Chapter 187

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Zhanggen, harboring doubts, called Wang Erhai again.

"Erhai, the bank people said the bank card number you gave isn't yours, but someone else's. What exactly is going on?"

Wang Zhanggen asked directly with a stern face,

"You mustn't let anyone deceive you. Ten thousand yuan is no small sum. You have your own bank card, so why didn't you use your own card to receive the money?"

From the other end of the phone came Wang Erhai's slightly stammering voice:

"Dad, how do I explain this to you... My friend and I are partnering on a startup. This bank account number is the company's account, it's just opened under his name. You can transfer it there... If you're not at ease, then transfer it to my bank card. I'll send you my bank card number in a bit."

Hearing this, Wang Zhanggen always felt Wang Erhai's voice sounded a bit strange, but he couldn't detect anything specific.

He just said:

"Then send your bank card account number over."

After hanging up, before long, Wang Zhanggen received a text message from Wang Erhai.

This time the bank card account number Wang Erhai sent had Wang Erhai as the account holder. Wang Zhanggen verified it at the counter, confirmed it was indeed Wang Erhai's bank card without error, and only then transferred ten thousand yuan over.

They thought being this careful and cautious, there shouldn't be any more mistakes.

Little did they know that at this moment, Wang Erhai was being threatened by a group of pyramid scheme personnel, forced to do as they said.

Even if this ten thousand yuan was transferred into Wang Erhai's bank card, it would ultimately fall into the hands of those pyramid scheme villains.

Because those people have ten thousand methods to make Wang Erhai obediently go withdraw the money and hand it over to them.

Upon learning his parents had already transferred ten thousand yuan into his bank card, Wang Erhai felt his heart being cut by a knife. He had deceived his parents — that was the hard-earned sweat and blood money his parents made doing masonry construction!

And now, he had no choice but to take the money out and give it to those pyramid scheme bad people!

"I can go withdraw the money and give it to you, but I have one condition: you must let me go!"

Wang Erhai said this.

Yang Xiaoxiong, however, persuaded:

"Erhai, you've paid ten thousand yuan to join, so you're not going to stay and earn money together? If you don't earn this money back, you'll lose out big time!"

Wang Erhai angrily rebuked Yang Xiaoxiong:

"Yang Xiaoxiong, I don't have a conscience as rotten as yours! I absolutely won't become accomplices with you lot!"

Yang Xiaoxiong's expression was complex; he didn't speak again.

Yang Jiafeng spoke at this time:

"Then we'll take you to the bank to withdraw money now. You'd better not play any tricks, or we'll make you regret it!"

Yang Jiafeng, Yang Xiaoxiong, Xiao Li, and two other pyramid scheme personnel accompanied Wang Erhai to a nearby bank branch to withdraw money.

Very quickly, Wang Erhai withdrew the ten thousand yuan and handed it over to them.

However, when Wang Erhai wanted to leave, they did not let Wang Erhai leave.

Instead, they continued to lock Wang Erhai inside the small black room.

"You agreed to let me go, how can you lock me up again!"

Wang Erhai was both furious and despairing.

"You only gave ten thousand yuan and want to leave? Naive!"

Yang Jiafeng's face revealed a playful cold smile.

"You bunch of swindlers, you're not human!"

Wang Erhai was incomparably angry, yet powerless to do anything.

Only at this moment did he realize that having entered this pyramid scheme organization, wanting to get out was not a simple matter.

And at this time, the other side.

Inside the hometown home.

These past two days Li Xiulan kept suffering from insomnia, lying in bed, tossing and turning, always thinking about Erhai's startup venture.

Her own son wasn't what you'd call a clever person since childhood. He just graduated not long ago and went to partner with others on a startup — would he lose money?

Losing money isn't actually that big a deal; what's feared is owing a mountain of debt after losing money.

He's still so young. If he owes a mountain of debt at such a young age, how will he live the rest of his life?

"What are you doing tossing and turning in bed? Making pancakes, in the middle of the night! Hurry up and sleep, tomorrow we still have to start work!"

Li Xiulan's tossing and turning made Wang Zhanggen, who was drowsily about to fall asleep beside her, quite displeased.

"I'm just worried about our Erhai!"

Li Xiulan said this one sentence.

"He's a grown man, what's there to worry about? Back in my day, I was even younger than him when I went to the city to work!"

Wang Zhanggen was rather carefree; ever since sending the money over, he hadn't concerned himself with it anymore.

"I'm worried he'll be cheated, worried his startup will lose money. We don't understand this internet stuff — can this line of work really make money? Why don't you call Dashan tomorrow morning, have Dashan help keep an eye on things for Erhai."

Li Xiulan said this.

"Fine fine fine, I'll call Dashan tomorrow. It's very late now, you hurry up and sleep!"

Wang Erhai answered impatiently.

In a blink, it was the next morning.

During breakfast, Li Xiulan urged Wang Zhanggen once more.

Wang Zhanggen then called Wang Dashan, telling him that Wang Erhai had asked the family for ten thousand yuan to start an internet entrepreneurship venture.

After hearing this, Wang Dashan said:

"Internet entrepreneurship, huh? I don't understand it too well either, but internet entrepreneurship is indeed very popular right now, doing online shopping and such. Dad, you don't need to worry about Second Brother; he should have a sense of proportion. Given his personality, he absolutely wouldn't spend that ten thousand yuan recklessly."

Wang Zhanggen said:

"Mom said to have you call your second brother and ask what exactly he's doing. She's worried and hasn't been sleeping well these past few days; she'll feel more at ease once she knows the details."

Wang Dashan said:

"Alright, then I'll call him in a bit."

Wang Dashan hung up his father's phone and immediately dialed his second brother's number.

The phone rang for a good while, but no one answered.

Wang Dashan thought it might be too early; who knows, Wang Erhai might not even be up yet.

After all, it was only just past seven in the morning.

He planned to wait until noon and call again.

So he went to work together with Zhu Zhiming.

They arrived at Zhang Zhihao's Computer Store for work.

Zhu Zhiming looked completely listless.

By now he had already worked at the computer store for over half a month and sold only one computer.

While Wang Dashan had already sold more than ten.

This boss, Zhang Zhihao, looked at Zhu Zhiming with a face full of annoyance.

This guy is simply good-for-nothing; he only knows how to kill time. Ask him to read the instruction manual, and after over half a month he still can't remember the most basic computer models.

Many customers who had a chance to close a deal, he let him handle reception, but he didn't put his heart into it and drove the customers away.

If it weren't for Wang Dashan's face, he probably would have told Zhu Zhiming to scram long ago.

Today Zhang Zhihao finally couldn't bear it any longer.

He pulled Wang Dashan aside and spoke to him first:

"Dashan, your friend — to tell the truth, he really isn't cut out for this line of work. You've seen it too; over half a month and he's only sold one computer. If he keeps going like this, even if I'm willing to keep him, he'll starve to death. After all, his base salary is only five hundred yuan."

Wang Dashan knew what Zhang Zhihao meant. In his heart he really wanted to help Zhu Zhiming, but it was obvious he couldn't help him in the slightest. Once you're out in society, opportunities have to be fought for yourself.

With Zhu Zhiming's attitude, I'm afraid he'd do a bad job no matter what work he did.

No wonder he's changed jobs ten-odd times in less than two years since graduation.

"Hao Ge, I understand your meaning, but Zhu Zhiming is my friend. I can't just ignore him. How about this: give him another half month, let him finish this month. If he still hasn't improved by then, you can fire him. These few days I'll do his ideological work properly. He actually isn't without ability; it's just that his attitude isn't right."

Zhang Zhihao sighed:

"Alright then. For the sake of your face, I'll give him another half month."

Then he couldn't help adding one more sentence:

"Sometimes, attitude determines everything. Not just in sales — our lives are the same. To say something unpleasant: your friend, with this attitude of his, his life is doomed to be ruined."

After saying this, Zhang Zhihao turned around and went back into the store.

Wang Dashan was somewhat stunned, but had to admit that Zhang Zhihao's words had a few points of reason.

……