Chapter 12: Good Brother

Chapter 12: Good Brother

Lin Wanqiu’s expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. "What did you do with all the money?"

Chen Jianghai gestured toward the box in front of him with his chopsticks and said, "It’s all right here in front of you. You have to pay to get your hands on these things; nobody gives them away for free."

Lin Wanqiu grew increasingly puzzled. She couldn't quite fathom what Chen Jianghai intended to do with this pile of junk. In truth, she wasn't a woman who liked to pry, but Chen Jianghai’s past track record gave her little confidence. Fearing he would start squandering money the moment he had some, she couldn't help but look worried.

Chen Jianghai, well aware of what was going through her mind, reached out to take her small hand and reassured her, "Wanqiu, you must believe me. In less than a month, you’ll see exactly how capable your man is!"

"Alright, I believe you, Jianghai. As long as you are working honestly, I will support you no matter what you do!" Lin Wanqiu nodded. Though she didn't know what he was up to, at least the money that had left their pockets now had something to show for it.

...

"The Romance of 919, Chapter 23. Picking up from where we left off, the two young men, Yu Zhen and Bai Bing..."

Listening to the storytelling broadcast by Master Shan Tianfang, Chen Jianghai felt a surge of excitement. The first radio had finally been assembled. This was completely different from the one he had previously repaired; this signified that his opportunity to make a fortune was finally arriving.

Just then, a hurried knocking sounded at the door, followed by a familiar voice.

"Brother Hai, are you home?"

Chen Jianghai opened the door to find a young man standing there, sporting oversized sunglasses, a striped shirt, bell-bottoms, pointed leather shoes, and long hair. Upon seeing Chen Jianghai, he tossed his hair back in a narcissistic display, seemingly very satisfied with his own image.

Little did he know, in the eyes of Chen Jianghai, a man who had traveled through time, this outfit was as tacky as it could possibly get. There was no need to guess; Chen Jianghai recognized him immediately. It was Fang Aiguo, his childhood friend. His parents ran a small grocery store in the county seat and were among the first in town to become wealthy. In the parlance of later generations, he was a textbook "second-generation rich kid."

Influenced by his parents, the kid refused to get a regular job and was obsessed with doing business to make big money. However, he had neither capital nor skills, and he lacked even the most basic direction. His business ventures were purely theoretical; when it came to practical action, he didn't have the slightest idea where to start. He had a long road ahead of him.

"Hey, what brings you here?" Chen Jianghai asked with a smile.

He viewed Fang Aiguo as a true brother. In truth, they were a pair of partners in misfortune—both had hearts higher than the heavens but lives as thin as paper, and despite being well into adulthood, neither had accomplished anything.

In his previous life, Fang Aiguo had been a loyal friend who never hesitated to lend him money, never even mentioning interest. Back when Chen Jianghai was running with a crowd of unreliable, fast-talking "friends," Fang Aiguo had often tried to warn him. But blinded by the dream of getting rich overnight, Chen Jianghai hadn't listened to anyone. Instead, he had severed their decades-long friendship, leading to a state where they refused to see each other again. Even then, after Chen Jianghai had been swindled out of everything, it was Fang Aiguo who had reached out to pull him back up. It was a pity that their relationship could never be the same.

After entering, Fang Aiguo poured himself a glass of cold tea, gulped it down, wiped his mouth, and said excitedly, "Brother Hai, I’ve thought of a business idea recently. I want to run it by you."

Chen Jianghai raised an eyebrow and feigned curiosity. "Oh? Let’s hear it."

In his memories of his past life, Fang Aiguo had come to him with this very idea. Unfortunately, Chen Jianghai hadn't taken it seriously, and the matter had faded into nothingness.

Sure enough, Fang Aiguo said, "Pop song cassette tapes are selling really well lately, and the prices at the Xinhua Bookstore are too high. I’m thinking of going elsewhere to source some to sell. What do you think?"

Whether it was the Chen Jianghai of the past or the present, neither was particularly optimistic about this proposal. The past version had looked down on it; the current version reached this conclusion based on his accumulated experience. Currently, Linghai was still a small county with a very limited market, making it impossible to earn big money. Furthermore, sourcing the stock would require traveling to coastal cities, and the travel expenses alone might mean he wouldn't even recoup his initial investment.

"Aiguo, listen to me. I have a much better way to make money," Chen Jianghai said calmly.

Fang Aiguo’s eyes lit up. "What way? Tell me quickly!"

Chen Jianghai took the newly assembled radio and placed it directly in front of Fang Aiguo. "Take a look at this. How much do you think it would sell for?"

"This isn't new, is it?" Fang Aiguo glanced at it. "A second-hand one should go for about thirty or forty yuan! Brother Hai, where did you get this?"

Chen Jianghai puffed out his chest. "I assembled it myself. Tell me, can this make money?"

"Really? You know how to assemble this?" Fang Aiguo stared at him, wide-eyed and skeptical. His expression was identical to Lin Wanqiu’s from a few days ago.

Chen Jianghai couldn't be bothered to explain much. He tapped the radio. "Just tell me: can it be sold?"

"Of course it can be sold!" Fang Aiguo nodded. "Even if it's a bit old, as long as it works, there will definitely be people who want it. If the price is right, the demand won't be small."

"Then you’re in charge of selling it, and I’ll give you a cut of the profits. How about that?" Chen Jianghai said directly.

Logically, Chen Jianghai could make more money by selling it himself. By involving Fang Aiguo, he would have to share the profits. But that wasn't how he calculated things. He had his reasons. Firstly, he didn't have enough time. During the day he was busy repairing and collecting appliances, and at night he was busy dismantling and assembling. He simply didn't have the time to go out and sell.

More importantly, Fang Aiguo had been good to him in his past life. If the man was willing, Chen Jianghai didn't mind helping him get rich too, effectively grooming a capable lieutenant. If you want to achieve great things in this world, you can't go it alone. Even Jack Ma had his eighteen founders!

Fang Aiguo was overjoyed and grabbed Chen Jianghai’s arm. "Brother Hai, are you serious?"

Chen Jianghai nodded firmly. "Would I lie to my own brother?"

"Alright, I’ll take charge of the sales!" Fang Aiguo then asked, "Brother Hai, how many do you have on hand?"