Is there any particular protocol to this?

"Little Chen, I'm going to get my bicycle. Please wait for me a moment."

Director Qi glanced at Chen Jianghai's bicycle and said.

"No problem, Director Qi, I'll wait right here."

Chen Jianghai nodded in response.

Soon, Director Qi rode out on his bicycle and led Chen Jianghai toward Youth Road.

Along the way, the two of them exchanged very few words.

Twenty minutes later, Director Qi in the lead finally came to a stop and pointed at a new house by the roadside.

"We're here, this is the place."

Chen Jianghai nodded and cast a glance around.

Judging by appearances, Director Qi's living conditions were quite impressive; there was even an air conditioner in the new house.

This was a quintessential middle-class home!

At present, ordinary people could not afford to use such a luxury even if they could buy it.

After all, electricity bills were truly not cheap compared to average wages.

Especially since the air conditioners of this era, limited by technology, consumed a massive amount of power.

Running one for a month would undoubtedly rack up a hefty electricity bill.

After parking his bicycle and following Director Qi into the house, Chen Jianghai realized he had still underestimated the director's family background.

Virtually every appliance currently available on the market could be found in Director Qi's home, and some were even imported goods.

Chen Jianghai couldn't help but remark, "Director Qi, you've got every household appliance completely covered!"

"Haha!"

Director Qi didn't mind at all and laughed heartily, "They were all bought by my son and daughter. How would the likes of us know anything about these fancy things!"

"Director Qi, you're blessed! Your children are capable and so filial," Chen Jianghai flattered with a smile.

Director Qi looked quite pleased and waved his hand dismissively. "Blessed or not, I wouldn't know. All I know is that when these things break down, repairing them is a huge hassle. And now, I have to trouble you with it."

"It's no trouble at all, Director Qi. Whenever there's an issue with the appliances at home, just let my wife know, and I'll take charge of the repairs."

To make his wife's work life more comfortable, Chen Jianghai immediately made his stance clear.

The look Director Qi directed at Chen Jianghai grew increasingly approving as he smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

"Not at all. Where is the air conditioner?" Chen Jianghai asked directly.

Director Qi pointed toward a room on the second floor: "Right in there."

Subsequently, Director Qi led Chen Jianghai to the second floor and unlocked the room.

The room was reasonably tidy, and the indoor unit of the air conditioner needing repair was mounted right above the head of the bed.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jianghai furrowed his brow slightly.

Director Qi noticed and asked, "What is it, Little Chen?"

"Director Qi, the spot where this air conditioner is installed is rather inappropriate," Chen Jianghai said candidly.

Director Qi was momentarily stunned, then asked, "Is there some trick to this as well?"

Chen Jianghai explained unhurriedly, "Of course. Installing the air conditioner in this position has several drawbacks. First, the condensation might leak onto the bed. Second, blowing cold air directly onto a person makes it very easy to catch a cold or contract air-conditioning sickness."

"Third, hanging it right over the head of the bed is unsafe. What if it isn't installed securely and falls, hitting someone? Fourth, the noise will be quite loud and affect your sleep. As for the last reason, well, that has to do with me."

At the end, Chen Jianghai pointed at himself with a beaming smile.

Director Qi had been listening very attentively and felt that what Chen Jianghai was saying made complete sense.

However, upon hearing the final reason, he suddenly felt something was amiss. He frowned as he looked at Chen Jianghai and asked with a hint of perplexity, "What does it have to do with you?"

"Naturally, it makes repairs terribly inconvenient!" Chen Jianghai replied with a smile.

Director Qi was taken aback at first, then nodded in profound agreement. "You're right, it is indeed quite troublesome. No wonder my son has been catching colds so easily lately; it seems it was caused by this."

Chen Jianghai nodded. "So it's best to change the orientation so it doesn't blow directly onto people."

"Then I'll have to trouble you to help me relocate it later!" Director Qi concurred.

"That's easy enough to handle! By the way, after all this talk, I still don't know what the malfunction is."

"I have no idea, it just stopped working altogether."

Director Qi shook his head and replied.

Chen Jianghai looked around the room. "Director Qi, do you have a ladder at home?"

Director Qi hurriedly answered, "Yes, yes, yes. It's downstairs."

After fetching the ladder, Chen Jianghai conducted a thorough inspection. The indoor unit was fine, so he went outside to check the outdoor unit and found no faults there either.

That left only one remaining possibility: the problem lay at the connection point between the indoor and outdoor units.

Chen Jianghai traced the wiring, and just as he expected, the trouble was right there.

The wires connecting the indoor and outdoor units were supposed to be wrapped in waterproof insulating tape, but ordinary tape had been used here instead.

Over time, exposed to wind and rain, the tape had long since aged and peeled off, which was why the air conditioner failed to operate normally.

Chen Jianghai checked the wiring carefully once more, and finding no other issues, he re-wrapped it securely with waterproof insulating tape.

Returning to the room, Chen Jianghai plugged in the power and picked up the remote control. With a soft beep, the air conditioner emitted a low hum and then started up normally, ready for use.

"Little Chen, you are simply amazing! You fixed it in no time at all," Director Qi praised, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Ah, it wasn't a major issue. Once you locate the source of the problem, fixing it isn't much trouble."

Chen Jianghai smiled.

"How much do I owe you?"

Director Qi assumed Chen Jianghai was just being modest, so he didn't dwell on the subject and asked straightforwardly.

Chen Jianghai waved his hand. "No need, no need. It was just a matter of wrapping it with some tape."

"That won't do!"

Director Qi dropped his smile and said with a serious expression, "Little Chen, I can't let you do hard work for nothing. If you don't take any money, I won't have the face to ask you to come over next time!"

Seeing how insistent Director Qi was, Chen Jianghai casually named a sum: "Alright, then just give me two yuan!"

"Isn't that a bit too little?" Director Qi couldn't help asking.

Chen Jianghai shook his head. "Director Qi, I told you it was a minor issue. You saw it for yourself just now—I only reconnected a wire."

Hearing Chen Jianghai put it this way, Director Qi found it hard to argue further and readily paid the money.

"Thank you this time, Master Little Chen," Director Qi said courteously as he escorted Chen Jianghai to the door.

"Director Qi, whenever there's an issue with the appliances at home in the future, just have Wanqiu let me know, and I'll be right over the next day."

Chen Jianghai reiterated.

"Then many thanks to you, Master Little Chen!"

Director Qi expressed his gratitude.

Chen Jianghai waved dismissively. "It's nothing. You're Wanqiu's supervisor and have taken good care of her, so this is only right."

Director Qi clearly caught the subtext of Chen Jianghai's words, nodded, and said, "Rest assured, I will definitely look after Comrade Wanqiu properly at the factory and won't let her suffer any unfair treatment."

Chen Jianghai smiled knowingly.

This was precisely the assurance he wanted from Director Qi.

"Then let me thank you in advance, Director Qi," Chen Jianghai said gratefully.

Director Qi waved generously. "A minor matter, a minor matter."

"Well then, Director Qi, I'll be on my way."

"Alright, take care on the road!"

After leaving Director Qi's place, Chen Jianghai took a stroll around the street. Seeing that it was almost noon, he headed straight for Lin Wanqiu's factory.