242: Chapter 238 Small Conflict 242: Chapter 238 Small Conflict They looked at each other, and Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang were stunned for quite a while.
In Liuyuan County, most factories were not doing well—that was a fact.
Places like the distillery, canning factory, and machinery factory… had essentially ceased operations, and their workers were laid off.
However, there were still some factories considered thriving and profitable.
For example, the largest pillar enterprise in the county, Liuyuan County Textile Factory, was in good condition and still operating normally.
In the eyes of Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang, the fact that Chen Hai wanted them to do legitimate work and possibly find a position at one of the local enterprises was already quite impressive.
After all, this would be a significant transformation from unemployed rural youths to factory workers.
In their village, those young ladies and daughters-in-law, stuffing cash gifts and leveraging connections, found it tough to get into the Liuyuan County Textile Factory as textile workers.
For rural youths like Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang, with absolutely no connections, securing a job in a county enterprise was merely wishful thinking.
But now, without any prior discussion, Chen Hai suddenly spoke of buying a factory…
That statement truly scared both Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang!
“Old pal, are you sure you’re not pulling our leg or joking around?” After a prolonged silence, with big eyes staring into small ones, Sun Jinzhong was the first to speak up to confirm.
“Brother Zhong, do you think I would have any interest in joking about something like this?”
Calm and collected, Chen Hai smiled lightly, “Whether we can buy a factory depends on whether there’s a suitable one available and what the price would be.”
“This will require you both to make some inquiries.”
“After all, whether we buy a factory or not doesn’t depend on me but on you two.”
“I know you have no experience in managing a factory.”
“So, if we really buy a factory, I’m not concerned about making money initially.
As long as we don’t incur too many losses, consider it an opportunity for you two to gain experience.”
“You both need to have confidence in yourselves.
If you think it’s feasible, then inquire around the county.”
“If you feel that you can’t handle it, no worries, just pretend I never mentioned this.”
Holding the cup of tea that just arrived, Chen Hai drank leisurely.
Buying an enterprise within the county was merely an impulsive thought.
He didn’t have the time or energy to start a factory and run a business.
His main reason for considering buying a factory was to help Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang.
His relationship with Sun Jinzhong went without saying.
Brother Qiang, though not related by blood, had shown considerable goodwill by giving him those fragmented books.
With that in mind, Chen Hai wouldn’t mind helping them out as much as he could to secure a brighter future for them.
His words surprised Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang; they looked at each other with glowing faces, both buzzing with excitement as if injected with adrenaline.
“Old pal, of course, I have confidence in myself.”
“If you really buy a factory and let us manage it, I’d definitely expend all my efforts to run it well.”
Sun Jinzhong, grinning from ear to ear as if he had already become Factory Director Sun, thumped his chest loudly.
“Chen Hai, those factories in the county are indeed in poor condition, but buying one won’t just require a small amount of money, right?”
Brother Qiang was just as excited but more rational; after a moment of silence, he cautiously started.
“I know!” Chen Hai nodded.
Following that, he added, “Just to give you a heads-up, if the factory is suitable and has some potential for development…”
“In terms of price, below one million is definitely fine by me.”
“If it exceeds that amount, I might have to think twice!”
His casual remarks were yet another shock for both Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang.
Brother Qiang, who hardly had many dealings with Chen Hai and had met him only a few times.
Most of what he knew about Chen Hai came from Sun Jinzhong.
And Sun Jinzhong?
He indeed knew that his cousin was capable and extraordinary!
However, even just half a year ago, when they had parted, he merely knew that his cousin had made tens of thousands and had shared several thousand with him.
Yet now, Chen Hai was casually talking about investing millions, seemingly at ease and without much pressure.
“Old pal, did you really go to Capital City just for college?” After stuttering for quite some time, Sun Jinzhong managed to squeeze these words out.
“I just registered at the school; I mostly fooled around most of the time.”
“But I didn’t make much money in Capital City.
Mainly, I got lucky when I went to Hao River and made a small fortune there…”
Lightly smiling, Chen Hai said offhandedly.
He didn’t need to go into detail about how much money he had made.
He simply wanted Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang to know that he wasn’t misleading them; he had the capability to turn what he had just said into reality.
Several people were chatting spiritedly here, and Ye Qingqing, feeling bored, drank two cups of tea and went straight to the restroom.
“Beautiful, wanna dance?”
“Sorry, I can’t dance, please excuse me.”
“Yo, you speak Mandarin?
From out of town, babe?
Are you working at a hotel sauna or a hair salon?
Tell brother, when I’m free, I’ll come support your business?”
“Keep your mouth clean…”
In dance halls, fashionable and attractive girls are especially prone to trouble.
Ye Qingqing had just left the restroom and only walked a few steps when two young men approached her.
At first, they pretended to invite her to dance as a way to strike up a conversation.
When they heard her distinct foreign accent, these clueless guys started getting physical and hassling her.
Chen Hai, who was deeply engrossed in conversation with Brother Zhong and Sun Jinzhong, hadn’t noticed this scene initially.
“Chen Hai…” As soon as he heard Ye Qingqing’s call, his ears perked up.
Turning his head to see the scene, his eyes turned red, and with a ‘swoosh’, he stood up immediately.
“Motherfucker, daring to harass my sister in Happy Dance Hall?
You’re seeking death!”
“Brother Zhong, let’s go, we’ll kill them…” Compared to Chen Hai, Sun Jinzhong and Brother Qiang reacted even more violently.
Grabbing the chairs beneath them, they didn’t say a word and pounced.
For them, fighting was just an ordinary thing.
Hearing that Chen Hai was planning to buy a factory and let them manage it, they were already thrilled.
Ye Qingqing, Chen Hai’s girlfriend, being harassed was their best chance to prove themselves.
They dashed over to those guys, and Brother Qiang, who was particularly fierce, picked up a chair and greeted their heads.
“Bang bang bang…” Sun Jinzhong followed closely, showing no mercy either.
“Brother Zhong, what’s happening?
There’s a fight and you didn’t call me?”
“Isn’t that Ermao from New River Village?
Brother Qiang, Brother Zhong, how did you start fighting with these two?”
“No matter who they are, if they dare to mess with us, there’s only one word, fight…”
In dance halls, brawls happen every now and then.
As regulars here, Brother Qiang and Sun Jinzhong knew many people; as soon as they lifted a hand, a large group gathered around.
As young folks from the rural outskirts, when they came to the county to hang out, they always moved in groups.
Down East Street from Happy Dance Hall, across a bridge, lies the area of Yanbei Village.
Strictly speaking, this street was where Sun Jinzhong and Brotherhood commonly hung out.
Once they took action, immediately seven or eight of their good friends joined in.
In just a few moments, the ignorant fools were beaten to the ground, clutching their heads, curling up, and crying for their mothers.
Of course, there were also acquaintances who tried to intervene and break up the fight.
Unfortunately, Brother Zhong and Brother Qiang simply wouldn’t give face and ignored their pleas.
“Qingqing, are you alright?” Chen Hai had naturally rushed over by then.
However, he merely showed concern and pulled Ye Qingqing aside, not directly engaging the troublemakers.
For him, it was beneath him to stoop to fighting with such riff-raff—it was both humiliating and undignified.
Brother Qiang and Sun Jinzhong had already beaten those guys to the ground, wailing for mercy.
He didn’t need to lift a finger by then.
“No harm done, those two guys, spewing nasty words!”
“They invited me to dance, and when I refused and they realized I was an outsider, they thought I was easy to bully and started to get physical!”
“These guys really had it coming!”
Pouting her lips, Ye Qingqing complained.
Given her family’s background, encountering such a situation was absolutely unprecedented.
She wasn’t panicked, knowing her boyfriend Chen Hai was nearby.
With Chen Hai’s capabilities, seeing her mistreated, he would definitely stand up for her.
It was just that this first visit to the dance hall, which she had initially been enthusiastic about, had soured her mood.
“No worries then, just watch them get beaten up; feel relieved as long as it comforts you!”
“Whenever you calm down, I’ll tell Brother Qiang and my cousin to stop.”
Nodding, Chen Hai comforted his girlfriend.
His girlfriend being harassed during their outing at the dance hall infuriated him as well.
He refrained from physical involvement simply out of dignity.