Chapter 9 – Rivets and Rivals
Part 1 – A Factory Held Together by Tape
The Jinwei Electronics factory was now running three shifts a day.
It was never designed for this.
Sparks flew from overloaded machines. Workers sweated through rolling blackouts. Half the soldering irons had to be shared, and one of the conveyor belts had started groaning like an old man with back pain.
In the breakroom, a hand-written sign read:
"If the ceiling leaks, wear a hat. If the floor sparks, jump."
Chen Rui walked the production floor with a hardhat and a frown.
"Where's the inventory from yesterday's third shift?"
The manager lit a cigarette with a trembling hand. "Burned. The wire coating caught fire. Again."
Chen Rui sighed.
"And the QC department?"
"Still just Uncle Ma."
Uncle Ma, a retired electrician in his sixties, waved from the corner. He inspected products by shaking them and listening for weird noises.
"Still doing it the old way!" he shouted proudly.
Despite everything, orders were pouring in faster than Jinwei could fulfill them.
Even Zhang Tao, now promoted to something like COO (Chen Rui had lost track of titles), looked worried.
"We can't keep this up," Zhang said. "We're weeks behind schedule. We need another factory—or at least a second line."
Chen Rui grabbed a clipboard and scrawled:
"SOLUTION: Find worst-performing factory in Guangdong and buy it."
He grinned. "If we must expand, we'll expand poorly."
Part 2 – Enemies in High Places
Across town in a sleek, modern office, Liang Yong, CEO of Shenzhou Digital, slammed the newspaper on his desk.
"The CR-Tech guy again?!"
The article headline read:
"Mysterious Electronics Chain Opens 20th Store – Success or Scam?"
Liang's assistant hesitated. "He's… attracting attention, sir. The rural markets seem to like him. Customers say they trust him because his prices are low and expectations are already… uh… realistic."
Liang's eye twitched. "He's selling trash and winning public trust? How?!"
"He's not using sales agents, marketing firms, or retailers. Just dumping directly into third-tier markets. They're calling it the countryside miracle."
Liang rose from his chair and paced. His company had been investing millions into R&D for sleek, polished electronics. His marketing budget alone could have bought out Chen Rui's entire chain.
But somehow, this lunatic had built a Frankenstein empire out of broken cassette players and old Soviet stock.
"This isn't business," Liang growled. "It's vandalism with paperwork."
Part 3 – Corporate Espionage, Chen Rui Style
Back at CR-Tech headquarters (a rented apartment above a noodle shop), Chen Rui had received a strange visitor.
A man in a cheap suit claiming to be an "electronics supplier."
But his questions were too sharp. Too informed.
"How are you sourcing at such scale? Who funds your expansion? What's your long-term strategy?"
Chen Rui leaned forward, suspicious.
"You're not a supplier. You're a spy."
The man blinked. "What?! No, I'm just—"
Chen Rui pointed dramatically. "Get out! I don't even HAVE a strategy!"
Zhang Tao entered with tea and asked, "Should I call the police?"
"No," Chen Rui said. "Let him go back and tell them the truth—that we're too dumb to copy."
Part 4 – Smoke and Wires
That night, the factory's generator exploded. Again.
The fire was small and contained, but it delayed shipments by a full day. Chen Rui stood outside in his slippers, watching the smoke drift into the air.
He turned to Uncle Ma, who was holding a half-burned CR-Tech radio.
"Do you think the universe is trying to help me lose money?" Chen Rui asked.
Uncle Ma shook the radio.
"Nope. Still works."
Chen Rui cursed.