"Five cents a pound?" Lin Ping thought for a moment. "Your purchase price isn't low."
Lin Chuan nodded. "That's right. In the market, potatoes sold in retail are basically one cent per pound, and those bought in bulk are only eight cents, and that's for big, good-looking potatoes. So I said, five cents would definitely get someone to deliver them."
The next morning, after Lin Chuan had prepared everything he needed to sell that day, people came in through the back door.
The person who came was Xiaolong, who worked at Feng Liang's noodle shop.
Xiao Long is eighteen years old this year, and his full name is Chen Shuanglong.
When Feng Liang's noodle shop closed down, he was out of work.
When the noodle shop opened, he went back to work.
"Brother Chuan, I've come to get the seasoning packet." Xiao Long entered the house, looking polite and enthusiastic.
Lin Chuan handed him the bag of seasoning packets he had prepared, "Why are you here today?"
Because usually Xiaolong wouldn't be at work by this time.
Xiao Long happily took the cloth bag. "Brother Liang said he couldn't get away today, so he told me last night to go to work early and bring the seasoning packet with me on the way."
Lin Chuan didn't think too much about it. He chatted with Xiao Long for a few more minutes before Xiao Long left in a hurry.
Lin Ping drove the donkey cart, bringing over all the small potatoes from his home, and took them directly down into the cellar.
Lin Chuan then drove the donkey cart back to Yuquan Village.
On the way, he was still thinking about how to get two industrial tickets and buy two bicycles.
When Lin Chuan was driving to Yuquan Village, Xiao Long secretly slipped the seasoning packet for braised meat to Jiang Mingzhong.
Jiang Mingzhong stuffed the spice packet wrapped in gauze into his pocket, then took out three ten-yuan bills and handed them to Xiaolong.
Xiao Long touched the three ten-yuan bills and his face beamed with joy.
Jiang Mingzhong reminded Xiaolong, "Let me tell you, it's cash on delivery. I don't know you, and you've never seen me before."
Xiao Long nodded frantically, "Don't worry, don't worry, I'll be fine as long as I get the money."
After saying that, Xiaolong slipped out of the alley and quickly disappeared.
Back at Daliang Noodle Shop, Feng Liang took the seasoning packet, opened it, and exclaimed, "Weren't there supposed to be six packets? Why is one missing?"
Xiao Long scratched his head, looking surprised. "Huh? This is what Brother Chuan gave me. I didn't even look at it."
Feng Liang didn't take it seriously. "Oh, maybe he only packed five bags. It's okay, I'll get them next time."
Xiao Long breathed a sigh of relief and even yawned.
"You got up too early this morning, didn't you? I can pick it up myself tomorrow," Feng Liang continued.
Xiaolong thought for a moment, "I've been cleaning my house these past few days, so I've been getting up early. Liang-ge, you don't need to make a special trip. I'll bring it to you on my way. I'll come a little later after I finish cleaning my house."
Feng Liang had no doubts and said, "That's fine too."
Xiao Long was afraid that if Feng Liang went tomorrow, he would be exposed. He thought that if he waited a few more days, Feng Liang would forget that a package was missing today.
Lin Chuan drove the donkey cart home. Lin Qingyou came out when he heard the noise. "Da Chuan, why are you back?"
As he spoke, he unloaded the donkey and led it aside to graze.
"I have some things to take care of when I get back."
Inside the house, Xu Chunmai was changing Xiao Le'an's diaper, while Zheng Yumei was carrying the diaper she had just changed to wash.
Lin Shuning saw Lin Chuan and quickly ran over, "Dad."
Lin Chuan picked up Lin Shuning in his arms.
Xu Chunmai smiled at Lin Chuan, "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"
"I've already eaten, I ate at the restaurant." Lin Chuan put Lin Shuning on his shoulders, making her sit high up, and then went to look at Xiao Le'an.
Little Le'an lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), his little hands clenched into fists, and kept stuffing them into his mouth.
The sucking made a "slurping" sound.
Lin Chuan watched curiously, "Le'an is eating so deliciously, what's that smell on your hands?"
Zheng Yumei laughed and said, "As the old saying goes, if a child has two ounces of honey in his hand, it should be sweet."
Lin Qingyou tied the donkey up and went inside. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Lin Chuan put Lin Shuning on the kang (a heated brick bed). "Didn't my older brother take our family's small potatoes to the city this morning? I'm thinking of buying small potatoes in the village for five cents a pound. If someone delivers them, Dad, you weigh them, Chunmai pays them, and we can keep track of the money. What do you guys think?"
Xu Chunmai was delighted to hear this, "Can I help you with the bookkeeping too?"
"Of course, aren't you good at math?" Lin Chuan smiled at her.
Xu Chunmai was overjoyed to be able to help Lin Chuan.
Lin Qingyou said, "I can weigh them for you, but what did you just say you were buying? Small potatoes? Those unwanted things?"
Zheng Yumei added, "When your older brother was setting this up this morning, we were wondering how much we'd sell it for. Maybe we'd just feed it to livestock."
Lin Chuan's eyes sparkled. "If something nobody wants tastes good when made, then someone is guaranteed to buy it. I already sold some last night, and it went pretty well."
Lin Qingyou trusted Lin Chuan. "Okay, just tell us what to do, and we'll do it."
Lin Chuan found a wooden board and wrote words on it with charcoal—
[Buying small potatoes, five cents a pound.]
The sign was placed at the doorway, and neighbor Pan Guixi's family saw it.
"Hey Da Chuan, what kind of stuff are you collecting?"
Lin Chuan explained, "Uncle Pan, we're buying small potatoes, just this size."
As he spoke, Lin Chuan took two more out of his pocket and showed them to Pan Guixi.
Pan Guixi stared at the two small potatoes. "Five cents a pound, you're buying this stuff? Da Chuan, are you kidding me? Isn't this a waste of money?"
Lin Chuan laughed and said, "Uncle Pan, do you have any? If you do, bring them over if you don't want them. I'll weigh them and give you some money."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
