Li Hongyang and the others froze on the spot.
Sure enough, this was rich second-generation entrepreneurship—like child's play.
He did not know the purchase price, did not know how much to buy, and did not know the selling price. He simply knew nothing when asked.
However, Li Hongyang had no intention of reminding Su Lin. Before he left, Su Zhenguo had instructed him to listen to Su Lin in everything and not ask questions.
Clearly, Su Zhenguo wanted to weigh Su Lin up and see what he was made of.
Just as they were whispering among themselves, Su Lin's phone rang.
Chen Yang had already parted ways with Ye Feng.
He had no mood to care about the three hundred yuan in his hand. Instead, he called Su Lin at once.
"Hello, Brother Lin."
"Yangzi, tell me what's going on. I've already prepared the people and money on my end, so give me the details."
"Okay, Brother Lin. I followed Ye Feng around Donghai and only then found out there was a medicinal herb market here. It doesn't look large, but it handles wholesale and has considerable clout."
"Ye Feng bought over a hundred jin of Gastrodia elata for eight thousand yuan. He sold it all in less than a minute, at 280 yuan per jin."
"Oh? What was the purchase price?"
"It was 54 when he bought it."
Su Lin could hear Chen Yang trying to suppress his excitement.
No wonder. If he threw in twenty thousand yuan, he would come back with nearly a hundred thousand.
"How great is the demand?"
"A lot, an enormous amount. I don't know exactly how much they want, but Ye Feng's Gastrodia elata was snapped up in a frenzy. There wasn't even any haggling—it sold immediately. Ye Feng even just told me he sold it too cheaply."
"Good! Yangzi, hurry back. I'll arrange for people to go door to door in the countryside and buy it up."
"..."
Xia Shiyu Brought Su Lin Breakfast
After obtaining the information he wanted, Su Lin arranged for Li Hongyang to purchase the goods.
"Brother Yang, I'll give you fifty yuan per jin as the purchase price. If you negotiate, you should be able to push it down further. Whatever money you squeeze out will be yours."
Li Hongyang hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, Young Master Su. I may be here to help, but my position is still with the company. If the boss finds out I'm taking money from both sides, he'll kick me out."
Su Lin smiled. "Don't worry. You don't need to worry about my dad's side; I'll speak to him. I estimate that if we buy up all the Gastrodia elata in Zhongjiang and the surrounding cities and counties, we'll have at least twenty tons—roughly forty thousand jin. Brother Yang, are you sure you don't want this hard-earned fee?"
"Gasp!"
Li Hongyang had not done the math before. He had thought Su Lin would be lucky to buy a few hundred jin, but when Su Lin said forty thousand jin, Li Hongyang knew he was tempted.
It was just a trip to the countryside, only two or three days at most.
With forty thousand jin, if he pushed the price down by one yuan per jin, he could earn forty thousand yuan.
"And that's only a conservative estimate. Zhongjiang has had a bumper harvest of Gastrodia elata this year, each piece bigger than the last. Add in what those farmers have stored at home over the years... Brother Yang, if you don't want it, I'll send someone else on this trip."
"I want it. How could I not, Young Master Su? Just watch. On this trip, I'll dig out every last bit of their family stock." Li Hongyang pushed up his glasses and spoke seriously.
Su Lin nodded. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
By giving Li Hongyang room to take a kickback, Li Hongyang would understand what he meant.
Sure enough, dealing with smart people had this advantage—one hint was all it took.
"Alright, Brother Yang, I won't keep you any longer. Go handle it now and make it quick."
Li Hongyang nodded. He did not want to linger in Zhongjiang now, either. Every yuan he pushed down per jin meant forty thousand yuan in income. It was all money.
Su Lin gave Li Hongyang two million yuan.
He wanted to give him more, but Zhongjiang was only so large, and Gastrodia elata production was limited.
No matter how much money he had, it would be useless if others had nothing to sell.
As for whether the Gastrodia elata could be sold, Su Lin was not worried at all.
A wholesale market was called a wholesale market because transactions were made by the ton.
Yet the hundred-plus jin Ye Feng had brought over had been snapped up on the spot. That showed just how severe the shortage was.
In the blink of an eye, Monday arrived again.
Su Lin came to school as usual. Not long after he sat down, Xia Shiyu arrived, accompanied by Lin Xiaowan.
The way Lin Xiaowan looked at Su Lin was somewhat strange, while Xia Shiyu seemed rather happy.
Xia Shiyu was carrying an insulated lunchbox.
She walked straight up to Su Lin. "You didn't say what you liked to eat yesterday, so I just made something simple for breakfast."
Lin Xiaowan looked at Su Lin from the side. "Su Lin, your life is getting more and more comfortable. Xiao Yu said she's covering your breakfasts for the next three months."
Su Lin nodded with a smile. "That's right. I'm Xiao Yu's biggest creditor now, so of course she has to make an effort to please me."
"You lent out so much money. Won't your dad say anything?" Lin Xiaowan asked worriedly.
Su Lin chuckled. "Xiao Wan, I used my own money to lend to Xiao Yu. What could my dad possibly say?"
"Your own?"
"That's right. Who said only my dad is allowed to make money, while I'm not?" Su Lin looked at Lin Xiaowan with amusement.
Only then did Lin Xiaowan realize it. She looked at Su Lin in astonishment. "I never expected you to know how to make money while you're still in senior year."
"There's plenty more you haven't expected. Tell me, how much do you really know about me?" Su Lin raised an eyebrow.
Lin Xiaowan fell silent. She realized she did not know Su Lin very well.
She had once thought Su Lin was merely hiding his true nature. Now it seemed he had not only hidden his true nature, but his talent as well.
Seeing Lin Xiaowan remain silent, Su Lin used Probe Technique on her.
Lin Xiaowan: 17 years old, 168 cm, 48 kg, current favorability (60↑ rising).
Huh?
She already had a faint liking for him, and it could rise at any moment.
Su Lin was somewhat surprised.
After all, throughout the entire book, Lin Xiaowan was the hardest female lead to win over.
She seemed easygoing, but she was actually extremely proud. Even outstanding people found it difficult to catch her eye.
He had not expected her favorability to be so high after only a few days.
What Su Lin did not know was just how much his series of moves had shaken a young girl's worldview.
Especially the way he endured humiliation, smiling as others ridiculed and judged him, remaining so calm and detached—it all made Lin Xiaowan view him in a new light.
On top of that, Xia Shiyu kept praising Su Lin whenever she had the chance, to the point that Lin Xiaowan had nearly heard it enough to grow calluses.
Naturally, her favorability rose.
"Xiao Wan, have you eaten breakfast? Want to have some with me?"
Lin Xiaowan shook her head. "I already ate. I'd better not eat your breakfast, or you might not have enough."
"Tsk... Fine, I'll eat it myself, then. Don't start drooling."
After saying that, Su Lin opened the insulated lunchbox. The moment he did, Lin Xiaowan's eyes locked onto it and could not move away.
Xia Shiyu was very skillful with her hands. She had carefully arranged everything from fruits to vegetables.
Cute little bears, flower-shaped platters, and the like all looked extremely beautiful.
The lunchbox had three tiers. The first held cold dishes, the second hot dishes, and the third rice.
Lin Xiaowan had to admit that after seeing this breakfast, she felt she could eat a little more.
Looking at the carefully arranged platter, Su Lin did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Xiao Yu, why did you arrange it so beautifully? You're making me feel embarrassed to eat it."
"Hehe, I just arranged it casually. Su Lin, hurry up and eat before morning self-study begins."
"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony."
Although the three of them had arrived early, the way they chatted as if no one else existed still made the other students' eyes turn red with envy.
Especially when they saw Xia Shiyu bring Su Lin breakfast, some boys who liked Xia Shiyu wanted nothing more than to slaughter Su Lin and take his seat.
"Mmm! It tastes amazing."
"Xiao Yu, your cooking skills are good enough for you to open a restaurant. Your business would definitely do well." Su Lin gave her a thumbs-up in praise.
Lin Xiaowan curled her lips. "Su Lin, what kind of thing is that to say? The chefs at those restaurants are all fat and greasy. Xiao Yu would never become like them."
"Uh... I was just making an analogy."
"Even an analogy needs a better comparison."
"Fine, you win."
Xia Shiyu's Resolve, Please Give Flowers and Votes
Seeing that Su Lin was eating happily, Xia Shiyu did not disturb him any further. Satisfied, she returned to her seat.
Before you continue