Happy Little Farmer
Chapter 536

Chapter 536: Chapter 536

Wang Daqiang did not ask why it took Yang Fan so long to buy alcohol, even longer than his own trip to the town for groceries. His lack of questioning entangled Yang Fan in perplexity.

All the prepared explanations Yang Fan had were rendered unnecessary.

That’s the problem with honest people; they just don’t realize the need to give others a way to save face.

Not only did he not ask, he acted as if he understood everything, almost causing Yang Fan to suffer an internal injury from holding back.

"Do you know that look on your face is asking for a beating?" Yang Fan said irritably as he sat down on the couch.

Wang Daqiang gave a wry smile, "How is my look asking for a beating?"

"Do you think I’m missing some parts or something?" Yang Fan asked.

This guy didn’t ask a single question, but his eyes were full of mischief, and he was sizing him up so obviously that his intention couldn’t have been clearer.

Wang Daqiang waved his hands, "No, no, I believe Gao Lanlan didn’t take apart your ’parts’."

"That’s more like it." Yang Fan replied, "You make it seem like I really did something guilty. Come to think of it, have you ever considered starting a business near us? By now, you should have enough capital to do so."

"I’m afraid of losing money. I don’t think I have a talent for business," Wang Daqiang said. "I’d rather just save my money in the bank and find a steady job. Maybe there will be some security for the latter half of my life, but if I take a risk, I worry I’d end up with nothing and lose it all very quickly."

Yang Fan opened a beer, handed one to Wang Daqiang, and said, "Actually, I have a matter that you might consider getting involved in. There’s no need to rush your answer; think it over properly."

This matter had only come to his mind after his chat with Old Zhou.

Old Zhou’s contract might turn into a pitfall in the second half of the year, and they both might face the possibility of having to pay a penalty for breach of contract.

Even though the contract was signed by Old Zhou and the pharmaceutical factory, Yang Fan didn’t have a single stroke of his pen on it.

But Old Zhou didn’t earn a penny and gave him such a big share, so Yang Fan couldn’t just acknowledge the brotherhood when it was time to make money, and then clean himself off completely when it was time to lose money. He couldn’t engage in such unfilial behavior.

And those penalty fees—if paid—would likely eat up most of the money Yang Fan had earned over the past half-year.

To avoid this problem, they needed to stock up on the herbs specified in the contract as soon as possible and buy them from other places.

However, Yang Fan couldn’t afford to completely disengage himself and scour the streets elsewhere.

So he thought of Wang Daqiang.

"You say, if I think I can do it, I’ll do it; if not, even if there’s money to be made, I won’t force myself," Wang Daqiang said.

Yang Fan detailed the herb collection business. "Most of the herb prices are normal now, except for this year’s Black Horse Codonopsis. How much you buy them for is your business, and that’ll be how much you earn, because my price is fixed."

"So, you mean if I buy them for eighty, I can make a profit of forty on top?" Wang Daqiang asked.

Yang Fan nodded, "But you have to include your travel expenses too, meal costs, hotel stays; they all cost money."

Wang Daqiang considered it seriously, "Staying in hotels is definitely out of the question. Even the cheapest one is over a hundred a day. With a month’s worth of meals added on, I’m afraid I wouldn’t make any profit; I’d actually lose money."

"However, I could use a tent, stock up on instant noodles, and occasionally buy some meals from locals’ homes. That way, these expenses can be mostly saved. But, if I’m collecting goods like this, I’d need a big vehicle, normal tricycles won’t do the job."

"A second-hand double-cab vehicle would cost about twenty or thirty thousand, that should be all the initial investment required, right? There’s nothing else needed, I guess?"

Yang Fan nodded.

As Wang Daqiang calculated his investments, Yang Fan also quietly estimated his own finances.

"Fanzi, is it easy to collect these herbs?" Wang Daqiang inquired.

Yang Fan shook his head, "It’s hard to say. If I collected them the way I used to, it wouldn’t be easy to gather, nor would there be much profit. However, the rate I’m giving you includes a certain markup. That part would be the profit for both of us, several bucks higher overall than the market price, which means the profit margin is significantly bigger than normal collection."

"Additionally, we need a large quantity, and you could even directly negotiate bulk purchases at other herb markets. If it wasn’t for this reason, I wouldn’t be discussing this so seriously with you."

Wang Daqiang nodded, "So... is it stable? Like, once I’ve collected the goods, there won’t be any sudden changes, right? And how much do you estimate it would cost to collect a truckload?"

Wang Daqiang was meticulous with his calculations.

But that’s exactly what Yang Fan needed from him. If Wang Daqiang were to hastily agree to the opportunity purely for the profit margin without thinking it through, Yang Fan would be worried.

"Let’s talk about the first point, there will definitely be no problem for the next couple of years," Yang Fan explained.

Old Zhou’s contract was for three years.

For such a large enterprise, Yang Fan felt there shouldn’t be any problem in this regard.

"Collecting a truckload would cost about a hundred thousand, but I can guarantee that there won’t be any problems," Yang Fan said. "You don’t have to worry that once you’ve collected the goods, suddenly no one will want them, leaving you stuck with them. I’ll cover you."

"No, let’s keep business as business. Don’t look out for me in this matter. Even though you’ve opened a shop in town and made some money, I know you haven’t made that much," Wang Daqiang said, waving his hands.

"What I want to know is, even if the price of herbs falls, they won’t become unsellable, right?"

"That’s for sure," Yang Fan replied. "Moreover, the price I’m offering you is stable for the next couple of years, because there’s a contract. It won’t fluctuate with the market, so you don’t need to worry about that."

Wang Daqiang nodded, "In that case, I understand. Let’s do it!"

"To be honest, I’d have to work at construction sites moving bricks if I go out now. I’m more than tired of that work and want to switch. Plus, you’ve offered me such good conditions. If I were still hesitant, it’d be quite disrespectful."

Yang Fan suddenly asked, "Do you have a driver’s license?"

"Yes, I got it when I first entered society; it was dirt cheap back then. Eight hundred yuan and it was settled," Wang Daqiang laughed, "And don’t worry about my driving experience. I often haul for construction, it’s just that I don’t have the connections to do it regularly. Otherwise, it could be quite profitable too."

Yang Fan felt reassured, "I’ll buy the vehicle, as I happen to need one too."

"I’ll do it, I’ll do it!" Wang Daqiang insisted, shaking his head, "I’ll be driving the truck away, so what would you need it for? You wouldn’t have it to use anyway."

"I only need it about every ten days or half a month, and it’s not like you won’t be coming back, right? Let’s just settle it that way," Yang Fan said.