Fishing and Hunting 82, Starting with Three Sisters Who Overprotect Their Brothers

"Slurp!"

Hongyuan used his tongue forcefully, and the snail meat slid into his mouth.

He tasted it, then put the whole snail into his mouth, sucked on it for a moment, spat it out, and picked up the next one expressionlessly.

"Slurp!"

"Slurp!"

Several empty shells soon fell to the ground, but Hong Yuan still didn't stop or say a word.

Everyone's hearts began to race.

Zhang Fengxia clenched her fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white, and pursed her lips.

Ge Ergui lowered his head even further, wanting to hear the sound, yet afraid to hear it.

Zhang Wenshan tilted his head, his brows furrowed, a sense of doubt rising in his heart.

Is there something wrong with the taste?

Impossible. Snails are not difficult to cook, and my cooking skills are decent.

unwelcome?

Even more illogical, he clearly remembered that in the 1990s, the old men in the welfare home would squat at the door every day, sucking on snails and drinking alcohol, and the snails at the small restaurant next door were extremely popular.

If you go too late, you won't be able to get one.

Even the school store had bags of small snails on display, and students were scrambling to buy them.

Only Wu Xia saw through the trick, and kicked her husband in the buttocks with just the right amount of force. "Try it, and you're showing off now?"

"How about I pour you another two ounces?"

"Cough cough cough!"

Hong Yuan choked and coughed, clutching his backside, and stammered, "Little brother, this stuff is amazing, it's intoxicating!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fengxia clenched her fist and swung it in front of her chest, a wide smile spreading across her face.

The head chef of the state-run restaurant has seen countless delicacies; for him to say such a thing means that I have succeeded again.

Ge Ergui's throat moved, but he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

But he knew it in his heart.

In the fields, even the cheapest snails might actually have to be sold.

"You flatter me." Zhang Wenshan smiled and nodded, his tone humble yet firm. "Just doing something new."

"No, no, no."

Hong Yuan waved his hands repeatedly, his face showing a hint of seriousness, and pointed to the snails in the pot.

"This meat is springy and becomes more fragrant the more you chew it. The seasoning is also very good, slightly spicy and fresh. The more you slurp it, the more flavorful it becomes. It's not greasy or filling, making it perfect for pairing with alcohol."

Even if you don't drink alcohol, it's a good snack.

"Wow, it's not common for you to compliment someone like that. I have to try it."

Wu Xia couldn't wait any longer and reached into the pot to pick up a snail.

Then the second, the third...

Zhang Fengxia and Ge Ergui exchanged a glance, both seeing the other's confusion.

Is it really that delicious?

"You have the nerve to talk back to me?" Hong Yuan sneered, trying to regain his composure. "How long has it been? You've spit out more shells than I have."

"You know what, this thing is kind of interesting. It's like sunflower seeds, and once you start eating it, you can't stop."

Wu Xia suddenly snapped out of her daze, looked at the seven or eight snail shells at her feet, and her face flushed red.

She wiped her mouth with her hand, then changed the subject, saying, "Hey bro, how are you planning to sell the snails?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fengxia and Ge Ergui slowed their breathing and dared not utter a sound.

If the occasion weren't inappropriate, they could jump up and celebrate.

Snails!

Things that you wouldn't even take for free, things you find troublesome to deal with, can actually fetch a good price!

"We brought 100 jin (50 kg) of snails with us this time. Why don't you take them back and try selling them first? If they sell well, we can discuss further?"

A hint of a smile flashed across Zhang Wenshan's eyes as he casually passed the pricing power over to Zhang.

"My brother is very confident!"

"Are they all of this quality?"

Wu Xia and Hong Yuan spoke almost simultaneously, one with eyes full of approval and the other with a cautious expression.

"The quality is the same. They've been soaked in advance to remove the mud and sand. If needed, the tail can be cut off next time it's delivered."

Zhang Wenshan crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his arms rhythmically with his fingertips, speaking frankly.

"Of course, the chances are smaller in the future."

Hong Yuan's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed sincerely, "Brother, you're really different from those opportunistic people. When others sell things, they try to exaggerate the inferior ones as superior ones and desperately raise the price."

"You get what you pay for; honest business practices are the only way to make money in the long run."

"Just because you're so honest, I'll buy the big ones for four cents a pound today, and the smaller ones for three cents a pound. How about that?"

Hong Yuan squinted, rubbed his chin with his fingertips for a moment, and then looked up to announce the price.

The words fell.

Zhang Fengxia and Ge Ergui froze completely, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Not only are snails being bought, but the prices offered are also so high?

Four cents a pound, ten pounds is forty cents, and one hundred pounds is four dollars!

It doesn't look like much, but they only spent about two hours working on this batch of snails. If they put in more effort, they might be able to make more than ten yuan.

If word gets out, it will definitely make everyone else in the village extremely envious.

Upon hearing the offer, Zhang Wenshan's smile remained unchanged, but he did not say anything.

Hong Yuan also remained silent.

The two remained locked in a stalemate, and the air grew tense once again.

Zhang Fengxia was better off; she managed to stay calm.

Ge Ergui was already stamping his feet on the spot, wishing he could agree on Zhang Wenshan's behalf, but he was also worried about messing things up, so he could only worry inwardly.

"What kind of stinginess are you showing?" Wu Xia glared at her husband, then waved her hand with an air of grandeur, "I'll decide! The big ones are five cents a pound, and the small ones are four cents."

Zhang Fengxia and Ge Ergui felt a moment of disorientation and almost lost their balance.

What?

Can prices rise further?

Snails selling for five cents a pound? Is that a dream?

Unexpectedly, Hong Yuan frowned and waved his hand in rebuttal: "No way, cooking snails is labor-intensive and expensive, and oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar all cost money."

Zhang Fengxia and Ge Ergui's excitement vanished instantly.

"We're not short of a penny if we're careful with our money!" Wu Xia raised her voice a few decibels. "Brother Zhang has gone all the way from the village to town to bring the snails; it's not easy for him. Just do as I say."

Hong Yuan couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he sighed and waved his hand, "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you!"

Ge Ergui felt his heart skip a beat, and his gaze toward Wu Xia was filled with respect and gratitude.

A penny may seem insignificant, but the sheer volume means you can earn an extra dollar for every hundred kilograms.

This is a real and tangible benefit!

Zhang Fengxia frowned, her eyes filled with suspicion and deep thought.

This setup makes it seem like he and his boss are disciplining their son, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop.

There are no stupid people running state-run restaurants.

Zhang Wenshan stood aside, smiling, quietly watching the two of them sing and dance.

This kind of tactic, in this day and age, might fool a lot of honest people. Ge Ergui was almost moved to tears, and he must be feeling very grateful at this moment.

But after being refined by the internet in later generations, he saw through it at a glance.

After a slight pause, he spoke slowly and sincerely, directly avoiding the topic of price.

"Sister Xia, brother-in-law, whatever you give us is a favor to us. We can just use the government funds."

"this……"

Hong Yuan's face instantly turned grim, and Wu Xia also hesitated.

"Brother, you're a smart man, so I don't need to say much more."

They had already anticipated that snails would be very popular.

Using public accounts means that prices must be made public, which reduces the scope for manipulation and naturally reduces profits.

Zhang Wenshan had anticipated this, and calmly said, "To be honest, my fishing and hunting group was set up by the village to help impoverished households."

These words were spoken.

A sharp glint flashed in Hong Yuan's eyes.