Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 25 When a Gun Appears in the Story
night.

Huaqiang Road is messy yet exudes a grand and imposing air, much like a street in a county town.

A barbecue stall had a dozen tables set up outside, and everyone was discussing how to make a fortune the next day, then toasting.

The most common accent is still Hunanese.

It is said that in Shenzhen, a city full of people from other parts of China, people from Hunan Province make up 30% of the population.

That's 30% of the total population; people from Hunan are practically taking over Shenzhen.

However, today, the proportion of people from Chongqing has increased slightly.

"It's nothing special."

"Buying used equipment in Huaqiang South should be no problem."

"I think I'll just collect cell phones in Huaqiang South. If all else fails, I can teach myself! Why bother with a job?"

"Oh no, I'm not going."

Huo Xiaowen kept babbling on and on, his face full of resistance.

He would never work for someone else. He works with Chen Xuebing because they are familiar with each other. If he were to be bossed around by a stranger, he would rather steal electric bikes.

Chen Xuebing waved his hand, shoved a piece of barbecue into his mouth to shut him up, then raised a glass of Kingway Ice Beer and clinked glasses with him.

"It's not that simple. What we've seen today is just the tip of the iceberg. Coming to a place like this, you can get acquainted with the local elders, get a label, and things will be easier in the future. Working is the easiest way, and besides, I'm with you. What are you afraid of? Don't you want to make big money?"

Huo Xiaowen sighed: "When you came here, you told me that I could earn 10,000 yuan in commission every month. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do. Tell me, according to your idea, how long would it take me to earn 10,000 yuan a month?"

Chen Xuebing pondered for a moment.

"At most, three months. Listen to me, and I guarantee you'll earn tens of thousands in three months."

Today they strolled around the entire Huaqiang Road and quietly listened to a lot of news. Nowadays, almost no one does online marketing. Most backpackers transport their goods to Guangzhou and other places to set up stalls, while big bosses transport them to shopping malls and mobile phone markets. The entire distribution system is mainly based on physical stores.

He used to go to internet cafes every day and browsed almost all of Taobao, but he couldn't find any trace of Huaqiangbei among the sellers.

This may be due to the relatively low level of trust in the online economy these days, as well as the generally low cultural level of Huaqiang Road.

Pony Ma once assembled computers in Huaqiangbei and jokingly explained why he founded Tencent: He was a college student, but he couldn't assemble computers as fast as a group of elementary school dropouts in Huaqiangbei. He had no advantage competing with them and was at a disadvantage.

Selling computers is selling computers, playing with computers is playing with computers.

Huaqiangbei is just a bunch of illiterate people who venture out into the world; they're shameless and daring.

There are laptops and desktops everywhere, but not many people are online. Many people who have sold hundreds of computers can't even type pinyin or pinyin.

Moreover, the traditional economic model is indeed deeply rooted, and he is confident that he can take advantage of the time difference in 2005 when Taobao is about to rise rapidly and seize the advantage of online channels.

"Didn't you say you were going to work on construction sites after you finished your studies? Why did you decide to do this? Are you planning to develop your career in Shenzhen in the future?" Huo Xiaowen raised another glass of wine and started chatting.

Upon hearing this, the small flame in Chen Xuebing's heart burned even brighter.

Shenzhen, what a wonderful place!

Tencent, Vanke, Huawei, SF Express, BYD headquarters, and even the Shenzhen Stock Exchange are all less than 20 kilometers away from him at this time, and there will be emerging companies like DJI in the future. A constellation of stars is gathering here.

What are they doing now?
He must be busy.

Chen Xuebing also wants to step into this wave of the times and make his journey a legend passed down by word of mouth.

"Let's talk about the future later; making money is the most important thing."

Chen Xuebing did not deny it, and stuffed another handful of skewers on the table into Huo Xiaowen's hands: "Eat quickly, I have things to do when I get back."

"You should try some too, these cuttlefish balls taste good."

"Yes, I've made some money. Next time I come, I'll treat you to a seafood stall."

"A seafood stall? It has to have girls!"

"Okay, I've got a girl."

……

I found a neighboring building nearby where we could stay overnight, and the price was indeed 20 yuan, just like the lady from Northeast China at the station had said.

Most of the guests coming and going on the floor were carrying bags, and none of them looked like they were working. Some of them were even on their phones, talking about things worth hundreds of thousands of yuan while staying in a place that cost 20 yuan a night.

These people should be called adventurers.

It's a dream place.

I booked a 30-square-meter twin room with wooden beds, but the room wasn't cramped and there was a shower. However, the owner said not to litter with food scraps, otherwise he wouldn't be responsible if it attracted rats.

Chen Xuebing sat on the bed, looked at the handwritten recruitment notice for a while, circled a few companies with the most openings, and planned to go to them one by one tomorrow.

I only go to the stalls in the distance.

These days, any establishment that can afford to open a stall in Yuanwang must be quite large. He plans to find the biggest one there, preferably one with a bit of a reputation.

If you're going to work, you can't work for a small business owner, right?

……

The next day.

"Sorry, you'd better try another place."

...

"Forget it, you don't meet the requirements."

"What are your requirements? Tell me."

"Go ahead, go ahead, ask around at other places."

...

"Damn it, I want to work but I can't find anywhere."

Huo Xiaowen cursed and said impatiently, "Fine, I'm not doing this job anymore, okay?"

Chen Xuebing held the order form in his hand and raised his eyebrows: "Don't panic, there's another one. This one should be bigger, hiring five people and having a maintenance department. It shouldn't be a sole proprietorship, but a company. Let's give it another try."

They've had interviews at four companies this morning, but none of the employers wanted to hire them.

Chen Xuebing roughly understood the reason: they wanted someone skilled in the business, someone who knew the industry, not a complete novice like them.

The reason Chen Xuebing left this one for last was because the job posting clearly stated that mobile phone repair experience was required, but he had no better options at the moment and could only go to the job posting address.

It's on the first floor of the Yuanwang building.

When I arrived, I found it was a fairly large store, even with a rest area, but it sold computers.

There was a female salesperson inside, and two men were sitting on the sofa. Chen Xuebing went up and asked them questions.

"Hello, are you hiring? Have you found anyone?"

The saleswoman was very polite, gesturing towards the sofa area and saying, "Oh, yes, please have a seat. I'll take you there later."

Chen Xuebing then noticed that the two people on the sofa were sitting upright, probably also there for a job interview. A thought suddenly formed in his mind. He leaned closer to the female sales representative and whispered:
"Hey beautiful, why don't you tell me which floor the job posting is on, and we can go there ourselves?"

As he spoke, he took out 50 yuan from his pocket and pushed it in front of her.

The saleswoman was not tempted by the small sum of 50 yuan and gave a professional smile: "Outside, our warehouse is hard to find, otherwise we would have just written it in the job posting."

"Warehouse?" Chen Xuebing frowned. "You don't sell phones here? Where's the counter?"

"Oh, we make both mobile phones and computers. We have stores on the second and third floors, but the upstairs is not suitable for hiring. The warehouse space is larger, and the boss usually lives there."

"Oh..." Chen Xuebing nodded and sat down with relief.

About ten minutes later, someone came and went directly into the counter to take over the shift. Only then did the female salesperson lead them to look outside.

It really is remote.

It was at least several hundred meters away from the distant viewpoint. After several twists and turns, we arrived at the place behind the electronics market building and then entered a relatively small street.

There were two roller shutter doors, but the interior was quite spacious. There was a large open area where workers were unpacking and sorting boxes. Several offices were partitioned off inside, with frosted windows and semi-transparent glass doors. You could vaguely see that one of the rooms with a light on was nicely furnished, with desks, computers, and sofas—everything you needed.

There is a person sitting there.

The saleswoman walked up to the door and knocked.

"Mr. Zhao, the applicants have arrived."

"Come in one by one."

Chen Xuebing had already secured a spot at the front, and the female saleswoman gestured for him to go in first.

Upon entering, a man in a leather jacket with slicked-back hair sat behind a large desk. He didn't seem to be very old, probably in his thirties.

There was also an unfolded cot against the wall inside. The cot wasn't big, which shows that the owners of Huaqiangbei don't have an easy life and have to personally guard the warehouse.

That's true. Why talk about enjoying yourself when you're here? Wouldn't it be better to earn money and spend it outside?
"Boss, I have experience in sales and I'd like to apply for a sales order clerk position. I also have a fellow villager who wants to apply for a mobile phone repair apprentice position... He doesn't need a salary, and he doesn't need room and board provided."

Chen Xuebing got straight to the point, directly demonstrating his utmost sincerity.

He had spoken with several interviewees that morning and had already found out that the order fulfillment clerk was responsible for contacting agents and temporarily finding other counters to transfer goods, as well as unpacking and distributing goods. This position allowed him to handle the entire process and learn a lot, making it the most suitable position for him.

He hadn't even had a chance to mention the job offer he wasn't asking for, but the other companies rejected him. So this time, he brought it up as soon as he walked in.

Mr. Zhao chuckled.

"ID card, temporary residence permit, let me see."

The recruitment method is that simple and unpretentious.

Chen Xuebing handed over his ID card: "Boss, the temporary residence permit requires a certificate from the employer, and I haven't applied for it yet."

He certainly didn't plan to apply for a temporary residence permit, as that's only required for permanent residency after 20 days. He planned to work for a few days, help Huo Xiaowen sort out the procedures, and then go back.

Of course, there are other fantasies, but if they come true, great; if not, so be it.

Mr. Zhao frowned slightly: "Just arrived?"

This was the last question the previous companies had asked him, and when Chen Xuebing answered "yes," he was immediately rejected.

Chen Xuebing immediately replied, "I'm new here, but I have sales experience. If you don't believe me, boss, I can work for free for a few days. You can pay me after you see how I do."

Mr. Zhao then leaned back, looked at Chen Xuebing, and pondered for a moment.

It was mainly Chen Xuebing's two sentences when he came in that made him seem like someone who had worked in sales.

“We do need someone to handle the ordering and distribution. They have to do all sorts of odd jobs, so there’s a lot to do. If you’re willing, you can stay and give it a try, but…” Mr. Zhao pointed outside, “We don’t need apprentices to repair machines. If you want to stay, you can ask your fellow villager somewhere else.”

“Mr. Zhao… My fellow villager came to Shenzhen with me, and we’d like to work together so we can look out for each other… Could you possibly make an exception for us? He’s incredibly hardworking! He can do all sorts of odd jobs!”

Chen Xuebing lost his composure and became a bit too eager, mainly because this was the first company that was going to hire him, and for the position of transferring goods.

At this moment, Mr. Zhao seemed to realize something and chuckled.
"Young man, you don't want to work here, you just want to find out about the channels, right? I've seen plenty of young people like you."

As he spoke, he looked outside and said, "You two are quite smart. One of you is learning the technology, and the other is running the distribution channels. Are you planning to learn here and then go out on your own? If you can help me do the job well, it's okay to learn. Everyone has gone through this process. However, I don't train people here. If you want to learn repair skills, there are places outside that teach it. It costs three thousand yuan a person. Let your friend go and ask around outside."

Chen Xuebing wasn't embarrassed at all when someone called him out, since it wasn't illegal. So, he brazenly said:
"Boss, I'll definitely do a good job for you, but my fellow villager really..."

"Forget it, you can leave now. I don't think you can do a good job anyway." Seeing that he was about to nag, General Manager Zhao simply waved his hand.

Chen Xuebing, however, refused to leave.

He could tell that this Mr. Zhao liked people with thick skin. When he had taken the initiative to interrupt earlier, Mr. Zhao was not impatient at all, but instead smiled.

If he perseveres a little longer, he might have a chance.

But the room wasn't soundproof.

Those outside could hear it clearly.

Seeing Zhao's attitude, Huo Xiaowen couldn't hold back any longer. He rushed in, grabbed Chen Xuebing's arm, and tried to pull him out.

"Damn it, why bother arguing with him? If he doesn't want me here, there are plenty of other places that will!"

Chen Xuebing grabbed Huo Xiaowen and gave him a meaningful look.

At the same time, his eyes lit up when he saw the tattoo on the back of Huo Xiaowen's T-shirt.

"Wait, boss, we can help with collecting payments!"

Huo Xiaowen was stunned by Chen Xuebing's roar.

Mr. Zhao, who was on the other side, was also stunned.

After a moment, Mr. Zhao leaned forward, raised his eyebrows, rested his elbows on the table, and asked with interest, "Collect...the bill?"

“My brother used to do this in Chongqing, and I can do it too! However, we’re not familiar with this area, so we can only accept your private bills.”

As Chen Xuebing spoke, he intentionally patted Huo Xiaowen on the back, showing his tattoo to President Zhao.

"You really dare to collect debts?" Mr. Zhao became interested and stood up.

"We need an IOU and an address. Don't make us search for people everywhere; it'll take too much time." Chen Xuebing's tone became steady.

"No problem!" It seemed Mr. Zhao already had someone in mind; without the slightest hesitation, he immediately replied, then added:

"What conditions?"

He didn't believe they could help him collect debts for free.

"Getting a phone here..." Chen Xuebing paused for a moment, then stopped speaking and said:
"Let's talk after we've got it done."

In his past life, he always treated his subordinates by first assessing their performance and then negotiating terms. Presumably, all bosses would agree with this logic.

Sure enough, Mr. Zhao immediately changed his attitude, beaming with smiles:
"Great! Don't worry, as long as you have the ability, the terms are negotiable!"

Chen Xuebing rolled his eyes inwardly.

If you were really willing to offer terms, you would have gone out on the street to collect debts. People have clearly marked their prices. Why the hell are you still waiting?
"Mr. Zhao, let's talk. What's the matter?" Chen Xuebing also changed his posture and sat down on the sofa.

General Manager Zhao waved his hand towards the outside:

"Those who applied for the job, come back later!"

……

They had a long talk.

"You mean, this Mr. Liu has been sued by several companies? Does he have money?" Chen Xuebing asked.

Zhao Wanping offered the two men a cigarette before nodding and saying confidently, "He definitely has money. He also owns a shop under his wife's name, and the business is doing quite well. Besides, he owes me 15 yuan, yet he still pays me cash for goods. If he weren't still in this business, I wouldn't have put up with him for so long. This guy is incredibly shameless; I'd rather support him than let him go..."

Hesitant to speak.

Chen Xuebing was thinking about the information above and didn't notice this topic for a moment.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'll give it a try, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Young man, I think you're capable." Zhao Wanping chuckled as he rummaged through his desk, pulled out a folder, picked out a sheet from a stack of forms, and placed it on the printer.

The freshly made photocopy was quickly produced. Zhao Wanping wrote an address on it, walked up to Chen Xuebing, and handed it to him.

Chen Xuebing noticed the folder; it contained quite a few lists.

But he was determined to do this one job; he would never do it again, no matter what.

As Huo Xiaowen emerged with the IOU, he finally couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't pretend to be innocent with me! You still have to do what you're supposed to do."

Chen Xuebing also scratched his head and sighed.

At that moment, a sentence came to mind.

"When a gun appears in a story, it has to be fired."

(End of this chapter)