Rebirth: Back to 1991 to Become the Richest Man - Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Only Admiration

TL: Etude

Chen Jianghai knew that under the current circumstances, Xu Dong must have something in mind to discuss with him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought the conversation to this point.

Xu Dong nodded and said, “Okay, Jianghai, I won’t beat around the bush. I want to partner with you.”

“Partner?”

Chen Jianghai was momentarily taken aback before smiling and saying, “Aren’t we already collaborating?”

Xu Dong’s intention was clear to Chen Jianghai; he was just playing dumb.

“Jianghai, I want to partner with you to open a store.”

Xu Dong was straightforward, revealing his thoughts without evasion.

Chen Jianghai frowned and said, “Brother, my store is already up and running.”

This was a polite refusal.

However, Xu Dong didn’t give up and continued, “Jianghai, I know you’re capable. You wouldn’t just open one store. So, I’m asking you to guide me.”

Xu Dong’s gaze was intense as he spoke, his tone full of conviction. He had witnessed Chen Jianghai’s rise and knew that without real talent, one couldn’t achieve such success. Undoubtedly, Chen Jianghai was a man of true ability.

Xu Dong was aware of his own limits. To change things, he needed to hitch a ride on someone’s coattails. Chen Jianghai was an excellent choice, a decision Xu Dong had made after much thought.

Chen Jianghai smiled and asked, “Dong Brother, you trust me that much?”

“Absolutely. I’ve seen your capabilities, Jianghai. I have nothing but admiration for you,” Xu Dong said, giving a thumbs-up and nodding earnestly.

Chen Jianghai pondered for a moment and then said, “Since you trust me, Dong Brother, I’ll let you know if anything comes up. But we need to set specific terms for our partnership, and it’s up to you to decide if you want to collaborate with me.”

“Great, Jianghai. I was waiting for your words. Thank you in advance!” Xu Dong said with a delighted face.

Chen Jianghai also smiled, “Dong Brother, we’re friends, no need for formalities.”

“I’ll be waiting at home for your good news then!” Xu Dong patted Chen Jianghai’s arm.

Chen Jianghai nodded, “Do you need a lift home?”

“No need, no need. This bit of alcohol is nothing. I can get back on my own,” Xu Dong waved his hand.

Watching Xu Dong’s figure disappear at the corner, Chen Jianghai then slowly made his way home by car.

He understood that Xu Dong was seeking a fallback plan, hence his willingness to set aside his pride. This also indicated that the component factory was facing tough times. However, this was not of much concern to Chen Jianghai at the moment. He didn’t have the capacity to get involved.

Only with sufficient strength could one take on more responsibilities.

After a leisurely drive home, Chen Jianghai noticed that the lights were still on inside. Hearing the noise outside, Lin Wanqiu quickly came to the door.

“Jianghai, you’re back!”

“Yes.”

Chen Jianghai nodded, parking the car.

“Why did you drink so much?”

As soon as she approached Chen Jianghai, Lin Wanqiu smelled the strong alcohol and frowned slightly.

Chen Jianghai, his face flushed, helplessly shook his head, “I didn’t want to drink so much, but I had to give face to those enthusiastic brothers.”

“Try to drink less. It’s bad for your health,” Lin Wanqiu said with concern.

“I know, I know. It won’t happen again. I have to think about our child too,” Chen Jianghai quickly responded.

“You never get serious, always bringing up that topic when it’s about drinking!”

Lin Wanqiu’s face turned red, and she said shyly, “That’s certainly true. Drinking too much affects the quality of life.”

Chen Jianghai spoke earnestly, “Alright, alright, let’s go inside and rest. I’ll get you some water.”

After helping Chen Jianghai to bed, Lin Wanqiu quickly went to the kitchen to fetch hot water.

By the time Lin Wanqiu returned with the hot water, Chen Jianghai had already fallen asleep. After all, he wasn’t accustomed to drinking such strong liquor—58-percent spirits—and the half a jin (approximately 250 grams) he consumed was proving too much for him.

Looking at the sleeping Chen Jianghai, a touch of distress appeared on Lin Wanqiu’s face. She then took a towel, gently wiped him down, helped him out of his clothes, covered him with a blanket, and snuggled next to him, draping his arm around her as they both drifted off to sleep.

…

The next morning, Chen Jianghai woke up groggily, his head still spinning—a hangover’s aftermath. He had experienced plenty of these in his previous life.

Sitting up to gather his thoughts, he noticed Lin Wanqiu was already out. On the table, there was a bowl of thick white porridge, a dish of side dishes, and a boiled egg, all covered to keep them warm.

Glancing at the time, it was already past nine o’clock. After washing his face and having breakfast, Chen Jianghai hurried to the shop.

The business was doing quite well, with many customers browsing around.

Seeing Chen Jianghai arrive, Lin Wanqiu came over and asked, “Jianghai, why didn’t you sleep longer?”

Chen Jianghai shook his head and smiled, “I’m fine, feeling quite energetic!”

“By the way!”

Lin Wanqiu pointed and said, “We’re running low on TVs. We need to restock soon.”

Chen Jianghai, somewhat surprised, asked, “What? They’re gone already?”

Chen Jianghai had been busy assembling TVs before the shop’s opening. With thorough preparation, he managed to assemble seven or eight units daily. With Zhao Rongxin’s help, the pace increased to over a dozen units daily. Not only had they delivered the twenty TVs ordered by Brother Ma, but they also had extra units, all of which Chen Jianghai stored in the new repair shop.

He hadn’t expected that in just a couple of days, most of the TVs would be sold!

Chen Jianghai couldn’t help but marvel at the era’s fervent demand for electronic products.

Lin Wanqiu explained, “Many people came yesterday without money, especially after seeing others winning prizes in the raffle. So, they all came to buy today.”

This surpassed Chen Jianghai’s expectations.

“Okay, then I’ll continue assembling and keep more stock here,” Chen Jianghai quickly said.

Lin Wanqiu nodded with a smile, “That’s best. We can’t disappoint our customers by running out of stock!”

Before opening, Chen Jianghai had already moved most of the reclaimed electronics to the shop. Now, these items were all stored in the warehouse at the back, saving Chen Jianghai the trip to the previous storage.

“Be careful,” Chen Jianghai said to Zhao Changgui, patting his shoulder.

Zhao Changgui nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

“Take good care of the customers,” he then said to Fang Aiguo.

Fang Aiguo grinned, “Don’t worry, Brother Hai!”

Finally, Chen Jianghai approached Zhao Rongxin, who was working at a bench.

“Any problems?” he asked.

Zhao Rongxin, busy with his task, replied, “Master, not many repair jobs, all minor issues. Like this one, just a loose soldering point, I can fix it.”

After learning from Chen Jianghai for several days, Zhao Rongxin could handle minor issues like checking and re-soldering loose points.

Chen Jianghai nodded in satisfaction, “I’ll be at the back. Come find me if you have any questions.”

“Got it, Master,” Zhao Rongxin quickly responded.

After instructing everyone, Chen Jianghai went to the back room.

The parts were already sorted out, a task Zhao Rongxin had completed before the opening. Over time, Chen Jianghai’s satisfaction with Zhao Rongxin grew. The young man was hardworking, uncomplaining, talented, eager to learn, and humble.

Just as Chen Jianghai finished assembling a unit, Fang Aiguo rushed in, exclaiming, “Brother Hai, we’ve got trouble!”