Chapter 20
Look at what you said, is this moral kidnapping?
Zhou Jiani twisted her mouth and didn't respond.
She planned to start a group sale that evening, supposedly to collect some vegetables to sell, the more the better. However, considering that so much food had been placed right under everyone's noses and it would be hard to explain if it disappeared all at once, she gave up the idea.
As for the sweet potatoes that they were going to harvest tonight, Zhao Mei and Yu Wanxia didn't know about this, so they could collect them outside and put them on the shelves quietly.
There is no need to worry about fellow villagers coming out to shout. These days, everyone wants to keep such things secret. No one will take the initiative to reveal it, and it is even more impossible to compare it with other people. Let's calculate how many sweet potatoes Zhou Jiani bought in total.
The corn was negotiated separately and the appointment times were different, so I could get away with it.
As for the cowpeas, only ten kilograms were sold in this group purchase. When she went out to get the sweet potatoes in the evening, she would take some with her, saying that someone asked her for them. Yu Wanxia and the others would not ask any questions.
With the baskets, stamps, and the peanuts she had collected in the past few days, it was enough.
So it doesn’t matter whether the vegetables are harvested or not.
Besides, this way of speaking makes people lose the desire to buy.
Qiu Zeming frowned and said, "Buying ten kilograms at a time? What if it goes bad if you can't finish it?"
Han Yang and Wu Lihua exchanged a glance; this was not something they were considering.
Seeing them like this, Qiu Zeming understood and sneered, "Isn't it your money that's being wasted?"
Han Yang quickly laughed and said, "How can we waste it? Loofah, peppers and the like can be stored for several days." He didn't say that most of the vegetables sold to Zhao Weiguo were spinach and leeks.
They agreed that for those who were easy to talk to, they would buy spinach, leeks, etc.; for those who were not easy to talk to, they would buy loofah, peppers, etc. which have a relatively long shelf life.
Seeing that Qiu Zeming and Zhou Jiani were not actively responding and had no sense of being new educated youth, Wu Lihua felt embarrassed and said coldly, "From now on, we will all eat from the same pot."
It was just moral kidnapping, but now it seems a bit threatening.
Qiu Zeming said coldly: "What can we do? Throwing you out is not appropriate."
"you……"
"Alright, alright, stop arguing and talk it over." Han Yang didn't dare to look at Qiu Zeming's expression and quickly smiled at Zhou Jiani, "Comrade Zhou, what about you?"
Female comrades are easy to talk to and should not deny them this face.
Although there was money to be made, Zhou Jiani didn't want to be pressured. She smiled and deepened the conflict, saying, "Ten kilograms is not enough, one or two kilograms is about right."
Wu Lihua was furious and said impatiently, "Why would we even bother arguing over a couple of pounds?"
Unless you can give me ten kilograms of money at once.
Zhou Jiani said calmly: "Oh, forget it then."
Helping is a favor, not helping is your duty. It's not good to press someone's head so confidently.
I've been so busy these past two days that I forgot about the fact that in my previous life, the new educated youth collectively helped the old educated youth to sell vegetables.
Of course, Comrade Liu Ailing is the only one who can organize such a thing.
The reason is that the new educated youth do not currently have a problem with food, so they should help the old educated youth solve their current difficulties.
She called all the new educated youth except Qiu Zeming and a few others to the educated youth site for a meeting, organized a lively assistance activity, and announced on the spot that Zhou Jiani would lead the team.
Needless to say, she responded positively. Not only did she foolishly help the old educated youth pick vegetables for free all night, but the next day she also led a team, carrying baskets on their backs, to take a bus to the county town to set up a stall at the market.
Who had any experience in small business? Naturally, they didn't sell all the vegetables, so they carried more than half back.
Liu Ailing found a suitable excuse not to go to the market with them, but she did her best to save face. In the evening, she waited at the village entrance with an anxious look on her face. When she saw them, she would go up to them from afar and thank them for their hard work.
Later, when she found that the vegetables were not sold out, she blamed herself for causing trouble for everyone. Her eyes turned red with sadness, and everyone, who were exhausted, had to comfort her.
Then Liu Ailing said that they couldn’t let the old educated youth down, so she suggested that everyone buy it with their own money.
She even criticized Zhou Jiani in public, saying she hadn't led the team well and should reflect on herself. But then she changed the subject and said Zhou Jiani was also trying to help her, so Liu Ailing had to do the reflection herself.
This relaxed and measured transition moved Zhou Jiani so much that she also felt guilty. To apologize, she bought 20 kilograms of it with her own money.
In the end, more than half of it was wasted.
But that incident made Liu Ailing very popular among the old educated youth. Later, she returned to the city earlier than many of the older educated youth, and no one had any objection to it.
It was you who paid the money and worked hard, but Liu Ailing earned all the good reputation.
Thinking of this, Zhou Jiani felt depressed, and a sentence suddenly popped up in her mind: Follow XX's path and leave XX with no way to go.
Just as Han Yang was about to take Wu Lihua away, she inexplicably shouted, "Wait a minute!"
Wu Lihua turned around and raised his eyebrows, thinking that he had to give in in the end.
Zhou Jiani's mind raced as she pondered and said, "How about this? I'll take whatever you have, but I have a few conditions. If you agree, we'll cooperate. If not, forget it."
Han Yang quickly said, "Comrade Zhou, tell me what you have to say."
"Help me apply for an oxcart from the production team so I can go to the market myself. Also, get a certificate for self-production and self-sales. The price of the vegetables cannot be higher than 1.5 cents, and they must be picked and packaged according to my specifications. Don't ask me about my sales methods."
Wu Lihua frowned and said, "One and a half cents is too low. I sell it to Zhao Weiguo at two cents per catty."
Zhou Jiani didn't even glance at him, she just looked at Han Yang and said, "You guys go back and discuss it. If you can agree and get it done, come to me. If not, forget it."
Han Yang asked suspiciously, "How much do you want? What if we can't sell all of it?" He then asked, "Can you drive a cart?"
The other things are easy to deal with, but the team probably won’t agree to give the ox cart to a new educated youth.
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "If I can't sell all the goods, it's my problem. If I can offer to drive the car myself, then I will definitely do it."
Han Yang was skeptical about Zhou Jiani's proposal. He opened his mouth several times, wanting to say that they had sold vegetables at the market before, but there were many fellow villagers selling vegetables at the market, and it would not be easy to sell all of them.
So, he was curious about Zhou Jiani's confidence, and he felt like there were claws scratching in his heart. He really wanted to know, but Zhou Jiani clearly wouldn't tell him, so he had no choice but to say, "I'll go back and discuss it with everyone."
After the two left, Qiu Zeming looked over and didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he said, "If you want to transport it to the provincial capital, I can help you contact the transport team."
This shows that he has a way, and if Zhou Jiani can't solve it, he can help.
"Thank you." Zhou Jiani said with a smile, "Comrade Qiu, please don't refuse me if I need you someday."
Qiu Zeming nodded: "Of course!"
On the other side, Zhao Weiguo and Yan Mancang had just found Liu Ailing who was knocking corn stubble in the field.
"Comrade Liu Ailing is the most enthusiastic person. You can't go wrong with her." Zhao Weiguo brought Yan Mancang to Liu Ailing. Yan Mancang smiled in surprise and said, "Comrade Liu, it turned out to be you. As soon as I saw you, I knew I had found the right person."
This is indeed a kind-hearted comrade!
Liu Ailing smiled warmly and said, "What's wrong? Is there anything I can help you with?"
Zhao Weiguo now knew that the two knew each other, which made things easier for him to talk to. He said without hesitation, "Comrade Ai Ling, this is the case. The old educated youth here..."
He explained the difficulties faced by the old educated youth, mentioning that Wang Changzheng and he had bought ten kilograms of vegetables to support them. Before he could even ask Liu Ailing if she was willing to show her support, she looked at Yan Mancang and said cheerfully, "It's only natural to help comrades in need. I'll take ten kilograms. Oh, and I'll take twenty kilograms. I'll ask for ten kilograms for Comrade Zhou Jiani. You don't have to ask her. I'll advance the money for her."
A touching face flashed through Yan Mancang's mind, and he asked cautiously, "Is this Comrade Zhou Jiani the good friend you mentioned the other day?"
It was also mentioned that she was the most beautiful girl among this group of educated youth.
"That's her," Liu Ailing said with a bright smile, "Comrade Yan hasn't seen her before, has he?"
Yan Mancang's dark face turned slightly red and he nodded.
Zhao Weiguo said unhappily, "Comrade Ai Ling, why do you have to pay for her share?"
Liu Ailing condemned: "Look at what you said. Jiani and I are neighbors and good sisters who grew up together. Why can't I help Jiani pay for it?"
Zhao Weiguo curled his lips and thought to himself that she was an ungrateful person. Liu Ailing helped her all the way on the train, but she didn't seem to be grateful at all.
Yan Mancang completed his task, and even exceeded it. He breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Comrade Liu Ailing, I will go back and pick vegetables for you. When you are done, bring Comrade Zhou to the educated youth camp. I will then help you deliver the vegetables to the villagers' homes."
Liu Ailing simply said yes, then asked curiously, "By the way, Comrade Yan, why don't you grow crops on your private plots?"
If we could grow crops, we wouldn't have to look for new educated youth to help us.
Yan Mancang scratched his head a little embarrassedly. He felt very embarrassed to force the new educated youth to sell vegetables and give them a fixed amount.
This plan was proposed by the people who were most in need of money and food. They just wanted to use their seniority to pressure the new educated youth.
Some people opposed it, but in the end they didn't want to offend those stubborn people, and when they thought about the profit from selling vegetables, they chose to keep quiet.
Meeting Liu Ailing's curious gaze, Yan Mancang said vaguely, "I planted it before, but the harvest was not good, so I switched to growing vegetables."
In fact, it was some people who were short of food who stole from their own land. They did not steal from their own land, but from other educated youth.
There are also people who steal from themselves and then jump out to cry out for justice, like the thief crying "stop thief".
This resulted in everyone's faces being as black as the bottom of a pot during the final harvest, and everyone agreed not to plant crops for the next crop.
As for half grain and half vegetables, some people always feel that the distribution is not equal and that they are at a disadvantage. In the end, they just plant whatever they want and have fewer arguments.
This is what collective life is like, people's qualities are not uniform.
Liu Ailing nodded. During the pause in the conversation, she came up with a plan and said, "Comrade Yan, I have an idea that can help you solve the vegetable problem. Would you like to hear it, Comrade Yan?"
"Listen, of course I have to listen, Comrade Liu, you say!"
Liu Ailing smiled confidently and said, "You want to make up your work points, but you're reluctant to take time off to go to the market. But we don't have that problem right now. So, how about this? I'll go and mobilize everyone. We can meet at the educated youth camp this evening and have a meeting. We can organize the new educated youth to help you sell your vegetables at the market. This will solve your problem without delaying your work points. How do you think?"
The gratitude in Yan Mancang's eyes was almost tangible. He said excitedly: "Comrade Ai Ling, if this works, you will really help us a lot."
Liu Ailing waved her hand and smiled modestly, "I'm not sure if we can mobilize everyone yet, but I believe everyone would welcome the opportunity to help other comrades. So, Comrade Yan, don't rush to pick the vegetables yet; they stay fresher when they're left on the vines. We'll have a meeting tonight and see how things go. What do you think?"
"I think that's wonderful, Comrade Ai Ling. How can we thank you enough?" Yan Mancang shook Liu Ai Ling's hand. "I'll tell the other comrades this good news so that everyone will remember Comrade Ai Ling's kindness."
Yan Mancang even forgot to wait for Zhao Weiguo and ran excitedly to inform others.
Zhao Weiguo frowned. He had already bought vegetables. Did he have to help the old educated youth sell them at the market again? He seemed to disagree, but before he could say anything, Liu Ailing said, "If we can mobilize everyone, we can also take the vegetables you and Wang Changzheng bought to the market and sell them."
Zhao Weiguo felt relieved. He knew that some of the food would be wasted when he bought it, but he was too scared to say anything. Now that Comrade Ailing was able to help him, he said gratefully, "I'm too narrow-minded. Thank you, Comrade Ailing. You've not only solved their problem, but mine as well."
He completely forgot that the market has fixed opening times and you can't go to the market whenever you want.
Liu Ailing said playfully, "Then, Comrade Weiguo, I'll help you solve the problem, so do you have to help me too?"
Zhao Weiguo patted his chest and said, "Comrade Ai Ling, please give me your instructions."
"Please help me notify our new educated youth, especially Jiani. You have to go there in person."
Zhao Weiguo's smile faded, and he said unhappily, "I don't want to go find her."
They had just finished collecting manure a few days ago, and Zhou Jiani was in that bad mood again, so she would definitely make fun of him when the time came.
Liu Ailing said, "Comrade Weiguo, I'm creating an opportunity for you to reconcile with Jiani. If you approach her for personal matters, you might feel embarrassed. Now, we're helping the old educated youth, so this is official business."
Zhao Weiguo thought of Zhou Jiani's ridicule that day and curled his lips. "Forget about reconciliation. I don't want to serve the young lady. But as for official business, I'm willing to go for Comrade Ai Ling."
After saying this, he left in high spirits as if he had received some glorious mission.
Liu Ailing raised the matter to a new height and a new level. The old educated youth were definitely grateful to her, but the new educated youth who received the notice were not in such a good mood and felt something was wrong.
But when it came to the level of assistance, I was embarrassed to say no, so I agreed regardless of whether I was willing or not, but I felt a little uncomfortable.
After notifying Meng Jiandi and the others, Zhao Weiguo found Zhou Jiani and said in a firm tone, "Comrade Zhou, Comrade Ai Ling is so kind to you. She almost paid for ten kilograms of vegetables for you just now. Don't let Comrade Ai Ling down. Going forward, you must fully support her work, understand?"
Zhou Jiani's eyes darkened, she gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, but on the surface she looked puzzled: "My fellow villagers grow their own vegetables. Why did Ailing advance me ten kilograms of vegetables?"
Zhao Weiguo said condescendingly: "Of course it's to help the old educated youth solve their problems. You don't know what the old educated youth are like..."
Zhou Jiani interrupted him, surprised, "Comrade Zhao Weiguo, are you mistaken? That's ten kilograms of vegetables. It's impossible for Ai Ling to make the decision for me without respecting my opinion. You must be slandering Comrade Ai Ling!"
Zhao Weiguo said angrily, "Believe it or not, I will never slander Comrade Ailing even if I slander anyone else. If you don't believe it, go and ask."
Zhou Jiani also said loudly: "You don't have to tell me, I will definitely ask Comrade Ailing."
What the hell? He just paid for her food and asked Zhao Weiguo to make a fuss, thinking that he could promote Liu Ailing's good deeds.
Zhao Weiguo didn't even want to tell Zhou Jiani about the meeting that evening. He turned around and left in anger. He had only taken two steps when he saw Han Yang running towards him, sweating profusely. He said excitedly, "We agree. We all agree..."
Zhao Weiguo's face lit up, and he took two steps forward and said, "I was saying that everyone would have no objection to Comrade Ai Ling's proposal."
His ten kilograms of vegetables should not rot in the box.
Han Yang took a breath and said, "What Comrade Ailing? I said we agreed to Comrade Zhou Jiani's proposal. Comrade Zhou, the captain wants to ask you about this matter. Let's go over there."
Then he added, "Comrade Zhou, I'm almost running myself crazy on this trip. You mustn't lie to us. We agreed to give you the vegetables, and you can't return them if you can't sell them."
Zhou Jiani walked away, saying, "The money and goods have been paid, what are you afraid of?"
Zhao Weiguo was puzzled and chased after him, saying, "Comrade Han, did you make a mistake?"
Han Yang glanced at him in surprise and said, "Who made a mistake? Zhao Weiguo, if you're all right, go back to the educated youth camp and wait. Comrade Zhou Jiani might want to give us a talk soon."
Didn't Comrade Zhou say that the fruits should be picked and packaged according to her specifications? She definitely needs to speak up.
Zhao Weiguo: ...
Zhao Weiguo didn't understand, and neither did Bai Haoyang. He went to Qiu Zeming to ask, "Brother Ming, what advice did you give her?"
Qiu Zeming shook his head: "What advice can I give them?"
He suggested helping to contact the transport team, but Zhou Jiani didn't respond. It seemed that there was another way.
Bai Haoyang scratched his head: "Okay, she can't tell!"
*
Zhou Jiani went to the team leader.
Zhang Baosheng didn't ask Zhou Jiani how she planned to sell the goods. Instead, he put his hands behind his back and led her to the ox cart, saying, "Drive it around so I can see."
Didn't she say she wanted to drive the ox cart to sell vegetables? It was obvious that she didn't want anyone to know her secrets, but if she didn't know how to drive an ox cart, there would be no need to talk about it later.
So, let’s first see if this little girl can drive a car.
Zhou Jiani spent her whole life in the countryside in her previous life. The Wang Bin she met was a lazy man, but she couldn't just live a lazy life. She had to raise children. Not to mention ox carts and horse carts, she even drove a tractor.
On the other side, Liu Ailing was already organizing her speech for the evening meeting. In her opinion, this was a rare opportunity. As long as it was handled well, her popularity among the old educated youth would be secure.
It’s just that she was used to having Zhou Jiani’s cooperation, and now she feels like she’s fighting alone, so she can’t help but feel restrained.
But this time, she was sure she could use Zhou Jiani.
Seeing Zhao Weiguo approaching from a distance, Liu Ailing smiled and said, "Comrade Weiguo, how did the mission go?"
Zhao Weiguo frowned and said, "Ailing, please come with me. Zhou Jiani actually took on all of this. Isn't this deliberately making things difficult for you?"
Liu Ailing's expression changed instantly, and she said sharply, "What do you mean Zhou Jiani took on too much responsibility? Where's Comrade Yan Mancang? You and he can both testify that it was my idea!"
Zhao Weiguo didn't notice Liu Ailing's subconscious and violent reaction. He said, "That's not what you think. She said she could sell all the vegetables ordered by the educated youth, but she put forward many harsh conditions. They should be with the team leader now."
He sneered again: "She is the only one who can sell all the vegetables ordered by the educated youth. Does she know how much vegetables the educated youth ordered? What a boast!"
When Liu Ailing heard that she wasn't occupying her thoughts, she relaxed. Realizing that she had overreacted, she emphasized her tone as if to cover up, "Isn't she just messing around? If she can't sell it and things go wrong, how will she explain it to her? Jiani is really getting more and more willful, doing whatever she wants."
When Liu Ailing followed Zhao Weiguo over and saw Zhou Jiani leisurely driving the ox cart, she stood there as if struck by lightning.
"Oh—" Zhou Jiani pulled the cow to a stop in front of Zhang Baosheng, jumped down and said with a smile, "Captain, Uncle Liu, do I pass the test?"
The car that was test driven was the one that Uncle Liu was responsible for. Although Uncle Liu was not at all confident, he nodded and admitted that Zhou Jiani drove steadily.
Zhang Baosheng hesitated for a moment, then called Zhou Jiani into the house. He didn't ask her specifically about her plans to sell vegetables, but instead asked, "Do you...know anyone in your family who sells vegetables?"
He really couldn't think of any way this girl could sell the vegetables. He stood there for a long time and thought of the grocery store they had worked with.
Production teams with many craftsmen would organize members to make woven products after the autumn harvest, and then contact the sellers to negotiate the price. The sellers would take the products out to sell. A trip might take five or six days, seven or eight days, or even longer. When all the products were sold, they would return to report to the team and count it as the production team's income.
This is a technical job. Others may not be able to sell the goods they bring in, but experienced people will only come back with money.
However, the rules of this industry are also strict. They emphasize the inheritance of knowledge from master to apprentice, and people will swear brotherhood with each other. They are very united, and outsiders cannot easily get in touch with their livelihood.
Although Zhou Jiani did not explicitly state her request, her protective attitude could be seen.
If you know a little bit about selling goods, you will understand.
Zhou Jiani didn't dare to use this as an excuse and shook her head: "No!"
Disappointment flashed in Zhang Baosheng's eyes.
There was no such capable person in their Qianjin Brigade, and if they had goods, they could only find them from other production teams, who would then put a heavy price on them. For the same thing, for example, a three-liter sieve, other production teams would charge fifteen yuan, but they would only give ten yuan from them.
You say you don't need them? They just turn around and leave.
Zhang Baosheng walked back and forth twice, hands behind his back, wanting to speak several times but stopping himself. In the end, he didn't ask, but said, "It's not safe for a girl like you to go to the county alone."
There was no market in the town. At most, there were a row of stalls next to the supply and marketing cooperative, but not many things were sold. He understood that Zhou Jiani's going to the market was going to the county town.
"How about this, find someone to go with you. If you don't want him to go with you to the county town, let him find a place to wait while you go sell vegetables." Zhang Baosheng felt that Zhou Jiani's so-called going to the market was just an excuse, and she must have other channels.
If the two or three hundred kilograms could be sold out in one market, the production teams around the county would have already distributed them.
Furthermore, he was worried about the cows. What if they refused to go halfway? Outsiders didn't take care of their cows as well as farmers did. What if they got tired?
Zhou Jiani pondered.
She didn't plan to drive to the county town by herself. It was too far and unsafe.
No one followed her, so she went to town and sold some of it there. She then started selling some in bulk, focusing on items that were difficult to store first. She would store items like loofah and peppers, which wouldn't last two or three days, and then sell them in bulk the next day.
Her main focus is to get the goods out the door first.
But she was quite excited to have someone accompany her and go to the county town for a stroll.
After thinking for a few seconds, Zhou Jiani nodded: "Okay!"
The market will open the day after tomorrow. Just come tomorrow night to get the letter of introduction and the certificate for self-production and self-sale.
When they came out of the house, seven or eight old educated youth, including Han Yang and Wu Lihua, were waiting outside.
Zhao Weiguo and Liu Ailing were also there. Liu Ailing looked over with a complicated expression and was about to step forward to say something, but Han Yang was even more anxious than her and asked nervously, "Comrade Zhou, what did the captain say?"
They all agreed, and Zhou Jiani promised not to return the goods. Now they are just worried that the captain will hold them back.
Liu Ailing retreated again. If the captain stopped her, she wouldn't have to say anything.
"The captain agrees."
Liu Ailing's breathing was slightly stagnant, and the resentment and anger in her heart almost made her unable to maintain her expression.
Such a good opportunity was ruined by Zhou Jiani.
Han Yang and the others were delighted and invited him, "Comrade Zhou, why don't you go to the educated youth camp tonight and hold a meeting there and tell us about it?"
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "There's really nothing much to say about this. The market opens the day after tomorrow. Everyone will get up at four in the morning to pick, weigh, pack, and load the produce. The payment will be made on the spot."
Wu Lihua asked, "Why do we have to pick them for you?"
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Comrade, let me correct you. You pick the vegetables for yourselves. I'm only responsible for sales and nothing else. By the way, I don't want vegetables that have been picked in advance. I only want those picked the day after tomorrow morning."
As soon as these words came out, Zhao Weiguo had the ugliest expression on his face, and he felt like vomiting.
Now I realize that the show will not be released until the day after tomorrow.
What about the vegetables he dug out?
Liu Ailing felt nauseous and couldn't even adjust her facial expression. She had no reason to question Zhou Jiani. She didn't have the courage to guarantee that she wouldn't return the vegetables if they weren't sold out. She couldn't compete, she really couldn't win, so she just turned around and left.
Zhou Jiani glanced at Liu Ailing's back, then looked away. At the same time, she politely declined the old educated youth's invitation again and went home for dinner.
Zhao Mei had heard about this and asked a few questions with concern. Like Yu Wanxia and the others, she was worried that Zhou Jiani would not be able to sell her vegetables.
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have a way."
After dinner, she went to Zhao Mei to borrow a woven bag and said, "Sister-in-law, I need the woven bag to go out and deliver something to someone."
Zhao Mei thought it was related to the old educated youth, so she quickly gave it to her. Zhou Jiani took about ten pounds of dried beans and went out in a grand manner.
It's a suitable excuse, and there's no need to state it explicitly.
I went out under the cover of night to collect the dried beans and went to Liu Honggang's house in the village to collect sweet potatoes. After inspecting the goods and paying for them, as I was about to leave, Liu Honggang's wife Xu Meiju asked, "Comrade Zhou, I heard you're going to help sell vegetables at the educated youth camp?"
This is no secret; many people in the village have heard about it.
Zhou Jiani said frankly, "Yes, let's give it a try first. Let's see if we can find a market. I'm also crossing the river by feeling the stones. Auntie, I understand what you mean, but because we promised the educated youth camp first, they have a lot of volume, and we don't know if it will be successful. Let's wait and see the results."
Xu Meiju stuffed a handful of melon seeds into Zhou Jiani's pocket and said with a smile, "You young people have quick minds. Help us think of some solutions."
She politely declined Xu Meiju's offer to take her home, went out to collect the sweet potatoes, and went home with the empty bag. She was not idle when she got home, but sat there writing something with the oil lamp lit.
Yu Wanxia and Sun Ping were both very worried about her.
They heard that Zhou Jiani had guaranteed that the items would not be returned if they couldn't be sold. If they really lost money, how much money would they lose?
Yu Wanxia said: "Jiani, do you really not need our help?"
"If we can successfully open up sales channels and need help in the future, I will definitely consider you two first." Zhou Jiani said with a smile.
Sun Ping came over to help her cut the wick. She subconsciously glanced at the notebook and couldn't help but exclaimed, "Jia Ni, what are you...what are you doing? You're not going to give it away, are you? Are you really going to make such a big sacrifice for them?"
"What is it?" Yu Wanxia pulled on her shoes curiously and came over to take a look. She was shocked and said, "Oh my God!"
Zhou Jiani burst out laughing: "Are you two really making such a fuss?"
She simply wrote a few recipes for home-cooked dishes. Of course, these cooking methods are very common in later generations. However, nowadays, many people believe that these are skills that can support a family, but they may not be able to find a way to learn them.
This is the method Zhou Jiani could come up with. She has to actually sell a portion of the products. If it succeeds, it will be counted as her achievement, and the group purchase can be used to support the bottom.
She also made a plan. The day after tomorrow, when she passed by the town, she would go to the state-owned restaurant first. If she could negotiate a deal, that would be the best. If not, she would go to the county town. If the units in the county town also refused to accept her, she would go to the market and buy five kilograms of vegetables and get a menu for free.
Yu Wanxia felt her heart bleed, and said seriously, "No, are you really planning to give these recipes away?"
She watched Zhou Jiani make a list of recipes for steamed pork belly, garlic spinach, steamed loofah with garlic, pumpkin cakes, pickled cabbage, braised noodles with beans, braised spareribs, and squirrel fish...
Zhou Jiani said, "It depends on luck. It would be best if I can clear the level with just one."
Yu Wanxia felt a little distressed and said, "I heard that the old educated youth originally wanted us to help share the burden. Buying ten kilograms each? In fact, we can go to the team leader to complain. There is no need to indulge their bad habits."
Sun Ping also said: "Yeah, I think they are bullying the newbies. It's really ridiculous. The locals don't do this, but they are bullying us first."
Zhou Jiani raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you think I'm doing this for them? If this really helps to boost sales, it will definitely go to the production team."
Sun Ping said, "It makes me feel better than returning to those old educated youth, but what can you get in return for your efforts?"
Can it be exchanged for a step forward?
Zhou Jiani couldn't say that, so she said, "Let the production team earn more money, so that more can be distributed to the members and us."
Well, that explains the situation much better.
"Will they give it to us?" Seeing Sun Ping's eyes widen, Zhou Jiani realized that some people really didn't understand these systems. She said, "Take work points for example. Why are there some places where ten work points are worth 30 or 40 cents, others 70 or 80 cents, and some even more than one yuan? Isn't it all based on how much the production team earns?"
Yu Wanxia and Sun Ping nodded in understanding, but still scolded the old educated youth and went to lie down muttering.
Zhou Jiani continued to write recipes, which she later learned and made from short videos. She couldn’t say that they were copied 100%, but she could remember them roughly.
I wrote a few sentences, joined the group, opened a red envelope, and browsed the content of the current group.
The last group purchase information is for sweatpants, and above that are sneakers, none of which Zhou Jiani can buy.
After flipping through the book again, Zhou Jiani almost complained out loud with regret.
There was a black bean chili sauce, which she could buy, but it showed as sold out.
Silently complaining: "If you don't send it when you are watching, even if you miss it for a moment, it will be unacceptable."
I logged out and entered the group creation page, ready to sell the goods I had accumulated over the past few days.
All photos except the stamps were taken.
The weaving basket was photographed together with the straw hat that day; she photographed the entire process of drying the cowpeas; she took two photos of the sweet potato field of the production team that borrowed the sweet potatoes, and she took two photos of the peanuts, grabbing a handful and putting them in the palm of her hand, and then photographed her hand as well.
Now all we need to do is fill in the photo of the stamp.
This one is small, and there is no need to worry about disturbing Sun Ping and Yu Wanxia who are lying on the kang and chatting quietly.
The stamps from the 1970s, the worn tables and chairs, and a dim oil lamp, turned out surprisingly well in the photos, like a blockbuster movie.
After taking the photos, she began to edit the content one by one.
[Farmer-made bulk dried cowpeas, cooked in salt water and then naturally sun-dried, limited to 13 pieces, special price 29.8/
500g.
[This rustic, hand-woven storage basket is meticulously woven by traditional craftsmen. It's in its natural, unpainted, natural color. It's safe to use. Limited-time purchase, priced at 11.9 per piece.]
[Nostalgic authentic old stamps from the 1970s, well-preserved, brand new, absolutely authentic, random designs, group price 10.9/sheet.]
[Homegrown peanuts, large and plump, with few leftovers. It's a special treat to come across them. The group price is 15.9/pack, 1000g.]
[Old variety white sweet potatoes are now on sale, featuring large fruits. Today's special price is 9.9/5 kg. Quantities are limited, first come first served. It will definitely taste like what you remember.]
After editing the information, Zhou Jiani set the order of sending, opening the storage basket first, followed by the dried cowpeas ten minutes later, then the sweet potatoes and peanuts, and finally the stamps.
She mainly lacks confidence in stamps.
That’s not the case. She was worried that the customers in the group would not have confidence in the authenticity of the stamps.
Just produce as many as you can.
It was still a five-yuan red envelope. When she sent the red envelope, a picture of a string of crayfish happened to pass by in the group. This was a reopened group, and it had been reopened several times, and the sales were very good.
Zhou Jiani swallowed, closed her palms and waited for two minutes before opening them again. Good, the crayfish had been knocked away and her basket was sold out.
The dried cowpeas would have to wait a while, so she wrote something first.
Zhou Jiani is having a lot of fun here.
Far away at home in the provincial capital, Yu Huifang finished her meal and sent her twin sons out to play before solemnly announcing, "Nini's letter has arrived."
This should have been a cause for celebration for the whole family, but Yu Huifang felt very upset when she thought that she might owe the Liu family a favor because of this letter.
She received the letter in the afternoon, but she didn't dare say a word or read it, for fear that her silly daughter would write all about how great Liu Ailing was, and she would have a heart attack.
In addition to the letter, there is also a parcel list. I plan to pick it up tomorrow at noon and send the letter and parcel to my daughter at the same time.
Jiang Xinfeng urged impatiently: "What did Nini write? Read it to me quickly." She could not read.
Seeing Yu Huifang's serious expression, Zhou Wanli said jokingly, "It's not that serious. This is a letter from my daughter, not a bomb."
Yu Huifang said unhappily, "It might be scarier than a bomb."
Even though he said that, he still carefully tore open the envelope.
Zhou Jiani wrote this letter with great care. She apologized to her family for her willfulness and then talked about what she had seen and heard along the way.
Of course, I skipped over the content she wrote.
Next, he shared the customs and culture of the Qianjin Brigade with his family. He also mentioned Huihui's family, Yu Wanxia and Sun Ping, as well as the work situation in the letter.
He didn't complain or feel tired, and seemed to be enjoying it.
Yu Huifang had been reading the letter with a nervous ache, but the more she read, the more relaxed she became, as a rural scene seemed to unfold before her eyes.
However, she suddenly thought of something, her heart tightened, and she looked up with a suspicious expression and asked, "Did our Nini write this?"
The handwriting is their daughter's, but it is totally not their daughter's style not to complain or feel tired.
Yu Huifang said worriedly, "Did something happen to our Nini? Or did that girl from the Liu family teach her to write like this?"
This is too sensible, so sensible that it makes them nervous.
Zhou Wanli was still reading, saying, "Finish reading first." Then his eyes paused, his expression instantly serious. He glanced at the three lines and confirmed them several times before looking up and whispering, "Nini actually said in the letter that she and Liu Ailing are no longer friends, and she needs to think about some things carefully. She also said..."
She simply whispered, "But don't worry, Mom and Dad. I just realized something and feel that Liu Ailing is too thoughtful, so I plan to stay away from her. As for the Liu family, I hope Mom and Dad can just give them some face, but don't get too close to them."
Yu Huifang snatched the letter away, read it quickly, and then she patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief, finally feeling relieved.
Zhou Wanli frowned. He felt that his daughter might have really encountered something, otherwise she would not be so clear-headed.
Jiang Xinfeng quickly urged the couple to read the whole thing to her in a low voice. She nodded repeatedly after listening and said, "When you reply, ask Nini if Liu Ailing has persuaded her to contact us."
Yu Huifang said with a straight face, "Yes, I have to ask."
She began to write letters to her daughters, interspersed with several passages of Jiang Xinfeng's and Zhou Wanli's oral narrations, as well as some words she had added on her own initiative to express her twin sons' longing for their sister.
She had already packed the books her daughter wanted, and went to pick up the package the next day, and sent the letter and package out at the same time.
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