TPW – Chapter 108

When it comes to making money fast, do you think it’s by earning from consumers? Running a business?

That’s not the fastest.

The fastest way is to make money from people who want to make money.

For example, from 2012 to 2022, in just ten years, the number of people applying for the teacher qualification certificate rose from a couple hundred thousand to a whopping ten million by 2022!

Whether the education industry truly needs that many teachers is another story, but those with business acumen had already seen the most profitable opportunity hidden within.

Make money off that massive wave of people — sell exam prep books, online courses, study materials…

A ten-million-strong exam army! If each person buys just one set of prep materials — and let’s say a single set costs only 50 yuan — do the math. How many billions could that rake in?

Even if you don’t sell books and only do online courses — even cheap ones at just over ten yuan per set — you’re still easily netting millions in revenue from just one sweep.

Take micro-businesses as another example. Can selling products actually earn that much?

The ones who earn steadily, without ever losing, are always the suppliers — the manufacturers who sell to the micro-business sellers. That’s where the real money is.

So what’s the most profitable?

Making money off people who want to make money.

With the momentum of the economic reforms, countless private vendors are bound to emerge. And with their rise comes a surge in supply demand.

This is the prime moment to enter the market while it’s still in its budding phase — how could you not make money?

If there was ever a time running a factory would more likely lose money, it was those few years when the pandemic was raging. But now? Now is the golden 1980s, an absolute prime era for starting a business!

Even if we lose money, think about it — Xu Haizhou still owns an old, run-down apartment. When demolition comes, it’ll be worth at least a million, if not ten. Any losses now, at most in six figures, aren’t a big deal.

“Once the full-month banquet is over, let’s go take a look at the factory,” he said.

“Alright.”

The early autumn in Lian was so hot it made it impossible to sleep. The electric fan spun with a loud whirring sound, but the air it blew out was still hot.

At this moment, Qiao Lu desperately wished she had an air conditioner to save her.

Because tomorrow they had to get up early and prepare for the baby’s one-month celebration, as soon as the clock struck nine, and after feeding Qiaoqiao her milk, Qiao Lu went to bed.

But the night was as hot as ever. A thin blanket covered her stomach, and beside her lay a little heater — halfway through the night, she was woken by this little heater’s warmth in her arms.

Qiao Lu, who had hardly fallen asleep, slowly stirred awake. She thought it was impossible to feel this hot just from the fan.

Lowering her head, she found a tiny baby rooting like a piglet against her chest.

Grunting and nuzzling, the little nose pressed against Qiao Lu’s chest and sniffed determinedly. After catching that familiar “food” smell, she probably felt satisfied and finally fell into a deep sleep.

Qiao Lu couldn’t help but laugh. She gently stroked the baby’s wispy hair with her fingertip. So adorable.

“You, of all times to come, you just had to pick August — the hottest month. Your poor mom is boiling.”

Next door, Xu Haizhou had his desk lamp on, reading a book titled The State and the Market. Qiao Lu didn’t understand it and wasn’t interested, but she supported and encouraged him anyway.

After all, learning has no end, right?

Watching the sweet interaction between mother and daughter, Xu Haizhou’s heart melted. He closed the book, leaned over, wrapped an arm around her waist from behind, and gently caressed her face.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet? Go to sleep. Once you’re done, I’ll take the baby to the other room.”

“Mm, don’t rush. I’m just admiring our Qiaoqiao. She’s too cute. Look at that little mouth, that tiny nose — so delicate it’s unreal. I could never get tired of looking at her.” Her face was soft and rosy, lips a perfect red, eyebrows smooth and well-shaped, beautiful double eyelids, and fine baby fuzz framing her little cheeks — too adorable!

Qiao Lu firmly believed: No baby in the world could compare to their Qiaoqiao — not even a month old, yet already so exquisitely cute!

“Her eyes are like mine, her nose like yours. Her mouth… doesn’t look like either of us. Must be a perfect blend. Her ears are like mine — so small and round. And her eyebrows look exactly like yours, thick and full. When she grows up, she’s going to be a stunning beauty.”

She chuckled softly, lips curved, and Xu Haizhou followed her finger as she pointed to each little feature. This delicately sculpted baby was truly a sight he couldn’t get enough of.

As he admired their daughter, he also gently massaged his wife’s neck.

“She’s only well-behaved when she’s asleep. Wait till she starts crying — let’s see if you still think she’s cute then.” This child was hard to manage. Xu Haizhou glanced at his own reflection in the mirror — dark circles under his eyes… Sigh. He could cry just thinking about it.

Qiao Lu turned, lightly kicked him, and huffed pridefully, showing him the back of her head:  “She’s my daughter. Even if she chews on her own toes, I’ll still think she’s adorable.”

Xu Haizhou: “…”

That’s… a bit extreme… but okay.

The one-month banquet went smoothly, and little Qiaoqiao was clearly the new favorite of the crowd.

She, however, slept soundly in her swaddle, completely unaware that upon waking up, her dear parents had already appointed a whole bunch of honorary godfathers and godmothers for her…

The next day, after sending Qiao An to elementary school, the couple hurried straight to the Hongxing Garment Factory. Their plan was to first understand the situation before deciding whether or not to take on the contract.

The Hongxing Garment Factory was a medium-sized clothing factory, occupying about eleven mu of land—roughly three-quarters the size of a standard 800-meter track and field stadium.

It was located in the city’s southern area, densely populated with residential neighborhoods and surrounded by major factories such as the Lianshi Iron and Steel Plant, a textile factory, and a radio equipment plant. It was only about two kilometers from the city center—a rather prime location.

Outside the factory was a wide three-lane road. If the city were to expand with the city center as its core, then there was a ninety percent chance this land would be taken over by the government for redevelopment.

Ah! Qiao Lu suddenly realized—an old factory like this, so close to the city center, would definitely be part of a major demolition project in the next ten or twenty years.

If they really contracted it, even if the business ended up losing money, the demolition alone could bring them a hefty compensation payout. They might even strike it rich just from that!

The more they looked, the more satisfied they became. After inspecting the location, they went into the factory itself. At the gate, the security booth was deserted, completely devoid of furniture. Paperwork and random trash were scattered everywhere—it was a complete mess and painful to look at.

The entire factory consisted of three buildings: two work buildings that included office spaces, and a third that housed the cafeteria, convenience shop, and other living facilities.

Since the factory had shut down and the employees had all left, the interior was in chaos.

With no wages to pay, the factory compensated workers with fabric. The offices had been emptied—tables and chairs were all taken.

In the production workshop, aside from large, immovable machines, most of the equipment had also been cleared out—taken by workers as compensation for unpaid wages.

Little Qiaoqiao, who hadn’t left the Nanhu compound since her full-month celebration, curiously peered out from her swaddle at the unfamiliar environment. Her big eyes blinked with wonder, and she waved her tender, lotus-root-like little arms in the air. Her pinkish nails were so cute it made you want to nibble them.

A butterfly fluttered in front of her. The little one got so excited she started kicking her tiny legs and blowing bubbles.

After bubbling away, she got tired and snuggled into her mother’s arms, yawned, and drifted back to sleep.

Such a carefree and blissful life.

After touring the factory, the only people they saw were a few janitors cleaning up the trash. There was no sign of any manager or person in charge.

Xu Haizhou asked around and finally learned that all the leadership had already fled. If they wanted to take on the contract, they would need to go to the Business Department and find Director Song.

“Alright, thank you very much.”

Before leaving, they asked a few more questions about the factory’s previous operations, such as the number of employees, and then left, satisfied.

At its peak, the Hongxing Garment Factory employed about 110 workers. It had inherited the pre-reform policy of job succession—when the father retired, the son took over, and when the son left, the grandson stepped in. The cycle continued indefinitely. Regardless of capability, if you were a descendant, you got in.

So, how many of these people were loafers, collecting a salary while doing nothing?

All of these factors stacked together became the final straw that crushed the Hongxing Garment Factory.

Taking over a factory wasn’t something you could just decide on a whim. First off, the capital alone was a huge hurdle for them. Moreover, they didn’t fully understand the specific terms of a contracting arrangement.

Unable to come to a conclusion, and taking advantage of it being a weekday, they rushed over to the Business Department to ask Director Song for more details.

Once there, they learned the real situation.

It turned out that the Hongxing Garment Factory had completely gone bankrupt. If they wanted to contract it, there was no need—they could directly apply to rent the site and establish their own garment factory on the existing premises.

The workshops and canteen were all already constructed, which would even save them money!

In other words, they would invest their own funds and become their own shareholders. The government would simply rent the land to them, and all risks would be borne by them as well.

“Great, this works! That way, the factory would fully belong to us, and we could even seek external investors or partners. That could ease some of our financial burden.”

Awesome! They had found a solution to the funding problem. But who could they ask to invest?

It would be their first time opening a factory—an obviously tough path. How many people would be willing to partner with inexperienced Xu Haizhou and share in the risks?

After bidding farewell to Director Song, the couple headed to Baiyun Street to tell Li Hongjun about their plan to open a garment factory.

“What? Open a factory? That’s so sudden!”

“Yeah, Haizhou and I discussed it. We’re definitely going to do it. Now we’re just wondering if anyone would be willing to partner with us. A shareholder setup would reduce some of the financial pressure on us.”

“Shareholder?” Yu Fan was the first to raise her hand. “Me! I’ll join you.”

As soon as she spoke, everyone widened their eyes and stared at her.

“Yu Fan! You’ve got guts! You make just a few yuan a day and want to invest in Xu Haizhou’s factory?”

He reached out to feel her forehead suspiciously. “No fever. Did you sneak some alcohol at lunch and get drunk?”

“Get lost!” Yu Fan smacked his hand away and smoothed her bangs that he’d messed up. “Last year, following you guys, I actually made a nice little sum. I’ve got at least five or six thousand yuan saved up now. What, that’s not enough to invest?”

“Oh? Do you even know what investing means?” Li Hongjun teased with a smile.

“Screw you. I don’t know? If I didn’t, would I be talking about it here?” She rolled her eyes at him. “If you think it’s too little, I can even borrow more.”

“Borrow? This isn’t about borrowing a few hundred yuan. Who would lend you that much?”

Yu Fan lived a simple life—just back and forth between two places. Sometimes she’d take the train to a neighboring city to visit her boyfriend. Other than that, she didn’t hang around anyone particularly wealthy. Her richest friends were probably Xu Haizhou and his wife.

“You forgot, I’ve got a friend in Hong Kong! We’re pretty close—he’d definitely lend me the money.”

“Oh right, that Hong Kong friend of yours. What does he do? How do you even know him? Is it a guy or a girl?” Sounded like someone with money—probably quite capable.

“Just a friend, alright? He’s my friend, and he’ll lend me the money…” Yu Fan scratched her head, clearly avoiding the topic. Eventually she sighed, “Let’s not talk about him now. I’ll introduce you guys in a few days.”

Then, resting her chin in her hands, she looked over at Xu Haizhou and his wife. “If I want to invest, how much do you think I should put in?”