[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-restarted-life-1992":3,"chapter-my-restarted-life-1992-my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-8":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Restarted Life: 1992",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2279558,4460,"Chapter 8: Fated Enemies","my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-8",8,"\u003Cp>Zhou Andong walked through the factory gate, looking at the empty, lifeless compound, and sighed silently. When he first joined the factory, the year-end rush was in full swing, with trucks lined up to haul away the liquor; just a few years later, it was completely done—now half-shutdown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had counted on a year-end sales surge to pay the workers’ salaries, but hopes are sweet while reality is cruel: eighty tons of liquor were produced in October, and still little had been sold. This signaled that Da Gaoliang was now in its final countdown to market obsolescence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you our college graduate, Comrade Zhou Andong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong was heading to the workshop to find his best friend Yao Jun, but unexpectedly ran into three former colleagues from Quality Inspection. The speaker was Liu Zhiguang, roughly Zhou Andong’s age but with several more years of seniority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck, what a fucking coincidence.” Zhou Andong muttered under his breath, expression helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father had fallen ill during his third year of college; without help from his two aunts, he wouldn’t have finished university. After graduation, he was directly assigned to the Provincial Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Department. But his family couldn’t afford for him to stay in the provincial capital, so he returned to Jiangzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was originally assigned to the Education Bureau, but when he went to process the paperwork, they told him there’d been a mistake—he was supposed to be sent to the liquor factory. He wasn’t stupid; he knew he’d been pushed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong wasn’t some meek soul, but they’d plainly told him: don’t cause trouble, or you’ll lose even this job at the factory. Thinking of his family’s situation, he swallowed his anger and reported for duty at the liquor factory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang had only a secondary vocational diploma, which in this era was still a prized credential. But when Zhou Andong, the college grad, arrived, his salary was already over ten yuan higher than Liu’s, despite Liu’s seniority—this made Liu deeply resentful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the female workers kept flocking around Zhou Andong, especially his secret crush: she always scowled when talking to others, but chatted and laughed freely with Zhou Andong, often bringing him food from home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he truly envied and hated Zhou Andong, secretly seething with bitterness. But the bastard was extremely calculating—he pretended to be Zhou Andong’s brother, joked with him openly, yet behind his back constantly went to the bosses to smear him, set traps, and find every excuse to make trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong knew this bastard was always stabbing him in the back; he was just about to deal with him when the factory suddenly announced he’d be promoted to deputy section chief. For his own future, he had to let Liu Zhiguang off—for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when misfortune strikes, even drinking cold water can give you a toothache. He wandered aimlessly into the warehouse one day and happened upon Deputy Factory Manager Zhang Deyou hugging and kissing a female worker. Next thing he knew, his deputy section chief promotion was gone—given instead to Liu Zhiguang—and he was transferred to the loudspeaker station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong knew perfectly well this was Zhang Deyou’s warning: keep quiet. If I can take away your promotion and transfer you to the loudspeaker station, I can crush you and kick you out of the factory entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another colleague, Qian Wei, grinned slyly: “At the recent all-staff meeting, factory leadership gave an important speech—‘standing together through storms, uniting to overcome difficulties’—urging us workers to join sales efforts, offering a two-jiao bonus for every bottle sold. Comrade Liu has already sold over a hundred and twenty cases; by year-end he’ll earn at least three hundred yuan in bonuses. You’re the factory’s only college graduate, highly educated and capable—you must be selling more than Comrade Liu, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong raised an eyebrow and stepped to walk away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t go!” Qian Wei grabbed his arm, smirking maliciously: “Don’t tell me you haven’t sold a single bottle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong nodded honestly: “Yeah, I haven’t sold a single bottle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang sighed, adopting the demeanor of a superior, looking disappointed and exasperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Andong, Zhou Andong, why won’t you strive? The factory leadership has so much faith in you, and this is how you repay them? You’ve been exiled to the loudspeaker station—why don’t you reflect on yourself? Always slacking off, acting like what? A college graduate? I even doubt whether your diploma was bought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A petty man in power becomes arrogant.” Zhou Andong smiled faintly, lightly pointing at Liu Zhiguang. “That saying fits you perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang’s face darkened instantly: “Zhou Andong, you’re a grown man—can’t you tell good advice from bad? I’m saying this for your own good, why are you so ungrateful? You’re like a dog biting Lu Dongbin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liu Zhiguang!” Zhou Andong pulled out a cigarette and lit it. “Regardless, you’re a leader now. You sold a hundred-odd cases, yet you still have the nerve to boast in front of me. Come on, tell me—what’s your thinking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang’s face flushed red, then turned ashen, then he smiled again, glancing at the dumplings Zhou Andong was carrying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re beyond saving—useless trash. No wonder your wife left you. Your father’s paralyzed, your younger siblings are still children, barely eating enough—yet you don’t even try to sell some liquor, earn some bonus money, and instead you’re out here feasting. To be honest, I look down on people like you. Without your college diploma, you’re nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong took a drag, then pointed at Qian Wei: “This asshole said something right—I’m highly educated and capable. If I were selling liquor, a hundred and twenty cases? Even twelve hundred cases wouldn’t be a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong’s words stunned the three men, then they burst into wild laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang clutched his stomach, pointing at Zhou Andong: “You used to exaggerate with some sense, but now you’re just flying off the rails. Twelve hundred cases? That’s seven tons. If you can sell that, I’ll call you Dad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, yeah! If you sell twelve hundred cases, I’ll call you Dad too!” Qian Wei laughed until he was gasping, overacting wildly. “Oh my god, I’m dying!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong kept his cigarette between his lips, watching them laugh, expression calm: “I don’t have sons as disrespectful as you. But let’s make a bet: if I sell seven tons of liquor before Lantern Festival, you three crawl to the factory gate, barking like dogs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang stared into Zhou Andong’s eyes without blinking: “And if you lose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same thing!” Zhou Andong pointed at the ground. “You crawl to the factory gate, barking like dogs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang’s small eyes narrowed to slits, completely hidden: “If you want to play, I’ll play with you. But don’t you dare break your promise and deny it later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong crushed his cigarette underfoot: “Whoever breaks the bet is a dog’s shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!” Liu Zhiguang’s smile widened. “Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silent one, Zhao Yuguo, spoke only after they’d walked some distance: “Comrade Liu, he won’t really sell seven tons, will he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Wei snorted: “If he had that ability, he’d be sales manager already—why would he be stuck in the loudspeaker station reading newspapers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zhiguang smiled coldly: “After we get back, spread the word about the bet. Let the whole factory know: our college graduate, Comrade Zhou Andong, will sell seven tons of liquor before Lantern Festival to pay everyone’s salaries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Wei’s eyes darted: “Someone without ability making grand promises, giving hope then failing to deliver—especially to struggling workers who wait day and night for him to sell the liquor and pay their wages. When he fails, what do you think their feelings will be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yuguo also smiled: “He won’t get beaten, but Zhou Andong’s college grad halo? It’s ruined in this factory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three exchanged glances, then burst into silent, knowing laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>",1313,"2026-06-20T01:18:49.036Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","27490b092c3557726f2693080f8d09b294b215285581cc1e9c02550a21febb18","my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-9","my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-7",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-restarted-life-1992-cover.jpg"]