Gourd Farm Chapter 57
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 57: The Village Chief's Invitation
At the crack of dawn, Yang Feng followed his usual routine. He loaded the harvested tomatoes and cucumbers into his truck and secured them with ropes. Today, Mr. Qi, the restaurant owner, wasn't coming; he said he'd come in a couple of days.
"Yang Feng, my friend, can you cut us some slack on the price? We're really not making any profit," Chef Li said, holding a tomato and showcasing a wide range of facial expressions. He had just been stern, and now he was putting on a melodramatic performance.
"Unfortunately, there's not much room to lower the price. The restaurant supply prices are fixed," Yang Feng replied.
"But come on, we've been cooperating for such a long time. Can't you give us a little face? I didn't even ask for a discount when Old Wang's goods were delivered."
"Old Wang's goods can't even be called tomatoes; they're just the leftovers from the market."
Yang Feng had just delivered the goods today, and Chef Li had dragged him into the storage room, insisting that the price was too high, making excuses that they couldn't afford it. At first, he refused to take the goods, but when he realized there was no turning back, he started playing the emotional card.
"I really can't reduce the price. Even after covering all the expenses, I'm just making a small commission."
Chef Li was holding the tomatoes, which were two yuan more per kilogram compared to the market price. He had brought some to try the previous day, and they had become an instant hit.
Yang Feng had increased the price of his tomatoes, and even dishes like stir-fried tomatoes and eggs and tomato and egg drop soup, which were not selling well before, had become more profitable.
"Are you sure you can't give us a discount?" Li frowned, squinting his already small eyes.
"Yes," Yang Feng replied.
"But, how about just a slight discount? We'd have to pick up the goods ourselves. So you could give us a 20-cent discount per kilogram."
After calculating the time and labor saved by not delivering the goods daily, Yang Feng thought this arrangement would be more efficient. Although he would lower the price a bit, he wouldn't be at a loss.
"So, after all this talk, you're only giving us a 20-cent discount, and we have to pick up the goods ourselves," Li said, exasperated. He had no other options; Yang Feng was firm about the price, and the added inconvenience of having to collect the goods himself was not favorable.
"Alright, let's go with the price you've suggested for now."
Li gritted his teeth and signed the papers, which meant that the agreed-upon price would be in effect for the next month.
"Miss Liu, we can't really understand all this. You talk about carbon, different fungi, and some percentage of photosynthesis—it all sounds like a foreign language to us. What we're doing has been working well for us. Just look at how robust these seedlings are."
An elderly couple was squatting in the tomato plot, sorting through the seedlings. They were removing the weak ones to ensure the healthier ones received proper nutrients. The couple believed that their methods, though simple, had been effective.
"You must understand this knowledge; otherwise, you'll encounter problems later on."
Liu Wan’er felt a little lost, as this was the third greenhouse she had visited. The situations in each greenhouse were similar, and the older farmers were not receptive to her expertise.
"I understand, but these greenhouses require a different level of management, with more specialized practices. This is how we can improve our yield and reduce risks."
Liu Wan’er continued her explanation, hoping that the older couple would eventually understand the benefits of applying more modern techniques to their farming practices.
The elderly man stopped his work and lit a cigarette, not impressed with what Liu Wan’er had said.
"What's so different about these greenhouses? It's just an extra cover, isn't it?"
Liu Wan’er was taken aback by their resistance. Her confidence had dwindled, and she found herself at a loss for words.
"Dear, why don't you check out some other greenhouses? We're about to water these crops, and we wouldn't want you to get your clothes dirty."
Liu Wan’er sighed and lowered her head. She realized that her theoretical knowledge might be rich, but her practical experience was still lacking.
Meanwhile, Yang Feng arrived at the greenhouse and honked his horn, startling the preoccupied Liu Wan’er.
"Yang Feng, what are you doing here?"
Liu Wan'er raised her head and was pleasantly surprised to see Yang Feng, the person she had dinner with yesterday.
"I'm here to work."
Yang Feng pointed towards the greenhouse behind Liu Wan'er.
"Great, I'll join you. I had a look around yesterday, and there are many areas in your greenhouses that need improvement."
At the mention of the greenhouse, Liu Wan'er's demeanor shifted from dejected to determined.
"Alright, let's go."
The two of them entered the greenhouse together, where they found Xia Ying, who had already started working.
"Yang Feng, the deliveries are done for today."
Today, Xia Ying had tied up her hair, making her look even more youthful and vibrant.
"Yeah, it took a while to settle on the prices today."
Upon seeing Liu Wan'er's arrival, Xia Ying offered a friendly smile, and they exchanged greetings.
"By the way, there's breakfast over there. You should eat while it's still hot."
Yang Feng looked at a nearby lunchbox, opened it, and found a porridge made from various grains and two golden leek dumplings.
"Director Liu, would you like to have some too?"
"No need, I had breakfast at the village chief's house this morning."
Yang Feng didn't hesitate to start eating the delicious breakfast.
Liu Wan'er and Xia Ying were sitting together, engaged in hushed conversation. It was unusual for Xia Ying to talk with someone she wasn't familiar with, but for some reason, she seemed to be getting along well with Liu Wan'er. After all, Xia Ying had been the only young woman in the village, and now, having someone close to her age around gave her a chance to have a conversation.
After filling his stomach and preparing for work, Yang Feng was about to start transplanting the strawberries in the third greenhouse. There wasn't much to do in the second greenhouse today, but the strawberries in the third greenhouse needed to be relocated.
He had planned to do the transplanting yesterday, but due to the wholesale tomato delivery, he couldn't manage it.
"Yang Feng, the light intensity in this greenhouse isn't sufficient. Otherwise, the quality of your tomatoes could be even better," commented Liu Wan'er as she and Xia Ying approached.
Xia Ying had a notebook in her hand and was taking notes as she walked.
"Yeah, I've noticed that. I was planning to replace the lights after this batch is done," Yang Feng admitted. The current lighting was somewhat dim, especially during this season. Proper supplementary lighting could accelerate crop maturity and enhance the color.
"Furthermore, your humidity control could be improved. High humidity can lead to premature fruit drop," added Liu Wan'er.
Listening to their suggestions, Yang Feng realized he had been quite ignorant about these details in the past.
He had planted crops without considering factors like humidity and light, and he had even sought advice on crop lighting on an online forum.
Even the advice he had received about supplementary lighting, such as using yellow or red light and avoiding incandescent bulbs, came from online forums.
