Chapter 39: Golden Giant Conch!

Li Yong glanced at the still-leaking sack in the carriage, curiously asking, "Lao Er, you guys went to sell seafood again?"

"Mm, we got some."

"This isn't just a little, it's three sacks." Li Yong said while driving, keeping an eye on the rearview mirror.

"They're all worthless goods."

"Hehe, Lao Er, you're making a fortune quietly." Li Yong teased.

Ye Cheng smiled without speaking.

"But, Lao Er, after making money you should eat something good, and also give Xiao Hu some steamed buns and pickled vegetables." Li Yong jerked his chin backward.

He loves this.

Xiao Hu sat in the back, speechless, and took a fierce bite of a steamed bun; he had said he'd eat instant noodles, but Ye Cheng said there was no money, so he told him to go home and get steamed buns and pickled vegetables himself.

Hmph! Damn capitalist.

Li Yong had been to Fuwang Seafood Grand Restaurant before, so he knew the way, arriving a little after nine.

This time Ye Cheng called Boss Qian directly on his phone, so there was no need to find a waiter to inform him.

"Yo, Xiao Ye, you're here again, what good stuff did you bring this time?" Seeing Ye Cheng's affectionate expression, Boss Qian made Ye Cheng feel like he was the client's dad.

Seeing Ye Cheng's strange expression, Boss Qian immediately understood, he put an arm around Ye Cheng and said softly, "Brother, I won't hide it from you: last time your stuff was good, it was potent, and several of my old customers have been craving it, wanting you to make some more."

Ye Cheng's face darkened: "Boss Qian, I'm just a seafood seller, don't use that word 'potent'—if the police heard, they'd think I was trafficking drugs."

"Huh? Hahaha, Xiao Ye, you really know how to joke." Boss Qian also burst out laughing at Ye Cheng's humor.

That's how business is: no matter how fierce the bargaining, the surface must remain harmonious.

Boss Qian's earlier remarks were actually a friendly gesture; as a buyer, his job is to find faults in the goods and drive down the price.

Now he's voluntarily saying Ye Cheng's goods are good; if Ye Cheng were a bit greedy, he'd surely raise the price, and Boss Qian would lose out.

To say Boss Qian is an idiot—I wouldn't believe it even if Ye Cheng were killed to death; managing such a large seafood restaurant, he couldn't be a fool.

Boss Qian said this because he wants to pull Ye Cheng into a long-term partnership for long-term business.

From this perspective, Ye Cheng doesn't resist either; Donghai Shi isn't big, and few people can consume that much goods, so having a stable purchaser would save him a lot of trouble.

"Come on, let's go to the back kitchen to see what good stuff you've brought over the past few days, so I can call my old customers."

Boss Qian found a waiter, brought over a small cart, and helped lift the seafood inside.

The seafood poured out with a splash, Boss Qian's eyes widened: "So many swimming crabs?"

"And there are blue flower crabs too—great, they're relatively rare, and customers like them."

Boss Qian was very interested in the blue flower crab, just as he said before: rarity makes value; although its taste is similar to ordinary swimming crab, one must eat this precious kind.

"These crabs aren't small at all—look, the ones I bought from the wholesaler are all too tiny." Boss Qian fished a swimming crab out of his own water tank and held them up for comparison.

Indeed, without comparison there is no harm; those of his could only be diced and stir-fried with rice cake.

"There are big and small, so there's plenty of choice."

"Mm, stir-fried swimming crab with rice cake sells a lot every day, but I'll definitely reserve yours for customers willing to pay a high price."

"Hearing you say it's so good, Boss Qian, I suddenly feel a hint of anticipation for today's deal." Ye Cheng gave a faint smile.

"Older brother, rest assured, I'll definitely give you a good price. How about this: blue flower crab at 38 per jin, swimming crab at 32 per jin—does that work for you?"

Ye Cheng silently estimated: in later times, a somewhat better swimming crab could sell for 100 or even 200 per jin; back in 2002, getting over 30 would already be not bad.

"Alright, let's check the weight." Ye Cheng nodded.

Boss Qian waved his hand, and two staff members came over to weigh: "The swimming crabs and red-star swimming crabs together weigh 33 jin, and the blue flower crabs 42 jin."

"Mm, what about the flower conchs—how much?" Ye Cheng pointed to the half-sack of flower conchs on the other side, also part of last night's harvest.

Boss Qian grabbed a handful of flower conchs to look at, hefted the weight, and said, "Quality's not bad—how about 22 per jin for the flower conchs?"

Ye Cheng nodded and waved his hand to indicate weighing.

"The flower conchs total 36 jin."

Although there aren't many flower conchs, they take up more weight than the swimming crabs.

"Xiao Ye, let me calculate: swimming crabs 33 jin at 32 each equals 1,056."

"Blue flower crabs 42 jin at 38 each equals 1,596."

"Flower conchs 36 jin at 22 each equals 792."

"Adding those three gives 3,444 yuan; I'll round it up to an even 3,500—how does that sound?"

Boss Qian tapped away on the calculator and came up with the final price.

3,500 yuan is fine for a Luck Value of 60.

Seeing Ye Cheng had no objection, Boss Qian prepared to have someone fetch the money.

"Wait." Ye Cheng suddenly said.

"Xiao Ye, are you complaining the price is too low?" Boss Qian's face showed a bit of displeasure; he hadn't said anything before, but now bringing up the price being low is going too far.

"No." Ye Cheng smiled faintly, gestured to Xiao Hu behind him; Xiao Hu stepped forward and handed over the sack he was carrying on his back.

"Boss Qian, what price could you give for this?" Ye Cheng took a large conch out of the sack.

"Golden Giant Conch!" Boss Qian exclaimed, carefully taking it from Ye Cheng's hands and examining it closely.

"Good, good stuff—this thing is rare."

Holding it in his hand, Boss Qian simply couldn't put it down.

"It's indeed uncommon, Boss Qian, name your price."

"This one's 200 bucks—brother, do you have more in your bag? Take them all out so I, your brother, can have a look." Boss Qian stared at Ye Cheng's bag.

"There are only five in total." Ye Cheng took out the conchs from his bag.

"Just five, brother—you're really something."

Boss Qian looked speechless; such large conchs are rare, absolutely excellent.

So, I'll take the larger one for 300, and the other four at 200 each, making 1100 total—how does that sound?

Ye Cheng calculated: previously it was 3500, now adding 1100 makes 4600.

"Add a bit more, making it 4800 total."

"Okay, 4800 then, you're being straightforward, bro." Boss Qian agreed right away.

Seeing Boss Qian's cheerful demeanor, Ye Cheng felt he might have sold too cheaply.

But it had already reached his mental expectation, and he was satisfied.

Boss Qian happily counted out a stack of money for Ye Cheng, "Brother, you count it—4800."

Paying this money left him feeling relieved; he personally put his arm around Ye Cheng and saw them off.