Rebirth 05: From Coal Mine Owner to Mobile Phone Tycoon

The three of them discussed the matter for two hours, and by the time they sent Lu Long away, it was already dark.

The second brother had just followed Lu Yuan back to his room in the villa, and before he even sat down, he slapped his forehead. "Damn it, how could I forget about that?"

Lu Yuan remained calm and glanced back at his second brother. "What's wrong now that you're so easily startled?"

The second brother stared wide-eyed and asked, "Brother Lu, didn't we say before that we were going to do research and development? Why didn't we talk about it today?"

Lu Yuan smiled, sat back down on the sofa, and said frankly, "You have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time. Why are you in such a hurry? Let's stabilize first, figure out how to get the first phone out, and then invest in research and development once we see a return on investment. Isn't that a more prudent approach?"

The second brother pondered Lu Yuan's words, then murmured, "Heh heh, I knew following you, Boss, was the right thing to do! So what are we doing tonight? Should I tell the sixth and third brothers, and we brothers go out and find a place to belt out some tunes?"

Since deciding to leave the coal industry, Lu Yuan has been spending a lot of time hanging out with his buddies. They're either drinking and singing all day, or singing and drinking. The thing is, among this group, only the third brother is a really good singer; the rest, including himself, are tone-deaf and their singing is just wailing and howling…

"Come on, what's the point of singing? After dinner, let's go to Huaqiangbei tonight and wander around. Also, give Lao San a call and tell him to subtly inquire about 'Aiyali' tonight, see if he can find out their bottom line."

I feel at ease letting my third brother handle this kind of thing.

He was genuinely afraid that if he entrusted the task to the second or sixth brother, they might mess it up.

The second brother understood this as well, and nodded with a smile, saying, "Okay, then I'll listen to you, Brother Lu."

Time flew by, and the next morning arrived.

Around nine o'clock, Lu Yuan was watching the news channel when his third and second sons came in together.

Yesterday afternoon, after receiving a call from the second brother, the third brother rushed from Chaozhou to Shenzhen overnight. Chaozhou is not far from Shenzhen, about a four-hour drive. After arriving in Shenzhen, although it was already past 10 p.m., the third brother still followed Lu Yuan's instructions and contacted a few friends in Huaqiangbei to inquire about some information about "Aiyali".

These business people shouldn't think they only know people in their respective sub-sectors. In fact, anyone who has built a business to the level of Lu Yuan basically knows people from all walks of life.

"Brother Lu, I've pretty much got the gist of things regarding 'Aiyali.' The main reason for the transfer is financial problems. From what I've heard, they initially invested over three million yuan, and the first batch of assembled phones went on sale, only to be sabotaged by competitors. Now, not only is their reputation damaged, but they also face huge compensation claims. The boss, Zhou Liren, just divorced his wife last week. Besides, we're not the only ones eyeing this factory; a company called 'Puhui' next door also wants to take over 'Aiyali.'"

After finishing his speech in one breath, the third brother acted as if he were at home. He picked up the water glass next to him, poured himself a glass of warm water, took a few sips, and then said, "As for the price, I've also inquired about it. The lowest price is three million, but..."

At this point, the third brother stopped.

Lu Yuan stood up and handed a cigarette to the third brother, asking, "But what? Just say what's on your mind. We're all brothers, there's nothing to be ashamed of."

The third brother looked up and said seriously to Lu Yuan, "Brother Lu, what I mean is, although we can take over this factory with three million, it would be best to give him an extra two or three hundred thousand."

Before Lu Yuan could speak, the second brother frowned and said, "Third brother, aren't you being ridiculous? Our money doesn't come from thin air, and this isn't like you at all. You used to be so careful with your money, always trying to spend as little as possible. What happened this time?"

The third brother lit a cigarette, took a puff, exhaled a cloud of white smoke, and said, seemingly with deep concern, "Last night, while I was gathering information about 'Aiyali,' a friend told me about Zhou Liren. He basically gambled everything he had to create 'Aiyali.' This time, he was sabotaged by competitors and is heavily in debt, struggling to survive. If we can give him a few hundred thousand more at this critical juncture, lend him a hand, and then let him handle the company's personnel matters, we might reap unexpected rewards."

The third brother's words brought a smile of satisfaction to Lu Yuan's face. "Second brother, although you've been with me the longest, sometimes I really have to say a few words to you. Learn from the third brother when it comes to doing things. Look at him, when he considers things, he often..."

Before Lu Yuan could finish speaking, the second brother laughed nonchalantly and said, "Hey, what are you going to learn from him? That he doesn't grow a beard? Or that he blushes to the roots of his neck when a woman touches him? Haha, I'm not going to learn from him. I already don't have much hair on my head. If I learn from him, I'll end up like the fourth brother."

Lu Yuan sighed, and when the second brother mentioned the fourth brother, he asked, "By the way, when is the fourth brother coming here?"

The second brother leaned back on the sofa and laughed, "I guess it'll be soon. He called a couple of days ago to say he'd come to see us once things were settled back home."

Lu Yuan didn't ask any more questions and turned his gaze back to his third brother: "Third brother, what's the deal with you saying that 'Puhui' is also planning to acquire this company?"

The third brother said, "Puhui plans to expand its production line. They've been operating here for thirteen years. Among the many mobile phone brands in Huaqiangbei, aside from being unable to compete with large brands like Lenovo, Gionee, and Nokia, Puhui is one of the best among small and medium-sized brands. Also, I'm worried that after we acquire Aiyali, will we encounter the same situation?"

Lu Yuan smiled and said, "What's there to be afraid of? We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Besides, we've been doing business for so many years, do you think we're afraid of anyone messing with us?"

The second brother sneered, "Yeah, damn it, I'm worried no one's going to mess with us. If no one's going to mess with us, what's the point? If someone does, then the sixth brother and I will finally have a chance to shine!"

Lu Yuan unconsciously rubbed his temples, and even began to consider whether he should enroll his brothers other than the third brother in a Buddhist or traditional Chinese studies class to learn about Amitabha Buddha.

Even if the business world is like a battlefield, is it really necessary to be so aggressive from the very beginning?

"Second brother, stop right now! I'm saying this one last time: in Shenzhen, any fighting or violence that occurs without my permission will be kicked out of the game!"