C10 Go Again

Chenxuan was still finishing his meal when Xiuyuan returned home. Zhang Yuehua saw her husband come in and quickly stood up to ask, "How did the meeting go?"

Xiuyuan shook his head, a bit disappointed. "Old Jiang didn't agree. He said he couldn't make the decision on his own and needed to check with the boss of the construction site. He's just the contractor; the boss handles the accounts and decides where to buy materials. It felt like he was just making excuses. He's always been hauling from the sandpit in Hongfeng Village."

Chenxuan, still eating, asked, "Dad, how much of a discount did you offer him?"

"A dollar per truckload. I usually give others a discount of thirty to fifty cents per truckload, but there's no way the sandpit in Hongfeng Village can offer that much of a discount!" Xiuyuan couldn't understand why Old Jiang wouldn't buy sand from him. Was it a matter of pride?

It didn't make sense! Buying things should be about quality and price, right? River sand is the same everywhere, and my price is lower and closer. Why wouldn't he buy from me?

Chenxuan stopped eating and stood up. "Dad, grab two packs of cigarettes. I'll go with you to talk to him."

Xiuyuan didn't move. "We just got back. Going again might annoy him."

Chenxuan paused for a moment and said, "Dad, your price is really low. The benefits go to the people building the house, but if the sandpit in Hongfeng Village gives him a couple of packs of cigarettes a month, he'll probably do business with them instead."

Upon realizing something, Yang Xiuyuan exclaimed, “Oh, right! I didn’t bring anything when I went over. Hold on a second!” He went inside and came back with an unopened pack of wild tea. “I bought this yesterday. I meant to hand out a pack to everyone at dinner, but I forgot.”

Yang Chenxuan stopped his father, “If he keeps bringing us these opportunities every now and then, are you going to give him a pack of cigarettes each time?”

Yang Xiuyuan thought for a moment and replied, “It depends. If we make a profit from buying the machinery, then it’s no big deal to give a little something.”

Many people share this mindset, but gift-giving is an art. First, your gift should catch the person’s attention and be appropriate. Usually, what catches attention is something valuable. The more expensive the gift, the more likely it is to be noticed. However, these things often have a “shelf life,” and after a while, people forget.

If you only occasionally need a favor, giving a gift when the time comes is fine. But if you’re looking for a long-term relationship, you need to nurture it. It’s like giving cigarettes; if you give a whole pack at once, he’ll be thrilled, but once he’s done, he’ll likely forget. However, if you meet up every so often and give him a pack each time, he’ll get a little boost of happiness each time. Over time, he’ll see you as someone who really knows how to maintain relationships, and he’ll be more inclined to help you out when you need it.

If there's something good happening, and others are eager to get in on it, he might still check with you first. He won't just give it away to someone else because they asked first.

When Yang Chenxuan offers a cigarette, it's more about making a good impression so things go smoothly in the future. The real benefits aren't in that pack of cigarettes.

Yang Chenxuan took the cigarettes from his father's hand. "Take two packs over, use one for yourself, and give him one."

"Just one pack? That's too stingy!" Yang Xiuyuan thought it was a bit cheap.

Yang Chenxuan pulled out three packs, kept one for himself, handed two to his father, and gave the rest to his mother. He said to his father, "I'll go with you. This time, we'll seal the deal."

Yang Xiuyuan wanted to say something, but Yang Chenxuan added, "If I can't close it, you can always try again another day!"

Zhang Yuehua now trusted her son more than her husband, and since it could save money, she chimed in, "Listen to Xuan!"

Yang Xiuyuan smacked his lips, "Alright, let's see what you've got!"

People in the countryside go to bed early, so by the time the father and son reached the neighboring village, it was already 9:30 PM. The contractor, Mr. Jiang, and his family were already asleep.

Mr. Jiang's real name was Jiang Youcai, and he truly lived up to his name. He was one of the wealthiest in Taoling Village, with a two-story brick house. The exterior walls were coated with cement, and the floors inside were all cement too. In 1992, it was definitely a mansion.

Yang Xiuyuan knocked on the door a couple of times, shouting, "Hey, Joe! Joe..."

A woman's voice quickly came from inside, "Coming! Coming!"

The door was opened by Joe's wife, who, upon seeing Xiuyuan and his son, Chenxuan, greeted them with a smile, "Oh, it's Yang and young Xuan! Come on in and have a seat..."

The family had a TV, and they were in the living room, enjoying the fan's breeze while watching a popular show from back in the day. Snacks were laid out on the table, and all the lights outside were turned off to save electricity—a common practice in rural areas back then.

Joe stood up when he saw Xiuyuan and Chenxuan, smiling as he said, "Yang, didn't I tell you I'd get back to you tomorrow? Sit down and watch some TV with us."

Chenxuan gave his father a subtle signal to offer a cigarette.

Xiuyuan, feeling that giving just one pack was a bit lacking, pulled out two packs from his pocket. "Joe, we could really use your help with this matter, about the price..."

Chenxuan, worried his father might try to negotiate further, quickly chimed in, "We can discuss the pricing differently if needed!"

Xiuyuan felt a bit frustrated but nodded with a smile since his son had already spoken.

Joe, who had gained his status through skill and insight, pretended to decline the cigarettes, but after some back-and-forth, he accepted one pack. "Yang, your boy's got potential! He's the only one from around here who got into the top high school. He's going places."

"Just lucky, that's all!" Yang Xiuyuan felt a bit proud inside. His kids were making him proud, and if his daughter got into the top high school, he'd be smiling in his sleep.

After a bit of small talk, Yang Xiuyuan shifted the conversation to the topic of river sand.

Jiang Youcai firmly stated, "I still need to discuss this with the construction boss. After all, he's keeping an eye on it!"

Yang Xiuyuan kept repeating, "Can you help me out?" and "I wouldn't let you take a loss, would I?"

Yang Chenxuan couldn't help but chime in, "Uncle Jiang, can I say something?"

Jiang Youcai chuckled, "Chenxuan, you're an educated person. You should understand Uncle Jiang's difficulties."

Yang Chenxuan nodded, "Uncle Jiang, we understand your situation. My dad didn't explain clearly before. Actually, we don't want to sell the sand to those construction bosses."

Yang Xiuyuan was momentarily stunned. If not to the construction bosses, then to whom?

Jiang Youcai was also taken aback, "Then who are you selling it to?"

"We're selling it to you, Uncle Jiang!" Yang Chenxuan explained. "We're just the factory. The price for you is four dollars a truckload, a really good deal. Uncle Jiang, if you help us promote it, it will definitely be hard work. It takes effort and connections. It's not as easy as opening a store in town. As for the selling price, we won't ask, but the price for you is just four dollars a truckload."

In simple terms, it was a commission deal!

Yang Xiuyuan opened his mouth, thinking this was practically handing money to Jiang Youcai. Selling it to him for four bucks a load, while he tells the builders it's five, making a dollar per load without lifting a finger.

If the sandpit hires someone, who knows if they'll even make a profit per load? Any small profit would just end up in Jiang Youcai's pocket. Yang Xiuyuan felt uneasy about it.

Jiang Youcai, always quick on his feet, immediately saw the potential for profit when he heard Yang Chenxuan's words. His math skills weren't great, so he couldn't calculate it right away, but he was sure there was money to be made. However, there were still a few small issues that needed solving.

Jiang Youcai pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to both Yang Xiuyuan and Yang Chenxuan, and lit one for himself. "This... if people find out, it won't be good!"