In her previous life, when Cheng Loan Loan was doing business, she had encountered countless cold-faced people. It was fine if they spoke harshly with a cold face, but what she feared most was not even being given a chance to meet.
She smiled and took out a bowl of crushed ice jelly. "Shopkeeper Chen, don't think this bowl of ice jelly is a lot. In fact, it's not filling at all. Don't these students still go to the cafeteria to eat after buying ice jelly from me? On hot days, cooped up in their rooms reading and writing, how can these students bear it? This is just for quenching thirst. Shopkeeper Chen, have a taste. This bowl is on me."
Seeing her giggling expression, Chen He found it inconvenient to maintain his serious face. Besides, he really wanted to taste what this ice jelly was like that students would rush over here after class.
He took the bowl and took a small sip, then froze.
Originally, he was full of anger, feeling that Cheng Loan Loan was stealing his business, but in just a moment, all the anger in him dissipated.
He couldn't blame this elder sister-in-law; he could only blame himself for not being capable of making such delicious snacks.
A grown man like him had just eaten a large bowl of corn and a corn cake. Even though he was full, he still managed to drink a large bowl of crushed ice jelly in one go.
Cheng Loan Loan's face still wore a smile. "Shopkeeper Chen, what do you think? If this is sold in the cafeteria, would it sell well?"
Shopkeeper Chen's heart stirred. He somewhat understood why this elder sister-in-law had called him out, but he wasn't sure. He probed, "Elder sister-in-law, what do you mean?"
"I supply, Shopkeeper Chen sells, how about it?" Cheng Loan Loan continued, "I've been selling at the gate of Nanfu Academy for two or three days, and I've done some calculations. There are roughly over three hundred students at Nanfu Academy, plus the teachers and miscellaneous staff, almost four hundred people. Not everyone can afford a bowl of ice jelly for three copper coins, but let's assume half. In other words, Nanfu Academy can sell at least two hundred bowls of ice jelly a day, which means an income of six hundred copper coins."
Shopkeeper Chen was a businessman; he could naturally calculate this amount. He had worked at Nanfu Academy for seven or eight years. On the surface, it seemed decent, but his monthly profit wasn't high. He could earn five or six taels of silver a month, but he had to pay his employees and cover expenses for maintaining good relations with the academy's superiors. In the end, only about three taels of silver remained in his hands each month.
Calculated this way, the copper coins he earned in a day amounted to only one hundred.
But this elder sister-in-law in front of him, despite her shabby clothes, could earn several hundred copper coins a day at Nanfu Academy.
Understanding this, Chen He, who had just been arrogant, lowered himself and said in a very pleasant tone, "If I take goods from elder sister-in-law, what would be the price?"
Cheng Loan Loan sighed. "Making this ice jelly isn't easy; it consumes a lot of ingredients. For every bowl sold, I can only earn half a copper coin. This business is very tiring; otherwise, I wouldn't have thought of cooperating with Shopkeeper Chen. How about this: Shopkeeper Chen takes goods from me, buying them at two copper coins per bowl, and the remaining auxiliary ingredients like brown sugar, hawthorn, and peanuts, Shopkeeper Chen will be responsible for them himself, how about that?"
Chen He's mental abacus clattered. Buying for two *wen*, selling for three *wen*. If he sold two hundred bowls a day, he would earn two hundred *wen*. If he controlled the amount of peanuts, brown sugar, and other ingredients, one *jin* of brown sugar could probably make enough syrup for five hundred bowls of ice jelly... And peanuts weren't even an essential ingredient... Deducting some necessary costs, just by selling ice jelly alone, he would earn at least one hundred and sixty *wen* a day.
After a meticulous calculation, Chen He swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Suppressing his激动 emotions, he tried to speak calmly, "So, when can you start supplying?"
Cheng Luanluan smiled, "Tomorrow morning, my child will deliver the goods. Cash on delivery, how about it?"
Chen He nodded vigorously. Their business cooperation was considered a success.