CH 75.2

“We used a lot of things at home during the New Year. I’ll go to the town to buy some salt, candy, snacks and so on. When I come back, I’ll make sure that the villagers will know of our grocery shop.” Li Changfeng was so excited that he was ready to change his clothes and go to town.

Just when he was about to pull the donkey cart, Xu Qing stopped him: “By the way, when it comes to candy, why don’t you go to Wang’s shop and see that kid who wants to marry our brother.”

Li Changfeng’s heart moved, isn’t that a good excuse to meet that guy, “Okay, then I’ll take a look. Be careful by yourself at home.”

Xu Qing said angrily: “What do you mean by myself, I have Tuantuan here too.”

Li Changfeng grinned, pulled the donkey cart out of the courtyard gate, and headed for the town.

Li Changfeng wandered around town for a few laps, and after finding the Wang family candy shop mentioned by Li Xiao’er, he stepped in.

The business of the candy store is very good. Wang Lei can’t manage it alone, so he asked his father old man Wang to help. This New Year, many people are buying candy, Li Changfeng looked around inside the store and found Wang Lei who was packing candies for a middle aged ger.

He didn’t rush forward to talk, but stood aside and quietly listened to what Wang Lei said.

“Lin Ama, a total of forty-seven coppers. Since it’s the New Year, I will give you an auspicious number, you can just give me forty-six coppers, and by the way, I will take this opportunity to wish you to have good health and safety for many years to come!” Wang Lei said and laughed, his sweet mouth made Lin Ama to be in a good mood, so he happily gave 46 coppers and went out with candies.

Wang Lei smiled and went to deal with the next customer. He was still smiling, and paying homage to the other person for the New Year, but what he said was not superficial, which made people feel comfortable and not feeling disgusted.

After listening for a while, Li Changfeng felt that this man was smart with his mouth and fast on his feet, and his way of doing business was admirable. Soon, after the flow of people in the store decreased, Li Changfeng walked directly to Wang Lei, “Brother, how much is a pound of candy?”

Wang Lei gave Li Changfeng a New Year’s gift and said with a smile, “It’s all twelve coppers a pound, and the price is fair. How many do you want?”

Li Changfeng thought about it for a while. He was afraid that if he buys too little, only to find the products here sold out later when he was to restock, so he decided to buy more, “I want this many, how much will it be?”

Li Changfeng stretched out five fingers and shook it in front of Wang Lei.

Wang Lei is also somewhat knowledgeable, so naturally he doesn’t think Li Changfeng wants five pounds, “You want five kilograms?”

Li Changfeng nodded, and when Old Man Wang heard it, he felt excited: this is a big order! But he didn’t speak out rashly. He was confident that his son knew how to do business.

Li Changfeng originally wanted five hundred kilograms, but he was afraid that he would not be able to sell it at home after buying that many, so he nodded along with Wang Lei’s words, “Five kilograms first, if there is a chance, I may ask for more.” It also depends on how well he sells these to the villagers.

Wang Lei nodded, “Then I’ll give you nine coppers a pound. I wish you and your family a long and happy life!”

Li Changfeng smiled upon hearing this, this wish, he liked it! “Thank you! Then, please give me two taels of silver worth!”

“Good! Please wait, we’ll find a sturdy and easy-to-use bag for you to carry back.” Wang Lei and old man Wang started packing the candies Li Changfeng ordered.

Looking at Wang Lei’s quick work, Li Changfeng was satisfied with this person in his heart. If Wang Lei dared to treat little brother badly, Li Changfeng also had a way to deal with him! Do not forget what happened to Ma Fugui.

Ma Fugui, who was suffocating in the grocery store at this time, sneezed, “which little widow is thinking about me again?!” Ma Fugui rubbed his nose, thinking of the Gao family widow he met last night, his heart warmed. The fat and ugly ger at home made him lose his appetite in bed, but he had to force himself. It made him nauseous, but fortunately there were good dishes waiting for him outside.

Thinking like this, Ma Fugui was secretly excited, but the next moment he became depressed again. If he hadn’t divorced Xie Yu, he wouldn’t have ended up like this, alas!

***

When Li Changfeng returned home, he placed the candy, salt, and seasonings he bought in the grocery shop. “There are more than 200 catties of candy. I paid nine coppers per pound. These are usually sold for twelve coppers a pound. We can sell for fourteen coppers. The villagers’ donkey cart ride to and from the town costs six coppers, so it’s not a loss for them.”

Xu Qing nodded; the other retailers would also add two or three coppers in the final selling price anyway. After organizing the goods, Li Changfeng went to the village to find someone who wrote couplets for the villagers to write a small signboard, and came back and hung it on the window of the grocery store.

Afterwards, he deliberately went to Wei’s house, Wu’s house, and other places for a walk. At the end of his trip, the whole village became aware that Li Changfeng and Xu Qing had opened a small grocery store selling some trivial things. You can start buying now, and the price is only two coppers more expensive than in town. If you go to town by the donkey cart, it costs three coppers, not to mention a waste of time making this trip. So, as soon as Xu Qing and Li Changfeng finished sorting everything out, villagers began to show up.

“Whoa, there’s candy! My relatives are coming in the afternoon. They will bring their children! Give me two kilograms of candy!” The person who spoke was Mei Ama, who lives next to Lizheng’s house. His son lives in town. As a part-time worker, pay is decent, and life is good.

Xu Qing nodded immediately, weighed the order quickly, and put a handful of candy in the hand of the two-year-old child brought by Mei Ama, but Mei Ama quickly declined. Xu Qing said with a smile, “You are our shop’s first customer. It’s not much to patronize our guests, so please accept it.”

Mei Ama grinned happily hearing this, handed the money to Xu Qing, took the child, picked up the package of candies, and left contentedly. On the way, he met the villagers who were walking to Xu’s house, and he even mentioned his experience at the shop, which made the villagers even more curious.

With the first one, there is the second one. Just one afternoon, and there are only more than fifty kilograms of candy left, and the other goods also sold very well, there are only half left. Xu Qing smiled with joy, the first day of business went so smoothly!

In the evening, the two of them counted the money. After deducting the cost, they earned five hundred coppers, which is half a tael of silver. Li Changfeng decided to go to town tomorrow to pull a big load back, and the price could be cut a little more.

“By the way, you met that Wang Lei, how is he?” Xu Qing recalled this serious matter about the little brother Li, and asked Li Changfeng who was teasing Tuantuan.

Li Changfeng pinched the tip of Tuantuan’s nose, thinking of Wang Lei whom he met earlier, “he seems like a good guy, doing things swiftly, nimble, and very thoughtful. I think he is quite acceptable.”

“But what I saw was him as a businessman. How he is when not doing business, that I’m not sure. Shall I let him come over and then come to a conclusion?” Li Changfeng made a rare joke, and Xu Qing, who was in a great mood, didn’t know what to say.

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind if you do, right, Tuantuan?” Xu Qing hugged Tuantuan and poked hi small forehead. Li Changfeng smiled indulgently, and whispered in Xu Qing’s ear, “Aren’t you afraid of staying in the empty room by yourself?”