Chapter 8 Selling Fish

   "Young man, it's cheaper, five yuan is too expensive, if it's cheaper, I'll buy one and go home."

   There is really someone who is not short of money. After thinking about it for a while, I opened my mouth to bargain.

   "Auntie, if you keep talking back, if I don't give in, it's really not kind. How about it, four yuan and five, you choose the big one, how about it?"

  Xu Shiyan didn't expect to sell it for five yuan a piece at first, he demanded a lot and paid back the money on the spot, so there was always room for bargaining.

  The big guys thought about it in their hearts, and the fifty cents would be four yuan and five.

  These fish are quite big, and there are always three and a half catties, so the calculation is only one yuan, three or four cents a catty, which is not bad.

   "Come on, young man, pick up a big one for my aunt. It happens that our old man celebrates his birthday today, so we didn't rush to buy meat just now."

   Someone really handed over four yuan and fifty cents and asked Xu Shiyan to pick a big one.

  Xu Shiyan was also honest, took the money, and chose a big one from it and handed it to others. "Auntie, look at this fish, it's still gagging. It's fresh, so feel free to eat it when you go back."

  The old lady carried the fish contentedly and left.

  People around saw it, and they were also a little moved. Some people tried to negotiate the price again.

  Xu Shiyan, however, refused to give up the price. Four yuan and fifty a piece, you can get the money if you buy it.

  This is the only business. Most of the sellers around are eggs and vegetables. How can there be such fresh fish? He is not stupid if he lowers the price again.

   Let’s sell something, look at the atmosphere, a group of people surround it, as long as someone starts, someone will follow suit.

  Four yuan and five fish, Xu Shiyan killed the fish without lowering the price, and a few people were so cruel that they simply paid for one.

   Not long after, four more were sold, and I didn’t move much after that. After all, few people are willing to spend money.

  The rest of the people didn't leave, they were all looking around, they were waiting.

  In this hot weather, how long can fish live without water? Four and five yuan for live fish, what about dead ones? It is estimated that two or three yuan can be bought.

   No one bought fish, but a group of people were whispering around. Xu Shiyan could probably guess it when he saw this posture.

  Looking at the remaining fish in the basket, Xu Shiyan also hesitated, should he lower the price? Is it really waiting for the fish to die before dealing with it cheaply?

   "Young man, let's lower the price. Let's see what time it is. I'll be home for dinner in a while. Who will buy your fish?"

   "Don't say that my aunt didn't remind you, you guys are buying and selling, and someone will catch it. The person should come later, let him catch it, and you will have to pay a fine if the fish is gone."

   "That's right, it's cheaper, three yuan a piece, we all buy it."

  A few old ladies who wanted to pick up a bargain were chattering and bargaining there.

  Xu Shiyan is already sweating, basking in the sun, no matter how anxious he is, can he stop sweating?

   "Yo, what are you doing surrounded by so many people?" Suddenly, a voice came from not far away.

  Xu Shiyan's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly looked where the sound came from.

  I saw a person wearing a white Dacron shirt and light blue pants, who looked about 30 years old, white and fat, with a smile on his face.

  Not wearing red armbands, nor looking fierce, then nothing happened, Xu Shiyan heaved a sigh of relief.

   "Brother, do you have a thin scale fish? It just came out of the water this morning, and it is fresh." There are few fat people in this day and age, and this person is unusual at first glance.

   "Yo, slender fish? Are you still alive? Why are you selling it?" When the man heard the slender fish, he immediately widened his eyes, walked up to him in two steps, and carefully looked at the fish in the basket.

   "It was originally said to be five yuan a piece. If the elder brother wants it, four five yuan will do." Xu Shiyan didn't dare to say two yuan a catty anymore, and directly quoted four yuan and five.

  The man reached out and rummaged through the basket, and sure enough, they were still alive. "Four dollars, I wrapped it up, how about it?"

   "Huh?" Xu Shiyan was taken aback, there were still ten fish in the basket, Baoyuan? What does this man do? Who can eat so much? "Brother, are you kidding me?"

  The man looked up at Xu Shiyan, curled his lips, "Don't talk about you, if you double it, I want it too. Just say whether you want to sell it or not."

   "Sell, sell." Ten fish will be rounded up directly, and if you belong to a big customer, why don't you sell it?

   "Okay, come with me, take the money." The man waved his hand, signaling Xu Shiyan to follow him with his basket on his back.

  When the group of spectators around saw it, they were not happy. "Hey, how can it be like this? We all want to buy fish, why did you wrap it up yourself?" Someone stepped forward to stop it.

   "You are stupid, that is the head of the logistics procurement team of the agency." The sharp-eyed person recognized the identity of that person.

  Xu Shiyan was worried just now, afraid that the other party would lie to him, but when he heard that it was logistics procurement, he let go of his suspense. So he carried the basket on his back and quickly followed the man straight to the bureau compound.

   "When the invoice is issued later, you will say two yuan a catty." Entering the agency compound, the man whispered something.

  Xu Shiyan was stunned for a moment, then understood, and nodded quickly. "Hey, hey, I see, brother, don't worry."

   Seeing Xu Shiyan being so upbeat, the man was very satisfied, he smiled and led Xu Shiyan to the logistics and finance department.

   Weighed, billed, paid, and asked Xu Shiyan to send the fish to the kitchen of the canteen of the government office, and poured it into a large tank filled with water.

   "Old Chen, there is a fish with thin scales today. I will see your craftsmanship at noon, and I have to let the leader eat it." The fat man shouted at the back kitchen, and followed Xu Shiyan out.

  The two of them came to a secluded corner, and Xu Shiyan hurriedly stuffed the money he had withdrawn just now into the man's hand. "Brother, thank you, you must keep this."

  Ten fish were weighed, a total of thirty-seven catties, Xu Shiyan kept forty yuan, and the remaining thirty-four were given to the other party.

  The man was very satisfied with Xu Shiyan being so sensible, he took the money and put it in his pocket, and looked him up and down again. "Where are you from? Why haven't I seen you selling fish before?"

   "It's the first time I've come back from a big house, and I need money urgently for something at home, so I have to." Xu Shiyan replied with a smile.

  The big house refers to the Dongjiangyan Brigade.

  In 1910, Wang Fenglin, a large ginseng household, hired workers to cultivate ginseng, and built a five-room workshop here. At that time, it was a very big house, so it was called a big house.

  Because it is on the bank of Songhua River in Toudao, it was originally a production team of Xigang Brigade, located on the riverside to the east of Xigang Brigade, so it was named Dongjiangyan Production Team, and later became a brigade.

  For the locals, Dongjiangyan may not know where it is, but when it comes to big houses, they all nod to know.

   "Hey, it's a big house, that's a good place, the yellow smoke in your place is good." The other party's eyes lit up.

  The big house has good water, soil and climate, which is more suitable for the growth of yellow smoke. The quality of the yellow smoke produced is particularly good, and it is famous far and wide.

   "Yes, yes, it's not the time yet. I'll send two of them to my elder brother when the yellow smoke is cut and dried in autumn." Being a human being in two lifetimes, if you don't have this bit of vision, then your work is in vain.

   "I don't know your eldest brother's last name? You see, I didn't bring anything with me when I went out.

  Brother, the five dollars is my sympathy. You can buy a pack of cigarettes. "Gritting his teeth, Xu Shiyan took out another five yuan and handed it to the man.

  (end of this chapter)