Chapter 6: Is a Budget of 200,000 Enough?

Installing air conditioning in the workshop was something the employees had often dreamed about. After all, the weather was getting hotter, and the fans were now just blowing warm air. On top of that, prolonged use of the fans often caused headaches.

Now, hearing that the new boss was actually going to install air conditioning in the workshop was something they never expected.

First, he increased their wages, and now he was installing air conditioning—was this boss here just to give out benefits?

Some of the older employees felt like they were dreaming. They had worked in countless factories and workshops over the years, but this was the first time they had encountered a boss who genuinely cared about the well-being of his workers.

“Quiet down, everyone. Is there really no one here who knows anything about air conditioning?”

Wei Yan raised his hand, signaling the workers to stop their discussions.

The chatter in the workshop gradually died down before a young man with slightly darker skin stepped forward.

“Brother Yan, my sister sells air conditioners and appliances, and my brother-in-law installs them. I think I can help with this.”

Wei Yan glanced at the young man—surprisingly, it was Li Shen.

Since someone knowledgeable about air conditioning had stepped up, he felt a sense of relief. Completing everything within two days was a tight deadline, so having someone who could handle both the purchase and installation was ideal.

“Alright, I’ll leave this task to you. Also, the boss wants to replace the company’s signboard with a high-end one. You’ll take care of that too. Remember, you only have two days.”

“How much is the budget? Otherwise, I won’t know what price range to look at.”

Li Shen asked cautiously. After all, installing air conditioning in a 500-square-meter workshop wasn’t a small expense. If the budget was too low, it would be difficult to manage.

Wei Yan glanced at the transfer record and read out the amount.

“The total budget is for both the signboard and the air conditioning.”

“Why is the amount so specific, down to the last digit?”

Li Shen asked, puzzled.

Wei Yan also found the figure a bit unusual but quickly figured it out.

“The boss has probably already done the calculations. This budget should be based on his estimates, so when you make purchases, stick to this budget exactly. Also, he specifically said to spend every last cent—don’t leave anything unspent.”

“Got it, Brother Yan.”

Li Shen nodded immediately. Since his sister was in the air conditioning business, he had a rough idea of the costs. A budget of over 200,000 yuan would be more than enough to install air conditioning for a 500-square-meter workshop.

“Anything else?”

Wei Yan asked, noticing that Li Shen was still standing there hesitating.

After a brief hesitation, Li Shen voiced his concern.

“Brother Yan, the boss is making all these investments, but the factory doesn’t even have new orders to work on. If this continues, we’ll all end up sitting around with nothing to do. Are we really okay with this?”

Wei Yan frowned. A factory without orders was definitely not sustainable. After some thought, he said,

“Alright, there should be some high-quality fabric stored in the warehouse. Get a few of the senior workers to make some sample garments. Once they’re done, let me know—I’ll take them to look for new orders.”

Previously, some clients had stopped placing orders due to fabric quality issues. Now that they had even better fabric, he was confident that well-made samples could help bring back some of those customers.

The boss had just invested a significant amount of money into the company. As a sales representative, he had to secure some orders to help the company generate revenue.

More importantly, the boss clearly valued him—he couldn’t let him down.

—

Old Town Residential Complex

“This is the place. Thanks for the ride, Lawyer Tang.”

“You live here?”

Tang Qiu looked out through the car window at the old residential buildings in front of her, her face full of surprise.

In her mind, Chen Mo was a rich second-generation heir. There was no way he should be living in such an old complex.

Could it be that he had fallen out with his family and was trying to prove himself by starting a business on his own?

This kind of storyline was common in TV dramas. Had she really encountered it in real life?

“Yeah.”

Chen Mo admitted readily, then got out of the car and left.

This apartment was one he had rented after obtaining the system. It wasn’t that he didn’t want a better place, but as a fresh university graduate, he didn’t have much savings.

After searching around, he found that only this old residential complex in the suburbs fit his budget.

Rent was 600 yuan per month, with a minimum lease of six months. He had paid 4,000 yuan upfront, including a 400-yuan security deposit.

But this was just a temporary arrangement. Once the system payout happened and he got his million, he could rent—or even buy—a better place.

He just needed to make do for a few more days.

Chen Mo smiled lightly and headed toward his apartment building.

Just as he entered the stairwell, he heard a woman’s angry voice coming from upstairs.

“All you know is making babies! Now what? Do you even have the money to support them?”

“I must have been blind to marry you!”

Bang!

A door slammed shut.

Chen Mo paused for a moment but decided to continue upstairs.

The old building had only seven floors and no elevator, so if he wanted to get home, he had to take the stairs.

When he reached the third floor, he saw a middle-aged man sitting on the steps, looking dejected. He held an unlit cigarette between his fingers, simply gripping it in silence.

Seeing Chen Mo coming up, the man shifted slightly to the side, making space on the stairs for him to pass.

Chen Mo glanced at the man briefly but didn’t say anything. He simply walked past.

It wasn’t hard to figure out that a couple had been arguing just now.

But that wasn’t his business, and he didn’t have the skills to mediate marital disputes anyway.

—

The Next Morning

“Don’t worry, Boss Chen. I already contacted the fabric supplier yesterday. The material should arrive at the company this morning.”

“Yes, I’ve made a partial payment already. Once the fabric arrives and we confirm everything is fine, I’ll transfer the remaining amount.”

“As for the air conditioning, I’ve put Li Shen in charge of it. If everything goes smoothly, it should be installed today.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Inside his apartment, Chen Mo lounged on his sofa, listening to Wei Yan’s report.

He hadn’t gone to the company that day. After all, there wasn’t much for him to do there. His only task now was to keep an eye on Wei Yan and make sure he spent the transferred funds as quickly as possible.

Everything was going according to plan. Now, he just had to wait for the system’s payout in two days.

Thinking about it, Chen Mo happily opened his food delivery app and ordered a luxury meal.

There was just over a day left before he became a millionaire—what was a little splurge compared to that?

—

Changfeng Garment Factory

Wei Yan had just ended his call when an employee walked up to him with a few pieces of clothing.

“The sample garments are ready. Take a look.”