National Tide 1980.

"How about this silk scarf of mine? How much do you think I'd offer?"

He Ye took off her Hermes bag and handed it to the shop assistant. Although He Ye was really worried about the store, she was now more interested in knowing how much similar items she was wearing were worth and whether she could actually get cash for them.

"Please wait a moment while I have our appraiser do an assessment."

The task was completed in just two minutes.

A Frenchman sitting behind the counter gave a professional assessment: It is a genuine Hermès scarf, made of real silk, long and thin, and highly practical. However, it has not been well preserved and has some minor flaws, so its condition is C. Considering the cost of cleaning and refurbishment, he gave the scarf a price of 4,000 yen. If the purchase receipt can be provided, he can add 1,000 yen, bringing the price to 5,000 yen.

To be honest, this price is really not high; it's basically the original price divided by six.

Moreover, since this scarf was a special edition made by Hermès for the Japanese market two years ago, if it were to be sold in the European market, it could fetch an even higher premium, and it's not impossible to sell it at the original price.

But the problem is that He Ye didn't buy the items himself.

Moreover, there are currently no better ways to monetize in Japan.

If we absolutely have to sell it, the only options besides here are to send it to a flea market.

The price will probably be less than 1,000 yen at that time.

So He Ye not only didn't object to such a offer, but was actually excited about it.

He then took out a pair of earrings from his purse and asked the expert to take a look.

"Tiffany diamond stud earrings, standard basic style, B condition, well-preserved, no wear, but the diamonds are too small. I can offer 25,000 yen for them. If you have the original box and proof of purchase, I can offer 27,000 yen."

Compared to the original price of 170,000 yen, the appraisal given by Daitoya was still at the level of throwing the item into a ditch.

But He Ye, who desperately needed cash, was still satisfied with this.

For her, she has accumulated too many such things in her life over the years. She never realized in the past that they could be turned into money. Now that she suddenly finds out that they can be cashed out, isn't that great?
Besides, she remains single, and she is certain that as long as men are still pursuing her, she will never lack such things.

What can't be sold?
Therefore, she decided to become a valued customer of the Big Knife Shop almost without any psychological barriers.

Twenty minutes later, she smiled and sold all her items, including her scarf, earrings, and her Chanel wallet that she had used for two months.

For her, what she gained was not only 59,000 yen in cash, but also a great sense of relief.

But it has to be said that this kind of thing is a bit like gambling, because the money comes too easily, and once you start, you can get addicted.

After receiving the money, before she could even leave, she was immediately aroused by the desires of other customers.

As more and more Japanese people flocked to the counter, either to watch or to participate, a lady in a kimono quickly set the daily cash discount ceiling.

She actually won 537,000 yen with a string of Mimoto pearls around her neck and a Hermès Kelly bag she was carrying.

This greatly shocked He Ye, causing her to turn back and ask, "How come that lady's two items were sold for so much money? What exactly are your appraisal standards?"

The shop assistant maintained her smile. "For customers like you, Daitoya is the only store that can buy back all types of fashion items. Our buyback evaluation has a systematic and professional standard. Our appraisers are from France, and the evaluation focuses on four main dimensions: authenticity, quality rating, brand and style, and the completeness of accessories. As for why that lady's necklace and handbag have such a high buyback price, it's mainly because of their high-end materials and brand premium. The pearls are from Mimotoki, and their size, luster, and condition are all grade A. The Hermes handbag is made of ostrich leather, a rare leather that naturally commands a high price. Two years ago, it would have cost around 1.6 million yen. Now, because it's extremely popular, new items appreciate by as much as 200,000 yen. Therefore, these two items will enjoy a more favorable buyback price. If you have similar items to sell, you can get the same amount of money."

"Is it because of the rare material?" He Ye immediately grasped the key point and then eagerly asked, "I have two crocodile skin bags? Are they considered rare leather materials?"

The salesperson smiled even more enthusiastically, "Crocodile skin is included, and it definitely has a considerable premium, but it still depends on the brand and condition. The specific price can only be determined after you bring the item over."

"One is Chanel, and the other is Louis Vuitton. And they're practically brand new. I've only opened them a few times because I don't really like the color and size."

"That's definitely no problem. Sir, if it's really as you say, we can give it an S rating. That might even allow us to sell it for a higher price than that lady's item. After all, that lady's item was only rated A."

"Okay, can I go get it now?"

"Okay, if you really will come again today, please just look for me. I will give you priority in the identification process, so you won't have to wait in line anymore."

Ms. He Ye, who had received special care from the shop assistant, thanked him repeatedly and left with a great sense of happiness.

As she walked out of the Daikyo shop, perhaps because she was too excited, she was almost hit by a car.

But it didn't matter. The joy of finding a large sum of money in her pocket made Ms. He Ye quickly forget all the unpleasant things.

She now had only one thought: to quickly find the two unused handbags at home and bring them back to exchange for money.

Five hundred thousand yen! That's equivalent to two months' salary for her, like receiving an extra half-year bonus.

This is such a wonderful thing, it's like a dream...

…………

Interestingly, in the luxury goods section of Daikyo, it wasn't just the customers who were happy; the staff were just as pleased.

Don't be fooled by the fact that they are all girls from Tokyo; they are not the kind of people who can endure too much hardship.

Faced with an increasing number of customers and a steady stream of orders, even with their shirts soaked with sweat, the shop assistants felt as happy as blooming flowers.

why?
Actually, it was because at the pre-opening mobilization meeting today, the manager of Da Dao Wu personally made a promise to them.

Regarding the luxury goods counter, whether it's a sale or a buyback, as long as the monthly turnover exceeds 100 million yen, all employees in this area will receive an extra bonus.

For every 50 million yen increase in sales, everyone's income will increase by an additional 50%.

Although at the time they thought those words were unrealistic empty talk, no one cared. Everyone just wanted to earn a monthly salary of 300,000 yuan, and it would be even better if they could sell their unwanted luxury goods at a good price in the store.

But things are really different now.

Because no one expected that the new store would become so popular so soon after its opening.

In just two or three hours this morning, the sales revenue has already exceeded three million yen. If this continues for a whole day, it will surely break ten million yen.

If that continues, that's 300 million yen a month, which means they could potentially earn a monthly salary of 900,000 yen, equivalent to three times the original salary for this job.

Who wouldn't work hard and give it their all? So what if you're so busy that you don't even have time to eat? You can just skip meals, save money, and even lose weight.

Now all they want to do is make as many transactions as possible at work, and when they get home they want to tell their friends and family so that everyone can come here to sell what they don't need.

Now they understand why the store manager said this industry has great potential, and why they said they were lucky girls.

It turns out the store manager had anticipated the inner needs of the Japanese.

On the contrary, these people are too ignorant and are completely trapped by the idea that "Japan's economy is in a slump and no industry can be spared".

In retrospect, although the shop was rather simple and looked somewhat ridiculous, its management was truly impeccable.

It's unique and impressive; even they wanted to browse the store and spend money there.

If the store manager really keeps his promise about the bonuses, then even if they work themselves to the bone every day, they would be willing to do it all to earn three times their salary in a month.

…………

On this day, Sun Wufu and Li Xiaojiang also came to join in the fun.

However, besides sending flower wreaths as guests to offer their congratulations, their main purpose was to come here as a sister company with nepotistic ties, hoping to freeload off the crowds.

As soon as the shop opened its doors to customers, the two of them, like two guardian deities, ran to the passageway in front of the shop and started handing out flyers to passing customers.

They wanted to capitalize on the popularity of the opening of Da Dao Wuchan and Da Dao Wu to expand their business.

But what's most remarkable is that the two of them clearly distinguished themselves in choosing who to distribute the items to, and they even shouted slogans in two different languages.

Sun Wufu was only targeting the Japanese; he shouted in Japanese.

"Da Dao Industry: Take away your trash and worries! One call, and we'll pick you up! Da Dao Industry: Giving you more space and cleanliness! Free recycling, always ready to respond..."

Li Xiaojiang, however, only targeted Chinese people. He spoke only in Mandarin, proclaiming, "One-stop service for studying and working in Japan, including introductions to language schools and affordable accommodation. Only 350,000 yen. Fellow countrymen, if you have relatives or friends coming to Japan, please take note. I am a member of a mutual aid association; I don't cheat fellow countrymen, and this promise is valid indefinitely..."

And so, the two of them stood at opposite ends of the store entrance, shouting and handing out their flyers as if in a competition.

In particular, to avoid disturbing each other, they tacitly maintained a back-and-forth rhythm.

We practically shouted one after another to avoid interfering with each other.

But because of this, their actions created a peculiar dramatic effect.

If someone is fluent in both Japanese and Chinese, they would naturally know that they are being polite to each other, each calling out to the other.

But if someone only speaks one language, they would definitely mistake them for a Japanese person and a Chinese person, who are undermining each other.

Fortunately, the more eye-catching the flyers were, the easier they were to distribute. They quickly handed out a large stack of them, which was somewhat like an unexpected stroke of luck.

And because of this, Li Xiaojiang unexpectedly ran into a few acquaintances again.

"Comrade Li, is this Japanese man deliberately provoking you? Do you need our help?"

As noon was almost over, Li Xiaojiang was about to invite Sun Wufu to lunch when someone called him from behind. He turned around and was stunned—standing opposite him were Wang Xiulian and A Ming, whom he had met and helped by the soldier at the entrance of Narita Airport more than ten days ago.

The two of them were carrying so many shopping bags they could barely lift them; they had bought quite a lot of things.

Li Xiaojiang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and went to greet him.

"Oh, you guys are here too! You look like you've settled in? You've adapted to life in Tokyo, haven't you?"

"Thanks to you, brother, we not only adapted, but we also found jobs."

Aming said excitedly, "My older sister and I both work for a boxed lunch company. She makes the meals, and I deliver them. We've been working there for a week now. Today is our day off. We heard that this is the opening of a new store of the mutual aid association, and the food is cheap. So we came to check it out."

Wang Xiulian also said, "Thank you so much, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to settle down so smoothly. Oh, you don't know yet, do you? We found this job in Takadanobaba, thanks to the mutual aid association's chairman, Mr. Chu, who guaranteed it. The Japanese boss is a nice person, although a bit stingy, but he does things the right way. And he said that as long as we work hard, he will keep us here for a long time."

Then she remembered the real reason she had come, and her face turned cold. She glanced at Sun Wufu from afar and said angrily to Li Xiaojiang.

"Comrade Li, is that Japanese guy deliberately causing you trouble? It's alright, with us here, we definitely can't let him bully you. Just say the word, and we'll help you. Either we'll drive him away together, or we'll help you distribute leaflets. In any case, we can't let him get away with it. There's strength in numbers, and we're not afraid of anyone."

As she spoke, Wang Xiulian took a stack of flyers, seemingly ready to put them into action immediately.

Seeing that the other party had truly misunderstood, Li Xiaojiang quickly waved his hand and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

They quickly explained, "No, no, you've misunderstood. That's not Japanese, he's a member of our mutual aid association! He's President Sun of the Big Sword Industry. Speaking of which, he provides most of the items in this Big Sword Shop. The reason he's greeting people in Japanese is because he has to find his customers among the Japanese."

"Huh?" Now it was Wang Xiulian and A Ming's turn to be dumbfounded, realizing that their actions were truly ridiculous.

Fortunately, Li Xiaojiang tactfully smoothed things over and even introduced them to Sun Wufu.

"Come on, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. We just happened to run into each other today, so let me introduce you. We're both in Tokyo, so if you have the chance to get to know each other, you can become friends. Isn't that great?"

Since that was the case, Wang Xiulian and Amin did not refuse.

And so, Li Xiaojiang invited Sun Wufu over as well.

Soon, their laughter, so familiar and friendly, filled the street, sounding especially warm and welcoming.

Perhaps it was the emotion of hometown ties, or perhaps it was the resonance of shared blood.

At this moment, there was no awkwardness between them, and everyone's face was radiant as if they had applied rouge.

Under the midday sun, their figures seemed like nails firmly driven into their feet, which seemed to be a special omen.

It seemed to be declaring to everyone that these migrants in Tokyo, as long as they were united and looked after each other, could not only gain a foothold here, but also live a vibrant and energetic life. (End of Chapter)