Courtyard House: A Start with Black Gold Swallowing 100,000 Silver Dollars

Soon after, a store appeared in five bustling areas: Xidan, Wangfujing, Houhai, Wulitun, and Dashilan. The store had a blue background and white lettering and the name "Guomao Electrical Appliances City". Each store was about 200 square meters, with sparkling clean windows and neatly arranged counters.

Xu Damao believed in one principle: if you're going to do something, do something eye-catching. The two of them each invested 50,000 yuan, starting with 100,000 yuan, and opened five stores in one go. Half of the goods were shipped directly from Hong Kong; the other half were arranged by Li Guobiao, with Xu Damao personally visiting Xiao Fo to negotiate the deal.

Before opening, he used another trick: he distributed flyers all over the city, and the first fifty customers would get a 20% discount.

Ordinary people love practical benefits; the words "discount" written on paper are louder than a loudspeaker announcement.

As soon as the store opened, the queue stretched all the way to the street corner. The first fifty people each carried three or four bags—some had bought them themselves, while others had asked them to buy for them. Xu Damao stood at the store entrance, smiling but not stopping anyone, knowing full well that once the first salvo was won, everything else would follow suit.

Later, "Guomao Electrical Appliances City" grew bigger and bigger, and eventually went public. But that's a story for later; it's still just a rumor.

At 9 p.m. that night, all five stores closed simultaneously.

Xu Damao stayed at the Xidan flagship store. In one day, over five hundred people came in, and the turnover exceeded 230,000 yuan. After counting the last wad of cash, he took out his old notebook, turned to a brand new page, and wrote two words heavily with his pen:

**The Starting Moment**.

The revenue of the other four stores also exceeded 100,000, and the total revenue of the five stores reached over 830,000.

Back then, the home appliance industry was highly profitable, with gross profit steadily hovering around 30%. Out of 830,000 yuan, the net profit was around 200,000 yuan—in today's terms, it would be like a gold brick falling from the sky!

Xu Damao grinned, his eyes crinkling with laughter, revealing his teeth. He even forgot to smoke, just kept clicking the lighter.

His mind was racing with calculations: He was going to strike it rich! He was really going to make a fortune!

However, he also knew that the initial surge in popularity was the culmination of a week's worth of building momentum. Neighbors had already thoroughly discussed the opening of "Xu's Electrical Appliances City," with some coming specifically for the occasion, others bringing relatives, and still others cycling halfway around town just to see what was happening. He knew the crowds would inevitably dwindle later; that was an ironclad rule.

Xu Damao, however, remained calm. He had a very practical plan: if the five stores sold an average of 50,000 yuan a day, after deducting rent, wages, utilities, and losses, he would be content with a steady 10,000 yuan in pocket every day. 50,000 yuan was not difficult to achieve—a color TV cost a little over 600 yuan, a double-door refrigerator 1,200 yuan, and air conditioners often started at 2,000 yuan. Selling 20 or 30 units would settle the accounts.

If this number continues to grow, over three million will be earned in a year. Seeing this figure, even he subconsciously touched his bankbook in his pocket, as if he were dreaming.

But that's just how things are these days: a monopoly means no competitors, no counterfeits, no price gouging, customers line up to pay, and manufacturers beg for supplies—this windfall was handed to him by the times.

Just three months later, the account balance had exceeded one million. Xu Damao couldn't sit still any longer. That very day, he went to the steel rolling mill to apply for a leave of absence without pay, and carrying his documents, he went straight to the state-run restaurant to find Li Guobiao.

Same old spot, the third table by the window.

"Guobiao, do you have many acquaintances in Tianjing?"

He started by rambling on about the business of the five stores recently: which day the washing machines were sold out, which day the air conditioner counter was surrounded by three layers of people, and even the factory's master craftsmen used their connections to buy discounted freezers... Finally, he changed the subject and asked with a smile.

That's right, he's figured it out—Tianjing must be taken.

Eight hundred thousand, one million, three million... These numbers are not ink on paper, but hot money, paving bricks, and territory that will be snatched away by others if we don't reach out now.

Li Guobiao picked up a piece of braised beef, swallowed it slowly, and then said, "Uh... my older brother, Li Guohua, is the Party Secretary of Tianjing City."

Xu Damao's hand trembled, and his chopsticks almost slipped into the vinegar dish.

What the hell!

Go straight to the top? That's someone who can control the positions of all the officials in the city! A picture immediately flashed through his mind: himself, wearing a faded blue shirt, standing at the entrance of the municipal party committee building, his legs trembling, unable to even utter a proper "Hello, leader..."

Besides, it's just a few appliance stores, why bother such a big deal? He gave an awkward smile and tentatively asked, "Um... is there... a slightly more straightforward way? Like, the department in charge of industry and commerce, the department in charge of housing, or... the neighborhood committee would also work?"

Li Guobiao didn't say much, but made a phone call that very night. The next morning, he handed over a note that read: Li Jiazhen, 26 years old, deputy section chief of the materials company under the Tianjing City Bureau of Commerce; with a small note attached: "My eldest brother's second son, don't mention the word 'Secretary,' just call him 'Jiazhen.'"

Xu Damao clutched the note, his heart pounding—a deputy section chief at twenty-five? That resume was louder than his radio.

He didn't dare to delay, and on the third day, he hurriedly boarded the green train to Tianjing with two boxes of "Flying Pigeon" bicycle locks and a can of "Panda" cigarettes.

Of course, in Tianjing, five stores wouldn't even fill a corner. But Xu Damao had already made arrangements: he sent his most reliable manager, Lao Zhou, with three others to settle in first, monitoring shops and negotiating leases in five bustling areas: Xidan, Dongsi, Qianmen, Chongwenmen, and Baizhifang. A warehouse was even more crucial; it needed to be close to the train station for easy restocking.

With Li Guobiao as his trump card, he dared to venture out with peace of mind.

Sure enough, less than ten minutes after they sat down at the restaurant, a tall young man walked in. He was wearing a black suit, with the top two buttons of his white shirt undone, and a Shanghai watch on his wrist gleamed. Behind him was a girl in a floral dress who naturally took his arm as soon as she entered, her fingertips lightly touching his chest.

Li Jiazhen.

Xu Damao recognized him at a glance—that kind of energy was so unique: it wasn't ruthless or fierce, but rather a relaxed ease that emanated from his very bones, a feeling of "not having to bend over." When he spoke, his eyes would slightly rise, looking at people as if they were samples displayed in a shop window; when the girl sat on his lap, he didn't even lift his eyelids, but simply took the orange juice from her hand, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her.

Xu Damao thought to himself: This guy is tough to deal with. But right now, we're all counting on him.

"Hey, Jia Zhen, brother!" He quickly stood up, rubbing his hands together as he greeted him. "Your Uncle Guo Biao and I are inseparable partners, as close as brothers! I'm here today because I want to settle down in Tianjing and open a few appliance stores—Guo Biao, you should have mentioned that to you, right?"

Li Jiazhen didn't rush to answer. He first had the girl put the orange juice on the table, then slowly peeled a candy and put it in his mouth before looking up and smiling: "Uncle Da Mao, your business... is quite impressive."

Uncle? Xu Damao felt a surge of warmth in his heart—after all, he was being polite. But the word "tough" didn't quite ring a bell; it was like a needle hidden in sugar coating. His eyes darted around, and he quickly added, "Hey, tough what? It's all because nobody's competing with us; it's an exclusive business."

Li Jiazhen nodded, then suddenly leaned forward, her voice low but clear: "All the sources of goods in Tianjing City, from large and small appliance stalls to wholesale stores and supply and marketing stations, are under my control."

He paused, then lightly traced a line on the glass tabletop with his fingertip. "Last time, when the districts were divided, my cousin Li Jiacheng helped me get the Tianjing area under my name."

Xu Damao was taken aback: "This... I really didn't know."

He had never been around this group before, and he didn't even have time to figure out what "district" meant.

"Then if you open a shop and sell all my goods, isn't that the same as scooping the rice out of my bowl, spoonful by spoonful?" Li Jiazhen tilted her head, her tone light and casual, as if she were talking about the weather.

Xu Damao's brow twitched, and he immediately understood: no wonder he didn't agree on the spot the day before—they had already calculated everything and were just waiting for him to speak.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, calmed his racing heart, and smiled even more amiably: "Well... Brother Jiazhen, what do you think is the best way to handle this?"

The one who tied the knot must untie it. This saying cannot be circumvented.

Li Jiazhen didn't rush to answer. He simply lowered his head to tidy up the stray hairs behind the girl's ear before slowly saying, "For Uncle Guobiao's sake, I only need a 10% share. Also, for your five stores, at least half of all the electrical appliances must be sourced from me."

As he spoke, he gently tapped the girl's knee twice with his finger.

Xu Damao's heart skipped a beat.

A 10% stake, ostensibly for dividends, is actually a way to take a third of the 30% profit for free; moreover, "half comes from me," meaning the Li family's genuine goods are definitely more expensive than those directly supplied by the manufacturer—that's another 10% difference. All things considered, I'm actually losing 15% of my profit.

Li Guobiao also holds half of that 10% dry share. In other words, Xu Damao alone bears 75% of the profit concession.

This kid has a really sharp blade, and he even goes for the thickest parts of the meat.

Seeing that Xu Damao remained silent, Li Jiazhen shook his glass, the ice cubes clinking. "Uncle Damao, I'm really giving you too much credit with these terms. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even let them in the door; someone with connections would at least take 90%—but now you only need 10%, which is practically giving you a free ticket to Tianjing. Don't you think so?"

He said it with a smile, but his tone became slightly somber at the end.

Xu Damao stared at the swaying glass of ice water, then suddenly laughed, picked up his own glass, and clinked it against the other's: "Alright! Brother Jiazhen is straightforward! One part is one part, and the goods will go to you as you said—come on, let's have a toast!"

He knew perfectly well that a 35% net profit was still better than ten years working in a steel mill. You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub; if you can't give up this small taste of success, you can forget about settling down in Beijing.

"It's a pleasure working with you!"

"It's a pleasure working with you!"

The rims of the glasses clinked together with a crisp sound.

After that, Xu Damao only mentioned a few practical things: the shop must be located on a street with high customer traffic and an area of ​​around 200 square meters; the warehouse must be near the South Station and have a loading and unloading platform; and the business license must be obtained as soon as possible.

He thought it would take at least ten days or half a month, but two days later, Li Jiazhen pushed a stack of documents in front of him—five shop contracts, warehouse lease agreements, copies of business licenses, and even the fire safety filing was stamped.

When Xu Damao opened it, he found that even the address and house number matched his sketch perfectly.

He paused, looking up to say thank you, but Li Jiazhen had already stood up, taking the girl's hand and walking out, only turning back to say, "Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, hand over the keys to the Xidan shop. Remember to bring the company seal."

The wind chimes tinkled, but the figure had vanished.

This time I've truly seen it all and realized the weight of the old saying, "It's easier to get things done if you have connections."

Making money? It turns out it really is that easy.