Chapter 5 — Gentlemen at the Wholesale Market

I began to concentrate more and more on following Lao Tuong to learn. In mid-August, I used the money I saved to go to the mall to buy an automatic washing machine. I didn't tell anyone, I directly found a shipping company to send it back to my hometown. A few days later, my dad called me. Dad's voice carried a rare excitement. "Son, the washing machine you bought has been delivered! Your mother is so happy, everyone she meets shows off her son going out to make a lot of money, buying her a washing machine!" Listening to the phone, I burst out laughing. I don't make much money. But this is the first time I've used my labor to make family life a little better. That feeling satisfies me more than any amount of money. I started thinking about what I would do after the summer vacation ended. My major is marketing. Previously, I felt that this industry was very cliche, full of theory. But now, in the giant market in Yiwu, I saw how those theories turned into real money. The real combat experiences Lao Chiang taught me were a hundred times more vivid than the examples in textbooks. A vague plan gradually formed in my heart. I don't want to be just a hired worker forever. I want to do my own business. Even if it's just starting from a small stall in the night market. 10 At the end of August, the weather is still hot. But the atmosphere in the market has undergone some very difficult changes. Some stalls close earlier and earlier. Areas that were once still brightly lit at night are now pitch black. The frequency of Lao Tuong smoking drugs is increasing. He often sits alone at the tea table, looking at the data on his phone without saying a word. I asked: "Old Tuong, has business not been good recently?" He exhaled a smoke ring. "It's not that it's not good, it's changed." He said this year foreign orders had decreased a lot. Many factories specializing in export began to switch to selling domestically. A huge amount of goods flooded into the domestic market, forcing prices down to extremely low levels. "In the past, people were looking for goods, now it's people looking for goods." Old Tuong said, “Everyone is competing on price, to see who can endure longer.” I nodded in understanding. In that gloomy atmosphere, I met my aunt again. Auntie arrived one evening, alone. She doesn't wear beautiful dresses, nor does she wear makeup. Just wear a normal t-shirt and jeans. The whole person looked haggard and very old. She didn't enter the stall, she just stood at a distance. Waiting for me to finish the work at hand, she waved at me. I hesitated for a moment but still walked forward. "Is something wrong?" My voice was very calm. She rubbed her hands in confusion, not daring to look me in the eyes. "Vuong Vu... I want to ask you to help me with something." I said nothing, waiting for her to continue. "Aunt... I have some problems with my cash flow." Auntie opened her mouth with difficulty, "There is a batch of goods left in the warehouse and cannot be sold. But the payment for the goods at the factory is about to come due." I listened silently. All were within Lao Tuong's prediction. Previously, Lao Tuong once explained to me that her way of doing business only values money, not people. When the market is good, you can continue to live. Once the market cools down, the first people to be eliminated will be people like you who don't have a reputable background. Because the supplier won't want to let me owe money, and the customer won't want to pay me in advance. "I want... I want to borrow some money from your boss, Lao Tuong." She finally said her purpose. "Don't worry, I will pay interest and write a loan note!" She hastily added, "As long as this batch is sold, I will immediately return it!" I looked at her. Look at the woman

Once arrogant and indifferent to me, now he bows down and begs me. I just felt a little sad in my heart. "He won't lend you a loan." I said. “Why?” Aunt immediately became impatient, "I can pay high interest rates! As long as he agrees to lend!" "This is not a matter of interest." "So what is the problem?" I looked at her, remembering what Lao Tuong once taught. "Old Tuong has a rule in business. He does not cooperate with two types of people. One is a person who does not understand goods, the other is a person with bad dignity." Her face immediately turned pale. Auntie understands what I mean. But she still didn't seem to be willing. "Vuong Vu! You are my biological nephew! We are one family!" She started to attack the relationship again. "Help me! As long as you open your mouth, Lao Tuong will definitely respect you and help me!" "Once I get over it, I will give you half of the business! No, I will give you shares! Let's work together, expand the business!" She painted a good future, just like when her mother did. begged my aunt, she once described it over the phone. Unfortunately, I am no longer the ignorant teenager I used to be. 11 "Auntie." I interrupted her. "Do you remember the first day I arrived in Yiwu?" She was stunned. "I called you. You said you were busy and told me to wait outside the gate."