CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: MAKING MONEY

The small river shrimp remained unnoticed, but since they intended to deliver them to the restaurant anyway, they weren’t in a hurry.

Because Chen Wenjun’s fish sold well, Lin Qin initially thought the vegetables wouldn’t sell and they’d have to take them back untouched. Unexpectedly, someone came inquiring about the prices around eight o’clock.

The visitor was a big fat guy, not often seen these days.

Lin Qin glanced at him a couple of times.

Zhang Youren seemed accustomed to such looks and greeted warmly, "I manage the cafeteria. How do you sell these vegetables? And what’s the price for these river shrimp?"

Lin Qin snapped back to reality and quickly replied, "String beans for 0.1 yuan, bamboo shoots for 0.12 yuan, cauliflower for 0.08 yuan, and river shrimp for 2 yuan per jin."

These prices were just checked on the street. Nowadays, bargaining is common when buying veggies, so she couldn’t proactively lower the price; otherwise, others might see her as a target. If someone haggles, that’s another thing altogether.

Sure enough, Zhang Youren instinctively frowned, first picking through the basket of vegetables, dismissing this and that, then claiming some of the shrimp were dead and not fresh.

"Make it cheaper! If the price is right, I’ll take them all!"

After listening for a while, Lin Qin finally heard him get to the point, pursing her lips and softly suggesting, "These river shrimp were all gathered from the river this morning, all alive. We also have eels. If you buy them all, I can give you a discount of 0.1 yuan on the shrimp and eels, and round off the vegetables. How does that sound?"

"Now that’s more like it!" Zhang Youren’s attitude softened considerably. This time he didn’t pick and choose, directly asking Lin Qin and Chen Wenjun to weigh and pack everything for him.

After Zhang Youren paid and left, the woman at the neighboring stall whispered, "You guys shouldn’t have sold cheap! He’ll surely falsify accounts when he goes back; everyone says he takes kickbacks! Nobody wants to let him gain an advantage!"

At this time, people were still fairly honest, doing business with sincerity, not playing tricks, and full of justice.

Lin Qin showed a look of having learned a lesson and helplessly explained, "But the sun is up, nobody’s buying our shrimp, so we had to offer them at a discount, or we’d be stuck with them."

"True enough!" The woman next door, knowing Lin Qin spoke the truth, couldn’t say much more.

The market was nearly empty by nine o’clock.

Lin Qin and Chen Wenjun still had some dabber fish and carp left unsold.

The two of them started pushing the cart, going through the streets and alleys to sell, and indeed, someone asked.

After half an hour, they had gone through two streets and sold all the dabber fish, leaving just two unsold carps to take home for themselves.

With money in her pocket, Lin Qin couldn’t help but smile broadly.

The two returned to the fishing boat.

Chen Wenjun started tidying things up first.

Lin Yi eagerly inquired, "How’s it going? Did everything sell?"

Lin Qin couldn’t hold back her smile, "Sold! All sold out! Dad, those vegetables you planted sold for 2.6 yuan, the money’s here for you to keep."

Lin Yi decisively shook his head, "Those vegetables were for you to eat, and you were the ones selling them. Why give them to me? Stop being silly! Keep the money!"

"You’re the one who said it, so I won’t be polite!" Lin Qin immediately put the money back in her pocket.

When Chen Wenjun came in, she quickly took out all the money to count, "We sold grass carp at 1.5 yuan per jin, made 6.75 yuan; small crucian carp at 0.8 yuan each, large ones at 1 yuan each, overall sold for 11.7 yuan; eel at 2.4 yuan per jin, made 5.28 yuan; carp at 1.5 yuan per jin, made 7.5 yuan; dabber fish at 1.8 yuan per jin, made 10.2 yuan; sold shrimp at 1.9 yuan per jin, total 5 jin 3 liang, made 10 yuan on rounding, here’s a total of... 51.43 yuan.

If we add the 2.6 yuan from selling vegetables, it totals 54.3 yuan.

We earned this much money in one day! We’re rich!"

Lin Yi swallowed incredulously, "Girl, you didn’t mess up the calculations, did you?"

Chen Wenjun chuckled and shook his head, "No mistakes, that’s the number. Recently, when I go to the city to sell fish, I can make over twenty each time too, with two people today, doubling is normal."

"Wow! If fishing earns this much anyone would bother farming!"

Even with the money right in front of him, Lin Yi couldn’t accept it, it was nothing like the Dang people’s tough survival he imagined!

"Dad! The reality is right in front of us. Wenjun and I are working hard, and the hope of buying land is just ahead." Lin Qin happily squinted her eyes and clenched her fist.

Lin Yi sighed and shook his head, "Stop bragging, make lunch. The two kids played all morning and must be hungry."

Lin Qin immediately retrieved the unsold carp, cleaned two, and cooked a fish soup for the family.

During lunch, Liu Yaya quietly asked, "Mommy, can I go down to the creek with Ping’an to catch snails? Ping’an said there are little crabs and turtles by the creek."

Lin Qin instinctively refused, "You kids can’t play in the water now, it’s still cold. You’ll catch a cold."

Liu Yaya lowered her head dejectedly.

Seeing this, Chen Wenjun suggested, "Would you like Uncle to make each of you a fishing rod so you can fish together?"

The two kids’ eyes lit up, "Yes, yes!"

Lin Qin mumbled, shaking her head, "You spoil them. Kids this small, fishing for what? Don’t let them get dragged into the water by the fish!"

Lin Yi was also worried and hurriedly added, "Grandpa will watch over you. We can share one rod among the three of us."

Lin Qin: "..."

So she’s the only bad guy in the family!

After lunch, Chen Wenjun went to set out the fishing gear and then to catch dabber fish.

Lin Qin stayed on the boat with three old and weak, including herself, to fish.

To maintain yesterday’s good luck, before casting off, she even bowed towards the Dragon King Temple, making Lin Yi roll his eyes.

Liu Yaya, impatient at Lin Qin’s lengthy setup, started fitting worms onto hooks herself.

She didn’t seem fazed at all, and the little girl managed nicely on her own.

Lin Qin turned around, quickly baiting her hook when she saw them casting theirs.

Once the baits were in the water, everyone quietly focused.

Soon enough, Lin Qin’s line showed some excitement.

Liu Yaya, growing anxious, asked, "Mommy, why doesn’t a fish eat my worm?"

Just after she finished, her rod almost slipped from her hand.

Fortunately, Lin Yi was attentive, quickly grabbing both the rod and Liu Yaya.

Chen Ping’an immediately extended his right hand to help hold the rod.

Seeing the three struggling, Lin Qin quickly reeled her own catch in—a small four-ounce crucian carp, nothing special. Throwing it into the bucket, she rushed over with a net.

With all their might, they finally let the big fellow from the water surface.

Lin Yi took a glance at the fish’s dark head, laughing heartily, "Another big head! Even bigger than yesterday’s!"

"Dad, hold onto it a little tighter, I’ll scoop it up."

"Be careful."

Working together, they finally got the big head on board.

Out of breath but beaming, Lin Yi remarked, "Looks like big heads are rampant in Nanxi’s creek!"

Lin Qin: "..."

"Dad! Maybe we just got lucky," Lin Qin commented.