Chapter 44: Acting Out Again!
That’s it—why didn’t she think of it before?
Qin Hongfei stared at the computer, her eyes shining. In the late nineties, the internet was just beginning to rise, and with its ascent, internet cafés were becoming a hot business. Opening an internet café was clearly the best option at the moment.
With her idea taking shape, Qin Hongfei’s lips curled into a smile. She walked into her shop, mulling over her plan for an internet café. As she passed by, she overheard Old Zhang refusing the young man who wanted his computer repaired. “Kid, I don’t know how to fix that thing.”
Computers were expensive, especially new ones—rarity made them precious. A single unit cost nearly ten thousand, and the top models could run into the twenties. Repairmen could understand the ins and outs of televisions and all sorts of other appliances, but computers were a different beast: the technology and principles were unfamiliar. Who dared to touch them? If the repair went wrong, it would cost a fortune.
Just then, Old Zhang saw Qin Hongfei shuffling by like a zombie. Suddenly inspired, he turned to the young man and said, “Hey, try next door... The little repair master next door is really something—she can bring the dead back to life. If she breaks it, she’ll pay you back.”
Qin Hongfei was speechless. Old Zhang was always causing trouble!
But looking at the young man, she asked, “What’s wrong with the computer?”
The young man looked at her uncertainly. “How old are you?”
Qin Hongfei lifted her eyelids slightly. “Fifteen.”
He clutched his computer tighter. “Fifteen? You can fix a computer? Well, I must be able to fly to the moon then.” Was she messing with him?
Qin Hongfei glanced at him coolly. “If I can’t fix it on this street, you won’t find anyone else who can.” With that, she opened her shop door. The rolling shutter was rusty and stuck, but she deftly kicked it and it sprang loose.
She wasn’t boasting. In the nineties, computer repair skills were rare—very few had them. It wasn’t just electronics; there were motherboard systems and more.
The young man hesitated, eyeing her shabby little shop. Could she really fix it? But with the files on his computer at stake, he was out of options. Embarrassed, he hugged his computer and stepped inside. “Take a look. If you fix it, you’re practically my parent.”
Qin Hongfei’s eyelid twitched. Brother, have you ever asked if I want such a grown son?
She eyed the computer curiously. “Where’s the tower?”
The young man quickly turned back to his tricycle and lugged in the tower.
Old Zhang watched in amazement. You’re really taking this on? You barely finish fixing appliances and now you’re tackling computers.
Qin Hongfei quickly connected all the power cables, pressed the start button, and watched as the system attempted to boot up. It stalled, refusing to enter the desktop. After a moment, it rebooted again. She narrowed her eyes, shut down the machine, disconnected every power source, and began to dismantle the tower, swiftly removing the motherboard.
The young man stood there, bewildered. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
Qin Hongfei replied, “Just have your money ready.”
She began working on the motherboard’s wiring. Once she reassembled everything and reconnected the power, she operated the system, entering the main screen. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, tapping out a string of code. The young man had no idea what she was typing, but seeing Qin Hongfei’s eyes never leave the screen, he could only marvel, “Awesome!”
When the code finished running, the computer resumed normal operation.
With a ding, the desktop appeared—ushering in the earliest, most primitive desktop of the nineties, complete with its characteristic chime and its simple interface.