Chapter 59

In the domestic A-share market, a new wave of conceptual speculation suddenly emerged, not only boosting the stock price of Tianzheng Pharmaceutical but also causing a surge in the prices of a series of traditional Chinese medicine raw materials. Mou Tianbo, who controlled the raw material cultivation bases and the futures market, made a fortune in the eight-digit range, and in a calm and collected manner, used this profit to teach his daughter a lesson.

Buck, the down-on-his-luck military doctor, had no idea about the connection between this series of market operations and himself. Just before lunchtime, which was usually the most idle period, he still squatted on the curb to the left of the car wash, a cigarette in hand, smiling as he watched the constantly changing beautiful house pictures.

He could really feel that since the last time he killed someone, he had tentatively started to accept these beautiful things he used to love. Compared to killing, these things seemed to be better medicine for his psychological trauma.

The dark-skinned girl still introduced houses to him whenever she had the chance: "Brother, what size of house are you looking for? What area do you need it in?" She had been chatting with Buck almost every day recently, after all, the properties displayed on the billboard were often changing. Not only were there fully furnished houses, but some bare units also came with decoration pictures of similar floor plans, each with different styles and colors. Buck was always very interested, which was a bit strange.

Buck shook his head: "I'm actually interested in the decoration. I didn't expect the domestic decoration industry to be so advanced. The houses you sell have all kinds of styles of decoration."

The fat girl standing next to her was rather sharp-tongued: "Oh? The way you talk, you sound like a returnee. Are you saying you've been laying bricks in Africa or building towers in the Middle East?"

Buck still smiled innocently: "Something like that... Are people who decorate like this all returnees?" He vaguely remembered that before he went abroad, the domestic home decoration industry was not so advanced. Of course, he was just a poor high school student living in a slum at that time, and he never considered these things. The few classmates who had a bit of money had old-fashioned decorations like wall panels. After seeing the world abroad, he now felt that the domestic market was the most vibrant.

The dark-skinned girl was friendly: "Actually, this shows the domestic people's aspiration for a better life. Looking at pictures from abroad and various domestic decoration pictures is very convenient with computers and the internet."

Buck was a bit out of touch in this area. His computer use was still limited to occasional online chatting and playing games before he went abroad. He wasn't involved in network equipment in his former company's combat team, so he wasn't good at this in foreign countries. He was suddenly enlightened, but he still seemed like a naive bumpkin. Young people nowadays who don't like the internet and don't play games must be very old-fashioned.

So the fat girl couldn't help but mock: "Big Black, you come here every day to look at our pictures, but you don't contribute to our sales. At least buy us a meal, or else you're just looking at the pictures Xiao Li made for free." They were also heading out for lunch a bit early, as some clients would communicate during their lunch break. This was a relatively idle time, and the service industry's meal times were always staggered from others.

Buck's attention wasn't on the name "Xiao Li." Although he had been chatting with her frequently, he had heard her colleagues often call her "Xiao Li" with a long, drawn-out tone, mimicking the affected voice from a famous advertisement from over a decade ago. He was curious about her skills: "Did you make these pictures?"

The dark-skinned girl clearly didn't like discussing things outside of work: "Alright, alright, if you want to learn, you can look it up on the internet. Take your time."

Buck responded: "She just said I should buy you a meal. I can do that, and I can ask you about finding pictures online and making these things. It would be a favor."

The fat girl was delighted and strongly encouraged: "Yes! Let's go to Pizza Hut! There's a new one at West Gate Square! It's always busy during meal times!" She was a chubby girl who couldn't stop thinking about her weight and just wanted to eat. She also had a tone that suggested she was looking for an opportunity to take advantage of him.

Buck didn't mind: "Sure, a pizza set is convenient. West Gate Square? Should we take a taxi?" He looked at his old motorcycle parked against the wall and considered whether to drive his car the next day to take them out. He knew the place, a few stops away, in a bustling commercial area on the outskirts. The Passat had been parked on the roadside since the first day he returned to work, as he had to take driving lessons before he could practice with his own car.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Li, who had always been gentle with him, suddenly became a bit cold: "Alright, don't show off. If you really want to learn, let's just eat beef noodles next door. You don't earn much washing cars, so why are you suddenly showing off? I thought you were different, a reliable and down-to-earth person." She turned and walked away.

The fat girl, disappointed at the loss of a good meal, followed her, whispering: "Don't mind him. Is he trying to pursue you? If you make him spend some money, he'll back off." The dark-skinned girl glanced back at Buck, who was following, frowned, and shook her head.

Buck smiled, didn't explain, and just followed, buying two more bottles of frozen yogurt on the way. When they ordered three bowls of beef noodles at the stall, he handed over the yogurt: "I just want to learn and thank you. Now, I'll ask directly. Are the flat plans on those billboards drawn by you? What software do you use? I want to learn."

The fat girl added more beef to her bowl, and Buck just nodded, taking out a pen and paper from his pocket to take notes. The weather had cooled slightly, so he wasn't wearing shorts. He had a habit of carrying paper and a pen, a practice from his combat days, whether for medical, sniper, reconnaissance, or demolition work. He always believed that a good memory was no match for a bad pen.

Xiao Li, seeing his sincerity, relaxed: "I can draw flat plans, but I'm self-taught. I usually use CAD. There are many training classes, and basic courses are not expensive. However, the entry barrier is low, and if you just learn to draw plans, it might sound good to work in an office, but you won't earn much more than washing cars. Think about it."

Buck wrote down the software name: "I like the idea of creating a home I enjoy, so I want to learn how to draw plans. At least I want others to understand what I draw, not just messy hand-drawn sketches."

He genuinely saw this as a way to soothe his emotions and heal his war trauma. Hobbies are often excellent for healing the soul.

Xiao Li smiled, a genuine smile different from her usual professional one: "Yes, even in hard times, there should be hope." She still believed that his financial situation was not at a level where he could afford a house, and this was more like wishful thinking.

Buck thought her words were very true and gave a thumbs up to the stall owner: "Add two more eggs!" Seeing the fat girl's wide eyes, he quickly added: "Three! One for each of us!"

Xiao Li burst into laughter, and Buck saw her genuinely happy for the first time.

To be honest, after meeting someone like Mou Chenfei, Buck felt his standards had risen. He found it hard to be impressed by ordinary beauty. But beauty in life isn't just about looks and figure; there are always some subtle things that touch the heart.

This dark-skinned girl was not just healthy but also had a simple, optimistic, and positive beauty. Her eyebrows were a bit thick, her smile a bit wide, and her face not the most conventionally beautiful, a bit wide. Her hair was a bit messy from work, and her skin, which women often consider a key to beauty, was a bit dark.

But when she smiled like that, her eyes seemed to shed the constant pressure, and her pure, simple smile touched Buck. He leaned in a bit and whispered: "I have a suggestion. Get a hair dye and color it chestnut. You'll look even more beautiful."

For someone not yet familiar enough to be within her comfort zone, the approach of a dark-skinned man made Xiao Li stop smiling, raise her hand defensively, and lean back. But hearing Buck's words, her wide mouth curved in surprise, and she smiled again. She picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks, hesitated, and then switched to a piece of cilantro floating on top of the bowl, smiling falsely and throwing it to Buck: "Thanks for the suggestion! Focus on your noodles! Then go back to washing cars!" It was a bit of friendly teasing.

The car washer knew when to stop: "Do you have any more suggestions about the decoration pictures?"

Xiao Li, who had already started eating beef, frowned and really thought about it for the duration of a bowl of noodles. After finishing, she put down her chopsticks and seriously told Buck: "First, if you can afford it, buy a computer. Once you're online, it's basically free. Of course, you can go to an internet cafe to learn, but you need to learn software, so having a computer is the most reliable. Second, if you're really tight on money, spend ten to twenty yuan to buy a decoration magazine. Although it can add up, it's cheap per issue. That's all I know!"

Buck thought this girl was a great help for daily life, practical and sensible. He couldn't help but raise his hand: "Add another egg for her!" This was about as much as the roadside stall could add.

Even the fat girl laughed so hard she almost couldn't pick up her beef, and after eating, she secretly pulled Xiao Li back to the real estate agency: "This guy is definitely trying to pursue you and show off!"

But Buck, after paying, indicated he was going to the newsstand across the street, completely different from what the fat girl had guessed.

From then on, Xiao Li, looking out the glass window, saw the darkest of the car washers, a colorful decoration magazine always tucked in the back pocket of his jeans.

Indeed, Buck found that flipping through these beautiful home environments really soothed his mood. At least the fiery ball of memories no longer felt like a nightmare.