"Uncle Two, Uncle Laifu, Weiguo, Maosheng, that's the situation. Do you have any questions?"
Back home, Chen Yang called Shen Guangfu and the others to his place and explained the plan for them to go to other brigades to help him collect fish.
With Liu Fuchun's assurance, Chen Yang naturally wanted to expand his aquatic products business. If each brigade collected an extra one to two thousand jin of fish, he would have hundreds of profit a day.
The more he collected, the more profitable it would be. For Shenjiaba, collecting three to four thousand jin a day meant a profit of over a thousand for one brigade.
What he allocated to Shen Guangfu and the others was just a small portion; the bulk of the profit went to Chen Yang.
This was similar to how companies managed distributors in later generations, except Chen Yang had already changed the fixed salary system for his distributors and managers to a commission-based one.
This would greatly motivate the distributors, as the better the business performed, the more they would earn.
"Yangzi, I've said it before, whatever you ask me to do in the future, I'll do it without question."
"Don't talk about you being benevolent and giving us money. Even if you didn't give us money, I'd still help you."
Shen Laifu was the first to thump his chest and agree. In the past few days of helping Chen Yang catch fish, he had earned more than he had in several years. Shen Laifu was genuinely grateful to Chen Yang.
The honest man didn't yet understand what ten percent of the profit meant. He only knew that Chen Yang, his benefactor, had asked for his help, and if he refused, what kind of person would he be!
"Yangzi, you are my nephew-in-law. If you need help, I should contribute. No need for money; it would be a disgrace to me."
Shen Guangfu also did not refuse. His nagging wife had upset his nephew-in-law, and he had always felt he owed Chen Yang an apology. Now that Chen Yang needed help, he would definitely assist.
"Brother Yang, my two brothers and I don't want it either..."
Zheng Weiguo and Liu Maosheng quickly started to speak up as well. Without Chen Yang collecting fish, how could they have earned so much money? But before they could finish, Chen Yang interrupted them.
"Uncle Two, Uncle Laifu, Weiguo, Maosheng, I called you here because I trust you. I appreciate your help, but the money will be as I said, ten percent profit for each of you."
"Tomorrow, you'll each have a donkey cart. I'll arrange it with old master Tu. I've already prepared the scales and the large water buckets. Laifu Uncle, please prepare more algae."
Personal relationships were one thing, and business was another.
Chen Yang believed in keeping these separate. Although they wouldn't object if he gave them less, Chen Yang wouldn't do that.
He wasn't just doing business for a day or two. Zheng Weiguo and the others would be collecting fish daily and taking them to the aquatic products station with him. They would naturally understand the profit margin later.
He provided the capital and smoothed over the relationships with the commune's aquatic products station. He only asked them to help collect fish, and Chen Yang felt that ten percent profit was already very generous.
The terms he offered were beyond reasonable. If they were to tamper with the business later, Chen Yang would not show leniency.
Only with mutual honesty from the beginning could the business be long-lasting. Although he trusted Shen Guangfu and the others, Chen Yang did not want to use money to test their relationships.
"Yangzi (Brother Yang), we'll make sure to collect the fish properly tomorrow."
Shen Guangfu and the other three patted their chests and promised. They understood that although Chen Yang was asking for their help, he also intended to help them make money.
Tomorrow, they would make sure to help Chen Yang collect the fish well!
"Chen Yang, why don't I accompany you to Liuhewan tomorrow? You can't manage alone!"
After seeing Shen Guangfu and the others off, Shen Xue, looking worried, hugged Chen Yang and leaned into his embrace. She was concerned about him going to Liuhewan alone.
"Wife, only one village in Liuhewan Brigade is near the Liuhe River. Unlike our Shenjiaba Brigade, which has four villages—Shenjiaba, Liujia Village, Zhaojiawan, and Xiongjiagang—all by the river, we can only collect about a thousand to two thousand jin at most."
"I'm more than enough by myself."
"Instead, here at home, the bricks are being transported today, and we'll start building the walls tomorrow. Father still needs to take care of the house construction, and I'm worried you'll be too busy."
Chen Yang squeezed his loving wife's pretty face. The hardships he endured were meaningful.
He had earned so much money in his previous life, but he had no motivation to spend it. Who was he earning it for?
His parents had passed away long ago, and his eldest sister and youngest sister were already wealthy with his support.
But now, he was filled with the motivation to earn money!
It was for his wife and children to have a better life!
Moreover, he had someone to care about him when he worked hard. This feeling was wonderful.
"You're something else. If you work yourself to death, I won't care about you anymore."
Shen Xue huffed. This scoundrel, she would never care about him again. She couldn't win an argument with him; no matter what, he was always right.
"You'll work yourself to death, and I won't care about you, you stinky daddy, hmph."
As soon as Shen Xue finished speaking, the toddler who was playing nearby suddenly stood up, ran to Chen Yang, put his little hands on his hips, and mimicked Shen Xue's tone.
Shen Xue, who hadn't yet entered the house, stumbled and almost tripped over the threshold.
Chen Yang almost burst out laughing. Was this karma?
"You're not allowed to imitate Mommy anymore. Children shouldn't talk like adults."
Sensing that Shen Xue was on the verge of an outburst out of embarrassment, the older man had no choice but to solemnly start educating the toddler.
...
Before dawn the next day, Chen Yang set off with Shen Guangfu and the others. His aquatic products business was about to experience a major boom.
This long-lost sense of drive for business made Chen Yang feel great. He realized that he had reawakened the same entrepreneurial spirit he had at the beginning of his previous life.
Deep down, he enjoyed the joy that came with successful business ventures.
It wasn't just the happiness of earning money, but also the satisfaction of achieving results through his own efforts.
Liuhewan Brigade, which Chen Yang was responsible for, was the furthest brigade from the county town. By the time he arrived, it was almost dawn. Chen Yang planned to refill the large water buckets by the river and add the pre-prepared algae.
As soon as he stopped the donkey cart, he noticed that many people were already waiting by the river.
"Are you Comrade Chen Yang from Shenjiaba? I am the Party Secretary of Liuhewan Brigade, Liu Ergā. Director Liu explained everything clearly at the meeting yesterday. I led the villagers here early this morning."
"Look, we've kept the fish in baskets submerged in the river, and they're all lively."
Liu Ergā was also carrying a large basket. It was clear that this Party Secretary was also eyeing the money from selling fish. Two mao per jin meant two yuan for ten jin.
How much did he earn in a year from work points!
In those days, a Party Secretary was not considered a state cadre; they still earned work points from the brigade.
"Thank you, Secretary Liu. Everyone, please come one by one. As long as they are alive, I guarantee I'll buy them. You'll get cash immediately after weighing."
Chen Yang had truly witnessed what it meant to have connections make things easier. When he first started collecting fish, with old master Tu's help and Zheng Weiguo and Liu Maosheng holding large yuan notes, people were only cautiously bringing small amounts.
With Liu Fuchun's words, everyone was now queuing up to bring him fish. This business was simply too easy!
In less than an hour, Chen Yang had weighed all the fish, a total of two thousand two hundred jin!
This was the worst brigade, and Chen Yang dared not imagine how much fish Shen Guangfu and Zheng Weiguo would collect.
Now, he had only one thought: he was rich!
Even if several hundred jin of these two thousand two hundred jin of fish were not fresh, he would still have a profit of seven to eight hundred yuan.
Coupled with the base camp in Shenjiaba and the brigades by the river in Zhenfang and Gangshang villages, he estimated he would collect fourteen to fifteen thousand jin of fish today!
He was going to be rich!