Chapter 151 Stirring and Restless

Third floor.

Wang Qiang, who was walking in front, took the lead in greeting, "Boss Ma."

Ma Yuanheng exchanged glances with the two people beside him. As Wang Qiang and Old Zhu walked up the stairs, he frowned and said, "What is going on with you guys? You promised the computers would be delivered today, so why haven't we seen any computers yet?"

"Exactly, it has already been a full week," Ms. Zhang chimed in with a dissatisfied tone.

Boss Fang remained silent. He glanced downstairs and, seeing no computers in sight, his expression turned less than favorable.

Wang Qiang was not angry in the least. He smiled good-naturedly and said, "We couldn't possibly carry up thirty computers ourselves. They are down in the truck. Would you like to go down and take a look, or shall we find someone to help carry them up in a few trips?"

Hearing that the computers were downstairs in the truck, all three of them fell silent.

Without hiring anyone, they split the task into five or six trips with Wang Qiang and his two companions to carry all the computers up. However, they felt rather awkward. Just moments ago, they had been complaining about the delay, but now, looking at the piles of computers stacked next to their counters, they hardly knew what to say.

Wang Qiang asked, "Why don't you check out the computers?"

Ma Yuanheng, who had already squatted down to inspect them, said, "Very good, very good." A trace of lingering resentment still lingered in his heart as he asked, "Why did it take so many days to deliver them?"

Boss Fang nodded in agreement, "Indeed, we were getting anxious waiting."

Wang Qiang spread his hands and replied, "There was nothing we could do. I made a special trip to Hong Kong to get them for you. As you know, it's a journey of thousands of miles, and even if I took a rocket, it would still take time, right?"

Everyone has their own difficulties.

They had wanted to receive the goods sooner, but what Wang Qiang said was indeed the truth.

Thinking of this, Ma Yuanheng couldn't help feeling a sense of having wronged someone. Whether it was his earlier petty-minded suspicion that Guoxing Trading might run away with their money, or his questioning just moments before, he gave an embarrassed, awkward laugh and said, "My apologies, my apologies."

Wang Qiang waved a hand. "It's nothing."

Old Zhu's companion, Old Yao, stepped up and added, "Since you all agree there are no issues with the computers, shall we settle the remaining balance?"

"Right, right. Just wait a moment, Old Fang, Little Zhang, and I will go get the money." Ma Yuanheng stood up, supporting himself by his knees, and said to the other two, "Old Fang, Little Zhang, what are you still standing around for? Go get the money." Then, turning back to Wang Qiang, he added with a chuckle, "Heh heh, we've had the money ready for days."

The three of them returned to their respective counters to fetch the money.

Wang Qiang, Old Zhu, and Old Yao chatted for a while in front of Ma Yuanheng's counter.

Before long, all three brought the money over. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, they asked Wang Qiang and his two partners to count the money inside the storage room.

Inside the storage room, while counting the cash, Wang Qiang, Old Zhu, and Old Yao looked at Ma Yuanheng, who was leaning against the door frame, and asked, "Boss Ma, could we ask a favor of you?"

"What is it?" Ma Yuanheng asked.

Wang Qiang paused his counting, holding the banknotes in his hand, and said, "If anyone asks you whether you got your cheap computers from our company, could you please confirm it for us? Would that be okay?"

Ma Yuanheng was momentarily startled. He looked back at Ms. Zhang and Boss Fang. Clearly, they were not very enthusiastic about the idea. After all, getting the computers from Guoxing Trading gave them a competitive price advantage; who would want to share their sourcing channel?

Seeing the three of them exchanging glances, Wang Qiang guessed what they were thinking. He clicked his tongue and said, "Rest assured, apart from supplying you three, we will not give computers to anyone else." This statement was a little tactical maneuver on his part. Let alone others, even if Ma Yuanheng and the others wanted more computers in the future, Wang Qiang had no intention of providing them. Perhaps pulling it off once or twice more would be fine, but how can someone who walks often by the river avoid getting their shoes wet? He did not want to drown one day, so he decided to step out of the computer business for the time being.

Boss Fang pressed further, "Are you certain?"

"Certain. We can even sign an agreement," Wang Qiang said firmly.

All three breathed a sigh of relief. Ma Yuanheng smiled and said, "Alright, if anyone asks, we'll just say we got the goods from Guoxing Trading."

...

After finishing the deliveries, Wang Qiang and Old Zhu went to the inn to pick up lunch so they could eat with Wang Qiang's father at the company later.

Friendship Guest House.

As soon as Old Zhu rushed inside, he shouted loudly, "Wife, Little Wang is back! You probably don't know, but he went to Hong Kong this time. He was just telling me about conditions there—Hong Kong is even more prosperous than our Shanghai, and the streets are full of cars..."

Before he could finish, the landlady sitting behind the counter interrupted, "Hey, listen to you, talking as if you went there yourself! It's one thing to brag to your group of good-for-nothing friends, but now you're bringing your boasting to me?"

"Well, anyway, the computers are secured." Out of enduring awe for the landlady's temper, Old Zhu quickly changed the subject. "Our company can make one hundred thousand yuan from this single trip."

The landlady was startled. "One hundred thousand? From one trip?"

Relishing the landlady's focused gaze, Old Zhu patted the counter with great confidence. "What are you waiting for? Bring the food out; all four of us haven't had lunch yet."

"Alright, alright, alright." The landlady's face broke into a wide smile, and she didn't refute Old Zhu's commanding tone at all. After saying that, she turned to Wang Qiang, who was standing beside Old Zhu, and said, "Little Wang, you should stay here and eat. Let Old Zhu deliver the food over instead; otherwise, keeping it in the lunchbox won't taste as good, you see?"

Old Zhu rolled his eyes and said, "What do you mean by that? So you're saying we deserve to eat food that doesn't taste as good, and only Little Wang—"

"What do you mean, what do you mean? Little Wang has been out for a week or so without good food or drink, and you're still quibbling with me?" the landlady huffed, turning around to fetch the food.

Wang Qiang smiled in amusement. In truth, he knew the landlady wanted to treat him to good food and dishes to show her appreciation, especially since this trip had earned the company nearly one hundred thousand yuan.

...

At the company.

In the end, Wang Qiang followed Old Zhu back. Since they were building a company together, they naturally had to share weal and woe for the time being. Eating together every day would help build camaraderie, and it would also provide more time to discuss the company's development.

The two arrived on the twenty-second floor and placed the food on the desk by the window.

Chatting casually with his father and Old Zhu, Wang Qiang learned that the company's recruitment notices had already been posted, though no applicants had come forward yet. Wang Qiang wasn't in a hurry; the company wasn't busy yet anyway, and they could recruit more people once the workload truly picked up.

Everything was in place.

Now it all depended on how Old Yao handled his task.

"Where is Old Yao?" Wang Baoquo asked.

Wang Qiang explained, "He went out to take care of something—to promote our company."

Compared to before, his father not only paid more attention to his attire, but his mental outlook had also improved significantly. To use a common descriptor, he looked full of vitality and imposing.

Perhaps due to being the general manager of a company, regardless of whether there were employees yet, his father had undergone a earth-shattering transformation in terms of social standing.

Wang Qiang was extremely pleased by this. No matter how much money his partnership in the company might earn, nothing could compare to the worth of seeing his father so happy.

Just as they were chatting idly, Old Yao came running in from outside.

"Old Yao."

"How did it go?"

"Is the matter settled? Did you get people started on the publicity?"

Everyone chimed in with eager questions. Seeing Old Yao's expression, Wang Qiang felt a sudden drop in his stomach.

At that moment, Old Yao's face was as dark as water, and his mood seemed extremely poor. Hearing their questions, he walked listlessly over to the desk where the food was placed, sat down, and let out a long sigh.

Old Zhu's heart sank. "Did something unexpected happen?"

Wang Baoguo also asked worriedly, "Is it that they aren't willing to help with the publicity anymore?"

Yet, to everyone's surprise, Old Yao, who had been wearing a gloomy face for a long time, suddenly burst into roaring laughter. "As soon as I had people spread the word about Ma Yuanheng and the others getting cheap computers from our company, I heard lots of people on Qiujiang Road talking about it, every single one of them sounding eager to make a move."