Introduction to "Sister, My History of Making a Fortune in Shenzhen"
When I arrived in Shenzhen in 1998, I was defrauded of the 50 yuan my mother had earned from selling chili peppers as soon as I got off the train. Half a jar of chopped chili peppers that I carried back from my hometown accidentally fell to the ground. The chili pepper water soaked my shoes and socks, and the jar also cracked. I curled up in Shekou Port Bridge Cave to eat dry steamed buns.
In the summer of 2006, I held my 4-year-old son in my arms at the funeral home to retrieve the body of my husband Aqiang - he jumped into the sea to repay a 150,000 usury loan. He was holding the dough sticks I bought for the baby in his hand, with only 3 yuan left in his pocket, and "Don't sell the baby" written on the back of the photo. That night, the loan shark put a knife to Xiao Zhen's neck: "Either pay 60,000 yuan, or die together!"
I didn't choose to die. I bought a coal stove with a leaky bottom for 28 yuan and used it as a supplement. I learned to make rice noodle soup from my aunt in Yiyang. I pushed Aqiang's old bicycle to set up a stall in the electronics factory. I was chased by the city management and fell into the mud. The hot soup splashed on my legs. I got up and hugged the jar of chopped peppers first - that was my fate.
Later, when I opened a store, I slapped him in the face when the OEM was exchanging minced peppers, and all the 600,000 yuan worth of goods was lost. I taught the boss from Jiangxi to pickle authentic minced peppers when he was trying to steal his business. My fifth brother wanted some spare money, but I said, "Money is fried in spoonfuls, and you can't get it if you don't work."
The chopped pepper jar I brought from my hometown has been with me for 27 years, from Qiaodong to my home in Longhua. Over the years, I have come to realize: Chopped peppers should have the flavor of my hometown, I should be domineering in doing things, and I should be down-to-earth in life.
If you have drifted outside, eaten cold instant noodles, been evicted by landlords, and lived in Internet cafes and under bridges, don't be discouraged. Work hard, don't steal or rob, and take your time. You will always have a decent home, and you will always get smiles of relief, forgiveness, and approval from your parents.
