Chapter 168: Never in a Million Years Would I Have Expected This

Zhao Sanquan felt that the man looked quite familiar, but he could not tell for sure whether he was the person in his memory.

After all, he could only see half of Chen Huajiang’s face, and he hesitated for a moment.

Everyone else was somewhat dumbfounded and stunned by Zhao Sanquan's sudden freezing in place.

"Chen Huajiang, what the hell do you mean? Are you intentionally making me, Chen Jianjun, lose face?"

"Didn't you see Boss Zhao standing right here? Everyone else is standing, why are you sitting down? Looking for trouble, are you?"

Chen Jianjun was also stunned, followed by a surge of anger in his heart, assuming that Chen Huajiang was intentionally showing disrespect to Zhao Sanquan to undermine him.

Now that he had offended Zhao Sanquan, how could he possibly have a good life from now on?

"Boss Zhao, this guy has not much to do with me; he is just an ordinary villager."

"Seeing that he was fired from the factory, I took pity on him and brought him along to dinner, just to let him see the world and relax a bit."

"As it turns out, this fellow is a piece of mud that can't be plastered onto a wall, completely ignorant of basic manners. Please forgive—"

Chen Jianjun hastily spewed a string of explanations, trying to distance himself from Chen Huajiang so that Zhao Sanquan would not vent his anger on him.

"Chen Huajiang, did you say his name is Chen Huajiang?"

Before Chen Jianjun could finish, he was interrupted by Zhao Sanquan.

To his utter astonishment, Zhao Sanquan looked at Chen Huajiang with an expression of intense excitement.

Naturally, Chen Huajiang had stopped eating his food by this point. He stood straight up, nodded at Zhao Sanquan, and smiled: "Hello, Boss Zhao. I wasn't trying to give you the cold shoulder just now; it's just that a rustic fellow like me doesn't know how to act in polite society."

"Boss Chen, what kind of talk is that? If you're rustic, what does that make a wretch like me?"

The next moment, something that left everyone dumbfounded happened. Zhao Sanquan grabbed Chen Huajiang's right hand with both of his and said with a beaming smile.

These words caused everyone's eyes to widen in shock, leaving Chen Jianjun and the others utterly speechless.

"Who on earth is this guy?!"

"Why is Boss Zhao showing him so much respect? He almost looks like he's sucking up to him."

"He must be an extraordinary big shot, otherwise why would Boss Zhao be buttering him up like that?"

Whispers broke out all around, and everyone looked at Chen Huajiang with eyes full of curiosity.

Even Chen Huajiang was slightly baffled. He stared at the man for a long while, certain that he had no prior acquaintance with him.

"Boss Zhao, what is this about? Do we know each other?"

"I'm sorry, I've had a bit too much to drink, and my brain is a bit sluggish; I couldn't place you for a moment."

Chen Huajiang smiled and said apologetically.

"Boss Chen, it's only natural that you don't remember me. I was just standing in the crowd, and it really is quite difficult to pick out someone like me among a whole group of people."

"I was with Boss Jin last time. You were chatting and talking business with Boss Jin, and the rest of us were waiting off to the side, so I recognized you."

Zhao Sanquan hurriedly offered an explanation, shaking Chen Huajiang's hand while nodding and bowing.

He was a subordinate of Jin Sanhun and a second-tier agent.

At the year-end dividend meeting last time, everyone had been at the shop. He had seen it clearly when Jin Sanhun entertained Chen Huajiang.

Jin Sanhun's respect and high regard for Chen Huajiang had left a deep impression on him. Most importantly, he knew very well that their currently most lucrative business had been brought into existence by the very person standing before him.

"Ah, I see. You must be one of Jin Sanhun's second-tier distributors, right?"

Chen Huajiang nodded in sudden understanding, realizing that this fellow was one of the subordinates Jin Sanhun had brought along previously.

At the same time, Chen Huajiang held even greater regard for Jin Sanhun in his heart. It was clear that the man's sales network had already extended down to the township level, which was quite rare in the current societal climate.

Cities at this time were nothing like cities of later generations; urbanization was severely lagging. For instance, Nanming City had a total population of 1.8 million, but the urban area only had a little over 200,000 residents, while the remaining population was scattered across the counties, towns, villages, and hamlets below.

"Yes, yes, exactly."

Hearing Chen Huajiang's words, Zhao Sanquan nodded repeatedly.

Then, looking around, he grabbed a cup from a nearby table, poured a glass of liquor, raised it to Chen Huajiang, and said, "Boss Chen, I'd like to propose a toast to you. Please put in a good word for me with Boss Jin in the future and take care of us when there's business to be made."

Without waiting for Chen Huajiang's reply, he downed the drink in one gulp, then inverted the cup to show not a single drop remained.

"Easily done." Chen Huajiang nodded. Since the other man had gone this far, he had no choice but to pick up the remaining wine glass on the table and drink it all in one go.

After exchanging a few more polite pleasantries, Zhao Sanquan took his leave and departed.

"Huajiang... brother, you—are you really a boss now?"

"What is your relationship with that Zhao Sanquan? Why did he—suck up to you like that?"

"My god, I never could have imagined that you were actually making it big in the city, Huajiang."

After Zhao Sanquan left, everyone looked at Chen Huajiang with utter shock, and Chen Long and the others were stuttering as they spoke.

"Huajiang—Huajiang, what kind of business are you actually running in Nanming City?"

Chen Jianjun also looked deeply ill at ease, staring at Chen Huajiang with stammers.

He was a bundle of complex emotions, feeling a mix of anger, cowardice, and an overall turbulent blend of flavors.

"Just some catering business, along with selling coal stoves and aluminum pipes."

"Because I have a relatively good understanding of this field, I have a few of my own insights when it comes to stove-heating."

"Jianjun, don't be so uptight. We're all from the same village and grew up together since we were kids; don't give people something to laugh at."

Chen Huajiang said with a smile, signaling Chen Jianjun not to be too nervous.

"Wait, could that Kunlun coal stove be your creation?"

Seeing him act this way, Chen Jianjun felt slightly better inside, figuring that Chen Huajiang was still looking out for his dignity.

Then, he suddenly thought of the Kunlun coal stoves. He had heard Er Gou say that the Kunlun coal stove was a latecomer to the market, but it had arrived with unstoppable momentum, crushing the coal stoves from the Red Flag Factory and the Coal Stove Factory until they couldn't even lift their heads.

Furthermore, the Kunlun coal stove was the pioneer of the stove-heating project; the projects they had undertaken were entirely thanks to the blessings of the Kunlun coal stove.

Chen Huajiang nodded slightly.

At this, Chen Jianjun felt such intense embarrassment that he didn't even know where to put his hands for a moment.

He recalled how he had been boasting and bragging in front of Chen Huajiang earlier; the more he thought about it, the more mortified and thoroughly ashamed he felt.

Fortunately, Chen Huajiang didn't say much more, and everyone else knew that Chen Jianjun had suffered a massive loss of face, so naturally, they wouldn't kick him while he was down at a time like this.

"Brother Huajiang, is what you said earlier true? Will Brother Jianjun's project not make any money in the future?"

Suddenly, Chen Zongqiang looked at Chen Huajiang and asked.

Following his words, everyone turned their gazes squarely onto Chen Huajiang, including Chen Jianjun. This directly concerned their future ability to make money.

"It is indeed true. Just think about it and you'll understand. If a household has stove-heating installed today, will they need it installed again next year?"

"A stove-heating project can guarantee that no replacement is needed for at least five to ten years, with perhaps only minor repairs needed here and there if small issues arise. Therefore, every deal you do is one less deal left to be made. However—"

Chen Huajiang nodded affirmatively, then made a pivot in his speech that instantly heightened everyone's tension and worry.

"However, you should still head into the city. Even if it's only enough to earn a year's worth of money, it's still better than farming in the village."

"We're all brothers from the same village. When the time comes, it's impossible for me not to help you all out; I'll help drum up some business for you."

Chen Huajiang smiled and spoke, reinforcing everyone's confidence.