National Tide 1980.

Li Xiaojiang took the can and shook it.

Through the cold metal sheet, he could feel that the tuna inside was very solid, and there was no "sizzling" sound at all.

He couldn't help but beam with joy, and said excitedly, "This canned food is such a good deal! It would normally cost over 200 yen in the supermarket, but you bought it for only 60 yen? That's only about 2 yuan in RMB! That's incredibly cheap!"

However, the exact price quoted by Sun Wufu was even lower than he had expected.

"You're exaggerating. It's actually fifty yen a can. The owner is pitiful; he has no choice but to sell. He needs the money to pay his employees' wages and repay his bank loans. The supermarkets and convenience stores he's been working with can't handle so much stock and are even owing him money. So, for him, it's good enough that someone is willing to buy it. Otherwise, he'd not only have to continue paying warehouse rent but also bear the risk of these cans nearing their expiration date. If they don't sell, they'll end up being disposed of as garbage, and he won't get a single yen. He might even have to pay garbage disposal fees."

Li Xiaojiang put himself in their shoes and couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine, then sighed in dismay.

"The capitalist world is truly fraught with risks. Back when we came to Japan, who could have imagined that such a seemingly powerful economy would be in this state? I even thought that Japan's economy would soon surpass that of the United States. I never expected that the Japanese economy would suddenly collapse like this, with so many companies going bankrupt."

"You're wrong about that."

This was the first time Sun Wufu had expressed a different opinion.

He sat up abruptly, his eyes shining like two light bulbs. "Our chairman thought of that. Otherwise, President Ning wouldn't have brought us all here. According to him, Japan's economy is bound to decline after it reaches its peak. He brought us here to take advantage of the situation and profit from Japan's national crisis. Sure enough, after we arrived, everything came true just as he predicted."

Sun Wufu counted on his fingers quickly, getting more and more excited as he talked.

"Look, after the Japanese real estate market collapsed, how many construction sites were abandoned? Steel bars and cement were just piled up there, and nobody cared. Nowadays, very few construction companies are unaffected! All the projects they can get are demolition projects; there are very few new construction projects. That's why building materials are practically free."

“Last month alone, I negotiated with more than a dozen construction sites. Not only did I get more than 600 tons of steel and more than 100 tons of copper for free, but I also made an extra 2 million yen in transportation fees. Do you think that's a good deal? If we bring these things back to our country, they are all high-quality materials, and they would be snapped up even if they were sold for 3 million RMB. After deducting the transportation costs and taxes, I made at least 50 million yen in net profit.”

"And those small factories, when they go bankrupt, they sell off their machines and goods at rock-bottom prices. It's not just this food factory clearing out its inventory. Last week, I acquired a hardware processing plant's machines and parts, and immediately dismantled them to extract over ten tons of copper. Even if I sold them to Japanese middlemen on the spot, I could make over a million yen."

"The Japanese economy is indeed not doing well now, but conversely, it has allowed us to reap the benefits and make a lot of money. Don't you think our chairman is amazing? Isn't his prediction accurate?"

Sun Wufu's words made Li Xiaojiang tremble with fear and turn pale with shock.

He certainly knew that Ning Weimin was a shrewd businessman.

He also knew that Ning Weimin had made a fortune by reselling houses in Japan and had successfully escaped the peak of the market.

But to be honest, he always thought that Ning Weimin's success was also due to luck, with an element of accident.

In particular, Ning Weimin's marriage to a Japanese superstar inevitably led him to believe that Ning Weimin had benefited from his wife's fame to some extent, and that Ning Weimin had risen to power by selling his sexuality.

Sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder if, if the roles were reversed and he had Ning Weimin's identity and appearance, could he have achieved the same success?
But hearing Sun Wufu say this now, Li Xiaojiang was genuinely startled.

If Ning Weimin could have foreseen the changes in the Japanese economic landscape in advance and made arrangements accordingly, it would be for the better.

That would prove that his talent is entirely due to his real skills and abilities, and that he has misunderstood.

So he couldn't help but ask.

"Old Sun, is what you're saying true? We're not joking, are we? Did President Ning really predict this day would come so early on?"

"Of course, when have I ever lied to you? Besides, if it weren't for that, why would our chairman always prevent our mutual aid association from buying property? Think about it carefully, the Big Sword Industry has been making money for a long time. I've always wanted to expand, even though I had the money to buy land and build factories. Back then, the Japanese housing market was still rising, but President Ning wouldn't let me do that. He only let me rent. Not only the factory, but even the dormitories were rented. Didn't he understand that buying would be more cost-effective, both for appreciation and saving on rent? Isn't it because he foresaw that the Japanese housing market was going to collapse sooner or later? Otherwise, who would be so determined?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Haoran couldn't help but agree.

"Yes, yes, after our mutual aid association was established, the Japanese real estate market was still rising. Several times, members suggested using the association's idle funds to buy a detached house in a remote area, even if it didn't generate profit, it could still serve as the association's headquarters. But our Chairman Ning rejected all of these suggestions, without even holding a meeting to discuss them. He simply decided to use all the money that wasn't needed at the moment to buy Japanese long-term government bonds. At the time, I couldn't understand why the chairman, who was usually so open-minded and willing to respect everyone's opinions, would insist on going his own way on this matter. Now that Lao Sun has explained it, I understand. The chairman really had a clear understanding of the situation; he saw the direction of the Japanese economy back then. Now, facts have proven that our chairman was indeed insightful, and his decision was incredibly wise. Otherwise, our mutual aid association's assets wouldn't have increased by 12% as they have now; they would have decreased by at least 30%."

Having said all that, even if Li Xiaojiang were a fool, he should be convinced now.

Ning Weimin's success was by no means a fluke; it was the result of his absolute strength.

For someone like that, you should try even harder to curry favor with them in the future; you have to hold onto this golden thigh tightly.

Therefore, he, who already had great faith in Ning Weimin's character, now admired Ning Weimin's talent to the extreme.

The loyalty of the military officers, which had been hovering around 80 points, soared to a perfect 100. Especially since he knew Sun Wufu was Ning Weimin's absolute confidant, he naturally refused to be just a passive listener.

On a whim, he quickly took the initiative to sing Ning Weimin's praises.

You should know that the best compliment is hearing others express their private admiration for you.

If Sun Wufu were to relay what he said today to Ning Weimin someday, wouldn't that be a great benefit to him?

“That makes sense, you’re absolutely right.” Li Xiaojiang said earnestly, “Originally, I thought only I knew that the chairman was no ordinary person, but after hearing what you all said today, I realize that everyone thinks the same way. I have to say, having such a chairman is truly a blessing for our mutual aid association. I’m putting my words here, you just wait and see, as long as we all unite as one and cooperate sincerely under the chairman’s leadership, I guarantee that our mutual aid association will prosper and become stronger and stronger, becoming the number one non-governmental organization that our compatriots in mainland Japan can rely on.”

That wasn't all. He slapped Sun Wufu hard on the shoulder. "Old Sun, do you know what I envy most about you? I'll tell you, I'm jealous that you're the chairman's true confidant. The chairman fully supports your business and personally oversees and guides you. With that alone, it's hard for you not to get rich. Look at you, you've only been in Japan for a short time, and you've already built such a big business, acquiring factories and inventory all the time, making tens of millions of yen in profit. You also have hundreds of subordinates. Compared to you, I'm really struggling. Look at me, all I've managed is this small operation. Thirty-odd dormitories, enough for one hundred and twenty people. I just brought over a few dozen people from the mainland, and how much have I made this time? Five million yen at most. If we stood together, you'd completely outshine me."

Sun Wufu blushed with pride at the praise, but after rubbing his hands for a long time, he could only manage to stammer out, "Brother Li, you're right. I'm not very capable, and I'm only where I am today because of President Ning's help. I've thought it through. I need to keep bringing in talent, and if I find someone more suitable than me in the future, I'll step down and let someone more suitable manage the Big Knife Industry. That way, I won't hold everyone back."

Well, that's a complete misunderstanding.

Li Xiaojiang nearly tripped and fell flat on his face because of this, and he immediately became anxious.

I thought to myself, even an honest person shouldn't be this honest. How could they take something that was clearly a compliment as something bad?

He quickly explained, "Hey, don't do that! Old Sun, Brother Sun, please don't misunderstand. What I really meant was that I admire you... in a way that's not jealousy... admiration, you... you know?"

As the only bystander, Chu Haoran witnessed this utterly nonsensical situation.

Especially after witnessing firsthand how Li Xiaojiang, who is known for his shrewdness, actually got himself into such an embarrassing situation today because of his cleverness.

He couldn't help but burst into laughter.

However, as the saying goes, the bystander sees most of the game.

Fortunately, he was there today, which allowed him to speak up for both of them and resolve the awkward situation in time.

"Alright, Lao Sun, don't take it to heart, and there's no need to belittle yourself. Your business is thriving, and while President Ning's help is a factor, it's all thanks to your own hard work. Xiao Jiang didn't mean anything by it; when he said he envied you, he was just genuinely envious, nothing more. He actually admires you quite a bit. He's told me more than once in private that your line of work looks simple, but someone else couldn't handle it. I know him; he truly respects you. If you were to step down, he'd probably be the first to object."

"As for you, Xiao Jiang, you know Lao Sun is a kind and honest man. You're a seasoned businessman, don't you know what to say and what not to say? From now on, you'd better be straightforward with Lao Sun and stop showing off your glib tongue. Otherwise, if you cause another misunderstanding like this, you'll have no right to be envious. Besides, it's none of your business to be envious. Do you think you can build this business on your own? It's not like our chairman didn't help you. Look around, who delivered your furniture and appliances? Whether it's thanks to President Ning or Lao Sun, you need to remember that."

In this way, Chu Haoran offered Sun Wufu and Li Xiaojiang a small stool to save face, and the atmosphere immediately improved because of him.

"Brother Li, don't take it personally. What I meant was that coming to Japan made me realize that collecting scrap and old things is a real art. Just being willing to work hard and put in the effort isn't enough. Take collecting machines and parts, for example. How to open them up, how to disassemble them—that's all a skill. You can't just blindly rush in; you need professional knowledge to get by. Don't laugh, but I was just about to ask you for help. My factory has been collecting a lot of industrial waste lately, all metal parts. I can tell which is aluminum and which is copper, but taking them apart is a real struggle!"

Sun Wufu scratched his head anxiously as he spoke, "If you have the chance, could you help me find a few fellow countrymen with engineering backgrounds? Preferably those who understand metal materials, or those who have worked in factories. I urgently need them."

"Okay, I'll definitely think of that for you!" Li Xiaojiang readily agreed, patting his chest to assure you. "I'll ask around about the new arrivals tomorrow. I remember at least two of them came together; they're former workers from the Beijing Bearing Factory, which will be useful to you. I've also arranged for another group to come to Tokyo next week. Two of them are engineering students, and one seems to be specializing in metal materials. I'll ask around for you then. If they're willing, I'll let you know as soon as they arrive in Tokyo so you can come and pick them up!"

At this moment, Chu Haoran, who had been working non-stop, seemed to have finished connecting all the wires. He finally picked up a cloth to wipe his hands and chimed in, "Xiao Jiang, you really need to pay attention! This is a good thing for the benefit of our compatriots. These technically skilled compatriots are better off working for Lao Sun than doing odd jobs for the Japanese! Otherwise, Lao Sun would have to spend money to hire Japanese people, wouldn't that just be giving the little devils a free ride?"

He then picked up a beer can from the table, took a swig, and jokingly winked, "Speaking of which, this is also your chance to redeem yourself as a 'human trafficker.' Don't always think about how much money you can make compared to others. Instead, compare how much good karma you can accumulate."

"What human traffickers! My business is a legitimate agency!"

Li Xiaojiang laughed and playfully punched Chu Haoran's arm, "Besides, how am I not doing good deeds? I'm upright and honest, I never deceive my fellow countrymen, and all the money I earn is honest and fair!"

Moreover, when it came to accumulating virtue, he suddenly remembered the few Shanghainese he had met today, and quickly showed off his knowledge to Chu Haoran.

"Hey, by the way, Lao Chu. You know what? I ran into three of your fellow Shanghainese at Narita Airport today. It was a woman and two men who had been scammed by a shady broker named Zhang Jinlong. They were penniless and stranded at the airport, so I gave them a ride to Shinjuku and even gave them my business card. I reckon they'll be looking for odd jobs as soon as they find a place to stay. You're always around Takadanobaba, so if you run into them—I think the woman's name is Wang Xiulian, and there's another guy named A-Ming—try to help them out and find them some easy work."

"Don't worry!" Chu Haoran said proudly, slapping his thigh as he assured them, "If I run into them these next few days, I'll definitely take care of them. Even if I don't go, the status of Chinese people in Takadanobaba has improved quite a bit. Many Japanese bosses know about our mutual aid association, and they treat our Chinese people better than people from other countries. At least they won't let our people do overly dangerous jobs, which makes Indians, Vietnamese, and Filipinos quite envious."

Then, he picked up the beer on the table and raised it to Li Xiaojiang, "By the way, I also have to thank you on behalf of those fellow villagers, Xiaojiang! You did a really good job!" (End of this chapter)