Chapter 25: The Concept of After-Sales Service

Once the television program came to an end, Mo Xinmei finally noticed Chen Jianghai, who had been busy working on his own in the corner.

"Tell me, Jianghai, what are you doing there?" Mo Xinmei asked curiously, stealing a glance at his work.

Before Chen Jianghai could answer, Lin Wanqiu spoke up first. "Sister Mei, Jianghai has been doing some repair work lately. He takes on side jobs, and if he can't finish them on the spot, he brings them home."

It must be said that Lin Wanqiu was quite sharp; she did not rush to broadcast that Chen Jianghai was assembling his own appliances.

Chen Jianghai smiled at Mo Xinmei in acknowledgment. The unspoken understanding between the couple seemed to reach a new height in that very moment.

"Sister-in-law, is this repair business really that profitable?" Mo Xinmei’s eyes darted as she followed up.

Lin Wanqiu gave a noncommittal reply: "It's alright. Just enough to cover our household expenses."

Hearing this, Chen Jianghai silently gave his wife a thumbs-up.

"Jianghai, do you need any help? Fu Qiang could come over and assist you," Mo Xinmei suddenly suggested.

Chen Jianghai paused, then looked at Fu Qiang, who was watching him with hopeful eyes.

"Sister Mei, the rice bowl of repair work isn't so easy to eat from," Chen Jianghai said unhurriedly.

The reason behind Mo Xinmei’s inquiry was simple: Fu Qiang was about to be laid off, and she was desperate to find a backup plan for him.

"That doesn't matter! He used to do repairs at the factory; he can learn," Mo Xinmei urged quickly.

Chen Jianghai waved his hand. "If I recall correctly, Brother Qiang worked on lathe repairs, right?"

"It’s about the same, it’s all repair work! As long as you’re willing to show him the ropes, you call the shots!" Mo Xinmei gave Fu Qiang a look and prompted, "Old Fu, isn't that right?"

"Yes, yes, exactly!" Fu Qiang nodded eagerly.

Chen Jianghai knew that reasoning with them in this situation was useless. If he were to bluntly extinguish their hope, Mo Xinmei would likely gossip about him behind his back.

"Fine. There’s no problem with him learning from me, but have you two really thought this through?" Chen Jianghai asked with a serious expression.

Hearing this, Mo Xinmei’s face lit up. She grabbed Fu Qiang and nodded. "Of course we have! Right, Old Fu?"

Beside them, Lin Wanqiu’s expression shifted slightly. She hadn't expected Chen Jianghai to agree so quickly; it felt a bit rash.

"There is one thing I must make clear first," Chen Jianghai said, having caught the change in Lin Wanqiu's expression, yet pressing on with a warning.

"What is it?" Mo Xinmei asked immediately. "Just say it, I'm sure my Old Fu will be fine with anything."

Chen Jianghai gestured toward the parts on the table. "Sister Mei, do you know how long I’ve been studying this repair craft?"

"How long?" she asked, confused.

"The years I’ve spent at home were essentially spent learning this. Even with Brother Qiang's foundation, he would need to study for three or four years before he could become a master," Chen Jianghai said, gesturing with his fingers.

Upon hearing that it would take three to four years to see results, Mo Xinmei’s expression changed instantly.

"It takes that long? Didn't you only start learning recently?" she muttered to herself.

Chen Jianghai laughed. "Sister Mei, you’re thinking too simply. If it were that easy, I would have made a fortune long ago."

Both Mo Xinmei and Fu Qiang were left dumbfounded.

Chen Jianghai continued, "Three or four years isn't long, but it isn't short either. It will pass before you know it."

"Why don't we give it a try?" Fu Qiang couldn't help but suggest.

"Try what?" Mo Xinmei glared at him sharply. "Look at you! Who knows how many years it would take for you to learn? It would be a complete waste of time."

She then turned to Chen Jianghai with a smile. "Jianghai, let's just forget about it! My man is a bit slow; he certainly won't be able to learn it. Let's not waste the effort."

"Don't be like that," Chen Jianghai said, raising an eyebrow. "I was actually looking for an apprentice to help me out. Why don't we have Brother Fu start working for me?"

Mo Xinmei’s face shifted again. She quickly grabbed Fu Qiang and said, "Forget it, there's no need. We have things to do at home, so we'll head back now. We won't disturb your television time anymore."

Without waiting for a response, she dragged Fu Qiang away in a hurry.

Watching them disappear, Lin Wanqiu finally couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter. "You, you really are..." She searched for a word but couldn't find the right one.

Chen Jianghai replied with a straight face, "It's nine o'clock. You know what that means, right?"

Lin Wanqiu reluctantly turned off the TV, grabbed her washbasin, and went to freshen up.

Two days later, Fang Aiguo arrived with a glowing face.

"Brother Hai, the goods are all sold! Here is all the money—seven hundred and fifty yuan. You count it." He pulled a stack of bills from his pocket and slapped them heavily onto the table.

Chen Jianghai pulled out one hundred and fifty and handed it to Fang Aiguo. "Here, as we agreed, this is your sales commission."

"Thanks, Brother Hai!" Fang Aiguo beamed as he took the money.

"Did they sell well?" Chen Jianghai asked casually.

Fang Aiguo’s eyes lit up as he spoke enthusiastically, "They sold great! A new radio on the market costs at least a hundred. Now, people can get an eighty-percent-new one for fifty, plus the after-sales service you mentioned—any fool knows which to choose. People are even coming to me personally to buy them now!"

The concept of "after-sales service" was something Chen Jianghai had brought up to Fang Aiguo last time. In this era, such a concept didn't exist, and skilled repairmen were rare. Once an appliance broke, owners were usually left helpless. Naturally, appliances with a warranty were in high demand.

Chen Jianghai smiled. "As long as they sell well. Once the volume goes up, we’ll both make a fortune."

"You're right, Brother Hai. We’re definitely going to be rich," Fang Aiguo said, his eyes full of anticipation.

Chen Jianghai suddenly remembered something. "When you were selling the radios, did you run into anyone looking to sell old or broken appliances?"

"Broken appliances?" Fang Aiguo looked puzzled.

Chen Jianghai nodded. "Yes, the kind that are broken and don't work, but look fine on the outside. Are there any like that?"

"Of course!" Fang Aiguo replied immediately. "I’ve got a broken black-and-white TV at home! It’s not worth anything as scrap, but nobody wants to throw it away, so it’s just gathering dust."

Chen Jianghai felt a surge of excitement. That was pure gold!

"Aiguo, next time you see things like that, just collect them for me. I have a use for them," Chen Jianghai instructed.

Fang Aiguo paused, scratching his head in confusion. "Brother Hai, what do you want with that junk?"