Chapter 9: Why Are You Here Again?

Chapter 9: Why Are You Here Again?

"Wanqiu, what's wrong?"

Upon entering the room, Chen Jianghai saw Lin Wanqiu standing by the table, appearing normal, which made him quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

"What's the matter?"

Lin Wanqiu pointed at the money on the table, her eyes wide and voice trembling slightly. "Where... where did you get so much money?"

Hearing her question, Chen Jianghai couldn't help but smile.

So that was it!

"I earned it from repairing appliances today," Chen Jianghai replied calmly, as if it were something quite ordinary.

Lin Wanqiu frowned, a little surprised. "You... earned over a hundred?"

"What's so difficult about that?" Chen Jianghai chuckled. "If I hadn’t been in a hurry to come back and cook, I’d still be over there fixing things!"

Lin Wanqiu looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Chen Jianghai’s transformation was so great that she found it hard to believe.

With a smile, Chen Jianghai said, "Wanqiu, I told you, I will make sure you live a good life. I promise. Alright, I’ll go start cooking. You go wash your face and wait for me."

With that, Chen Jianghai headed into the kitchen, leaving Lin Wanqiu standing there, stunned.

After enjoying a delicious dinner, Lin Wanqiu still couldn’t believe that Chen Jianghai had really earned over a hundred in a day.

As for Chen Jianghai, after a day of hard work and running around, he fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

Lin Wanqiu had countless questions swirling in her mind but never found the chance to ask.

Listening to his steady breathing, she tossed and turned all night, unable to rest well.

The next morning, just as Lin Wanqiu opened her eyes, she saw Chen Jianghai had already prepared breakfast. After eating a little, he was ready to leave.

Noticing her awake, Chen Jianghai smiled and said, "Wanqiu, breakfast is ready. Eat up before you go to work—I’m heading out now."

Without waiting for her to say more, Chen Jianghai hopped on his worn-out 28-inch bicycle and hurried out.

Lin Wanqiu watched his back, her eyes filled with a mix of unfamiliarity, relief, and surprise.

Is this still the same husband who once had lofty ambitions but achieved nothing?

...

Several appliances on the street from yesterday still needed repairs, but essential parts were missing and could only be bought at the component factory. Naturally, Chen Jianghai had to make a trip there.

He also planned to buy some commonly used parts to truly establish his repair business.

Yesterday, he didn't have any money on him; otherwise, he would have done this preparatory work earlier.

Now that he had funds, he intended to set aside some to buy old appliances for parts and use the rest to purchase frequently needed components.

It was still early, and the component factory was certainly not open yet, so Chen Jianghai decided to finish the leftover repair jobs from yesterday first.

For him, accumulating funds quickly was the key to growing the business in a short time.

After all, going door to door was just a temporary measure; eventually, he needed to open a shop and wait for customers to come.

As Chen Jianghai arrived on the street, several neighbors greeted him warmly.

"Master Chen, working so early today?"

"If only my son was half as sensible as Master Chen, I’d be laughing all day!"

"Master Chen, my appliance still isn’t fixed from yesterday—please come take a look!"

...

Chen Jianghai responded to each friendly greeting with equal kindness.

Following the principle that kindness brings wealth, he always spoke favorably without asking for much in return.

Having scraped by at the bottom of society in a previous life, Chen Jianghai had a wealth of experience far beyond others his age.

Though it was just a few brief exchanges, he earned even greater respect from these elderly neighbors.

They found this skilled, unpretentious, and earnest Master Chen increasingly likable.

If they didn’t already know he had a family, some might have even tried to play matchmaker.

At ten in the morning, Chen Jianghai exhaled deeply.

He had finally finished the last repair.

Handing the radio, which now played sound again, to a middle-aged man, Chen Jianghai received three yuan and eighty cents as a repair fee, then stood up to head to the component factory.

Most of the appliances nearby were repaired, and he estimated he’d have to move to a new area next.

Still, this was a good start, and Chen Jianghai felt hopeful about the future.

Upon arriving outside the component factory, Chen Jianghai furrowed his brow slightly.

A crowd had gathered, with occasional shouting and cursing breaking out. He wondered what was going on.

Walking closer, he realized the suppliers were there demanding payment.

From what he learned, the component factory’s profits were poor, and financial troubles had arisen. The payment deadline had long passed, so suppliers came to collect their debts in person.

Seeing this, Chen Jianghai suddenly entertained a bold idea: should he take over the factory?

But after a moment’s thought, he immediately pushed the notion aside.

It was the 1990s, and the line between state-owned and private enterprises was very blurry.

Many business magnates in his previous life rose to prominence by merging state-owned companies.

Chen Jianghai considered the same strategy—reforming the component factory’s stock to use it as a springboard for his career.

But the premise was that he could acquire the entire stake in the factory.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a treasure trove but a ticking time bomb.

Many who merged with state-owned enterprises in the past became wealthy, but many others were also trapped.

At best, they lost everything; at worst, they ended up in jail.

Policies varied by region, and the difficulty of acquiring shares differed accordingly.

Linghai was a small, relatively conservative town. If Chen Jianghai announced plans to take over the factory, no one would agree.

Moreover, the required funds would be significant. So this matter would have to wait.

Entering the factory, Chen Jianghai found Xu Dong.

Xu Dong was lounging in the warehouse office, leisurely reading a newspaper.

A cup of tea steamed beside him, filling the air with a rich, fragrant aroma.

After inquiries, Chen Jianghai learned a bit about Xu Dong’s position.

Xu Dong was mainly in charge of the warehouse—a cushy job envied by many.

His rise wasn’t solely due to his brother-in-law, the factory director; he had also put in some effort himself.

"Why are you here again?"

Seeing Chen Jianghai, Xu Dong frowned slightly.

Since giving Chen Jianghai some materials last time, Xu Dong had begun to regret it.

If someone with ill intentions found out, his position could become unstable.

More importantly, if his brother-in-law’s position was affected, it would be a huge loss.

Seeing Xu Dong’s reaction, Chen Jianghai felt a chill in his heart.

What did this mean?

(End of chapter)