Chapter 110: Acknowledging the Kindness

TL: Etude

“Brother Hai, today is the first day of business, are you closing this early?”

The first to speak was Fang Aiguo.

“Yeah, Master, aren’t people likely to bring in appliances for repair in the evening too?”

Zhao Rongxin also chimed in.

Despite being busy all day, Zhao Rongxin felt fulfilled. Through hands-on experience, he had gained significant insights. Even without Chen Jianghai’s guidance, he was confident in handling common malfunctions independently.

Chen Jianghai understood the thoughts of these two young men. To the youth, as long as there’s money to be made, everything else can be negotiated. Moreover, their attitude stemmed from their trust in him as their boss, knowing he would not shortchange them for their hard work.

Lin Wanqiu, as the female host, initially hesitated to speak such words. But seeing Fang Aiguo and Zhao Rongxin’s attitude, she couldn’t help but feel secretly pleased and spoke to Chen Jianghai, “Jianghai, aren’t you having dinner with friends tonight? Go ahead, we’ll take care of things here.”

Seeing their reluctance to leave, Chen Jianghai gave a few instructions and then rode his bicycle to the First Food Store to buy two bottles of Maotai, hurrying to Fuchun Restaurant.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Chen Jianghai booked a private room and ordered dishes, then waited at the entrance. To his surprise, the first to arrive was Xu Dong.

Seeing the eager smile on Xu Dong’s face, Chen Jianghai could easily guess his intentions. Among today’s dinner group, only Xu Dong worked in a factory; the others were all businessmen. Furthermore, Xu Dong’s company was declining, casting uncertainty over his future. Therefore, Xu Dong no longer carried any airs of superiority.

As the saying goes, “A new friend is a new path.” Chen Jianghai and his group were self-reliant and skilled, unlike Xu Dong. It meant that in today’s dinner, Xu Dong, despite appearing successful, had the least promising future. He seemed to understand this too.

Xu Dong’s intention was simple: to get acquainted with everyone, which might be beneficial in the future. After all, building good relationships never hurts.

“Brother Dong, finished with work?” Chen Jianghai greeted with a smile.

Chen Jianghai, now more confident in his speech, still remained very polite to Xu Dong. After all, Xu Dong had helped him in the past, and such kindness needed to be acknowledged.

Chen Jianghai’s principle in life was simple: to reciprocate kindness with greater kindness. He always remembered those who helped him and would return the favor whenever possible.

Seeing Chen Jianghai’s continued polite demeanor, Xu Dong secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He knew well that even without him, Chen Jianghai’s business would thrive. On the other hand, without Chen Jianghai, Xu Dong would lose his extra income.

“Jianghai!” Xu Dong shook Chen Jianghai’s hand earnestly, exclaiming, “Your repair shop is doing great, I was really surprised!”

Chen Jianghai smiled slightly, “Brother Dong, you’re too kind. It’s just a small business. I’ll still need your help in the future!”

“Who knows, maybe it’ll be me needing your help!” Xu Dong half-joked, half-serious.

Chen Jianghai waved his hand dismissively, “Let’s not talk about this among friends. Let’s go inside and relax in the private room!”

As the two sat down, Boss Jin and Li Detian arrived together.

“Haha, see, I told you Chen brother would be here first!” Li Detian entered the private room, laughing cheerfully.

After speaking, the two noticed that Xu Dong was also there.

That morning at Qiuhai Repair Shop, Chen Jianghai had already given a brief introduction to the three of them, so they were acquainted.

The three of them nodded slightly, exchanging greetings. Although they knew each other, their relationship was still at a basic level, with not much common language between them. However, Chen Jianghai, experienced in such situations, quickly helped everyone warm up to each other.

Soon, Brother Ma arrived, completing the group. After some casual small talk, Chen Jianghai called the waiter to start serving the dishes.

“Brothers, what shall we drink today?” Chen Jianghai asked, picking up a bottle of Maotai and addressing the group.

Brother Ma immediately responded with a laugh, “Alcohol is a fine thing, and today is a day worth celebrating, we must have a drink.”

Xu Dong naturally agreed. As a minor factory official, he was used to social drinking.

As for Old Li and Old Jin, they also enjoyed a drink. Back then, there were no specific drinking protocols; each person simply filled a glass and began toasting and eating.

With Chen Jianghai orchestrating the atmosphere, the meal was enjoyable and lively, filled with laughter and cheerful conversations.

At this dinner table, Chen Jianghai, in terms of status and wealth, was temporarily the least prominent. Yet, he interacted with these successful individuals with ease and confidence, firmly believing that his future achievements would be beyond their wildest dreams.

During the meal, Chen Jianghai shared some business insights and personal opinions. Although not fully understood by everyone, they intuitively felt his words made sense.

Especially Brother Ma, who had traveled far and wide, saw Chen Jianghai in a new light, more convinced of his potential: this younger brother was extraordinary.

After the meal, everyone’s impression of Chen Jianghai deepened significantly.

It was only around 9 PM when the dinner concluded. Had KTV been popular at the time, they would probably have gone for a few songs and some lively company, followed by a barbecue to round off the night. But in the early 1990s, there weren’t many evening entertainment options. Boss Jin and Li Detian were quite inebriated, and their wives had to pick them up.

Brother Ma, with a good capacity for liquor, managed to wobble home by himself.

With everyone else gone, only Chen Jianghai and Xu Dong were left at the restaurant entrance. Chen Jianghai, slightly tipsy, and Xu Dong, face flushed and seemingly unstable, stood together.

“Brother Dong, do you want me to take you home?” Chen Jianghai asked with concern.

As soon as Chen Jianghai finished speaking, the drunken look on Xu Dong’s face vanished. Chen Jianghai, initially startled, quickly realized and smiled.

Xu Dong, being a factory official, was used to drinking. 

“Brother Dong, why are you pretending to be drunk?” Chen Jianghai asked, somewhat curious.

Xu Dong waved his hand, “Your friends can’t hold their liquor well.”

Realizing Xu Dong’s intention to not stand out too much, Chen Jianghai was surprised at his thoughtfulness.

“You think I’m just taking advantage?” Xu Dong joked self-deprecatingly.

Chen Jianghai quickly replied, “Brother Dong, what are you saying? That’s not possible!”

“I know, Jianghai, I’ve seen your character,” Xu Dong said with a smile, waving his hand.

Chen Jianghai became serious, “Brother Dong, just speak your mind.”

…

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