"Brother, look at the department store in Feishi, three floors, so grand."
Zhang Weiyang pointed at the department store affiliated with the state-run store in Feishi, filled with admiration. Compared to their small storefront, this was true grandeur. If only their radio shop could have such a building, Zhang Weiyang would wake up smiling even in his dreams.
"Weiyang, do you believe that in less than five years, we'll have a building too, and it will definitely be grander than this."
Chen Yang looked at Zhang Weiyang. In those days, a three-story department store was indeed very grand. But in later generations, which prefecture-level city wouldn't have several large supermarkets with hundreds or thousands of shops, and even some counties would have them, like Walmart, Xiyingmen, China Resources Vanguard, Bubugao, Wanda Plaza... By 1983, with policies fully liberalized, the domestic private economy would explode like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. He was five years ahead of others. Chen Yang refused to believe that in five years, they couldn't outperform a state-run department store with a rigid management model.
"Brother, I believe you!"
"Let alone five years, if we can capture the entire radio market of Anhui Province, maybe in two years we'll have enough money to build a building here."
Zhang Weiyang looked at Chen Yang. In his heart, Chen Yang was omnipotent. Chen Yang's foresight, his sharp business acumen, mature business philosophy, and various bizarre ideas made Zhang Weiyang admire him wholeheartedly.
"Tsk, build a building, you guys really know how to brag. Aren't you afraid of the wind blowing your belt off?"
"Do you know where this is? This is Feishi, the capital of Anhui Province. You talk about building a building as if it's nothing. Who do you think you are?"
Chen Yang and Zhang Weiyang weren't speaking loudly, but a passerby who was about to enter the building overheard them.
"You..."
Zhang Weiyang looked at the young man's slovenly and disdainful appearance, and his face immediately lost some of its composure. However, Chen Yang pulled him back. The young man was accompanied by several others, all in olive-green military uniforms and looking like delinquents.
"Weiyang, it's enough if we know in our hearts. There's no need to argue with others."
Chen Yang couldn't be bothered to get into a conflict with a petty hoodlum. These people were like cockroaches; either you crush them with one stomp, or they can disgust you to death with their persistent annoyance. In the 1970s and 1980s, especially during the period of educated youth returning to the cities, there were simply too many such delinquents in the cities. At this time, there were too few jobs in the cities, and too many young people waiting for employment. These young people had no jobs, weren't married, were getting old, and their parents couldn't control them. With nothing to do all day, they could only hang around the streets. As reform and opening up progressed and the economy developed, people's wallets gradually grew fatter. Many of these delinquents engaged in criminal activities. They would rob people in alleys, extort protection money from small shop owners, peep at women bathing, and accost female workers on their way home. Some even caught lone women at night and defiled them. They committed all sorts of despicable acts. The subsequent rounds of severe crackdowns weren't without reason. If such a social atmosphere wasn't curbed, people wouldn't dare to go out at night in the future.
"Hmph, a bunch of cowards."
"Let's go, brothers, we're going to find Xiao Fang."
The young man disdainfully spat on the ground, then turned and led several other similarly aged delinquents into the department store. Zhang Weiyang clenched his fists, his veins bulging on his forehead. Being looked down upon by a few hoodlums, he couldn't help but want to fight.
"Boss, do you want me to teach them a lesson?"
Lei Baoguo couldn't stand these slovenly hoodlums the most. They were grown men, why not do something useful instead of hanging around the streets all day, wasting national resources.
"Brother Lei, you suddenly calling me boss makes me a bit unaccustomed. Who taught you that?"
Chen Yang glanced at Lei Baoguo. Even this honest fellow wanted to beat someone up, which showed how annoying these hoodlums were.
"Sister Er Di taught me. Calling you 'old brother' again is inappropriate. If I were younger, I could call you 'brother' along with Weiyang, but I'm too old for that."
"Alright, don't call me brother. Let's just leave it at that. We don't need to bother with those two kids. Doing business, the key is harmony to generate wealth."
"For such a small matter, there's no need to fight. If they truly touch our interests, then it's not too late to act."
Chen Yang had lived two lives, and a petty hoodlum's provocation wouldn't easily make him lose his temper.
"Okay, brother, we'll listen to you. There's no point arguing with a hoodlum."
Hearing Chen Yang's words, Zhang Weiyang was no longer angry. They were here to open up the market in Feishi this time. At least they had to complete their own tasks first. It wouldn't be good to have detours before finishing their work.
"Let's go, take me to see our shop."
Chen Yang patted Zhang Weiyang on the shoulder. Zhang Weiyang, at this moment, was still a bit hot-headed. In business, you couldn't get into conflicts over every little thing. If someone intentionally made trouble, your business wouldn't be able to operate normally, and the losses would be huge.
"Xiao Fang, we're giving you face by coming to see you again."
However, as Zhang Weiyang led Chen Yang towards their own shop, before they even entered, they encountered the same hoodlums from before harassing a young girl inside the display cabinet.
"Qin Xiaodong, stop wasting my time here."
"Get lost. You stand here, and no one dares to come in. Last time, you scared away a customer who came to buy a radio, and I've been restless for the past few days. What do you want?"
The salesgirl looked at the slovenly Qin Xiaodong, on the verge of tears. This radio shop was specially rented from the department store by the leadership, and she, a temporary worker from the state-run department store, was assigned to guard it. The department store wasn't paying her salary anymore. The boss of the radio company told her she would get a commission for every unit sold. This was unlike others who had a secure job, earning regardless of the circumstances. How much she earned depended entirely on how many she sold. Initially, it was going well. Although it wasn't as popular as the appliance stores in the department store where people had to queue to buy things, with her enthusiastic introductions, she could still sell a few units a day. Meng Xiaofei calculated that her commission income was even higher than the salary of a formal employee in the department store. She was overjoyed and put all her effort into promoting Meng radio to customers who hadn't bought a new radio yet. However, the good times didn't last long. She didn't know how it happened, but a few days ago, she met Qin Xiaodong, who was browsing in the department store. She thought she might have a chance to make a sale. But to her surprise, Qin Xiaodong not only didn't buy her radio, but he also came to harass her at the department store whenever he had nothing better to do. He didn't hit her, he just caused trouble, making it impossible for her to do business. She hadn't sold a single radio for several days. But since Qin Xiaodong didn't hit her or cause a scene, she couldn't call the police. Several days with no business meant no income, and Meng Xiaofei was almost crying with anxiety.