Chapter 91: Home Appliances Exhibition Center

Chapter 91: Home Appliances Exhibition Center

"Third Brother, do you want to buy a TV for your home?"

Wei Sanpao was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Then he nodded and said,

"I thought about it, but my dad said that if we get a TV and no one watches it, it would just be a waste of money. So, we never bought one!"

Li Yi smiled and said,

"Don't worry. After we finish this business, we'll definitely have a complete three-piece color TV set at home!"

Wei Sanpao's eyes widened in surprise. He turned to look at Li Yi and asked,

"Brother Yi... You're making a big deal out of this. A three-piece color TV set isn't cheap! You can't buy one for anything less than ten thousand yuan!"

Li Yi shrugged, not bothering to explain. Instead, he said lightly,

"Go pack your things and change into some neat clothes. We're going shopping this afternoon!"

Then he added, "Don't worry. This time, we'll definitely make enough money for the three-piece color TV set!"

After saying this, Li Yi stood up, left the living room, and went into the bedroom.

The hotel suite was well-designed, with a comfortable decor that made one feel at ease. Li Yi liked it a lot.

Maybe I should explore the decoration industry too? he thought.

After all, this line of work was extremely lucrative!

Jiangcheng had no shortage of wealthy families. If he could impress them, it would be like striking a gold mine!

However, Li Yi quickly shook his head. His main focus right now was on refrigerators.

You have to take things one step at a time, he reminded himself. Trying to do too much at once will only lead to failure.

Moreover, this was the early 1990s, the first decade of the reform and opening-up era. There were opportunities everywhere. He couldn't possibly chase after every single one—he would exhaust himself.

The whole point of my rebirth is to correct past regrets and enjoy life, not to be as busy as I was in my previous life!

Money is just a means to live comfortably—not an end in itself!

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That afternoon, after grabbing a quick meal at a small noodle shop near the hotel, Li Yi and Wei Sanpao headed toward the Home Appliances Exhibition and Sales Center.

The center held a unique status in Haidong City.

Haidong was a first-tier city in terms of economic reform, attracting countless young people every year. Many came here hoping to strike it rich—chasing what they called the "gold rush."

To them, Haidong City was full of opportunities. As long as they had luck and caught the right chance, they believed they could climb the social ladder and achieve success.

And indeed, some young entrepreneurs did get lucky, finding the right opportunities and rising to the top. Many of Haidong City's most successful business leaders had started with nothing.

Li Yi's former business partner, for example, made a fortune through the "Wealth Certificate" scheme in 1992. That success allowed him to build an empire from scratch.

When Li Yi and Wei Sanpao arrived at the exhibition center, Wei Sanpao couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

"Brother Yi… This place is a gold mine!" he exclaimed.

Li Yi was momentarily confused by the remark, but then he understood what Wei Sanpao meant.

Even a small roadside shop here was selling home appliances at prices starting from a thousand yuan!

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Wei Sanpao would never have believed that home appliances could be so expensive.

"My monthly salary is just one hundred yuan," Wei Sanpao muttered. "It would take me a whole year—without spending a single penny—to afford just one of these TVs!"

Li Yi followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at a TV.

Of course, in the past, Li Yi would have been concerned about spending a thousand yuan. But now...

His eyes shifted beyond the television—to the refrigerator behind it.

It was a domestic brand, looking brand-new, but Li Yi couldn't see any recognizable trademarks. Must be a small-brand product, he thought.

Without hesitation, he walked into the store.

He needed to understand the pricing of all the refrigerators in the exhibition center to find the best deal.

Market research, he mused. I guess this is one of the earliest forms of it?

He chuckled to himself and focused on the refrigerator.

The price was steep—2,600 yuan!

For many people, this was completely unaffordable.

Seeing Li Yi walk inside, Wei Sanpao quickly followed.

As Li Yi scanned the store, he couldn't help but click his tongue. The prices were outrageous!

A TV that looked second-hand was selling for nearly a thousand yuan!

As he continued to inspect the store's inventory, the owner emerged from the back room.

"Young man, interested in some home appliances?" the shop owner greeted.

"Take a look around. The quality of my home appliances is the best on this street!"

Li Yi smirked inwardly. Even the shop owner himself probably doesn't believe that!

Just that second-hand TV alone was proof of his dishonesty.

Still, this didn't interfere with Li Yi's plan. There was nothing wrong with gathering information.

"Boss, what brand is your refrigerator?" he asked.

The shop owner smiled and replied,

"Young man, you have good taste! This refrigerator is imported from abroad! I went through a lot of trouble to get it!"

A small smile appeared on Li Yi's face. Imported? Yeah, right.

This claim was absolute nonsense.

While the refrigerator appeared to be of decent quality, it was far inferior to actual foreign brands.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the copper pipes at the back were slightly aged. This is probably a reassembled model from a no-name brand, he concluded.

For such a refrigerator to be priced at 2,600 yuan... Li Yi could only think of one word: scam.

"2,600 yuan? Boss, don't you think that's a bit too much?" he asked.

The shop owner shook his head and replied,

"Too much? Go ask around at other stores. You won't find a cheaper price than this!"

Li Yi smirked and said,

"Your refrigerator isn't imported at all. Even if it's a domestic product, a good-quality one would cost only around 3,000 yuan."

The shop owner pulled at his vest and sighed,

"Brother, running a shop isn't easy. I'm out here working in the heat every day. You think the price is high, but we hardly make any profit!"

"The purchase price of my refrigerator was 2,300 yuan, and it requires regular maintenance. Selling it for 2,600 yuan is really not expensive!"

"If you really want it, I'll sell it to you for 2,500 yuan. How about that?"

Wei Sanpao listened to the negotiation, feeling that both sides made valid points.

But then, Li Yi's next words completely shocked him!

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