Chapter 2: The Top Scorer in Bathing is also a Bathing Worker

  A new day, dusk in Steel City, the air is filled with the smell of coal burning.

  In the bathing hall of Teng Yu's bathroom, misty fog fills the air, and hot steam rises. In the bathtub, under the shower, without the support of famous brand clothes and high-end accessories, people return to their original state, each fighting their own battle with the earth's resources stuck on their bodies.

  Compared to the 1970s and before, the urban population of this era has basically solved the problem of food and clothing, and being fat is no longer a privilege reserved for high-ranking officials and their wives. Ye Haodong's work nature made him very dissatisfied with this era. There are too many fat people! This directly increased his workload.

  Ye Haodong hung a row of signs on the shelf, each sign cost three yuan, the boss took one yuan, and the scrub worker was left with two yuan. This is the income outside of the monthly salary of 600 yuan, which is settled every day. There are already nearly forty signs on this shelf. Others' work is intermittent, not continuous. Ye Haodong's side has already lined up, can't finish the work. There are still a few people waiting in line by the pool, looking at the situation, it's estimated that today's income will be over 100 yuan again. The income is not small, but the work is really not easy. Today was also unlucky, all the fat customers who wanted to take a bath were difficult to serve. When the customer is fat, it means Ye Haodong's working area increases accordingly, and he has to use more energy.

  Ye Haodong has a regular face, not fat or thin, can't be said to be handsome, but absolutely won't make people dislike him. He's young, his mouth is still clever, and he talks about famous anecdotes and old stories as soon as he opens his mouth. Many of the regular customers have heard rumors about his background, so even more people are willing to take care of his business. Of course, the main reason is that Ye Haodong's craftsmanship is currently the best in this place.

  Just then, a customer over 200 pounds walked in, and immediately, another customer came over to hand him a card. Ye Haodong's heart sank as he saw this, but he knew he had to focus on the task at hand. He quickly bowed to the customer who was handing him the card: "Ah! Thank you for taking care of my business, but I'm closing up shop today, I have some urgent matters to discuss with the boss, please find someone else!" His voice was loud, directed both at the customer and the others waiting by the pool. After speaking, he bowed again to the people in the pool, smiling and making a slight bow.

  Another bath worker, Da Lizi, who was said to be the boss's relative, saw an opportunity and quickly sat up, put a new layer of plastic sheeting on his workbench, washed his hands with hot water, and called out to the old customer: "Hey Zhao, since Dongzi is busy today, if you don't mind my skills, I'll give you a massage. I guarantee you'll be clean and comfortable."

  Twenty-six-year-old Da Lizi is an old-timer here, and before Ye Haodong's skills were established, he was the first big shot here. This Da Lizi was also a master in his youth who had mixed on the streets for a while, and it is said that he was a somewhat famous thug on the side of Baxian Bridge back then. But later, this kid doesn't know whether he turned over a new leaf or was shamed out of mixing, anyway, he fell from being a famous Jianghu figure who ate well and drank spicy food to becoming a bathhouse worker today. However, Da Lizi's majestic aura remains, and his tattoos can indeed intimidate people, before Ye Haodong came, this guy was the number one in every aspect here.

  In the past two or three months, Da Lizi has indeed been suppressed by Ye Haodong. At first, Da Lizi thought that Ye Haodong was young and inexperienced in society, so he planned to use some social tactics to deal with him. However, before he could even implement this plan, an incident that occurred here a month ago completely dispelled this idea from his mind.

  That day, a notorious figure appeared in the bathhouse on Taipingmen Commercial Street - Shan Longhui. Although this young man was only 17 years old, he was not the most arrogant person on this street, but he was absolutely the most despicable one. Relying on his two older brothers, Shan Longhu and Shan Longjun, who were trusted subordinates of the notorious Er Xinzi in Xingu District, this young man acted recklessly and did many things that others dared not to do.

  On that day, the pervert had a few drinks and for some reason, he insisted on having Little Zheng blow a trumpet with his mouth.

  Xiao Zheng is the son of the cleaning lady in the bathhouse, lively and talkative, not bad, just likes to brag a bit. He also showed off his seniority to newcomer Ye Haodong for a few days, ordering him around with cleaning tasks. But after Ye Haodong's skills surpassed everyone else, this kid saw an opportunity and switched sides. For several days in a row, he wouldn't forget to bring Ye Haodong an extra serving of food during meals. This kid could always get some hot food because his mom worked there.

  It's said that this incident occurred in the bathhouse. As the boss's relative and having had a past experience of being on the road, Da Lizi should have been the one to take charge. However, at that time, he was planning to teach Ye Haodong a lesson. Moreover, Little Zheng was quite close to Ye Haodong, and considering San Longhui's notorious reputation and his two thuggish brothers, Da Lizi ultimately chose to remain silent.

  Just as Little Zheng was forced to kneel down and cry for mercy, while Big Li remained silent, Ye Haodong finally stood up. This matter has nothing to do with justice or the emotional camaraderie of sharing a bowl of rice, but rather it's all about the hot meal that Old Mrs. Meng, Little Zheng's mother, gives us every noon, and Ye Haodong would never stand idly by like others.

  That day, Shan Longhui was taught a lesson and another hoodlum named Xiaominzi who came with him was also beaten badly. Since childhood, Ye Haodong had been forced by his father to practice martial arts, tempering his body, and fighting was a common occurrence for him. In the eyes of Da Lizi, this 'expert', Ye Haodong may not be old, but he is absolutely a seasoned fighter, decisive in his moves, with great courage and ruthless hands.

  At that time, Ye Haodong suddenly grabbed the drunk and arrogant Shan Longhui's hair and then took Shan Longhui's body and jumped into the hot water pool, pressing Shan Longhui's head into the water with one hand. Seeing things were not right, Xiaominzi, who came with Shan Longhui, immediately rushed up and jumped into the pool, punching Ye Haodong to try and rescue Shan Longhui. Ye Haodong ignored him, dodging Xiaominzi's punch and using his elbow to press down on Shan Longhui's back, which was struggling wildly in the water, as if he wanted to drown Shan Longhui. When Shan Longhui choked on the hot water and couldn't catch his breath, Ye Haodong let him go and then grabbed Xiaominzi's legs, pulling them backward and knocking Xiaominzi down by the pool. With a swift kick, he pinned Xiaominzi to the ground with his foot on his chest and began punching him violently. In just a few moves, the situation quickly turned into a one-sided fight. The two notorious troublemakers were caught off guard. Dali Zi, who was watching from the side, was shocked by what he saw. Ye Haodong's momentum at that time was indeed stunning, and if it weren't for several of Ye Wen Chang's former colleagues pulling him away as elders, the final result would not have been Shan Longhui being rushed to the hospital for emergency oxygen therapy and Xiaominzi getting a few stitches on his head.

  That thing has not been resolved until today. At that time, the people who mixed on the street would fight with others and would not report to the police even if they were beaten up. They called reporting to the police "pointing a gun" or "sticking a needle", which was one of the most hated behaviors among the people in the circle. It's even more unlikely that they would think about how to stay in the hospital for compensation, because that's too humiliating! The little rascals who were beaten up usually either found someone to take revenge and get back at them, or the elders behind both parties came out to meet each other, made some apologies, had a drink and a meal, and that was it. This time, Shan Longhui suffered such a big loss but still hasn't come to retaliate until today, because his two brothers were wanted by the police several months ago and are now on the run. So until now, Ye Haodong is still doing well here as the boss of the bathhouse where Teng Yu works.

  While massaging the guest's back, Ye Haodong was busy collecting his own land, and Da Lizi couldn't help but ask: "Dongzi, what are you looking for the boss about? You're in such a hurry that you didn't even earn any money."

  "Oh, nothing much, I've been thinking about a few medicinal bath formulas and plan to discuss cooperation with the boss." Ye Haodong replied casually without looking up.

  Da Li Zi responded with a sound. On the surface, he was calm and collected, seemingly indifferent, but his heart was turbulent, feeling somewhat unwell, unsure whether it was jealousy or admiration. He had watched Ye Hao Dong progress from being clueless to becoming skilled today. Thinking back to when the young man first arrived, he had a calm and confident face, occasionally telling jokes and making everyone laugh during breaks. Initially, he was clumsy at work, but who would have thought that this half-grown youngster could find a glimmer of hope in such a difficult and seemingly hopeless job? Not only did his massage skills and income rank among the best among the massage workers, but now he even wanted to discuss cooperation with the boss.

  Thinking of this, Da Lizi thought of himself. He had also attended high school and graduated from senior three without getting into any college. Seeing that studying didn't seem to have much hope, and not wanting to farm, he joined his uncle who was doing well in the city. After entering the city, he changed jobs several times but never stayed long, always feeling like there was no future. Later, he simply followed a group of hoodlums from Ba Xian Bridge and played with them for a few years. Although they had some glory, he knew he wasn't that kind of material, and that path wasn't a long-term plan for him. After messing around for a few years, his age grew day by day, and after experiencing a big event, he almost went in. His playful heart faded, and he came to work as a masseur at the bathhouse opened by Da Tang Ge Li Tianyu, planning to save money for a few years, return to the countryside, build a house, marry a wife, and settle down for this life. The words of Ye Haodong earlier made Da Lizi suddenly have some ideas, and he seemed to see an opportunity to change his fate.

  "Ah... Dongzi, are you free tomorrow night? I was thinking of having a drink with you after work, my treat!" asked Da Lizi somewhat hesitantly.

  "Tomorrow is not okay, my brother's school is on holiday tomorrow and he will be back home." Ye Haodong said: "Is there something going on? If there is, let's do it tonight. After I finish talking to the boss, we can go have some barbecue together, I'll treat you."

  "Alright, wait till I finish massaging this big brother and then we'll settle the bill, but I'm still paying."

  Manager's office.

  Li Tengyu patiently listened to Ye Haodong's idea and nodded without comment. "Hmm, your idea is not bad. I just returned from the south a few days ago and specifically went to their bathhouse to learn about advanced experiences. The medicinal bath is currently popular there, and the effect is very good. I'm planning to expand the store and add new projects. Your proposal is actually quite good, but I've heard that those effective medicinal bath formulas are all secret recipes of each family, which are difficult to get. Is your concocted formula reliable? Is it safe? Does it have any effect?"

  "There are four formulas in total, which are for rheumatism, skin itching and inflammation, fear of cold and physical weakness, and coughing and asthma. I've experimented on myself and they're definitely safe, but I don't know about their efficacy. My idea is that we first set up a few small pools, launch a medicinal bath project and let customers try it out for free. If it's effective, we can start charging formally. The initial investment will be shared by both of us - you provide the venue, and I'll buy the basins and prepare the medicine. If it works well, we'll split the profits equally." Ye Haodong showed a maturity that didn't belong to his age group, answering with confidence.

  Li Tengyu quickly weighed the pros and cons of this matter in his mind, deciding to give it a try. However, he had his own ideas about cooperation. "Alright, I agree to clear out a room for you to work on this medicinal bath, but my intention is that cooperation is just that - if this works out, I plan to pay you for your formula. Additionally, I've heard that you've also developed a set of massage techniques that have received great customer feedback. I'd like to ask you to share this technique with me as well, and help train some new employees I've hired. I'll give you another sum of money, the same amount as for your medicinal bath formula."

  Li Tengyu suddenly suggested that he help train new employees, which left Ye Haodong perplexed for a moment. Until he saw the several "employees" Li Tengyu had brought in from the south at great expense, everything became clear. More than a dozen beautiful young women, dressed fashionably and radiating youth and beauty, were an absolute novelty in this steel city of 1993, especially since the massage therapists Li Tengyu wanted to train were so special. This Mr. Li had a unique eye for talent, but who knows if his back was strong enough.

  Ye Haodong and Li Tengyu finally reached an agreement, although Li Tengyu's idea was a bit bullying, Ye Haodong had already made up his mind. The top student in the massage parlor is also a masseur. Although labor does not distinguish between nobility and humility, this degree of small success has never been the goal of Ye Haodong, who is ambitious. These few months of social practice have given him a new understanding of the things he learned from books and school. Looking at Li Tengyu's way of doing things, his future is really unpredictable, becoming his partner may not be a good thing. It's better to first get the first pot of gold from Li Tengyu, as for how to become the Wang Yongqing or Li Ka-shing of the mainland... it's a bit too far-sighted.