Chapter 200 - The Responses
Chapter 200: The Responses
Translator: Lonelytree
Hearing Xiao Lingyu’s words, many of the villagers immediately became excited.
“Lingyu, are you sure? Our farmed vegetables can really get sold in the future?” Someone asked doubtfully.
Xiao Lingyu said very seriously, “If you do as I say, I guarantee that all of your vegetables will be sold!”
At this moment, the village chief stood up and said, “We’ve known Lingyu since she was a little girl. When has she broken her promise before? Since she said our vegetables can get sold, then it will happen, provided that we follow her instructions.” The village chief added excitedly, “Don’t you all want to grow vegetables and get rich?”
“Of course we do!” Many people echoed. However, many still had doubts and didn’t dare to take the first step. If they put all their money into growing vegetables, and they fail to sell, what are they supposed to do? Find trouble with Xiao Lingyu?
“How about this?” Xiao Lingyu thought for a moment and offered. “If you are worried about the vegetables not selling, I can buy all the vegetables you have planted. This was also one of the conditions I raised when I allowed the villagers to gather Little Light’s manure for free.”
Everyone’s eyes lit up. If Xiao Lingyu was willing to buy their vegetables, then they didn’t need to worry about the vegetables rotting on the farm. They also remembered the condition that Xiao Lingyu raised when she contracted the land. If someone planted something for sale, she would have the priority as the first-hand buyer.
Everyone discussed for a while, and most of them agreed to sell the vegetables to Xiao Lingyu.
Xiao Lingyu said, “Since everyone has agreed to sell the vegetables to me, the requirements for those vegetables will remain the same. They have to be grown using Little Light’s manure, and they must not be treated with pesticides. If you have used pesticides, you have to inform me beforehand. Are there any objections?”
“No!” Everyone agreed with Xiao Lingyu’s words.
They were just farmers from the countryside. They wanted to make money but were also afraid of taking risks.
Now that Xiao Lingyu was willing to take risks for them, of course, they were glad to accept it. They knew Xiao Lingyu was capable, and she would be able to turn a profit with their crops.
The matter was thus decided. Both parties could be considered to have reached an agreement.
Xiao Lingyu said, “Since everyone has already agreed to sell their vegetables to me, then I will draw up a cooperation contract later. After I draft the contract, I’ll need the villagers who are willing to grow and sell vegetables to come to me to sign the contract. The contract will have two copies, and it will take effect from the moment it is signed.
“Let me emphasize that after signing the contract with me, you must sell your vegetables to me in the future. Otherwise, it will be treated as a breach of contract, and you will have to pay compensation. Of course, if I refuse to buy the vegetables you’ve grown even though you’ve followed all of my requirements, then I’ll be punished too.”
Xiao Lingyu understood the nature of the people at Taoyuan Village. She did this to prevent some villagers from going back on their words. This was the foundation for her future plan, so she had to use contracts to make sure a good foundation was laid.
No one had objections to the contract. They still didn’t know much about the vegetable market, so they handed everything over to Xiao Lingyu.
“Alright, Lingyu, I don’t have any problems!” Xiao Chengbang was the first to express his stance.
“I don’t have any problems either.”
“Same!” More joined in.
All of them began to express their stance.
Xiao Lingyu nodded and said, “Since everyone has no objections, then it’s settled.” Then, she returned to the first topic. “For now, is there any family who has vegetables that haven’t been treated with pesticides? Once the customers come, I’ll recommend the customers to them.”
“My farm hasn’t used any pesticide.” Zhou Yan said, “After the Little Cattle King took a walk around my field, the crops had grown so well that I didn’t need to rely on pesticides. Other than the tomatoes, my family has also grown other vegetables like cole, white radish, celery, spinach, and coriander. They can all be sold. Lingyu, don’t worry. The fertilizer is the cow dung picked from your house.”
“Okay!” Xiao Lingyu nodded. She believed in the character of Xiao Chengbang and his wife. If they said that they didn’t use pesticides, then they definitely didn’t use pesticides.
“My vegetables aren’t sprayed with pesticides either,” Zhang Qiuxiang said loudly. “You can recommend people to me too, right?”
“Zhang Qiuxiang, I saw you sprinkle pesticides around your farm three days ago. Are you trying to harm the whole village with your lie?” Immediately, some villagers refuted.
Xiao Lingyu was creating a brand for Taoyuan Village. After her explanation, the villagers understood what she meant. They wouldn’t allow someone to destroy the brand because it would benefit all of them in the future.
“Exactly, Zhang Chunxiang. Your vegetable has been sprayed with pesticide, and you still say you didn’t. Do you think everyone is blind?”
Taoyuan Village was only so big. Everyone knew everyone.
Zhang Qiuxiang was embarrassed and angry at being exposed. She said loudly with a red face, “This is none of your business. Why do you have to be so nosy?”
“Nosy? Lingyu said that we are building a Taoyuan Village brand. Plus, the recent customers are coming because of her family’s vegetables. If you sell them vegetables sprayed with pesticides, you’ll ruin both the reputation of Lingyu’s family and Taoyuan Village. In the future, who will have faith in Taoyuan Village’s brand anymore?”
“None of you have planted anything yet, but you’re already worried about something so far in the future? Don’t you think that your worries are too far-fetched?”
“This is a precaution.”
Zhang Qiuxiang was scolded to death. She sat down angrily. But when she looked at Xiao Lingyu, there was clearly some resentment in her eyes. It was all Xiao Lingyu’s fault that she was scolded.
Then, a few other families said their farms had pesticide-free vegetables.
Xiao Lingyu announced, “I have methods to verify if the vegetables have been treated with pesticide or not. Aunties and uncles, please forgive my rudeness!”
The spring water would turn black when it encountered something unclean. Therefore, the easiest way to test a product was to dip them in the spring water.
“It’s no problem at all! This is to protect the Taoyuan Village brand!” The villagers were very understanding and did not mind at all.
The meeting ended after a while.
When Xiao Lingyu and her father returned home, they updated the rest of the family. Since Xiao Mingyang and his wife were there, Xiao Lingyu told her mother that they were going to verify the vegetables with medicinal liquid. Mother Xiao caught her meaning.
Mother Xiao and Liu Chunhua went to the few families and picked some random vegetables. A few families came along to the Xiao Family home. The vegetables were all free from pesticides!
…
On the second day, Xiao Lingyu and her family went back to the county town. Xiao Lingye wanted to go help, but he was forbidden because he needed to focus on his exam.
At around 9 am, a few cars came to the village. The villagers were not that surprised by cars in the village anymore.
Xiao Zhengyang followed Xiao Lingyu’s request and sold some of his own vegetables to the customers. Then, he recommended the customers to the few selected villagers.
Of course, Father Xiao offered samples to help push things along.
The customers were satisfied with the tomatoes from Xiao Chengbang’s farm, so they bought a lot of them. Some also bought the other vegetables. Xiao Lingyu set the prices for them.
They were cheaper than the ones sold by Xiao Lingyu’s family, but they were still more expensive than the ones on the market. For example, the county town market sold tomatoes for 2 RMB per catty, Xiao Lingyu’s family sold tomatoes for 4 RMB per catty, while Xiao Chengbang’s family sold tomatoes for 2.5 RMB per catty.
This made Xiao Chengbang and his wife so happy that they couldn’t stop smiling. Previously, their tomatoes were supplied to a restaurant in Xing An County. They were only offered 80 cents per catty, but even so, they were already very happy. However, now that their tomatoes were selling for 2.5 RMB per catty, how could they not be happy? The customers also bought more than 10 catties at one go.
Of course, Xiao Chengbang and his wife were kind people. They gave a lot of vegetables away for free too.
After these customers left, the villagers immediately gathered, and their expressions were filled with disbelief.
“Chengbang, Zhou Yan, your family’s tomatoes were sold at 2.5 RMB per catty, small cole at 1.5 RMB per catty! The prices are high, but the customers are still willing to buy them! I can’t believe it!”
“The cole would only sell for several cents per catty at Xing An Town. But you’re selling it for 1.5 RMB!”
The villagers were very excited as they discussed this. They could see their future harvest having the same price.
“Chengbang, why did you set such a high price anyway? But to think the customers are still willing to buy them! Are they crazy?” Someone said with a smile.
Xiao Chengbang shook his head and said, “I didn’t set this price. Lingyu did.”
“Lingyu did?!” They were shocked. “How did she know the customers would buy them?”
They were sure of Xiao Lingyu’s ability, but they didn’t expect the girl to be able to predict the future!
Xiao Chengbang shook his head and said, “I have no clue. She told us to follow these prices. She said the customers will buy them.” Then again, those who would drive to the countryside to buy vegetables wouldn’t care about the small change.
“I heard the other families had their vegetables sold at high prices too.”
“Yes, they earned several hundred in a day. Normally, those vegetables would be left to rot in the field!”
“Lingyu, this child, is really capable!” Someone praised, “She’s good at studying and now is even a great vegetable seller!”
“Zhengyang and Qiuying really have a good daughter.”
“Since this is happening, I should go back to grow some vegetables.” someone said excitedly.
“Yes, me too. But when will the contract be signed? Lingyu said that we need to sign a contract with her before we grow vegetables.”
“Lingyu isn’t home now, but let’s go ask Zhengyang.”
“Yes, let’s go and ask.”
The news of Xiao Chengbang’s family selling vegetables at a high price caused a ripple through Taoyuan Village. These people spent their whole lives working the paddy fields. Money was never really featured in their lives. They never thought of any other way of earning money either.
However, now that a new path was shown to them, they wanted to take it.
The changes to Taoyuan Village began then.
The people of Taoyuan Village knew that their changes were intricately linked to Xiao Lingyu.
And that was true.. Without Xiao Lingyu, the Taoyuan Village in the future wouldn’t have existed.