Chapter 8: This Man Has Truly Changed

Chapter 8: This Man Has Truly Changed

His skills were indeed impressive.

With his tools in hand and a cardboard sign hung up, Chen Jianghai set off on his old-fashioned bicycle.

“Home appliance repair—big or small, I can fix them all!”

Along the way, many people watched Chen Jianghai energetically calling out, their eyes filled with curiosity.

In these times, many collected scrap, but going door to door to repair appliances was something no one had seen before.

People with such skills were rare in this small county town, and they never had trouble finding work.

“Young man, can you fix radios?”

An older woman stepped out of her house upon hearing him, stopping Chen Jianghai with a skeptical look.

After all, Chen Jianghai looked far too young.

With a broad smile, Chen Jianghai pointed to the sign on his handlebars and said, “Sister, see? If I can’t fix it, you don’t pay!”

Old-fashioned appliances like these were nothing to Chen Jianghai.

It was like a college student solving elementary school problems—effortless and certain.

The woman, probably in her early forties, was initially taken aback by being called “sister” by a man barely in his twenties. Then, a smile broke across her face as she waved him over.

“All right then, wait a moment—I’ll get the radio.”

Business coming his way was something Chen Jianghai certainly wouldn’t refuse.

Calling her “sister” had been a deliberate move to break the ice, and it clearly worked.

“All right, sister, I’ll wait right here.”

After parking his bike, Chen Jianghai scanned the crowd gathering nearby. Once he fixed this woman’s radio, business would flow easily.

After all, a woman whose vanity was well satisfied would naturally become an unwitting promoter, spreading word of his skills.

Soon, the woman returned with a radio, and the neighbors gathered, chatting excitedly.

“Jin’e, your radio’s broken?”

“Do you think this young repairman’s skills are reliable?”

“Jin’e, you try it first. If it works, I’ll bring mine over too. My radio always has that annoying static.”

The neighbors buzzed with anticipation, all waiting for Chen Jianghai to demonstrate his craft.

Despite the crowd, Chen Jianghai, a seasoned craftsman at heart, felt no nervousness. He took the radio and began examining it with practiced ease.

“Sister, three yuan to fix it?” After a moment, Chen Jianghai was confident enough to quote a price.

Though the woman was pleased by his repeated “sister” addresses, hearing the three-yuan repair fee caused her to wince.

“That’s too expensive!”

“Worth every penny!” Chen Jianghai said with a smile. “My sign’s clear: if I can’t fix it, you don’t pay, and I’ll even compensate!”

The woman seemed to agree, nodding and biting her lip slightly. “All right, go ahead and fix it. I’ll pay after it’s done.”

“No problem, sister.”

With the price settled, Chen Jianghai began repairs in front of the gathered neighbors.

Radios of this kind were technically simple, no challenge for him.

Before long, he finished.

Hearing the broadcast crackle back to life, the woman’s face lit up with joy. She gave a thumbs-up in sincere admiration. “Young master, your skill is impressive!”

Seeing this, the crowd finally affirmed Chen Jianghai’s abilities.

“That was quick! I’ll go get my radio!”

“Yeah! I just remembered, my TV often has static too. I’ll bring it over!”

Chen Jianghai was thrilled despite having anticipated this outcome. His hard work was paying off.

He quickly announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, don’t worry! Radios, TVs, refrigerators, washing machines—I fix them all. If your appliances break, come find me. I’m Chen Jianghai, living over on Qianjin Road. Just come by anytime.”

He seized the opportunity to advertise.

This was Chen Jianghai’s moment to shine.

By the 1990s, household appliances were becoming common in ordinary homes.

Yet there was no after-sales service. To get broken appliances fixed, one had to travel to the city’s professional repair shops.

That meant extra travel and repair fees—quite a burden.

Moreover, repair shops were few and often busy, sometimes making customers wait a week.

In an era when the average monthly wage was only around two hundred yuan, many simply endured minor appliance problems rather than spend more.

Chen Jianghai’s arrival changed all that.

For just a few yuan, he could repair household appliances—a bargain anyone would appreciate.

That entire afternoon, he was so busy he barely had time to drink water.

Neighbors hearing about this skilled craftsman invited him into their homes for repairs.

Chen Jianghai was not only skilled but also honest—never dragging out jobs or exaggerating issues.

A broken appliance in his hands could be fixed in minutes, or at most half an hour for more complex cases.

Of course, if parts needed replacing, he would tell the owner to buy the correct pieces first, then return the next day.

Riding the wave of business, Chen Jianghai covered several nearby streets in one go, easily earning a fair sum.

“Today’s earnings… over a hundred already.”

Counting the handful of one-, two-, and five-yuan bills, Chen Jianghai found he had just over a hundred yuan.

He wasn’t surprised—after working all afternoon with barely a break, this was to be expected.

Others would surely envy such a haul.

Chen Jianghai’s day’s income matched half a month’s wages for most people.

And there were still many households needing repairs; if parts were replaced, profits would be even higher.

If not for hurrying home to cook for Lin Wanqiu, Chen Jianghai wouldn’t have left.

The only slight disappointment was the lack of old, broken appliances brought in.

For him, that was the most lucrative business at the moment.

After buying groceries, Chen Jianghai returned home, put the items away, and headed to the kitchen.

Halfway through preparing the meal, Lin Wanqiu came home.

Seeing Chen Jianghai busy cooking, a light sparkled in her eyes—she seemed to glimpse hope.

After watching quietly for a moment, Lin Wanqiu wiped away tears from the corner of her eye, her face glowing with happiness.

This man had truly changed.

But Chen Jianghai, absorbed in cooking, hadn’t noticed her arrival.

“Chen Jianghai! Chen Jianghai!”

Suddenly, Lin Wanqiu’s slightly anxious voice came from the room.

Hearing her, Chen Jianghai immediately abandoned the stove and rushed into the room.

(The End of this Chapter)