Wang Peng arrived at the teachers' office and met Ms. Pei, the foreign language teacher.
"Teacher Pei, do you remember me?"
"I remember, who doesn't know the famous fried rice champion?"
Teacher Pei smiled and said, "It's a pity, you were just one point short of getting into Tsinghua University. You should repeat a year."
The math teacher said, "I tried to persuade him to repeat a year, but he just wouldn't."
Laughter filled the office; all the teachers were present, and no job transfers had occurred.
"Xiaopeng, how is Qingshu doing now?" Teacher Pei asked.
"He teaches at the provincial capital's experimental high school, and he's doing alright."
Wang Peng handed her a pen and said with a smile, "I made it this time, but there wasn't enough time. I'll host a thank-you banquet for my teacher next time."
Superhero fountain pens, 25 yuan each, one for each of the five teachers.
The math teacher gasped, "Xiaopeng, this gift is too valuable! Have you struck it rich again?"
Teacher Pei said, "I saw you drive here just now. Old Duan, that's a car worth hundreds of thousands. Do you think you've struck it rich?"
Upon hearing this, the teachers gasped in surprise.
Wang Peng waved his hand, "I run a tobacco and alcohol business in the provincial capital, but I haven't made any money."
"Whether you've made a fortune or not, we don't want your pen."
Teacher Pei said, "Teaching is our duty, and the school does not allow teachers to accept gifts."
"Yes! I don't want your gift either."
The math teacher returned the pen to Wang Peng and said, "Leave me your phone number. My son is getting married next month. Give me a discount on your cigarettes and alcohol."
“No problem!” Wang Peng left his phone number and said, “Old Duan, I guarantee it will be high quality, low price, and genuine.”
Banquets are always a major client for tobacco and alcohol businesses, and Wang Peng never expected to get business at a school.
Just then, the school bell rang.
The teachers had to go to class, so Wang Peng could only say goodbye to them.
I drove to the stationery store outside the school and returned the five pens I had just bought.
The shop owner, a former customer of Wang Peng, said with a smile, "It's only because it's you. If it were anyone else, I would never return the goods."
"Thank you, Mr. Li." Wang Peng quickly offered him a cigarette, smiling, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"Don't be so formal," Mr. Li waved his hand and said, "Xiao Peng, what kind of business are you in now?"
"Wholesale cigarettes and alcohol." Wang Peng left his phone number. "Call me if you need cigarettes or alcohol in the future."
"That's great." Mr. Li smiled slightly and left his phone number.
In the following days, Wang Peng visited his former stationery customers and left his phone number with them.
Since I'm basically idle anyway, I might as well run some business on the side.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, I picked up Feng Dali and his aunt on time.
I drove all the way back to the provincial capital, and it was already 10:30 p.m. at the night market.
After dropping them off at home, Wang Peng drove back to his own home. Passing by a tobacco and liquor store, he noticed that the lights were still on inside.
The car was parked on the side of the road, and the door was pushed open to enter the store.
"Brother Peng, what brings you here?" Du Lei put down the book he was holding.
"What book are you reading?" Wang Peng picked up the book and laughed, "How to market your own products. Goodness, reading this stuff is useless."
“It’s useful,” Du Lei said. “The book says to provide service with a smile and to treat people sincerely.”
Wang Peng laughed. "Watching this stuff is not as good as watching Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
"Brother Lei, why are you staying up so late? Do you have any business at this hour?"
“Yes!” Du Lei pointed to the alley across the street and whispered, “There are a lot of prostitutes around here, they often buy…”
Before he could finish speaking, two women pushed open the door and entered the store.
She looked to be around thirty years old, dressed very revealingly, with curly hair and wearing lipstick.
"Brother Lei, get me two bags of jade," the girl with the oval face said.
"Okay." Du Lei hurriedly went to the counter, took two packs of Green Stone brand cigarettes, and charged them three yuan.
The two girls placed their thermos cups on the counter, and Du Lei bent down to pick up the thermos and heat water for them.
Wang Peng scratched his head, somewhat bewildered.
That's a good idea; what we're giving them for free isn't hot water, but respect.
"This little brother looks really bad," the girl with the oval face said, looking at Wang Peng. "Brother Lei, who's this?"
"Sister Hua, this is my partner and also the boss here, Brother Peng," Du Lei said with a smile.
"Hello, Sister Hua." Wang Peng extended his right hand and said, "If you need more hot water, just come and get more, it's free."
Sister Hua stared at Wang Peng's eyes and didn't detect any discrimination. "Boss, is that car outside yours?"
“It’s my car. You can call me Wang Peng.” Wang Peng smiled slightly.
"Brother Peng, remember to patronize my business, I'll give you a 50% discount."
She shook hands with Wang Peng, scratched his palm, turned around, waved to Du Lei, and left with her cigarettes and water glass.
"Haha!" Du Lei couldn't hold back anymore. "She only gave me a 20% discount, but she gave you a 50% discount directly. Being handsome is definitely an advantage."
Wang Peng couldn't laugh. He asked seriously, "Brother Lei, you didn't patronize her, did you?"
"No, I'm still a virgin. There's no way I'd give my first time to them," Du Lei said.
Wang Peng scratched his head. "Do they use condoms, or not condoms?"
“No need.” Du Lei shook his head. “Those things are too expensive, and the key is that there’s nowhere to buy them. Only the Family Planning Commission has condoms.”
"Don't go near them. If you can't resist, ask me for condoms," Wang Peng said.
"Alright, alright, stop joking with me."
Du Lei was both amused and exasperated, and said, "Don't worry, I can handle it."
Just then, another girl dressed in flamboyant clothes entered the store.
"Brother Du Lei, is there any more hot water?" She rubbed her stomach. "I'm so hungry, I'll have some instant noodles."
"That's all. Wait two minutes, I'll go upstairs to boil some water." Du Lei carried the thermos upstairs.
Wang Peng walked to the counter, took out a cigarette case from his pocket, and asked, "Want one?"
"Take mine." The woman took out her cigarettes, which were more expensive than Wang Peng's.
Wang Peng lit a cigarette, took a puff, exhaled, and pretended that he had smoked it.
"You must be the Peng that Brother Lei always talks about?" The girl pulled up a chair and sat down outside the counter.
Wang Peng nodded. "If I may ask, if condoms cost one cent each, would you buy them?"
The girl paused, frowned, considered for a few seconds, and said, "No need, it's too much of a waste of money."
“Girl, but many infectious diseases are transmitted sexually, aren’t you afraid?” Wang Peng said.
The girl shook her head. "Don't exaggerate. It's not that serious."
"Okay, let's change the subject," Wang Peng said. "Judging from your accent, you're not from the provincial capital. What do you think of the provincial capital?"
The two started chatting until Du Lei came downstairs with a thermos and placed the thermos and bowls on the small table.
The girl started making instant noodles, and after finishing the noodles, she bought a pack of cigarettes, waved goodbye to Wang Peng and Du Lei.
"We're not only providing free hot water, but we're also helping them wash the dishes, right?" Wang Peng asked.
"What's the big deal?" Du Lei laughed. "As long as they buy our cigarettes and alcohol, washing dishes won't kill them."
Wang Peng couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Brother Lei, can you help me fill out a survey and ask these women if they'd be willing to spend a penny on condoms?"
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