Making Money Just By Breathing - Chapter 8.1: Who's That?
Before hitting the road, Wang Yangguang dialed a phone number he had copied from a telephone pole at the village entrance.
“Hello, who is this?” A polite yet cautious voice came from the other end of the phone.
Following his prepared script, Wang Yangguang pulled out all the stops: “Brother, I’m a friend of Brother Hu from Xiawu Village. Can you help with certificate stamping and engraving?”
“Oh, a friend of Brother Hu? Sure, sure! What do you need?”
“A set of documents and a radish stamp.”
“Oh! That’s easy! I’m near Xiawu. Can you come over?”
“I’ll come to you. How long will it take to get it done?”
“At most two hours!”
Wang Yangguang checked the time; it was 11:10 AM. Two hours later would be just in time for the afternoon work.
Alright, after lunch, it’s time to get to work!
Feeling motivated, Wang Yangguang drove straight to the printing factory behind the Xiawu Education Bureau.
On the way, he received a call from his aunt.
“Auntie, I haven’t finished my business yet. Don’t worry about me. Just go home and cook for Yaoyao!”
“You little rascal, drive slowly!”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I value my life more than anyone now!”
That was the plain truth, which made his aunt burst into laughter. “You naughty kid, what could possibly scare you?”
Do you understand the different circumstances now?
I’m precious now!
Wang Yangguang chuckled triumphantly, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, “Auntie, is that small factory behind your workplace still open?”
“Which one? The one that makes student adhesive, pencils, and rulers, the school-run factory?”
“Yes, exactly!”
“It’s still open. What do you need it for?” Wang Xiumei was curious.
“I’m going to have them make some adhesive labels and print some flyers and brochures. It’s not much money, just simple stuff.”
“Let me talk to their manager first. What you’re asking for, even if you pay, they might not be willing to do.”
“Oh, that’s nice of you. I won’t bother with the formalities then. Can I just mention your name when I get there?”
“Sure, sure, consider it done! It’s owed to you!”
Wang Xiumei scolded on the surface but couldn’t hide her smile.
As an elder, she was happy when her children were involved in legitimate matters and could lend a hand.
“Alright, you go about your business. Goodbye!”
Wang Yangguang bid farewell to his aunt happily, then started the car parked by the roadside and drove onto the main road.
He truly valued his life.
Upon arrival, before he could even honk, a security guard popped his head out of the guardhouse and asked, “Are you Director Wang’s child?”
“Yes, that’s me!”
“Oh, come on in!”
Things went extremely smoothly. The other party readily agreed to Wang Yangguang’s requests.
Then came the design and printing.
Unexpectedly, a problem arose, one that Wang Yangguang hadn’t anticipated.
“Young man, the cost of the color brochures is a bit high. It’s not just about the copperplate paper. To achieve the quality you want, the design alone would take at least a day and a half, and you’ll have to provide the content.”
The young designer responsible for the computer hesitated, leaving Wang Yangguang feeling even more troubled.
“What specific content do you need?”
“Images and text, at the very least.”
“Alright, let’s change tactics!”
Wang Yangguang immediately adjusted his approach, showing no stubbornness.
It was obvious that he had been too simplistic in his previous thinking. He couldn’t let pride get in the way.
In the past, Wang Yangguang would have prioritized appearance over substance. But now, with time pressing, he had to distinguish between what was important and what was not.
Another change, one that Wang Yangguang himself hadn’t realized, was that since getting the system, the young man’s mindset had suddenly become much broader.
The designer was quite pleased and said with a smile, “Okay, buddy, tell me what you want to do, and I’ll give you some ideas!”
“I have a batch of watermelons, a new variety from the research institute, in the experimental promotion stage. The cost is high, but the quantity is small. I want to retail them at a high price, so I need some high-quality publicity…”
Wang Yangguang bluffed so convincingly that even he almost believed it. Plus, his concise and straightforward answers made the content clear, leading the designer to believe it as well.
“Do you have any proof we can use?”
“After we produce the brochures, I can take them to the research institute for stamping.”
“How about we produce a test report?”
“Yes!”
Wang Yangguang slapped his thigh, suddenly enlightened.
After all, he was just a student. There were some things he hadn’t considered thoroughly. Being reminded by others immediately opened up a new line of thought.
“Wait here, I’ll go find a template!”
As for where he can get one? It’s by asking his aunt of course.
Wang Xiumei not only arranged for the template files with just one phone call but also helped Wang Yangguang settle another matter.
“After you bring the watermelons, take two of them to the Food Inspection and Testing Institute. You’ll get an official report in just two hours, saving you the trouble of dealing with fake ones.”
“Thank you, Auntie!” Wang Yangguang was overjoyed. “Turn on the computer for me. I have a new idea to check out!”
The internet nowadays is really convenient. With minimal effort, Wang Yangguang found a research report on Anong No.2 on CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure).
He copied the key terms verbatim and made some modifications to non-essential points, approaching it with the attitude of writing a high school essay, quickly producing a promotional document.
Back at the school factory, he completed the task well ahead of schedule in less than half an hour.
After finishing up, Wang Yangguang rushed to the place where he was getting the certification and carving the “radish stamp.”
Calling it a “radish stamp” was just a euphemism, of course, it wasn’t actually made from a radish.
The guy was quite skilled, but he kept hinting at Wang Yangguang’s relationship with “Brother Hu” while working.
Where did Wang Yangguang know anyone named Brother Hu?
He just happened to be from the same Downhill Village and had heard of the so-called “reputation,” so he used it as a calling card.
Humphing and laughing it off, Wang Yangguang wasn’t surprised when his true colors were seen through. He didn’t even try to bargain and just paid the high price of 200 yuan.
Wang Yangguang didn’t care at all. As long as it got done, it was okay.
What was 200 yuan to him anyway?
Experience points +200, that’s it.