Chapter 35 The Money-Making Plan
Eight hundred and ninety-two watches were sold out in a single day. Wu Peng calculated how much money he had made, becoming more and more excited. He felt that his ancestral bloodline was about to awaken.
His ancestors were businessmen, but his grandfather and father abandoned business for literature. However, he could never concentrate on reading from a young age. Wu Peng slapped his thigh and realized that all his intelligence was in there; he had inherited it from his grandparents.
A box full of money, a box full of money, it was dazzling. After deducting costs, he actually made ten thousand yuan on this trip—no, no, he and Yao Fanghua made ten thousand yuan together. The money came too fast; otherwise, he'd still have to resort to speculation. Bah! This is business, legitimate business, business permitted by the government!
Wu Peng wasn't stingy. He gave Yang Liu and Yao Weimin 300 yuan each, as assembly fees and today's wages. He also gave Yang Liu 200 yuan privately as hush money.
Yang Liu received 500 yuan, more than he earned from a single shipment of clothes after deducting costs. Comparing it to what Peng Ge earned, his own little operation seemed insignificant. He truly regretted not buying a pack himself. Yang Liu slapped himself hard, trying to wake himself up. Sigh, Big Back Hair was right, Peng Ge had guts. Even if he did have that much money, he wouldn't dare spend so much on inventory. It's no wonder Peng Ge made so much. At least he got a sip of the broth, the meat broth. Waaah, his brother made big money, and he even got a taste of the broth, but why did he feel like crying so much? More than when he helped build Yao Fanghua's house.
Yao Weimin walked home with three hundred yuan in his pocket, his heart burning with excitement. Was he a born sales genius? He had received so much money today that his hands were sore, and he felt like they were filled with the fragrance of money. Yao Weimin excitedly kissed his hands. He only earned forty yuan a month at most, and today he had earned three hundred.
As Yao Weimin left, he looked at Wu Peng hesitantly, almost pleading, "Brother, call me again next time. I'll go through fire and water for you. It doesn't have to be a weekend; I'll take leave if I have to." This damn job—it's just asking for leave, so be it. He'd seen through it all. Even if he worked diligently his whole life, he'd never get ahead, just like his father, his uncle, and all the honest workers around him. They worked hard their whole lives, and in the end, they were still just factory workers. It seemed like everyone's place in life was fixed; you were always there, and climbing up was incredibly difficult. Looking at his old colleagues, Yao Weimin felt utterly disheartened.
Reaching the alley entrance, Yao Weimin limped off to the fried dough stall on the front street. Since Li Chunying started working at the fried dough stall, no one has been cooking breakfast and dinner at home.
The fried dough stall now offers not only fried dough but also steamed buns and meat pies. In the morning, they serve soy milk and tofu pudding, while at noon and in the evening, they offer congee and egg drop soup.
Upon seeing Li Chunying making pancakes in front of the oil pan, Yao Weimin grinned and said, "Mom, you don't need to do this anymore, I'll take care of you."
"Get out!" Li Chunying looked up and cursed, then continued making pancakes.
People who can make money have confidence, regardless of gender or age.
Li Chunying has ushered in the second spring of her career, with both a pension and a salary providing double security, giving her plenty of confidence.
She watched Sister Zhang earn money every day while she only received a fixed salary, and her mind was already restless. Cooking? It's just cooking, it's not like she can't do it. She even has a family recipe for it. Is she just going to work a regular job now? She's learning how to open a shop, and that brat is telling her to quit right away, cutting off her source of income!
Once she makes a lot of money, once she's a wealthy old lady, let's see if her children still dare to throw a tantrum. They'll all have to support her. Her husband is unreliable, her children are untrustworthy, and in the end, she'll have to rely on herself. If I had known selling food was so lucrative, I wouldn't have cared about my children's money at all, and I wouldn't have gone to work long ago.
Just as Li Chunying was filled with ambition, Bai Hui happened to arrive.
Ever since Li Chunying started working here, Bai Hui has come over from time to time to buy food.
"Sister Zhang, I'm busy. Chunying, give me a fried dough stick and a meat pie, please, with less scallion. You know, Lao Yu doesn't like scallions." Bai Hui smiled slightly, extended a well-maintained hand, and handed over the money.
She's over fifty years old, yet her hands still look fair and delicate, unlike mine, which are already rough and prickly.
One handing over the money, the other receiving it; comparing the two hands side by side, Li Chunying's hands appeared even darker and rougher.
Li Chunying clutched the money tightly. Why? Why did Bai Hui get to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor without doing anything, while she had to work? Work her whole life, and even after retirement! She was destined to enjoy a life of luxury, while she was destined to toil?
Why is it that men dote on her and her children are filial? What makes her worse than them? How come Bai Hui, the girl next door who couldn't even afford food and watched her eat sugar pancakes while licking her fingers, is living a better life than her?
Seeing Li Chunying's face darken, Bai Hui was satisfied. "Weimin is eating here. I haven't seen you since it's the weekend. Qingqing's boyfriend came over today. I heard you two met, and they were thinking of having you accompany him."
Yao Weimin's passionate heart quickly cooled. It turned out that the person at the restaurant last time really was her boyfriend.
Li Chunying: "Ha, whether your Qingqing has a boyfriend or not is none of my Weimin's business. You don't need to fuss over my son. What's so great about a divorced man?" It's just singing and dancing a bit. She was just an actress before, what's so special about that? Does she really think her daughter is a fairy? Who would rush to marry her like that? She's only good enough for a divorced man.
"Chunying, you're wrong about that. The two kids were just young then, they were just good friends. Later, people started gossiping, and my Qingqing even stayed in the dormitory to clear up the misunderstanding. Besides, that's not what I meant. Qingqing's boyfriend is the director of the machinery factory, and I thought that since we've become acquainted, maybe I could help Weimin out a bit. Since you don't appreciate it, then forget it. Jingkun is a director of a big factory, he's usually very low-key, probably because he's afraid of people trying to curry favor with him for no reason."
"Who wants to curry favor with your family? Look at your arrogance! My son works diligently and is an honest person. Why would he need to curry favor with your family? He'll never be able to get his hands on your door in his entire life." That good-for-nothing Yao Weimin, of all people to fall for, he had to pick on that haughty brat Yu Qingqing. He's truly blind. It's a good thing it didn't work out, or she would be furious.
Bai Hui smiled faintly, "I was just saying something casually, but you got so angry. It's true that the less capable you are, the stronger your pride becomes." Everyone in this alley knows that a couple of years ago, Yao Weimin was chasing after her family, cleaning their backsides.
Yao Weimin avoided Aunt Bai's glance. There were four girls in the courtyard, three of whom were sisters. Only Yu Qingqing was special to him; she was well-behaved, could sing and dance, and he chased after her. How could he be blamed for that?
Seeing Li Chunying swear, Bai Hui turned and walked away calmly. Sworn at each other was beneath her dignity; she couldn't be like Li Chunying, a shrew.
…………
Wu Peng took 15,200 yuan and a bag full of broken parts to Yao Fanghua.
The new courtyard was still drying, and Yao Fanghua continued to live in the unsold traditional courtyard house. After several months, seeing that nothing was coming her way, Yao Fanghua calmed down considerably. She made up her mind that even if someone did come knocking, she wouldn't acknowledge them. So many people had lived in this house before, how could anyone be sure it was hers? Besides, none of the items were marked with names, so who could really say for sure who they belonged to? She had acquired them through luck and skill; since no one knew she owned them, they were hers.
Under the old tree, with a book, a recliner, a cup of black tea, and a small blanket, Yao Fanghua could lie there all day.
She rarely cooks. Firstly, she needs to take good care of her hands, which are used for writing, drawing, touching equipment, and carving. Secondly, she always feels that a woman's sallow complexion is caused by cooking too much oil and smoke, so she avoids touching the pot as much as possible. Even when she does cook, she only makes porridge or noodles, which don't require oil.
"So profitable?" Yao Fanghua was surprised; the profit margin was too high. Yao Fanghua counted the money, her eyes shining. After deducting costs, the net profit was nine thousand two hundred yuan, of which she could receive four thousand six hundred.
"I plan to make another trip."
It's not just about making one more trip, it's about making it a regular occurrence from now on.
You don't understand, Shenzhen is different, different from here, and the people there are different too. When you go into those upscale places and see someone poor, they just roll their eyes. Lots of buildings, factories, and roads are being built, and there are tons of bosses, some dressed very stylishly, some constantly spouting foreign languages—damn, a bunch of Western-worshipping scum. But me, I just put on my sunglasses, said "OK," and the security guard was completely taken aback; his attitude became so respectful.
Wu Peng talked about his observations in Shenzhen, mentioning the electronics building, the clothing market, and cursing the damned slick-haired guy, but he didn't mention the nightclub.
"They have everything there, and everything is cheap. The free market doesn't require tickets; they only care about money. Radios, tape recorders, fans, TVs, washing machines—they're all incredibly cheap. It's a pity I can't get them back, otherwise I wouldn't be aiming for digital watches. Yang Liu's clothes are also cheap, and there's a secondhand market there, even cheaper."
Hearing that the fans were selling for almost the same price as their cost, how could they possibly have a competitive advantage? Yao Fanghua felt a sudden sense of crisis. The fan factory had redundant staff, low production efficiency, and various ineffective expenditures, all of which were artificially inflating production costs. Unfortunately, she was no longer in charge and powerless to change the fan factory's situation.
As the two talked and listened, Yao Fanghua was captivated and began to yearn for it.
Unfortunately, she had to go to work.
But we have to make money!
"Can you drive? You can't carry people back, but you can definitely drive. If you drive there, you can haul a lot of stuff. You can take people there and goods back. You can make money from both ends. It's just that it'll definitely be more tiring than taking the train." Yao Fanghua was already dreaming about making a lot of money, unable to stop herself from fantasizing. She couldn't help it; she was overwhelmed by the prospect of making so much money.
"What's there to be afraid of being tired? I'm just anxious to make money. What we can think of, others can definitely do too. Take Yang Liu, for example, he'll definitely buy a batch of electronic watches to sell next time he goes. This road will definitely get narrower and narrower in the future. If we had a truck, would we be afraid of others stealing our business? How many people can afford a truck? How many dare to make that investment!" Wu Peng spoke passionately, but then stammered, "Unfortunately, I don't have any money either." Not that much.
"I have the money. But even if I did, I couldn't buy it." The fan factory just applied for a vehicle for the washing machine workshop. The vehicle hasn't even been built yet, and they're already applying to buy a truck. Tsk. How frustrating, trucks aren't allowed for individuals to buy.
Upon hearing Yao Fanghua mention "us," Wu Peng's eyes narrowed into slits with delight. "You mean, we're going to sell this yard at a low price?"
"What do you mean 'ours'? This is my yard." Yao Fanghua glared, not wanting anyone to take advantage of her house; it wasn't worth a penny.
"Anyway, don't worry about it." Yao Fanghua frowned. "But it's no use, we can't buy a car."
“I saw a used truck in Shenzhen. I couldn’t afford it anyway, so I was just surprised for a moment and didn’t think much of it. I didn’t even know how much it cost. I should have asked.” Wu Peng frowned. “Even if I had bought it, wouldn’t it have been too conspicuous? Wouldn’t someone have come to investigate us?”
Yao Fanghua gradually calmed down and glanced at Wu Peng. "That's true. This place isn't open right now. Let's not repeat your mistake."
Neither of them was willing to give up the opportunity to make a lot of money. They were so anxious and restless that they wanted to disappear into a hole.
Yao Fanghua: "Didn't you say that place is full of business owners? Why don't you register a company there? You could apply for a plot of land to build a factory."
"Build a factory?" Wu Peng's heart pounded. "Are we taking such a big step?"
"Then you should register a company and set up a workshop, that should be fine."
Yao Fanghua planned to have Wu Peng take her there during the Spring Festival. She'd have a three-day holiday, and she'd take a few more days off. She really wanted to see what an open market was like, and also visit the fan factory there to learn from their strengths.
Wu Peng: "Really? Really?"
What do you think?
Wu Peng: "You're paying?"
"If you have the money, you can pay for it yourself."
Wu Peng: "Profits split in half?"
"Dream on! Even brothers should keep clear accounts. I'll pay, and you'll just be doing the manual labor. I'm being lenient by not splitting the bill 30/70; at most, it'll be 60/40, with me paying 60 and you 40."
"That won't do. You only pay the money, and I'll cover the rest. It has to be 50/50, or I'll end up working for you."
"What you say makes sense. Anyway, I have money. I can hire anyone to work for me. I'll pay them, get Yao Weimin and Yang Liu on board, and let them do the work. It's just driving a car and dealing with things. Even if they're not as good as you, how bad can they be?"
Before they even started doing business, the two had already argued. In the end, Wu Peng took out the money he had on him, which he would use as 20%, while Yao Fanghua would contribute the remaining 80%. Wu Peng would provide the labor and a small share, while Yao Fanghua would contribute the majority, and then the profits would be split 50/50.
In the end, it was decided that Yao Fanghua would contribute 30,000 yuan and Wu Peng would contribute 7,500 yuan.
This is no small sum, especially since Wu Peng also needs to register a company there.
So Yao Fanghua drafted a contract, specifying the investment details, profit sharing, responsibilities, and a confidentiality agreement. Wu Peng checked it, and after confirming it was in order, the two signed and affixed their fingerprints.
"Keep your mouth shut, don't let anyone know. To outsiders, this is your business all to yourself."
"Don't worry. Heaven, earth, you, and I know. If anyone asks me where the money came from, I'll just say I know a big boss from Hong Kong, and he invested in me."
"Mmm, mmm, mmm," Yao Fanghua said, satisfied.
Wu Peng looked at Yao Fanghua expectantly. Everything was agreed upon, the contract was signed, but where was the money?
Yao Fanghua: ...I forgot, the money hasn't been cashed out yet.
That's perfect, though. Just give him the gold coins and let him exchange them in Shenzhen, saving him the trouble of getting a fake one here. He might even get a higher price there.
Yao Fanghua went back into the house and brought out a bag. Inside were the gold ingots she had melted down. "I'll sell them in Shenzhen, and I'll refund any overpayment or make up any underpayment." Yao Fanghua still trusted Wu Peng about this.
Wu Peng opened the bag and saw a dozen or so gleaming gold ingots, a sight that instantly brought joy. They must weigh at least three pounds! What a golden baby! Why is Hua Hua so popular? Wu Peng gave Yao Fanghua a big bear hug and then ran off.
"That bastard, is he trying to run away with my gold?"
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