I read four private messages from group members, all of which were inquiries about Qingyu Stone.
Three of them expressed their intention to purchase.
The other one was purely out of curiosity.
Yang Zheng couldn't be bothered with this curious kid who always asked questions.
So I started chatting with those three potential clients.
All three of them were in Linjiang City.
The closest place to his rented apartment was a friend in the group surnamed Liu, less than five kilometers away, which Yang Zheng could easily reach by electric scooter.
Upon learning that he wanted to sell this newly minted bluefish stone, all three expressed their desire to inspect the item in person before discussing the price.
That's a normal request. If someone wants to buy your product, you have to let them see the actual item clearly.
Since I'm in a hurry to make a move, it's better to take the initiative.
Thinking of this, Yang Zheng checked the time; it was not yet nine o'clock at night.
I made an appointment with three friends in the group. They would be available anytime as long as I brought the Qingyu Stone with me.
"Let's sell it quickly before it gets too late..."
Yang Zheng wrapped the bluefish stone in a bag and kept it close to his body. Then he rode his electric bike toward the nearest friend in the group, surnamed Liu.
Soon, he saw the group member surnamed Liu in a teaware shop.
This is a middle-aged man who looks somewhat overweight, wearing a thick gold chain, and he looks like a big boss.
After meeting, Yang Zheng didn't waste any words and took out the Qingyu Stone directly.
Fatty Liu took the bluefish stone, glanced at it discreetly for a few moments, and casually offered a price: "This fish stone is big, but its quality is a bit lacking. How about this, since we're both from the same fishing group, I'll give you a fair price, three thousand yuan..."
Three thousand yuan?
Such a large piece of green fish stone, and it's wild, and you're only offering three thousand yuan?
Does this fat guy surnamed Liu really think he's some clueless newbie?
Yang Zheng said casually, "This price is a bit low, it won't sell."
After saying that, he took his leave.
Seeing how decisively he left, the fat man surnamed Liu's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly chased after him, saying, "Then tell me your price range? Let me see if it's acceptable to you."
Yang Zheng hesitated for a moment, then tentatively said, "Ten thousand..."
Before he could finish speaking, the fat man waved his hand and walked straight into the store, ignoring him completely.
It's clear that the deal has fallen through.
It seems like asking for 10,000 is a bit too high.
I have to meet with two more buyers next, so I can't shout that high anymore.
How much should I ask for?
Six thousand? Seven thousand?
Soon after, Yang Zheng took a taxi to meet his second group member.
This group member works at an office. He carefully examined Yang Zheng's bluefish stone. After haggling over the price for a long time, he was only willing to offer a maximum of five thousand yuan to buy it.
Five thousand yuan?
It seems alright. Anyway, it's a dead fish I found. Should I sell it now?
After hesitating for a long time, he ultimately did not agree immediately.
"I'll go back and think about it some more, and I'll give you an answer tomorrow..."
After saying that, Yang Zheng left with the Qingyu Stone.
Because there is still one last buyer to meet.
He decided to meet with the last member of the group first to see how much they were willing to pay.
If he offers the highest price, then make the purchase.
If all else fails, we'll come back and sell it to a second buyer.
Around 10:30 p.m., he met the last member of the group in an antique shop, who was also the last buyer of the night.
This group member is a young man named Bozai. He is a local from Linjiang and looks dark-skinned and thin, probably from fishing.
Judging by her age, she seems to be about the same age as me.
After they met, they didn't waste any time with small talk and went straight to the point.
Bo Zai held Yang Zheng's grass carp stone and examined it carefully for a long time. He raised an eyebrow and said, "This is definitely wild. It's in perfect condition. Generally, artificially farmed grass carp stones aren't this thick."
Yang Zheng nodded. "Yes, it was taken from the mouth of a wild giant blue leopard that weighed 123 jin."
He wasn't really sure about the weight of the dead fish, so he just made up a weight, and it didn't seem too far off.
Upon hearing this, Bozai looked at him expressionlessly and asked, "How much money are you prepared to pay?"
Upon hearing that there was a chance, Yang Zheng deliberately misled people, saying, "You saw it in the group just now. Many people messaged me privately, wanting to buy this fish stone. I just met with several group members."
“They offered at least 5,000 yuan to buy it, and one group member even offered 7,000 yuan. I didn’t sell it, so I came directly to see you.”
Bo listened patiently to him finish speaking, then looked at him with a half-smile, "Alright, alright, we're all young people, and we're all in the same fishing group, so let's not play those fancy games. How about this, I'll give you a fixed price, take it or leave it."
"I've also seen your fish-shaped stone. To be honest, I really like it. Eight thousand yuan, are you selling it?"
Eight thousand?
Upon hearing the price he offered, Yang Zheng was overjoyed and immediately nodded in agreement:
"Sell via WeChat or Alipay?"
"Let's use WeChat!"
Bozai took out his phone and said, "Let's add each other as friends, I'll transfer the money to you now."
Soon, Yang Zheng received a transfer of 8,000 yuan in his WeChat account.
Seeing the additional 8,000 yuan in his WeChat balance, he felt extremely happy.
Entering the small world today was incredibly lucky.
This gave him an unexpected windfall.
Big bluefish are really valuable.
On the way back by taxi, Yang Zheng kept thinking that he would have to find a way to get more big bluefish when he entered the small world in the future.
Even the dead are so valuable.
If it were alive, wouldn't we make a fortune?
Someone in the group just said that recently many illegal fishmongers have been buying up fish at high prices, especially those giant bluefish weighing over 100 pounds. As long as they are alive and intact, they can fetch at least tens of thousands of yuan per fish.
Then, for every additional ten kilograms above 100 kilograms, the price will increase by one level.
Moreover, a dedicated car picks it up from your door, so you don't have to run around yourself.
It was already past 11 p.m. when I took a taxi back to my rented room in the suburbs.
Yang Zheng checked his phone and found several missed video calls, all from his mother.
I was in the car just now and turned off mobile data, so I didn't receive the call immediately.
I wonder what's wrong with my mother calling so late at night?
Thinking of this, Yang Zheng quickly sent a video call back.
The video call was quickly connected, and the mother, whose face was sallow, appeared in the video.
"Mom, I was on the bus just now and there was no internet."
"Your dad just took painkillers and fell asleep."
On the other end of the phone, the mother lowered her voice, "Let's talk outside..."
Soon, she took her phone and staggered into the corridor outside the ward.
The mother sat down at the entrance of the building and asked with concern, "Xiao Zheng, how have you been lately?"
Yang Zheng smiled and said, "I'm fine."
"As for you, you're taking care of my dad in the hospital every day. You need to take care of yourself, eat when you're hungry, and don't be too frugal. As for money, I'm here, so you don't need to worry about it."
The mother said, "I'm fine. I don't do anything at the hospital every day. I can just go and buy whatever I want to eat. It's easier than being at home. You don't need to worry about me."
"By the way, your dad is being discharged from the hospital tomorrow. Your aunt's husband will drive over to pick us up, so you don't need to book a car for us."
Upon hearing this, Yang Zheng was taken aback. It turned out that his father was about to be discharged from the hospital.
Thinking of this, he hurriedly asked, "Do you have enough money for discharge?"
The mother said, "That's enough. The day before yesterday, your second aunt's husband found some connections. There's a peer of his in his hometown who's the vice president of a hospital. That vice president is a very nice person. When he heard about our situation, he made a special effort to speak to the oncology department."
“These past few days, your dad hasn’t had to wait in line for any tests or treatments. It’s been very efficient. Before, it would take one or two weeks to get a CT scan or MRI, but now that we have connections, it can be done on the same day.”
"Also, almost everything the doctor is doing for your dad's treatment is reimbursable. I just calculated that when he's discharged tomorrow, we should have a little over a thousand yuan left."
After listening quietly to his mother finish speaking, Yang Zheng felt quite happy and said, "That vice president is really a good person. Next time I go back, I'll have to bring something to thank him in person."
"By the way, Xiao Zheng, there's something I want to discuss with you."
Mother seemed to remember something and said, "The day after tomorrow is your aunt's mother-in-law's 80th birthday. How much money do you think is appropriate to give as a gift? Last year when we held our banquet in our new house, I forgot how much money she gave us. Do you remember?"
And there's Grandpa Chunsheng from the next village, he passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage last night. I remember you and his son Beifeng were classmates, and you used to be quite close. Do you want me to deliver a gift for you…”
Yang Zheng never expected that Chun Sheng, who seemed like a good person, would suddenly pass away. You have to understand, he was not even sixty years old this year.
Suddenly, he thought of his father, who was only fifty-six years old and whose days were numbered. He felt a pang of sadness.
After a brief silence, Weiwei said, "Let's go deliver a gift. Although Beifeng and we haven't exchanged gifts over the years, we should still go this time. After all, when I was a child, Grandpa Chunsheng often invited me to his house for meals."
"Oh, Mom, please buy some extra paper money for Grandpa Chunsheng."
After hanging up the video call, Yang Zheng transferred all 8,000 yuan he had just received in WeChat to his mother.
That's how it is back in my hometown. Besides daily living expenses, there are also social obligations and gift-giving, all of which require money.
And it's a considerable expense.
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