At nine in the morning, the flagship store barely opened its doors before a throng of common folk nearly shattered the glass entrance.
The scene was reminiscent of elderly people rushing to a supermarket sale, each fearing that if they were slow, their coveted bargains would fall into someone else's hands.
Such a bustling spectacle left a group of people standing across the street dumbfounded.
"Damn, what's going on? Logically, this shop closes for a week, so the foot traffic shouldn't be this high!"
Outside a convenience store opposite the flagship store, Zheng Chengdao, Bai Xiaoguang, Yao Dong, and Qin Chuan, four grown men, were smoking and watching the business of the store across the street.
Bai Xiaoguang, who uttered the phrase that was a cultural staple, stared in disbelief at the crowded flagship store, his face etched with incredulity.
The other two had similar expressions, and even Qin Chuan was somewhat surprised. Finally, a broad smile spread across his face as he said, "Perhaps everyone is afraid my shop will be vandalized again and they won't be able to buy anything!"
This reason was truly baffling. When did people, with money in hand, fear not being able to buy things?
But the reality before them slapped everyone in the face, leaving them speechless.
"Qin Chuan, if your shop's business is this good every day, you'll be making a fortune!"
Yao Dong suddenly said, his tone tinged with undisguised envy.
"This is simply a treasure trove, capable of generating significant profits for you every single day."
Qin Chuan immediately shook his head upon hearing this. "How could the business be this good every day?"
"Everyone's enthusiastic support is merely for the novelty and the various promotional activities. Once the activities are over, the shop's business will return to normal, and earning a few hundred yuan a day will be the absolute maximum!"
"A few hundred yuan and you still think it's little?"
This time, even the reticent Zheng Chengdao couldn't help himself, his eyes widening as he stared at Qin Chuan.
Qin Chuan seemed to see a flicker of jealousy hidden deep in the other's eyes, and he immediately realized that his words might have truly provoked them. After all, in this era, the average income was very, very low.
For a good month, one might earn three to four hundred yuan. Your daily earnings could match someone's monthly income, which would surely breed envy in anyone.
However, Qin Chuan's eyes darted, and he had no intention of stopping there. Instead, he spoke with disdain and arrogance, "A few hundred yuan is a lot?"
"For a truly profitable business, it's really not much. It's barely enough to earn some pocket money!"
Hearing that Qin Chuan didn't even care about earning a few hundred yuan a day, Zheng Chengdao, Bai Xiaoguang, and Yao Dong felt incredibly complex emotions.
Envy, jealousy, and a sour taste filled their hearts, a true mélange of feelings.
Looking at Qin Chuan's face, several years younger than them, and then considering their own situations, it was truly a case of "comparing people to people kills people."
At their age, they were still working for a living, earning only two to three hundred yuan a month. Look at this young man, who already owned such a large shop and could easily earn over ten thousand yuan a month.
"You three brothers might not know this yet, but my business isn't limited to just this shop!"
Just then, Qin Chuan suddenly spoke again.
"What do you mean? You have other shops?"
Bai Xiaoguang asked preemptively.
Zheng Chengdao and Yao Dong didn't speak, but their eyes were fixed on Qin Chuan.
"Not shops!"
Qin Chuan shook his head. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief. That was good!
If another profitable shop were to appear, they truly wouldn't know how to describe their feelings.
Then, Qin Chuan continued slowly, "I am developing a real estate project in our county, right here... that construction site in Huangjia Village. I'm sure you three brothers know that construction is underway there. I am the big boss there!"
Zheng Chengdao: "?!"
Bai Xiaoguang: "!!!"
Yao Dong: "..."
Qin Chuan clearly saw the intense emotional fluctuations in everyone's eyes at that moment – shock, disbelief, incredulity, and more.
It was a perfect depiction of how many emotional shifts a person could undergo in an instant.
"No... Qin Chuan, you're saying you're the big boss of that construction site in Huangjia Village?"
Yao Dong's voice became extremely urgent.
"Genuine and authentic, I am indeed the big boss there!"
"If you don't believe me, we can go there right now. I haven't been there for a few days anyway!"
Qin Chuan explained with a smile.
Without waiting for the three to react, he pressed the remote for the Santana parked nearby. Zheng Chengdao, Yao Dong, and Bai Xiaoguang, in a daze, got in, and the car soon started.
About fifteen minutes later, the Santana stopped at the entrance of the construction site.
Qin Chuan was the first to get out and walk in.
Behind him, Zheng Chengdao and the other two followed with complex expressions.
As soon as they entered, Qin Chuan's appearance was noticed by many workers. Upon seeing him, the workers showed expressions of reverence, calling out in unison, "Boss Qin!" "Hello, Boss Qin!" "Boss Qin is here!"
This scene confirmed to Zheng Chengdao and the other two that Qin Chuan was not lying; he was indeed the big boss there.
Looking at the bustling construction site, the massive tower cranes tens of meters high, the concrete trucks parked nearby, and the mountains of cement, sand, steel bars, red bricks, lumber, and other materials, the three of them were truly stunned. How much money would this cost?
Hundreds of thousands or millions?!
"Third Brother, you're here!"
At this moment, a figure rushed over from not far away. It was Qin Erge, whom they hadn't seen in days.
Perhaps due to spending all his time on construction sites, Qin Gang's skin had darkened considerably. His upper body was clad in a tight-fitting shirt, revealing his dark, robust muscles that resembled coiled dragons, very prominent.
However, the smile on Qin Gang's face was undeniable, clearly indicating that he had been very happy on the construction site recently.
"This is my second brother, Qin Gang!"
Qin Chuan introduced them to Zheng Chengdao and the other two, and then introduced the three to Qin Gang. If he were to take these three under his wing in the future, they would all be friends, so it was good to get acquainted first.
"Hello!"
"Since you are my Third Brother's friends, you are also my friends, Qin Gang, from now on. Here, have a smoke, have a smoke!"
Qin Gang enthusiastically took out cigarettes and distributed them.
Zheng Chengdao noticed that Qin Gang was smoking Yellow Crane Tower premium cigarettes, which cost a full fifteen yuan a pack, about the same level as Qin Chuan's. This made his mood even more complicated.
"Where is Big Brother?"
Qin Chuan inquired.
"Big Brother is supervising over there. Shall I call him over?"
Qin Gang took out his phone and immediately started making a call.
Soon, Qin Yang and Liu Long arrived, clearly having heard the news of Qin Chuan's arrival.
Old friends meeting naturally led to a round of pleasantries.
Qin Chuan noticed that his elder brother, Qin Yang, had also become much more cheerful and less introverted than before, proving that all his arrangements were correct.
After briefly inquiring about the general affairs of the construction site and finding everything to be orderly with few significant problems, Qin Chuan felt relieved.
After bidding farewell to his elder brother, second brother, and Liu Long, Qin Chuan drove Zheng Chengdao and the other two back to the flagship store.
"You three brothers, I forgot to ask, what kind of work do you all do?"
On the way, Qin Chuan asked as if casually.
As soon as this question arose, the three people who were chatting in the car fell silent. The atmosphere became strangely quiet and somewhat oppressive.
"What's wrong with you guys? You're all respectable men, valiant heroes, and skilled individuals. Why do you all act like women when asked about your work?"
Qin Chuan grinned and teased, "This isn't the three good brothers I remember!"