Volume One, Chapter 12: The Gains of the Journey

After having his clothes altered, Zhang Weimin changed into the complete set. Standing before the fitting mirror, he glanced left and right; the suit fit him perfectly.

“Master tailor, how does it look?” he asked.

The tailor, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, looked down over the frames at Zhang Weimin.

“Hmm, I must say, this alteration really works well. It makes you look very sharp and capable!”

Leaving the tailor’s shop, Zhang Weimin next stopped by the adjacent barbershop for a slicked-back hairstyle. Adding a pair of sunglasses, he looked incredibly handsome—utterly cool!

Dressed like this, he first toured around the factory. The number of admiring glances was astonishing—no one even recognized him as Zhang Weimin.

People at the factory speculated aloud:

“Hey, who’s that? Looks like someone from Hong Kong, Macau, or maybe an overseas returnee!”

The younger men paid more attention to his outfit:

“Wow, that suit looks amazing. Once I get my paycheck next month, I’ve got to get myself one just like that.”

Zhang Weimin arrived at Liu Xueqin’s office door.

Liu Xueqin was sitting on the sofa with one leg crossed, reading a newspaper. Zhang Weimin stood casually at the doorway, one hand in his pocket, and knocked on the doorframe in a stylish pose.

“Director Liu, hello.”

Liu Xueqin didn’t recognize him either and stood up, puzzled.

“Hello, may I ask who you are?”

“Haha, you really don’t recognize me?”

Zhang Weimin removed his sunglasses.

“Oh, it’s old Zhang! What’s this all about? I thought it was some foreign businessman coming by.”

Liu Xueqin looked surprised.

“I’m heading to Shanghai tomorrow. That city is the ‘Magic City,’ a place full of wonders. I’m going there representing our factory for business negotiations. I can’t go looking like a country bumpkin.”

“Oh my, old Zhang, you’ve really shocked me with this look. Looks like you’re confident you’ll win.”

“Absolutely! Alright, I’m off. Wait for my good news.”

Actually, this transformation was orchestrated by Lin Hao not just for show but to completely alter Zhang Weimin’s image in everyone’s eyes, laying the foundation for his future career development.

Changing a person’s entrenched image in others’ minds requires a process.

The simplest and most achievable way is to change one’s appearance.

The so-called ‘turning over a new leaf’ involves an internal shift—a redefinition of oneself—and an external one, reshaping how others perceive you.

Essentially, the current Zhang Weimin is a projection of Lin Hao in this timeline. Lin Hao’s success is directly tied to his high ability, sharp intellect, and emotional intelligence.

Zhang Weimin, by contrast, lacks ability, has low emotional intelligence, and questionable intellect.

Returning home, Zhang Weimin saw Liu Fangfang hanging quilts in the yard.

When Liu Fangfang noticed him, she didn’t recognize him either.

“Who are you looking for?” she asked.

Zhang Weimin didn’t want to argue and simply removed his glasses.

“I’m leaving on a business trip tomorrow, probably for a month. Here’s five hundred yuan. While I’m gone, please take care of the cooking. Don’t let Yingying do it—she’s been working hard these past months and her studies have suffered.”

Liu Fangfang gazed at the handsome, cool man before her, holding the money. His eyes locked with hers like a current of electricity, reaching deep into her soul.

She seemed hypnotized, nodding repeatedly and accepting his instructions.

Zhang Weimin slipped the money into her hand and went back to his bedroom.

Liu Fangfang stood frozen for a few seconds before snapping back to reality.

That man just now—was that Zhang Weimin?

She swiftly turned her head, catching a glimpse of Zhang Weimin’s retreating figure into the bedroom. It was indeed him—the handsome, cool man was Zhang Weimin!

She felt regret so sharp she wished she could gouge out her own eyes.

...

After settling Zhang Yingying’s concerns, Zhang Weimin boarded the train bound for Shanghai with peace of mind.

In those days, there were no bullet trains, and airplanes were prohibitively expensive.

Once the train started moving, a tall woman with shoulder-length short hair and black-rimmed glasses, bearing a somewhat aloof air and perhaps around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, was looking for her seat.

She stopped in front of Zhang Weimin, glanced at her ticket, then at the seat numbers posted on the wall.

“Excuse me, sir, are you in seat 2B?”

Zhang Weimin frowned slightly, somewhat displeased. He looked up at the woman beside him.

“I’m not 2B. Are you 2B?”

She nodded firmly.

“Yes, I am 2B.”

Then she showed her ticket to Zhang Weimin, which read: Car 6, Row 2, Seat B.

Zhang Weimin immediately felt embarrassed.

“Sorry, I’m 2A.”

He shifted his seat slightly and sat by the window in seat 2A.

At that time, “2B” had no other connotations; it was simply a seat number.

There were no phones or tablets then, so people passed time on the train by snacking, chatting, or reading newspapers and books.

Opposite Zhang Weimin and the woman sat a young couple, constantly cracking sunflower seeds and playfully teasing each other, creating quite a lively atmosphere.

Both Zhang Weimin and the woman were traveling alone, making the mood a bit awkward.

The woman pulled out a book titled *Advanced Reinforced Concrete Structures*.

She stared at it intently but didn’t turn a single page for a long time.

Perhaps the book wasn’t for passing the time but merely to give her gaze a place to rest.

After all, the couple opposite was openly affectionate, whispering and touching, completely unaware of others’ presence.

Their carefree intimacy only heightened the discomfort for those sitting across from them.

Zhang Weimin noticed the woman’s unread book and had a rough idea of her situation.

To break the silence, he initiated conversation.

“The book you’re reading—is it related to construction engineering?”

The woman didn’t look at him but gave a brief affirmative sound.

Zhang Weimin thought, she doesn’t want to chat, but if the topic ends here, it’ll be awkward for me, so he pressed on.

“There aren’t many women in this field since construction sites are tough environments, not really suitable for women.”

She nodded.

“Yes, but I work in design, so I don’t go to the construction sites often.”

Zhang Weimin’s spirits lifted—this was a good opening.

“Oh, pardon me, I didn’t realize you’re an architect.”

Clearly, talking about her work was a safe choice—no misunderstandings and it made the long journey less dull.

“I’m not an architect. I do structural design.”

“Oh, a structural engineer! That’s even more impressive. A skyscraper can only rise if its structure is strong; otherwise, it might collapse one day.”

See how well I’m chatting, he thought, immediately piquing her interest.