Chapter 152: The Golden Glutton

Cousin’s visit to the city naturally meant Chen Huajiang had to show him around, indulging him with good food and entertainment, while also preparing gifts for him to take back.

Along the way, Chen Huashan recounted many happenings in the village over the past year. At Chen Huajiang’s insistence, he even shared stories from the years after Chen Huajiang had left.

Most of it was mundane family matters and various idle gossip.

Who’s wife had an affair, who was caught red-handed—according to Chen Huashan’s way of thinking, these were the major events shaking the village.

Yet, there was one person who filled Chen Huajiang with deep emotion: Wu Min, a former elementary school classmate.

“My dad said she’s a jinx, a bringer of misfortune. Whoever crosses her path suffers bad luck.”

“First, her mother died under tragic circumstances, then last year her father passed away too. Now the whole village fears her; even my mother won’t let her walk past our house. If she brings her bad luck here, you’ll be the one attending the funeral.”

When it came to gossip like this, Chen Huashan would launch into an animated monologue, his eyes sparkling.

Bang—

Chen Huajiang lightly tapped him on the head, causing him to clutch his skull and burst into tears.

“Don’t talk about this kind of nonsense anymore, and don’t spread baseless rumors.”

“What kind of example is that? If I ever catch you gossiping like this again, it won’t just be a tap on the head.”

Chen Huajiang said with restrained seriousness, shooting his cousin a sharp glare.

The mention of Wu Min left a vivid impression in his mind, and he felt a profound sorrow.

Back in their town’s elementary school, they had been deskmates, commuting together each day.

That girl with the braided pigtails had endured a profoundly sorrowful life. The deaths of her parents were a grim turning point; the label of ‘jinx’ haunted her throughout her life.

Even after marrying into another village, she couldn’t shake the stigma. She suffered abuse in her in-laws’ home and passed away before she turned thirty.

When Chen Huajiang heard of her death, he wept and lamented the cruelty of fate.

Now that life had granted him a second chance, Chen Huajiang was determined to help her, at least ensuring she would not walk the same tragic path again.

“Second brother, you don’t still like that woman, do you?”

Chen Huashan clutched his head, rolling his eyes as he asked.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Are you trying to prove how tough-headed you are, that you’re not afraid of a knock on the head?”

Chen Huajiang spoke sternly, ready to give his cousin another lesson with a tap.

But this time the boy was smarter; seeing Chen Huajiang raise his hand, he quickly dodged aside.

“Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore. You know, I know, the heavens know.”

Chen Huashan stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes.

Chen Huajiang sighed helplessly, knowing his cousin wasn’t afraid of punishment and would only grow more defiant. So he let it go.

Sure enough, ignoring him was the only way to quiet him down.

That evening, Chen Huajiang’s wife, Lin Jiayin, prepared an abundance of delicious food to warmly entertain their cousin.

After spending two days enjoying the city, on the third day Chen Huajiang arranged for Ermao to escort their cousin back home, so their uncle and aunt wouldn’t worry.

Then Chen Huajiang and his wife began preparing gifts for the New Year, making sure everything was ready in advance, since many items would be impossible to find once the festivities began.

In these times, supplies were not as abundant as in the future; even with money, one often couldn’t buy what was needed.

For example, Chen Huajiang had planned to buy several radios to take back home, but without the proper coupons, even offering extra money, the shopkeepers refused to sell.

This frustrated Chen Huajiang, but he soon dismissed it—such difficulties would vanish after a few more years once the system evolved.

However, the next day, Chen Huajiang met someone who greeted him with a few radios as gifts.

“Boss Chen, first time meeting and I didn’t bring much. A small token, not worthy of your esteem.”

The man was in his early thirties, short but solidly built, somewhat stout.

He placed three radios on the table, clasped his hands together, and smiled warmly.

His eyes narrowed into friendly slits, radiating kindness.

Chen Huajiang, however, fixed him with a steady gaze and said gravely, “Boss Jin, you followed me for a whole day yesterday, didn’t you?”

He recognized the man at once.

Jin Sanshun, nicknamed “Golden Glutton.” He would become the largest distributor of daily chemical products in Nanming City and the entire South Central region, as well as a first-tier agent for many brands.

There was a saying: in South Central, manufacturers controlled the production price, but Jin Sanshun controlled the selling price.

This spoke volumes about his power. Yet, with the rise of the internet and online shopping, his business took a massive hit.

His wealth had drastically diminished, though his Jinmao Group remained a colossal enterprise valued at tens of billions.

Of course, his reputation was far from good—middlemen like him seldom earned goodwill.

“Uh, Boss Chen, you know me?”

Jin Sanshun’s smile faltered, clearly surprised that Chen Huajiang had recognized him immediately.

“How could I not know Boss Jin Sanshun?” Chen Huajiang said with a slight sneer, watching him with distrust.

Jin Sanshun understood why and hastened to explain.

“Don’t misunderstand, Boss Chen. I mean no harm. Yesterday I was at the department store with my family buying New Year supplies when I happened to see you and your wife shopping.”

“I noticed you couldn’t get radios, so I brought some along today. I have many connections in this area, and I hope to make your acquaintance.”

With this explanation, Chen Huajiang relaxed and nodded, his expression softening.

“So, Boss Jin, what brings you to see me?”

Chen Huajiang tapped his finger on the table, curious and guessing the reason.

As a secondary dealer, Jin Sanshun likely wanted to discuss coal stoves.

“I want to be your agent for the Kunlun coal stoves.”

“I have many channels—small shops, wholesalers—that can easily absorb your products.”

“If we cooperate, you can save lots of manpower and resources; just focus on production.”

Indeed, Jin Sanshun revealed the purpose of his visit.

Chen Huajiang smiled. After some back-and-forth, they settled on a price of 1.5 yuan per unit, but Chen insisted they must keep sales consistent with the manufacturer’s standards.

This was crucial because Jin Sanshun had a dubious track record. In the previous life, many factories were strangled by him and ended up as mere subcontractors for Jinmao Group, their fate tied to this giant.

Chen Huajiang had to be cautious—after all, Kunlun coal stoves still had about a decade of market viability.

Still, he wasn’t overly worried. Business required weighing risks against rewards.

For now, the benefits of cooperation far outweighed potential harm.

“Alright!”

“I admire your sales skills, Boss Chen. When the Kunlun coal stove first launched, I thought it would take at least a year or two to reach the reputation of Red Flag Factory or the Coal Stove Factory.”

“But you did it in just one month—matching the reputation they built over a decade and even surpassing them. After reviewing your sales strategy, I’m even more impressed. Honestly, it’s brilliant!”

Jin Sanshun agreed eagerly, looking at Chen Huajiang with genuine admiration.