Cheng Youyou purchased a television set through installment payments, making an initial payment of 300 yuan. Payments were to be made every half hour, totaling 12 payments. The additional 600 yuan was the interest for the installment plan.
“Boss, give me a TV too,” Just after Cheng Youyou finished her purchase, a passerby nearby chimed in.
This passerby appeared lazy, forming a stark contrast with the spirited demeanor of other residents of Chaoyang City.
Cheng Youyou even sensed a similar vibe emanating from him, the telltale signs of someone embracing the concept of lying flat.
Zhou Hao said, “3000 yuan.”
The passerby pointed at Cheng Youyou and said, “I’m just like her, also doing installments.”
Clearly, this bystander was even more of a salted fish than Cheng Youyou; he even negotiated by piggybacking on others.
Zhou Hao agreed, and Cheng Youyou and the passerby each took a television, pushing them away on their respective tricycles.
Zhou Hao looked at the 600 yuan in his hand, feeling delighted. He suddenly had 600 yuan on hand, and what he didn’t expect was that Cheng Youyou inadvertently brought him another customer.
Despite being installment payments, the interest amounted to 600 yuan, which wasn’t a trivial amount. With Cheng Youyou’s reminder, Zhou Hao decided to start offering installment payment services.
In no time, his electronic stall went from being ignored to bustling with customers. Everyone discovered a reasonable way to buy a TV, so Zhou Hao’s business boomed to the point where he could hardly keep up with demand.
【Is Cheng Youyou a female Bodhisattva? She doesn’t even have money herself and yet she’s helping others?】
【Modern history has changed, and televisions unexpectedly became the hottest selling item in the early 1980s.】
【Zhou Hao has grasped the code of wealth he’s going to start installment payments.”
【It was Cheng Youyou who reminded him.】
【Wait a minute, Cheng Youyou paid another 300 yuan, and now she only has 20 yuan left!】
【Cheng Youyou is in trouble. Even the God of Misfortune, Brother Sheng, has started doing business. With only 20 yuan left, what can she do now?】
While waiting for the TV to be installed with cables, Cheng Youyou decided to go out for a stroll with her remaining 20 yuan.
As she passed by Wang Wensheng’s pancake stall, her stomach grumbled. She was hungry.
Luckily, there was finally something to eat this time.
No energy supply station? No problem. Wang Wensheng would run his pancake stall.
“Brother Wang, how much is one pancake?”
【Don’t tell me she’s going to use her last 20 yuan to buy pancakes?】
【Is she that determined to bankrupt herself before giving up?】
Wang Wensheng gestured towards the sign, indicating, “One yuan each.”
Cheng Youyou replied, “A bit expensive.”
Indeed, considering the price levels of the 1980s, it was indeed a bit pricey.
【Can you believe Cheng Youyou also thinks it’s expensive!】
【Are you kidding me?!】
Wang Wensheng replied, “Don’t be fooled by the price. My business is booming.”
He pointed to the money jar in front of him, filled to the brim with coins, forming a small mountain.
Proudly, Wang Wensheng flaunted, “You see, Cheng Youyou, what business are you doing now?”
Cheng Youyou shrugged, “I’m not doing anything.”
Wang Wensheng said, “Let me tell you, just wandering around aimlessly like this won’t get you anywhere. You need to make money.”
He pointed to the money jar in front of him, “See that? Look at how much money your bro here has made. And look at you, not doing anything productive.”
Cheng Youyou remained silent, keeping her head down as she looked at the pancakes Wang Wensheng had prepared. The pancakes were fluffy, with golden-yellow egg filling, making Cheng Youyou even hungrier.
As Wang Wensheng began to impart his teachings to Cheng Youyou, he said, “Let me tell you, when it comes to doing business, you should look up to your brother Wang here.”
As he spoke, he sold another pancake and collected the money, “See that? If you have any questions, just ask me. I’m an experienced person, older than them, and I know more. If you don’t know something, ask me, and I’ll tell you.”
【Oh my, my Brother Sheng is really laying it on thick.】
【At this moment, I actually find myself siding with Cheng Youyou, who’s not exactly doing legitimate business.】
【Cheng Youyou should represent the barrage to eliminate the overbearing Brother Wo.】
Cheng Youyou lowered her head and pulled out five yuan from her pocket, tossing it into Wang Wensheng’s money jar.
Wang Wensheng paused in his pancake-making and arrogantly looked at the five yuan. “Are you paying your tuition fee to learn about business from me?”
He stood with his hands on his hips, boasting, “Seeing how sincere you are, I’ll start teaching from the very beginning. The first lesson is…”
Cheng Youyou reached out and tapped on the pancake, “One yuan is for buying your pancake, and the other four yuan are for buying some peace and quiet from you.”
【Hahaha, that’s satisfying!】
【That’s satisfying, Cheng Youyou shutting down the overbearing attitude.】
【I really hate preaching the most.】
【My Brother Sheng’s overbearing attitude is just too much.】
Wang Wensheng handed back the four yuan, “You can’t stop me from speaking. No, I must finish!”
Cheng Youyou replied, “Then speak, I’m leaving.”
With the four yuan in hand, Cheng Youyou turned and walked away.
Cheng Youyou took two steps, but Wang Wensheng called her back, “Come back here.”
Cheng Youyou, feeling helpless, asked, “What now?”
【Hahaha, they seem like a quarreling couple.】
“Wang Wensheng is being unreasonable, pestering her like that.”
【Hahaha, Cheng Youyou is so straightforward.】
Wang Wensheng said, “You haven’t heard me finish yet, you can’t leave.”
【It’s like something out of a romantic drama by Qiong Yao1refer to television dramas based on the works of Qiong Yao, a renowned Taiwanese romance novelist and screenwriter; her works often feature themes of love, fate, and family conflicts.】
【Wang Wensheng: You’re the heartless one, you’re the one being unreasonable.】
Cheng Youyou hadn’t taken the purchased pancake yet, she replied, “Alright, alright, just say it then.”
Wang Wensheng exclaimed, “What kind of attitude is this!?”
Cheng Youyou hadn’t even picked up the pancakes yet, “Okay, okay, my attitude wasn’t right.”
【Hahaha, am I watching a Qiong Yao drama on a variety show?】
【Cheng Youyou is so dismissive.】
【Cheng Youyou is as blunt as a stone.】
Wang Wensheng said, “Come here, let me talk to you.”
Cheng Youyou replied, “Then talk while you’re making pancakes.”
Wang Wensheng took on a righteous tone, “This isn’t right! Logically speaking, since I’m giving you business advice, I should be earning money from you. Now, those four yuan you gave me are for me to calm down. If you take the money back and I calm down, then you’ve essentially earned, haven’t you? It’s like you’ve saved…”
Cheng Youyou pointed at the pancake, “You should add the egg now.”
Wang Wensheng found the right words, “Exactly! You actually saved yourself from paying hush money.”
Cheng Youyou replied, “Okay, okay, you should add the seasoning now.”
Fortunately, Wang Wensheng didn’t stop working. He evenly sprinkled seasonings on the pancakes of varying thickness and even added a layer of chopped green onions.
Wang Wensheng said, “I can’t let you save money, I have to say it!”
【Here we go, he’s starting to preach!】
【Here we go again.】
Wang Wensheng continued, “In this day and age, food is always a priority for people. What I mean is, no matter the era, selling food will never lose money…”
With the pancake ready, Cheng Youyou grabbed a bag, “Put it in here, I’ll eat it while it’s hot.”
After packing, she walked away.
Wang Wensheng called after her, “Stop, I haven’t finished yet.”
Cheng Youyou really wanted to take a bite of the piping hot pancake, “Don’t say anymore, I can’t take advantage of you. Isn’t your business advice supposed to be fee-based?”
Wang Wensheng hesitated, “…Yeah.”
He couldn’t wrap his head around it.
【Hahaha, Brother Sheng’s mind is all over the place. Did he get caught up in it?】
【Wang Wensheng’s bad luck isn’t the fault of fate; blame it on his malfunctioning brain.】
【Wang Wensheng is in a dilemma.】
【If he speaks, it becomes a free lesson; if he doesn’t, Cheng Youyou gets away without paying hush money.】
Cheng Youyou managed to calm things down this time. She grabbed the pancake and left happily.
Wang Wensheng was still standing at the stall, looking dumbfounded. He hadn’t figured things out yet.
Wang Wensheng said, “Stop!”
Cheng Youyou, impatient, replied, “What now, big brother?”
This time, Wang Wensheng didn’t dwell on the attitude issue. He took out 10 yuan from the money jar and handed it to Cheng Youyou.
Cheng Youyou exclaimed, “Huh?”
【Am I seeing this right? Wang Wensheng gave money to Cheng Youyou?】
【What’s going on with this plot? I don’t understand anymore.】
【Even Cheng Youyou, the person involved, doesn’t understand.】
Wang Wensheng hesitated, “Um…”
【Wang Wensheng is actually being hesitant?】
Wang Wensheng said, “Uh, remember me if you become wealthy.”
Cheng Youyou asked, “What do you mean?”
She could accept the money, but she wanted to make sure she understood.
Wang Wensheng: “I think you’ve got a sharp mind. If you ever come across an opportunity to make a fortune, remember to think of me.”
He nudged the money towards her, “Take it. Consider it my fee for being your follower.”
After saying that, Wang Wensheng quickly lowered his head, pretending to focus on making pancakes, trying to cover up his embarrassment as a grown man.
【Is this a fee for apprenticeship?】
【Plot twist! Just now he was the mentor, now he’s bowing down to Cheng Youyou?】
【Did I miss something in the plot?】
【The plot is changing direction like a tornado.】
Wang Wensheng still hadn’t quite figured out the situation regarding hush money and the wealth management.
But he realized something else: just a few words from Cheng Youyou could entangle him in a situation. Wang Wensheng was convinced that Cheng Youyou definitely possessed great wisdom.
Wang Wensheng recalled Cheng Youyou’s seemingly modest but actually kingly behavior from the previous episode. He decided to make the first move, realizing that it was his own lone wolf approach in the last episode that led to his poor performance. This time, he wanted to change his fate by first attaching himself to someone influential.
Cheng Youyou happily returned home with ten yuan in one hand and a pancake in the other, ready to watch TV.
【Hahaha, buying a pancake and earning ten yuan in return?】
【Cheng Youyou is a genius in business.】
As Cheng Youyou watched TV and ate her pancake, her style was once again completely different from others.
Others: Procure goods, sell goods, count money.
Cheng Youyou: Eat pancake, watch TV, watch TV, eat pancake. When tired, just take a sip of water.
【Such a relaxed life.】
【Seems like the life of a landlord.】
At this moment, the radio in Chaoyang City began broadcasting.
“In 1983, now we move into 1984.”
With a weary expression, Cheng Youyou, reclined on a lounge chair, sat up, “It’s time to repay the loan.”
She still had 11 installments left on her television, each requiring 300 yuan, but she didn’t even have 20 yuan in her hands.
Reluctantly leaving the TV behind, Cheng Youyou approached Wang Wensheng’s stall. “Want to earn some extra cash?”
Wang Wensheng slammed the pancake down, “You say the word, Cheng Youyou, and I’ll do whatever it takes, willing to brave any danger.”
Cheng Youyou: …
【Wang Wensheng is overreacting.】
【No need for such dramatics.】
Cheng Youyou took out a piece of paper with a map of the city on it. Fifteen houses were circled in pen.
Cheng Youyou said, “These are all my houses. Help me rent them out, and I’ll give you a five percent commission for each house.”
Wang Wensheng pointed his finger, counting, “One, two, three…”
Cheng Youyou interrupted, “No need to count. There are a total of fifteen houses. I’ll keep one for myself and rent out the rest.”
Now in 1984, prices have increased compared to 1982. The rent for a house is approximately 1,000 yuan per year.
Wang Wensheng did some quick calculations. With Cheng Youyou having fourteen houses available for rent, at the average price, he could earn a commission of 700 yuan.
By 1984, prices in Chaoyang City had risen, and Wang Wensheng’s pancakes now cost two yuan each. However, even with this price increase, after deducting the cost, Wang Wensheng would need to sell 700 pancakes to earn that 700 yuan.
Wang Wensheng slammed his spatula on the stall, “Closing up shop. From now on, I’m Agent Xiao2little Wang.”
T/N: Apologies for going AWOL these past few months, life got really busy and I wasn’t in a good mental state to juggle my studies and translating this novel. Thanks for supporting my translations💗
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