Gourd Farm Chapter 64
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 64: Winning the Market
These days, the price of tomatoes has risen again, but it's not as sharp as it was at the beginning; the increase is around two to three yuan.
In the evening, the wholesale market was as crowded as ever, with a constant flow of vehicles coming and going.
Small traders and vendors were clamoring in the crowd, and if you listened closely, even the sound of calculators had a rhythmic quality.
A group of people gathered in front of a high-sided truck, and three-wheeled carts of all sizes crowded the area.
Upon closer inspection, it was Mr. Qi, who had loaded goods in Yang Feng's greenhouse during the day.
A big, burly man wearing a military coat waved some cash in his hand and said, "Old Qi, get me two crates of Jin Peng M6."
"What's going on?"
Mr. Qi was busy loading goods onto the truck and didn't react immediately.
"It's the most expensive kind of tomatoes, we now call them Niu Bi M6."
"Yes, I'll take a crate too."
"Don't rush me; I've been in line for a while. Load five boxes for me first, the supermarket is waiting for them tomorrow."
...
The small vendors and supermarket owners in front of the truck were either getting ready to scan QR codes with their phones or waving cash to buy tomatoes.
The store owner's wife looked at these people, and she couldn't stop smiling. She hadn't expected that the tomatoes brought from a remote village would be so popular.
Seeing Mr. Qi in a daze, she shouted, "Hey, you, what are you standing there for? This whole truck is full of goods, and there's enough for everyone. Hurry up and load them for the customers!"
"Alright, tonight we don't have much stock, limit two crates per person, and the price is adjusted to 10 yuan per kilogram."
Mr. Qi paid no attention to the store owner's wife and shouted from the back of the truck. His voice was loud and somewhat shrill because the market was so noisy that it was hard to hear anything.
"Wow, the price changes from day to day?"
"That's right, Mr. Qi, you were selling them for eight yuan when you got on the truck."
"These fluctuating prices are a headache for our business; at this rate, we'll be losing money for our families."
...
The people around the truck were loudly expressing their opinions upon hearing the new prices.
The supermarket owner who had just wanted to buy five crates of tomatoes now handed over the money.
"The price is not an issue, Mr. Qi, we have a long-standing relationship. Give me an extra crate; customers have already paid deposits, and if I can't deliver, I'll have to explain."
"Okay, okay, it won't happen again."
Mr. Qi didn't dare to offend his major client, who owned several chain supermarkets in the county.
After a round of frantic buying, over a thousand kilograms of tomatoes disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Mr. Qi, this is not the quality we wanted."
The vendors who were about to load their carts were shocked by the quality of the tomatoes they received, which was completely different from what they had previously bought. The difference was like night and day.
"I'm sorry, we ran out of the other stock. I can give you this cheaper one, it's only eight yuan per kilogram."
*Clang!*
One of the vendors threw a crate of tomatoes on the ground and removed his cap, pointing at Mr. Qi.
"Old Qi, are you looking down on us? We've known each other for quite some time. How can you try to pass off this kind of stuff to your brothers?"
This vendor also owns a fresh supermarket in the county. Tonight, he waited for this delivery for over two hours, and his legs had turned stiff from the cold.
"Mr. Sun, don't get upset. This product has been in high demand lately, and the price is just too high for many of us to afford."
Mr. Qi, noticing the customer's frustration, quickly tried to reassure him, and those around were also dissatisfied with the situation.
"Old Qi, I'll do you a favor tonight. I'll give you a 500 yuan deposit right now, and I expect you to get me several boxes of the Niu Bi M6 tomorrow, as it's crucial for our business."
Mr. Sun directly handed over five bills to Mr. Qi, who took them with a smile. He then picked up a crate of second-rate tomatoes and left.
"I'll order two crates tomorrow, and I'll send you the deposit to your phone shortly."
"I want three crates. I'll send you the payment on WeChat later."
"..."
The crowd was bustling, with some paying in cash and others through WeChat. Without waiting for Mr. Qi's approval, they all handed the money to the shop owner's wife, who diligently recorded each transaction.
After more than two hours of hustle and bustle, the market was now much quieter.
Mr. Qi, with a furrowed brow, was squatting in the truck, chain-smoking one cigarette after another. There were already three or four cigarette butts on the ground.
The shop owner's wife also joined him, taking her bag off her shoulder, preparing to tally up the evening's sales.
"Honey, with such good business today, why do you look so serious, as if someone owes you money?"
"How can I not worry? You, this extravagant woman, took so many deposits without understanding anything. If we can't deliver the goods tomorrow, will our business survive?" Mr. Qi complained as he tossed his last cigarette butt to the ground.
The shop owner's wife counted the money while asking, "What's wrong? I noticed something was off when you came back tonight."
Mr. Qi, with a troubled expression, replied, "I went to Huangshi Village today to pick up a shipment, and there was a misunderstanding with the greenhouse owner. It was a bit unpleasant."
"You're not usually the type to act impulsively. What happened?"
Mr. Qi lit another cigarette and said, "Everything was going fine, but out of nowhere, an old man showed up and persuaded me to load a whole truck of goods. This time, it's a real disaster."
"Tomorrow, I'll go with you. With so many deposits taken, we can't just ignore it," the shop owner's wife said as she neatly organized the money from tonight's sales.
"..."
"Xia Ying, we've pretty much loaded all the goods here. Let's get going."
The weather was nice today, and they were preparing to set up a stall at the market. Retail prices were a bit higher, but it meant more earnings.
Xia Ying locked the large iron gate and double-checked to ensure everything was secure before joining.
"Here I am."
"Clatter, clatter, clatter."
"Make sure you hold on tight; this tractor is different from the electric scooter."
"I got it. Let's get going."
They drove a tractor to their usual spot at the market. It had become a fixed location over time, and they weren't allowed to set up stalls haphazardly.
They found a prominent spot to park and uncovered the old bedsheet that was draped over the tomatoes.
"Clatter, clatter, clatter."
They had barely parked when another tractor approached, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Yang Meng and his group. It seemed that fate had brought them together.
Yang Meng's group parked their vehicle right next to them. The area was designated for stalls, and everyone had to set up in this specific section; otherwise, they risked getting fined.
As soon as Yang Meng's vehicle stopped, they spotted Yang Feng nearby.
They had arrived quite early, with no time for breakfast. Yang Feng was in the middle of eating when he walked over.
"Well, you folks are early birds."
"Yeah, you're not slow either."
While biting into a piece of steamed bread he brought from home, Yang Meng asked. "Why didn't you sell all those tomatoes from the last time? Planning to retail them?"
"Aren't we here thanks to your good fortune?"
When the village heard about this matter later, they said that this family was up to no good and that engaging in such activities would bring bad karma.
"Hmph, if your goods were good enough, you wouldn't be blaming others."
After finishing her meal, Xia Ying organized the tomatoes on the vehicle. The bumps on the road had caused some of them to shift, so tidying them up made them look more presentable.
"Yang Feng, what's the retail price today?"
"For now, let's set it at ten yuan per kilogram. We'll see how things go," Yang Feng replied.