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Chapter 31: Ways to Make Money
Li Yi was cooking fish stew today, a traditional Northeastern dish. Xu Qingnan, being from the north, wasn't fond of the mild southern-style steamed fish. Compared to the rich, bold flavors of northern cuisine, southern dishes often felt too bland.
With skillful hands, Li Yi fried the fish until both sides were golden, then prepared the broth and stewed the fish with a variety of side dishes. The process was seamless, and Xu Qingnan watched in awe.
Though she was aware that Li Yi could cook, she was surprised at how adeptly he made this particular dish. She had no idea when he'd picked up this skill.
While the fish simmered, Li Yi returned to the living room and sat across from Wei Sanpao.
"Lao San, I've been thinking about a way to make some money. Interested?" Li Yi asked with a smile.
Wei Sanpao, who had been lazily sipping tea, immediately perked up. "Yes! Tell me, tell me!"
Li Yi gave him a mysterious smile. "What do you think of getting into the fruit business?"
Just then, Wei Sanpao took a sip of tea and choked, spraying it out in surprise.
"Ahem! Brother Yi, are you serious? Selling fruit? You might as well return to your old job as a security section chief!"
Li Yi chuckled. "Do you think selling fruit is beneath you?"
"I don't mean it like that," Wei Sanpao stammered. "It's just… you get up early, work late, and the profits aren't great. It's a lot of effort for not much return. Why bother?"
Li Yi gave him a knowing look. "Ah, I see! You just want a job that's easy and pays well, huh?"
Wei Sanpao scratched his head, embarrassed. To be honest, he had enjoyed the leisurely pace of his old job at the factory, where he didn't do much but still got paid. He just wanted to have fun without putting in too much effort.
Li Yi smiled again, shaking his head. "I'm serious, though. We're not going to sell fruit like everyone else. If we're going to make a profit, we need to target the factories directly."
Wei Sanpao's interest peaked. "Sell fruit to factories?"
"Yes," Li Yi nodded. "Right now, it's mid-June, and the factory is supposed to give benefits to the employees. The efficiency has been low, so they only provide small amounts of fruit. But we can turn this into a bigger deal. We'll supply the factories with quality fruit, and it'll be more profitable than you think."
Wei Sanpao raised an eyebrow. "But isn't the factory already full of people looking to do the same thing?"
Li Yi's eyes glimmered with confidence. "We don't need any favors from your father. I have my own ways of getting in."
Just then, Xu Qingnan called from the kitchen, interrupting their conversation.
"Enough talking! Let's eat!"
The meal was ready. In addition to the fish stew, Xu Qingnan had made two simple but delicious dishes: scrambled eggs with persimmons and shredded potatoes.
Although the dishes were simple, Wei Sanpao and Li Yi ate eagerly. Wei Sanpao, in particular, was famished after a long morning of running around.
"This food is amazing, sister-in-law!" Wei Sanpao said with a grin. "It's better than anything I've had in restaurants or at the factory cafeteria!"
Xu Qingnan blushed slightly at the compliment, but Li Yi playfully slapped Wei Sanpao on the back of the head. "Stop flattering me and just eat!"
Wei Sanpao, eager to keep eating, nodded vigorously and dug in.
After finishing the meal, Li Yi asked Xu Qingnan to take Weiwei into the room for a nap. He then went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Wei Sanpao leaned back in his chair, chewing on a toothpick, and watched Li Yi with admiration.
"Brother Yi, I never realized you were such a good man. I didn't know you even washed dishes!"
Li Yi rolled his eyes. "Enough nonsense. I've been thinking about going to Yandong City in a couple of days. Want to come with me?"
"Yandong City?" Wei Sanpao sat up straight, suddenly alert. "What are we going there for?"
Li Yi's smile widened. "We're going to do business, a big one. We can take Xiaowu and Dachu along, too. If this works, we'll all make a lot of money!"
Wei Sanpao's eyes lit up. "Alright, if you're serious, I'll follow you!"
"Good. Go ask for a few days off from the factory. If this deal goes through, you might want to consider resigning. I'm sure your father won't stop you if you've made a name for yourself."
"Got it!" Wei Sanpao grinned, knowing that his father would be lenient as long as he succeeded.
As Wei Sanpao left to make preparations, Li Yi smiled to himself. This plan might just work.
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