Chapter 55

Huang Shengnan didn't understand why they had to go to Chiqing District. Although it was bigger than Chicheng, she was unfamiliar with the place and didn't know how to get around.

"I originally planned to mingle with everyone as an ordinary person, but I ended up with a counterfeit. I won't pretend anymore; I want to be a teacher and educate everyone properly." Li Dong, carrying a backpack, bought two train tickets.

The tickets cost fifty cents, and Huang Shengnan felt a bit heartache. If they had taken a tractor or a donkey cart, it would have been at least twenty cents cheaper.

"It's too late, let's go."

On the bus, there was only one seat left, which Li Dong gave to Huang Shengnan, while he leaned against the side. Chicheng County was about thirty kilometers from Chiqing District, and they had to cross the Yangtze River.

It took over an hour to reach the district. It was Li Dong's first time there, and he noticed there were many more bicycles, and occasionally, he could see small cars and trucks, which was different from Chicheng, where most vehicles were donkey carts.

"Let's take a walk."

Huang Shengnan was completely confused about what Li Dong was planning. The two of them carried their large backpacks and walked around the streets.

"What should we do now?" Huang Shengnan was full of questions.

"Let's see how it goes."

Li Dong noticed that there were more speculators in Chiqing than in Chicheng, and almost all of them were young. "Let's go meet our peers."

"I'll teach everyone what wholesale means today."

Wholesale would only start after 1983 when individual economies began to slowly emerge. For now, everyone was still hiding, and speculation was a serious crime.

"Wholesale?" Huang Shengnan was puzzled, not understanding what it meant.

"Exactly, wholesale. Watch me, I'm Liu Dehua from Huacheng."

Li Dong had already chosen his target. This guy looked sharp, and after a few rounds, Li Dong found out that this guy knew many people. More than half of the speculators in the area knew this sharp guy.

Li Dong thought, this guy is interesting.

"Hello...?"

Li Dong spoke in a Huacheng accent, asking for directions. Jin Shui was thinking about whether to buy more sunflower seeds and peanuts when a strange voice suddenly rang in his ear, startling him.

"What did you say?"

"Hello."

Jin Shui didn't understand, which was good. Li Dong gave Huang Shengnan a look, and she quickly responded, "Hello, hello. Our boss is from Huacheng and came to Feicheng for a trade fair. A relative here asked us to stop by and ask for directions."

"Huacheng?"

Jin Shui actually knew this place. He had heard it was close to Hong Kong and that people there were relatively wealthy. He sized up the two of them: Li Dong was wearing a wristwatch, a neat Zhongshan suit, and a small beard, while Huang Shengnan was wearing glasses and dressed very neatly.

Jin Shui thought, it's his lucky day to meet a leader from Huacheng. Looking at their attire, he might be able to make some money from them.

"Tell me the address, I know this area well."

Li Dong casually mentioned an address, a future one, which confused Jin Shui. "Do we have such a place in Chiqing District?"

"Ah, maybe it's been too long."

Li Dong sighed, speaking in the Chiqing dialect. Jin Shui realized this Huacheng boss was actually from Chiqing. "Forget it, maybe it's no longer there."

"But what should we do with so many things? We can't take them back."

Huang Shengnan played along, and Li Dong thought she was doing a great job.

"Just sell them."

"Sell?"

Jin Shui became interested. When asked what they were selling, he learned it was a few pieces of clothing, including的确良 (polyester) shirts and some autumn outfits. Jin Shui liked the items.

"Boss, how much are these?"

"Sell, if you like them, I'll wholesale them to you."

Li Dong said, "Usually, department stores buy them for about nine yuan and eighty cents each. If you want them, I'll give you eight yuan and fifty cents each."

Eight yuan and fifty cents. Jin Shui calculated that department stores usually sold polyester shirts for eleven or twelve yuan, so he would make a profit.

"If you want all of them, I can give you a better price."

Jin Shui thought, of course, he would take all of them. A cheaper price, making three or four yuan per shirt, would be a no-brainer. "I'll take five."

"Five?"

Li Dong smiled. "Usually, when I negotiate with factories, the minimum wholesale is three to five thousand pieces. This is the first time for five pieces. Let's say, I don't want to take them back, so I'll give you eight yuan and thirty cents for five pieces. If you take ten, I'll give you another thirty cents off, making it eight yuan each."

Wholesale, three to five thousand pieces, this must be a big factory. The boss was generous, and he immediately gave a discount of two mao, saving one yuan for five pieces. For ten pieces, he would save five yuan. Jin Shui was tempted.

"Leader, how many do you have in total? If I take all of them, can you give me a better price?"

"That's not possible. Eight yuan is the cost price. If you help me sell them all, I'll give you a two mao rebate per piece."

Wholesale and rebate, these were powerful tools. Jin Shui was hooked.

"Leader, wait here, I'll find some people."

Forget forty pieces, Jin Shui couldn't afford ten, but that didn't stop him from selling all the clothes. He had many friends, and this was a great opportunity to make money.

Jin Shui ran off, and Li Dong thought the deal was almost done.

Wholesale and rebate, these were powerful tools, and Jin Shui was hooked.

"Let's go rest over there."

"What, we're not selling clothes anymore?"

"The bait is out, let's wait."

Li Dong smiled, thinking he had chosen the right person. Unless Jin Shui was an undercover agent, which was unlikely in this chaotic time.

"Let's wait here for a while. Don't worry, in less than half an hour, we'll sell the clothes."

Jin Shui quickly contacted his friends, but instead of being a Huacheng leader visiting his hometown, he became Li Dong's uncle. "Eight yuan and fifty cents each, but I told my uncle I can get them for two mao cheaper."

"Are you sure they are polyester?"

"Let's each take five pieces."

"Okay."

They pooled the money for ten pieces, eighty-three yuan, with Jin Shui borrowing some. "My uncle is shy, wait here, I'll be right back."

"Here."

Huang Shengnan had been watching the road. Seeing Jin Shui coming, she walked out and waved. "Over here."

"Leader, what should I call you?"

"Liu Dehua."

Li Dong smiled, thinking this guy might not be up to the task.

Jin Shui, seeing Li Dong, remained calm and took out eighty yuan. "Leader Liu, ten pieces first, my friends want to see the goods."

"Okay."

Li Dong smiled, gave Jin Shui two yuan back, and said, "Here you go."

"Ah?"

Rebate, Jin Shui learned the true meaning of the word, feeling excited. He had already made three yuan and now got two yuan in rebate. Money came so fast.

Jin Shui's eyes showed eagerness. If he could sell all the clothes, he could make twenty yuan. Thinking of making twenty yuan a day, Jin Shui was trembling with excitement.

"Jin Shui is back."

"Quick, take a look."

A few young men in the alley eagerly took the clothes. "Yes, they are polyester, and the styles are new and beautiful."

"How many more?"

"Thirty more pieces."

Jin Shui said, "And fourteen sets of autumn clothes."

"Want to do it?"

"Let's do it. We'll sell them for ten yuan each, no cloth tickets needed. Many people will buy them."

"Right, right."

After a quick discussion, they decided to buy the goods first. Li Dong and Huang Shengnan quickly left the area, with Li Dong's backpack now empty.

Li Dong's pocket had over five hundred yuan, and Huang Shengnan couldn't believe it. The clothes were sold so quickly, and they did almost nothing, just pretending to ask for directions.

"Let's go."

Li Dong wasn't sure if Jin Shui would realize he was a fake leader, but even if he did, it didn't matter. Making money was the goal, regardless of where the clothes came from.

"Let's eat first."

Although they didn't need cloth tickets, Li Dong still asked for some grain tickets, giving a simple reason: they were running out. Jin Shui didn't need to believe it; he just wanted the clothes.

"Shall we go back?"

Huang Shengnan felt uneasy about the district, especially after the last incident. Carrying so much money, they could encounter a robber.

"Since we're here, let's buy some things. It's Mid-Autumn Festival today."

Li Dong took off his coat and removed his beard. Huang Shengnan followed, taking off her glasses. Jin Shui wouldn't recognize them now. "Let's go."

At a state-owned restaurant, Li Dong ordered three dishes and a soup, being generous.

It was the district and Mid-Autumn Festival, so no one paid much attention, thinking they were a young couple on a date. After eating, they went to the department store.

The four-story department store was much bigger than the one in Chicheng. Li Dong found some Maotai. "Comrade, a bottle of Maotai."

"Eight yuan, are you sure you want to buy it?"

The salesperson's attitude wasn't great, working on Mid-Autumn Festival. "Sure, I'll take all of them."

"Ha ha."

The salesperson laughed. "Each person is limited to two bottles."

This was Chiqing District. In some places, the limit was one bottle, and sometimes special tickets were required. Li Dong was lucky to be limited to two bottles.

"Two bottles, then. Invoice, please."

Two bottles of Maotai from 1975, sixteen yuan plus the alcohol ticket. Huang Shengnan thought Li Dong was crazy, spending eight yuan on a bottle of alcohol.

"What's so good about such expensive alcohol?"

"Many good things."

Li Dong smiled mysteriously. In forty years, this bottle would be worth at least fifty thousand yuan. "Let's go to the second-hand market."

The district had a second-hand market, and Li Dong planned to try his luck, hoping to find something good. He did find something. "I'll take these two chairs."

"Fifteen yuan."

"So expensive, what kind of chairs are these?"

Huang Shengnan thought these dark chairs weren't worth fifteen yuan, not even five, or even one. But Li Dong paid the worker.

"Let's go."

Huang Shengnan thought Li Dong was crazy, spending fifteen yuan on two old chairs. The chairs weren't broken, and Li Dong, though not an expert in furniture, knew they were heavy and made of good wood, so fifteen yuan was a good deal.

Back at the station, the driver saw Li Dong carrying the chairs and stopped him. "No, no, chairs can't be brought on."

"Driver, I'll pay an extra ten cents."

"Okay, just don't block anyone."

"Don't worry, I won't."

Li Dong thought, money talks. With over five hundred yuan, he was rich.

They returned to Chicheng around two in the afternoon. Li Dong wanted to buy some pork, but it was sold out. Fortunately, there was mutton, so he bought some.

For hot pot, Li Dong saw Huang Shengnan celebrating alone. "Why don't you join us for the festival? I have some mooncakes, and we can have a mutton hot pot for dinner."

Huang Shengnan's mouth watered at the mention of mooncakes and mutton hot pot. "Won't I be a bother to you and Xiaojuan?"

"Not at all."

"Okay, I'll help you carry the chairs."

They bought some other things. Li Dong hung the two bottles of Maotai and some pastries around his neck, carried half a pound of meat dumplings in his pocket, and the chairs on his shoulder, which were very heavy.

They returned to the commune around four in the afternoon, and with a ride, they finally got back to Hanzhuang around five.

"Xiaojuan."

"Xiaoyi."

"What are you doing?"

A few kids were playing with something. Li Dong was curious.

"Torches."

"Uncle, did you borrow grain from the city?"

"Ha ha," Huang Shengnan couldn't help but laugh.

"I did, I'll go to the supply cooperative to pick it up when I have time." Li Dong thought he should bring some rice or flour next time.

"Hey, what's going on? Two hundred and five, how did it become three hundred and thirty-five?" Li Dong hadn't checked the screen for a few days.

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