Chapter 109: Moving the Computer

High school life included evening self-study sessions. However, perhaps because it was the first day of school, the administration did not require students to stay behind. After dismissal, Zhang Ye headed straight for the Bright Sword Internet Cafe.

Liu Wentao and the others happened to be there. After parking his bicycle, Zhang Ye explained the situation regarding the money he had collected at noon and distributed the funds according to the agreed-upon proportions as their share of the profits. Then, he brought up another request: he wanted to take one of the computers home.

With his academic life officially underway, he would inevitably have little time to spend at the internet cafe managing operations. Even if he wanted to, his family would never allow it. Therefore, to ensure his work could continue, a computer was absolutely essential.

In the few days before school started, Zhang Ye had utilized his incomparable speed—or at least, a speed that stood unrivaled at the time—to churn out 150,000 words of his novel, *Zhu Xian*, at a rate of over 30,000 words per day. Although he had to focus on his studies now, he did not intend to abandon his creative writing.

Likewise, the grand dream he harbored of building a cultural industry empire was not just empty talk; he would take advantage of every spare moment to gradually bring it to fruition.

Liu Wentao and the others had no objections to Zhang Ye’s request. Since he already had his own private cubicle, taking the computer away would just free up some space.

While moving the computer, Zhang Ye printed out all the chapters stored on the hard drive. The current word count was enough for two volumes, and he planned to organize the manuscript for publication. This was crucial for him, as he currently lacked startup capital.

He had previously researched and considered various publishers, ultimately deciding to submit his manuscript to Sanlian Bookstore in Taiwan. After confirming the address and placing the manuscript in a folder, he affixed the stamps and mailed it out.

***

"Xiao Ye, where did you get this computer?" asked Liu Meiju, who had just returned to prepare dinner, looking stunned as Zhang Ye and Liu Guangxiang carried the computer into his room.

Although their family had earned some money recently from their clothing store, they still regarded high-tech items like computers with a mix of awe and anxiety.

"Tao bought an extra one, so I took it to use," Zhang Ye explained.

"How can that be? Take it back! Such an expensive item. Besides, what do you need a computer for? Playing games? It’ll distract you from your studies!" Recently, as the Bright Sword Internet Cafe became increasingly popular, parents had begun to notice their children’s habits. While the "danger" wasn't yet equated to that of an arcade, it was still something they guarded against cautiously.

"I’m not taking it back. The computer is useful for my studies, too. It has plenty of problem-solving techniques and study materials that aren't available elsewhere. I can find things on it that I can't buy in stores. Besides, I didn't take it from Tao for free; I paid for it," Zhang Ye insisted.

Seeing that Liu Meiju was about to continue, Zhang Ye had to launch into a long-winded persuasion. It took a full half-hour, and only after his father, Zhang Haiguan, returned and joined the "battle" was he finally able to convince them.

And so, Zhang Ye’s first computer officially settled into his room.

That night, Zhang Ye tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Wang Mengzi had been away on a trip for half a month. Although she had called, her mother had answered every time, leaving Zhang Ye without a single chance to speak with her. He wondered when she would be back.

Meanwhile, his family’s Pin-Yi Clothing Store had officially entered a profitable phase, generating thousands in net profit daily. The earnings were enough to make anyone envious. One could tell by the beaming smile on Liu Meiju’s face every day that she was very optimistic about the store's future.

As for his uncle’s potato chip production venture, it was also progressing steadily. He heard that the machinery had been secured—second-hand, but still quite new and in excellent working condition—for 400,000. Things were getting busy in Lihua County; with hiring, potato procurement, and production planning, it would have surely been delayed if not for the help of their relatives.

Then, Zhang Ye thought about his own writing. If he just published his book abroad, he might earn some money if it were accepted, but it wouldn't be of much help to his grander plans. When it came down to it, he was still short on capital.

Thinking of this, he quickly got up and took a notebook from his bookshelf. In it, he had recorded several ideas for making money that he had brought back from the future. However, after searching through them, he realized that many were either ahead of their time or impractical, and none could provide a source of funds in the short term.

He had considered writing songs to send to record labels, but aside from the uncertainty of acceptance, the time required would definitely be too long. He had to give up on that idea.

The next day, rising at his routine 5:00 AM, Zhang Ye began his workout. Having been reborn, he understood the importance of physical health better than anyone, and he had never missed a day. By now, he could perform the Five Animal Frolics with complete fluidity. His movements were so precise and lifelike that it was as if five wild beasts were truly frolicking by the river.

Some time ago, this had even caused an accident: a passerby, walking by early in the morning, heard the roars of tigers and bears and the cries of apes and cranes. Thinking there were real beasts, they called the police on the spot. Zhang Ye had just finished his workout and walked out to find himself surrounded by a crowd of confused onlookers.

Only later did he find out what happened. While he found it funny, he also began to be more careful, moving his practice site further away from the path. Eventually, he settled on a flat hill across the small river. Although sounds could still be heard occasionally, it didn't cause a stir anymore—after all, it was plausible for such sounds to emerge from the mountains.

After finishing his hour-long workout, Zhang Ye walked onto the road and happened to see a scavenger collecting scrap metal, old books, and paintings—anything that could be traded for a few coins.

At first, Zhang Ye didn't pay much mind, but suddenly, a thought clicked in his head, reminding him of a piece of wisdom from the past.

Gold in times of chaos, antiques in times of prosperity. With the Reform and Opening-up, the motherland was heading toward increasing prosperity, and because of this, the price of antiques was skyrocketing. The older and more valuable an item was, the more it was coveted by collectors.

In his past life, countless antiques that commoners deemed worthless were snatched up by those with a keen eye and later resold for astronomical prices.