Chapter 54: Let me do it!

After all, Fang Aiguo used to be a good-for-nothing, just like Chen Jianghai—idle, unmotivated, and aiming too high.
Yet now, he was actually helping Jianghai sell televisions?
And he had already sold five of them!
"You... how much did you sell them for?"
Lin Wanqiu couldn't help asking.
She wondered if Fang Aiguo had sold them too cheaply, or at such a low price that people bought them easily just to snap up a bargain.
Chen Jianghai smiled and said, "Wanqiu, don't you worry. Aiguo has a real talent for sales. The price he sold them at definitely won't cause your husband to lose money."
Hearing Chen Jianghai say this, Lin Wanqiu felt somewhat awkward and quickly explained, "I didn't mean it that way. I just..."
Before Lin Wanqiu could finish, Chen Jianghai interrupted, "Wife, rest assured. Aiguo genuinely wants to build a career now, right, Aiguo?"
Chen Jianghai turned his head to look at Fang Aiguo.
With his head bowed over his rice bowl, wishing he could blend into the background as an invisible person, Fang Aiguo nodded vigorously. "Sister-in-law, don't worry. I will definitely follow Brother Hai and work hard."
Lin Wanqiu felt even more awkward now. She forced a smile and said, "That's good, that's good! Jianghai really does need a helping hand."
Chen Jianghai knew that a few words alone wouldn't change Lin Wanqiu's impression of Fang Aiguo—it was just like how it had been with him at first.
Therefore, he needed to do something direct.
The more visually impactful, the better.
"Look, this is the money earned from selling the televisions."
With that, Chen Jianghai took out the thick wad of cash that Fang Aiguo had handed him earlier.
If this were in a later era, a little over a thousand yuan would just be a thin stack of a dozen bills, hardly noticeable in one's hand.
Yet the ones in Chen Jianghai's hand consisted of only three 100-yuan bills bearing the portrait of Chairman Mao.
The rest were mostly fifty-yuan and ten-yuan bills.
There were even a few five-yuan bills mixed in...
Coupled with the fact that it wasn't bound by a rubber band, it looked like a substantial, thick stack.
Seeing so much money, Lin Wanqiu couldn't quite believe her eyes. She widened them and asked, "Jianghai, this, this is...?"
"This is the money Aiguo helped me earn. In the future, there's going to be even more."
Chen Jianghai said with a smile, while giving Fang Aiguo a subtle glance.

Fang Aiguo more or less grasped Chen Jianghai's meaning and hurriedly chimed in, "Sister-in-law, I know I used to be completely unreliable, but now that Brother Hai trusts me this much and is bringing me along to do business, I certainly won't let him down."
A slight blush crept across Lin Wanqiu's face, and she whispered, "Aiguo, I... I didn't say anything about you!"
Of course, Chen Jianghai wouldn't let his wife feel too awkward; such matters were best left at a gentle hint.
He waved his hand and said, "Wanqiu, I still have a use for this money, so I won't put it in savings for you just yet. Now you know how your husband makes money, right? Stop worrying yourself blindly."
"I was only worried!" Lin Wanqiu muttered under her breath.
Chen Jianghai continued, "There's completely no need to worry. With Aiguo helping me, in a little while you won't even need to go to work anymore—you can just stay home comfortably and count money!"
"Oh, you, stop bragging!"
With that, Lin Wanqiu took the initiative to pick up some food and put it in Aiguo's bowl. "Aiguo, it was just your sister-in-law overthinking things earlier. Don't take it to heart!"
"Huh?" Fang Aiguo suddenly felt his brain short-circuit for a moment.
He never would have imagined that Lin Wanqiu, who used to look at him with disdain, was now actually serving food into his bowl.
"No, no, thank you, Sister-in-law!" Fang Aiguo blurted out immediately.
One had to admit that the feeling of being respected was truly wonderful.
By the end of the meal, the distance between Lin Wanqiu and Fang Aiguo had closed significantly. They no longer sat together in awkward silence like before.
"Brother Hai, Sister-in-law, it's getting late, so I'll be heading back."
After finishing the meal, Fang Aiguo sensibly stood up and said.
Chen Jianghai nodded. "Hurry back then! Don't forget to come pick up the televisions tomorrow."
"I won't forget. I'm off."
With that, Fang Aiguo straddled his bicycle, pedaled furiously, and vanished into the night in a flash.
Chen Jianghai stood up, intending to wash the dishes, but was stopped by Lin Wanqiu.
"Jianghai, let me do it!" Lin Wanqiu said gently.
Chen Jianghai shook his head. "Wanqiu, you spent the whole day working at the factory, you should get some proper rest!"
"No way!"
Lin Wanqiu pushed Chen Jianghai back down onto his stool and stubbornly declared, "I worked all day, but didn't you hustle all day too? Besides, you cooked the meal, so washing the dishes should be up to me—that's only fair."
Looking at the stubborn Lin Wanqiu, Chen Jianghai ultimately compromised.
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you." He smiled and nodded.
A smile finally bloomed on Lin Wanqiu's face. "It should be this way in the first place, and it'll be like this from now on."

"Fine, everything as the Mrs. commands."
Watching his virtuous and caring wife, Chen Jianghai's eyes were filled with deep affection.
After finishing the dishes, Lin Wanqiu returned to the bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed, and asked, "Jianghai, Aiguo is helping you out so much, aren't you giving him a cut of the money?"
"Well, Wanqiu, didn't you dislike him before? How come you're suddenly concerned about whether he gets a cut?"
Since there were no outsiders around, Chen Jianghai couldn't resist teasing her.
A blush rushed to Lin Wanqiu's cheeks. Knowing that Chen Jianghai was deliberately making fun of her, she chided, "Well, he didn't use to apply himself, so of course I disliked him! Now that he's earnestly helping you get things done, you certainly shouldn't treat him unfairly either."
"Don't worry, the money that belongs to him was given to him long ago. Naturally, I wouldn't treat him unfairly."
"How much did you give him?" Lin Wanqiu pressed on, unable to resist asking.
Chen Jianghai felt that Lin Wanqiu right now was acting just like a miser, yet he didn't feel the slightest bit annoyed by it.
"That's a trade secret, I can't possibly tell you," Chen Jianghai said with mock mystery.
If Lin Wanqiu actually found out, she would probably start fretting and muttering to herself all over again.
After all, giving a commission of fifty yuan for a single television was no small sum.
In her mindset—during an era in a small county where a regular factory worker's monthly salary was only two hundred yuan—how could she possibly comprehend someone earning a fifty-yuan commission just for selling one TV?
"Alright, wife, it's getting so late, let's turn in early!"
Gently pulling Lin Wanqiu's slender waist toward him and kissing her soft earlobe, Chen Jianghai said softly.
"Mmm!"
Understanding what Chen Jianghai meant, Lin Wanqiu blushed deeply and gave a shy, consenting murmur.
...
The next morning, after wrapping up his chores around the house, Chen Jianghai headed out with the repaired pager.
Now that he had some cash on hand, Chen Jianghai decided to go pay the service fees. The sooner this gadget was put into use, the more convenient communication would be.
When he arrived at the warehouse, Zhao Zhaogui was already waiting by the door early in the morning.
Seeing Zhao Zhaogui sitting in the corner of the doorway, Chen Jianghai couldn't help saying, "Changgui, there's no need for you to come this early. Nine o'clock is fine. If there's anything you need to handle at home, it's completely fine to come in a bit later."
"Brother Chen, it's nothing," Zhao Zhaogui quickly stood up and replied in a muffled tone.
As he unlocked the door, Chen Jianghai asked, "Where is Yuxi? Won't she feel bored staying home all by herself? Why don't you bring her here as well?"