Chapter Fifteen: Matters of the Loan

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In Shanghai at this time, neon lights had only just begun to appear. The streets were therefore illuminated mostly by the weak glow of streetlamps, while rickshaws were generally equipped with kerosene lamps at night.

One evening the previous year, 1926, a crowd of curious onlookers gathered outside Evans Bookstore, a British-owned establishment at the intersection of East Nanjing Road and Kiangsi Road. In the window, a small advertisement for a Royal typewriter shone with the unusual colors of red and blue.

A passerby, staring in fascination, asked what it was. The foreign proprietor replied proudly, “Neon light.”

Before long, the name “nianhong lamp” began circulating through the streets and alleys.

Soon, these “nianhong lamps” became popular throughout Shanghai.

This year, the words “Central Grand Hotel” and “Central Hotel” gleamed brilliantly against the night sky above Hubei Road. This earliest bilingual neon sign had been produced by China’s first neon-light factory—the Shanghai Far Eastern Chemical Manufacturing Works.

What people called “nianhong lamps” would later be known as neon lights.

Thus, during the 1930s, Shanghai would become the “City That Never Sleeps” of the Far East. Hong Kong, by contrast, was still merely a small rural town, utterly incomparable to Shanghai.

Moreover, according to Chen Guangliang’s understanding, the years from 1927 to 1937 would be Shanghai’s finest decade, a period of extraordinarily rapid economic growth.

One reason was that Shanghai would not officially be established until the following year. For now, it was still known as Shanghai County, and the foreign concessions were not included within it.

Shanghai County was originally quite small. The following year, the Nationalist government would transfer several districts from Jiangsu to the county, thereby creating the Shanghai of later generations.

Thinking of the changes that would take place in Shanghai over the coming decade, Chen Guangliang naturally hoped to seize the opportunity and accumulate the initial capital for his enterprise.

That way, when he first went to Hong Kong in 1937, he would at least have the means to make a living.

Three in the morning.

Chen Guangliang pulled his passenger through the roads of the foreign concession. The man had apparently just finished playing cards and dining with friends.

“Sir, would you like cigarettes, matches, drinks, or snacks from Garden of Abundance? I have everything for sale!”

The passenger was a small-business owner. Hearing this, he could not help laughing.

“You certainly know how to make money. What kind of cigarettes do you have?”

A moment later, the passenger lit a cigarette, and Chen Guangliang had made another sale.

His recent efforts to promote merchandise had produced excellent results. They would likely increase the rickshaw company’s profits by ten to fifteen percent. In practical terms, a rickshaw that had previously brought in thirty silver dollars in rent—before taxes, maintenance, and other deductions—could now reliably generate the full thirty.

After delivering the passenger safely home, Chen Guangliang collected the fare and received a tip of two cents, bringing the total to exactly ten cents.

Passengers were not available throughout the night, but the odds of meeting a generous one were considerably higher.

Pulling his empty rickshaw, Chen Guangliang continued through the foreign concession at night.

He was not worried about his safety. The chances of a rickshaw puller being robbed were not high, and in any case, he carried barely a few copper coins.

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Besides, Chen Guangliang had been in this world for two months, and he had discovered his own “golden finger”: his physical constitution had improved tremendously.

If he had once been merely “somewhat strong,” he was now practically “strong enough to move mountains.” Even though he knew no martial arts, three or five ordinary men would not be his match. His strength, agility, and reflexes had all improved dramatically.

This would also become one of the foundations of his survival in Shanghai.

“Hey… hey…”

Chen Guangliang suddenly noticed a man lying motionless by the roadside and called out several times.

When the man failed to respond, Chen Guangliang carried his kerosene lamp over to investigate.

“Hey, hey…”

The man moved slightly but did not turn over. Chen Guangliang simply used his foot to roll him onto his back.

“He’s still breathing.”

The man was extremely weak, but he did not appear to have been injured. Chen Guangliang guessed that, nine times out of ten, he had fainted from hunger.

He immediately returned to his rickshaw, took out a bottle of cola, and opened it. Then he crouched down and fed it to the man lying on the ground.

Society was harsh these days, but Chen Guangliang was not the sort of person who would stand by and watch someone die.

Taking the opportunity, Chen Guangliang examined the man more closely. He appeared to have fled to Shanghai from elsewhere. His clothing suggested that he had fallen on hard times, though his former life had probably been fairly comfortable.

Could he be a Communist?

There was no way to know. But at this point, the man had to be saved. At worst, Chen Guangliang could send him away afterward.

“Come with me.”

Chen Guangliang lifted the man into his arms and placed him directly in the rickshaw. He planned to take him to Pumpkin Lane to stay temporarily.

……

Chen Guangliang changed into his only suit, a traditional Chinese tunic suit, and a pair of cloth shoes with double-layered soles. Then he headed toward the Shanghai Savings Bank in the foreign concession.

He was extremely excited. Professor Zhang had told him that he had introduced Chen to a friend who served as deputy manager at the Shanghai Savings Bank.

“Manager Li, I’m the young Chen whom Professor Zhang introduced!”

In Li Shoumin’s office, Chen Guangliang offered a respectful greeting, not daring to show the slightest negligence.

Li Shoumin looked him over and said indifferently, “You want a loan? What assets do you have to offer as collateral?”

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Chen Guangliang hurriedly replied:

“Our assets consist of two rickshaw licenses. Each is worth more than two hundred silver dollars on the market. In addition, we have three brand-new rickshaws, bringing the total value to more than seven hundred silver dollars.”

“Furthermore, the loan will be taken jointly by me and a partner from the Municipal Council’s Traffic Department. In particular, that partner has a stable salary and therefore the ability to repay the loan.”

“Finally, I have prepared this Development Plan for the Yangtze Rickshaw Company, which demonstrates the tremendous potential of our business.”

Li Shoumin picked up the Development Plan for the Yangtze Rickshaw Company and casually flipped through it.

He had not expected this young man to know how to prepare a business plan. Wasn’t he merely a rickshaw puller?

The plan included such business principles as improving service, marketing strategies such as increasing merchandise sales, and a long-term development plan and outlook. It was remarkably comprehensive.

“How much do you want to borrow?”

“Seven hundred silver dollars, in the names of myself and my partner, Li Chao.”

Li Shoumin nodded, then said, “Wait here.”

He called in a young man and said, “Little Wang, investigate this gentleman’s circumstances. If everything checks out, approve his loan request.”

With that, he handed the documents to his subordinate and paid Chen Guangliang no further attention.

“Thank you, Manager Li. Please attend to your work!”

A loan this small naturally did not require a manager to handle it personally. Chen Guangliang had been granted an audience only because of Professor Zhang Qihua.

Although Li Shoumin was surprised by Chen Guangliang’s abilities, he was not yet interested in recruiting him.

Of course, if the Yangtze Rickshaw Company truly grew, Li Shoumin would personally make contact.

But at present, Chen Guangliang was clearly not important enough.

Meanwhile, Chen Guangliang invited an employee of the Shanghai Savings Bank to inspect the rickshaw assets at Pumpkin Lane at ten the following morning. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

Chen Guangliang also understood that once Li Shoumin had assigned Little Wang to handle the matter, the loan had essentially already been approved.

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