Chapter 95: Settling Old Scores

TL: Etude

Brother Ma glanced at the composed Chen Jianghai and suggested, “Let’s go inside and talk.”

“Okay, Aiguo, you guys wait outside.”

Chen Jianghai nodded, instructed Zhao Changgui and Fang Aiguo, and then led Brother Ma into the warehouse.

Inside, Chen Jianghai asked Zhao Yuxi, who was reading a book, to leave for a bit so he could have a private conversation with Brother Ma.

“Sure, Brother Jianghai,” Zhao Yuxi obediently responded and left.

After arranging two chairs, Chen Jianghai invited Brother Ma to sit down and offered him a cigarette.

Brother Ma accepted it without hesitation, and soon the room was filled with smoke as they both started smoking.

After a while, seeing that Brother Ma didn’t start the conversation, Chen Jianghai took the initiative, “Brother Ma, shall we talk now?”

“It’s simple, brother,” Brother Ma said with a slight smile. “I’m just a reseller. I happened to come across a demand and am looking to make some profit from the difference.”

Chen Jianghai studied Brother Ma intently and asked again, “Is it just that simple?”

Meeting Chen Jianghai’s gaze firmly, Brother Ma nodded, “Yes, it’s that simple.”

Chen Jianghai kept a neutral expression, but internally, he doubted this answer. The situation definitely wasn’t that straightforward. The profit margins on second-hand electronics were high, but they would be significantly reduced after passing through another set of hands. Knowing Brother Ma was a reseller, he would surely understand this.

Chen Jianghai finally said, “Brother Ma, I’m sorry, but I can’t take this order.”

“Why not?” Brother Ma asked, frowning.

Chen Jianghai’s reason was simple: “The quantity is too large. I don’t have that much stock.”

This was, of course, an excuse. Without fully understanding Brother Ma’s intentions, Chen Jianghai didn’t want to get too involved with him.

Brother Ma’s gaze turned serious, surprised at Chen Jianghai’s refusal.

“You’re turning down money?”

Such a deal would be a windfall for most people, but Chen Jianghai had declined it!

Chen Jianghai replied casually, “Brother Ma, I’m cautious by nature. This money comes too easily; it makes me nervous.”

Through the lingering smoke, Brother Ma tried to read something on Chen Jianghai’s face, but his expression was calm, completely disregarding Brother Ma’s probing look.

After a moment of silence, Brother Ma extinguished his cigarette and asked, “Master Chen, what would it take for you to accept this order?”

Chen Jianghai responded straightforwardly, “It’s simple. I just want to know the full story behind this deal.”

Brother Ma frowned, “Is doing business with you always this complicated, Master Chen?”

“Brother Ma, the quantity you’re asking for is too large. I have to be cautious,” Chen Jianghai explained his concerns.

After pondering for a while, Brother Ma decided to compromise and revealed the full story to Chen Jianghai.

His primary business in Linghai was in clothing, where he had made a considerable profit over the years and built many connections, thanks to his relationships with suppliers from other areas.

However, since this year, the clothing business had become challenging.

There were two main reasons: increased competition, leading to price wars and shrinking profit margins, and the influx of foreign brands capturing a significant market share.

Given these circumstances, Brother Ma didn’t want to stick solely to the clothing business and was looking for a change.

Struggling to find a suitable industry, he eventually met Fang Aiguo.

After a conversation, Brother Ma didn’t gain much useful information from Fang Aiguo but learned that Chen Jianghai was the key figure behind him.

This revelation led Brother Ma to another realization: the future of the electronics market would be incredibly lucrative.

Desperate for a new direction, Brother Ma saw an opportunity.

However, he never ventured into a market unprepared. To ensure thorough research, he bought five second-hand TVs from Fang Aiguo.

Chen Jianghai had almost monopolized Linghai’s second-hand electronics market, making it difficult to start a business there. So, Brother Ma decided to take these TVs to a neighboring county.

Unexpectedly, he initially faced setbacks due to his lack of local connections and the locals’ skepticism about his goods.

After some effort, he finally made his first sale, which quickly spread his name in the area. The five TVs he brought were sold out rapidly, and many who didn’t get a chance to buy were eager for more stock.

Considering the transportation costs, Brother Ma’s selling price wasn’t cheap. He bought each TV for 300 yuan from Fang Aiguo and sold them for 380 yuan each, making a net profit of 80 yuan per unit. This was more profitable than his earnings from being a middleman in the clothing trade.

Brother Ma realized this was a seller’s market with substantial potential after his observation. Sensing a huge business opportunity, he hurried back after selling all his stock.

His first order of business upon returning was to place an order for TVs with Fang Aiguo and then to approach Chen Jianghai. However, to his surprise, Chen Jianghai, unlike Fang Aiguo, didn’t immediately agree to the deal.

Left with no choice, Brother Ma disclosed everything, understanding that Chen Jianghai would not agree to the deal without a clear explanation.

After hearing Brother Ma’s explanation, Chen Jianghai understood why he needed such a large quantity. Like Fang Aiguo, Brother Ma had become a distributor for his second-hand TVs. Since this was the case, Chen Jianghai was open to cooperation and agreed to the deal.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside.

“Who the hell is Chen Jianghai? Get out here now!”

“Come out, come out!”

“Brother Jianghai, it’s bad. There are a lot of people outside.”

Zhao Yuxi burst in, looking panicked.

Chen Jianghai went outside and saw a crowd of twenty to thirty people blocking the warehouse entrance. Zhao Changgui and Fang Aiguo were confronting them, one with a stick and the other with a brick.

“I am Chen Jianghai. What do you want?” Chen Jianghai demanded loudly.

The crowd parted, and a man with a cigarette in his mouth and a tattoo of a tiger on his arm swaggered up to Chen Jianghai. Beside him stood the bald man, ‘Mad Dog,’ who had been chased away last time.

“Do you know who I am?” the tattooed man asked Chen Jianghai arrogantly.

“Is your name written on your face?” Chen Jianghai retorted.

“Yo, you’ve got some nerve! Well, let me tell you, my name is Wang Hu. My brothers call me Brother Hu. I’m here today to settle the score from last time.”

Brother Hu grinned, revealing his yellow-stained teeth.

…

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