The moment the phone rang, a flurry of machine-gun-like accusations erupted. "Look at you, disappearing for five or six days! You scared us to death, you know."
"I... I was out at sea and dropped my phone into the water. I didn't want to trouble the captain to turn back, so I let you worry. I'm sorry."
"We're just relieved you're okay. What have you been up to over there? Hurry back."
"Things are almost done here. I'll be back in two or three days, don't worry."
"Suit yourself. If I don't see you in three days... Hmph!"
Li Haochen managed to get off the hook after making repeated assurances. After hanging up, he looked at the phone he'd used for less than a year and gave a wry smile. "My friend, to cover my lie, I'll have to retire you. Heh heh!"
As dawn broke, Li Haochen packed his belongings, including the tent, and set off like a hiker.
Ten hours later, Li Haochen was back in Hawaii, as he had one more thing to do.
"Hello, Brother Chao. It's Li Haochen..."
A little over ten minutes later, Li Haochen and Zhang Chao met at a coffee shop opposite the supermarket they had visited before. Zhang Chao was surprised by Li Haochen's invitation, unsure of his intentions.
Neither of them was one for idle chatter. As soon as they sat down, Zhang Chao got straight to the point, "Mr. Li, is there something you need me to do?"
"Indeed. Brother Chao, are you interested in managing a supermarket?"
"Huh?" Zhang Chao was a bit confused, feeling rather lost.
"Brother Chao, what do you think of the supermarket across the street?" Li Haochen smiled and gestured towards the building with a large "FOR SALE" sign.
Zhang Chao followed Li Haochen's gaze to the sign, which was half a meter high, and understood immediately. His heart stirred with excitement as he said, "Mr. Li, you want to take it over?"
"Yes, I think the foot traffic here is quite good. Are there any problems with the supermarket?"
"Not at all. Everyone here knows the owner is selling in a hurry because he owes a huge gambling debt. Some people have approached him, but they couldn't agree on a price, so it's still up for sale."
"Brother Chao, I'm not from here. I'll need your help to acquire this supermarket. I'll provide the money, you provide the effort. I'll give you 20% of the company shares, how about it?"
Zhang Chao's eyes widened. His mind was a tempest. Twenty percent was hundreds of thousands of US dollars. How could he refuse? Moreover, the supermarket's business had always been good, capable of earning one to two million US dollars annually. The thought made him flush with excitement.
"Deal!"
Li Haochen knew he would agree. Such a significant benefit, how could he not? Do you know how good life is for overseas Chinese? How many hardships are unknown!
Li Haochen learned about Zhang Chao's character from Liu Changhe. He was a good man, and the reason he had left his hometown to make a living here was for his sick wife. So, he decided to help him out.
"Brother Chao, I'm leaving tomorrow. I hope we can finalize this matter by tomorrow."
"That's probably not possible. The efficiency of people here isn't that high, and the normal process takes at least three days."
"You'll find a way. Our ancestors have a saying, 'Money makes the world go round,' and I believe that applies everywhere, doesn't it?"
"Hahaha, indeed. If that's the case, I'll definitely make sure this is settled tomorrow."
"It's our business, after all. Heh heh!"
Zhang Chao looked at Li Haochen very seriously, his eyes slightly reddening. "Thank you. I will definitely give you a satisfactory result."
Li Haochen returned to the hotel and booked a room. The rest was