Chapter 7: A Small Goal

Chapter 7: A Small Goal

Chen Jianghai was immediately at a loss. He had explained everything clearly, so why was Lin Wanqiu still crying so bitterly?

Anxious, Chen Jianghai pulled her into his arms, stroked her hair, and gently patted her back to comfort her. "Wanqiu, everything will be better from now on. I will work hard to earn money!"

"Chen... Jianghai, why didn't you... do this sooner? Why did you... let me suffer... so many grievances... before?" Lin Wanqiu sobbed as she spoke.

Chen Jianghai held her tightly, his own eyes reddening. He lowered his head and whispered earnestly into her ear, "Don't worry, I will never let you suffer like that again."

"Really?" Lin Wanqiu looked up and asked.

Looking at her pitiful face, Chen Jianghai gently stroked her hair and said softly, "Of course it's real. Why would I lie to you? Once I get the appliance shop up and running, the good days for our family will begin."

Lin Wanqiu felt as if she were in a dream. Wasn't this exactly what she had been longing for? More than wealth, she cared about Chen Jianghai living a grounded, steady life.

Chen Jianghai waited for a long time, but when he heard no response, he realized she had fallen asleep after crying for so long. Sigh, she had been truly exhausted and had suffered so much these past few years. He decided to let her have a good rest.

This cathartic cry had released much of the bitterness she had been suppressing, and she slept soundly until dawn. Upon waking, she sat on the edge of the bed, recalling Chen Jianghai's words from the night before. She couldn't help but smile brightly, her mood lifting significantly.

"Wanqiu, you're up? Breakfast is ready. Go wash up and come eat!" Chen Jianghai walked in carrying their breakfast, smiling at her.

Lin Wanqiu quickly got dressed, her cheeks flushing slightly. Seeing this, Chen Jianghai couldn't help but tease, "What are you doing? It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Lin Wanqiu’s face turned bright red, and she struggled to find her words. "You... what are you... saying!"

Knowing his wife was thin-skinned, Chen Jianghai laughed, "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. Come eat breakfast; I'm going to fry an egg for you." With that, he turned and headed into the kitchen. Watching his back, a wave of sweetness welled up in Lin Wanqiu's heart.

"Jianghai, what are you planning to do today?" Lin Wanqiu asked at the table.

Chen Jianghai answered truthfully, "I'll keep roaming the streets, looking for appliance repair jobs."

Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu felt much more at ease. As long as Chen Jianghai wasn't doing anything reckless, she was relieved. A sense of hope for the future began to sprout in her heart—perhaps life would be better now?

Appliance repair wasn't Chen Jianghai’s only goal. While roaming the neighborhoods, he intended to start a business buying up old, discarded appliances. Compared to repair work, refurbishing and reselling discarded items held much higher profit margins. He was confident that with his skills, as long as an appliance wasn't completely beyond saving, he could turn it into something valuable.

Take that radio, for example. As scrap, it was worth at most fifty cents, but after he repaired it, he could sell it for at least ten yuan! That was the value of technical skill. His ambition was far greater than just being a repairman; he wanted to own an appliance boutique, then an appliance group, and eventually an entire electrical empire.

"You'll see in the future," Chen Jianghai said with grand ambition, waving his hand. "Just remember, I won't lie to you."

"But where will you get the money to buy them?" Lin Wanqiu asked.

"Discarded appliances are sold as scrap, so they aren't expensive. I’ve already calculated it all," Chen Jianghai replied with a smile. "I'll give you a daily report so you can see whether we're making or losing money."

Setting down his chopsticks, Lin Wanqiu tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and said softly, "Jianghai, I don't demand great wealth. I would be satisfied just living a secure, steady life, even if it's a bit hard or tiring. Since you truly want to open this shop, I support you. But you must not be like you were before—starting things and giving up halfway. You have to do it properly."

Listening to her chatter, Chen Jianghai felt no impatience, only happiness. In his previous life, although he loved her, he had never had the patience to listen to such words.

After she finished speaking, Lin Wanqiu’s gaze fell on a bag nearby. "What's in there?"

"I earned fifty yuan from repairs yesterday. I passed by a clothing store and bought you a new outfit," Chen Jianghai said, taking the clothes out. When he turned back, he saw Lin Wanqiu looking down, her eyes moist again.

Chen Jianghai quickly set the clothes down, concerned. "What's wrong, Wanqiu? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no," Lin Wanqiu shook her head, wiping away her tears. "I'm just happy, really happy."

Chen Jianghai breathed a sigh of relief, stroked her hair, and said, "I will always make you happy from now on. I won't let you be sad again, my dear."

Hearing the word "dear," Lin Wanqiu's face turned beet red. "You... what are you saying!" Her face was flushed with a rosy glow. In this era, the way couples expressed affection was still very primitive and simple, unlike later generations where people would openly hug and whisper sweet nothings on the street.

Seeing her blushing, bashful expression, Chen Jianghai was filled with tenderness. To have such a beautiful, gentle, and virtuous wife—and to have failed to cherish her in his previous life—what a sin that had been!

He continued with a straight face, "What? You're my wife; aren't you my dear?"

Lin Wanqiu felt a tingling sensation throughout her body, a strange and wonderful feeling passing through her. "It's broad daylight, stop talking nonsense!" she said, giving him a playful, shy push.

Chen Jianghai nodded and laughed, "Alright, alright, dear. As you wish, I won't say it anymore. Why don't you try on the clothes to see if they fit?"

"No, no, I have to get to work! I'll try them on tonight!" With that, before Chen Jianghai could react, she hurried out the door.

Watching her figure disappear, Chen Jianghai frowned. He needed to get her a good bicycle—no, a Mulan moped—as a means of transport. Walking to and from work was just too tiring! In the nineties, you no longer needed a bicycle ticket to buy one; as long as you had the money, you could buy it. Most working people could afford a bicycle. As for mopeds, they were true luxury items, costing several thousand yuan. In this day and age, anyone riding a moped was at least a "ten-thousand-yuan household."

Giving his wife a Mulan moped became Chen Jianghai's next small goal.