Chapter 80: Time Should Not Be Wasted

After hanging up, Chai Jin made another call to Cai Weiqiang. This was crucial for his plan to transfer the plane. Of course, he firmly believed that finding Feng Haodong could straighten out the network of connections in the Shenzhen area. But Feng Haodong was involved in too many things and might not have the energy to help him with this matter. Cai Weiqiang was different.

On the phone, he told Cai Weiqiang to collect more ID cards from their hometown. Cai Weiqiang was baffled by the request, but Chai Jin didn’t elaborate, only saying, “Bring them to Shenzhen, you’ll know why in a while.” Cai Weiqiang was used to Chai Jin’s ways and figured it must be something to do with making money. He said it would probably take about a week to get to Shenzhen, mainly because there was a clan gathering for a genealogy update at the ancestral hall. People from Guangdong have a strong sense of family, and whenever there’s an important event, even those abroad would rush back. So Chai Jin didn’t press him.

He had wanted to call Wang Xiaoli as well, but from the front gate came the voices of Old Huang and Liu Shan. He quickly stashed his phone into his backpack.

When the door opened, a gust of wind swirled down the corridor, bringing with it the aroma of grilled meat. Liu Shan laughed heartily, “Jin, don’t say we aren’t loyal! We were out drinking, halfway through, and suddenly remembered you hadn’t eaten.”

“So we had the boss grill a few more chicken legs to take away. Let’s eat together.” As he spoke, he spread out several transparent plastic bags on the dorm table, filled with barbecue and a few servings of egg fried rice.

Chai Jin caught the scent of meat and suddenly felt ravenous. He crawled out of bed, “Thanks, tomorrow night’s supper is on me.”

“Oh, don’t be so polite. We’re trying to get on your good side now—what if you really win over the young lady one day?”

“Then wouldn’t we have to grab onto your trouser legs and fly up to the sky with you?” Old Huang seemed to be in a great mood, laughing heartily.

He then pulled out a few small bottles of liquor from his pocket. “This stuff hits the spot—rich and mellow. And it’s from your Jiangnan province, Chai Jin, have you ever tried it?”

Chai Jin looked curiously and saw it was indeed Little Li White Liquor.

Seeing his own distillery’s liquor in a distant city, how could a boss not feel pleased? He smiled, “I’ve had this before. Back home, there’s a rumor it was once drunk by the old empress dowager in the palace.”

“It’s not expensive, either.”

Liu Shan was intrigued. “So it really comes from an old palace recipe?”

Chai Jin nodded with a smile, opened a bottle, and took a sip. “It shouldn’t be far off—otherwise, how could its taste compare with those that sell for hundreds a bottle?”

Old Huang sat down, holding the bottle as if reluctant to part with it. “It’s great stuff—if we took this back to my hometown, it’d sell like crazy.”

“Don’t think it’s easy to buy here. We queued at the corner shop for ages, and could only get a few bottles.”

“You tell me, isn’t this business just wild? I spend money to buy liquor, and the boss rations it—one bottle per person, and I had to beg him to sell us an extra one.”

Old Huang, recalling the hardship of buying liquor, couldn’t help but ramble on. Liu Shan joined in, voicing all sorts of doubts.

“When did this liquor get so popular? Why have I never heard of it before?”

“With sales this hot, the boss must be making a fortune.”

And so on.

Chai Jin only smiled, not joining their discussion. Little did Old Huang and Liu Shan know, the young man chewing on a chicken leg across from them was actually the founder and owner of the Little Li White Liquor they were talking about.

After some time, Chai Jin took another sip and suddenly looked up. “Are you two really planning to stay at this factory forever?”

The question piqued their curiosity.

Old Huang looked up, puzzled. “We just started here, Xiao Chai. Don’t tell me you can’t handle it after one day and want to quit.”

During the workday, Chai Jin had often been rubbing his shoulders and waist, so Old Huang instinctively thought he was struggling and wanted to leave.

Though they’d only known each other for two days, their easy-going personalities made them fast friends. The question brought a sudden silence.

Chai Jin took another swig of Little Li, smiled, “It’s true, I can’t handle it. Haven’t worked on a production line like this in ages.”

“But I don’t mean to quit because of that. I just think, in this era full of opportunities, you shouldn’t waste your time in a factory.”

Liu Shan pulled a piece of meat off a skewer and tossed the stick aside. “What else can we do? We don’t have any skills.”

“I think it’s pretty good. A hundred or two a month with board and lodging. Better than farming back home.”

Old Huang chimed in, smiling. “Back when I hadn’t been laid off, I was a manager of sorts in the hometown factory, but I couldn’t make this much.”

“So I’m satisfied. At my age, as long as I can feed the family, I don’t expect much. You guys are young, you can take risks.”

Chai Jin shook his head and pushed the small bottle toward the center of the table.

The three clinked their bottles.

After a drink, Chai Jin felt a bit tipsy and said, “If an opportunity came your way—say you could earn a thousand, even five thousand a month—would you take it?”

“That’s a no-brainer,” Old Huang replied. “If there really was such a chance, I’d go and punch that new supervisor right away.”

“Word is, everyone hates that guy.”

Liu Shan burst out laughing, “You sure you wouldn’t first sleep with the woman in your group?”

“I saw you eyeing her all day today.”

Old Huang kicked him, annoyed. “Get lost, she’s not even forty yet and you call her old lady. I’m older than her by a few years—should you call me grandpa then?”

The two started bickering, but soon noticed Chai Jin wasn’t joking.

He was silent.

Liu Shan asked curiously, “Jin, you’re not seriously onto some big money scheme, are you?”

Old Huang sobered up a bit.

Chai Jin picked up some potato with his chopsticks, stuffed it into his mouth, then wiped his lips and stood up.

“It’s late, get some rest.”

With that, he headed to the washroom.

Behind him, Old Huang and Liu Shan exchanged confused glances.

Chai Jin did indeed have plans to bring these two along.

After two days of observation, he saw Old Huang had a unique charisma—even with slicked-back hair, he was a seasoned old eel, well-versed in managing relationships.

Liu Shan was fiercely loyal, and both these qualities were exactly what Chai Jin needed.

Especially for queuing—he couldn’t show his face, so he needed them to mobilize the factory workers and help him gather a team.

Once the ID cards arrived, he’d have them queue up for him.

Still, they’d only known each other for two days.

Chai Jin needed to observe them a bit longer.