Chapter 13: Persuading Grandpa

Fang Mingyuan, who had successfully bought the monkey stamps, felt as if he was floating all the way home. In his previous life, when he first paid attention to the monkey stamps, it was already the late 1990s, by which time the price of a single stamp had risen to over a thousand yuan. By 2007, a sheet of monkey stamps was enough to buy a house in a second-tier city. Now, in Fang Mingyuan's eyes, the thick stack of stamps in Fang Bin's hands was equivalent to a pile of cash in the future! This was far more lucrative than keeping money in the bank!

"I must persuade Grandpa to buy as many as possible! I won't stop until I've bought all the monkey stamps!" This was the only thought in Fang Mingyuan's mind. He was so engrossed that he didn't even realize how he got home. After hiding the stamps, Fang Mingyuan frowned, pondering how to persuade his family.

The key to this matter lay with Grandpa and Grandma! Fang Mingyuan quickly made this judgment. Although his father, Fang Sheng, and mother, Bai Ping, loved him, they wouldn't have the courage to handle such a large sum of money.

"Ah..." Fang Mingyuan sighed helplessly. Damn it, a few hundred yuan is now considered a large sum, which is really hard for him to adapt to, given his future annual income of tens of thousands.

"Are you worried now? Why didn't you think about it earlier?" Fang Bin, mistaking his nephew's worry for how to explain the expense to his brother and sister-in-law, said with a hint of schadenfreude.

"Who's worried about that? I'm thinking about how to get more money to buy all the monkey stamps!" Fang Mingyuan rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Money! Why am I so poor!"

"You want to buy more?" Although Fang Bin had guessed that Fang Mingyuan might continue to invest in the monkey stamps, hearing it from the person himself was different. He was taken aback, "Xiao Yuan, what do you need so many stamps for?"

"Of course, to make money!" Fang Mingyuan, holding his head, said without looking up, "Such a good opportunity won't come again! But where can I get the money?"

"Make money?" Fang Bin hesitated, "I've heard that collecting stamps can make money, but it doesn't seem as fast as selling buns."

"Hmph, if you weren't my uncle, I'd call you short-sighted. Do you believe me, in no more than three years, these stamps will be worth thirty times their current value!" Fang Mingyuan said with a tone of disdain. At this moment, he no longer cared about pretending to be a child; his mind was solely focused on how to persuade Grandpa to invest in the monkey stamps.

Fang Bin found it hard to believe. Thirty times? That would mean the stamps would be worth 1,500 yuan in three years! That's enough for a worker to earn without spending for five to six years! He had thought Fang Mingyuan was just excited, as children often are, wanting something desperately but discarding it once they get bored. He didn't try to stop Fang Mingyuan's "foolishness" because he loved him and thought it wouldn't hurt to have some stamps, which could be used for mailing letters or even sold. Now, hearing Fang Mingyuan's words, he was intrigued.

"Uncle, go clean that bucket. Let me think about how to get the money from Grandpa." Fang Mingyuan waved his hand listlessly.

"Is Xiao Yuan really saying this?" When Fang Bin recounted the conversation to Grandpa in private, Grandpa, who had been laughing at Fang Mingyuan's "strange words," was moved. After the bun-selling incident, Grandpa was perhaps the most confident in Fang Mingyuan in the family. He believed his grandson wasn't one to speak without thinking. The bun business had proven that Fang Mingyuan had good judgment; in just over a month, the family's bun business was thriving, and the income was substantial. Fang Bin, who had initially been resistant to selling buns, would now be unhappy if asked to work in a factory.

"That's right! Xiao Yuan was very clear. In no more than three years, the stamps will be worth thirty times their current value!" Fang Bin said firmly. This was such a crucial matter; he wouldn't forget it.

Grandpa nodded slightly. Although he didn't know why Fang Mingyuan was so sure, it was clear that Fang Mingyuan wasn't just talking nonsense. Grandpa, with his years of experience, had a good eye for people.

When Fang Mingyuan arrived, he didn't realize that Grandpa already knew the whole story. Sitting in front of Grandpa, he was somewhat nervous, fearing a refusal.

"There is indeed some idle money at home, but you need to give Grandpa a good reason to invest it in stamps," Grandpa said seriously, "This money is the hard-earned savings of your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents. We can't just hand it over to you without a clear reason."

Fang Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief. It was better to discuss it than to avoid it. He believed his silver tongue could persuade Grandpa. He took Grandpa's hand and said, "Grandpa, here's what I think. The monkey stamp is the first zodiac stamp issued in our country, giving it an inherent advantage over other stamps. You know, there's a recent craze for stamp collecting in the cities. I believe that such a special stamp will be highly sought after in the future. According to my information, only five million monkey stamps were issued nationwide. As the saying goes, rarity is valuable. This small number of stamps can't meet the enthusiasm of stamp collectors. Therefore, I believe the value will definitely rise."

Grandpa nodded lightly, "Are there other reasons?"

"Also, Grandpa, we've only been selling buns for a little over a month, and our income has already increased significantly. In the future, if we work hard and expand production, we will earn even more. If we keep all this money in the bank, it might attract jealousy from others. Spending it all would have the same problem. As you often say, 'The first to show off will be the first to be shot.' But if we don't keep it in the bank, the money won't grow, which would be a loss. So I thought about how to preserve and increase the value of the money. That's why I decided to buy the monkey stamps!" Fang Mingyuan continued. He knew that in the early years of China's reform and opening up, policies were inconsistent, and many people were punished for what would later be considered normal business practices. He didn't want the Fang family to suffer the same fate. Therefore, from the beginning, he needed to be cautious about not blindly expanding production and to find alternative investment channels.

Grandpa looked at Fang Mingyuan with a strange expression for a long time, making Fang Mingyuan feel uneasy. He knew his words were too mature for a six- or seven-year-old. If it were him, he would also find it strange. If it were any other matter, he could gradually guide his family's thinking, but such a golden opportunity couldn't be missed. So he could only look at Grandpa nervously.

After a long while, Grandpa picked up Fang Mingyuan and placed him on his lap, stroking his face with affection, "Xiao Yuan, it's hard for you to think about these things for the family at such a young age. Alright, since you're so confident, Grandpa will help you. Money, after all, can't be taken with you when you die. Let's see how good your judgment is!"

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