Chapter 307: Chapter 306: Pure Foolishness

Bai Shan happily followed Qin Yao to the melon field.

Qin Yao raised her hand and drew a circle. “You can take all of these.”

Bai Shan asked in surprise if she missed some, as she had only marked one acre of melons for him and there was another acre.

Qin Yao wiggled her fingers, “I’m keeping these to eat myself.”

Bai Shan looked at her suspiciously, “Miss Qin, you don’t seem like someone who’s short on food now.”

“No, you’re mistaken. I really need this food,” Qin Yao corrected earnestly.

Bai Shan sighed, “Then I’ll have people come to haul these melons tomorrow morning, we’ll weigh them and settle on the spot.”

Qin Yao responded enthusiastically, “Alright.”

Then she shouted behind her, “Ah Wang!”

“Madam.” Ah Wang appeared, holding a stationery box made in the stationery factory.

Qin Yao noticed Bai Shan glancing over and immediately praised him for recognizing quality, forcibly pushing the stationery box into his arms to let him experience its intricacy.

“Manager Bai, look at this box, it’s uniquely elegant with a thoughtful layout. Designed with the Taoist principle of non-action as its core, it offers freedom in arranging pens and ink as you like. No matter how much you shake it, once you open it again, the items inside remain in their original state…”

Bai Shan fiddled with the little wooden box called a stationery box, gradually impressed by Qin Yao’s introduction.

Despite his interest, he reflexively haggled, “This is a novel item, but I wonder if scholars will like it.”

“No worries!” Qin Yao generously pushed the stationery box onto his chest, “Manager Bai, you can take a batch to test out the market. Given our relationship, I can decide to let you sell first and settle later!”

“Really?” Bai Shan asked in surprise.

Qin Yao immediately invited him to visit the factory with her to draft the contract right away!

“I trust you, don’t you trust me?” Qin Yao blew on the still-wet ink on the paper, giving Bai Shan a friendly wink, making him feel surprisingly flattered.

“Anyway, if you can’t sell them, you can return them to me. If they do sell, it’s a win-win.”

Bai Shan tremulously accepted the contract she handed over, and while fetching the goods from the warehouse, couldn’t help but ask again:

“If I don’t help you sell these stationery boxes, are you not going to sell me the cool melon?”

Qin Yao laughed loudly, “How could that be!”

Internally: Perhaps our friendship should be reconsidered indeed.

Bai Shan patted his chest, relieved.

Qin Yao suddenly remembered something important: “By the way, do you know the transportation method for cool melons? If they get damaged on the way, I won’t cover the cost.”

Bai Shan gave her a reassuring nod; he came specifically for these cool melons and has long figured out these details.

Qin Yao laughed, “Your news is quite up-to-date.”

Bai Shan did not hide it from her, “It so happened that I passed through Jinshi Town yesterday evening and already heard about the cool melons. This morning, while I just got up, I saw someone delivering cool melons to the academy students at the gate, and upon inquiry, found out it was you, Miss Qin, once again.”

They reached the warehouse, and Qin Yao smiled slightly, pushing open the door to reveal a mountain of stationery boxes before Bai Shan and her.

Bai Shan unconsciously gulped; that’s an overwhelming amount!

Qin Yao thought internally she never expected Liu the carpenter and the previous workers to silently craft so many stationery boxes.

Of course, half of them were made during the worker training sessions when they practiced their skills on the job.

Qin Yao feigned lightness, “Actually, it’s not that many, just five to six hundred stationery boxes. Given your skills, Manager Bai, there’s absolutely no pressure, right?”

“No, I am under pressure, great pressure,” Bai Shan said seriously. His expression and tone mirrored Qin Yao’s earlier statement about needing melons.

Still, selling first and settling later might be worth a try.

“I didn’t bring enough manpower today; the carriage can’t fit much. Load fifty for me first.”

Qin Yao gratefully patted his shoulder, went outside to send Ah Wang to call Bai Shan’s coachman inside, and personally picked out fifty stationery boxes from the warehouse.

Ten of each of the Four Gentlemen: plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum designs; plus ten more with landscape paintings.

These patterns were drawn by Liu the carpenter himself, then made into printing plates, brushed with paint, and directly printed onto the box surfaces.

Although lacking a strong artistic style, they aim to cater to scholars’ tastes thoughtfully.

With the stationery boxes packed, Bai Shan quickly escaped and instructed the coachman to speed away from Liu Family Village as though fleeing.

Ah Wang stood behind Qin Yao, candidly commented, “Madam, why not put a knife to his throat directly and make him take away all the unsold stationery boxes.”

Qin Yao’s mouth twitched slightly, turning to face Ah Wang’s clear yet naive eyes, she advised:

“Business isn’t as simple as killing someone; pay attention, it’s a complex matter!”

Ah Wang gave an oh, scratching his head, not understanding, but trying to grasp the idea.

Bai Shan indeed promised to come early the next morning, but Qin Yao’s door was knocked at dawn.

The school-bound children were yet to wake; Ah Wang got up to open the door, struggling to maintain his usual impassive expression.

Bai Shan rubbed his eyes, unsure if it was fatigue making him see things, but within Ah Wang’s eyes, he clearly discerned a hint of menacing intent.

He didn’t intend to arrive this early, but when it comes to fruit, freshness dictates the price; half a day apart can make a significant difference.

Qin Yao understood the challenges of doing business, instructed Ah Wang to wake the children for school, grabbed a sickle, and headed to the melon field.

They already counted the melons yesterday; Bai Shan brought three horse-drawn carts, each carrying over twenty melons, perfectly fitting the load.

The carts had brought plenty of straw; each melon placed was cushioned with straw.

Qin Yao’s family lacked a large scale, so they had to borrow one from the old residence for weighing.

This attracted the just-awoken residents of the old house, as well as a few early-rising villagers who unknowingly gathered by Qin Yao’s melon field.

The total weight was eight hundred fifty-six jin, priced at thirty cents per jin, amounting to precisely twenty-five taels and five maces.

Bai Shan placed the silver directly into Qin Yao’s hands, the surrounding villagers were green with envy, astonished at the high value of cool melons.

Once Bai Shan’s group departed, the villagers crowded around asking Qin Yao if she sold melon seeds, eager to plant cool melon as well.

Qin Yao glanced at the half-acre of watermelons behind her, certain there would be enough seeds saved, assuring the villagers to visit next spring, offering them a share if there are extras.

The villagers thanked her enthusiastically, departing contentedly.

Qin Yao chose two melons to give to He and Mrs. Qiu, suggesting they take them home to enjoy.

Previously unaware of its value, they ate without hesitation; knowing the price now, He felt embarrassed, declined graciously, suggesting if any children crave it, they could come to Qin Yao’s to have a bite.

Seeing He’s hesitant yet eager expression, Qin Yao amusedly remarked:

“Do you think I left this half-acre unsold just for fun? It’s for our family to indulge. Take them! Remember to save the seeds for planting next year.”

The sister-in-law duo finally accepted the melons with smiles, returning home cheerfully, preparing to start their work soon.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep