Our Times Episode 11 Recap
> Our Times Recap
Pei Qinghua secured over a hundred ID cards from half the village to help Xiao Chuang. However, Xiao Chuang still needed about a hundred more, playfully asking Pei Qinghua to get the rest, to which Pei Qinghua expressed annoyance. Xiao Chuang thanked him. Man Huansheng discreetly gave Xiao Chuang 1,200 yuan, explaining it was all he had saved from his assistant work without commission. Xiao Chuang was grateful but initially hesitant to accept, knowing Man Huansheng's limited means.
Then, Qi Rongbin approached Xiao Chuang, offering 1,500 yuan and telling him not to worry about repayment. When Xiao Chuang questioned the extra 500, Qi Rongbin said he found more money and then playfully tried to add another 300, leading to a friendly rivalry with Man Huansheng. Xiao Chuang accepted the money from both, promising to return it with interest. Meanwhile, Tan Yuan and Man Lin were at the school, recruiting for an internship.
Man Lin expressed unease about collecting students' ID cards, fearing Xiao Chuang would disapprove, but Tan Yuan reassured her, explaining Xiao Chuang needed them until August 10th and they would simply cancel the internship later. Tan Yuan enjoyed the authority, even telling a student to improve their resume, to Man Lin's amusement. Among the applicants, a student named Jiang Jia Dong from Bao'an, a Shenzhen Special Zone, caught Tan Yuan’s attention.
She realized that with a Shenzhen ID, one wouldn't need a Border Defense Permit to cross the border, which would be very useful for Xiao Chuang. During a meeting, Xu Yang presented a report on Cost Reduction and Efficiency Enhancement, projecting an increase of 100-150 units in sales.
Lin Yimin and Xu Yang were skeptical of Pei Qinghua's distribution plan, believing that distribution would not significantly increase net profit after commissions and would be difficult to manage due to issues like agents selling products outside of agreed areas and price fixing. Pei Qinghua countered, arguing that their current "small workshop" model had reached its ceiling. Tan Qizhang strongly supported Pei Qinghua's distribution plan, believing it could multiply sales tenfold by opening new channels.
Xu Yiwan intervened, suggesting that both methods were not mutually exclusive and could be tested simultaneously. Xiao Chuang, realizing his current funds were insufficient, was overheard by Xu Yang, who deduced his plan to go to Shenzhen through a reference to "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," suggesting Xiao Chuang was attempting to deceive everyone. Xiao Chuang, expecting to be reported, was surprised when Xu Yang clarified that he simply wanted colleagues to trust each other more.
Xu Yang then offered Xiao Chuang 5,000 yuan, advising him to spend prudently. Perplexed by Xu Yang's generosity, given their usual strained relationship, Xiao Chuang asked his motivation. Xu Yang explained that everyone faces difficulties and hoped Xiao Chuang would return the favor when he needed help. Having secured the necessary funds, Xiao Chuang immediately called Xie Hang, jokingly teasing her for recognizing his call.
He excitedly informed her that he had found a way to cover her training fee, assuring her he earned the money legitimately and wisely. Afterward, Xiao Chuang approached Tan Qizhang to request a ten-day leave, claiming he needed to visit his parents in the Northwest, who had just finished a project. Tan Qizhang initially hesitated due to Xiao Chuang's recent absence and the company's need for manpower, suggesting he ask Lin Yimin instead.
However, Xiao Chuang convinced Tan Qizhang to approve the leave, promising to return in ten days and not a day more. Before Xiao Chuang's departure for Shenzhen, Pei Qinghua reminded him that the money was everyone's collective savings. He cautioned Xiao Chuang to be extremely careful with his spending in the Special Zone, where expenses could add up quickly, especially given his limited travel budget.
Xiao Chuang promised to be frugal, marveling at how smoothly everything had come together, while Pei Qinghua credited it to Xiao Chuang's good character, which made people willing to help him. To prepare for crossing the border, Xiao Chuang asked Pei Qinghua to role-play as a border officer, allowing him to practice his rudimentary Cantonese.
Using Jiang Jia Dong's ID card and a fabricated story about returning home to Bao'an from university in Beijing after failing an exam, Xiao Chuang successfully navigated the border. Once in Shenzhen, Xiao Chuang attempted to buy biscuits at a convenience store. After a friendly negotiation with the owner, a fellow Liverpool fan, he settled on a price. However, another man, Zhang Ping Ping, intervened and bought all the biscuits before Xiao Chuang could, frustrating him.
In a fit of anger, Xiao Chuang offered 5 yuan per pack and bought the entire remaining stock of biscuits from the store, before revealing to the owner that he was actually an Arsenal fan. Xiao Chuang then organized a group of people, offering them 100 yuan each, along with food and drink, to purchase stock subscription certificates on his behalf.
He instructed them to queue at the bank, advising them to minimize water intake and to use bottles to avoid losing their spot in line. He emphasized the importance of honesty in business, taking their ID cards as collateral before they began the purchasing process. He dismissed one person who admitted to having lent out their ID card, stating he doesn't work with people who don't keep their words.
At her workplace, Xie Hang overheard colleagues discussing the frenzy surrounding Shenzhen's lottery tickets. Lei Min interrupted, warning everyone to "never soil their hands" and "never practice favoritism," insinuatingly addressing those who had "made a mistake" previously. Xie Hang confronted him directly, demanding he clarify his remarks. Lei Min denied singling anyone out, claiming he merely wanted to prevent "some people" from repeating past errors.
Xie Hang retorted sharply, telling him to be an upright man and stop insinuating, declaring that her biggest mistake was believing in him. Tan Qizhang and Pei Qinghua went to meet with potential distributors, who had united to demand a 5% commission, believing Huayan was more desperate. Aware of their strategy, Tan Qizhang and Pei Qinghua devised a counter-plan.
During the meeting, Tan Qizhang declared that Huayan could only offer a maximum of 4% commission due to a shrinking computer market. When agents reacted negatively, Pei Qinghua dramatically intervened, proposing a "stair-step" commission structure: 4% for sales of one million yuan, 5% for three million, and only 3% if sales fell below one million. This led to a staged argument between Tan Qizhang and Pei Qinghua, with Tan Qizhang chastising Pei Qinghua for contradicting company policy.
To sweeten the deal, Pei Qinghua dramatically offered the sales department's entire bonus as a signing incentive, promising 3,000 yuan to the first three to sign. Tan Qizhang feigned agreement. They then abruptly left, appearing to have failed, but soon, the agents, initially feigning disinterest in "small amounts of money," rushed out to sign the contracts, eagerly claiming their rewards. Pei Qinghua then suggested rewarding all participants, a proposal the agents heartily approved.
Having earned a significant amount of money, Xiao Chuang indulged in extravagant spending in Shenzhen. As Xie Hang was about to finish work, she received a phone call from a visibly inebriated Xiao Chuang. He joyfully informed her that she could soon return to Beijing and quit her job, excitedly envisioning a future where they could appreciate peach blossoms and other flowers together every year.
Xie Hang, noting his slurred speech, didn't take his claims seriously, believing it was impossible to raise such a large sum of money so quickly. Xiao Chuang, intoxicated and singing, returned to his hotel only to be arrested by the police. Back in Beijing, Man Huansheng, Qi Rongbin, and Xu Yiwan, among others, received money orders from Xiao Chuang, which included significant interest. Some colleagues received amounts as high as 1,800 and 3,100 yuan, all praising Xiao Chuang's reliability.
Pei Qinghua, realizing the money had been sent four days ago, then revealed that Xiao Chuang had actually gone to Shenzhen for stock subscription certificates, not to the Northwest as claimed. He found the situation peculiar, as Xiao Chuang had not yet returned, especially since the lottery results and IPO were still days and weeks away. Xie Hang also received a 20,000 yuan money order from Xiao Chuang.
Upon hearing news of arrests in Shenzhen related to stock subscription certificates, she frantically called Huayan, where she was informed that Xiao Chuang had indeed gone to Shenzhen but was currently unreachable. Xiao Chuang found himself imprisoned in a police station for profiteering, sharing a cell with several others, including Zhang Ping Ping, the man from the convenience store, who was also distraught over his financial losses.
Zhang Ping Ping advised Xiao Chuang to adopt a "proper attitude towards admitting mistakes" to potentially secure an early release. Back in Beijing, students incessantly questioned Tan Yuan and Man Lin about the internship and the return of their ID cards, demanding answers about why their applications hadn't been processed and their documents withheld. Tan Yuan struggled to placate them, eventually seeking out Pei Qinghua to ask why Xiao Chuang had not yet returned.
Pei Qinghua, growing suspicious, confronted her about her involvement in Xiao Chuang's Shenzhen trip. Tan Yuan confessed to borrowing 100 ID cards from her classmates for Xiao Chuang, which angered Pei Qinghua for her secrecy and recklessness. Just then, Xie Hang arrived at the research institute, recognizing Pei Qinghua as Xiao Chuang's roommate. Distraught, she explained her inability to contact Xiao Chuang and her deep concern given Shenzhen's strict regulations.
She feared that the best outcome was Xiao Chuang's arrest, deeming other possibilities too terrible to contemplate. Knowing Pei Qinghua only made one call to Xiao Chuang without obtaining his hotel details, Xie Hang urged him to inform their superiors, as they had exhausted all other options. When Zhang Ping Ping was called for bail, he lamented his financial ruin to Xiao Chuang.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Chuang, referencing their shared experience as cellmates and business partners, asked Zhang Ping Ping to call his friend, Xie Hang, upon his release to inform her of his safety. Zhang Ping Ping demanded 500 yuan for the service, justifying the cost by Xiao Chuang's recent earnings. Though initially shocked by the high price, Xiao Chuang agreed. They exchanged names, with Xiao Chuang introducing himself and Zhang Ping Ping noting how feminine his own name sounded.
