3: Chapter 3 The First Pot of Gold
Jiang Chen's heart steadied, and the stone hanging in his chest finally fell halfway. He nodded and said in a firm tone.
"Alright, Boss Li, I'll take them! But ten thousand yuan isn't a small amount. I need to check the phones first to confirm they're brand new and authentic to avoid any future disputes."
"Of course, of course!"
Boss Li nodded hurriedly, turned to go into the shop, and brought out a cardboard box. Inside, fifteen phones were neatly arranged, perfectly packaged with anti-counterfeit labels attached.
"Check them however you like, test them however you like. They're all authentic and come with warranty cards. Ten times the refund if they're fake. I'm only selling them this cheap because I'm truly out of options. Usually, these phones would sell for at least thirteen or fourteen thousand."
Jiang Chen bent down, took a phone out of the box, unpacked it, and turned it on for testing.
The screen was clear, and it ran smoothly without any lag. The camera, sound, and battery—all functions were normal. It was indeed brand new and authentic, without any issues.
He randomly checked two more, and they were still flawless. The last bit of concern in his heart completely vanished.
He took out his bank card, handed it to Boss Li, and said calmly, "Swipe the card."
Swiping the card, signing, and printing the receipt—after the series of procedures, Boss Li held the POS terminal receipt and let out a long sigh of relief.
His eyes turned slightly red as he tightly gripped Jiang Chen's hand, his voice full of gratitude. "Young man, thank you so much. You've really helped me out."
"Boss Li, there's no need to be polite. I happened to need them as well."
Jiang Chen smiled, his tone gentle.
"I'll count these phones. If everything is correct, we'll be all square."
He quickly counted them once. There were fifteen phones, not one missing, all perfectly packaged without any damage.
After saying his thanks, Jiang Chen picked up the heavy cardboard box and quickly left the digital store.
He had no time to waste. He had to resell the phones as soon as possible to pay back part of the money to Wang Hao and gather enough for his father's medical examination fee.
Jiang Chen found a quiet corner, set down the box, opened his phone, and quickly checked the selling prices of the same model on campus second-hand groups, local second-hand trading platforms, and class groups.
The market price for the same brand-new model was between 980 and 1,100 yuan. Jiang Chen did the math based on his costs.
Fifteen units for ten thousand yuan meant an average cost of less than 670 yuan per unit. He priced them at 950 yuan each, which was lower than the market price and attractive enough while still ensuring a certain profit.
He quickly edited a sales post, marking it as "brand new and authentic, in-person inspection, no bargaining, in-person transaction on campus." He also attached actual photos and test videos of the phones to attract buyers and avoid online transaction disputes.
After the message was sent, no one rushed to buy it immediately. Instead, there were only a few scattered inquiries.
Some people even left sarcastic comments in the group, suspecting the phones were refurbished or faulty, their tone full of wariness.
"So cheap, it must be refurbished, right?"
"Students, don't be fooled. Being this much lower than the market price, there's definitely something wrong."
"Boss, can we bargain? 900 yuan each, I'll buy two."
Looking at these comments, Jiang Chen didn't get impatient or try to defend himself. He just patiently replied to every person who inquired.
He promised they could inspect the goods in person and support on-site testing. If it was a refurbished unit, he offered an unconditional refund and could even provide Boss Li's contact information as proof.
He knew that words alone were not enough. Only by letting buyers see and test the phones for themselves could their doubts be dispelled.
Just like that, after a stalemate of over an hour, the first buyer finally contacted him.
It was a boy from the next class named Li Wei. They often attended public classes together and were somewhat familiar.
Li Wei saw Jiang Chen's message in the group and was half-skeptical. He took the initiative to private message Jiang Chen and agreed to meet at the cafeteria entrance for the transaction.
Jiang Chen carried the cardboard box and hurried to the cafeteria entrance, where Li Wei was already waiting.
Without any hesitation, he took out a phone, handed it to Li Wei, and said with a smile, "Test it however you like. Brand new and authentic, ten times the refund if it's fake."
Li Wei took the phone, carefully checked the packaging, unpacked it, turned it on, and repeatedly inspected the screen, camera, and battery.
He even opened a few apps to test the smoothness. After testing for a full ten minutes and confirming the phone had no issues and was brand new, he readily took out his phone and transferred 950 yuan.
"Not bad, Jiang Chen. Being able to buy a brand-new phone so cheaply is really reliable!"
Li Wei said with a smile, "I have a few roommates who want to buy some too. I'll introduce them to you."
"Thank you so much, Li Wei."
Jiang Chen's heart warmed, and he hurriedly thanked him.
With the first transaction completed, everything went much smoother afterward.
As expected, Li Wei brought three classmates. Each of them bought a phone without bargaining, and after confirming they were authentic, they transferred the money directly.
Jiang Chen replied to messages on the trading platform while rushing around the campus, running from one dormitory building to another for in-person transactions, carefully checking every single deal to avoid any mistakes.
During this time, another buyer wanted to bargain, saying 900 yuan per unit for two units, but Jiang Chen did not agree.
He knew his pricing was already very low. If he bargained further, there would be almost no profit left. Moreover, he was in urgent need of money and had no time to waste on haggling.
The buyer hesitated for a moment but eventually bought two units at the original price.
After all, this price was nearly a hundred yuan lower than the market price, making it extremely cost-effective.
The sun gradually rose higher, and the summer heat struck again.
Jiang Chen carried the cardboard box back and forth across the campus. Sweat soaked his T-shirt, sticking it to his back. His mouth was dry, his legs were sore, and new thin calluses had formed on his palms, but he didn't feel tired at all.
With every phone sold, he was one step closer to his goal. With every transfer received, he felt a bit more at ease.
After being busy for a whole afternoon, the sun began to set, casting golden light over the campus and gilding the teaching buildings and trees.
Jiang Chen found a quiet corner and set down the cardboard box. By this time, all the phones in the box were sold out.
He took out his phone, his fingers trembling slightly as he calculated the total income.
Fifteen phones at 950 yuan each totaled 14,250 yuan. After deducting the 10,000 yuan principal he borrowed, the net profit was 4,250 yuan.
4,250 yuan.
It wasn't a lot, and it wasn't the maximum profit mentioned in the intelligence, but it was enough to pay the 3,800 yuan examination fee for his father, with over 400 yuan left to buy some supplements for his mother and pay back part of the money to Wang Hao.
Looking at the balance in his mobile banking app, Jiang Chen's emotions were complicated.
This afternoon, he had run across most of the campus. Although he was exhausted, he felt incredibly grounded.
He sat on the grass and looked up at the setting sun. The evening breeze blew past with a hint of coolness, brushing away some of his fatigue.
He took out his phone and transferred 4,200 yuan to his mother, attaching a message.
"Mom, the money has been transferred. Hurry and pay Dad's examination fee; don't let his condition get worse. Use the rest to buy something for you and Dad to nourish your bodies. Don't worry, I'm doing well. Don't fret about me."
After sending the message, he transferred 3,000 yuan to Wang Hao and called him, his tone full of gratitude.
"Haozi, I made some money. I've transferred three thousand to you first. I'll pay back the rest as soon as I can. Thank you. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't have known what to do."
On the other end of the line, Wang Hao's voice was still relaxed, with a hint of a smile.
"Look at what you're saying. Why are you being so polite with me? It's good that you made money. Use it for your uncle's treatment first. There's no rush for the rest. Don't push yourself too hard, and remember to eat on time."
After hanging up, Jiang Chen leaned against a tree, a long-absent smile appearing on his face.
The afterglow of the setting sun fell on his face, dispelling all fatigue and helplessness, leaving only determination and hope in his eyes.
He knew this was only the beginning.
With "daily wealth intelligence," he would no longer be weighed down by poverty until he couldn't breathe.
He would seize every opportunity to work hard and make money, so his parents and brothers could live good lives, and so those who once looked down on and mocked him would see him in a new light.