Rebirth: Seven Years in a Great Dream

Chapter 25: The Worker’s Surprise

The next day, Mu Dong arranged to meet with the homeowner and the real estate agent at the house that was for sale. Xiao Xiao took a day off specifically to go with Mu Dong. Upon meeting, Mu Dong said directly to the homeowner, “Sir, the money is ready. We can sign the contract now.” Old Ji couldn’t help but marvel—this young man had managed to raise the money in such a short time; he was truly not to be underestimated. As someone who had bought a house in another timeline, Mu Dong was quite familiar with the process. Signing the purchase contract was only the first step; there was still a great deal of work to be done. When it came time to sign the contract, Mu Dong asked Xiao Xiao to sign it. But Xiao Xiao refused outright. In the end, one thing Xiao Xiao said made Mu Dong drop the matter. “There’s no need to go out of your way to do this—I understand how you feel.” In the end, Mu Dong signed the contract himself. After signing the contract, they submitted the application for buyer eligibility review and the property inspection that very same day. All that was left to do was wait. That evening, as they were together, Xiao Xiao said to Mu Dong, “Honey, thank you.” Mu Dong felt that whatever he did for Xiao Xiao was worth it. In this vast world, among the countless people, it’s a great blessing to have someone who understands you—and for that person to be your spouse. Mu Dong asked, “Honey, have you thought about how to decorate our new home?” Xiao Xiao: “We don’t even need to decorate it—the original finishes are great. The furniture is all there, including the stove and TV. We have our own new refrigerator. Hmm, the only thing missing is a washing machine. Once we buy a washing machine and some bedding, we’ll be ready to move in.” At that, Xiao Xiao beamed again: “Thank you, honey. We have a big house now.” Mu Dong looked around the small rental apartment and said with emotion, “That’s right—we have a big house now. We don’t have to rent anymore.” In another timeline, Xiao Xiao had married herself in a rented apartment. Now, things were finally different. Over the next few days, Mu Dong resumed his life as a full-time househusband. He drove Xiao Xiao to work and cooked meals for her. Xiao Xiao thoroughly enjoyed Mu Dong’s care; her happiness was off the charts, so she made a special effort to please him in the evenings. Mu Dong summed it up this way: “I take good care of you during the day, and you take good care of me at night.” The couple warmly savored their final days of life in the rental apartment. During the day, Mu Dong would occasionally catch up with Han Yong and Cheng Qiang, chatting idly about this and that. Han Yong told Mu Dong that headquarters had already begun researching certain markets and might start virtual operations. The next step would be to submit a feasibility report to the Ministry of Information Industry to apply for a dedicated number range to expand the market. As for which carrier they would partner with, that hadn’t been decided yet. Mu Dong suggested to Han Yong that if headquarters launched a pilot program, the Ludong Branch should definitely strive to be selected. Cheng Qiang, on the other hand, didn’t have much going on—he was just studying and waiting to register for an exam. When the two met, they mostly just chatted and joked around. In the meantime, Mu Dong asked Cheng Qiang to find out about the legality of mortgage loans from real estate agencies. Cheng Qiang consulted a lawyer, and the two of them went to ask specifically about it. The lawyer said it was possible. Mu Dong then invited the lawyer to help review the contract when the time came. Mu Dong felt it was best to err on the side of caution—after all, this was the house Xiao Xiao had set her heart on. While it could be used as collateral, there could be no room for error. A week later, after completing the online contract signing, paying taxes, setting up escrow, and transferring the title, Mu Dong finally received the property deed—all thanks to the real estate agency’s full cooperation and extensive behind-the-scenes negotiations. The reason for their full cooperation was that Mu Dong had told Xiao Wang that as soon as the property deed was issued, he would apply for a mortgage loan through their company. It was finally time to move. Mu Dong called the landlord over. Since the utility bills had been settled and the rent wasn’t due yet, the landlord refunded him a portion of the rent. To return the favor, Mu Dong left behind some household items he wasn’t taking with him. There wasn’t much they needed to take with them—just some clothes and personal belongings. The only large items were the bed and refrigerator they’d just bought, so the two of them hired a small truck to transport them. The new place had three separate rooms. The previous owner had renovated it into a two-bedroom, one-study layout, and the couple decided to keep it that way. The master bedroom had a 1. 8-meter-wide bed—a new purchase by the previous owner—and they decided to use that bed from now on. They reassembled the bed they’d moved in as a bunk bed and placed it in another bedroom, making good use of the space. The apartment was fully furnished, but to actually move in, they still needed to buy a lot of things: pots, pans, dishes, cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, bedding, and toiletries. They made several trips to the supermarket and were so exhausted they didn’t feel like moving anymore. They lay half-reclined on the sofa, panting heavily. Mu Dong said, “All right, that’s enough for now. We’ll buy the rest little by little later.” Xiao Xiao: “But look over there—we’re still missing a trash can. And over there—I’d also like to buy a potted plant. We still need to get a washing machine, and over there…” Mu Dong: … Then there were all the paperwork and setups to handle—broadband, cable TV, gas, water, electricity, heating, and more. They still had plenty to do. Two days later, it was Saturday. At noon, Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao hosted a luncheon for some friends at their new home. Mu Dong’s friends who came were Han Yong, Cheng Qiang, and Cai Jiaojiao. Xiao Xiao brought two coworkers: one was a new colleague she’d been getting close to lately, named Xu Mingyan. The other was—Gao Ya. Gao Ya had already broken up with Qin Gang. A womanizer like Qin Gang was only interested in Gao Ya for a fleeting moment; once the novelty wore off, he started avoiding her in every way possible. Gao Ya wasn’t stupid; she could naturally sense Qin Gang’s insincerity. Gradually, she let go of her desire to “climb the social ladder” and withdrew from this emotional game. Gao Ya seemed to have come to some realizations; she sincerely sought out Xiao Xiao for a talk and apologized for some of her past behavior. Xiao Xiao also sensed the change in Gao Ya, and little by little, their relationship gradually mended. Xiao Xiao had mentioned this to Mu Dong, who fully supported her decision. It’s always better to have one more friend than one more enemy. Gao Ya had been a bit torn about visiting this time. But in the end, she accepted Xiao Xiao’s sincere invitation and went. When she met Mu Dong, Gao Ya felt a bit awkward at first, but a few jokes from Mu Dong instantly lightened the mood. In southern Shandong, it’s customary to host family and friends at a new home—a tradition known as “warming the pot.” As natives of Southern Lu, Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao naturally hoped to share the joy of moving into their new home in this way. Everyone brought small gifts—everyday household items like pressure cookers and electric griddles. Han Yong brought a robot vacuum, which Xiao Xiao really liked. Cai Jiaojiao’s gift was in line with her profession: an air purifier. Cheng Qiang spread his hands and said, “This gift is from both of us.” Cai Jiaojiao rolled her eyes. Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao cooked the meal themselves. While it wasn’t exactly lavish, the food was delicious and plentiful, leaving the entire group thoroughly satisfied. The pickled cabbage and fish dish, in particular, was made in a very authentic style and received nothing but praise. The men drank baijiu, and the women drank red wine, creating a lively atmosphere. The two had put a lot of thought into this meal and spent the whole day preparing it. As long as everyone enjoyed the food, they were completely satisfied. Gao Ya watched Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao bustling about together, then glanced at the spacious house, and couldn’t help but think to herself: Xiao Xiao really does have much better taste than I do. Mu Dong woke from his sleep, glanced out the pitch-black window, and checked his watch—it was already past seven in the evening. Xiao Xiao was still asleep; she must have been utterly exhausted. Over the past few days, Mu Dong had been busy running around handling all sorts of paperwork. Xiao Xiao had been visiting various shopping malls, buying things here and there. Lunch today lasted until a little past 3:00 p. m. , when everyone finally dispersed. After the guests left, both of them were too exhausted to move; they didn’t even clear the table before going to bed. Since they’d both had a little to drink, they fell into a deep sleep. Mu Dong quietly got up to clear the table. While he was washing dishes in the kitchen, Xiao Xiao walked in and gently wrapped her arms around Mu Dong’s waist from behind. Mu Dong turned around and said, “Honey, are you awake?” Xiao Xiao gave a soft “Mm-hmm,” stretched, then rolled up her sleeves, put on an apron, and helped Mu Dong wash the dishes. After they finished cleaning up, they whipped up a simple dinner. Instead of sitting at the dining table, they sat on the couch, using the coffee table as a makeshift dining surface, and enjoyed their meal while watching TV. They’d finally settled down. On Monday, Mu Dong made an appointment with his lawyer, grabbed the property deed, and went to the real estate agency where Xiao Wang worked. The staff at the agency rarely saw anyone bring a lawyer to handle a mortgage loan, so they became much more formal in their demeanor. The two parties signed a loan agreement for 600,000 yuan, with a one-year term and an annual interest rate of 10 percent. At Mu Dong’s suggestion, they also agreed on a prepayment clause. Prepayment could only be made six months after the loan was disbursed; interest would be calculated based on the actual number of days the loan was outstanding, with no additional fees. After the contract was signed, the agency requested to temporarily withhold Mu Dong’s property deed. The lawyer immediately objected, stating that this practice did not comply with legal regulations. While the property deed could be used to process mortgage procedures, it could not be withheld by the agency. This was simply a makeshift practice employed by the brokerage firm and, naturally, had no legal basis. Consequently, the brokerage firm did not press the matter further. The parties then went to the mortgage department to complete the mortgage registration procedures, and that afternoon, Mu Dong received the 600,000 yuan mortgage loan. This money had made a full circle and returned to him. This time, Mu Dong didn’t mortgage his garage—the amount wasn’t significant, and going through a separate procedure would have been too much of a hassle. Mu Dong didn’t even notice the shift in his mindset; a garage worth around 100,000 yuan was now a mere trifle. That afternoon, Mu Dong returned home and, as usual, took on his “housekeeper duties” by cooking dinner. Over dinner, Mu Dong and Xiao Xiao discussed returning to Southern Shandong; they’d been away for far too long this time. They’d arrived in Quancheng together on October 8, and now it was already November 3. They’d only made one brief trip back in between. The biggest achievement of this trip was buying a house, which fulfilled Mu Dong’s first long-held aspiration. The two finally agreed that Mu Dong would aim to spend about three days a week in Quancheng from now on. This meant he’d split his time between the two places: four days a week in Southern Shandong and three days in Quancheng. This arrangement was the result of several discussions between the two; neither of them wanted to be apart from the other, and both wanted to spend as much time together as possible. Their post-dinner activities became much more intense. With the larger house, they had plenty of space to work with. The bed, the sofa, the floor, and the table all became battlefields. In the final moments, they turned off the lights and quietly drew back the curtains. Xiao Xiao leaned against the windowsill while Mu Dong entered her from behind. Outside the window lay the pitch-black night, with faint mountain peaks visible in the distance. In that moment, Xiao Xiao’s whole body trembled. Early the next morning, after breakfast, the two shared a tender farewell kiss. Then, Xiao Xiao went to work, and Mu Dong took the bus back to Southern Shandong. Upon returning to Southern Shandong, Mu Dong first went to the county seat. A few days earlier, Mu Dong had received a call from his uncle-in-law, Wang Shaoqiang, informing him that his driver’s license had been issued. It was now in his uncle-in-law’s possession. So, while on the bus, Mu Dong had called his uncle to ask him to arrange a lunch meeting with Coach Zhang. Coach Zhang had handled the driver’s license application very smoothly, so Mu Dong wanted to thank him properly. By the time Mu Dong arrived, Coach Zhang was already there, drinking tea with Wang Shaoqiang in a small room. Mu Dong apologized repeatedly and quickly refilled their cups with water and poured them tea. Then the dishes were served, and the three of them began their meal. During the meal, his aunt, Mu Hong, stopped by for a short while; she had a glass of wine with them before leaving—she couldn’t leave the front desk unattended. During the meal, Wang Shaoqiang handed the driver’s license to Mu Dong and asked, “Xiao Dong, now that you’ve got your license, when are you going to buy a car?” Mu Dong took the license and said, “As soon as possible. I need a car to get around—things at the yard are getting busier and busier.” Instructor Zhang chimed in, “What kind of car are you thinking of buying, Mu? Since it’s your first car, you’re probably planning to buy a new one, right?” Mu Dong replied, “It doesn’t matter if it’s new or used—as long as it’s decent.” As a veteran driver who had traveled through time, Mu Dong had also stubbornly chosen a new car when buying his first one. But three years later, he realized that new cars really weren’t worth it. A three-year-old car typically loses nearly half its value. Yet a three-year-old car—provided it hasn’t been in any major accidents—is in its prime: it’s fully broken in and offers the most stable performance. That’s why most new drivers prefer to buy new cars, while many experienced drivers prefer to buy used cars in good condition. Upon hearing that Mu Dong might be considering a used car, Coach Zhang said, “If you’re planning to buy a used car, Mu, I could help you look around. What’s your budget?” Mu Dong thought to himself: That’s true—driving instructors have a wide network of contacts, so they’re definitely the right people to ask about used cars. He replied, “My budget is around 100,000.” Coach Zhang replied, “With 100,000, there are plenty of models to choose from. Do you have any preferences regarding the brand or model?” Mu Dong replied, “I don’t want Japanese brands, but anything else is fine—either a sedan or an SUV.” Coach Zhang had a good idea of what he was looking for and planned to ask around when he got back. After the three of them finished eating, Mu Dong slipped Coach Zhang a pack of cigarettes and a gift card, and Coach Zhang left, looking satisfied. Mu Dong then chatted with his aunt and uncle in the lobby, telling them about buying a house in Quancheng. When they heard that a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment with a garage cost 740,000 yuan—paid in full—Mu Hong and Wang Shaoqiang were stunned. Although the yard had money, it wasn’t turning a profit yet. Was this kid getting a little too impatient? When they heard that Mu Dong had won 600,000 in the lottery, the two expressed skepticism. That was easy to clear up—there were photos on the website. Although Mu Dong was wearing a mask and sunglasses, Mu Hong could still recognize him by his build; it was definitely him. Then Mu Dong said he’d mortgaged the house for 600,000 yuan to invest in the yard, and the two were completely thrown off balance. This series of blows left Mu Hong and Wang Shaoqiang so stunned they couldn’t even think straight. Mu Dong left the two—still reeling—behind and strode off, acting in his typically irresponsible manner. That afternoon, Mu Dong returned to the yard. Everyone gathered around him again for a round of small talk, and after the pleasantries, they remarked that he’d put on weight. Their tone was one of envy. And it was true—Boss Mu had been living it up day in and day out lately, drinking and partying to his heart’s content, doing no real work. How could he not gain weight? Boss Mu expressed disappointment at their envy. He had indeed gained weight recently. No way—he wanted muscle, not fat; he wanted to be healthy, not bloated. So, for the entire afternoon, Boss Mu threw himself into work at several operating stations, his face drenched in sweat. As evening fell, all the workers were whispering to one another in confusion: “Didn’t Boss Mu just go through some kind of emotional upheaval?” At that moment, Boss Mu was sitting quietly in his office, drafting a set of wage standards. As he wrote, he would occasionally pinch his arms or rub his legs, feeling annoyed with himself for acting on impulse. He had never really been overweight in either of his two lifetimes, yet a single remark—"You’ve gained weight"—had completely thrown him off balance. Mu Dong established a three-tiered wage scale. Level 1: Mu Daguo, Zhong Guodong, Su Peng, Tan Jiaming, Xie Donglin—monthly salary of 3,500 yuan Level 2: Mu Xiaoxia, Mu’s Dad, Mu’s Second Uncle, three unloading supervisors, and one conveyor belt operator—monthly salary of 2,500 yuan Tier 3: Mu’s Mom, Mu’s Second Aunt, and other support workers—monthly salary of 2,000 yuan. Among them, Xie Donglin is paid according to the second-tier standard while directing unloading and during his recovery period, and according to the first-tier standard while driving vehicles While Zhong Guodong is learning to drive in Quancheng, he will be paid according to the second-tier standard Other personnel are paid based on actual attendance records. Salaries are calculated through October 31. After dinner, Mu Dong gathered Mu Daguo, Zhong Guodong, Mu Xiaoxia, and Mu’s father to announce these wage standards and seek their input. Everyone was a bit surprised—these wage standards were on the high side. In 2008, rural laborers in southern Shandong were not valued that highly. Only skilled workers could command such wages. Even for loader operators—who are considered skilled workers—this rate was on the high side. Mu Dong explained to everyone, “Money brings people together; money drives them apart. Working at the yard is exhausting, and this pay scale will encourage everyone to give their all.” Everyone tacitly accepted the rates—after all, their own earnings were at stake. Mu Daguo asked in confusion, “Brother, how much do you get paid?” That’s right—why wouldn’t Mu Dong get a salary? To be honest, Mu Dong hadn’t even considered this question. Subconsciously, he felt that since the business was entirely his own, there was no need for a salary. After Mu Daguo asked, it suddenly dawned on Mu Dong: the business wasn’t entirely his own—there were many investors and partners. His salary should be listed as an expense; only then would the financial records be complete and credible. “All right,” he said, “I’ll just take a salary based on the first-tier standard. When I’m not at the yard, I won’t be paid.” As a result, everyone walked out. The salary standard must be higher than the first tier—set at a minimum of 5,000. Time spent away from the yard counts as business travel or business development—it must be included in the pay. Mu Dong was at a loss. In the end, Mu Dong’s monthly salary was set at 4,000, paid on a full-attendance basis. Early the next morning, the Mu Family Yard announced Boss Mu’s Fourth Order. Printed in black on red paper, the yard erupted with excitement! Payday is today—and the pay is high! The workers had a strong sense of loyalty toward the Mu Family Yard. Although the boss had never explicitly stated the wage standards, there were established, customary rates for rural laborers, and Boss Mu would certainly honor them—after all, he treated even the drivers so well. Plus, the meals at Mu Family Yard were really good—they were just like home-cooked meals, unlike the bland, low-oil, low-salt mass-cooked meals at other construction sites. The workers could see that the Mu family members ate with them, enjoying the same meals. I’d originally had certain expectations of Boss Mu, but I never expected him to give everyone such a huge surprise!