Chapter 8: All Encounters Are Not Meaningless

Old Hank opened his mouth, genuinely touched by Chan's words. But thinking about the rumors of hiring illegal immigrants cheaply and encountering various big problems, he suppressed his thoughts. Shaking his head, Old Hank took out five twenty-dollar bills from the counter and handed them to Chan.

"I really want to give you a chance, but, for many reasons, for many reasons, Chan, you're a smart young man, and this is all I can do to help you. Good luck," Old Hank said.

Chan laughed heartily, putting the money Old Hank handed him back on the counter and jokingly said, "Come on, would you have accepted charity like this when you were young?"

Old Hank was a bit puzzled at first, wondering why an illegal immigrant would refuse US dollars. But after hearing Chan's words, he nodded in understanding.

"Alright, Chan, consider it a loan from me. Although it's our first meeting, I'm willing to trust you."

How does one build trust with a stranger?

Step into their comfort zone—enter their store.

Express the purpose of seeking employment, show vulnerability—reduce one's own threat level.

Communicate honestly and effectively—establish a reliable impression.

Now, Old Hank had preliminary trust in Chan. He was willing to lend or, rather, give a hundred dollars to Chan. To boost Chan's American dream.

"I have to congratulate you, Mr. Hank. Your investment will surely yield a good return!" Chan put away the five twenty-dollar bills, shook hands with Mr. Hank, and left the auto repair shop.

Old Hank watched Chan's departing figure in astonishment, then continued to lower his head and maintain his pipe.

All encounters are not meaningless.

As long as you're observant and adaptable, you can always gain something from them.

A person's life is short in just a few decades.

From ignorant infancy to thoughtful youth, it takes over a decade.

The real time for building a career is only the thirty years from twenty to fifty.

After that, it's about maintaining, not expanding.

Of course, there are always exceptional individuals, but there are more ordinary people.

Chan never thought of himself as extraordinary.

He had seen too many people who were better off, started higher, smarter, and, most frighteningly, worked harder than him.

When rolling in the dust, everyone is muddy, who can tell which one is a gem around them?

But as you ascend, even just a little bit, not too far or too much, you'll see various temporary luminaries.

Chan had encountered the exceptionally brilliant, the adept decision-makers, and the daring and meticulous.

He eventually concluded his only advantage: perseverance.

Perseverance in thinking, growing, changing, and acting.

Even if he became a homeless person, what was there to fear?

Just do it.

One auto repair shop rejected me, so what? I, Chan, can find ten more!

Ten auto repair shops rejected me, so what? Let's change the approach!

What if changing the approach doesn't work?

Then it's time to reassess and see what leverage points are available in the situation.

Chan understood.

Life is about moving forward in the face of adversity.

Time is the fair shackle that locks your life in just a few short decades.

Friends, raise your hand, look at the clock, see how that needle spins, how that shackle tightens more and more!

Tightly wound.

That's the scariest part!

People always hope that as time passes, their lives will improve.

But uncertainty lies in whether life will be good, while with the passage of time, your choices will only diminish.

Swim against the current, climb the ladder of life.

The river of time is extremely turbulent, fairly eroding everyone.

The process of perseverance is extremely painful. The more hardships you encounter, the more you need to persevere, and the more you're tormented by the urge to give up.

It wasn't until the third failed surgery that Chan finally gave up.

Destiny.

Wasted efforts, defeated by destiny.

Wanting to start a family and support parents, but ended up with nothing after all the effort.

In this life, Chan's family members had already confirmed their absence, and his father's name didn't appear in any traces of his hometown.

In life, many things ultimately boil down to three words: too late.

Time is limited, so Chan could only try his best to grow in every crevice.

He chose to make every encounter meaningful.

With the same time and experiences, Chan aimed to gain more than others.

Review the process, extract highlights, and summarize gains.

Persist in doing so, having a healthy body is already the greatest wealth.

Now all he had to do was to do his best at every step.

So, on this afternoon in Santa Los, the streets saw a figure that knew no weariness.

From one auto repair shop to another.

Having sorted out bathing, Chan received a heap of rejections.

"Grace's Auto Service"

"Really like your positive attitude, but we're fully staffed, and I can't let an old employee go just for you. Try elsewhere."

"Neighborhood Bros Auto"

"Man, we don't welcome Asians here. Leave!"

"Marilyn's Repairs"

"You've seen it yourself, business is slow, and I can't afford to keep another mechanic, even if you're willing to work for low wages. We just don't have enough work for two people."

"Biker Boyz"

"If you're not a customer, get lost. Anyone can claim to be a mechanic now, do you even know anything about motorcycles?"

"Boris's Car Service"

"Hahaha, you can do everything, then we'd be out of a job. Don't even think about meeting our boss, get lost and don't let me catch you nearby, or you'll be in trouble."

"Quality Repairs"

"Not hiring. Let me make it clear, we only hire white people, got it? Don't go spreading this outside."

"Uncle Don's Auto"

"You might be talented, but you're an illegal immigrant. What if you steal and run away? I'm afraid I can't give you this opportunity."

"Great Pre-Owned Cars"

"We deal with antique cars, mostly American ones. Your experience in automotive repair in China has nothing to do with antique cars, right?"

How many failures can crush a person's will?

For some, it's just one; they become helpless at the slightest setback.

Others can endure more, with rich experience facing life, but they retreat after a few failures.

Chan was different.

He didn't consider today's encounters as failures.

His worth didn't need others to define it.

This shop can't cooperate? On to the next one.

Next time, just improve the method when discussing cooperation.

If the next one also refuses, there must be other reasons, and it's okay to accept them.

Discrimination, prejudice, arrogance—all are societal norms.

Besides, he had encountered people like Old Hank, who generously helped, and those who let him use the employee restroom.

It's precisely because of the hardships and challenges that the sense of achievement after reaching a goal is heightened.