TL: Etude
"Jianghai, we cannot accept this rent," Huang Shuifeng shook her head and said.
Chen Jianghai responded with a smile, "Auntie, why not take it?"
"If you can make money together with our Aiguo, we won't take your rent," Huang Shuifeng said candidly.
"Auntie, if you don't take this rent, then I will move all my stuff out tomorrow," Chen Jianghai put on a resolute demeanor.
Seeing this, Huang Shuifeng had no choice but to compromise.
"Jianghai, I really don't know what to say about you, kid! Never mind, let's do as you say and accept the rent."
However, Chen Jianghai's attitude of not taking advantage of the situation made Huang Shuifeng feel even more reassured.
She was well aware of what Chen Jianghai used to be like.
Now that Fang Aiguo had made some money with Chen Jianghai, Huang Shuifeng felt a little worried.
After all, such a drastic change in a person seemed a bit unreal.
Who knows when the old habits might resurface?
Seeing Huang Shuifeng agree, Chen Jianghai quickly struck while the iron was hot, "Auntie, how about a rent of fifty a month? I'll rent for half a year first, what do you think?"
"Alright, let's do as you say."
The house would be empty anyway, and if it could bring in a few hundred yuan, Huang Shuifeng naturally agreed without hesitation.
Chen Jianghai pulled out three hundred-yuan notes, "Auntie, business is business, to avoid any trouble, let's sign a simple rental agreement, shall we?"
Having struggled in the future for a time, Chen Jianghai certainly understood the importance of the spirit of the contract.
Especially in an era where the rule of law was not yet perfect, he felt it was never wrong to be cautious.
Huang Shuifeng asked with some confusion, "How do we handle this contract?"
"We'll do it this way: I'll write it up, you take a look, and if there's no problem, we sign it," Chen Jianghai suggested.
"Okay."
Hearing Chen Jianghai propose this, Huang Shuifeng hurriedly agreed.
With paper and pen at the ready, Chen Jianghai got down to writing directly.
Such documents were all too common in later times and quite straightforward.
In fact, there wasn't much to it, just the rental fee, term, and a few other major matters.
After writing, with no objections from either side, they signed two copies of the agreement.
"Auntie, I need to hurry back home to cook, so I'll be going now," said Chen Jianghai, securing his own copy of the contract and turning to leave.
Huang Shuifeng quickly called out, "Hey, don't rush off. Wait a moment!"
With that, she turned and ran back into the store.
Chen Jianghai looked at Fang Aiguo with surprise, and Fang Aiguo looked back just as cluelessly, clearly unaware of what his mother was up to.
In no time at all, Huang Shuifeng came back with a pack of cigarettes.
"You're here anyway, have a cigarette," she said, thrusting the pack into Chen Jianghai's hands.
Chen Jianghai, smiling, accepted it, "Auntie, how much is it?"
Hearing Chen Jianghai ask this, Huang Shuifeng waved her hand dismissively, "Look at what you're saying, as if I would charge you for this!"
"Of course, you should!" Chen Jianghai insisted earnestly, "Just like Aiguo helps me with work, should I not pay him?"
"It's not the same!"
Huang Shuifeng hurriedly added, "This is a gift from me, we're not talking about money."
Chen Jianghai laughed, pocketed the cigarettes, then pulled out a ten-yuan note, handed it to Fang Aiguo, got on his bicycle, and rode off.
Watching Chen Jianghai depart into the distance, Huang Shuifeng muttered to herself, "This kid Jianghai, how come he's become so honest now?"
"What are you still dawdling for?"
Then, Huang Shuifeng turned and gave Fang Aiguo a shove, "Aren't you going to chase after him and give it back?!"
Fang Aiguo, however, stuffed the money into his mother's hands, "Mom, Brother Hai keeps his word. He promised to give money and he will definitely do so."
"Fang Aiguo, you must work hard with Jianghai in the future!"
Huang Shuifeng cast a meaningful glance at the stack of money in her hands as she earnestly advised Fang Aiguo.
Fang Aiguo nodded seriously, "Mom, just you wait and see, once I make big money, become a ten-thousand-yuan household, buy a car, buy a house, you and dad can retire early and enjoy life!"
A ten-thousand-yuan household?
Huang Shuifeng initially felt that Fang Aiguo's words were quite pleasant, but hearing this, she suddenly became skeptical again.
She glared at Fang Aiguo with annoyance, pointing out, "You, your mouth is just like your father's, all talk!"
...
The next day, Chen Jianghai arrived at the warehouse in high spirits.
There was a small gold mine waiting for him to tap into here.
After dealing with these goods, it would be the opening of his shop.
Chen Jianghai skillfully dismantled all the electronics, stripping away the useless parts, leaving only what was useful.
More than a dozen televisions were disassembled in less than a morning.
Looking at the neatly sorted parts, Chen Jianghai wiped the sweat from his forehead, a sense of satisfaction emerging spontaneously.
Next, he just needed to buy the necessary parts for reassembly and refurbishment, and then he could sell them.
"Whoa, Brother Hai, you've taken them all apart?"
Fang Aiguo walked in, looking around in amazement and exclaimed.
Chen Jianghai smiled and nodded, "Of course I had to disassemble them! How else would I reassemble them?"
"Then, Brother Hai, should I continue collecting goods?" Fang Aiguo followed up with enthusiasm.
He felt that this was the perfect job for himself; it was simply energizing.
Chen Jianghai nodded, took out five hundred yuan from his pocket, and instructed, "Keep collecting, tell me when you run out of money."
In this period, Chen Jianghai had indeed made a considerable sum, but he had also spent a lot.
However, once the current batch of televisions was assembled and sold, there would be another handsome income, and he could really make some big moves.
"Brother Hai, I'm off then." Fang Aiguo took the money, called out, and turned to leave.
Chen Jianghai also reminded him, "And remember about the storefront."
"Got it, I remember, I remember."
Fang Aiguo shouted back loudly as he got on his bike.
Chen Jianghai watched his brisk figure departing and shook his head with a smile, tidying up a bit before he too closed the door and went home.
After a hasty lunch, he hurried to the electronics factory.
Outside the electronics factory, several workers gathered in small groups, smoking and chatting idly, appearing rather lackadaisical.
Chen Jianghai checked the time; shouldn't they be starting work by now?
Why were they all outside?
With this question in mind, Chen Jianghai found Xu Dong in the office.
"Brother Dong, you're not starting work today?"
Chen Jianghai entered, offered a cigarette, and asked.
Xu Dong, who had been looking worried, forced a smile upon seeing Chen Jianghai.
But upon hearing Chen Jianghai's question, his face became clouded with worry again.
"Alas, the factory has no orders left, the production line has stopped, we're preparing to let people go on holiday in batches!"
Xu Dong was visibly upset discussing this.
Chen Jianghai muttered to himself: It seemed that the electronics factory was not far from closing down.
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