Chapter 29: I’ll Get You 10!

In the afternoon, after the midday rest, Chen Manman packed the dried schisandra berries into a sack and tied it onto the back seat of her bicycle. She was preparing to go to the county town to sell the schisandra.

Before setting off, she took care of her two little brothers, applied sunscreen, put on a straw hat, and rode off.

What she liked most now was riding her bike along the small path, smelling the fresh scent of grass and feeling the warm breeze — so comfortable!

In the clinic, Fan Yi was leisurely cracking sunflower seeds on a reclining chair. Seeing someone come in, he got up with a smile. “Sister Chen, you’re here!”

“Hello, Comrade Fan!” Chen Manman brought the sack over. “Here’s the processed schisandra. Can you take a look?”

Fan Yi hadn’t expected that just a few days after inquiring about schisandra, it would already be processed.

“Alright!” He opened the sack, picked up a handful for careful inspection, then popped one berry into his mouth. After a moment, “Not bad! Top grade. I’ll take them all!”

Usually, the clinic didn’t use schisandra that often in prescriptions, but these top-grade berries, plus being delivered by Sister Chen, made him take them all.

After weighing, it was 42 jin (about 21 kg), totaling 96.6 yuan. Fan Yi handed the money to Chen Manman, “Sister, want to count?”

Chen Manman took the money and stuffed it directly into her small shoulder bag without counting. “No need, I trust you, Comrade Fan. By the way, how much schisandra does your clinic buy at most at one time?”

Fan Yi liked her even more. “Sister, our clinic can buy up to a hundred jin or so per year. If you have a large amount of schisandra or other medicinal herbs, I can recommend someone we usually buy from. If you want, I can write a letter for you.”

Fan Yi’s words solved Chen Manman’s problem. She had been worrying about the abundant schisandra covering the back mountain — surely thousands or tens of thousands of jin — and without a sales channel, it would all be wasted!

“That’s really too kind! I was just worrying about no channels. Comrade Fan, thank you so much!” Chen Manman quickly thanked him. “How about I treat you to dinner tonight? The dishes at the state-run restaurant nearby are pretty good!”

Fan Yi waved his hand quickly, “No need, no need. I’ll just help you write the letter. If you have good herbs in the future, come to us. I promise fair prices!” He wanted to make good connections and had a feeling this woman was no ordinary person.

Chen Manman didn’t insist. Once she succeeded, she would come back to thank him properly.

Before leaving, Fan Yi took down Chen Manman’s address so that if they sent a letter, it wouldn’t get lost.

Chen Manman happily pocketed the 96.6 yuan as she left the clinic — her first pot of gold in this world! She was thrilled!

Thinking of buying something for her family, Chen Manman cycled to the supply and marketing cooperative.

The county’s supply and marketing cooperative was quite large, with all sorts of goods displayed in cabinets. After looking around, Chen Manman hadn’t decided what to buy but was stopped by a saleswoman.

“Sister, come here! Come here!” The speaker was a round-faced young woman, fair and pretty, with two braided pigtails, wearing a light-colored floral dress, smiling with a delicate charm as she waved.

Chen Manman glanced around; no one else was nearby. Realizing she was being called, she hesitated briefly, then walked over. “May I help you?” She probably didn’t know this girl.

“Sister, is that watch on your wrist a Shanghai brand? Oh wow! Not cheap!” Fang Ying looked curiously at the watch on Chen Manman’s wrist.

Their cooperative sold watches too, but Shanghai brand watches were hot commodities. Last month, they sold only one, bought by the county mayor’s wife.

The saleswomen knew the county mayor’s wife, but they didn’t know this girl, so they were curious about Chen Manman.

Chen Manman was momentarily speechless. She had seen many watches in her space, and the styles were similar. She just casually picked an ordinary one. Who would have thought…

“This was sent by my brother from Shanghai; he works there,” Chen Manman casually lied.

Fang Ying’s eyes lit up instantly. “I knew you’re no ordinary girl! Sister, my name is Fang Ying. I work here. How much did you pay for the watch?”

Chen Manman didn’t really know. She glanced casually at the counter; most watches were priced around 200 yuan.

She said uncertainly, “About 200 yuan?”

Fang Ying suddenly exclaimed, “200 yuan?” Then realizing she’d spoken too loudly, quickly covered her mouth. Excited, she pulled Chen Manman into a corner.

“Sister, did you really buy it for 200 yuan?” Fang Ying remembered last month’s watch sold to the county mayor’s wife was 260 yuan and came with a receipt.

Chen Manman looked at the young woman and guessed her meaning, so she decisively said, “My brother got someone to buy directly from the factory — cheaper!”

Fang Ying was pleased to get the answer she wanted and could hardly hide her smile.

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Fang Ying glanced carefully around and, seeing no one, leaned close to Chen Manman’s ear: “Sister, could you ask your brother to get more of these watches? If you can get some secretly to sell to me, I’ll pay 220 yuan each!”

Chen Manman thought, as expected. She calculated in her head how much she could make selling the watches from her space, plus radios, fans, black-and-white TVs…

Seeing Chen Manman’s silence, Fang Ying grew anxious. “So? Sister, you can make 20 yuan profit on one watch!”

Fang Ying wouldn’t do this if she weren’t desperate for money. If the cooperative manager found out, she’d lose her job for sure.

She was getting married to her boyfriend at the New Year. His mother demanded 500 yuan dowry from her family to agree, but Fang Ying’s family couldn’t pay, so she was taking a risk.

“Okay, how many do you want?” Chen Manman decisively agreed. Money was money. She needed funds to support her study of Chinese medicine!

“Five?” Fang Ying wasn’t sure if Chen Manman could get five but saw her calm face.

“Eight?”

Chen Manman thought, if it were eighty, she’d get it for sure, but to not scare Fang Ying away, she said, “I can get you 10!”

“Ten? Perfect!” Fang Ying planned to sell them at 250 yuan each. Selling ten watches would net her 300 yuan profit, nearly enough for the 500 yuan dowry. She also had over 100 yuan saved. “Sister, what’s your name?”

“My surname is Chen. I guess I’m older than you.” They exchanged ages; Chen Manman was indeed older — after all, she already had two kids!

“Sister Chen, my family lives at… If the goods arrive, come find me there.” They still spoke quietly.

Leaving the cooperative, Chen Manman smiled. Making money felt pretty good!

Back home, she found the two little ones were not in the room. She quickly slipped into her space to organize the watch inventory since she wouldn’t have time at night.

She took out 10 brand new Shanghai watches and then counted and arranged the remaining watches.