Gao Tianming returned home. His father and mother were both working overtime, leaving him alone again.
However, Gao Tianming didn't dwell on it. His parents loved him; they were just bound by their jobs and lacked freedom at work.
He saw a note on the table and picked it up. "Xiao Ming, knowing your college entrance exam score, Mom and Dad are very happy. You've grown up."
"We thought you'd only stay at the barbecue shop for a few days, but we never expected you to persist there. We are proud of your perseverance."
"Do what you love, do your best, and Mom and Dad will always love you."
Gao Tianming read the note word by word, feeling the paper weigh a thousand pounds in his hands. A father's love is like a mountain, a mother's love like water; the grace of raising a child is unforgettable.
I, Gao Tianming, will definitely achieve something and will not disappoint you. This time, Zhang Tianxing didn't score even one point higher than me. We'll compete again in four years, the young and unconvinced Gao Tianming thought to himself.
Zhu Dayong returned home and handed the money in his hand to his father, Zhu Wuchang.
Zhu Wuchang looked at the money in his hand, his expression shifting. "Dayong, you and Tianxing are good, good brothers, but you need to understand one thing."
"Father, please speak. I'm listening."
"Zhang Tianxing is smarter than you. You can see that from this barbecue shop. After you go to college, you must maintain a good relationship with Zhang Tianxing. Zhang Tianxing is an honest person. As long as you treat him well, he won't treat you poorly."
Listening to Zhu Wuchang's words, Zhu Dayong felt a sense of speechlessness.
Everyone started from the same point, yet Zhang Tianxing seemed to have a cheat code after graduating from high school.
From tricking the four of them into working together, catching crayfish together, and opening a barbecue stall.
He and Zhang Tianxing had been playing together since they were kids, and he had no idea where Zhang Tianxing learned his skills.
He didn't know where Zhang Tianxing researched the crayfish recipes, and he certainly didn't expect them to become an overnight sensation. Zhang's Barbecue is now arguably the most popular barbecue restaurant in Yangcheng.
Different families, different environments, yet the choices made at the crossroads of decision were vastly different.
The next morning, when Zhang Tianxing woke up, he found Liang Juan at home.
Liang Juan saw Zhang Tianxing and looked gratified. "Xiao Xing, you tested well this time. I told your second uncle, and it seems you've secured Zhonghai University."
"Just average, third in the class. Your son was a dark horse this time, exceeding everyone's expectations."
"By the way, Xiao Xing, how often do we need to feed those crayfish? Do they not require feeding?" Liang Juan remembered the issue of the shrimp pond.
In Liang Juan's eyes, the shrimp pond was currently a pure investment. If the costs could be reduced, it would be better to save some.
You don't know the price of rice until you keep house. These past two days, Liang Juan had carefully calculated that if the shrimp feed could be halved, it would save a considerable amount of money.
Hearing this, Zhang Tianxing immediately panicked. Would this mother of his remove the shrimp feed to save money?
"Mom, you haven't reduced the shrimp feed, have you?"
"Not yet. I originally wanted to reduce it, but your second uncle disagreed. He said I should ask you and hear your opinion."
Hearing this, Zhang Tianxing finally felt relieved. Fortunately, the feed wasn't reduced, or the domestication of wild crayfish would have failed.
"This is a bit complicated to explain. Mom, remember two points: if we don't change the wild crayfish's feeding habits, their taste will be slightly inferior in the end."
"Another thing is, after the crayfish molt, if there isn't enough feed, they will cannibalize each other, and our yield will drastically decrease."
"So, Mom, don't skimp on the crayfish feed. If you skimp on the feed, the crayfish yield next year will be slightly less. You'll more than make up for the cost of the feed."
Hearing Zhang Tianxing's words, Liang Juan nodded. She was only beginning to get involved in crayfish farming and didn't understand many things, so she had to act on instinct.
But fortunately, there was Zhang Tianxing. Still, where did her son get this knowledge?
"Xiao Xing, where did you learn this knowledge from?"
"I saw it in an encyclopedia and heard some rumors," Zhang Tianxing answered honestly.
Good heavens, is this how they'll discover my transmigration identity? Will I be caught and taken to a laboratory as a test subject? I'm so scared.
"Xiao Xing, I feel this is a bit unreliable. Let's just use wild crayfish. Your second uncle and I aren't seeking great wealth or noble status; as long as there's a profit, that's enough."
Alas, short-sightedness is a common affliction. But since it was his own mother, Zhang Tianxing couldn't be too disrespectful.
"Mom, listen to your son. There won't be any problems. In a few days, I'll let you taste the crayfish from our pond and the wild ones. You'll find a significant difference, a substantial one."
Hearing this, Liang Juan didn't say anything more. Up to this point, her son's miraculous abilities had been proven.
Zhang's Barbecue was thriving, and the crayfish seafood store was doing well. Either one would be envied by competitors, let alone both achieved by her son.
Moreover, the collaborator was none other than her own brother. Blood is thicker than water, and family stands by you.
In a small town, running a small business, you have to be cautious when hiring. It's more reassuring to do business with family.
For now, she'd listen to her son. Although the investment was not small, the profits from the store more than made up for it.
Since the money was earned by Zhang Tianxing's ideas, if he wanted to invest in the crayfish industry, he could.
Besides, the family didn't have money now, and Zhang Tianxing wasn't borrowing money to do business.
In fact, Zhang Tianxing's initial idea was even bolder. Instead of fifty mu, he wanted to go for five thousand mu and get bank loans.
Then, they would make a big profit. With money, what opportunities would be lacking?
But it all failed because of capital. Without capital, no foresight matters. Even if your vision is excellent, the industry is a guaranteed profit, a hundred percent return.
Sorry, you have no capital. It's not your game, not your field. Just be a quiet spectator.
Every industry has a threshold, high or low.
No money is earned easily.
Zhang Tianxing let out a sigh of relief and flipped through the encyclopedia on his desk. He almost got caught, it was a close call.
His foresight was becoming more frequent, and it would inevitably arouse suspicion.
Fortunately, this time it was his mother, and with his prior preparations, he had perfectly dodged this calamity.
So tired. If I said I transmigrated from the future, I'd probably scare everyone to death, and then I'd be taken to a laboratory.
I regret not remembering more useful things, only remembering trivial matters with no real substance.
My first pot of gold was so hard-earned. I grilled skewers one by one on charcoal, made crayfish, worked myself to death, earning a meager living.