Section Chief Zhou Is Stunned! Chen Dazhu and His Son Block the Door

"0.5 yuan?!"

Section Chief Zhou nearly leapt from his chair, his brows knitting together as he raised his voice!

"Old Li! You're cutting that price too deep! The recycling station offers 0.8 yuan; although this is scrap, it's still of decent purity! Your price… no, no, that's way too low, I'd rather let it rust in my backyard than sell it at such a loss! This isn't just a loss; it's a complete gutting!"

Zhou waved his hands, displaying a look of pain and reluctance, feeling as if Li Junsheng was taking advantage of him in a crisis.

He had originally thought that if Li Junsheng could genuinely help him out, it would have been a great thing, but this price was absurd!

Before, he had been offered 0.9 yuan by a contact in the black market!

Li Junsheng didn't rush to retort; instead, he wore an understanding smile, even showing a touch of humility.

Leaning forward, he lowered his voice, "Section Chief, please don't be in such a hurry. Let me explain."

Zhou watched him with a furrowed brow, intrigued despite himself to see what Li Junsheng had to say.

Li Junsheng held up two fingers.

"First, the recycling station only recognizes scrap copper prices—0.8 yuan at best. Plus, you have to cover the transportation costs, count it, and weigh it yourselves. That's not only a hassle, it's also a loud affair. If anyone asks why the Section Chief's family is constantly hauling scrap out… right?"

"My offer of 0.5 yuan packages everything—you don't need to handle a thing! Once it's gone, it's like it's no longer your concern, clean and easy. Wouldn't that peace of mind and safety be worth that extra 0.3 yuan difference?"

Upon hearing phrases like "too much noise," "someone might ask," and "risk," Zhou's eyes flickered. His frown relaxed slightly, but he remained silent.

These items didn't cost him anything to get out of the factory, so whatever he sold was profit. However, risking too much for a small monetary gain was indeed not worth it!

Yet he remained noncommittal, waiting to hear more from Li Junsheng.

Reading the shifting expressions on Zhou's face, Li Junsheng knew he had struck a nerve. He then raised his second finger.

"Second, this price is not just a one-time deal. Although I, Li Junsheng, don't have any grand connections, I'm determined to carve my path. Think of this first partnership as me pledging my loyalty to you, trying the waters while building trust!"

"Once this collaboration goes smoothly, the Section Chief might have more similar… well, excess scrap accumulating or other channels of disposal. We could establish a long-term cooperation! The prices will definitely be fair and superior to what you would get on your own, plus the process would be just as easy and hassle-free."

Section Chief Zhou remained silent.

He re-evaluated the usually quiet, hardworking Li Junsheng, who looked rather unassuming.

While the 0.5 yuan price stung, Li Junsheng's points about hassle-free, risk-free transactions struck home.

Moreover, the prospect of a long-term collaboration was incredibly enticing!

The factory occasionally had unaccounted or mismanaged materials, and handling them was too risky. Relying on outside help was untrustworthy.

If there was someone like Li Junsheng—familiar with the factory and seemingly reliable—who was willing to bear the risk, it would be a godsend to have him take over!

The potential for steady, lengthy profits far outweighed the immediate loss from these few boxes of scraps.

Seeing Zhou's expression change, and sensing it was time to seal the deal, Li Junsheng added earnestly, "Section Chief, just think of this as a solution to your surplus issues and giving this retiring worker a shot at a new venture. This 0.5 yuan isn't just a practical price; it represents the trust we'll build going forward."

"You can rest assured; I, Li Junsheng, always abide by the rules and know my limits. You won't have to worry about a single cent being mishandled."

Zhou took a deep breath.

He tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair a few times before finally breaking into a smile, pointing at Li Junsheng, "Well, look at you, Old Li! I had seriously underestimated you back in the factory!"

"All right! Just because of what you just said, and your willingness to take that risk… 0.5 yuan it is! Get those items out as soon as possible!"

He stood up and walked over to the pile of boxes, giving it a pat. "But Old Li, we are clear that this deal…"

"Rest assured, Section Chief!" Li Junsheng immediately interjected, his expression serious, "Heaven knows, you know, I know. I understand the rules and won't give you any trouble! If there are other good materials later, I hope you'll think of this old brother."

"Ha ha, good to say, good to say!"

Section Chief Zhou was completely reassured now, his smile becoming a bit more sincere. "When would you like to send someone to pick it up?"

"Hold on, it's not a good time to work during the day; I'll have someone manage it tonight!"

Li Junsheng responded with enthusiasm, feeling as if a large weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

This first step had succeeded!

Zhou had around 1,500 pounds of material to sell.

After paying him 750 yuan, Li Junsheng planned to head home to change his appearance before grabbing lunch and then moving to the black market.

If people saw him go from Zhou's house straight to the black market, it would raise eyebrows!

Just as he reached his front door and opened it, someone called out behind him.

"Hey, Old Li! Where are you off to? Don't need to go to the factory today?"

Turning around, Li Junsheng discovered it was Chen Dazhu and his son, Chen Zhiyuan.

Those two were certainly in a hurry!

Barely a day had passed, and they were restless enough to come over and dig for information.

By asking if he was going to the factory today, they were subtly testing whether he had secured the paperwork!

"Oh, I just got back from the factory," Li Junsheng replied indifferently.

His calm demeanor left Chen Dazhu uncertain, wondering if Li Junsheng had managed to get the paperwork done or not.

What if he was going back on his word?

Just then, Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua approached, spotting Chen Dazhu and his son waiting outside the door.

"Uncle Chen, Zhiyuan, what brings you two here?"

Chen Dazhu smiled knowingly, replying cheerfully, "Oh, we happened to pass by and thought we'd stop in for a chat."

"Then hurry inside! Why are you standing out here?"

Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua moved aside to welcome them inside.

Li Junsheng followed closely behind, feeling like the curtain was about to rise on an interesting play!

At that moment, Ma Yulian was preoccupied at the mirror, fussing with her freshly permed hair. Spotting Chen Dazhu and his son enter in silence made her feel uneasy.

"Oh, Old Chen! What brings you both here at this hour?"

Ma Yulian pulled Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua aside and stood in front of Chen Dazhu, desperately signaling him with her eyes.

Chen Dazhu, oblivious to her gestures, was uncertain of her intentions; was it that the dealings hadn't gone through, and Li Junsheng was being uncooperative after sobering up?

Li Guojun picked up the conversation. "Mom, Uncle Chen and Zhiyuan just dropped by for a visit."

Chen Dazhu nodded, holding up the items in his hands as he asked, "Yulian, where should we put these?"

Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua exchanged confused glances, puzzled by Chen Dazhu's unexpected gifts.

No one simply passed by bringing such offerings unless there was a specific reason behind it.

"Uncle Chen, are you visiting for something specific?" Li Guojun asked tentatively.

Chen Dazhu smiled but didn't respond directly.

Ma Yulian, desperate to deflect suspicion, insisted, "Oh come on! Uncle Chen is someone who pays attention to manners! He wouldn't come empty-handed to someone's home!"

Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua were still skeptical, feeling something was amiss.

As they observed Chen Dazhu with the items, Li Guojun's instincts told him there was more going on than met the eye.

Knowing something was up, he threw the meat coupons to his wife, "Xiuhua, why don't you take these coupons and go buy some meat?"

Ma Yulian, anxious to get Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua out of the way, urged, "She can't go alone! Besides the meat, make sure she gets some side dishes too; she wouldn't know what to buy!"

Sensing the urgency in her tone, Wang Xiuhua also felt that something was off.

"Mom, I can handle it. I'll just buy the meat by myself; you all can stay here with Uncle Chen," she said, patting Li Guojun's hand discreetly.

If Uncle Chen had something to discuss with their father-in-law, they might get some money out of him during the conversation.

Wang Xiuhua believed her idea was astute, unaware that not only might they not gain anything from Chen Dazhu, but they were also on the verge of losing the factory opportunity entirely to him and his son.

Li Guojun resisted leaving, and there was palpable tension in the air.

Neither Ma Yulian nor Chen Dazhu could directly discuss the paperwork matter in front of him.

That proof still hadn't been finalized—where was the holdup?

Chen Dazhu was eager to know!

He could hardly bear waiting since he had boasted to others that he'd soon begin work at the big factory. What if he couldn't follow through and became the laughingstock?

Unable to contain himself, Chen Zhiyuan suddenly voiced his frustration right in front of Li Guojun, "Uncle Li, stop dancing around! Just tell us if you've gotten the job transfer sorted! I'm anxious over here!"