TL: Etude
"Ms. Sun, what brings you here?"
When Chen Jianghai saw the person who had stopped his vehicle, he couldn't help but ask curiously.
Ms. Sun nodded and smiled, "Chen, remember you agreed last time to buy the black-and-white TV from my sister's house?"
Hearing Ms. Sun say this, Chen Jianghai suddenly recalled the matter.
"Ah, Ms. Sun, do you think I'm the kind of person who goes back on his word? Of course, I'll buy it. Not just black-and-white, I'd even buy a color TV," Chen Jianghai said, nodding and smiling.
"You are certainly not that kind of person."
Ms. Sun grinned and said, "The TV has already been moved to my house. Would you like to come and take a look now?"
"Sure."
Chen Jianghai readily agreed.
Following Ms. Sun to her home, a black-and-white television was neatly placed on a square table and looked quite new.
"Ms. Sun, this TV is well-maintained. Your sister is a refined person!" Chen Jianghai glanced and commented.
If Ms. Sun hadn't mentioned that the TV was broken, Chen Jianghai would have thought it was new.
"A refined person?"
Ms. Sun was puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Chen Jianghai slapped his forehead, realizing that the term 'refined' was not commonly used yet. No wonder Ms. Sun didn't understand.
"It means someone who knows how to live well," Chen Jianghai explained.
Hearing this, Ms. Sun strongly agreed, "You're absolutely right. My sister knows how to live well!"
"I can see that," Chen Jianghai said and then started inspecting the TV.
Eventually, he found that the 14-inch Venus television's cathode-ray tube was broken and couldn't be repaired.
The components produced by the factory were basic parts. High-level components like cathode-ray tubes were not available for purchase in Linghai.
Chen Jianghai felt a bit regretful; he could have sold it for a good price, but now it was uncertain.
"Ms. Sun, the most crucial part of this TV is broken. I can't offer a high price," Chen Jianghai said honestly.
Hearing this, Ms. Sun's eyes widened, "What's broken?"
"The cathode-ray tube, the part that allows the TV to display images," Chen Jianghai patted the TV screen and explained.
"No wonder it's all black when turned on. So how much are you willing to pay?"
Ms. Sun muttered.
Chen Jianghai thought for a moment and raised four fingers, "At most, forty."
He wouldn't have offered this high a price to anyone else, but Ms. Sun had been helping him by bringing in repair jobs recently, so a slightly higher offer was okay.
Moreover, all other components inside this TV were intact, and once repaired, it could be sold as almost new.
Ms. Sun clapped her hands upon hearing this, "Alright, let's settle on this price."
These days, other people had also brought their broken TVs to Chen Jianghai for quotes, but he had never quoted above thirty.
Once the price was agreed upon, Chen Jianghai promptly paid, and then said, "Ms. Sun, I may need to trouble you with something."
"Go ahead," Ms. Sun, after stashing the money, replied generously.
Chen Jianghai pointed to his bicycle parked outside, "My bike can't carry it well. Can I leave the TV here and pick it up tomorrow?"
Ms. Sun nodded, "No problem, it won't get lost here. You can pick it up tomorrow."
After leaving Ms. Sun's house, Chen Jianghai went to the Yangqiao Market to buy some vegetables and also bought two goose wings that Lin Wanqiu loved. He then happily returned home to cook dinner.
In the evening, the first thing Lin Wanqiu did upon returning home was to ask Chen Jianghai how his business had gone that day.
Faced with this question from his wife, he would have been impatient in his past life.
But in this life, he felt a strong sense of care from such a question.
He knew very well in his heart that Lin Wanqiu didn't care about how much he could earn but hoped that he would genuinely reform and become grounded.
"It was alright today, earned over sixty."
It was originally over a hundred, but after buying Ms. Sun's TV, only this much remained.
Chen Jianghai said as he took out the money from his pocket and placed it on the table, showing his wife the fruits of his labor.
Seeing the money, Lin Wanqiu's eyes widened, and her pupils shone with excitement and joy.
Her man could indeed make a lot of money!
However, it seemed his arrogance had not changed; he still had a pompous tone.
"Be content with what you have! Some people work hard all month for just two hundred bucks!" Lin Wanqiu couldn't help but laugh.
Chen Jianghai counted a few bills and then handed them over, saying, "Wanqiu, keep these, will you?"
Lin Wanqiu took the money and counted it again. Then she took out her keys, opened the locked drawer beside her bed, and neatly organized the one, two, five, and ten-yuan bills, tying each denomination together with rubber bands.
"Jianghai, we've saved 765 yuan!"
After jotting down the number in her notebook, Lin Wanqiu exclaimed joyfully. As soon as she spoke, she subconsciously covered her mouth, somewhat in disbelief.
In the past, she had scrimped and saved every day to keep the household afloat, not daring to indulge in food or clothing. Living had been a constant struggle, let alone setting aside any savings.
The thought of having children was something she didn't even dare consider.
Now, everything had changed.
In just a few short days, Chen Jianghai had miraculously earned seven or eight hundred yuan. A sum Lin Wanqiu wouldn't have even dared to dream of before.
But the money in the drawer proved that this was not a dream.
Chen Jianghai had confirmed through his actions that his earlier grandiose declarations weren't just empty words.
"Alright, let's eat. Here, have a goose wing first!"
With that, Chen Jianghai placed a braised goose wing into Lin Wanqiu's bowl.
"By the way, Jianghai, there's something I need to tell you," Lin Wanqiu said, setting down her chopsticks after taking a couple of bites.
"What is it?" Chen Jianghai looked up and asked.
"I received a call from home today. My sister is back from Shencheng, and my parents want me to come home for a meal," Lin Wanqiu said, her expression turning somewhat grim.
Chen Jianghai paused for a moment before understanding the situation. Lin Wanqiu's parents had always been displeased with him as their son-in-law. Even more concerning was that Lin Wanqiu's sister, who worked in another city and had high standards, had always looked down on him.
Visiting Lin Wanqiu's family would certainly involve some cold shoulders.
It wasn't anyone else's fault; if blame were to be assigned, it would be on the Chen Jianghai of the past.
However, since he had been given a second chance at life, he wouldn't allow anyone to look down on him anymore.
Most importantly, he wouldn't let Lin Wanqiu be caught in an awkward position between her family and him. He wanted her to regain her self-confidence and hold her head high in her own home.
"When is it?" Chen Jianghai asked, unphased.
"Next Saturday. It's my day off," Lin Wanqiu replied after glancing at Chen Jianghai.
"Alright, we'll go together," Chen Jianghai nodded.
"Jianghai, my parents are straightforward people who don't mince words. If they say something unpleasant, please don't take it to heart. If it gets too uncomfortable, we can just have the meal and leave," Lin Wanqiu warned, somewhat worried yet pleased by his prompt agreement.
"Don't worry, Wanqiu. Our parents only want what's best for us. How could I possibly hold a grudge against them?" Chen Jianghai assured her with a slight smile.
Upon hearing Chen Jianghai's assurance, Lin Wanqiu felt as if she had sipped honey. This man was now considerate of her at every turn, and she felt that this might be the life she had always wanted.
"Thank you, Jianghai," Lin Wanqiu said, her voice tinged with emotion as she looked intently at him.
Chen Jianghai put down his chopsticks, took his wife's hand, and said earnestly, "Wanqiu, it's my duty to do all this for you. There's no need to thank me. If anyone should be thankful, it's me."
"What do you mean by that?" Lin Wanqiu blinked in confusion.
"The meaning is simple. You've done so much for me, and what I've done in return is trivial," Chen Jianghai looked at the lovely woman before him and spoke tenderly. "In short, you're my woman, and I want you to be happy and worry-free every day."
Lin Wanqiu blushed instantly.
His plain yet heartfelt words were the best romantic words she could hope for.
...
The night passed without words.
The next morning, when Chen Jianghai opened his eyes, he saw Lin Wanqiu shyly looking at him.
Upon meeting his gaze, Lin Wanqiu quickly pulled the covers over her head, as if she were a startled deer.
Chen Jianghai was somewhat puzzled.
What's going on?
When his gaze shifted downwards, he immediately understood.
It was summertime, and they had neither air conditioning nor even an electric fan at home. Being a young man full of vitality, Chen Jianghai had naturally thrown off the light blanket that had been covering him.
Although his wife was right next to him, he hadn't touched her. Naturally, he woke up pitching a tent.
This scene was witnessed by Lin Wanqiu, who was lying on the bed.
Having lived two lifetimes, Chen Jianghai was naturally unfazed by such a situation.
Lin Wanqiu, on the other hand, was like an ostrich, burying her head and lost in thought under the blanket.
What should I do?
What should I do?
If he wants it, should I give it to him?
...
Chen Jianghai got out of bed, swiftly dressed himself, did some basic grooming, and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
When Lin Wanqiu finally emerged from the blanket, she discovered that Chen Jianghai had already left the room.
Is he angry?
Should I not have behaved this way?
Since he's already made such a significant change for me, should I...
The gentle and considerate Lin Wanqiu heaped all the responsibility onto herself.
Unbeknownst to Lin Wanqiu's thoughts, Chen Jianghai was contemplating business opportunities at Pozijie Street.
That area mostly had small shops, and the shop owners were undoubtedly among the first to become affluent, having multiple electronic appliances at home.
Lately, Chen Jianghai had mostly been repairing radios and televisions, while other household appliances were scarce.
Fixing a radio earned him just a few yuan, and a black-and-white television would fetch him only around ten to twenty yuan. Although the volume was reasonable, the work was laborious, and the money came slowly.
If he could repair high-end appliances like air conditioners, color TVs, and refrigerators, the repair costs would be higher, and he would earn more money.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh.
Indeed, accumulating the first bucket of gold for ordinary people was fraught with difficulties.
After preparing breakfast, Chen Jianghai brought it into the room. As usual, he saw Lin Wanqiu sitting at the table, her face flushed.
When Lin Wanqiu saw Chen Jianghai enter, she quickly lowered her head, avoiding eye contact.
Chen Jianghai was puzzled.
What's wrong with Wanqiu this early in the morning?
"Jianghai, have you been feeling unwell lately?" Lin Wanqiu asked abruptly while sipping her rice porridge.
Caught off guard, Chen Jianghai responded, "No, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"It's good if there's nothing wrong... It's good..." Lin Wanqiu replied nervously.
Observing Lin Wanqiu's shyness, Chen Jianghai had no idea what was going on. He couldn't help but inquire, "Wanqiu, is something the matter?"
"There's nothing wrong. Let's eat quickly; it's almost time for me to go to work!"
Lin Wanqiu responded without lifting her head.
After breakfast, the two went about their respective tasks.
Riding his 28-gang bicycle, Chen Jianghai had just arrived at Pozijie Street when a middle-aged man who looked like a shop owner stopped him.
"Young craftsman, you repair household appliances, right?"
The man who halted Chen Jianghai was in his thirties, portly, with a face full of affluence.
Chen Jianghai nodded and smiled, "Yes, boss, what would you like to repair?"
"Do you repair air conditioners?" the middle-aged man promptly asked.
Upon hearing this, Chen Jianghai immediately perked up.
Big business has arrived!
"What's your last name, boss?" Chen Jianghai asked with a smile, stepping off his bike and walking over.
"It's not important. My last name is Jin. Can you fix it?" The boss asked again.
Hearing Jin say this, Chen Jianghai knew this man valued efficiency and didn't like to dawdle.
"As long as it's broken, I can assure you I can fix it," Chen Jianghai declared confidently.
Jin warned, "Young man, don't bite off more than you can chew."
Chen Jianghai spoke assuredly, "Boss Jin, skills are not just talked about; you'll know once you try."
"Fine, come in and have a look."
Finishing his sentence, Jin led the way into the shop.
Upon entering, Chen Jianghai noticed the shop was filled with various jewels and jade.
In these times, anyone who could afford to run this kind of business was undoubtedly well-capitalized. No wonder he could afford an air conditioner.
Jin led Chen Jianghai into the inner room and pointed to an air conditioner in the corner, "Take a look at this air conditioner. It keeps dripping water for some reason, making this room uninhabitable."
At a glance, Chen Jianghai noticed that the Chunlan air conditioner (it's a real company, you can search it up) was indeed dripping water.
This problem was common in this era. According to later statistics, four out of every ten air conditioners would leak water.
As for why it would leak, the reason was quite simple.
Basically, it had little to do with quality.
There were generally two reasons.
One was improper installation.
After all, there were currently no professional air-conditioning installation personnel to speak of, let alone any after-sales service, even for big brands like Chunlan air conditioners.
The other reason was that, during the later stages of use, necessary daily maintenance was lacking, leading to clogged pipes.
Thinking of this, Chen Jianghai smiled at Boss Jin and said, "Alright, I can definitely fix it."
Upon hearing this, Boss Jin said with some surprise, "You're so sure without even checking?"
"Boss Jin, why would I lie to you? If I can't fix it, you won't pay me," Chen Jianghai responded.
Hearing this, Boss Jin laughed and said, "How much will the repair cost?"
Now it was Chen Jianghai's turn to be surprised.
This was the first customer who asked about the cost of the repair upfront; all others waited for him to state the price.
"Fifty," Chen Jianghai replied without thinking, directly showing a palm.
Boss Jin glanced at Chen Jianghai and, without haggling, promptly said, "Alright, as long as you can fix it, the price is fine."
It was evident that even if Chen Jianghai had asked for more, Boss Jin would likely have agreed.
However, Chen Jianghai had his own pricing standards. He charged what was appropriate and would never act arbitrarily.
Besides, repair fees were a small matter; it wasn't worth affecting his reputation over it.
Having settled on the fee, Chen Jianghai put down his bag, fetched a stool, and first inspected the air conditioner's installation. Aside from a screw that wasn't tightened, everything else was fine.
So, he was pretty certain the problem was a clogged pipe.
Taking out his tools, he disassembled the air-conditioning pipe and, sure enough, saw a layer of dark, muddy grime inside.
This was likely the crux of the issue.
After a thorough cleaning, Chen Jianghai reassembled everything and then pointed at the air conditioner, saying, "Boss Jin, it's fixed. The main issue was a clogged pipe, and there was also a loose screw, which I've tightened."
Boss Jin looked incredulous and asked, "It's fixed just like that?"
You have to understand, from the moment Chen Jianghai started working until now, definitely no more than half an hour had passed.
It was fixed in such a short amount of time?
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TL Note: Wow, this is the second chapter with over 2500 words. You better join my Discord! >:3
https://discord.gg/2sZy2YcYSB