CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36: RETRIEVING THE SAFE WITH A STRONG MAGNET

"This is the gift agreement, Mr. Chen just needs to sign it."

Not long after Sun Xingguo handed over the ivory mahjong to Madam Liu, her secretary came with the gift agreement to meet Chen Yiyang.

Chen Yiyang glanced over the contract briefly.

There was nothing wrong with the contract, and he just needed to sign it to receive an apartment worth over two million.

Of course, during the subsequent transfer process, he would still need to pay a certain transfer fee based on the market price.

But compared to the apartment, that’s a small expense.

"The apartment uses a password lock, here are the two security keys for it." After taking one of the two copies of the agreement, the secretary handed two keys to Chen Yiyang.

The apartment building uses a password lock, but according to regulations, the lock must have corresponding security keys in case of any issues, allowing access via mechanical means.

After putting away the security keys, Chen Yiyang planned to find someone to change the lock in a few days.

One shouldn’t be too careless with such matters.

"Mr. Chen, your network is really impressive." After the secretary left, Sun Xingguo gave Chen Yiyang a thumbs up.

"It was just a coincidence."

"When I went up with the items, Madam Liu had several local collector big shots around. They all told Madam Liu how hard it is to get antique ivory mahjong nowadays.

Didn’t expect you to get it over to her just the next day. Those collectors checked it over a dozen times and found no issues."

Sun Xingguo was increasingly admiring Chen Yiyang.

I could barely believe it considering when we first met, we both seemed quite down on our luck.

I thought I was climbing back up fast enough.

But it turns out Chen Yiyang is rising like a rocket. Looking at it now, he must have some strong family connections, otherwise, how could he have such a powerful network?

"By the way." Sun Xingguo then asked, "When are you planning to move? I can come over to help."

"Let’s move tonight. I don’t have much stuff, just need a van to take it all, no need to worry." Chen Yiyang declined Sun Xingguo’s help.

After all, Sun Xingguo is now a manager of sorts; it’s not right to treat him as a subordinate.

Chen Yiyang had enough emotional intelligence for that.

After saying goodbye to Sun Xingguo, Chen Yiyang called Zhou Jianjun.

"You really work fast." Chen Yiyang had just gotten home when Zhou Jianjun arrived in about twenty minutes.

"You didn’t cancel any jobs from the platform just for my gig, did you?" Chen Yiyang joked.

"No, I’ve made quite enough these past few days, so I’ve just been resting at home. Mostly because my back can’t handle long hours driving."

Zhou Jianjun candidly explained his current situation.

He felt that Chen Yiyang called him over not just for the moving.

"Then take a few days off. Clear out your schedule." After saying that, Chen Yiyang and Zhou Jianjun went upstairs to move all the personal items from the rental room to Zhou Jianjun’s van.

There wasn’t actually much stuff.

After all, Chen Yiyang had only been living there for just over half a month, and all his personal belongings could fit in a big box.

Rather, it was Hans who had more items because of its cage.

After telling Zhou Jianjun the location of the new apartment, they drove over.

Jin City Center apartment building 903.

Chen Yiyang used a security key to open the door.

He found the apartment exactly as Madam Liu described.

It was a well-renovated, move-in-ready apartment.

Judging from the wear and tear on the furnishings, it seemed no one had lived in this apartment since its renovation, making it practically a new home.

This apartment seemed to have been bought for investment during the time Jin City’s real estate prices were soaring.

But when the prices plummeted, it became hard to sell regular homes, let alone apartments.

Chen Yiyang and Zhou Jianjun spent an afternoon completing the move.

After dinner, Chen Yiyang hopped into Zhou Jianjun’s van again.

The two of them went to a hardware store to buy a palm-sized strong magnet.

A strong magnet, or a powerful magnet, usually refers to neodymium magnets.

These magnets have very strong pull. As long as the rope holds, they can even pull up objects more than five hundred times their weight.

After purchasing the magnet and placing it in Zhou Jianjun’s van, under Chen Yiyang’s guidance they drove overnight to Quicksand Lake.

Jin City’s Quicksand Lake is a flowing water lake, but its water quality is poor, with a large amount of sediment.

From the surface, it looks like someone dumped a mix of yellow mud and water into it.

Because of this, Quicksand Lake hasn’t been developed into a park or tourist spot.

Moreover, several students drown here while swimming every year, so it’s usually prohibited for people to swim here.

Normally, only fishing enthusiasts come here to try their luck hoping to catch wild big fish.

When Chen Yiyang and Zhou Jianjun arrived, there were only three or four night fishermen around Quicksand Lake.

"In this position." Chen Yiyang quickly identified the location of the safe containing stocks from the pictures provided in the intelligence.

After taking the strong magnet out of the specially made box, Chen Yiyang held the magnet, secured it with a rope, and threw it down.

However, his aim was quite poor, and after throwing it three or four times, he finally felt the magnet latch onto something.

"Together now." Chen Yiyang handed the rope to Zhou Jianjun, and the two started pulling the rope with all their strength.

The rope used to bind the strong magnet was a safety rope meant for construction workers, very strong, so there was no worry about it breaking.

The two exerted all their strength, spending ten minutes to haul up a heavy object.

It was an extremely bulky safe, although its exterior was corroded by water flow, the overall structure remained intact.

Of course, Chen Yiyang didn’t expect this safe, which was clearly manufactured abroad around the 2000s, to have strong waterproof capabilities.

He just prayed that the paper stocks inside weren’t directly placed in the safe but had undergone waterproof treatment.

When the two dragged the safe out, the sky was already quite dark.

The surrounding anglers didn’t notice Chen Yiyang at all, still focused on waiting for a big fish to bite.

Instead, a stray cat from who knows where meowed twice at Chen Yiyang and Zhou Jianjun.

After seeing that the two had spent most of the day only to drag up a hunk of iron, without any fish in sight,

it turned around angrily and ran away.

Chen Yiyang and Zhou Jianjun didn’t have the mood to care about that.

After hefting the safe into the car, they drove their van away under the cover of night.

"Boss Chen, where to now?" Zhou Jianjun asked.

"Number 17, Mingyang Street."

Chen Yiyang pondered. Such a large safe was quite conspicuous. He certainly couldn’t move it into a rental or an apartment building.

So taking it directly to the shop he just acquired was the safest option.

He pulled out the key, opened the shop door, and the two lifted the safe inside.

"Boss Chen, is this your shop? It’s quite big." Zhou Jianjun remarked as he glanced around after entering.

Discovering that although the shop’s location wasn’t ideal, the area was indeed sizable.

"Just acquired it, planning to do a little business." Chen Yiyang paused before continuing,

then, seeing Zhou Jianjun’s expectant look, he added, "But I lack someone to manage the shop, would you be interested?"

"Of course, I would." Zhou Jianjun agreed, then hesitantly added, "But I’ve never done business before, I could manage the warehouse, but selling things might be hard for me."

"You don’t have to worry about business matters." Chen Yiyang assured Zhou Jianjun, "Working here, the main thing is to just work and not speak, do you understand what I mean?"

"Rest assured." Zhou Jianjun immediately pledged his loyalty, "I have family relying on me, my health is getting worse. If I could find an easy job, I’d promise to quit drinking from now on."

"Alright." Chen Yiyang was still satisfied with Zhou Jianjun.

Although they hadn’t known each other long, they had collaborated many times.

Efficient worker, and indeed tight-lipped, he never asked anything unnecessary.

"Base salary is five thousand with full benefits. Monthly bonuses depend on the shop’s income at the end of the month."

"Do I need to stay overnight at the shop?" Zhou Jianjun inquired.

This salary package was considered quite good in Jin City, a really nice job.

"Not yet, we’ll strictly abide by labor laws. Work from nine to five, weekends and holidays follow national regulations. Lunchtime counts as work time if eating in the shop, if you’re asked to handle things outside work hours, it’s double pay, paid at the end of the month along with the base salary."

Chen Yiyang thought to himself how he was once used like a beast by an unscrupulous boss, working 996 every day.

Now as a boss himself, if he made his subordinates work 996,

he wouldn’t be much of a person then.

"Boss." Zhou Jianjun was momentarily stunned.

"We’re not doing anything illegal or criminal, right?"

"No need to worry, I assure you there won’t be anything violating the law." Chen Yiyang patted Zhou Jianjun’s shoulder to reassure him.

"But this treatment is just too good." Zhou Jianjun still seemed somewhat unwilling to believe.

"This is how the state regulates things, I’m not giving you any extra benefits."

"Boss." Zhou Jianjun looked at Chen Yiyang and said, "If later your shop can’t sustain, I’ll go back to driving freight to support you rising again."

One by one, why make it so touching.

Chen Yiyang mused, a girl had said something similar to him this morning, and now another one at night.

After sending Zhou Jianjun away, Chen Yiyang messaged Chang Yuning.

"Are you there, do you have time for a date tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow go and earn money!! Redeem the title deed for me asap! And what time do you think it is to be messaging, I have class early tomorrow morning!!!"

The sentiment was gone.

Chen Yiyang threw his phone aside, then went to deal with the safe.