Whether in 1929 or 2019, rent in Shanghai is expensive.

Especially in the concession, every inch of land is valuable. According to statistics in 1930, the concession, which accounts for 7% of Shanghai's land area, concentrated 45% of Shanghai's population, among which the most people were the public concession, and 31% of Shanghai's people live there.

At that time, in the central area of ​​the public concession, one acre of land could sell 100,000 yuan of oceans. Compared with that, the average land price in Peking was only 790 yuan per acre of land, which was more than a hundred times the price difference.

Land prices are expensive, so rents are naturally expensive. In 1927, tenants in Shanghai even held large-scale gatherings, requiring landlords to reduce rents.

In 1929, if you want to rent a small room in the concession, you would need about 20 yuan a month. This is just a small room, not a room.

For example, when the writer Mr. Guo Moruo first arrived in Shanghai, he was still a loser, so he could only rent a "pavilion room".

The so-called pavilion room is the worst room in a house. This kind of room is usually located above the prescription and below the balcony. It has a height of about two meters and an area of ​​five or six square meters. It is cold in winter and hot in summer. It is usually piled up with debris, and even servants are unwilling to live there.

It is precisely because the housing prices are too expensive that there are so many slums in Zhabei. The people used thatch, reed mats, bamboo poles, wooden sticks, and yellow mud to build sheds as a place to live.

With Chen Qiang's current income, he was really reluctant to let him rent a house in the concession. After paying the money, an ordinary coachman earned 20 yuan a month. Although Chen Qiang relied on going to the dock to attract foreigners and earned more, he definitely did not have the luxury of renting a room in the concession that cost 20 yuan acres.

So Chen Qiang finally decided to rent a room in the Chinese world. The rent in the Chinese world is much cheaper than in the concession. The kind of house with electric lights and tap water, the monthly rent for a household is 10 yuan, which is enough for a family to live in.

A single dog like Chen Qiang doesn’t need to rent a whole household. He only needs to spend 5 yuan a month to rent a better place in the Chinese world.

But what Chen Qiang didn't expect was that even if he was willing to pay the rent, it would still be difficult to rent a house.

Because he is a single dog, the rent market in old Shanghai discriminates against single dogs.

At that time, Shanghai was full of all kinds of people, and many people came to Shanghai from other places without the means of making a living and could only do some illegal activities.

Especially single dogs, if you have no worries, it is easier to go on a wrong path. Men are likely to be thieves and robbers, while women are likely to be in a flesh-and-skinned business. No landlord is willing to rent his house to such a person.

In contrast, people with family members have much lower chances of doing illegal activities. When the family comes to Shanghai to inquire, they have to think about their wives and children. People who are with their families are more likely to rent a house.

Chen Qiang has no relatives in Shanghai and cannot find a survivor, so it is even more difficult to rent a house. Even if Chen Qiang is willing to give money, many landlords are unwilling to put the house in Chen Qiang.

Chen Qiang had been abandoning a lot of effort before renting a residence. There was only one room with a bed, a cabinet and a set of tables and chairs, an electric light, a brazier in the corner of the room, and a public faucet. The monthly rent was 5 yuan, a deposit of 15 yuan, and a three-month monthly rent was required.

The lease conditions were quite harsh. At that time, many renters only had to pay one deposit, and Chen Qiang was considered to pay three deposits. But there was no way. If this was not the case, Chen Qiang would not be able to build a house.

Chen Qiang spent 30 yuan at once, and he bought daily necessities such as washbasins, bedding, thermoses and other daily necessities, spending a lot of money on the savings he had saved after coming to the Republic of China.

In the evening, Chen Qiang bought a roast chicken, boiled water and soaked a pot of cheap tea, sat at the table, and started eating happily.

"It's really enjoyable to have tea and chicken. I haven't lived such a good life after traveling through time! If I have some entertainment, such as listening to music, it would be so pleasant!"

Chen Qiang crossed his legs, leaned against the chair, picked up the teacup, tasted the tea made from the inferior tea leaves, and then showed a satisfied expression on his face.

For Chen Qiang, what he tasted was not tea, but this leisurely and quiet time.

The next second, Chen Qiang suddenly sighed.

"For this house that can shelter from the wind and rain, I spent all the money I saved. I have to make money again from tomorrow. I remember that there will be a passenger ship from the United States tomorrow, and I may meet a generous customer."

...

As soon as the passenger ship from the United States drifted, Chen Qiang was already waiting at the door.

After departing from San Francisco, the ship traveled through ports such as Xiangshan, Kobe, Japan, and then arrived in Shanghai. Therefore, there were not only Americans and Chinese on the ship, but also many Japanese.

The Chinese and Japanese were naturally ignored by Chen Qiang. His targets were only Americans, those rich Americans.

Chen Qiang spoke fluent English and solicited business at the door of the dock. Other coachmen waiting for customers on the roadside were jealous.

They also want to recruit business, but unfortunately they don’t speak English! So they can only sit and wait.

"Will you say a few foreign words soon? It's his sarcastic performance."

"So what if you can talk about foreigners? You're not here to pull the cart like us."

"I think he can just say foreign languages ​​in two or three sentences. If he really has the ability to find jobs in those foreign companies, he will wear suits and drink bitter water!" The man said while shaking the tobacco pipe in his hand.

"What bitter water, that's called coffee!" someone next to him corrected.

"I don't know what that is called. I heard that the thing is very bitter. I really don't know why foreigners like to drink that thing."

The so-called companions are enemies. When the coachman saw that Chen Qiang could attract voices, he was naturally jealous and kept saying sarcastic words.

Chen Qiang quickly recruited guests, two American businessmen, and also carried a lot of luggage. Chen Qiang estimated that this trip required three cars, two cars to pull people, and one car to pull luggage.

So Chen Qiang ran to the coachman, looked around, and found that Liu Laosan was not there, so he spoke and called another person, "Huang Dayan, can you leave the business?"

The coachman named "Huang Dayan" doesn't really smoke big cigarettes. He smokes dry cigarettes and keeps his cigarette pipes and pots all day long, so everyone calls him Huang Dayan.

Huang Dayan glanced at Chen Qiang. He had just mocked Chen Qiang, but he didn't expect that Chen Qiang would send him business now.

"Where do you go?" Huang Dayan asked casually.

"First go to the American Guild Hall, then go to Citibank, and then maybe they have to go to their residence." Chen Qiang replied.

"Three places? Go and go immediately!" Huang Dayan stood up without hesitation.

I will definitely get more car money when I go to three places than in one place.

Chen Qiang continued to ask, "I need another car to pull my luggage, who will you go?"

"I'll go!" Another man immediately stood up and followed him happily. He was the one who said that Chen Qiang was "showing off". At this time, he saw that he could make money, and instantly changed his attitude.

Chen Qiang pulled a car himself, followed by two cars, first went to the American Guild Hall, then to Citibank, and then sent the two Americans to their residence.

After going around, Chen Qiang spent a morning serving two American businessmen. After the trip, the Americans were very satisfied with Chen Qiang's service and handed Chen Qiang a dollar. Chen Qiang recognized the avatar at first sight. It was Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.

Lincoln's avatar appears on a $5 denomination note, and this $5 can be exchanged for 12 oceans.

The 1920s were the golden age of great industrial development in the United States, and wages continued to rise. In 1925, the daily basic salary of Detroit auto workers reached $5. Of course, employers could not hire auto workers for $5.

These two American businessmen think it is very cost-effective to hire three people and three cars to run with them for $5. At the same price, it is impossible for San Francisco to find a taxi driver to run with you for the whole morning.

At this time, the Great Depression in the United States had just broken out. At present, only the stock market on Wall Street has reacted, and the economic crisis has not yet extended to other areas. If the Great Depression is completely spreading in the United States for a few more months, these two American businessmen would probably not be so generous.

Chen Qiang accepted the US dollar, then took out four oceans from his arms and distributed them to Huang Dayan and another coachman.

"Thank you two, you two, you two dollars a day. In addition to the fare, the rest is considered to be the foreigners who have given extra rewards." Chen Qiang said.

Huang Dayan and the other two coachmen looked at each other and gave money with gratitude.

Under normal circumstances, they spend a whole morning to travel this trip, and the car money is just a big ocean. If they are lucky, the customers may give them one or two cents more rewards.

Chen Qiang is also a coachman, so it is impossible not to know the market for car money. If he only gives each of them a dollar, the two of them can only accept it, and they can't say anything more. After all, the journey is only worth one dollar.

But Chen Qiang gave two yuan, which was equivalent to double the car money.

Judging from the two coachmen, they actually knew that Chen Qiang would get more from foreigners, but since Chen Qiang was willing to give double payments of the car, it was enough to show that Chen Qiang was righteous enough.

There are not many righteous people in this beach!

Huang Dayan bumped two oceans with his hands, which was equivalent to his daily income.

At this time, Huang Dayan suddenly remembered that he was still talking about Chen Qiang's sarcastic words at the dock in the morning, which made him feel ashamed.

Huang Dayan said, "Brother Chen, if I, Huang Dayan, have any offending you in the past, you will be more responsible. I won't say much about anything else. If you have something to use for your brother in the future, just talk!"

Another coachman turned on the dog licking mode, pretending to be familiar with Chen Qiang, and said, "Brother Chen, if you have business in the future, you have to take care of me!"

Chen Qiang agreed. For him, 5 US dollars can be exchanged for at least 12 yuan. All he gave to the coachman was a small head, and he still took the big head.

...

Whenever an international passenger ship arrives at the port, Chen Qiang will come to the dock to start business. Many foreigners who take international passenger ships come together or bring a lot of luggage. They cannot be pulled by Chen Qiang's car.

At this time, Chen Qiang would find other coachmen to go with him. After sending the guests, Chen Qiang would always give the coachmen more money to the coachmen.

In fact, Chen Qiang just gave his tip a small portion to the coachman, but the other coachman were grateful to Chen Qiang.

Chen Qiang had no choice but to use this little trick to win over people's hearts.

Chen Qiang II was a human being, and he certainly understood the reason why a great tree attracted the wind. Now he is able to speak foreign languages ​​and is promising at the docks. He has made a lot more money than others, which will inevitably attract the jealousy of other coachmen.

Chen Qiang has no power, no background, and even no relative in Shanghai. It is no exaggeration to say that if he was knocked and thrown into the Huangpu River one day, no one would look for him, and no one would collect his body.

Therefore, Chen Qiang could only give other coachmen some small favors, and in this way, to resolve other people's malice towards him, and to tie his own interests with other coachmen.

Although Chen Qiang's small favors cannot benefit everyone, as long as a few people get benefits, it will be enough to resolve the jealousy of other coachmen.

Those coachmen who have received Chen Qiang's benefits will inevitably stand on Chen Qiang's side and form a small group. They will even deliberately please Chen Qiang in order to get the opportunity to make money from Chen Qiang.

The coachman who has not received any benefits from Chen Qiang is also looking forward to being selected by Chen Qiang one day in the future to start a more profitable business.

This method can also allow Chen Qiang to gradually establish prestige among the coachman, which also adds a layer of protective umbrella to Chen Qiang.

A prestigious person often receives respect and trust. Even if someone has malice, he can only hide the malice in his heart and dare not express it blatantly.

As expected, Chen Qiang's move was very effective. In just half a month, the ridicule and harsh words towards Chen Qiang had disappeared without a trace. Many people began to praise Chen Qiang for being righteous.

Whenever Chen Qiang appears at the dock, there will always be several coachmen surrounding him, "Brother Chen" or "Brother Chen", which is called "Sweet". They all know that following Chen Qiang to recruit foreigners can make more money, and naturally they look like they are kneeling down and licking.

Chen Qiang occasionally handed over some unprofitable business to other coachmen, such as some foreigners in second- and third-class cabins. Chen Qiang asked where the other party was going, so he handed over the business to a familiar coachmen and asked them to bring the foreigners to their destination.

What Chen Qiang paid was just a few words to communicate with foreigners and told them that the coachman would pull them to their destination. Although these poorer foreigners would not pay a lot of money for cars, it is also a good thing for other coachmen to do more business.

Through this method, Chen Qiang quickly gained a foothold among the rickshaw drivers in the concession and became a leader among the concession drivers.

...

The coachman's life is very smooth. In addition to earning more than before, Chen Qiang can also continue to pull the cart and earn some points and use it in the training space at night.

If it were another profession, Chen Qiang would not have so many opportunities to run on the road and would have no way to get points.
To be continued...