Happy Little Farmer
Chapter 165 The Easy Meal Served on a Platter

Chapter 165: Chapter 165 The Easy Meal Served on a Platter

After a morning’s run, Yang Fan, lugging a high-piled cart of Codonopsis, slowly made his way to Old Zhou’s shop.

Today he grew a bit greedy, the cart severely overloaded; he didn’t dare to speed up, fearing a wreck that could destroy both the cart and him.

By the time he arrived, Old Zhou’s shop was already surrounded by a large crowd of people.

After listening for a while, Yang Fan gathered that most were there to sell Codonopsis.

This herb had suddenly soared in price, and those street-hopping traders like him were the first batch to go mad.

Madly buying up stock, madly letting it go.

Although this had become a norm, seeing the swarming crowd still got Yang Fan somewhat depressed.

It looked like he wouldn’t be able to speed things up today.

With so many people waiting to settle their accounts, it might take hours to get through.

Every few days, some herb would surge in price, creating a scene Yang Fan had already witnessed several times.

Just then, Zhu Shanshan emerged from the shop, shading herself with a hand against the awning. Dressed in a beige mermaid skirt with a white cardigan over her upper body, it seemed she was preparing to head home.

Spotting Yang Fan nearby, craning his neck to see, she changed direction with a smile on her lips and approached him.

"Fanzi, you’re pretty quick, somehow managing to gather so much in just one morning," Zhu Shanshan said with a laugh.

Yang Fan glanced at her tightly clinging mermaid skirt, and couldn’t help but picture the plump buttocks swaying wantonly on her body—those voluptuous contours seemed so comfortable when they swung.

He wondered when she’d speak candidly, fair and square, about getting together with him.

Yang Fan’s chin tilted up as he pointed to the bustling crowd at the store’s entrance, "They’re much quicker than me!"

"Those guys either had stock already or they brought a hundred-odd pounds chasing profit. Hardly anyone is collecting on the spot like you," Zhu Shanshan said with an affectionate laugh. Then she lowered her voice, "Don’t wait anymore. I’ll weigh your goods for you and we can settle the bill later."

"That’s great, otherwise, I’m guessing I’d have to wait till the afternoon," Yang Fan said with a smile.

"Come, let’s get it weighed and then grab some lunch. If you’re in a hurry, you can keep collecting afterward," Zhu Shanshan said with a smile, "Just now, the price went up another two yuan. Not many people know yet, if you move quickly you might catch up. And if you come across any astragalus root, you could pick some up too, it’s gone up by one yuan and fifty cents, and it might still rise."

Yang Fan was taken aback, "It went up again? Isn’t this increase a bit outlandish? How could it suddenly go up by so much?"

"Who can predict the market’s swings? But there’s this one company that supplies us and they’re suddenly out of stock. They say e-commerce has kicked up demand, and both Codonopsis and astragalus are flying off the shelves," Zhu Shanshan spoke casually, "It’s just like the tides, you see. Suddenly a gust comes along, and the prices start soaring everywhere."

Yang Fan chuckled and nodded, "Sure leaves a person stunned and bewildered, but I’ll just keep collecting my stock."

"Mhm," Zhu Shanshan beckoned to Yang Fan, "Come on, let’s unload the goods."

Yang Fan moved all the herbs down from the cart and weighed them one by one.

"It totals three hundred eighty-four pounds. Let’s make it an even three hundred and ninety, to avoid the hassle of counting," Zhu Shanshan’s slender fingers swiftly tapped on the calculator as she spoke, "Three hundred and ninety times a hundred and four, forty thousand with some change. Forget it, just call it forty-one thousand, dealing with all these bits and pieces is too troublesome."

Yang Fan was stunned.

Sister-in-law, aren’t you rounding off a bit too generously? Isn’t this practically the same as giving away money?

"Sister-in-law, hold on, we can’t do this; the accounts won’t add up later. I probably didn’t earn as much profit on this entire truckload as you just rounded off," Yang Fan hastily said.

He had indeed gone all out on today’s collection, nearly emptying his petty cash.

He had bought the Codonopsis at ninety-five yuan per pound, pouring in a genuine thirty-seven thousand yuan in capital alone.

Yang Fan had already calculated his overall profit, which was about two thousand and six hundred yuan.

But now with the price increase by another two yuan and Zhu Shanshan’s violent round-off, his profit margin was truly overwhelmed.

To earn about another two thousand yuan more.

"No worries, I don’t round off this way with everyone. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse, and I prefer the numbers simple. Let’s finish up and head to lunch quickly—I’ll be happy giving you a little bonus," Zhu Shanshan said nonchalantly.

Yang Fan said with a wry smile, "But this isn’t the way to do it! With a snap, you’re giving away over a thousand in profit, it’s just too much... it’s like giving away money for free!"

"I’m happy to, will you take it if I give it away? If you will, I’ll give it right away!" Zhu Shanshan’s gaze was intense as she spoke to Yang Fan.

Yang Fan immediately backed down, mumbling, "Why would you want to give me money for nothing?"

"How about selling your body to me?" Zhu Shanshan whispered with a giggle.

Although she spoke in jest, who could be sure how much truth was behind her words?

"Sister-in-law, don’t joke. Do you really think so highly of me?" Yang Fan quickly said, waving his hands.

Truth be told, he suspected Zhu Shanshan might be serious.

But if money got involved, Yang Fan didn’t feel quite right about it.

He’d rather toil and skimp for his earnings than make money this way.

"You’re handsome and strong, a dependable man. Is it so strange that I fancy you? If I weren’t married early, I’d probably chase after you all day long," Zhu Shanshan said with a laugh.

Yang Fan sidestepped Zhu Shanshan’s heated gaze and touched his nose, saying, "If sister-in-law’s selling, I’ll definitely take it. But if we talk money, it changes everything. How could we discuss such business?"

"You mean it?" Zhu Shanshan’s smile rippled with a different meaning, seemingly afraid Yang Fan would go back on his word, and quickly said, "Then it’s settled! We’ll leave the account as it is. Come on, let’s go have lunch."

"Sister-in-law, we really can’t round off like that!" Yang Fan insisted.

Yang Fan knew that Old Zhou always kept tight control over the accounts in the shop.

With Zhu Shanshan’s lavish gesture, Old Zhou would undoubtedly have something to say about it later.

Yang Fan hoped to deepen his relationship with Zhu Shanshan, and causing any doubt in Old Zhou’s mind over such a trifle would be unwise.

"Come on, what’s with all the fuss?" Zhu Shanshan shoved Yang Fan lightly as she spoke.