CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER 143: RABBIT PELTS

Aunt Chen raised a finger, "Can I sell it for ten cents?"

"Ten cents? Are you planning to do a buy three, get one free deal, or a buy five, get two free?"

Aunt Chen didn’t understand the difference between buying three get one free and buying five get two free. After a round of analysis from Lin Xiang, she dryly said, "I’m not giving any freebies, just selling each for ten cents."

"You won’t be able to sell them." Lin Xiang rejected Aunt Chen outright without even thinking.

Spicy noodles, after all, are served hot, and they even include the not-so-cheap bean sprouts and rare seaweed, yet they only sell for ten cents a bowl, with a buy five get one free deal.

In theory, the cost of making the flatbread is a bit higher than sweet potato noodles, so Aunt Chen’s pricing to match spicy noodles is understandable.

But doing business means not just looking at issues from one’s own perspective but also considering the consumers’ standpoint.

A dry vegetable sandwich for ten cents and a ten-cent bowl of hot sweet potato noodles, surely everyone would choose the sweet potato noodles.

If Aunt Chen priced it at ten cents, she would only end up cornering herself.

"Moreover, there’s no fat/oil in your dish, the taste is quite plain. Although it seems you’ve controlled the costs, with fewer customers, less is sold. Where will you make money from? To make money, the pricing shouldn’t be too high, and the taste should pass. Otherwise, if it’s something people can make at home, why spend money to buy it outside?"

Lin Xiang believed she had analyzed it comprehensively, but Aunt Chen obviously thought the ten-cent pricing wasn’t expensive and simply ignored Lin Xiang’s analysis.

She even angrily took back the one she originally planned to give Mrs. Lin after Lin Xiang said her vegetable sandwich didn’t taste good.

Turning her face like flipping a book to the extreme.

After the courtyard door was slammed shut, Lin Xiang laughed in anger.

Mrs. Lin said gleefully, "I told you last night, don’t blurt out all these little business tips. Many people don’t appreciate it."

Aunt Chen was one of them.

Lin Xiang sighed inaudibly, "Seeing everyone’s life isn’t going well, since I have the ability, I’ll help where I can. Whether they listen or not, that’s up to them."

Lin Xiang didn’t think of herself as a martyr.

She learned about the hardships of this era from history books and some period dramas.

Although 1977 had passed the hardest ten years, ordinary people’s lives were still tough.

Because of her, the Lin Family didn’t lack money and lived a decent life, but many families in the Li Hua Team still couldn’t afford to eat.

If she were helpless, it would be one thing, but since she could help some who wanted to change this predicament, Lin Xiang didn’t want to stand by idly.

Of course, she wouldn’t force herself on someone like Aunt Chen, who didn’t listen to advice, or Aunt Wu, who was malicious.

Shortly after Aunt Chen left, a few others came, and all of them, like Uncle Wang, adopted some of Lin Xiang’s suggestions.

The next morning, at the village entrance.

The market-going team expanded from four people to twelve people.

Uncle Wang, together with his eldest son, Aunt Chen with her two sisters-in-law, and Grandpa Zhao, who had baskets hung on both his front and back, filled with Ding Ding Candy and maltose, though not in large quantities.

Both Ding Ding Candy and maltose were labor-intensive to make, and Grandpa Zhao had only managed to make half a basket’s worth after a whole day yesterday.

There was also a grandmother and granddaughter duo. The grandmother was about seventy, walking unsteadily, and the granddaughter was just over ten years old, about the same age as Dong Sheng, but appeared only seven or eight.

Lin Xiang didn’t recognize the grandmother and granddaughter, so she poked Chunya and asked, "Who is that grandmother?"

"That’s Granny Yang, living at the foot of the back mountain, and her granddaughter Xiwang. Granny Yang’s husband joined the army many years ago and never returned. Granny Yang had a son, but he didn’t make it through the winter, so she lived alone until ten years ago when she found Xiwang on the back mountain and raised her with occasional help from the team."

"Sister Niu, you even snatched Xiwang’s candy before, remember?"

Lin Xiang: ...

The original owner really hit rock bottom! The grandmother and granddaughter had it hard enough, and she even snatched candy? God knows what that piece of candy meant to Xiwang!

Feeling guilty, Lin Xiang looked over at Xiwang, who shied away behind her grandmother as if she’d seen a flood beast.

Lin Xiang awkwardly rubbed her chin.

Despite it being the original self’s mistake, she had to take the blame.

"Granny Yang, the road to the big market is far, and in your condition, I’m afraid you can’t make it. Why don’t you let us help you with whatever you plan to sell?"

Before Granny Yang could speak, Xiwang tightly hugged the basket of goods to her chest, watching Lin Xiang warily.

"If grandma can’t make it, I can follow you all to the town. I plan to sell these rabbit skins myself."

"Rabbit skins?" Lin Xiang immediately caught on, "Can I take a look?"

Xiwang held onto the basket and wouldn’t let go.

The shadow of the original self snatching candy was still fresh; she feared Lin Xiang would take away the rabbit skins she had painstakingly saved up.

Granny Yang said, "Xiwang, show Sister Niu. She’s seen the world; she can help us appraise how much they can sell for so we won’t be cheated."

Xiwang evidently went through a mental struggle before finally deciding to hand a rabbit skin to Lin Xiang, but she only took out one.

The rabbit skin was small but well-treated, tanned into a whole piece of fur.

"Did you make this?" Lin Xiang asked Xiwang with some surprise.

"Grandma taught me, and I learned."

"That’s so impressive." Lin Xiang genuinely praised, "Not only is the rabbit skin intact, the fur is well preserved too. If these were made into insoles and gloves, they would definitely be warm."

Xiwang looked at Lin Xiang with bright eyes, "Lin... Sister Niu, what do you think these rabbit skins can sell for?"

Lin Xiang asked, "How many rabbit skins do you have?"

Xiwang showed four fingers, "All about the same size as this one."

One rabbit skin could make two pairs of insoles or a pair of gloves.

"I’ve mainly been selling sweet potato noodles at the big market these days and haven’t really noticed if there are rabbit skins for sale or what they charge. How about this, you guys skip the market today, I’ll go scout around, and I’ll tell you this afternoon when I get back, okay?"

Xiwang stubbornly said, "I can go with you."

"You’re just a kid, with such short legs; can you keep up with us?"

Xiwang was upset.

"Be good, I’ll come to find you this afternoon after I return from the market. Is that okay, Granny Yang?" Lin Xiang directly asked Granny Yang.

Granny Yang’s face, full of wrinkles, was all smiles, "Then I’ll trouble Sister Niu."