Chapter Eighteen Suddenly Slumped

  Liu Min walked listlessly on the Weianmen Street in Xicheng District, they had been living in Jingdongfang for twenty days, he had been looking for a job everywhere for ten days, but still couldn't find an accounting job, and the annual salary of a casual worker was only a few taels, he didn't want to do it either, neither high nor low, Hai Gouzisheng's training was now managed by Lu Chuanzong, he had nothing to do every day, feeling like a idle eater, his heart grew more anxious, and couldn't help but envy Chen Xin's good luck.

  Having walked through the Weianmen Street, Liu Min still had no clue, looking at the west gate approaching, he suddenly thought of Dai Zhenggang and others, wondering how they were doing recently, so he simply went out of the city to find their hut.

  Inside the hut, a group of boat trackers were busy. Dai Zhenggang had just seen Liu Minyou and hurriedly welcomed him, asking him to sit down. Liu Minyou looked at the many bundles of clothes and bedding tied up inside the hut and asked Dai Zhenggang: "Brother Dai, what's all this?"

  "I was just about to come find you all today. Er Tuan came over a few days ago, his injury has basically healed and doesn't need to be re-dressed. We've been idle for over ten days with nothing to do, and plan to head back home tomorrow."

  "So it was like that, did Elder Brother Dai also return to his hometown?"

  "At that time when they came out, each family handed their people over to me. Now it's only natural that I should personally send them back to each family."

  "What's your plan after graduation?"

  Dai Zheng hesitated for a moment before saying, "I still don't know now. Chuanzong said he won't go back and will stay in Tianjin. Maybe after a while I'll come over here too, but I don't know what to do to make a living."

  Liu Minyou knew that Dairen Gang had a high opinion of Chen Xin, but now Chen Xin was just an accountant, and the salary he earned might not even be enough for several people to eat. Liu Minyou guessed that Dairen Gang was worried about causing trouble for the two of them, and also worried about his future prospects. To be honest, Liu Minyou himself didn't know what Chen Xin's plans were, or whether he really wanted to do business.

  "Uh, when Brother Dai arrives, just come first and take care of yourself. At least you'll have a place to live, and you can find some work anywhere, so you won't go hungry."

  "All right, I'll trouble you two again then. I'll come back in the evening and bid farewell to Brother Chen and a few younger brothers in person."

  "I'll be waiting for your return then."

  In the warehouse of a tatami mat shop.

  "Are you saying that you'll be setting sail two days from now?" Chen Xin asked casually.

  Cai Shenju's face fell, "Really, my dad had me pack up last night, and then he called my older brother over, saying something about not knowing what would happen, but the last two times before we set sail, it was like this, like he was giving us his final instructions. And this morning, my mom said she was going to go buy meat."

  "So you're also going out to sea?"

  "Of course, otherwise what's the point of calling me to collect things? I don't want to go to that Japan at all. My dad mentioned last time that not only is the sea scary with waves, but there are also pirates, and even the master..."

  Cai Shenju turned his head to look at the door, then turned back and lowered his voice: "Even Dongjia is going to do a deal that's not worth the money. Last time they robbed a boat and killed everyone on it. Our side also suffered heavy casualties."

  "This is a secret, don't go spreading it around outside, we're all just trying to make a living under the same boss."

  Cai Shenju nodded, his voice even lower, "My dad said the master insisted that I go. He said that when my dad gets old, he'll let me follow the ship as a financial assistant. Who knows how many more times we'll set sail? Even if nothing happens once, who can guarantee that nothing will happen for a lifetime?"

  Chen Xinxin suddenly realized that the East House had invited him to take Old Cai out to sea and leave an accountant in the store, fortunately Cai Shenji was illiterate, otherwise he would not have recruited this outsider.

  At this moment, he looked at Cai Shenju with a worried face. "Hey, Brother Cai, don't worry too much, your father also left a way out for you, look, isn't there still your elder brother?"

  "He's so biased, Big Brother can write and calculate, he won't come to the shop unless I'm here, I'd rather go to a food stall as an apprentice than lose my life."

  "It's not necessarily a matter of life and death, come on, now that we have some free time, big brother will teach you some lifesaving techniques."

  Cai Shenji perked up and waited for Chen Xin to instruct him.

  "Dangers at sea include storms and pirates. When sailing, if the wind is strong, stay below deck, or you might be blown into the water, which would be very dangerous if you can't swim. During rough seas, stay in the hold, tie yourself up with ropes, and don't stay under the cargo racks, or you'll get knocked around when the ship shakes. If pirates are encountered, hide in the hold until they're finished."

  "What if Dongjia loses?"

  "You might as well beg for mercy from the pirates, maybe they'll take pity on you and let you go."

  "Can pirates have a soft heart?"

  Chen Xin shook his head: "Generally not, but also can't rule out individual kindness."

  "It's all over..."

  "It's not over yet. Just now I mentioned pirates, and then there are big waves. What if the waves are too big and the boat capsizes? When you fall into the sea, you should hug a wooden board, so you won't sink."

  "Oh, as long as it doesn't sink. But what if it doesn't sink, can it float to the shore?"

  "Of course not, we can only wait and see if any other ships pass by, but the East Sea is vast and boundless, maybe a few months will pass before a ship comes by. In this month of waiting for a ship in the sea, you must be careful of the things in the sea. First are sharks, these fish are longer than several people, with two rows of teeth sharper than knives, moving through the water like flying. Then there are giant octopuses, they'll suck your blood dry before letting go. But what's even more frightening is the sea monster, with a human face and sharp teeth, it's said to be the transformed spirit of dead Japanese pirates, if you're eaten by it, it'll even absorb your soul, leaving no hope for reincarnation in the next life. And then there are the giant squids, man-eating fish... Brother Cai, if you see them, you must swim away quickly."

  Cai Shen's face turned pale, and he was sweating profusely. What kind of lifesaving method is this? It's clearly a death sentence! They're all native to the sea, and the ocean is vast - how can we outrun them?

  "Ka, ka, ka", Cai Shen's fear grew as he thought about it more, his teeth chattered and he couldn't speak.

  Chen Xin patted him on the shoulder and finally sighed: "Just remember what big brother said earlier, if you're lucky, you might be able to come back, Cai brothers, huh, are you still a young master?"

  "Ah, yes, I'm unmarried, and my daily wages are taken by my father, so I don't have the chance to go."

  "Wait till you come back, big brother will spend money to take you to a brothel to taste the flavor of women. Even if it's just once, at least you'll have been a man."

  "No, no, I don't want to go out to sea, I haven't even had a woman yet, I don't want to die."

  "Then I'll invite you to try it tonight, even if you can't come back, it's okay."

  Cai Shenjiu burst into tears, "No, I want to experience it many more times! Brother Chen, my father said you're the most resourceful, can you think of a way for me? As long as I don't have to go out to sea, you'll be my benefactor, my benefactor!"

  He was about to kowtow to Chen Xin. Chen Xin hastily supported him and let him sit down, himself stroking his chin in a thoughtful manner. Cai Shen raised his tearful eyes and gazed at him eagerly.

  After a while, Chen Xin said hesitantly: "Actually, there is another way, which is for me to go instead. Big Brother's life was saved by the Tartars, so it's no big deal for me to help Brother Cai this time. However, I'm new here and Master will definitely not trust me, so it might not work either. It seems like Big Brother has run out of options."

  Cai Shenji's face fell like a deflated balloon, his head hung low, and tears dripped from his eyes as he stared at the half-dead body.

  "But..."

  "But what?", Cai Shen's spirit suddenly lifted, and he fiercely grabbed Chen Xin's sleeve.

  "Ah, it's just a bit tricky."

  "No, no problem, as long as Brother Chen says so, I'll do whatever it takes."

  "If your father and you suddenly fall ill and can't make it, and the host has no one else to use, I can help you take this trip."

  Cai Shenju was like grasping at straws, his eyes flashing with excitement, his eyeballs rolling around, "Getting sick, yes, getting sick, how to get sick properly, wind and cold won't do, it's too hot outside, a boil, that can't be faked either, how to get sick properly."

  Chen Xin said repeatedly: "A minor illness is not okay, it's best to eat something, can't get out of bed, but don't be too serious."

  Cai Shenju suddenly clapped his hands, "Laji, I've got it! I'll put some croton seeds in our food, my dad and I will eat them together. It won't harm us too much... Brother Chen..."

  He turned his head to look at Chen Xin, only then remembering that Chen Xin was going to feed the sea monster in his place, and couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed again, lightly saying, "It's just troubling Big Brother Chen, I'll offer more incense every year from now on."

  Chen Xin cursed silently, still smiling: "Brother Cai, don't be polite, I've always regarded your father as a mentor and you as a brother. Now that I can help you out of trouble, it's also a way to repay the kindness of my mentor. However, this matter will inevitably harm your father's body, so Brother Cai must not tell anyone about it, lest my good intentions be misunderstood and I get a bad reputation, and you get a reputation for being unfilial."

  Cai Shenji hastily agreed and thanked him, then began to make arrangements. Chen Xin made suggestions and guided him to perfect the plan, such as buying croton beans at a pharmacy where no one knew him, how to hide the medicine, and how to put it in food.

  Ts'ai Shen-chi was a man of great kindness and generosity, and he remembered the incident. After lunch, he hastily left his shop and went to the Western City to buy medicine.

  Chen Xin was overjoyed at his successful persuasion, he needed this voyage to explore the lucrative sea trade which he had heard of in his fragmented historical knowledge. However, he knew that he had to investigate further and establish some connections. The first step was to seize this opportunity, and with newfound hope, he began to make secret plans in his heart.

  Cai Shenjiu soon returned, and exchanged a subtle glance with Chen Xin, indicating that the medicine had been purchased. Chen Xin smiled slightly, and the two of them didn't exchange any words, sitting in the store until closing time.

  Chen Xin and Lu You returned to Erdao Street together. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw Liu Minyou sitting by the stone table in a daze. Chen Xin waved his hand in front of Liu's eyes, but there was no response.

  "What's wrong, thinking of Pan Jinlian who had a hard life?"

  "Go, I'm tired of looking for work."

  Chen Xin smiled and said, "What's there to be busy about work? It's not like we haven't eaten."

  "You have work to do and are naturally in no hurry, while I spend my days doing nothing and have become a parasite."

  "Why don't you start your own business instead? Why bother being a salary man like me?"

  Liu Min said helplessly: "What can I do? In the past, I only knew how to write programs and nothing else."

  Chen Xin pulled over a stool and sat down, saying to Liu Min: "You see, I've been thinking about this lately. With so many people, once they're let out to work on their own, each doing their own thing, everyone's heart will be scattered. We should still come up with a small business to do together. I've thought of a few things."

  "Huh, you've thought of several ways, how come I didn't think of it."

  "You're not as clever as me, let me tell you what I've thought of. With our capital, we can't do big business or stock up on a lot of goods. The fastest turnover is with restaurants, but we won't be able to manage that. Those dishes from the past don't have seasonings and can't be made anyway. So I was thinking we could make some clothes."

  "What clothes did you buy again? What kind of clothes?"

  "Dress!"

  "What? Someone actually bought this thing, it's from the Ming dynasty."

  "Why doesn't anyone buy, it's not a bikini. Look at the styles of women's clothing on the street, they're all deep clothes with right armpits, the patterns and colors are not consistent, affecting the effect. We make high-necked dresses, the buttons are set in the back, the color pattern on the front can be integrated, and the style is more beautiful than deep clothes."

  Liu Min thought carefully for a moment and raised a question: "This thing doesn't have much technical difficulty, others will quickly imitate it."

  "It's okay, I've observed for a while, and now all the stores have a shortcoming, which is that they are single-minded. We can integrate products and sell dresses with other items, such as clothes racks (note: clothes racks were invented by American Albert in 1904). By bundling them together, our competitiveness will be higher than selling individual items. We can also give away small gifts like handkerchiefs and snacks. Each product should have a brand logo on it, and then we'll make advertising flyers. Once they're printed, we'll distribute some to each saleswoman and ask her to spread the word. As long as our brand becomes well-known, those small stores will only be able to compete for a small number of low-end customers. With increased sales volume, costs will decrease, making it even harder for small stores to compete. And in the future, we can also improve our designs, such as lace, embroidery, bras, and half-length dresses. We've seen many women's clothing styles."

  Liu Min's spirit was lifted, and he began to make plans in his mind while saying: "Right, women's money is easy to earn. Marketing, this thing has always been seen before. We can also do high heels. I saw them at a shoe store the other day, they're called high-bottom shoes, with heels four or five centimeters high. And cosmetics, just like you said, we don't have to make them ourselves, just buy and repackage them. Then rent out Jiang Wang's storefront and turn this place into a specialty store for women's products, create a brand. We can even open branches in the capital, what a huge market! Ha ha, now everyone in this courtyard will have something to do."

  Chen Xin looked at him, a bit too excited, and patted his hand: "Business is business, the training of the sea dog and others cannot be stopped. If this business goes well, what if someone comes to make trouble?"

  "Go, go, it's all up to you, let me think again, don't disturb me."

  "Think about it and go inside the house to write a plan, including costs, profits, budget, personnel, time schedule, suppliers, marketing strategy, competitive analysis, all need to be written down."

  "Right, but don't write so much, never mind, you don't have to call me."

  Liu Minyou got up and went into the house, slamming the door shut. Liu Minyou was originally very serious about his work in the company, and after crossing over, he didn't change at all. Chen Xin didn't think he could become a Pylcard or anything like that. He brought up this idea just because he didn't want to let Haigouzhi and the others go out to work, so as not to disperse their minds. As long as this clothing store could support these few people, it was enough.

  Liu Min wrote until dinner time, Dai Zhenggang came to bid farewell to everyone, Chen Xin ordered wine and dishes, inviting Dai Zhenggang to stay, Lu Chuanzong had decided to stay, Er Tun planned to return, Dai Zhenggang promised to send these people back before coming to Tianjin again. Although the few people didn't spend much time together, they got along very well and chatted in the courtyard until late at night.

  When the moon was high in the sky, the three of them mentioned Lu Chui-zi. Dài Zhēng-gāng said to Chen Xīn-dào: "Lú Chuán-zōng doesn't want to return to his hometown; he's a restless person. He told me that he admires you and wants to follow you to do some things. In the future, if there's anything improper, please forgive him, Brother Chen."

  Chen Xindao said: "I've spoken on behalf of my brother, I get along extremely well with Lu brothers, even if there's anything, it's not like we're outsiders who would see ghosts."

  Lu Chai Zi, who was standing beside them, also spoke up: "It's just as well that Brother Dai is here. I, Lu Chuan Zhong, am willing to stake my life on this - I admire Brother Chen's character and am willing to follow him to achieve success. Even if I lose my life, it won't be Brother Chen's fault. Can you, Brother Dai, bear witness for me?"

  Dai Zheng remained silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Who isn't a rotten life?"