kid! You've got some nerve! Blocking our experts?" A few workers surrounded him, ready to beat him up.

Yang Yun sat on the ground, watching the jeep drive away, feeling utterly helpless, "Brothers! I just wanted to find a job, that's all! It's not easy for me!"

PS: After a month's break, the radish is back...

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