Life requires an unwavering, almost fanatical belief in victory; this belief is invincible. However, I only realized this decades later, when I had already lived a long and distant life. Looking back on those fleeting years and wasted time, I am filled with regret and pain. When I was very young, I had a distant relative's older brother. At that time, he had a very strong dream: to build his own new house. He spoke with such conviction that it is etched so deeply in my young mind. Many years have passed, and many other things have vanished without a trace. But this one thing remains.

He spoke with such conviction that the memory is so vivid in my young mind. Many years have passed, and many other things have faded into oblivion. But this one thing remains. When my brother first spoke of it, no one took it seriously. Even his parents thought he was just joking. Most people were just joining in the commotion, watching him like a spectator. Amidst the ridicule and mockery, my brother persisted in his dream. He firmly believed he could do it, and he was determined to do it.

So, he left home, first working at several construction sites, then learning various skills day and night. For several years, he worked tirelessly, from making bricks and tiles to laying foundations, building walls, and tiling. He learned the most difficult tasks, especially measuring foundations, digging trenches, and applying rubble, concrete, bricks, steel, cement, and wood. He endured much hardship before gradually mastering these skills. During those toughest days of working, his skin was tanned a deep tan, and the skin on his back and neck peeled off in layers like shredded paper. When he had mastered the craft, he started firing his own bricks, and then he made a batch of clay tiles.

Finally, his house was completed, standing out brightly among a group of old houses. Around the time I graduated from university, a classmate also left a deep impression on me. Before graduation, he was determined to find a decent job in a big city, but at that time, jobs weren't easy to find for our graduating class, especially since our major was somewhat unpopular. Many enterprises and institutions were undergoing large-scale restructuring, with many laying off and reassigning staff, and staffing quotas were strictly enforced. Although no one said it aloud, many people didn't think highly of him. Many saw him riding his bicycle every day, rain or shine, and thought he was wasting his time. The closer it got to graduation, the more frequently he went out, almost always carrying a large backpack. As far as I remember, he created many versions of the resume alone, repeatedly refining the format, visuals, and language with different people.

Graduation happened very quickly; it seemed like as soon as the graduation photos were taken, everyone immediately went their separate ways, with many returning to their hometowns.

However, just as he had initially decided, he finally landed a job at a large company a few days after graduation, securing what many considered a "golden rice bowl." This was another woman. Her long hair and quiet, ladylike appearance concealed an incredibly masculine heart. I remember the first time I saw her, I sat in the audience listening to her presentation, slowly beginning to listen to her teachings, her constant guidance. At the time, I felt a little out of place. Later, I inquired about her past. Then, I studied various materials, and through continuous observation, at least one thing immediately impressed me and left a very deep impression.

At that time, she had just left her job to join a large state-owned enterprise, coinciding with its market-oriented reforms. At that time, the marketization of state-owned enterprises faced many obstacles, the biggest being ideological resistance. Especially with no precedent to follow and a flood of newcomers, many at the forefront felt like they were being roasted alive. Perhaps no one expected that someone so outwardly gentle and mild-mannered would find such success.

At that time, in western Beijing, a group of farmers, encouraged by the government's new policies, pooled their money and secured bank loans through various mortgages to build a batch of houses. However, due to the inconvenient transportation and sparse population in the northwest border region, most of the houses remained unrented for two or three years after completion. They then sought help from various connections, channels, and even the government to take over the properties. Many people, upon hearing this news, shook their heads and left. Only she saw a business opportunity. She immediately went to meet with the farmers' representatives. The farmers seemed to be demanding at least one yuan per square meter per day, and they were prepared to accept a 50% discount if that wasn't possible. Unexpectedly, she didn't even blink and directly stated two yuan per square meter per day. However, many houses would need to be renovated or decorated according to their requirements.

The farmers were astonished, thinking they had misheard. Upon confirming they hadn't misheard, they immediately signed ten-year contracts. Then, her companion said to her, "Are you sure you're not mistaken? In this area, one yuan per square meter per day is already very high. This is a hot potato that many people wouldn't dare to take on." She said decisively, "That's right, one yuan per square meter per day is already very high in this area, but for me, soon, two yuan per square meter per day will be a very low cost price." Her companion was very doubtful.