Chapter 126: A Path to Riches (Subscription Requested)

Afternoon. The train station.

Wang Qiang found a nearby phone booth to call Su Weiming. He stated that he wanted to order 500 cassette players at 50 yuan each and 150 CD players at 380 yuan each. He asked Weijia Electronics to prepare the stock and, while he was at it, requested that Su Weiming introduce him to someone at the watch factory.

Upon hearing the size of the order, Su Weiming agreed immediately, repeatedly urging Wang Qiang to look for him as soon as he arrived. It was clear he wanted to claim the commission for this order.

After finishing the call, Wang Qiang checked his "four-piece set" at the station’s baggage department and waited until 7:35 PM to board the train to Shenzhen.

Clutching over 110,000 yuan in cash, Wang Qiang found it hard to sleep. He was terrified of being robbed, so he kept a tight grip on the suitcase holding the money throughout the journey. He hadn't chosen to wire the money because he feared the time delay; taking the train himself was faster than a bank transfer.

The total included 40,000 from Old Yao, 30,500 as a deposit from Cheng Weihong, 20,000 from Old Zhu, and the 20,000-plus remaining from his own funds after purchasing the four-piece set. 110,000 yuan—that was a massive fortune, even by later standards, so he had to be cautious.

The nearly forty-hour journey was pure torture. He managed to hold up the first day, but by the second, his eyes were circled with black like a panda’s, and he was constantly yawning. Yet, he couldn't afford to relax and fall asleep. Fortunately, nothing went wrong.

The next day, Shenzhen.

He arrived at Luohu Station around 10:00 AM. As soon as he stepped off the train, he found the weather was unkind; a torrential rain was pouring down. Helpless, he hired a taxi to take him to Weijia Electronics; the four-piece set couldn't get wet, or it would lose its value.

Along the way, the wind howled and the rain lashed down violently. Looking through the rain-blurred window, the streets were deserted, flooded with water like a flowing river. The wind and rain whipped about as if searching for something. Occasionally, he caught sight of pedestrians without umbrellas sprinting for shelter. The downpour grew heavier, looking like a waterfall crashing from the sky, turned into a mist of smoke and dust by the violent gusts.

Perhaps because the rainy weather kept the roads clear, they arrived at the entrance of Weijia Electronics in just over twenty minutes. Fearing the driver might drive off with his goods, Wang Qiang asked him to come inside the factory with him. The short driver was easygoing and agreed to accompany him with an umbrella.

After the guard notified the office, they waited at the gate. Two or three minutes later, Su Weiming, holding a black umbrella, jogged over with a wide grin. His first words were, "In such heavy rain, why didn't you call me to pick you up?"

Wang Qiang paused, then laughed, "It wasn't far; taking a taxi was fine."

Su Weiming pointed at the driver. "And this is?"

"Oh, he's the taxi driver," Wang Qiang explained.

Su Weiming didn't pay any more attention to him, instead wrapping an arm affectionately around Wang Qiang’s shoulder. "Come on, Little Wang, my umbrella is big. Let's go in. Manager Chen is waiting."

Wang Qiang felt uncomfortable with this sudden display of intimacy. He wondered what was going on—he hadn't been this polite even when Wang Qiang had offered him a bribe last time. Why the change of heart? He certainly didn't think Su Weiming was gay; if he were, he would have shown it earlier. There was only one explanation: the size of this order had made Su Weiming treat him with newfound respect.

Inside the Sales Department, Su Weiming told the driver to wait at his desk and took Wang Qiang to the manager's office.

At the door, he knocked. "Manager, I've brought Little Wang."

Manager Chen’s cheerful voice came from inside. "Oh, Little Wang is here?" Footsteps followed, and the door opened to reveal the balding manager. He grabbed Wang Qiang’s hand and shook it vigorously. "Little Wang, we meet again!"

Wang Qiang quickly set down his suitcase to shake hands with both of his. "Hello, Manager Chen."

Manager Chen held his hand and said warmly, "Come in, let's sit and talk."

The three entered the room. Manager Chen invited Wang Qiang to sit and personally brewed a cup of fragrant tea. Wang Qiang stood up to receive it. "Thank you."

"It's cold out in the rain; drink some tea to warm up," Manager Chen said with a smile. He didn't return to his desk but sat next to Wang Qiang instead, pulling out a pack of Three-Five cigarettes. "Care for one?"

"I don't smoke, thank you," Wang Qiang declined. He took a sip of tea, and the warmth in his stomach helped shake off his exhaustion.

The three chatted for a while—meaningless talk about the rapid development of Shenzhen and how it would become a national economic hub.

"Little Wang, did you bring the money?" Manager Chen finally got to the point.

Su Weiming immediately chimed in, "Manager, Little Wang is my client; this order must be credited to me."

"I know, I know," Manager Chen replied impatiently, turning back to Wang Qiang with a smile.

"I brought it." Wang Qiang patted the suitcase beside him. "It's all here. Have you prepared the goods?"

Manager Chen’s eyes lit up. "They've been ready for a long time. Logistics is not a problem. As soon as you process the payment with the finance department, we can ship them at any time. If you’re in a rush, I can have the transport department assign a vehicle just for you."

Su Weiming was even more direct. "I personally checked every single cassette and CD player. They are all in perfect condition. Rest assured, the quality control is strict." As a sales staff member, it wasn't his job to check quality, but to ensure such a large order went smoothly, he had done it himself.

Wang Qiang smiled. "In that case, shall we go process the payment?"

Manager Chen stopped him. "No need. I'll just call the finance department to come here. You sit and finish your tea." He walked over to his desk and picked up the receiver.

Su Weiming leaned in and whispered to Wang Qiang, "The perks of being a big client."

Wang Qiang couldn't help but smile. He really had become a big client for Weijia Electronics. While the quantity wasn't massive, the total transaction price was significant. Given the purchasing power of the time, 82,000 yuan was a substantial sum—calling him a big client was no exaggeration.

After the call, Manager Chen sat back down. "Finance will be here shortly. Just a moment."

Soon after, there was a knock. A woman in her thirties with long hair walked in. "Oh, Manager Chen, landed a big order?"

Manager Chen stood up. "Little Hu, let me introduce you. This is our big client, Mr. Wang."

Ms. Hu smiled and held out her hand. "Hello, Mr. Wang."

Wang Qiang didn't act arrogant; he shook her hand politely. "Hello, Ms. Hu."

The transaction process began. He opened the suitcase and handed over the 82,000 yuan. Ms. Hu counted it carefully and thoroughly. After confirming the amount was correct, she issued an invoice and complimented him, "Mr. Wang, you look quite young, but you're doing such big business."

"Just a small business," Wang Qiang said modestly.

Su Weiming chuckled. "An 80,000-plus order is small? Excluding my commission, my annual salary is only 6,000. Your single order is worth more than ten years of my salary."

After some more lighthearted banter, Wang Qiang took his leave. Manager Chen personally walked him to the door of the sales department, promising that the shipment would go out that evening.

Outside, once Manager Chen had left, Wang Qiang discreetly pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Su Weiming. "Manager Su, thank you for your help with the watch factory."

The driver glanced at it but acted as if he saw nothing, continuing to smoke the cigarette Manager Chen had given him. Since Wang Qiang had hired his taxi for the whole day, he wasn't in any rush.

Wang Qiang had expected Su Weiming to take it, but to his surprise, Su Weiming pushed it back with a serious expression. "Hey, Little Wang, that's not right. It’s just an introduction—it’s not a big deal. Take your money back. We're brothers; just make sure to come to me for your next order."

He hadn't been saying things like that back when he was taking bribes. However, Wang Qiang knew that salesmen worked on commission, and he guessed that an 82,000-yuan order earned Su Weiming a decent amount, so he didn't insist. He put the money away with peace of mind. Since the other party was being polite, he responded in kind. "Who else would I go to if not you?"

In truth, Su Weiming was genuinely worried. He knew he couldn't hide such a large order from his colleagues, and poaching clients within the sales department was common. He didn't want his "turf" to be stolen. Seeing Wang Qiang’s commitment, Su Weiming laughed, "That’s what I wanted to hear! Tell you what, I’ve got nothing going on, why don't I take you to the watch factory now?"

Wang Qiang felt relieved. "Great, thank you, Manager Su. Don't worry, no matter who approaches me, I will only get my stock through you."

Su Weiming said, "Good. I'll call my wife and tell her we're heading over." As he led Wang Qiang and the driver away, he suddenly laughed and asked, "Tell me, when we first met, you only took 100 players, then 500, and now 500 cassette players plus 150 CD players. You must have some secret way to get rich, right?"

The driver’s eyes lit up, and he stared intently at Wang Qiang.

Wang Qiang thought for a moment, then said with grave seriousness, "I do, but you must never tell anyone else."

Su Weiming and the driver nodded vigorously.

Wang Qiang continued, "You go to a nearby residential area and knock on doors. If a man answers, say you have the wrong house. If a woman answers, ask her if she wants a one-night stand. If she says yes, have your fun, then demand money. If she won't pay, just stay in bed and wait for her husband to come home. If no one answers, just pry the door open; all the money inside is yours."

The driver: "..."

Su Weiming: "..."

Both of them burst into laughter. They stopped asking about "getting rich" schemes, knowing full well Wang Qiang wouldn't reveal his secrets. It wasn't just that Wang Qiang wouldn't say; no one would.

Perhaps his answer had been a bit crude, but it was enough to defuse the situation with a joke.