Like a Flowing River (Da Jiang Da He / 大江大河)

Like a Flowing River

~ Episode 31 ~

Brother Lei.

I want to ask you a question.

Why are you in the electric cable business?

In this city, there's only two electric cable factories.

If our Xiaoleijia won't get bigger and stronger,

we'll get eaten by them sooner or later.

Don't you think so?

What are you trying to say?

Before I came here, I especially passed by Jiangyang Electric Cable Factory.

How is their business doing?

Quite good. Container trucks are continuously entering and exiting.

But all these are just external appearances.

What do you mean?

They have decades of experience,

is a state-run enterprise, and has a definite market.

But I went to ask some of their old employees.

They haven't been given bonuses for a year already.

They have too much expenses. That house you built for them

indeed had some employees moving in.

But most of their old employees don't have a place to live in.

They are holding in a lot of objections.

And that thing you did last time harmed them quite a lot.

Right now, they are suffering from internal and external troubles.

Continue saying.

If you want to topple them,

you'll need help.

Brother Lei, while I did business in Dongbei for two years,

the one logic that I learned was

that in doing business, you have to fight for it.

I...

...have fast legs

and sweet mouth. Even if my items aren't better than others,

if I just give them some additional profit, they will all deal with me.

Think about it. Our current equipment

was just a reject of theirs.

No matter how good we make our products,

it will just be more or less equal with them.

And I've asked around about their market.

They are just those iron mines, coal mines, and other state-run factories.

But with our current state,

we won't be able to squeeze into them.

Look, you didn't let me finish earlier.

The electric cable models I want this time

are the ones specific for coal mines.

This is our breakout point.

If we're able to breakout of this gate,

occupy a portion of their market,

slowly, we'll be able to topple them.

You have to believe that I can do it. I am capable.

And it's not that I don't want to give you money.

They kept suppressing my payment, so I have no ways to give it to you.

Once they give me the money, I'll immediately give it to you.

Stop talking.

I'll trust you this time.

Really, Brother Lei?

Thank you, Brother Lei.

Thank you.

Go with me to the village committee office.

Okay.

Goodbye.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye..

- Secretary, you're busy? - Yes.

I'm Xiaoleijia's Secretary.

That's right, Brother Lei.

What Xiaoleijia has become today is all due to your efforts.

What I'm saying is that I'm the Secretary of Xiaoleijia.

Brother Lei...

Are you going back on your word?

I can't let so many people

take risks with me.

How is it?

Big brother.

Really pretty.

- Is this our future sister-in-law? - Yes.

What sister-in-law?

Sister-in-law?

Mom, let me take a look.

Don't just say whatever.

She's quite beautiful, brother.

Ah, it looks like...

...she's taller than you.

Go write your homework. Go do your chores.

Brother, I want to see it.

Mom,

Xiao Feng traveled all the way from Dongbei to be with me.

I'm thinking

of doing the wedding soon,

so she'll be at ease too. Right?

You've been doing business in Dongbei for 2 years.

You've seen a lot of people too.

How do you find her?

Quite nice.

Although she came from the city,

she knows how to live her days well.

Which city?

A county city beside Harbin.

Eldest,

you did this thing wrong.

What's wrong with it, Mom?

You're still very young,

yet you kept thinking about matters like this.

You weren't a good model to your siblings.

You said you went to Jinzhou

to look for Xiao Hui.

Xiao Hui is older than you.

He's been working for so long, but didn't think of finding a partner yet.

He has placed all his heart into his work.

He's just hiding it from you guys.

Who knows how many girlfriends he already had.

Xiao Hui is a university graduate.

All that he's done is something he's supposed to do.

You're not.

Mom,

if you refuse her to be married into her family,

isn't that harming her?

Hence,

take her back to her home.

I'm leaving.

Yang Xun!

Brother Lei.

Why are you here?

Hurry, hurry. Come in. Come in.

- Come in. - Eldest,

this is?

Mom, this is the Secretary Lei Dongbao of Xiaoleijia.

Brother Xiao Hui's brother-in-law.

So you're Secretary Lei? How are you?

Nice to meet you.

Come, have a seat.

Sit down.

Secretary Lei, have you eaten yet?

How about I make a couple of dishes for you?

There's no need. I'm not here to eat.

Then, you're here for Xun?

Yes.

Okay, then the two of you can talk.

I'll go boil water and make some tea.

Quickly go inside to do your homework.

You sit down, too.

Brother Lei, you . . .

What you told me this afternoon,

I understand and it's on my mind.

You're not a very practical person,

but a very passionate one.

Xiao Hui told me before that you were a good kid.

Brother Xiao Hui is really good to me.

You want to help Dongfeng Electric Cable Factory,

is it for real or not?

It's the truth.

This can topple that city electric company and I get to earn money.

Why would I cheat you?

You treat me well.

Brother Xiao Hui also treats me well.

I just...

...feel so fortunate.

Fine.

I'm agreeing.

Really?

But one condition,

no delayed payment.

- Then... - This is my own matter.

I can't let the whole Xiaoleijia take the risk with me.

I'm a leader after all.

I can't do immoral acts of taking advantage of the group.

Then Brother Lei,

how are we going to topple the city electric cable factory?

I can't let you delay the payment for the electric cables of the village.

My own money,

I can lend that to you.

Brother Lei,

this...

This is ¥10,000. You count it.

Take it and make the business deal.

Brother Lei, I'll go write you a debt slip.

Secretary Lei.

This big of a deal, this much money,

what if...?

Yang Xun has a sweet tongue and nimble mind.

He won't lose when it comes to business.

What if we do?

How are we going to pay you the money?

- Even if we demolish our house, we won't be able to pay back this ¥10,000. - Mom!

I just heard from the newspapers and broadcast system that there are already people with thousands of money.

We haven't seen one in our village.

I willingly lent the money.

If the business fails,

I'll just treat it as bad luck.

It won't.

It won't, Brother Lei.

I already made a deal with Old Wang.

He'll sell power switches, while I sell electric cables. We already made a deal with the buyer, a large scale coal mine.

They are just waiting for our stocks.

They guaranteed that after 3 months,

they surely will be able to pay for all the goods.

I'll directly return you the money.

No rush to pay for the money.

We still have to do great things.

Right...