Chapter 27 Going VIP

Chapter 27 Going VIP

"So, you got played?"

That evening, in a room at the Jing'an Hilton, by the bedside, Huo Zongzhuo summarized it over the phone.

"Mm."

Jiang Luo held the receiver, his voice lazy.

Huo Zongzhuo's tone was gentle: "I told you before, in this line of work, you're too easily replaced. It was only a matter of time before he bypassed you."

Jiang Luo said gloomily: "He won't get off easy."

Huo Zongzhuo: "So you’ve already got a plan?"

Jiang Luo: "Let’s not talk about this anymore, it’s pointless."

Huo Zongzhuo took the opportunity to say: "So I advised you to come work with me, but you refused."

"With me, at least when you encounter people like this, they wouldn’t dare pull this on you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Jiang Luo teased: "Who are you? You’re the one and only Huo Zongzhuo, who sells airplanes."

Huo Zongzhuo laughed: "Such disrespect."

The next day, Jiang Luo checked out of the Hilton and once again took the green train to Wencheng with Wang Chuang.

This time, Wang Chuang wasn’t cocky, arrogant, or full of himself. He was acting meek, and didn’t even buy any snacks, only bringing a bag of sunflower seeds from home.

Jiang Luo shelled sunflower seeds: "Have some."

"I can't stomach anything."

Wang Chuang wore a bitter expression and added: "This time, it’s all my fault."

"Enough."

Jiang Luo soothed him: "You have to suffer some losses to gain experience. No one succeeds without a few setbacks."

In his previous life, Jiang Luo had suffered countless losses, big and small.

Jiang Luo: "If you get hung up on such a small thing, what will you do when you encounter something big? Just collapse?"

"Not your fault, nobody’s fault."

Huo Zongzhuo was right; Jiang Luo had long been aware that in this kind of business, replaceability was too high.

Jiang Luo just hadn’t expected Guo Ronghai to dump him so quickly.

Jiang Luo thought to himself: Just you wait, Guo.

In the afternoon, returning to Wencheng and back to Zhang Zhiqiang’s factory, Zhang Zhiqiang said: "Weren’t you going back to Haicheng? Back so soon?"

He added with a smile: "Is the department store out of stock again?"

The three of them sat in front of the tea table, Zhang Zhiqiang brewing tea once more.

Jiang Luo said calmly: "Boss Zhang, give it to me straight—what’s the actual production cost of that doll?"

Zhang Zhiqiang paused mid-pour, his tea spilling over the rim of the cup as he looked up.

He quickly set down the teapot, poured out the overflowing cup, and started making a fresh cup, all with a puzzled look. "Why do you ask, Master Jiang?"

Leaning back against the soft cushions of the wooden sofa, Jiang Luo replied casually, "Then let me be straight with you first, Boss Zhang."

"Today, ten thousand of your dolls were shipped by train to Haicheng."

"In less than two weeks, identical dolls will appear in other factories right here in your town."

"Even your own factory might end up making the same dolls to sell elsewhere. Right?"

Zhang Zhiqiang’s mind raced as he studied Jiang Luo's face, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words.

Jiang Luo pressed him again, "Boss Zhang, I’m asking you—yes or no?"

"That's right," Zhang Zhiqiang nodded, as he continued preparing tea. "You’re absolutely right. That’s how it is."

In fact, his factory was still producing these dolls, planning to test them locally first. If sales were strong, he’d find ways to expand to other regions.

It was only a matter of time.

Besides, who'd say no to easy money?

If there was profit to be made, he’d pursue it.

But discussing this so openly with Jiang Luo made him uneasy—was Master Jiang trying to stop him from producing and selling these dolls elsewhere?

To his surprise, Jiang Luo continued, "Boss Zhang, I’d like to propose a new deal. If it works for you, we keep working together. If not, I’ll find another supplier."

Both Wang Chuang and Zhang Zhiqiang turned their attention to Jiang Luo.

She looked directly at Zhang Zhiqiang. "You initially charged me 7 kuai per doll, and I didn’t bargain."

"Now, if you sell them to me for 5 kuai each, I’ll place a larger order."

Zhang Zhiqiang fell silent, thinking carefully. "Master Jiang, you sell each doll for 68 kuai. Buying from me at 5 kuai—isn’t that too much profit?"

Jiang Luo countered, "Today, these dolls can sell for 68 kuai in department stores. But in two months, when knockoffs flood the market, do you think anyone will still pay 68?"

"Just like those common soaps and household items found everywhere—can they still command a high price?"

Zhang Zhiqiang paused, taking in her words.

After a moment, he put down the teapot, clenched his fist on his knee, and looked squarely at Jiang Luo. "Master Jiang, if you have a plan, just say it plainly."

Jiang Luo spelled it out: "I'm not confident about those so-called ‘imported goods’ of unclear origin selling at high prices in big stores."

"I plan to use these dolls to establish a market presence."

"I need you to give me 300 dolls at cost to start. I’ll take them to the wholesale market in Haicheng."

"Within two weeks—no more—I’ll be back, and then I’ll put in an order for more than ten thousand dolls."

"You’ll make much more from this than from our previous deal."

Zhang Zhiqiang's eyes immediately lit up: "So you're not doing the department store counter anymore?"

"Covering the market? How extensive can it be?"

He added, "If the order quantity is large, five kuai per doll is absolutely no problem!"

Zhang Zhiqiang trusted Jiang Luo; after all, their previous collaboration had gone very smoothly.

With ten thousand dolls, he had made a good profit in just half a month.

Zhang Zhiqiang even volunteered, "You don’t have to pay the factory price. I’ll give you three hundred for free!"

Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang exchanged a smile.

"Okay."

Jiang Luo: "Boss Zhang, you’re a straight shooter!"

He continued, "But this batch of dolls shouldn’t just have blonde hair and wear dresses. We can also have blue hair, pink hair, and other styles of dresses."

"Try to have as many varieties as possible."

"You can discuss it with the designers in your factory."

"Remember, remove the labels completely. No brands."

Just like that, Jiang Luo and Zhang Zhiqiang verbally agreed on a new collaboration right then and there.

Back at the Crown, Wang Chuang was puzzled and asked Jiang Luo, "What exactly are we trying to do?"

Jiang Luo, eating a freshly peeled fruit candy, leaned against the sofa in the room and explained to Wang Chuang: "This time, we’re not selling to department stores or shopping malls. We’re selling to the small-commodity market."

There was a small-commodity market in Haicheng, locally known as the "small market."

Jiang Luo: "We’ll take the dolls to the small market and have the stall owners there source from us."

"That could work."

But after thinking it over, Wang Chuang felt unsure: "There are so many stalls at the small market. They might not necessarily buy dolls from us, right?"

"Many shops sell daily necessities or food, not toys like dolls."

"Only those who already sell dolls might source from us."

"And if the stall owners don’t like our dolls, they won’t buy from us either."

"Come here."

Jiang Luo waved him over.

Wang Chuang, sitting at the edge of the bed, shifted closer. Jiang Luo whispered a few things in his ear.

Wang Chuang and Jiang Luo waited in Wencheng for two days while Zhang Zhiqiang’s factory produced the new dolls. Two days later, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang, hauling three hundred dolls packed in large woven bags, got on the green train again. Like migrant workers heading into the city, they hauled their big bags and squeezed through the crowd to find their seats.

The train started, rumbling along the tracks toward Haicheng.

By the time they got off the train, it was already past 5 p.m.

Wang Chuang and Jiang Luo each hefted a large woven bag, following the flow of people toward the exit.

Wang Chuang remarked, "Being a big-time boss isn’t easy either."

Jiang Luo laughed and said, "What's easy?"

They took a taxi van directly to the small market.

Arriving at the small market and entering the building, Wang Chuang and Jiang Luo split up, dividing their efforts.

Jiang Luo carried his large woven bag to the nearest stall selling fabrics and greeted the female vendor: "Sis."

"Buying fabric?"

The vendor, a middle-aged woman with a shrewd look, said, "Over here, all these are men’s fabrics. These pieces can be used for suits. Which one do you want?"

"Not buying fabric."

Jiang Luo took out a blonde and a pink-haired doll from his bag: "Here’s the thing, I’m giving you two dolls for free."

The female vendor was puzzled: "Why give me dolls?"

Jiang Luo continued: "Just put them out at your stall. I’m giving them to you for free, and you can sell them."

"You can charge whatever you want."

"Just so you know, these dolls sell really well at Pacific Department Store. They’re priced at 68 kuai and are sold out."

The vendor frowned and waved her hand: "No thanks. I sell fabrics here, not dolls. Try another stall."

Jiang Luo patiently said: "Sis, hear me out."

"Take them, put them at your stall, and you can sell them for 68 kuai too."

"I’ll also give you a card."

He took a card out of his pocket and handed it over with the dolls: "If you think they’ll sell and want more later, you can contact me."

"The card has my pager number. Use a landline to reach me, and I’ll call you back."

"If you don’t end up selling them, just keep the two dolls. Give them to your kids or sell them however you like—it’s up to you."

"No charge?"

Hearing they were free, the vendor didn’t refuse. She reached out, took them, and glanced at the card.

"These dolls are really cute."

The vendor: "Are they really selling at Pacific Department Store? For 68 kuai? That pricey?"

In a reluctant tone: "All right, then."

She didn’t say whether she’d try to sell them, just placed them in a corner of her stall.

On the other side, Wang Chuang was also using the same pitch to promote the dolls: "Yes, yes, no charge, won't cost you anything."

"Really, seriously. You can check at Pacific Department Store yourself. They’re marked at 68 kuai. No kidding, it’s true."

"Hey, hey, good. Bro, take them. Here’s my card with the pager number."

Just like that, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang went stall by stall, pitching the dolls.

By 8:30 PM, when the small market was about to close, both Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang had already left the market building.

Jiang Luo’s woven plastic bag was now more than half empty, and Wang Chuang’s was the same.

Wang Chuang, wiping sweat from his forehead, cursed and said to Jiang Luo, “I used to brag about how easy and quick it was to make money doing business. Today really showed me—I’m exhausted, and I’ve worn my lips out from talking.”

Jiang Luo asked, “How did it go? Smoothly?”

Wang Chuang replied, “Not bad. Since they were free, most stalls took them. A few stalls turned them down, so I just moved on.”

He then asked Jiang Luo, “How about your side?”

Jiang Luo said, “Not bad.”

Not far away, someone was pushing a bicycle with an insulated box attached to the back—a vendor selling popsicles.

Jiang Luo spotted it, lifted his chin, and gestured, “Come on, let’s get something cold. I’m boiling.”

As they enjoyed their popsicles, Jiang Luo looked at Wang Chuang, and Wang Chuang looked back at Jiang Luo. The two shared a smile.

Wang Chuang, still dripping with sweat, wiped his face with his hand while eating the popsicle. “I’m burning up.”

Jiang Luo laughed. “You idiot.”

Wang Chuang grinned too and said, “So this is what doing business is really like.”

Jiang Luo glanced at him. “What, already complaining it’s tough?”

Wang Chuang puffed out his chest and stretched his back, exclaiming loudly under the moonlit night, “Let’s do it! This is what business is all about!”

“If others won’t do it, I will!”

Jiang Luo chuckled and ribbed him again, “Dummy.”

Wang Chuang then reflected, “I used to think lobsters tasted best after making big money, but today I realized, after working hard all day, even a five-mao popsicle tastes sweet.”

Jiang Luo couldn’t help but laugh.

Indeed, in this life, even the popsicle in his hand tasted sweet.

—

A woman in a rose-colored top, holding the hand of a little girl around four years old with pigtails, was walking toward the small market.

As they walked, the woman bent down and said to the girl, “Sweetie, Mommy’s telling you now—if they have it and it’s not expensive, I’ll buy it for you. If they don’t have it, or if it’s as expensive as 68 yuan, there’s nothing Mommy can do.”

“Okay,” the little girl replied obediently.

The woman thought to herself, *Those dolls are sold at Pacific Department Store, said to be from Hong Kong. There probably aren’t any in this small market.*

She also thought, *68 yuan for a doll? That’s way too expensive. You could buy a whole lot of things with 68 yuan.*

The woman wasn't holding out much hope of finding that kind of doll in the small market. After all, it wasn’t Pacific Department Store.

But as soon as they entered the market, the little girl pointed excitedly in one direction and shouted, “Mommy! The doll!”

The woman looked over and saw, in the corner of a fabric stall, a blonde doll and a pink-haired doll. Surprised, she thought, *They really have it!*

She quickly led the girl over and, as she approached, said to the female stall owner who had just stood up to greet her, “Boss, how much for that doll? How are you selling it?”

The stall owner was surprised. She hadn’t expected anyone to actually want the two dolls she’d gotten for free.

Thinking back to what the young man had said yesterday—that the same dolls sold for 68 yuan at Pacific Department Store—she replied, “50 yuan.”

“That expensive?” the woman blurted out.

Even the stall owner thought it was expensive for a doll.

She said, “How much were you thinking?”

The woman asked, “Can I take a look?”

“Sure,” the stall owner said, walking over to fetch both dolls from the corner and handing them to the woman.

The woman looked them over carefully. They were exactly like the dolls sold at Pacific Department Store—one even had the same dress. But the pink-haired one was also pretty, with an even nicer dress.

Bending down, she held both dolls for her daughter to see. “Sweetie, which one do you like?”

The little girl looked them over, then reached out and took the pink-haired one, saying in a tiny voice, “Mommy, I want this one.”

The woman smiled, affectionately patted her daughter’s head, straightened up, and said to the stall owner, “Boss, can you give me a better price? If you do, I’ll buy it. 50 yuan is really too much.”

The stall owner calculated quickly. “50 yuan isn’t expensive. Go to Pacific Department Store—they sell them for 68 yuan.”

Just then, the little girl said, “Mommy, they have one over there too.”

The woman turned and saw that a nearby stall selling daily necessities also had a pink-haired doll on display.

Now having second thoughts, the woman took the pink-haired doll from her daughter, handed both dolls back to the stall owner, and made to go to the neighboring stall.

Seeing this, the stall owner said quickly, “Wait, come back. 20 yuan, I’ll sell it to you for 20 yuan.”

She added, “No need to go over there. They’ll definitely charge more than me. 20 yuan, and you can take this one.”

The woman stopped, thought for a moment, then fished out money from her pocket. “Fine, 20 yuan it is.”

The stall owner leaned over the stall and handed the pink-haired doll to the little girl. “Sweetie, you like this one, right? Here you go.”

“Thank you, Auntie,” the girl said as she took it.

The stall owner smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Just then, the woman handed over the 20 yuan. The stall owner took it, checked it for authenticity, and said, “Alright.”

The woman left, holding her daughter’s hand as the girl clutched her new doll.

Soon after, another woman came in and headed straight for the fabric stall near the entrance. “Is it true you have a doll here selling for 20 yuan?”

The stall owner, who had just sat down, got right back up. She thought it was odd—she hadn't sold any fabric today, but the two dolls had already made her first sale.

She handed over the remaining blonde doll.

The woman took it, looked at it, and said, "Do you have any more? I want two."

As she spoke, she was already reaching into her pocket for money.

The woman vendor immediately regretted not having asked for more yesterday: "This is the last one."

"I'll take it."

The woman handed over 20 yuan without hesitation, took the doll, and went next door: "Hey, this stall has one too."

She asked the vendor, "Boss, is this doll also 20 yuan?"

The male vendor at the neighboring stall, who had gotten the doll for free the day before, said, "Yes, 20."

He thought to himself, *What's this doll even made of? Twenty yuan is steep.*

The woman handed over the money, and the male vendor took it, checked if it was real, and said, "Okay."

He then reached for a bag: "I'll grab a bag to pack it for you."

That day, many stalls in the small market sold the free dolls they'd gotten the previous night for around 20 yuan each.

A few neighboring vendors chatted:

"What kind of doll is this? Someone actually paid 20 yuan for it? It’s just a toy—selling it for three or five yuan would already be a lot."

"Haven’t you heard? They sell these at Pacific Department Store for 68 yuan each, and they’re sold out."

"Really? 68 yuan? That’s daylight robbery!"

"Who cares if it’s robbery? As long as it sells. I kept that guy's card from yesterday. I’ll call later to ask how much it costs to get one. Selling for 20 yuan—it makes more than selling shoes."

...

Meanwhile, some vendors in the small market who specialized in children’s toys were already using the payphone in the first-floor office to call the pager number on the business card they had received.

After making the call and hanging up, the phone soon rang. The vendor answered and asked, "Is this the young man who gave me the doll for free yesterday?"

"Yes, yes, it is."

"So, do you still have any of those dolls from yesterday?"

"I wanna order some from you."

"Oh, 15 yuan per doll? That’s a bit expensive. Can you make it cheaper?"

"Mm-hmm, alright, sure. I’ll wait for you to come over."

A bit past 3 p.m., when the small market had few customers, two tall young men—one stocky, one thin—entered through the main gate.

As they walked, dragging a woven bag behind them, they held up a blonde doll in one hand and called out loudly, "Who wants to order this doll? Anyone?"

"Limited stock! Get yours now!"

"Who wants it?"

The woman running the fabric store near the entrance saw the tall, thin, good-looking one and immediately shouted, reaching out, "Me, me! I want some! Come here! Give me ten."

Jiang Luo had already walked past but turned back at the sound of her voice. As he pulled dolls from the woven bag, he said, "15 yuan each."

The woman widened her eyes: "That expensive?"

Jiang Luo replied briskly, "The wholesale price is 15. You sell it for 20 and make 5 yuan profit per doll. Still think that’s too little?"

He looked up at her: "Don’t want it?"

He started to walk away.

The woman said, "I want it, I want it! Fine, fine, 15 it is."

Jiang Luo continued pulling out dolls: "Ten, right? That’s 150 yuan total. Cash only."

The woman picked up a biscuit tin and rummaged through it for larger bills.

A nearby stall also called out, "Hey, young man! Over here! I want some too. Give me ten."

Jiang Luo, counting the dolls, replied, "Alright, coming right away."

He called out loudly, "15 yuan each, 150 yuan total. Cash only."

Meanwhile, Wang Chuang dragged the woven bag to a toy store deeper inside the market:

"Did you call us around noon to place an order?"

"30 pieces, right? 15 yuan each."

The vendor tried to bargain: "15 is a bit expensive."

He thought, *It’s just a doll. How can it cost 15 yuan?*

None of the toys at his stall had a wholesale price that high.

Wang Chuang, following Jiang Luo’s script, replied, "I gave them to you for free yesterday, but I never said you had to sell them for only 20. You can sell them for 25."

He quickly added, "Do you want them or not? If not, forget it."

He turned to leave while calling out, "Anyone else want this doll?"

Someone not far away shouted, "Is it the blonde doll from before? I want it! I want it!"

The toy vendor immediately yelled out to Wang Chuang, "I want it! I want it! 15 is fine!"

Wang Chuang stopped, pulling dolls from the bag: "30 pieces, right?"

Someone else ran over, saw Wang Chuang, and noticed the dolls in his woven bag: "15 yuan each, right? I want some too."

"Give me ten as well."

Wang Chuang said, "Alright, wait a moment. Let me get his 30 pieces first."

The woman exclaimed, "He wants 30!"

The toy vendor said, "I sell toys anyway, so of course I need to stock more."

The woman’s eyes lit up, and she quickly changed her mind: "Then I’ll take 30 too. Young man, count out 30 for me as well."

Wang Chuang did a quick calculation: "15 each, 10 for 150, so three sets of 150—450 total."

The woman turned to leave: "I’ll go get the money."

Here, Jiang Luo's woven bag was now empty.

He dragged his empty bag, moving between stalls while calling out loudly, "Anyone else want some? Place your orders with me! I have business cards."

He shouted again, "Fixed price: 15 each. Don't sell at 20 - go for 25. I guarantee they'll sell."

"My styles have more variety than those sold at Pacific Department Store. I have blonde, pink, blue, and black hair. Order whatever you think will sell!"

Someone immediately called out, "Let me get a card."

Another asked, "Are the dolls all gone?"

Jiang Luo fished a business card from his pocket and tossed it over to the stall owner who had asked for one. Still walking, he called out, "Out of stock for now, completely sold out. There will be more the day after tomorrow. I'll be back then."

"Call to place orders if you want to. I have a pager."

"Let me repeat, call me if you want to order. I'll take your orders. I have a pager!"

Wang Chuang was also shouting from the other end of the market, "Anyone else want dolls? Anybody else?"

"See me for cards if you need them."

"My business card has my pager number. You can place orders with me."

He shouted again, "Let me repeat, don’t just sell for 20, don’t just sell for 20. If you want to profit, don’t just sell for 20."

"Pacific Department Store sells them for 68. If you sell for 25, I guarantee they'll move!"

With that shout, even the holdouts started getting interested.

Seriously, selling for 25 each with a cost of 15 meant a ten yuan profit per doll!

Why let someone else make that money?

"Give me a business card!"

Someone called out immediately.

When they finally emerged from the small market, each carrying an empty woven bag, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang slapped palms at the entrance, then gripped hands, pulling each other in, shoulders bumping.

Both had pockets bulging with cash they had just collected. Wang Chuang exclaimed, "Yes! Hell yes!"

Jiang Luo grinned, walking quickly ahead. He tossed his woven bag to Wang Chuang and threw an arm around his shoulders. "Let’s go to Wencheng, see Zhang Zhiqiang about more stock."

Their steps were swift, faces full of triumph.

The next day, they took the earliest train to Wencheng. When Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang stepped off the train and out of the station, Zhang Zhiqiang’s car was already waiting outside.

As soon as he spotted Jiang Luo, Zhang Zhiqiang waved to the crowd coming out, "Over here! Over here! Master Jiang!"

Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang finally saw him and walked over.

The three met, all smiling, especially Zhang Zhiqiang. The night before, he had received a call from Jiang Luo at the factory office, saying they were coming today to pick up 2,000 pieces of stock. Another business deal—how could he not be happy?

"Come on, get in the car first. There’s air conditioning inside."

Zhang Zhiqiang guided them inside.

Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang were indeed drenched with sweat, especially after the crowded, hot, stuffy train ride without even a fan.

Once in the car with the air conditioning on, they immediately felt better.

Zhang Zhiqiang, driving, chatted with Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang in the back seat, "You said you needed 2,000 yesterday. I didn’t dare stop the production line. We worked through the night, but we’ve only managed 1,000 so far."

"I was wondering if you could wait another two days. In two days, we’ll have all 2,000 ready."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhiqiang laughed, "I thought it would take a few more days before we heard from you, Master Jiang. I didn’t expect it to be so soon."

Jiang Luo mopped his brow. "You trusted me, so I wasn't about to keep you waiting."

"Absolutely."

Zhang Zhiqiang was thrilled. He loved having consistent orders for a product, so the production line could keep running, working overnight, and the money kept rolling in.

Zhang Zhiqiang warmly asked, "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

It was already past noon.

"Should I take you to eat first?"

Jiang Luo, still hot, wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Let’s skip it. Take us straight to the factory."

He then asked, "Are the finished dolls already packed?"

Zhang Zhiqiang replied, "They’re packing them now. I’ve also called for the truck."

"Alright, then we’ll just get something quick at the factory."

When they arrived at the toy factory, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang went to Zhang Zhiqiang’s office to eat while Zhang Zhiqiang supervised the counting and loading of the goods and urged the assembly line workers dressing dolls.

After Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang finished eating and left the office, they saw workers loading doll boxes into the back of the truck, with Zhang Zhiqiang standing nearby.

Seeing Jiang Luo come out, Zhang Zhiqiang approached, "Done eating?"

"Over here."

Jiang Luo waved him over. "Boss Zhang, let’s go to your office. I've got something to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

Zhang Zhiqiang showed Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang back into the office and went to the tea table to heat water for tea.

Jiang Luo waved his hand. "No tea, we’re heading out with the truck soon."

"What is it?"

Zhang Zhiqiang gestured for Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang to sit on the sofa.

Jiang Luo sat down and said, "On these dolls, you’re giving me the factory price at five yuan, right?"

"Here's the thing."

"Find a packaging supplier around here and have them produce packaging boxes for the dolls."

Saying this, he gestured to Zhang Zhiqiang, "Got paper and a pen? Give me some."

Zhang Zhiqiang rose and went to the office desk to get paper and a pen.

Jiang Luo took it and started drawing on the paper, saying, "It's like this, a rectangular-shaped box that can fit the doll inside."

"Have your design department design the box. It doesn’t need to be too fancy, just make it cute, trendy, and brightly colored."

"On the front, cut out a section of the paper and use a clear plastic window."

"That way, people can see the doll right away."

"If you make such a packaging box, I estimate it shouldn't cost more than fifty cents per box on average."

"Including the box, sell them to me for six yuan each."

"How does that sound?"

Zhang Zhiqiang thought for a moment: "Sure, sure, sounds good."

He figured a box that small wouldn’t cost fifty cents each.

Selling it for six yuan, he was happy with that.

Jiang Luo: "From now on, produce two types of dolls: one with a box and one without."

"Don’t produce too many of the boxed ones initially."

"Start with three hundred, and ship them to me once they’re done."

"I came today, but I won’t be coming back specially later. I’m busy in Haicheng too."

"I’ll transfer the balance directly to your bank later."

"If anything comes up or there are issues, we can call each other. I have your office number, and you know mine and Wang Chuang’s beeper numbers."

Zhang Zhiqiang replied bluntly: "Alright."

Jiang Luo signaled to Wang Chuang, who took out cash wrapped in newspaper from his bag.

Jiang Luo: "I’ll pay the down payment for this batch of dolls first."

Soon, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang were back at Wencheng Railway Station with the goods.

Wang Chuang went to buy tickets for the nearest train, while Zhang Zhiqiang took care of shipping the goods.

By the time Wang Chuang returned with the tickets, Zhang Zhiqiang had also finished and handed the bill of lading to Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo took it and joked with Zhang Zhiqiang: "Not mad at me today?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

Zhang Zhiqiang joked back: "You’re my golden goose."

"Money gods, what would you like to eat? Tea-leaf eggs? Corn? Some fruit? I’ll buy some for you to take on the road."

Jiang Luo sat, slouched casually: "Your call, anything’s fine."

Zhang Zhiqiang went to get the food, and Wang Chuang sat down beside him, too excited to sit still. He said to Jiang Luo: "We buy them for five yuan each and sell them for fifteen—that’s ten bucks profit per doll. Two thousand dolls mean twenty grand!"

"Even more than what we made before!"

Jiang Luo glanced at him and teased: "Whose fault was it?"

Wang Chuang immediately raised his hand and slapped his own face: "My fault entirely! My fault entirely!"

"Knock it off."

Jiang Luo chuckled.

Jiang Luo then said to Wang Chuang: "Actually, even without you, the partnership with Guo Ronghai wouldn’t have lasted long anyway."

What do you mean?

Wang Chuang looked at Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo analyzed: "Their Pacific Department Store really gets plenty of customers—plenty of people go there."

"Locals, and many tourists who come to Haicheng for fun."

"What kind of place is Haicheng? Decades ago, it was already one of the top cities in the country, second only to the capital."

"Lots of people from other provinces and cities come here to check things out, have fun, and shop for good stuff."

"A huge department store like Pacific Department Store definitely doesn’t lack customers."

"But a doll going for 68 yuan—it might sell for a day, a week, or even a month. But what happens later? Won’t others start selling the same thing?"

"It’s inevitable."

"If we didn’t do this today, sooner or later, the same dolls would appear elsewhere in Haicheng or in smaller markets, sold cheaper."

"That’s why I said the partnership with Guo Ronghai wasn’t meant to last long."

As he spoke, Jiang Luo reached out and slung an arm around Wang Chuang’s shoulder, speaking calmly: "Just wait. Soon, we won’t just be making dolls and making a few thousand or even ten grand in Haicheng."

Meanwhile, in Haicheng, the dolls were flying off the shelves in the small market—some shoppers recognized the dolls at the stalls as the same ones sold at Pacific Department Store for 68 yuan, exactly the same;

some came taking a chance, checking if the dolls were available and cheaper than at Pacific Department Store;

others had heard the small market had them and came specifically for that.

Regardless, the dolls, bought at 15 yuan each, sold extremely well at every stall in the small market that day.

The stall owners were all on the same page and set the price at 25 yuan each, no bargaining.

Even so, they sold exceptionally well.

The stall owners chatted privately: "Ten was too few. I should’ve gotten thirty. Didn't you see? The toy stall that ordered more had more doll hair colors, and more people went there to buy."

"Exactly. I barely sold any thermoses all morning and noon, but the dolls sold out completely."

"Hey, didn’t those two guys say they’d have stock tomorrow?"

"That’s what they said. They’ll definitely come tomorrow."

"Then I’ll order more. Ten won’t be enough to meet demand."

The next morning, a truck slowly parked on the roadside not far from the back entrance of the small market.

As soon as it stopped, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang jumped out from the driver and passenger seats respectively and walked to the back of the truck.

Soon, many stall owners from the small market who had gotten the news arrived. The truck’s rear door was open, and inside, large box after large box could be seen.

Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang were both standing in the cargo area. Wang Chuang had a cigarette dangling from his lips, yelling, "One at a time, folks!" while holding a large plastic bag. Beside him was a big box.

Jiang Luo had a lollipop in his mouth, holding a notebook and a pen.

One vendor spoke up first, "I want ten dolls of each of the five hair colors."

"Yeah, fifty."

Jiang Luo sat at the back of the truck, one shoulder leaning against the side of the truck bed, pen in hand, lowering his head to write and jot it down.

At the same time, he said, "Fifty dolls, 15 each, total 750."

Wang Chuang started pulling dolls out of the box, tossing them into the bag.

The vendor who had just ordered 50 dolls said, "Boss, can you do a discount? I’m buying 50 at once."

Jiang Luo didn’t even look up. "No discounts. If you don’t want them, someone else will."

He added coolly, "To be honest, our stock today definitely won’t last."

"You came first, so you get them. If you don’t take them now and come back later, they’ll definitely be gone."

Someone nearby immediately jumped in, "I also want 50 dolls, all five hair colors."

The man from before quickly said, "Fine, fine, I’ll take ’em."

Jiang Luo also grabbed a large black bag from behind and began pulling dolls out of the box.

Just like that, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang worked together—registering orders, packing the dolls, taking cash, making change—everything in an orderly manner.

At first, only seven or eight people had gathered at the back of the truck, but soon more and more came—men and women, young and old, all market vendors, there to stock up on dolls.

The fanny pack Jiang Luo had tied around his waist was originally empty, with very little money inside.

But in no time, as he collected hundreds of yuan, the pouch grew fuller and fuller, swelling with bills. There was no time to sort it, so he just stuffed it all in haphazardly. When it no longer fit, he simply snatched an empty doll box from nearby and tossed the money inside temporarily.

"Seventy for me!"

"Fifty over here, son!"

"Me, me! I’ll take a hundred—all five colors!"

Wang Chuang was busy bagging dolls, not stopping the entire time.

Jiang Luo had to register orders, collect money, and grab dolls, equally busy without a break.

In between, he also had to field questions from the vendors:

"Boss, where did these dolls come from?"

Jiang Luo, with the lollipop in his mouth as if it were a cigarette, looked relaxed and casual. His young face showed a mix of a cocky, streetwise vibe and a maturity beyond his years. He replied offhandedly, "Don’t worry about where I got them. You definitely can’t get them yourselves. These are imports from Hong Kong, from the same factory as Pacific Department Store’s."

"Boss, you’re full of it, right? Hong Kong goods sell for 68 at Pacific Department Store, and you’re only charging 15?"

Jiang Luo said, "If you don’t believe me, forget it. I’m making a profit even at 15. They charge 68—that’s just highway robbery."

"If you don’t believe me, you still can’t get stock from them anyway."

"Boss, are you from Hong Kong?"

Jiang Luo put on a Hong Kong accent: "Nah, I’m from Haicheng."

And so, at 15 yuan per doll, Jiang Luo and Wang Chuang sold bag after bag.

By the time the crowd at the back of the truck finally dispersed, both of them were sweating buckets, with Wang Chuang’s entire back soaked through.

But neither had time to wipe off the sweat or rest. They leaned against the back of the truck bed, dumped out all the cash from Jiang Luo’s fanny pack, along with the pile of cash from the box, and began counting it bill by bill.

Wang Chuang, counting the hundred-yuan notes, grinned so hard his eyes crinkled. As he counted, he sighed, "This is what makes business worth it. Nothing beats the payoff of doing business."

He continued counting, "Eighteen, nineteen, twenty..."

Jiang Luo was also counting money, all fifties and hundreds: "Thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four..."

In total, they had brought a thousand dolls. Aside from a few defective ones, the vendors from the small market had bought around 650 dolls.

At 15 yuan per doll, 650 dolls brought in a morning’s take of 9,750 yuan.

Wang Chuang clutched a stack of hundred-yuan bills and planted a loud kiss on it.

Jiang Luo, biting on the stick of his finished lollipop, shot a look at Wang Chuang’s goofy grin and laughed, shoving Wang Chuang’s head lightly.

Wang Chuang’s head jerked to the side, then back, his eyes fixed on the money in his hand. "Hell yeah! This is fucking awesome!"

Author’s note: Three chapters combined into one.

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