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Chapter 485: Disturbing the Peace
Chapter 485: Disturbing the Peace
For the next week, it rained every day. With Qingming Festival approaching, the rainy season had arrived, and it seemed like the rain would persist for a long time. People were predicting that it might continue even after Qingming.
The villagers secretly cursed the weather, wishing for clearer skies. If the weather improved, they could earn more money, or at least brave the rough seas and continue fishing despite the rain.
But this was the season, with frequent rain and cold air, bringing strong winds and waves. Many boats at the village wharf couldn't withstand such conditions and had to stay docked. Only a few larger vessels dared to venture out, risking their lives in pursuit of a catch.
None of the Zhou brothers' boats went out to sea.
Tian Caihua was anxious, but Jiang Xia felt it was a good opportunity to take a break and process the thousands of pounds of dried fish they had.
Otherwise, if they focused solely on preparing the squid, they wouldn't have time to process the previously dried small fish.
However, Hou Ye refused to let them rest!
Hou Ye knew that their wharf had a limited supply of small squid, so he sent over an additional thousand pounds each day.
The city wharf had numerous large ships, and the catch of each type of fish far exceeded what their small production team could manage.
As a result, Jiang Xia and He Xinghuan were kept busy every day.
Due to the weather and the reduced number of fishing boats venturing out because of the strong winds, the purchasing price of small squid had increased, fluctuating daily. Sometimes it rose by five cents, other times by ten cents, and today it had jumped to one yuan and fifty cents per pound.
Recently, the price of cooking oil had also increased slightly.
Jiang Xia discussed this with Hou Ye, "The price of small squid fluctuates daily, and this weather is likely to continue for a while. I plan to increase the wholesale price as well."
Hou Ye readily agreed, "Sure, the rainy season is actually better for sales. People can buy your prepared squid, heat it up at home, and have a quick meal. Sales have been good lately, and I think even with a slight price increase, people will still buy it for convenience. My wife hates going out to buy groceries in the rain, so she just cooks with a pack or two for each meal."
"Your squid is well-packaged and neatly arranged, looking high-end. It's a great gift option and looks delicious. With such low production, even if we distribute it across several cities, there won't be much left. Even if people hesitate to buy it for themselves, they will still purchase it as a gift. It's a respectable gift choice."
After discussing, Jiang Xia decided to sell the squid at a wholesale price of three yuan and twenty cents per pound.
Since Jiang Xia couldn't change her prices daily, even if the price of squid continued to rise, she wouldn't increase her prices until the end of the year.
Unless the price of squid increased significantly.
After their discussion, all the squid was loaded onto the truck.
Hou Ye was prompt, immediately purchasing the squid at three yuan and twenty cents per pound.
Jiang Xia happily accepted the six thousand yuan.
During the rainy season, while others anxiously watched the wealth in the sea, concerned that the rain would continue through the peak season, preventing them from fishing, Jiang Xia's peak season was just beginning.
And it was getting even better!
Currently, Zhou Chenglei and Zhou Chengxin were setting up a shed in the backyard of the old residence, along with three temporary stoves, which would soon increase their production capacity.
Wasn't this a sign of growing prosperity?
Hou Ye drove off in his large truck.
On this rainy and chilly day, the villagers had nowhere to go, so they gathered at the small grocery store to watch TV and chat.
As the truck passed by the store, the village women watched, and one of them couldn't help but ask, "Do you think Zhou Chenglei's wife hires so many people to process that much small squid? How much profit can she make per pound?"
"I went to the supply and marketing cooperative the other day and saw several flavored small squid packs. Each pack was priced at four yuan and fifty cents, and they only weighed one pound. I think they're making a good profit."
Zhou Bingqiang's wife was shocked. "Really? Four yuan and fifty cents per pound? Is the supply and marketing cooperative selling it at such a high price? That means they're making a lot of money!"
"I wonder how much they make. I doubt they sell them for that high a price, considering they have to go through Mr. Jin, and each step earns them a little."
"Even if they don't sell at that price, I reckon they still make around five cents per pound."
"Everything is expensive these days, from oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar to even firewood. The dealers, the production team, and the supply and marketing cooperative all want their cut. After going through so many hands, they probably can't make five cents per pound."
"They definitely make at least five cents per pound! Maybe even more, possibly a whole yuan!"
"If they make five cents per pound and sell a couple of thousand pounds a day, that's over a thousand yuan, right?"
"What else could it be? Those small fish fry sellers are making even more. Sometimes, they don't even need to pay a cent per pound, but during the New Year, they sell for over two yuan, or even three yuan per pound!"
"No wonder Zhou Chenglei is so successful!"
"Jiang Xia is incredible! How did she come up with so many flavors for those fish fry? She's selling cheap goods at sky-high prices!"
Three yuan per pound for fish fry—isn't that a sky-high price?
The fish they caught from the sea rarely fetched a price of three yuan per pound.
...
The group sat together, munching on sunflower seeds, watching TV, and discussing animatedly, each filled with envy.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife couldn't take it anymore. She handed the sunflower seeds she had bought for a dime to the person next to her, saying, "I forgot to feed the new piglets. Enjoy the show."
She quickly walked home in the drizzle, wearing rain boots and holding an umbrella. She rushed upstairs to the second floor and peered into the kitchen from the balcony.
Wen Wan was in her room, studying the garment factory's materials. She memorized the characteristics and fabrics of each garment participating in the Guangzhou Trade Fair and prepared how to explain them. She took meticulous notes.
A few days ago, she had gone to the city and finally obtained foreign books from the publishing house to continue her translation work. She also asked Fan Editor-in-Chief for help in finding a translation job at the Guangzhou Trade Fair, and he gave her two phone numbers. One was for a garment factory, not the one managed by Jiang Mu. The factory Jiang Mu managed had a low export volume in the previous trade fair and couldn't participate this time.
The other phone number was for a livestock farm exporting live pigs. Wen Wan didn't call the farm but called the garment factory instead.
Like Jiang Xia, she didn't ask for a salary, only a commission, which the garment factory manager agreed to.
So, Wen Wan had been diligently taking notes these days.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife couldn't see clearly into the kitchen from the balcony, so she went to Wen Wan's room and peered through the window.
Wen Wan frowned, annoyed that her mother-in-law would enter her room without knocking.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife pressed her face against the window, wishing she could squeeze her head through the two iron bars. She asked Wen Wan, "Do you know how much Zhou Chenglei's wife makes daily by processing those small squids?"
"I don't know," Wen Wan replied, although she had seen trucks coming to pick up goods daily, she wasn't the least bit interested.
She was determined to make a fortune at the Guangzhou Trade Fair.
"What if we collect some squid and process them ourselves? You sit by the window all day; have you seen how they do it? What seasonings do they use?"
"No, I'm busy reading. I don't have time to watch them, and it's too far to see clearly anyway," Wen Wan replied.
Previously, when she suggested they follow Jiang Xia's lead in processing fish fry, they did a poor job, and in the end, they blamed her.
Now, seeing others succeed while they lagged behind, did they regret it? But she wouldn't bother with such an unrewarding task again.
Wasn't earning money at the Guangzhou Trade Fair a better option?
Zhou Bingqiang's wife only saw two figures bustling about in the kitchen, stir-frying.
Occasionally, a particularly fragrant aroma wafted through the air.
"I wonder how they make it; it makes me want to eat it right away," Zhou Bingqiang's wife sniffed eagerly.
Wen Wan said, "It's fragrant? I find it nauseating. I feel like complaining about them!"
(End of Chapter)
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