[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-reborn-starting-from-1993":3,"chapter-reborn-starting-from-1993-reborn-starting-from-1993-chapter-30":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Reborn Starting from 1993",{"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},2357014,4611,"Chapter 30: Stabbing in the Back","reborn-starting-from-1993-chapter-30",30,"\u003Cp>These days, the domestic auto industry is indeed weak; the three most common cars on the streets are mainly the Volkswagen Santana, Citroën Fukang, and Toyota’s newly launched Camry this year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But cars defined as luxury vehicles are almost entirely imported, mostly brought in by car trading companies in Guangdong Province, Yazhou, and other regions with official quotas—some companies genuinely have quotas, but whether any have smuggled cars in is unknown; all sorts of luxury cars have been resold into the country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, these luxury cars pass through layers of distributors, each handover raising the price further; abroad they might be mere commuter cars, but in China they become million-yuan luxury vehicles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tomorrow, go to the station to pick someone up, then head to the car trading company together!” Li Dongling told Gao Peng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Pingyang Municipal Family Compound, Yao Luoying, showing a hint of her pale lower legs, happily flipped through a fashion magazine from Hongcheng, occasionally swinging her legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman chattered to Yao Luoying, “You refuse to join a proper government unit, you won’t go into power, oil, or postal telecom state enterprises—why insist on working for some private company? How many private firms are stable? Today they’re open, tomorrow they might be shut!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Luoying kept her eyes on the magazine, but her mouth didn’t stop, “I’ve kept my promise to you—I didn’t stay working elsewhere, I came back. Where I work? I never promised you anything about that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little brat, are you playing word games with us?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Han Liuping raised her hand as if to strike Yao Luoying, who yelped, dropped the magazine, and ducked behind her father Yao Zhengru, who sat on the sofa, pleading, “Dad, you’ve got to be fair—we agreed I just had to come back, nothing else was stipulated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru smiled, ruffled Yao Luoying’s messy hair, and stopped Han Liuping, “We never actually discussed your job after you came back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Yao Zhengru side with Yao Luoying, Han Liuping grew flustered, “Old Yao, you’ve got to know your position—are you really siding with this brat? Just spoil her!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru waved his hand with a smile, saying to Han Liuping, “The founder of Dongling High-Tech, where Yingying is going, is quite interesting—he graduated from Hanxi Jiaotong University, returned to Pingyang, wasn’t valued at Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1, went to Shangguan Town’s Yuanqi Factory, and helped them develop the satellite dish project.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, thanks to the satellite dish project, Shangguan Town’s Yuanqi Factory has become Pingyang’s fastest-growing state enterprise in the second half of this year—no other comes close—and Li Dongling’s Dongling High-Tech receives substantial dividends; Yingying going there isn’t necessarily a bad thing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s why you approved my interview at Dongling High-Tech—you’d already investigated!” Yao Luoying feigned anger, punching Yao Zhengru a few times, then began massaging his shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru enjoyed the warmth of his little cotton-padded jacket rubbing his shoulders, shook his head, and a look of concern crossed his face, “This isn’t entirely for you—I oversee Pingyang’s industry and commerce; since the start of the year, Pingyang’s economy has been poor. Now that Shangguan Town’s Yuanqi Factory has shown change, I must pay extra attention. I hope Li Dongling can stir up some waves in Pingyang’s stagnant waters!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed, “But the satellite dish project at Shangguan Town’s Yuanqi Factory probably won’t last long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Luoying, who had been listening intently, couldn’t help asking Yao Zhengru.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru glanced at her, “Don’t repeat this—it could cause trouble. Other city leaders want other Pingyang companies and manufacturers to launch satellite dish products too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On what grounds?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Luoying immediately protested, “The satellite dish project was developed by Li Dongling and Shangguan Town’s Yuanqi Factory—the brand and patents belong to them! Why should other companies copy it?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little brat, how dare you speak to your father like that!” Han Liuping tapped Yao Luoying’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Luoying stuck out her tongue, grabbing Yao Zhengru’s arm, “I’m just furious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru wasn’t angry, “You still don’t understand domestic realities. I know this is wrong, but Pingyang’s other state enterprises are performing terribly—too many have halted production!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you know how many worker families haven’t received wages for months, even half a year? Forcing these factories to produce satellite dishes is a last resort—even if Pingyang’s factories don’t make them, factories elsewhere will soon copy them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the worry on Yao Luoying’s face, Yao Zhengru pinched her nose, “What? You haven’t even started work and you’re already worrying about your boss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru’s words gave her a new understanding of Li Dongling, whom she’d met in the meeting room that day; yet she protested, “I’m just worried—if the satellite dish project ends and Dongling High-Tech’s new project fails, won’t she lose her first paycheck?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Zhengru merely replied coolly, “That depends on whether Li Dongling can make something of himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Borrowing an Aifeite, Gao Peng arrived at the Pingyang Station, holding a sign reading “Yang Zhi Gao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, a tall man in his late thirties approached Gao Peng, “I’m Yang Zhi Gao!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Gao Peng—Li Ge sent me to pick you up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gao Peng shook Yang Zhi Gao’s hand, he felt calluses all over the man’s palms, especially on the thumb base; Yang Zhi didn’t seem to be squeezing hard, yet Gao Peng’s hand throbbed with pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you from, Brother Yang?” Gao Peng offered him a cigarette, trying to strike up conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From the neighboring city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhi Gao was quiet; after saying that, he said nothing more, and Gao Peng couldn’t pry anything else out of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Dongling High-Tech, Li Dongling warmly welcomed Yang Zhi Gao, pouring him a cup of tea himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was your trip smooth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dongling asked casually, but Yang Zhi Gao frowned, “I came by long-distance bus—too many thieves and pickpockets on board, and highway bandits set up checkpoints. I handed over several groups to the police station just to get here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Peng’s eyelids twitched—he considered himself a street tough in Pingyang, had fought plenty of brawls, but he knew his limits; fighting street hooligans was one thing, but facing knife-wielding thieves or highway bandits armed with short-barreled guns? He had no chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhi Gao was recommended to Li Dongling by Zhang Xiao; Zhang Xiao had mentioned Yang Zhi Gao once fought alongside him in the Vietnam War, and after discharge, was assigned to a state enterprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yang Zhi Gao was blunt and bad at flattery; after years there, he offended many people, endured several petty harassments, and quit. Since then, he’d found no suitable job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Zhang Xiao, Yang Zhi Gao was exceptionally skilled—he’d won first place in his regiment’s martial arts competition and was outstanding with vehicles and machinery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Zhang Xiao heard Li Dongling needed a driver, he immediately thought of Yang Zhi Gao and brought him to Pingyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhang Ge has already told you—in my company, besides your monthly salary, you’ll receive bonuses, year-end bonuses, and full insurance coverage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can bring your wife over; I can arrange for her to work at Dongling High-Tech or another company, and your child can enroll in school here—if they get into university, I’ll cover the tuition!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dongling’s safety now rested on Yang Zhi Gao; he couldn’t possibly be stingy—being stingy with Yang Zhi Gao was risking his own life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Dongling’s offer, Yang Zhi Gao, who had kept a stern face, finally showed a flicker of emotion; the terms Li Dongling offered were enough to make anyone risk their life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can only promise: as long as I’m alive, you won’t suffer an accident.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dongling nodded. A man who’d survived battlefield slaughter speaking those words had issued his most solemn vow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, Li Dongling, Gao Peng, and Yang Zhi Gao arrived at the car trading company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dealership’s client manager had been waiting, immediately grasping Li Dongling’s hand, “You must be Boss Li—so young and accomplished!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What car do you need? If I don’t have it, you won’t find it anywhere else in Pingyang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s this year’s most popular Imperial King—equipped with a 3.0L V6 naturally aspirated engine producing 160 horsepower, velvet seats, adjustable lumbar support, windows, mirrors, and seats; it even has a built-in refrigerator and cassette player…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The manager first led Li Dongling to a Royal King sedan—the most popular model among China’s wealthy; the name alone spoke volumes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Royal King, Li Dongling examined other luxury cars: Cadillac Wood, Toyota Crown, Benz, Audi, Bentley Azure. At this time, Cadillac wasn’t the later-day navigation-and-bathhouse brand; back then, Cadillac held its own against Benz. As for BMW, just renamed, it was still largely unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dongling studied the cars before him; compared to the future, their designs were still retro, but each had its own character and style. Back then, major automakers took pride in preserving their unique designs; copying another brand’s style was met with scorn from enthusiasts and media. By the future, such distinctions vanished—two cars differed only by badge; even side-by-side, you couldn’t tell Li Kui from Li Gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much for the Benz?” Li Dongling asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One million!” The manager’s heart leapt—he named an outrageous price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dongling shook his head, pointing at the Benz, then at the nearby Audi 100, “Both cars, one million total. Agree, and we pay today. Otherwise, we’ll go to Pengcheng or Yazhou to buy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That price is too low! Our cost is already higher—we’d lose money selling at this rate!” the manager protested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some haggling, seeing Li Dongling unmoved and rising to leave, the manager quickly stopped him, “One million! One million! Benz seventy, Audi thirty! Pay today and I’ll process everything immediately—I’ll even handle license plates and driver’s licenses…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t need you to handle license plates or driver’s licenses—we can manage that ourselves,” Gao Peng interjected, asserting his presence; license and license plate reviews weren’t strict—find the right connections, pay up, and you get them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two cars: the Benz for Li Dongling’s personal use, the Audi as Dongling High-Tech’s official reception vehicle.\u003C\u002Fp>",1690,"2026-06-21T04:42:08.057Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","46981d0c0521c5712750a664fed8ddcd03590d35c601ab41318bffcdcbe0c029","reborn-starting-from-1993-chapter-31","reborn-starting-from-1993-chapter-29",989,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Freborn-starting-from-1993-cover.jpg"]