A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1446 Receiving the Goods, Now I'm Being Watched! (Please Subscribe!)
Fog rose in the mountains of southern Anhui early in the morning. The sky was just beginning to lighten and visibility was very low, so Hua Shier drove very slowly.

Of course, he was driving slowly not because he couldn't see the road, but because everyone else in the car was asleep except for him.

Wu Shanshan leaned her head on Hua Shier's shoulder, Zhuang Xiaoting leaned against Wu Shanshan, Li Jia leaned her head on Zhuang Tunan's shoulder, and Lin Dongzhe sat on Zhuang Tunan's lap. The two brothers hugged each other tightly, looking like they were gay.

When Hua Shier turned around and saw the two brothers' outfits, he almost burst out laughing. He couldn't help but take out a smartphone from his storage space and start snapping pictures of them, planning to take it out again in twenty or thirty years to annoy them.

Then he'll tell Zhuang Xiaoting: "Sister, Dongzhe doesn't actually like you. He's marrying you to get closer to your brother. If you don't believe me, look at the photos as proof. Don't blame them. Blame it on the limitations of the times. Look how good things are now. In the Ugly Country, plastic bags can marry water pipes. So take it easy!"

Hehe, Hua Shier couldn't help but smile. Just thinking about this kind of prank was pretty fun.

The road was so difficult to travel that we didn't arrive in Guangde County until after 9 a.m.

Today is the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month. The New Year's market in Guangde County is incredibly large. The main street is packed with people, and stalls stretch from one end of the street to the other. Vendors sell fireworks and firecrackers, New Year pictures and couplets, local mountain products, and fabrics and clothes. The shouts of vendors rise and fall.

In addition to the traditional New Year's goods stalls, there are some new items, such as electronic watches, photochromic sunglasses, bell-bottoms, and floral shirts.

The air was filled with the aromas of various delicacies: the smoky fragrance of roasted chestnuts, the sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes, the muttony smell of mutton soup, and a faint smell of diesel fuel emanating from several hand tractors parked near the market.

Hua Shier parked the car in an open space at the entrance of the market. The wheels crunched over the frozen, hard ground.

He jumped out of the car and called to the group:
"Quick, move the goods! Set up the stall first, then we'll take turns going to eat breakfast!"

Hua Shier set up two folding tables and unfurled a banner:

"SDX brand-name refrigerators and tape recorders, factory direct sales, special prices for Chinese New Year!"

With a few people working together, they quickly set up their stall. They moved a refrigerator down, opened its packaging to use it as a sample, took down quite a few tape recorders, and put out some pirated cassette tapes.

Hua Shier took out four size 2 batteries, put them into the tape recorder, inserted the cassette tape, and pressed the switch. The next moment, Teresa Teng's beautiful voice rang out from the tape recorder's speaker:
"Small towns have many stories, full of joy and happiness; if you come to a small town, you will gain a lot."

That's right, they reaped a lot of rewards. This song is so auspicious; they're here to make money.

Teresa Teng's singing instantly attracted a large crowd.

Hua Shier told the girl and Lin Dongzhe to go to the breakfast stall next door to eat first, while he and Zhuang Tunan waited for them to finish eating before they went to the stall themselves.

Unexpectedly, Lin Dongzhe and Zhuang Xiaoting were both very enthusiastic and insisted on doing business here. Li Jia also wanted to help sell goods, so Hua Shier and the others went to eat first.

Not far away, Hua Shier didn't object and went to a breakfast stall next door with Wu Shanshan and Zhuang Tunan. They each ordered three potstickers and a bowl of steaming hot bone soup.

Every bite of the potstickers is full of meat, and a sip of the bone broth warms you up from head to toe. It's so delicious!

As we were eating, we heard Lin Dongzhe's shouts coming from over there:

"Don't miss out! The world's most advanced frost-free, CFC-free refrigerator is affordable, easy to use, and healthy!"

Zhuang Tunan laughed out loud: "This kid has a bit of a knack for it; he wrote some pretty good lyrics!"

Although there were quite a few onlookers, refrigerators and tape recorders were large items, and despite Lin Dongzhe's shouts for a long time, the onlookers just watched and didn't go up to ask any questions.

Li Jia smiled and called out, "Hey bro, are you married? Hurry up and get a refrigerator to take home, it'll make you look good!"

The older brother she mentioned smiled somewhat憨厚ly and said, "I'll get married after the New Year. I'm not buying this; I'm buying a three-wheeled watch and a radio!"

Upon hearing that the consumers were those with purchasing power, Lin Dongzhe immediately perked up:

"That's ancient history."

He exhaled a puff of white breath and shouted:
"Now the focus is on 'three machines and one cabinet,' which is the 'new four major items'—a television, a washing machine, a tape recorder, and a refrigerator. We already have two of these. This tape recorder can be used as a radio, and it can also play tapes and record. If you have children in the future and they need to learn English, that is, a foreign language, then they will definitely need it!"

"And this refrigerator, everyone in the city uses it now. It can be kept fresh and frozen at home. Fresh vegetables can stay fresh for three to five days without spoiling. Meat from aquatic plants can be frozen and taken out to eat again after six months!"

"Don't be fooled by the fact that a refrigerator costs a lot of money. You can save up for it in a year or two and make it back. Besides, it's fashionable now. Once you buy it and put it in your home, you'll look really impressive!"

Hua Shier couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's a waste of Dong Zhe's eloquence if he doesn't do business!"

The man was indeed intrigued after hearing this. He had also heard that city dwellers were currently obsessed with the "four big items" (a set of four essential items for everyday life), and he immediately said:
"How much is your refrigerator? Do you need a receipt?"

Seeing that there was a chance, Lin Dongzhe smiled and said:
"This SDX refrigerator is the famous brand refrigerator advertised in front of the news broadcast. We are a direct supplier from the Suzhou factory, no invoice required, it's 1,000 yuan a unit, 200 yuan cheaper than in state-run stores!"

Upon hearing this, someone in the crowd immediately remarked:

“I remember now, this SDX, the one that advertises in Guojiatai, aren’t you a foreign brand? How come you’re getting your products from a factory in Suzhou?”

Lin Dongzhe smiled and said:
"You know we're a joint venture manufacturer, right? SDX Group built a factory in Suzhou. Our product quality meets international standards, and we offer a three-year warranty—the only one of its kind in China. If you buy it and have any problems within three years, just leave your credit card and call the factory. Our technicians will come to your door to solve the problem!"

His persuasive words immediately convinced the man, and after haggling over the price for a while, he managed to get Lin Dongzhe to lower the price a bit.

Seeing that some people were asking about prices for large items, even more people gathered around. Lin Dongzhe simply told the man who kept lowering the price, "No way."

Just kidding. With so many people watching, if you give this a discount, what about other people who buy it? If you give them a discount, how can you make any profit?

The man got angry too, slammed his hand on the stall, and said, "Do you even know how to do business? Look around, who doesn't lower their prices? You're not giving me a discount at all, how am I supposed to buy from you!"

Just then, someone outside the crowd said, "We can offer a discount!"

It was Hua Shier who spoke; he squeezed in and said, "The price can be reduced by one hundred yuan."

The man's eyes lit up. One hundred yuan was a month and a half's salary for him. He was a little excited and asked Lin Dongzhe, "Can he make the decision?"

"Of course, we're together, this is my brother!"

Hua Shier coughed lightly: "I haven't finished yet. The price can be cheaper, but there won't be a three-year warranty!"

The man's smile froze on his face: "Then what's the point of your price reduction?!"

Hua Shier smiled and said, "Sorry, we're factory direct, so we can't really offer a discount. Why don't you take another look?" He then ignored the man and shouted loudly to the surroundings:

"Guojiatai's famous trademark, SDX refrigerators and tape recorders, are cheaper than in state-run stores! No coupons needed! Limited quantities, first come, first served!"

Hua Shier's voice carried far, even in the bustling market, drawing many people to gather around.

A man dressed in a Zhongshan suit, who looked like a cadre, asked, "Can this tape recorder play two tapes?"

"Yes, look at the two cassette slots yourself, they're SDX brand, they can use batteries or be plugged into a power source, and they come with a three-year warranty!" Zhuang Xiaoting introduced enthusiastically.

"how much is it?"

"Similar tape recorders in the mall sell for 500, but our tape recorder only sells for 400," Zhuang Xiaoting quoted the price.

Lin Dongzhe added, "Don't be fooled by our low prices. It's because the manufacturer sets the price low. We're a big brand, and we're focusing on volume and building a reputation. If you look at other domestic brands, they don't even have this price!"

The man readily agreed: "Can you issue an invoice? If so, I'll take two! They're for our company's Spring Festival gala."

Hua Shier laughed and said, "Yes, it can be opened. Dong Zhe and Xiao Ting, get the goods for this brother!"

"okay!"

As soon as Lin Dongzhe and Zhuang Xiaoting saw that the store had opened, they quickly grabbed two new machines, opened them, installed batteries, and inspected the goods on the spot. The quality was excellent!
Hua12 produced the invoice from the SDX factory, issued and stamped it on the spot, emphasizing its formality.

Seeing this, the older brother readily agreed, took out his money, and not only bought two tape recorders but also a refrigerator, saying it was a big gift for his son's wedding.

There are tricycle drivers right next to the market, so there's no need for Hua Shier and his team to deliver goods. The older brother just has someone load the tricycle onto the vehicle, gets on, and leaves.

When the onlookers saw that someone had made a purchase, they were all tempted. As soon as the man left, a young couple who were about to get married bought a refrigerator and a radio cassette player.

Then things got lively. The guy who had been haggling earlier stopped haggling and used the money he had saved for New Year's goods to buy a refrigerator and a tape recorder. Others who were interested followed suit. Those who had money on them bought them immediately, while those who didn't hurry home to get money. Before leaving, they even asked Hua Shier and the others to save a refrigerator or a tape recorder for them.

Hua Shier said with a smile, "Then you'd better hurry. This is the only truckload of goods. First come, first served. If it's sold out, there's nothing I can do!"

Zhuang Tunan and Wu Shanshan also came to help, and Lin Dongzhe and Zhuang Xiaoting went to eat instead. The two of them were not too happy, counting their money in large sums, which was simply too much fun.

The news that the market had SDX refrigerators, sold directly from the factory, spread among the crowd. Those who hadn't visited the market but were interested in them rushed over with their money, causing the number of people outside the stall to increase.

Hua Shier had no choice but to direct these customers:
"Those who want to buy refrigerators and tape recorders, let's line up in one queue. Don't make a mess, watch out for thieves. Ladies with children, keep a close eye on your kids and don't give criminals an opportunity!"

The lively scene caught the attention of Uncle Hat, who came over to inquire.

Hua Shier had a letter of introduction from the manufacturer, which he showed directly to Uncle Hat.

After watching the show, Uncle Hat was convinced that it was a factory direct sale and couldn't resist buying a refrigerator himself, which made the people waiting in line to buy it grimac.

There's no way around it; these days, it's a rare opportunity to buy appliances for free and at a low price.

Hua Shier originally planned to visit several places before returning to Suzhou before the Lunar New Year, but he sold more than fifty refrigerators and most of the tape recorders in one day. It seems that this truckload of goods will be sold in about two days.

In the afternoon, Hua Shier caught a pickpocket in the crowd. The kid wasn't queuing up; he was just wandering around with his eyes squinting. He looked like he was going to buy a tape recorder, but actually his eyes were darting around at the places on the people around him where they could put money.

Hua Shier didn't say anything, letting the others sell the goods while Zhuang Tunan collected the money. He lit a cigarette and leaned against the car, waiting for the man to make his move.

Just as the man chose his target and used a blade to slit open someone's pocket, Hua Shier darted forward and grabbed the man's wrist firmly:
"What are you doing? Trying to steal money from someone else's pocket, huh!"

The man whose pocket had been ripped open was middle-aged. When Hua Twelve made his move, he had turned around to watch the commotion. Only after hearing this did he realize his pocket had been opened, with the bills he had brought sticking out. He immediately clutched his pocket and shouted:

"Thief! He's a thief! Call the police right now!"

By this time, some young people who had been watching the commotion had already gone to call out to Uncle Hat.

The thief panicked immediately, struggling and glaring fiercely at Hua Twelve:
"Kid, you just do your business and don't meddle in other people's business, or you'll regret it!"

After saying that, seeing that he couldn't break free, he quickly pulled a switchblade from his sleeve with his other hand, pressed the spring, and stabbed it at Hua Shier.

In that instant, Wu Shanshan and the others cried out, their faces filled with terror.

Hua Shier, however, appeared nonchalant. He grabbed the other man's wrist with his left hand and swung his right hand with a large whip, swelling half of the man's face.
"You dare threaten me? Grandpa has a big appetite, he'll never get away with this!"

That slap made the man see stars, and the hand that had stabbed him lost its strength and fell limply. If Hua Shier hadn't used his skill to grab him, he would have collapsed on the ground by now.

Soon after, Uncle Hat arrived. He was the one who bought their refrigerator. After arriving, he immediately handcuffed Hua Twelve and took him back to the police station. Before leaving, he even gave Hua Twelve a few words of praise.

As soon as Uncle Hat left, Hua Twelve clicked his tongue: "Just verbal praise, no bonus or commendation letter or anything, how stingy!"

Zhuang Tunan and the others laughed, but Wu Shanshan came over and complained, "Stop showing off, okay? You scared me to death just now!"

Hua Shier laughed and said, "I could take on ten of these without hesitation, so don't worry!"

After a day of business, the truck was mostly empty. The group used their letters of introduction to find a guesthouse with parking, parked the truck in the guesthouse courtyard, and then hid in their room to count their money.

Zhuang Xiaoting was in charge of the accounts: "We sold 72 refrigerators. The cost of each refrigerator was 700 yuan, which had to be given to the factory. The remaining 21,600 yuan is our income from selling refrigerators today!"

"The tape recorder cost 300 yuan to produce. We sold 90 units, making 100 yuan profit per unit, which is 9,000 yuan. Our total revenue today is 30,600 yuan."

After the number was announced, the room erupted in cheers, and Lin Dongzhe excitedly exclaimed:
"This is just one day's worth of goods. I think we can make a few more trips before the New Year. We've really struck it rich this time!"

Outside the guesthouse, several figures were acting suspiciously. One of them pointed at the guesthouse and said:
"Brother, I've checked, they live here, the car is parked in the yard."

　Thank you to 08a and Little Tiger of the Demon Realm for the donations, and thank you to all the brothers who voted with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you so much!

　　(End of this chapter)