The workers pedaling bicycles to work were like locusts, growing from a few to dozens in just a few months.
Their bicycles were very rudimentary, without shock absorbers, and the wooden wheels clattered on the road, making for a truly bumpy ride, and after riding for a while, their buttocks would ache from the vibration.
But no matter what, it was a symbol of status. Enduring a little hardship was worth it as long as they could enjoy the envious glances from others.
...
The development of the bicycle industry created the island's first batch of "upstarts." Carpenters of all skills, whether craftsmen or those with mediocre skills, received orders to manufacture bicycles.
Sugar cubes flooded into their pockets like mad from the other islanders, and as the number of bicycles increased, their assets swelled accordingly.
Moreover, some visionary individuals even taught themselves to collect "after-sales service fees" —
