The City of Los Angeles is located on the West Coast of America. Compared to the flat plains of the east, the terrain here is undulating, and the city's architecture possesses a kind of diversified magic.
For the locals living in Los Angeles, although it's not perfect, it is still quite nice.
After all, Saint Rodu is a world-renowned metropolis.
Like most large cities, it attracts many young people from other places every year.
These youngsters come from South America, the Baltic Sea, Australia, and various other regions, all with a simple idea in mind.
Find a job in Los Angeles, then work hard and stay.
They believe they are not afraid of hardship.
The original body of Cheng Daqi, reborn, thought the same way.
Unfortunately.
The bustling Los Angeles does not belong to him; it does not belong to these newcomers living on the fringes of society.
Cheng Daqi, dressed in clothes he had just picked up from a relief point, scanned the street-side stores in search.
He needed to find a place to shower, not necessarily a self-service car wash, but he hadn't thought of anything better yet.
Human understanding is always limited. Even with his rich social experience, he couldn't adapt well to the environment on the West Coast of America.
Walking on the streets of an unfamiliar city, he felt a bit nervous, but in his heart, Cheng Daqi was filled with more longing for the future.
A healthy body, with the assistance of the "Strongest Vagrant System", everything seemed like it could get better.
His body was young once again.
Everyone has youthful aspirations and dreams of becoming the finest in the world.
In his past life, Cheng Daqi had struggled for decades, only to end up with a hero's heart without freedom.
Fortunately, the gears of fate turned, and he was given a chance to start over.
Everything seemed possible; it's not too late.
Opening his phone, he confirmed the name of the street sign according to the address he had found, and gradually he arrived at the entrance of Hanks' auto repair shop.
This was his first chosen target—he also wanted to try and find a job on the side.
Cheng Daqi had once run his own auto repair shop very well, so well that it was taken over by the local ruffians to the point of becoming desecrated.
He did not look for chain auto repair brands, but instead, he sought out a local small shop.
As long as the owner was willing to hire.
Cheng Daqi was confident in his ability to impress the shop's owner.
Starting a new life as an auto repair worker was an acceptable option for Cheng Daqi.
Many of his skills were no longer relevant outside of his home country and former circles.
But his craftsmanship would not let him down.
It was what he had studied most diligently during the years of his youth.
Cheng Daqi stood across the street from Hanks' auto repair shop, sizing up this seemingly old shop.
The self-service car wash on the left was empty, indicating that his plan to sneak a shower here was not going to work.
He rubbed his hair, just to appear as presentable as possible, and then crossed the road and entered the shop.
"Hello, can I help you with anything?"
Hanks stopped his maintenance work on the pipe, looked up with a smile, and asked the young man who had just walked in.
Although Cheng Daqi's hair looked as if it had not been washed for days, such superficial issues were of no concern in America.
"Good afternoon, in fact, I am looking for a job as an auto mechanic," Cheng Daqi replied as he observed Hanks' expression and introduced himself.
His eyes were determined, and he spoke neither hurriedly nor slowly, but he made sure to enunciate each word clearly and powerfully.
"I come from Hua Country, and as you can hear, my English is pretty good. In Hua Country, I worked as an auto mechanic for five years.
I can do sheet metal work, mechanical repairs, and painting. Can you give me a chance to prove myself?"
Old Hanks put down his pipe, visibly surprised.
He had expected a customer, but this visitor was here looking for a job.
He knew of Hua Country, but he heard something different in Cheng Daqi's words.
A mechanic with good English could easily find a decent job at one of those big chain auto repair shops.
His shop was just an ordinary repair shop with a community of regular customers.
"Alright, Hanks, you can call me Hanks. You're saying you want to work as an auto mechanic here, is that right?"
Hanks's thick white beard trembled as he confirmed Cheng Daqi's intentions.
"Cheng, you can call me Cheng. Yes, I have a lot of experience in auto repairs, and if you need some extra hands, why not let me give it a try?"
Cheng Daqi replied with a smile, his language brimming with confidence.
'Ding, Elocution LV1 has been activated. Communication efficiency and persuasion success rate increased.'
'Host, would you like to hide the skill activation notifications?'
The system's notification made Cheng Daqi's heart skip a beat, but he remained smiling, maintaining a gentle demeanor.
The Strongest Vagrant System had given him a pleasant surprise.
Considering he only had a few skills from the system at the moment, Cheng Daqi chose not to hide them.
"Chan? As in Jackie Chan? I know that, Chinese kung fu."
Old Hanks chuckled as he teased Cheng Daqi about his name.
Cheng Daqi, hearing Old Hanks's teasing, thought things were looking up.
However, the hope that had just risen in his heart was quickly dashed by the next words from the white-bearded uncle.
"However, I need to confirm something. Do you not have legal status?"
Cheng Daqi's expression became tense, and after a brief moment of thought, he answered.
"Listen, Mr. Hanks, I could make up a lot of excuses, such as my passport or entry documents being stolen, and so forth.
But my conscience tells me that I cannot lie to someone as respected and trusted as you, or rather, I won't lie to anyone.
I must admit that I am someone who came to Los Angeles by smuggling, and I don't have legal status yet.
But like all the youth with dreams, I merely hope to realize my aspirations in this beautiful country through my abilities."
Sincerity is the foundation of all cooperation, which is a basic principle of life Cheng Daqi had learned over the past decade.
Sincerity itself is worthless, but the reputation it earns is worth its weight in gold.
Just one thing, never equate sincerity with having no reservations at all.
That is a folly's notion.
Old Hanks was clearly moved by Cheng Daqi's words.
He was just a high school graduate, and communication like Cheng Daqi's was something he had only seen in TV dramas.
The white-bearded uncle waved his hand dismissively, then put it down.
"Chan, I'm just the owner of a small auto repair shop, not worthy of the trust and respect you're talking about, you understand?"
Cheng Daqi of course knew it was hopeless here, but he did not become disheartened and replied with a smile.
"Everything in your shop is tidy and in order. Even though the tools are lying on the floor, I can tell at a glance that they are all in the most handy positions. Doesn't that show an ability worthy of trust?
Isn't it respectable how this small shop has managed to survive amidst the competition with so many chain stores in the City of Los Angeles?"