Back to 1980: Farming the Sea and Expanding the Island

In the Ping Commune vegetable market, Lin Chuan looked at Liu Qingtian and said slowly, "Uncle, these off-season vegetables are not some strange thing."

The method taught by experts from the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences involves using greenhouses to alter the temperature and humidity, allowing vegetables to grow well in winter. This is all science, not the crooked methods you might be thinking of.

As Lin Chuan spoke, he picked up a stalk of celery and gently swirled it in his hand.

Li Xinru chimed in, raising her voice, "Uncle Liu, please stop talking nonsense. Look at these vegetables, they're so fresh and taste good."

Besides, our price is higher than usual because of the higher costs of greenhouse cultivation; how is that disrupting the market?

The surrounding customers nodded in agreement as they listened to Lin Chuan and Li Xinru's explanation, but their eyes showed more dissatisfaction as they looked at Liu Qingtian.

Liu Qingtian's face flushed red and then turned pale. He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute it.

Lin Chuan turned his head and smiled at the customers, saying, "Don't worry, as long as there are still vegetables in the greenhouse, we guarantee to supply everyone."

"This vegetable is good for your health. Eating more leafy greens in winter is so comforting!" Shen Jialing added, "Everyone can buy with confidence; our vegetables are absolutely fine."

Shui Houzi and Li Jiaye nodded and shouted encouragement from the sidelines. The customers' doubts were completely dispelled, and they began to rush to buy vegetables again, making the stall lively once more.

As the sun rose higher, its rays shone into the market, and people moved among the stalls.

Lin Chuan and his team were extremely busy. The weights on the scales rose and fell, and bundles of celery and bunches of spinach were being packed into bamboo baskets.

Taking advantage of the relatively few customers in front of the stall, Lin Chuan and the middle-aged man from the commune guesthouse walked to a corner to the side.

The middle-aged man took out a cigarette from his pocket and offered it to Lin Chuan. Lin Chuan waved his hand and smiled, "Brother, we will definitely do our best to ensure the supply of these vegetables."

However, regarding the price, it will be based on the market price, and I cannot offer you a discount.

"You see, greenhouse vegetable growing is expensive; labor and fertilizer cost money. Taking care of these vegetables in this freezing weather takes a lot of effort."

The middle-aged man nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then looked at Lin Chuan's face: "Young man, I understand you too."

How about this: celery for 55 cents a pound, and spinach for 40 cents a pound?

"Brother, your price is a bit low. Look at the quality of this dish, it's unique in the entire market. The cost is there, so we really can't lower it."

Lin Chuan frowned, looking troubled: "But if you really want to keep buying these, I'll give you a discount of two cents per pound."

"I'll give you 58 cents for the celery and 46 cents for the spinach, but you have to sign a note for me."

The middle-aged man patted Lin Chuan on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Alright, since you're honest, it's settled then."

Lin Chuan extended his hand and shook hands firmly with the middle-aged man: "Deal! Thank you for your support, brother. If you need anything in the future, just let me know."

The two then discussed details such as delivery time and location.

As the middle-aged man spoke, he pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and wrote down: "Come deliver the vegetables directly tomorrow, I'll give you the note then."

From now on, just deliver it to the guesthouse kitchen on time every day.

You have to guarantee the quality of the food; if there's a problem, our cooperation can't continue.

"Don't worry, brother, the quality is absolutely guaranteed. The vegetables are freshly cut from the greenhouse every day." The middle-aged man looked at Lin Chuan, nodded in satisfaction, and turned to leave.

As Lin Chuan watched the middle-aged man's departing figure, he calculated the potential profits from this deal, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

Now, the three restaurants of a certain size in the commune all provide supplies, and the guesthouse needs 20 catties of celery and 15 catties of spinach every day.

The fish restaurant ordered 15 jin each day, and Huiping Inn ordered 10 jin each day.

Currently, there are over 2,000 jin of celery and about 1,500 jin of spinach in the greenhouses ready for market.

It looks like they'll all be sold out in just a few days.

Just as the conversation ended, a young man in a Zhongshan suit walked briskly to the stall.

His gaze fell on the remaining spinach, and he asked, "Hey sir, how much spinach do you have left? I'd like to buy more for the company cafeteria."

Lin Chuan's eyes lit up, and his face immediately broke into a smile as he enthusiastically said, "There's still plenty left. How much do you want?"

The young man thought for a moment, then adjusted his glasses: "Let's start with thirty jin (15 kg), and see how everyone likes it. If it's good, we'll come back to you next time."

Lin Chuan smiled and said, "No problem, don't worry, these vegetables are guaranteed to be fresh." As he spoke, he and Shui Houzi weighed the vegetables for the young man.

After weighing the vegetables, Lin Chuan handed them to the young man, smiling and saying, "Here you go. If you like them, come again next time." The young man paid and left with the vegetables.

Liu Qingtian, who was selling radishes next to Lin Chuan, felt a mixture of jealousy and regret as he watched Lin Chuan's business grow better and better.

He sat in front of his stall, muttering to himself, "Hmph, let's see how long you can be so smug." Old Zhang, who was selling cabbages next to him, heard him and put down his scales.

He advised, "Xiao Liu, they're just talented. Don't be envious. The important thing is to focus on improving your own business."

Liu Qingtian snorted, said nothing, and continued to sit there, watching people come and go, a hint of resentment in his eyes.

Just past mid-morning, Lin Chuan and his group packed up their stall and pulled their cart back home.

Shen Jialing walked excitedly beside Lin Chuan, her eyes sparkling: "Lin Zichuan, business is really good today. I didn't expect off-season vegetables to be so popular."

Lin Chuan nodded with a smile: "Yes, it's all thanks to everyone's help. I couldn't have handled it all by myself without you guys."

Li Xinru chimed in from the side, wiping the sweat from her forehead: "Of course, I'm so tired today my back is about to break."

"But seeing how much money we've made, it's all worth it!" Shui Houzi and Li Jiaye laughed beside them, their faces showing tired yet happy expressions.

Lin Chuan looked at everyone, his expression turning serious: "Today is just the beginning. When we get back, I'll expand the greenhouse and plant more vegetables, so there will be a wider variety."

Shen Jialing's eyes lit up, and she paused in her tracks: "Great idea! But it must cost a lot, right? Greenhouse materials, seeds, fertilizer—none of those are free."

Lin Chuan nodded and smiled, "There will be costs, but I'm not in a hurry. The island is there, and the scale will definitely grow gradually."

As they walked, the group discussed the plans, their laughter echoing along the road.

......

The boat sailed back along the river, the sound of the motor particularly clear in the open water.

Lin Chuan sat at the bow of the boat, the damp chill of the river wind hitting his face. The few remaining vegetable leaves in the bamboo basket lay quietly in the corner of the cabin.

"Brother Chuanzi, I didn't expect these vegetables to sell so well. They sold out in no time." Li Jiaye came over, his eyes shining like stars in the river.

"Yeah, Brother Chuan, these vegetables are selling really well, so many people are scrambling to buy them," Water Monkey remarked.

"As expected," Lin Chuan said with a smile.

As the three chatted and laughed, the small dock gradually came into view.

Lin Chuan turned off the motor, allowing the wooden boat to slowly approach the shore. Shui Houzi and Li Jiaye jumped ashore first and secured the ropes.