Chapter 226 - So Many People!
Chapter 226: So Many People!
Translator: Lonelytree
Chu Tianlan got home, her child and husband were watching TV in the room.
Her husband, Hao Xiaofeng, and her child, Hao Jiajia, only took a glance at their wife/mom before turning their focus back to the TV.
Chu Tianlan walked over and asked in puzzlement, “What are you two watching? Why are you so serious and rapt?”
Hao Jiajia said, “Mom, we’re watching Gone with the Wind! It’s so touching.”
Chu Tianlan, “…” Isn’t that movie known for being notoriously boring?
1
Chu Tianlan silently took out the strawberries that she had brought back from the Taoyuan Village and put them on the coffee table. She said, “Alright, I brought some delicious food for you to try.”
However, the father and daughter didn’t hear her words. Their eyes were glued to the TV screen.
Chu Tianlan thought for a moment and immediately opened the package. The smell of strawberries instantly wafted out.
The father and daughter frowned at the same time and asked in puzzlement, “What’s so sweet? It smells like strawberries?”
Then, the two turned to the source of the fragrance.
“Wow, it’s strawberries!” Hao Jiajia shouted immediately. Then, she reached out and pinched a strawberry from the box. Then, she asked in confusion, “Mom, this strawberry looks green and white. It’s not ripe. Won’t they be sour?” Then, she put the strawberry under her nose and sniffed it, saying, “But it smells really good. I wonder how they taste.”
Chu Tianlan rolled her eyes and said unhappily, “If you don’t like it, don’t eat it.”
“This strawberry is really good!” Hao Xiaofeng had already eaten a strawberry. “It’s slightly sour and sweet, and it has a refreshing strawberry flavor. It’s really delicious. Jiajia, try one. It’s really good.”
Hao Jiajia immediately put a strawberry into her mouth and bit it. Her big eyes widened immediately.
She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, these strawberries are so delicious!” She stuffed a few more berries into her mouth. She swallowed them whole.
Hao Xiaofeng couldn’t let his daughter finish everything. The two stopped focusing on the movie and fought for strawberries instead.
After a while, Hao Jiajia asked curiously, “Mom, where did you buy the strawberries? Why are they so delicious?”
Chu Tianlan said, “I bought them from Taoyuan Village!”
“Taoyuan Village?” Hao Xiaofeng frowned and asked again, “The same Taoyuan Village from Taoyuan Village Fresh Fruits and Vegetables?”
Chu Tianlan nodded and said, “That’s right.”
Hao Xiaofeng lowered his head and looked serious as if he was deep in thought. Chu Tianlan asked curiously, “Hubby, what are you thinking about?”
Hao Xiaofeng said, “I’m wondering if we can cooperate with that boss.”
Chu Tianlan’s eyes lit up, and she said immediately, “It should be possible. Boss Xiao planted six Mus of strawberries, and the strawberries are big and plentiful. It looks like it’s going to be a big harvest.”
Hao Xiaofeng said, “I wonder if her family has sold all their strawberries yet?”
He saw a big market for these strawberries! Although he lived in a small county, his company specialized in purchasing. In other words, he was a wholesale and general reseller.
His business mainly focused on agricultural products and fruits. His market was middle to high end. He would buy good fruits and vegetables and sell them to high-end stores in big cities or big supermarkets. For example, he was one of the resellers who bought peaches from Taoyuan Village.
However, his company was only medium-sized, and he only had a few limited retail partners. He had been meaning to expand the scope of his company and to find more partners. He lacked an opportunity. When he saw the strawberries, he knew his opportunity had arrived.
Chu Tianlan saw this and immediately understood what he was thinking.
However, she shook her head and said, “I don’t know about that. How about we go there together tomorrow and ask Boss Xiao?” At this point, she paused for a moment and said happily, “The boss is doing promotion now. The first 100 customers who visit the strawberry farm can eat the fruits to their heart’s content. I had a great time there this afternoon.”
Hao Jiajia immediately said excitedly, “Mom, are you for real? Can we eat strawberries for free there?”
Chu Tianlan nodded and said, “It’s true. Only three of us went there today. So there is still plenty of empty spots for the first 100 customers.”
Hao Xiaofeng looked at the strawberry in his hand and suddenly asked, “Honey, how much is this strawberry per catty? It shouldn’t be cheap, right?”
Chu Tianlan nodded and said, “Well, the boss is selling them at a discounted price if you pick them at the farm. It’s 45 per catty. At the shop, it’s 60 RMB per catty.”
Hearing that, Hao Xiaofeng nodded slightly and said, “It’s not expensive!”
Chu Tianlan nodded and agreed, “For the taste, the price is indeed not high. However, Hubby, the strawberries are not famous. Can we sell them if we buy them?”
Hao Xiaofeng said, “Fame can be slowly earned. I don’t think anyone who has eaten this kind of strawberries will ever forget it.”
“We should go and take a look tomorrow!” Chu Tianlan nodded and said.
The other two guests who went that morning had the same idea.
…
When Chu Tianlan’s family came to Taoyuan Village the next morning, Chu Tianlan realized how wrong she was.
Chu Tianlan stared at the crowd with her mouth agape.
As soon as she entered the village, she found cars parked everywhere.
Looking at the bustling place, the 12-year-old Hao Jiajia asked curiously, “Mom, there are so many people. Are they all here to pick strawberries?”
Chu Tianlan said hesitantly, “I think so.”
Hao Jiajia frowned and asked, “Then, can we still get into the first 100?”
“I don’t know either!” Chu Tianlan said with uncertainty.
She didn’t expect that so many people would come.
Hao Jiajia asked hesitantly, “Mom, are we still going?”
The normal pricing policy at the farm was that a person had to pay before they entered the field. Then, they could eat as much as they wanted. If they wanted to buy and take the strawberries home, they had to weigh and pay for them.
Chu Tianlan thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go ask.”
The family of three got off the car. Chu Tianlan went to the strawberry shed while Hao Xiaofeng took his daughter to look around.
Chu Tianlan walked over and asked Mother Xiao, “Big sister, I came here yesterday. Do you remember me?”
Mother Xiao smiled and replied, “Miss Chu, it’s you. Of course, I remember you.”
Chu Tianlan looked around and asked with a smile, “I didn’t expect so many people to be here. I already came early, but so many people were earlier than me!”
Mother Xiao smiled and said, “I really have to thank everyone for their support.”
Chu Tianlan asked directly, “Then, Big Sister, is there still a spot in the top 100 customers?”
Mother Xiao said, “I’m sorry. We had our 100th customer half an hour ago. Yesterday, many customers at the shop heard about the discount. Today, they came with their families to pick the strawberries.”
Honestly, the Xiao Family didn’t think so many people would come at once.
The reputation of Taoyuan Village Fresh Fruits and Vegetables was spreading in Xing Yin County. Once Xiao Lingyu sold the strawberries, the customers spread the news.
The strawberries were grown locally, and the boss was having an event at the strawberry field. Today was a holiday, and so many customers brought their children to experience the country lifestyle.
Soon, the first 100 spots were gone.
Chu Tianlan asked, “Then, Big Sister, what is the pricing for the rest of us?”
Mother Xiao said, “For today, we’ll charge 100 RMB for each adult, 50 RMB for each child, and free for children under the age of seven.”
Chu Tianlan nodded and waved at her husband and children. Chu Tianlan said, “Big sister, my family has two adults and one child. So it’s 250 RMB!”
Chu Tianlan handed 300 RMB to Mother Xiao, and she was given back 50 RMB.
The family of three went into the greenhouse immediately.
Of course, Xiao Lingyu wouldn’t open all six Mu of strawberry fields for people to pick. She was afraid that the customers might spoil them. Instead, she marked out one Mu of land for the visitors.
“Wow, look at these strawberries!” As soon as they went in, Hao Jiajia exclaimed. After all, Xing Yin County was not a place to grow strawberries. Many people hadn’t seen a real strawberry plant before. They only saw them on TV.
Now that they were there, it was an interesting experience. This was a unique experience for the children.
“Wow, there are so many people!” Hao Jiajia exclaimed, “Hey, little fatty is here too.”
Then, Hao Jiajia said to Chu Tianlan, “Mom, my classmate is here too. I’ll go and say hello to him!”
Chu Tianlan nodded and said, “Okay, but watch your step. Don’t step on the strawberry seedlings and strawberries!”
“Okay, I got it,” Hao Jiajia answered while running away.
Hao Xiaofeng’s glasses flashed. He pushed them up and said to Chu Tianlan, “The strawberries are really good! They’re big and taste good! I need to talk to the boss.”
“Okay!” Chu Tianlan never understood business. “I’ll go ask the Big Sister for Boss Xiao.” Chu Tianlan walked to the entrance and asked Mother Xiao in a whisper, “Big Sister, we have a cooperation business offer. Who can we talk to?”
“Business offer?” Mother Xiao was confused.
Chu Tianlan thought for a moment and asked directly, “Have you sold your strawberries? Can you sell them to me? My family is in the agricultural products and fruit business.”
This time, Mother Xiao understood.
She smiled and said, “You have to talk to my daughter about this. Do you mind waiting here? My daughter isn’t doing so well, so she’s resting at home. She’ll be over later.”
Chu Tianlan didn’t quite get what Mother Xiao meant by her daughter not being well. However, she did grasp from Mother Xiao that the strawberries hadn’t been sold to a wholesaler yet.
Chu Tianlan smiled. “Actually, we’re free now. How about we go and find Big Sister’s daughter?”
Mother Xiao smiled and said, “Sure. If you want to go over, I’ll get someone to lead the way.”
“Okay, Big Sister!” Chu Tianlan said with a smile.
Chu Tianlan returned and told her husband the news she got from Mother Xiao.
Hao Xiaofeng nodded.
…
Xiao Lingyu found that the bigger her stomach was, the more sleepy she became. She also gained a huge appetite.
Compared to her previous life, she had things a lot easier. But she had worked hard for it.
Xiao Lingyu finally had enough sleep and woke up refreshed.
She touched her stomach and felt hungry.
She immediately went to the kitchen and opened the stove. Mother Xiao had made breakfast. There were warm soy milk and steamed buns.
Xiao Lingyu took out the soy milk and steamed buns. The temperature was just right!
She took a bite of the bun. The juices of the vegetables burst in her mouth. Then, she took a sip of the soy milk! It was heavenly!
After eating and drinking her fill, Xiao Lingyu decided to do a little sunbathing in the front yard.
Xiao Xiaohui, who was strolling past, saw Xiao Lingyu, and he ran in. His forehead was covered in sweat, and he said happily and excitedly, “Sis, so many people are here. They are here to pick strawberries.”
As if she had expected it, Xiao Lingyu said with a smile, “They sure are. Xiaohui, take care of the guests, okay? Do you remember what I told you?”
Xiao Xiaohui patted his small chest and said, “Sis, don’t worry. We are doing everything we can to lead the way for the guests!”
Xiao Lingyu had hired Xiao Xiaohui and his gang of young friends. They were posted at the village entrance. When someone came to ask for directions for the strawberry shed, the kids would bring them there!
Of course, Xiao Lingyu paid the kids for their work. They would get 10 RMB a day.
Xiao Xiaohui said, “Sis, why are there so many people here today? And how did you know there is a big crowd when you haven’t left the house?” He was really curious.
Xiao Lingyu only smiled.