Chapter 240: Great Wealth
Noon.
Sui Feng Restaurant.
Bu Zhongshi and his childhood friend Bu Dajun were helping to clean the tables. This wasn't their first time doing so.
Ever since Bu Zhongshi followed his uncle's advice and brought Bu Dajun to the county town to learn how to drive, the two had been eating at the restaurant regularly.
While it was fine to eat there once or twice, doing so every day would be embarrassing, even for Bu Zhongshi, let alone Bu Dajun, who wasn't directly related to the family.
So, starting the next day, Bu Dajun began helping with tasks like serving dishes, fetching wine, and cleaning tables. This made him feel more comfortable about eating there.
Bu Zhongshi and Bu Dajun weren't the only ones doing this. Deng Changdong and his mother, who had come to the county town to accompany Ou Guofang during her pregnancy, also helped out at the restaurant. As honest rural folks, they couldn't bring themselves to eat for free every day and naturally pitched in.
With the help of these new hands, the two waiters, Zhang Wenjuan and Zhang Wenying, and the sisters-in-law, Zhang Xiuping and Deng Yunzhen, had much more free time than usual.
After the lunch rush, Ou Guofang, who was sitting at the cash register chatting with Zhang Xiuping, suddenly felt a sharp pain.
This was several days earlier than Changdong's mother had predicted, which panicked Deng Changdong. "How come it's several days early? Is this considered premature labor?"
Changdong's mother laughed and scolded, "What premature labor? I just gave an approximate date based on experience. It's normal to be a few days early. Don't just stand there! Support your wife and get ready to go to the hospital!"
Deng Changdong snapped out of his daze and hurried over to help his wife.
Zhang Xiuping gave them a few instructions and then accompanied them to the maternal and child health center.
...
Capital City.
East Wind Market.
In a private room of a teahouse, two men and one woman sat drinking tea.
One of them was Zhou Shengli, the owner of Ruyi Fresh Fruit Shop.
The other middle-aged man, about the same age as Zhou Shengli and looking well-off, was Wang Dadan, the owner of a hardware store in East Wind Market.
The woman, in her thirties and dressed fashionably, was Tian Chunzhi, the owner of a fashion store in East Wind Market.
After the waiter left, Tian Chunzhi asked, "Lao Zhou, you called us here saying you have a big business to discuss. What is it? Can you tell us now?"
Zhou Shengli took a sip of tea and said, "Old Wang, Miss Tian, I've come across the biggest business opportunity of my life. If it goes well, it could make us extremely wealthy. I called you two here because I want to share this opportunity with you, so you won't say I'm not a good friend."
Hearing this, Wang Dadan and Tian Chunzhi exchanged glances.
Tian Chunzhi looked at Zhou Shengli and said, "Lao Zhou, you're not joking, are you?"
Zhou Shengli replied, "Do you think I'm joking?"
Wang Dadan asked, "Lao Zhou, don't keep us in suspense. What kind of big business is this?"
"Before we talk business, let me show you something."
Zhou Shengli took out a bunch of longans from his briefcase, placed them on the table, and said, "You both know what this is, right?"
Wang Dadan shrugged. "It's just longan. What's so special about it?"
Tian Chunzhi, however, was more observant. "This longan looks incredibly fresh!"
Seeing that neither of them had connected the big business to the longans, Zhou Shengli wasn't surprised. If Boss Deng hadn't explicitly mentioned the longans when they first met, he wouldn't have thought of it either.
After all, longans had never been transported to the capital from thousands of miles away before.
Zhou Shengli cut to the chase. "Old Wang, Miss Tian, the big business I'm talking about is related to these longans. Why don't you try one and see how fresh they are?"
Wang Dadan and Tian Chunzhi, both sharp businesspeople, immediately realized the implications. They each picked a longan and tasted it.
"So sweet!"
"So fresh!"
Tian Chunzhi looked at Zhou Shengli. "Lao Zhou, were these longans flown in from the south?"
Zhou Shengli shook his head. "I don't know how they got here, but I can get a large quantity of these fresh longans. Do you want to join me in this unique business?"
Wang Dadan, though tempted, remained calm. "Lao Zhou, what's the purchase price for these longans?"
Zhou Shengli answered frankly, "The purchase price is 2 yuan per kilogram."
Tian Chunzhi, though not in the fresh fruit business, understood that 2 yuan per kilogram for such fresh longans wasn't expensive, considering the transportation costs from thousands of miles away.
"Lao Zhou, you said you could get a large quantity. How much are we talking about?"
Zhou Shengli replied, "Around 63 tons. If you're interested, we can pool our resources to buy the entire lot. With my experience in selling fruit, we can retail these longans at 2.5 to 3 yuan per kilogram.
If we sell all of them, the minimum profit will be nearly 100,000 yuan. I'll take 40%, and you each take 30%, meaning each of you could earn at least 20,000 to 30,000 yuan.
Earning 20,000 or 30,000 in just a few days—isn't that a fortune?"
At this moment, Wang Dadan and Tian Chunzhi's hearts raced. They had seen 20,000 or 30,000 yuan before, but that was their life savings accumulated over many years.
Now, a business opportunity that could earn them that much in just a few days was right in front of them. How could they not be tempted?
However, both were seasoned businesspeople and knew the importance of staying calm in such situations.
Tian Chunzhi took a deep breath. "Lao Zhou, I admit I'm tempted, but with 63 tons, can we really sell all of it in a few days? That's a question worth considering.
If we succeed, the profits will be huge. But if we can't sell them and they spoil, the losses will be significant."
Wang Dadan agreed. "Lao Zhou, based on your experience, do you think we can sell that many longans in such a short time?"
Zhou Shengli analyzed, "I think it's possible. This is the first time longans have appeared in the Beijing market. Many people here have heard of them but never tasted them.
At 2.5 to 3 yuan per kilogram, they're more expensive than other fruits, but I believe many will be willing to pay for the experience.
Selling 63 tons in East Wind Market alone would be challenging, but if we partner up and involve our relatives and friends, we can distribute them across ten or even twenty points.
This way, each point only needs to sell a few thousand kilograms.
If we spread the sales over several days, each point only needs to sell a few hundred kilograms daily. We can even reduce the price later if needed. The pressure won't be too great."
Tian Chunzhi nodded. "Lao Zhou, you're right. This is a unique opportunity. With Beijing's population, even if only one in a hundred people is willing to buy, we can easily sell this batch.
Even if some spoil, at worst, we break even. Compared to the potential profits, the risk is worth taking."
Wang Dadan also thought it over and agreed. "I think this business is worth doing."
Zhou Shengli smiled. "Since you both agree, let's talk about the investment ratio. The total purchase price is about 250,000 yuan. Each of you will take 30%, meaning you'll need to invest around 76,000 yuan. I'll take 40%, so I'll invest a little over 100,000 yuan. Is that okay?"
Wang Dadan and Tian Chunzhi responded in unison, "No problem!"
Zhou Shengli nodded. "Time is of the essence. Every minute we delay, the longans lose freshness. We need to act quickly. The money must be ready by tomorrow morning. Is that doable?"
Tian Chunzhi immediately said, "No problem on my end. I'll go back and gather the funds."
Wang Dadan added, "I'll raise the money even if I have to sell some assets."
Zhou Shengli chuckled. "Enough with the drama. I know how much wealth you both have. It's not easy for me to come up with over 100,000 yuan either. I'll need to borrow some."
Wang Dadan joked, "Lao Zhou, if you're feeling the pressure, you can give me and Miss Tian your 10%. We're willing to take on a bit more."
Tian Chunzhi laughed. "Old Wang is right. If you're under too much pressure, Lao Zhou, we don't mind helping you out."
Zhou Shengli shot them a look. "Don't even think about it. If you dare covet my share, I'll kick you out."
"Boss Zhou, I was wrong!"
"I won't do it again!"
After some light-hearted banter, the three discussed the details.
About half an hour later, they left the teahouse to gather the necessary funds.
End of Chapter.