Chapter 105 I'm on top
While stealing chestnuts was one thing, Chen Dafu would definitely disagree with the idea that he was being a scoundrel to Wang Cuihua.
"I don't want to be a pervert with her!"
“I used to come to get my chestnuts at eight o’clock, but I was half an hour late today because of something. She took my spot and kept stealing my chestnuts.”
Chen Dafu went to a far place, so Bailu told him to come and get the chestnuts early, every day at eight o'clock in the morning.
Wang Cuihua went to Dashi Town, which wasn't that far away, and arrived at the same time as Wen Xiuyun and her husband, at nine o'clock, to pick up chestnuts.
Today, Chen Dafu arrived half an hour late, while Wang Cuihua arrived half an hour early.
The two of them bumped into each other.
They kept staring at the same basket of roasted chestnuts.
Xiao Cheng glanced at the five large baskets of chestnuts and said in a cold voice, "They are all the same weight, one basket per person."
Wang Cuihua and Chen Dafu pounced on the same basket again, and sure enough, it was the middle basket again.
"Let go!"
"Let go! I got it first!"
"mine!"
"mine!"
Xiao Cheng's deep eyes flashed with annoyance, and the word "get lost" was about to land when Bai Lu quickly tugged at his sleeve.
He quickly announced the allocation: "This middle basket is for Fifth Aunt, Chen Dafu takes the left basket, and Wang Cuihua takes the right basket. If anyone tries to take it, we're not selling any of them."
Chen Dafu and Wang Cuihua snapped out of their daze upon hearing the noise, and upon noticing Xiao Cheng's murderous expression, they immediately put down their baskets.
Following the arrangement of the White Dew, one person took the chestnuts on the left and the other took the chestnuts on the right.
When they went to get the small wooden cart, they started fighting over it again.
"I got it first!"
"I'll go first!"
There's only one small wooden cart in the front yard; the large baskets are too heavy, so it's easier to pull them out using the small cart.
Chen Dafu and Yu Fugui were men, strong and didn't usually need the small wooden cart.
Wen Xiuyun doesn't need Yu Fugui's help; it's usually Wang Cuihua who uses it, and recently Wu Fangli has joined in.
I don't know what's wrong with Chen Dafu today, he's really going after Wang Cuihua and insists on taking the small wooden cart.
Wang Cuihua was so angry that she abandoned all pretentious image. "What do you, a grown man, want a small wooden cart for? Carry it out yourself! The small wooden cart belongs to us women!"
Chen Dafu, unconvinced, retorted, "Who says men can't use a small wooden cart? I sold a lot of roasted chestnuts yesterday, and last night I told Bailu to increase the quantity. Today's chestnuts are even more plentiful and heavier, so of course I need a small wooden cart to pull them."
"You're not some delicate Bai Lu who can't carry heavy loads or lift heavy things. You can't move baskets and can only use a small wooden cart. You're tough and strong, like an ox. Why would you need a small wooden cart? Just carry it out yourself!"
Wang Cuihua choked, feeling both angry and aggrieved. She raised her pitiful face and silently complained to Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng wanted to throw them both out.
Bai Lu said helplessly, "Then let's take them out together. You stack the two baskets of chestnuts together, and each of you hold one of the handles of the small wooden cart. No one has to fight over it."
Chen Dafu and Wang Cuihua agreed to the suggestion.
As a result, they started arguing about whose chestnut was on top and whose was on the bottom.
"I'm up there!"
"You're a woman, you're on the bottom!"
"A man should let a woman be on the bottom!"
"roll!"
The big boss finally snapped, his single word "Get out!" stunned everyone present, and Chen Dafu and Wang Cuihua instantly froze.
The volcano hasn't stopped: "Stop selling them."
Chen Dafu didn't dare to utter a sound. He put down the small wooden cart, his whole body stiff, like a little brat who had been disciplined.
Wang Cuihua dared not utter a sound, and at the same time put down the small wooden cart, looking aggrieved and on the verge of tears.
Bai Lu felt that these two were just asking for a beating. They wouldn't listen to reason and only behaved after being scolded by the big boss.
"You guys figure it out yourselves."
Leaving behind a knowing look at Li Zi, Bai Lu took Xiao Cheng's arm and turned to go back to the kitchen.
If these two don't know their place and don't immediately go sell chestnuts to her to make money, see how she'll deal with the big boss.
Chen Dafu, being sensible, didn't even glance at Wang Cuihua disdainfully, and carried the chestnuts away with his bare hands.
Wang Cuihua got the small wooden cart, but she was full of anger and had no choice but to leave with the chestnuts.
When Yu Fugui, Wen Xiuyun, and Wu Fangli arrived, they saw Xiao Cheng with a calm expression and Bai Lu with a big smile. They chatted and praised the two for looking like a married couple.
They were both people who wanted to do business for the long term and were very good at talking. Wu Fangli was not shy at all and soon started calling Bai Lu "sister" and "sister" and told Bai Lu to just call her "Sister Fang".
Wu Fangli is not as old as Wen Xiuyun, but she is seven or eight years older than Bai Lu, so calling her "sister" is very appropriate.
Bai Lu naturally wouldn't refuse this friendly gesture to strengthen their cooperative relationship, and immediately invited Fang Jie to have tea.
I will not forget to invite Yu Fugui and Wen Xiuyun as well.
Currently, these three sales channels are the most stable, the most profitable, and will lead to the widest network of contacts in the future.
The White Dew season naturally treats you with the utmost hospitality, providing you with century-old fine tea and the freshest seasonal fruits.
Eating and drinking are secondary; casual conversation to build rapport is the main thing. Even so, the food and drinks on display must be presentable so that people feel valued.
Bai Lu, Wen Xiuyun, and Wu Fangli chatted about trivial matters between women, such as family squabbles.
Xiao Cheng and Yu Fugui are both grown men and don't know how to chat about family matters or build rapport.
They talked very directly, mostly about business.
When Xiao Cheng asked about the transport team, Yu Fugui answered all his questions: "There's only one large truck transport team in Pingcheng. It's said that the boss behind it is Li Chengbin's people. They set their own rates, and they also have people at the toll station. Other transport vehicles have to pay very high toll fees when they want to leave the city."
"Very high" is a euphemism used in the industry, meaning that the market is controlled and prices are in the hands of a few people.
“I have a few old friends in the neighboring counties who I’ve dealt with, and the situations are all similar. Although they’re not all Li Chengbin, they all have people from Nanshi behind them. Things from outside are hard to get in, and things from here can’t get out. If we want to get out, we have to get on their good side first.” Yu Fugui knew what Xiao Cheng wanted to know, so he just gave the key points.
Xiao Cheng had also learned about the situation at the toll booths, but not in such detail; it was rather general.
The ten-day deadline for the sale of cedar wood is fast approaching. Selling it to the Heijo lumber mill would be considered waste, but selling it elsewhere would be a different story.
Last year, Xiao Cheng went to Nanshi to collect a debt from a timber merchant. The merchant wanted to extend the payment by a few days and exposed the inside story of the timber industry: the price of timber from other provinces was more than ten times higher than that of timber mills in the city.
But it was also mentioned that passing through the checkpoints was troublesome.
They buy goods locally at low prices and sell them elsewhere at high prices, but end up getting stuck at checkpoints and can't make big money.
Otherwise, the cash flow wouldn't be so tight, and a longer grace period would be needed.
Xiao Cheng pondered for a moment, then picked up his teacup and took a sip: "How's the waterway?"
"The canal from Pingcheng to other provinces, crossing provincial borders from the city's dock, is guarded by Li Chengbin's men about two-tenths of the way. I've heard that a large portion of the rest is in the hands of a powerful force in Nanshi." Yu Fugui also took a sip of tea and told him the truth he had learned over the years.
(End of this chapter)
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