It's really fun to set up a stall.
The people in the compound deeply believe this. The feeling of passing the white silver in their hands is incomparable. Setting up a stall in winter is not as hard as setting up a stall in summer. After all, this is called winter in the north.
It was really a pain when it snowed heavily, but no one suggested quitting.
Why isn't this hard work? Nowadays, you can make money. People of their generation are very hardworking. Not to mention that everyone is working hard at the stalls, even Su Jinlai is working hard recently.
Every day when I go out, I sing "We workers have power~"
He hummed a tune and walked at a trot. The bicycle at home was reserved for Yinlai. His factory was far away, so people like Jinlai, who were closer, walked. But he was still happy. Being a worker was a great joy. Nowadays, many people wanted to be a worker, but couldn't get it.
"We workers..."
"Bah, it's embarrassing to have a scum like you among the workers." Guan Hong rode past quickly on his bicycle, but he didn't stop talking.
Su Jinlai: "..."
He took a deep breath and told himself: "I won't argue with her. I have a good temper and I am a good person. I don't argue with women..."
Guan Hong's bicycle had already sped past. Su Jinlai took a deep breath, convinced, and continued to work happily. Although Su Jinlai's reputation was not very good, was okay with him. After all, no one would specifically target a new guy. So Su Jinlai adapted very smoothly. He was still a little tired, but it was different from the tiredness that he felt every time he went home to "earn extra money" himself in the past.
This was actually within his acceptable range. He went to and from get off work on time every day, and when he got home from get off work, his mother's dinner was basically almost ready. Su Jinlai's life became regular and he felt much more energetic.
Look, Su Jinlai can turn over a new leaf, how rare is that? It's cold in winter, but everyone is still very busy. It's like this every winter. They have to make cotton-padded clothes and trousers, store winter vegetables, and store coal briquettes. In addition to these tasks in previous years, they also have to set up stalls this year. The days pass by so quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it's the end of the year.
The days in winter always seem to pass faster than those in summer, probably because there are more things to do and they are busier. However, time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is already the summer of the second year. I can still vividly remember catching cicadas last summer.
Suddenly, it was the summer of 1983.
Compared to winter, children prefer summer because it is lively.
They still don't go home every day, and the children's schedule is even more full than that of the adults. Zhuang Zhixi was walking back from get off work with two fish in his hand. When he walked into the alley, he saw the children playing hopscotch together.
Erlin was among them.
It has been a full year since this child came to the city. A year ago, he was still a sickly child who could have died at any time. But now the operation has been successful. Although he still needs to rest for a while, he is much more energetic and lively.
As for his sister Xing'er, she had two pigtails and became lively and cheerful.
"Dad!" Yuanyuan waved.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad bought fish. Let's have fish tonight."
Yuanyuan nodded: "Okay!"
She said happily, "My family has fish for dinner."
“I don’t know what to eat at home…”
Even though they are already twelve years old this year, children are still children. Even what to eat for dinner can be discussed for a long time, and the chatter is very lively.
Zhuang Zhixi laughed as he entered the courtyard and saw his father playing chess with his grandfather.
"Hey, how many rounds did you two play? Who won?"
Lan Sihai smiled slightly and said, "You have eyes for breathing, can't you see?"
At first glance, wow, it's really a one-sided situation.
He looked at his father with melancholy and said, "Dad, your level is too poor, like a lousy chess player."
Zhuang Laonian: "..."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Please let me go. I will avenge you."
Zhuang Laonian firmly defended his position and said, "Go away, I don't need you here, don't take my place, don't think I don't know you, there is no place for you here."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Look at you."
Zhuang Laonian: "Haha!"
No one knows a son better than his father! This kid just wants to take his place in the chess game.
No! He said, "Go and cook."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Don't worry."
Zhuang Laonian looked at him with a raised mouth and said, "You seem to be in a good mood recently. You look so happy all day long. Is your work going well?"
Zhuang Zhixi blinked innocently. The grown man was acting cute with his father: "Isn't it okay for me to be happy? Besides, I'm just working. What's there to be happy or unhappy about? Just work normally."
Zhuang Zhixi was seconded to the TV drama production center last year and is still seconded. Logically, he should have finished his work last year, but because he performed well, they refused to let him go and kept him on the sidelines. Their unit has limited staffing and cannot arrange a direct job for the time being, so they can only continue to second him.
The machinery factory didn't have any objections. This situation is the norm now. Many people are seconded to each other and their relationship is not in the work unit. It just so happens that the propaganda department of the machinery factory is not short of people, so everything went smoothly.
However, it is true that Zhuang Zhixi's work here is more interesting than in the Propaganda Department.
"I see you're happy at work."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "I can only be happy for work? Can't I be happy for other things? Grandpa, are there any new newspapers?"
Lan Sihai glanced at him and pursed his lips. Zhuang Zhixi walked in immediately, saw the Clivia newspaper on the table, sat down humming a little tune, and opened it carefully. If you want to talk about why Zhuang Zhixi was happy, it was because the price of Clivia was rising steadily.
How could he not be happy when he was running around like that? He had a lot of money at home.
Zhuang Laonian said: "Your mouth is almost reaching your temples."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I feel good, Dad. You said there are so many good things in this world."
Zhuang Zhixi was still watching the fun, but Lan Sihai looked up at him and said, "You can tell from the newspaper that the situation is very good?"
Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Yes."
This is all good news indeed. As for the Clivia, Zhuang Zhixi felt that he was really unlucky. When he bought the first pot of flowers, he didn't expect that it could grow like this and make money. But since his grandfather gave him the first newspaper, he saw the report and realized that this thing could actually be used for investment.
Fortunately, this trend had not yet swept through the city at that time, so he bought a lot of flowers at the flower market. Now he has more than 40 pots at home.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Grandpa, what did you see? Tell me about it."
He was very humble and he would listen carefully to what the elderly people in the courtyard said, especially those who were knowledgeable. They had seen more than young people like them, so naturally they had some life experience.
Listen to this more, learn from it, and you will benefit a lot.
Although their young people are exposed to more new trends, the elderly are not bad either.
He said, "What do you think about this?"
"What do I think? I don't think it's good."
Lan Sihai spoke slowly. After hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi became serious, straightened his back, and listened carefully to the old man's analysis.
Seeing his attitude, Lan Sihai nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then let me ask you, do you think this Clivia can really be used as a medicinal herb to bring the dead back to life?"
Zhuang Zhixi shook his head decisively and said, "That's definitely not possible. Ginseng may not work, and Clivia certainly won't work. This is nonsense. I don't believe it at all."
"So if I put this flower at home, it can improve my beauty and longevity?"
Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "I'd have to be crazy to believe this."
"So is this Clivia rare and scarce?"
Zhuang Zhixi still shook his head and said, "No, as long as you put in enough effort, you can still cultivate a good one." Take him for example, he is also a layman, but he was able to cultivate one too, which shows that the technical content is not high.
Lan Sihai smiled meaningfully, nodded and said, "Yes, as long as you cultivate this thing carefully, you can always cultivate a good one. Then it is not scarce. Maybe it is scarce in the short term, but in the long run, it is definitely not. So you dare to say that its value will continue to rise? Let's talk about the crazy price of Clivia now. Look at the current average salary. Isn't the price of Clivia exaggerated? Whenever this kind of exaggeration reaches a certain level, someone must be in charge."
Zhuang Zhixi believed this, but he also said: "At the beginning of the year, a notice to limit the price was issued, but it kept going up. What do you think of this?"
Lan Sihai smiled and said, "The reason why we couldn't limit it last time was because the impact was not that great, and they had just started, and were in full swing. But this kind of operation has no foundation and will never last. Last year, I went back to my hometown to attend a wedding, and I heard that people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang were speculating on five-needle pine, which was actually the same as the speculation on Clivia in Changchun. It can be seen that the thing is not important, but the speculation. When I was an apprentice, I heard our boss talk about a tulip fever abroad. If you think about it carefully, it is no different from the current Clivia. Do you want to listen to it?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Grandpa, please don't keep me in suspense. I naturally want to listen."
Lan Sihai: "Okay, this matter... at that time, the nobles... when the bubble finally burst, the price began to plummet, and everyone finally realized that it was nothing. When the price was no longer interested, there was nothing left."
Lan Sihai was still a good storyteller. He told the story of tulip fever with so many ups and downs that even Zhuang Laonian became nervous. Zhuang Zhixi frowned seriously for a long time and said, "It's really similar..."
Lan Sihai: "Tulips are like this, and so are Clivia. They seem to be very popular, but when everyone starts speculating on them, the price is basically not far from falling. I can't say how long this will last, but given the current popularity, I think it will take one or two years. In another year or two, the bubble will definitely burst."
Zhuang Zhixi listened very seriously.
Lan Sihai: "Look, last year it was only in Changchun that the market was being speculated, but this year it's different. Sometimes when I go out for a walk, I can't help but hear some people talking about this. The news of making money has spread to our city. How long do you think this situation can last? But I'm not urging you to sell it. If you sell it and the price goes up again, you might even blame me. I'm just reminding you that you're not a true speculator. It's better to lock in profits appropriately."
Zhuang Zhixi looked at Lan Sihai. He knew very well that his grandfather was doing this for his own good. If it wasn't for his own good, there would be no need to say all this. If the business could still be prosperous for another year or two, then he would undoubtedly be selling at a low point now. However, he felt that his grandfather was right. How could he want to sell at the highest point? If he wanted to sell at the highest point, it would be unknown whether he could get out of it at that time. He thought about it and said seriously, "Grandpa, thank you for your reminder. I think you are right."
Lan Sihai: "As long as you think I'm right, that's fine. If you've sold it, don't look at these things again. Otherwise, you'll be sad if the price goes up again."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed and said, "I know this."
He said: "Then I will ask for leave from work and make a special trip to Changchun."
He is a very decisive person. Since he has already decided to sell it, he won't be hesitant.
Lan Sihai: "Wait a moment."
"Eh?" Didn't you just say you were going to sell it? Why are you waiting again? Zhuang Zhixi looked at Lan Sihai in confusion.
Lan Sihai: "I also persuaded your father-in-law to sell the Clivia. He will have a shipment going to Changchun in three months, and he will take your flowers with him. Remember to ask for leave then. You can take care of each other, otherwise how can you go? You are going alone with forty pots of flowers? Do you think it is safe to take the train? I see you have no idea about the current hot flower market. Believe it or not, you will lose a lot of these things on the train. How can you take care of forty pots by yourself? Even if you are not alone, what if you really meet a madman? Didn't you read the newspaper? Some of the news is quite scary. There are many fatal things in order to snatch the Clivia."
Zhuang Zhixi: “…That’s right.”
He laughed: "I guess you've already thought about it."
Lan Sihai hummed.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."
The reason why Lan Sihai told Zhuang Zhixi about this matter three months in advance was because he was afraid that this guy would really be reluctant to let go. He calculated that there was time to do ideological work on him. Unexpectedly, Zhuang Zhixi was very clear about it. He nodded silently again and felt that this son-in-law for his grandson was a good choice.
There are many young people in his family, and the old man likes Zhuang Zhixi the most, because he is quick-witted, sweet-mouthed and listens to advice. It is difficult for such a person not to succeed. He glanced at Zhuang Zhixi, and Zhuang Zhixi immediately said, "Grandpa, will you go with us when the time comes?"
Lan Sihai: "Of course not. I'm old and in my eighties. You want me to travel with you? You are really filial."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled innocently.
Lan Sihai: "I'm not going. You go with your father-in-law. Well, I guess your eldest brother-in-law will go too."
Zhuang Zhixi: "That's good too. We are all family members and can be trusted."
Lan Sihai glanced at him and said, "You don't know how dangerous it is to go out. Why are those long-distance drivers so fierce? Do you think they are born that way? They are forced to do so by road bullies. Don't cause trouble for your father-in-law on the road."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh my god~ I am not that kind of person. It really hurts my heart to hear you say that. I am really not that kind of person."
Lan Sihai: “Haha.”
Zhuang Laonian watched the two people talking without interrupting them. He was just like that. He didn't understand and didn't get involved. Anyway, he could see that everyone was better than him. He was just an honest man working in a factory.
Zhuang Zhixi quickly communicated with his father-in-law and set a date for departure.
Three months passed in a flash. During this time, Zhuang Zhixi was not idle. He made boxes for all the flowers for traveling. It was already mid-October, the weather had turned a little cooler, and it was time for them to set off.
It was Zhuang Zhixi's first time to travel long distances in a large truck, and he had expected that he would suffer on the road. Mingmei prepared some spare clothes and food for him, but she was a little worried. She said, "Actually, I should have asked for leave to go with you guys."
The more she thought about it, the more she regretted it. Why didn't she ask for leave? Zhuang Zhixi comforted her and said, "Your father and brother are here, so why would they need you? Don't worry, you know what's going on. It's okay."
Mingmei was still a little worried, and even Zhao Guihua was a little worried. She said, "Don't act on your own when you encounter something on this journey. Although you are a little smart, it won't be useful when you encounter desperate people. You should listen to your father-in-law more. He drives a lot of long-distance buses and is familiar with the road conditions and the situations that may be encountered. Don't take advantage of your youth and give orders blindly. It's the same even if you go there. I heard that there is a fanaticism for Clivia there. You have so many flowers in your hands, you must be careful to avoid encountering those crazy people. Don't delay after selling them, and leave as soon as possible. Be well concealed. I believe you on this, so you should be more alert."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded again.
Zhuang Zhixi reached out and hugged his worried mother, then hugged his young wife and said, "Don't worry, I will come back safely."
"Have a safe trip."
This time, the two men of the Ming family and their son-in-law went out together. This was the first time. Zhuang Zhixi loaded the car with Hua and saw that the car was full of goods.
Zhuang Zhixi sat in the back seat. There were four seats in the front cab. Ming Xiangdong and Ming Cheng sat in the driver's seat and the co-pilot seat.
There is a box on the back seat.
"Dad, big brother." He greeted quickly.
Ming Xiangdong: "That box was given to you by your grandfather, who said you could use it when you go out."
Zhuang Zhixi opened it immediately and saw that it was a wig and a skirt... uh, for disguise.
That's really thoughtful.
The two nodded, and the car started slowly. Zhuang Zhixi said, "What a coincidence! It's just right that you're going to Changchun to deliver the goods this time."
Ming Xiangdong: "What do you mean by 'just in time'? This is something I took the initiative to get. We basically have fixed routes. I mainly drive to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. I rarely drive here. I only drive this route when I am a substitute driver. Isn't this for selling flowers? I took the initiative to stop this job. In fact, the flowers may go up in price even if they are sold a few days later. But there are not many opportunities to drive here. We got a ride. Otherwise, it would be like your grandfather said, taking so many pots of flowers out by yourself, wouldn't that be courting death."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "You are right."
"We want to make money, but we can't lose our lives."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed.
Ming Xiangdong is a rough man and doesn't know how to grow flowers, but Lan Ling listened to her father's advice. When she heard her father talking about this business, she immediately started growing flowers and now has 40 or 50 pots. This time, they all went out, the father-in-law and son-in-law went out together, with hundreds of pots of flowers.
This is no small amount.
The car drove out of Sijiu City and headed north. It was the first time for Zhuang Zhixi to drive here. He looked at this place and it was obviously more autumnal. He sighed: "It's not easy to be a driver. It's very boring along the way."
Ming Xiangdong: "That's not bad."
He said: "In fact, I am not afraid of being boring, but I am afraid of not being boring, which is troublesome."
"Um?"
Although it was Zhuang Zhixi's first time going out, he understood what was said. He asked, "Is there anyone blocking the road now?"
Ming Xiangdong: "Why not? Our Sijiu City is the capital, so of course the public security is very good. If there is a case, it will be investigated thoroughly. But it may not be the case in some mountainous areas outside. Sometimes..."
Before he finished speaking, he saw a woman holding a child waving at the roadside. Mingcheng said, "Dad, there's someone there."
Ming Xiangdong ignored him and said, "Let's go our own way. These are all ideas."
He sneered and drove past the woman. He stepped on the accelerator, splashing a lot of dirt. The woman threw the child away, pointed at the car with her hands on her hips and yelled, "Damn it, are you going to a funeral? Driving so fast..."
Zhuang Zhixi leaned out of the car window to look, and it was not a child at all, it was clearly a fake.
He was stunned and felt that he had learned something new.
But he was not polite either, and shouted: "You female demon, you didn't even go to the funeral, how can we go to the funeral, next time you just stand in the middle of the road, I will send you to heaven..."
Mingcheng: “…”
Isn't his brother-in-law too uncultured? Ming Cheng is still a civilized man after all, but Ming Xiangdong smiled and agreed: "Good scolding!"
This kind of person, you can't be treated well! Zhuang Zhixi said, "Dad, you are too good, aren't you? You found out that there is something wrong with this person before you even get close to him. How did you see that? This is too good. Sun Wukong, with his fiery eyes, can see through the monsters at a glance. Awesome!"
Mingcheng: "..." Flatterer.
Ming Xiangdong laughed and said, "I'm used to this and know their tricks. Think about it, how dare an ordinary rural woman hold a child to stop a car? There are three grown men in this car. Even if it's a big deal, I'm afraid they won't stop the car. Those who are not afraid at all and stand on the roadside to stop cars are basically exploring the way. You can't guarantee that the woman is more fierce than the men. If you really believe her, she can stab you. Maybe she will force your car to stop, and then she will rob you."
They are used to this kind of thing. Why are there knives and hunting rifles in a car? It's for self-protection.
There are many robberies, especially for large trucks like theirs, because there are goods on the trucks, and they are all here for the goods. Whether it is food or machinery, they can all be sold for money.
Ming Xiangdong: "There are so many ways on this road. There are also people who throw big nails to crush cars. Whenever I encounter such people who are forced to stop, I will just knock them down and not let them hold back against me. If you show a little kindness to them, they will bite you back."
In fact, this was also the first time that Mingcheng went on a long journey with his biological father. He felt particularly uncomfortable hearing these things. How should I put it? He is almost forty years old, and he finally understood how hard his biological father worked every day to give their family a good life.
Everyone says being a driver is good. Among the four major roles, the steering wheel is important.
But only you know how dangerous long-distance travel is.
Hearing about it is different from feeling it yourself. They drove all the way to Changchun, which took two days. To be honest, they had a smooth journey and encountered almost no problems.
There was only one time when they encountered a roadblock set up by someone, but Ming Xiangdong simply bumped through it and ran past without even a glance.
These were all small matters to Ming Xiangdong, but Ming Cheng and Zhuang Zhixi still lamented that it was not easy to be away from home. Fortunately, they finally arrived in Changchun after a long journey.
Ming Xiangdong found some linoleum paper to cover the boxes of flowers, and then had them unload the goods. This time he was delivering mechanical parts. He counted the boxes one by one, and then handed them over.
For example, their machinery company sends out vehicles for various factories. Once the goods are counted, this trip is considered completed. Going back to pick up something else is another trip. They never go back and forth with empty vehicles.
Ming Xiangdong had three days to wait for the transfer. In fact, he could have returned on the same day, but usually they would give him a few days, after all, long-distance buses cannot do without rest. They stayed in a small hotel together, and Ming Xiangdong locked the car well.
Mingcheng was a little worried and said, "Dad, can we put all the things in the car?"
Ming Xiangdong: "Just keep quiet, can't you learn from your brother-in-law?"
Mingcheng laughed.
Zhuang Zhixi was in Changchun for the first time. Although they were both in the north, the urban construction was different. The three of them were tired from the journey and it was time for lunch. They found a restaurant and just as they started eating, they heard the discussion at the next table.
This discussion is about nothing else but the gentleman among flowers - Clivia.
"Have you heard? The day before yesterday at the West Street Flower Market, an old man sold a pot of flowers and got 9,000 yuan directly. He was so excited that he had a heart attack on the spot and was sent to the hospital."
"Fuck."
"This is really a case of not being able to enjoy life even though you have money. No way."
"Who says it's not?"
Everyone started discussing. Zhuang Zhixi pricked up his ears and asked curiously: "Brother, what kind of flower is so valuable?"
Everyone scanned it and said, "You are not a local?"
Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "No, I heard flowers all the time when I came here, so I must not understand why you guys are talking about flowers everywhere?"
"Of course it's Clivia. This flower is great. It can prolong life, beautify the skin, and even bring the dead back to life. What's that saying? It's plant gold. If you have a pot of it, you'll be rich."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Can this flower make you rich?"
"Of course not! Brother, do you have any?"
Zhuang Zhixi quickly waved his hand: "No, I'm from another place, how could I have that? I'm here on business."
I don't know if he believed me or not, but he smiled and said, "There are many people who come here to buy and sell flowers while on business trips. You know, whether you buy or sell, you're making money."
"that is."
"Brothers, come quickly, the newspaper seller is here!"
As soon as these words came out, ran out without caring everyone to finish their meal. Even the shop owner didn't care. The Ming family father and son were stunned. Zhuang Zhixi was smart and ran out quickly. He saw a young man holding a dozen newspapers and shouting, "Clivia newspaper, freshly baked Clivia newspaper..."
"Give me one!"
"Give me one."
"I want three, three!"
Everyone rushed over. Even though Zhuang Zhixi was quick-eyed and quick-handed, he couldn't get to the front. Just now, this man was alone. When the shout came out, people appeared from all directions. Everyone rushed out shouting. There were about thirty-four people in total.
Zhuang Zhixi: “Fuck.”
"One dollar, one dollar, one cent."
Zhuang Zhixi couldn't help but say again: "Fuck."
What kind of newspaper is this? It's more expensive than meat.
Isn't this like robbing money? Although I thought so, I squeezed in, handed over a dollar, and said, "Give me one too."
Before he could even hand the newspaper over, someone else snatched it away: "Give it to me, give it to me, I'll give you two dollars!"
Zhuang Zhixi's eyes widened, he really felt the enthusiasm, he quickly grabbed a newspaper, threw the money and withdrew. If you don't rush to buy it, it will be gone soon. Some people actually bought ten or eight copies, God knows how many pairs of eyes they have.
Just as Zhuang Zhixi finished shopping, he heard someone calling from the other end of the street: "Today's flowers, today's flowers have arrived..."
With a loud noise, the people who were here just now ran over there again.
Zhuang Zhixi: “Fuck!”
Zhuang Zhixi ran over without saying a word. It was really... crossing mountains and rivers... and buying a batch of today's flowers. Zhuang Zhixi's already wrinkled clothes became even more wrinkled.
He returned to the restaurant carrying two newspapers and saw Ming Xiangdong and Ming Cheng standing at the door in amazement.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Let's go and continue eating."
He came back, and other newspaper sellers also came back one after another.
The boss looked like he was used to it. Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Aren't you afraid that we will just run away without paying?"
The boss said: "Well, I'm not afraid of that. I'm doing business as a side job. The main purpose is to share information about Clivia with you."
He smiled very friendly and said, "Are you here to sell flowers?"
This is where the conversation started.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Nowhere. We are here on business, but everyone is selling and buying flowers here, I am tempted too, who doesn't want to make money?"
"That's right."
"I'll study it first and figure out what kind of flowers are good. If I can't afford to buy flowers, I can buy flower seeds, grow them at home, and then sell them. That's also good."
The boss nodded and said, "Then you should read the newspaper carefully. There is new news in the newspaper every day."
Everyone was reading the newspaper, and Zhuang Zhixi also lowered his head to read the newspaper. In fact, the content of the newspaper was very simple. It was basically all about promoting how well Clivia was selling, where the highest price was offered every day, and incidents caused by the snatching of Clivia.
However, it can be seen that the Clivia News is more serious than Today's Flowers. This one describes several styles of Clivia that are currently popular. Unlike Today's Flowers, which are basically all kinds of stories.
He read it twice carefully, and then joined everyone's chat. Everyone got the newspaper excitedly, and soon an voice came: "I said it would go up, but you didn't believe it. You regretted selling it last month, right? Look at this, look at this place, it says that a Clivia miniata with willow brows was sold on North Street the day before yesterday for 13,000 yuan."
It gives me cramps just thinking about it.
The flower seller also seemed to have lost his father, and cried out: "What a loss, what a loss!"
"Just say it can't be sold."
"Of course I can't sell it. You all know what happened a while ago. A Hong Kong businessman wanted to exchange a Crown sedan for a pot of flowers with Mr. Guo, but he refused to do so. This shows that this thing is very valuable, very valuable."
“Yes, yes, yes.”
Everyone was excited about the discussion.
Zhuang Zhixi listened for a while, and seeing that his father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law were also stunned, he asked, "Shall we leave?"
"Huh? Oh, oh oh."
The three of them paid the bill and went out. After a bit of cool air, they felt completely sober. The heated atmosphere in the room just now was almost enough to turn people on fire. Mingcheng lit a cigarette while shivering and said, "This is too outrageous."
He is a cultured person, but he started using foul language.
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, and this time he said seriously: "I didn't know until I came here. I was shocked. I didn't know until I came to such an occasion that my grandfather's worries were really justified."
The Ming family father and son were startled, and then looked at Zhuang Zhixi.
Not to mention, they were all very impulsive just now, feeling that they were going to make a fortune, their brains were bubbling, and they were so excited that they were all in a state of excitement. But unexpectedly, Zhuang Zhixi, who was talking the most enthusiastically and listening the most attentively, calmed down instead.
He said, “You’ve heard about the tulip fever that Grandpa talked about, right?”
After hearing this, the Ming family father and son calmed down. Ming Cheng rubbed his face and said, "I've heard of it. I almost got drunk just now. This environment is too scary."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Of course, let's go and look around."
Before they had taken a few steps, they were stopped by someone: "Dude, are you selling the newspaper in your hand?"
Zhuang Zhixi: “………………”
He said, “I’ve seen this.”
"It's okay if you've seen it, I'll buy it anyway, at the original price."
Zhuang Zhixi: “…Okay.”
Anyway, he finished reading it, and he spent two dollars on the newspaper, and now the two dollars are back. How come even newspapers related to Clivia are becoming more expensive? This is too...
"Thank you, thank you, you are such a good person."
The man took the newspaper and left happily, as if he had found a treasure.
"This...all the soup I just made fell onto the newspaper." Ming Xiangdong said speechlessly.
Zhuang Zhixi: “He doesn’t care.”
In fact, the salary in a city is only 30 or 40 yuan, but Clivia can easily cost thousands of yuan. This kind of enthusiasm naturally makes many people crazy. It's a bit crazy and scary. Even so, they haven't even gone to the flower market yet.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Let's go to the flower market and take a look?"
"Walk."
The three of them went straight to the nearest flower market. Because of the craze, there was more than one flower market in the city, and the one they came to was not the biggest one. As soon as they arrived, they felt that it was bustling and crowded.
"Three thousand, will you sell it for three thousand?"
"Three thousand five! I'll give you three thousand five!"
"four thousand……"
The other side was still bidding, and this side was holding the flower pot, shouting like crazy: "No, no, no, no matter how much I pay, I want to exchange it for a refrigerator."
"I can change it for you! I'm the manager of the department store. Come with me..."
The scene was in chaos, everyone seemed to be screaming at the top of their lungs. Zhuang Zhixi felt that he had never seen such an exaggerated situation even during the year-end big purchases. Everyone's eyes were red, as if they were so stimulated by this incident that they couldn't control themselves.
Everyone was excited to the point of madness.
Zhuang Zhixi was like this. He was not the kind of person who got carried away. Instead, he became calmer the hotter he got. He dragged his father-in-law and brother-in-law around. Seeing that the heated bargaining was still going on, he said, "Let's go out."
Mingcheng: “Ah?”
Zhuang Zhixi: "If you don't go out, even men can get pregnant."
They squeezed out of the door together, gasping for breath.
Ming Cheng looked back with lingering fear and said, "Why do I feel like these people are crazy?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Either he looks crazy, or he is really crazy."
He said decisively: "Let's go back."
Ming Xiangdong and Ming Cheng followed Zhuang Zhixi. Although they listened to Ming Xiangdong the whole way here, after they arrived, it was Zhuang Zhixi who took the lead. The main reason was that the Ming father and son had been overwhelmed by the craze for Clivia in this city.
Ming Xiangdong boasted that he had traveled far and wide and had seen the world, but this was the first time he had seen a scene like this, and he was truly shocked.
They returned to the hotel and the three of them stayed in one room. Ming Xiangdong said with a heavy breath, "This is really profitable."
Zhuang Zhixi said calmly, "I brought some things. Let's put on some makeup tomorrow before going out. Let's pick a few ordinary pots and sell them to test the waters. We have so many flowers and so little time, so we'd better spread them out."
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
Zhuang Zhixi: "After selling the flowers, walk around a few times, change your clothes and come back, so as not to be targeted. I believe that since the flower market is so hot, there must be people taking advantage of it."
He said earnestly: "You have also seen that there are many stories about flower snatching in the newspapers. We have to guard against not only flower snatching, but also money snatching. We are outsiders, so be careful."
"become."
Ming Xiangdong felt that what his son-in-law said was very right. He was also a person who was away from home for many years and knew best how chaotic it was out there. He had even encountered highway robberies. With the flower market being so booming, it was impossible that no one would be jealous and tempted.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Let's go downstairs and take a look around. Also, let's take a look at the environment around the flower market."
"OK."
After a few people discussed it, they all felt their heartbeats quicken and they all felt a little excited. It was really hard not to be excited, this market was so lively.
Zhuang Zhixi didn't know whether he was telling his father-in-law or himself, and kept saying, "Stay steady, you have to stay steady, and you will succeed."
It was around four o'clock in the afternoon, and there was only an hour left before closing, but the flower market was still very busy. A woman with big wavy hair, a floral cotton jacket and sunglasses squeezed into the flower market. Probably because she was afraid that her eyes would be squeezed off, she tied a rope around them, which was quite funny.
He squeezed a few steps and shouted, "Make way, make way, I'm selling flowers!"
All of a sudden, people gathered around: "You sell flowers? What kind do you sell? Let me see. How do you sell them?"
Big Wave took a deep breath and said, "Don't crowd my flowers!"
He opened the box and everyone exclaimed when they saw it. This was not a rare variety, but rather ordinary. However, even if it was ordinary, as long as it grew well, it would be easy to sell it for four figures.
Big Wave Girl: "Eight hundred!"
After hearing this, some people were immediately attracted and thought that this woman was really short on knowledge and knowledge.
The offer of eight hundred is not high.
Little did people know that this female comrade was none other than Zhuang Zhixi.
Bai Fendou can pretend to be a woman, so why can't Zhuang Zhixi pretend to be a woman? Anyway, it's for the sake of making money, so he doesn't shiver.
He called out a price of eight hundred, which was also a test. After all, she knew nothing about this market. Just reading a few newspapers, some discussions and observations would not be of much use, so Zhuang Zhixi planned to explore the way on her own.
Sure enough, as soon as he shouted, several voices came from all directions: "I want it."
"I want!"
"You're fucking trying to steal from me?"
"Whoever grabs it first gets it. I'll pay nine hundred!"
"one thousand!"
"Don't sell it to them, sister. I'll take it for 1,100."
"Don't argue with me, twelve thousand, twelve thousand!"
"You idiot, this flower only costs a little over a thousand, why are you asking for twelve thousand?"
"I'd love to!"
"One thousand and three!"
Phew! Because of the bidding, the scene became a little more lively, but the price of 1,300 yuan was indeed high. No one continued to bid. The one who bid 1,300 yuan immediately counted the money, and after counting, he handed it to Zhuang Zhixi: "Big sister, take a look."
Zhuang Zhixi: "One hand hands over the flowers while the other hand hands over the money."
He got the money, checked it on the spot, confirmed that there was no problem, put it in his pocket, and squeezed it out.
It was obvious that the price of thirteen thousand was nothing in this market, so there was hardly any commotion on his part. Zhuang Zhixi went back with the money in his hand. He made two circles as usual, and no one followed him.
Well, as expected, all the people here are big spenders. Many people are no longer interested in her business worth only a few thousand yuan.
Not long after Zhuang Zhixi came back, the Ming father and son also came back. Ming Xiangdong hunched over and dressed up as an elderly man, while Ming Cheng just put on makeup to look like an old man.
When the three of them met, they asked, "How's it going?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "I sold this one for 1,300 yuan."
Mingcheng: "My price is not as good as yours. Mine is one thousand yuan. When it reaches one thousand yuan, no one will bid."
Ming Xiangdong, on the other hand, chuckled and said, "Mine is two thousand one."
The three people were happy but also shocked. How much money does this person make to dare to invest so much in flowers? This is a bubble that will burst one day. It's scary to think about it.
Zhuang Zhixi was calm. He said, "It's hard to say. Some people stopped early like us, while others were addicted. It all depends on the individual. We don't need to worry about others. Every path is chosen by the person himself. You can be honest with yourself. Isn't the current situation scary? If you are not afraid in such a situation and still want to rise wildly, then you really can't blame others if you get swallowed up."
Ming Xiangdong: "You do have some truth in what you say."
Zhuang Zhixi: "We still have a lot. Let's continue tomorrow. I plan to go to every flower market. We have a lot of things and we need to sell them as soon as possible."
After a pause, he said, "If you encounter a good opportunity, you can sell the ordinary ones in bulk and keep the better ones. I heard that they are going to hold an evaluation. We can submit them for evaluation. If they are rated well, won't we make more money?"
"Yes, that's the truth."
"But it depends on the actual situation. If you sell individually, there is no need to sell in bulk. After all, it is not easy to find a reliable buyer. Even if we are a powerful dragon, we cannot defeat the local snake. What's more, we are not a powerful dragon. So it depends on the actual situation. If you can sell it, it's good. If you can't sell it, just sell it slowly. Safety is the most important thing."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad, you are right, let's discuss it again..."
The next day, Zhuang Zhixi put on makeup to make her hair look wavy. Grandpa is a very troublesome guy. This disguise is really useful when going out.
Zhuang Zhixi twisted his waist and went to sell flowers again. This time, the sales were good, and he actually sold them for a high price of 2,900 yuan. Although it was not as high as tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands as reported in the newspaper, Zhuang Zhixi thought it was okay.
After all, its cost is only a few dollars or a dozen dollars, which is already great value for money.
He did not change his clothes, but went directly to another market to buy another pot, then changed it again and sold it again.
The Ming family father and son were the same as him. They all adopted the same method. When Zhuang Zhixi sold the third pot of flowers today, the buyer offered a price of four thousand. The elder brother was dressed very decently. He smiled and approached Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Big sister, I have been observing you for a long time."
Zhuang Zhixi raised her orchid finger and said, "Get lost, pervert."
The short fat man smiled and said, "Look, that's not what I meant. I also met you at another flower market this morning. Tell me if this is fate. Big sister, let's talk for a moment."
Zhuang Zhixi hesitated for a moment, followed the man to a quieter place, and said, "Just tell me what you want to say."
The short fat man: "Big sister, do you have any more in stock?"
Zhuang Zhixi snorted and didn't say yes or no.
The short fat man immediately said: "I am from Baixiang Flower Company, this is my business card."
"Hong Kong businessman?"
“That’s right!”
Zhuang Zhixi: "And then?"
The short fat man said: "Our company is the most fair in buying flowers. If you are willing, we can buy them together. The price will definitely satisfy you."
Zhuang Zhixi waved his hand: "No, no."
He raised his orchid finger and was about to leave. The short fat man hurriedly followed him: "I'm not kidding. Our company is very strong. As long as you are ready to spend, we will definitely pay you in one lump sum. We have been acquiring this place for a long time. If you go out and ask around, you will know that we are absolutely trustworthy."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Go away."
"Our prices are fair and honest, you can ask us anything you want, we really are..."
Zhuang Zhixi stopped and asked, "Really?"
"certainly."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I'll go back and discuss it."
"Okay, okay, you have to consider our company. I'll be waiting for you here anytime. I also saw that you sold several pots. How can it be convenient for you to sell them to me all at once if you sell them in small quantities? I'm not trying to lower the price. I will definitely give you a very realistic price."
Zhuang Zhixi said: "I will consider it."
Zhuang Zhixi left quickly. It was really hard to speak with such a pinched throat.
Fortunately, most women in the north are tall, and there are also some Soviet women in the local area, who are even taller and stronger, so although he stands out, he is not particularly unfeminine. After all, who would have thought that he was a man dressed as a woman?
The three of us sold them all, and the deal was done relatively quickly, but we still had a lot of them. Zhuang Zhixi asked around about the Baixiang Flower Company and got some information. This guy claimed to be a Hong Kong businessman, but he was a liar.
But no one knew what the connection was. Although no one knew, they had a good reputation in the flower market and bought a lot of Clivia. They were honest and trustworthy. Since the company had a good reputation, Zhuang Zhixi decisively contacted them and they booked a room at the hotel.
Zhuang Zhixi sold fifty pots at one time.
Regardless of whether it was good or bad, the price was 4,000 yuan per pot. Of course, some of them were definitely more than 4,000 yuan, and some were less than that. In general, it was 200,000 yuan, which was a huge sum of money. Ming Cheng and Ming Xiangdong were very nervous because it was Zhuang Zhixi who came forward all the time, and the two of them were hiding to coordinate.
They didn't show up together. The hotel that Zhuang Zhixi and his friends had booked was opposite the Public Security Bureau. They were selling things seriously, so of course they wanted to be safe. What could be safer than here?
The fat man had not expected that Zhuang Zhixi had booked this place. In Zhuang Zhixi's opinion, the business here was quite big, so he was extremely careful. However, the fat man was very calm. He came here alone and checked the flowers one by one. Only then did the two parties exchange the money and the goods.
If you don't know this, you might think it's some big secret deal.
Who would have thought that all the excitement was just about selling flowers.
In fact, to be honest, both parties were gambling and had risks on their own. In addition to the risk of cheating from cheaters, there was also the issue of flower quality. Zhuang Zhixi was worried that the other party would fool people with the quality. Fortunately, neither side did anything fishy.
It can be said that in this Clivia market, although the price is high, it is not a big deal, because a single pot of a few is not expensive, you know, the expensive ones can sell for six figures. So the short fat man didn't say anything, but smiled very kindly, and both parties happily made a deal.
The short fat man smiled and said, "Big sister, I won't ask your name either. My name is Lao Zeng. If you need more in the future, you can come to me. You will know from this transaction that our company is absolutely top-notch. Besides, in this industry, you can see how many people buy and sell flowers every day. If no one keeps their word, this market would have been in chaos long ago. It's not like that. Don't worry."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded.
Zhuang Zhixi quickly left with the money. He walked out of the door and went straight to the intersection diagonally opposite. He took a taxi and made some money. After getting off the taxi, he found a restaurant and went in through the front door and the back door. This time he changed his clothes. When he returned to the small hotel where they had been before, the Ming father and son had already returned.
Zhuang Zhixi suddenly lay down on the bed and said exhaustedly: "I am so nervous that I am dying. Do you think that all the secret agents during the Anti-Japanese War were like me?"
He said bitterly: "Look, my back is all wet. I was really nervous at that time."
Ming Xiangdong: "I'll go sell things next time."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Who told him to come to me in the first place? I don't want you to show up and help me."
If they were all good people, who would those stories in the newspapers be about? They didn't feel anything when they were in other places, but only after coming here did they realize that this place was really too fanatical.
Of course, it cannot be said that it is a nationwide craze, but it is definitely a national flower-growing phenomenon.
It seems like we would be out of touch if we don't talk about flowers.
Some people improve their family lives by growing flowers, while others speculate.
Zhuang Zhixi was gasping for breath, and Ming Xiangdong was already dizzy from counting the money. It was the first time for them to see so much money.
Mingcheng smiled bitterly and said, "When I went to the flower market, I felt like money was not money. My monthly salary was over 60 yuan, which I thought was quite high, and it's almost 70 yuan now. But you see, this is several thousand yuan."
He said: "My annual salary is not enough to buy a pot of flowers."
Zhuang Zhixi: "What do you want to do with the flowers? You can't eat or drink them. Do you really believe that looking at them can prolong your life? Isn't this a dream?"
"I don't believe it, I just feel emotional."
It has only been the third day for some of them, and they all feel like they have been here for a long time. It is really hard to describe this state.
"Dad, are we going back tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? The flowers haven't been sold out yet."
They didn't clear them all out.
Ming Xiangdong: "I will contact the company two days later."
"That's fine."
They still had a lot of flowers left to sell, and it wasn't that they didn't want to sell them to the flower company, but since they were new here, they always had to keep some things in reserve. Who dared to trust someone 100%? Zhuang Zhixi didn't dare to do that anyway.
He said, "We will change the appearance and continue selling tomorrow. By the way, we will also participate in the Clivia selection tomorrow. I believe that as long as it is selected to a certain grade, someone will definitely buy it. I have seen through it. These flower speculators are crazy. They just take out thousands or tens of thousands of cash from their pockets. It's scary."
Mingcheng: "Who said it wasn't true? I only have ten dollars in my pocket at most."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "We are all honest people."
Ming Xiangdong looked at them, exhausted but not completely relaxed, and said, "Get some sleep and recuperate. You still have to sell flowers tomorrow. Zhixi, do you need to change your look?"
Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Don't worry, I will change my hairstyle tomorrow. I have several looks like this."
Ming Xiangdong: “…”
His father-in-law is really a demon, but think about it, it is true, this is good, what if he is recognized and robbed? This is money, a lot of money.
He sighed: "If I hadn't sold the Clivia, I would never have made so much money in my life."
Mingcheng nodded.
Zhuang Zhixi said: "I can definitely do it. I'm different from you. I'm very motivated."
The atmosphere, which was a bit difficult to describe, changed immediately. Ming Xiangdong looked at his shameless son-in-law and said in one word: Bah! (End of this chapter)
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