Seeing Mom finally agree to take charge of the business,Jerry felt a wave of relief.
He nodded and handed her 10,000 yuan.
"Here, Mom.Use this to keep buying greens.And make sure you pay the trucker his gas money too."
Mom agreed quickly—but when she actually held that thick stack of brand-new bills,her hands couldn't help trembling.
Compared to the crumpled five- and ten-yuan notes she usually dealt with,this was a world apart.
Jerry kept the remaining 60,000 yuan,planning to deposit it later in the city.
Dad, watching Jerry pack up the money, looked worried.
"You're taking all of it with you?"
In Dad's mind,this kind of money didn't come around often.Wouldn't it be safer to keep it at home?At least it could be Jerry's dowry one day.
Jerry smiled.
"I'm planning to invest it in other projects once I'm back at school."
Simple and direct.
No need to hide anything from family.
Mom's eyes lit up instantly.
"You have other ways to make money?!"
Jerry chuckled.
"I do.But it won't be as fast as selling greens.It'll take a little more time."
"But..."Mom leaned forward, full of excitement,"Will it make more money?"
By now,even she was catching the "business bug" from Jerry's energy.
Jerry grinned.
"More?Way more."
"If selling greens can make us two hundred thousand a day,this plan can make two million,twenty million,even two billion."
Hissss—
Both Mom and Dad sucked in a sharp breath.
Seven thousand yuan had already felt like a fortune.
Now Jerry was casually talking about numbers they couldn't even comprehend.
Seeing their stunned faces,Jerry laughed lightly:
"Alright, alright—it's too early to talk about that.Let's wait until it actually happens."
Dad didn't argue anymore.
He could see it clearly now:
His son was already standing on a stage far beyond what he could understand.
Rather than drag him down with old-world thinking,it was better to let him soar.
Maybe, just maybe...after generations of living tied to dirt and mud,the Jerry family was about to produce someone truly extraordinary.
Dad thought, a rare flicker of pride warming his chest.
That afternoon,Jerry and Dad made another trip to the provincial capital.
At the wholesale market,Fengner was already waiting anxiously.
As soon as Jerry arrived,he rushed forward, grabbing Jerry's hand like a long-lost brother.
"Boss! You came at the perfect time!"
Jerry yanked his hand free, smirking.
"Cut the crap.What's the news?"
Fengner scratched his head sheepishly, but his excitement couldn't be hidden.
"It's more than good—it's AMAZING."
"The greens you sent?Top quality!Everyone went crazy for them.They sold out in an hour!"
Apparently, after Jerry left,Fengner had called all his second-tier buyers—local city vendors hungry for fresh produce.
And with wild greens in high demand and supply tight?
They had come running like a stampede.
When they saw mountains of pristine wild greens in Fengner's warehouse,they didn't even haggle over price.
They just threw money down and hauled the goods away.
Half an hour—gone.Sold out.
Jerry wasn't too surprised,but he still asked:
"What price did you sell at?"
Fengner grinned, rubbing his pudgy hands together.
"Flat rate: twelve yuan per jin.No picking, no choosing."
Jerry: "..."
Damn.That's savage.
Jerry had sold to Fengner at around three yuan per jin.And Fengner had quadrupled the price on the spot.
(Though, to be fair,Jerry himself had bought them from villagers for only one mao per jin—a thirtyfold markup.)
In a way... who's the real shark here?Jerry thought, amused.
"Boss, have some tea,"Fengner said, pushing a cup toward him.
Then he ducked into the back room.
A few minutes later,he came back holding a fat bundle of cash.
"According to our agreement:You provide the supply,I provide the channels,eighty-twenty split."
"The two truckloads of greens made about 240,000 yuan total.Here's your share—after subtracting what you already took,this is the balance."
He placed the money respectfully on the table.
Nineteen thousand two hundred yuan was Jerry's share.
Minus the seven thousand he'd already taken,Fengner now handed over an additional 122,000 yuan.
Jerry raised an eyebrow.
"The first batch wasn't technically under our contract.You really willing to split by the new terms?"
He stared at Fengner thoughtfully.
In business,the rich invest, the poor cling.
Fengner's move showed vision.
Instead of hoarding a little extra cash,he chose to invest in Jerry's trust.
In 2000,when most people were still short-sighted farmers or small traders,Fengner had the instincts of a real businessman.
Jerry couldn't help but admire him a little.
Fengner scratched his head, chuckling.
"Rules are rules, Boss.I wouldn't dare stiff you."
Jerry smiled for real this time.
"You're not bad."
Hearing Jerry's rare compliment,Fengner lit up like a kid getting a gold star.
He didn't mind that Jerry was younger.
In fact,Jerry's aura of calm power only made him want to follow him more.
"I'll take the money, then,"Jerry said, sliding the stack into his bag.
"I need it for my next project."
Then, Jerry clapped Fengner's shoulder with a laugh:
"Stick with me.I know you're tired of being just a market vendor."
"Vegetable King suits you much better."
Fengner's eyes widened.His heart started pounding.
Vegetable King...
Maybe it sounded silly to some.
But to a man who had hustled greens his whole life,it was a dream bigger than he ever dared to voice.
At that moment,he knew he had made the right bet.
And he'd follow Jerry—wherever this road led.