Twelve people blocked the workshop demanding dividends, twenty-three thousand each, and would leave if not given. Zheng Yan only said fine, leave your work badges on the table. The next day eleven left, leaving only Aunt Qian. Relying on authorization badges, his father's twenty-year-old ledgers, a cabinet of old parts, and word of mouth, he expanded four workstations into eleven. Parts supply was cut off, capital bought out, black PR went live. He didn't defend himself, just pulled open a cabinet of old parts. At the review meeting, the notes his father didn't finish writing were read to the end: depend on yourself. The first batch relies on connections, the rest entirely on word of mouth.