Chapter 27: Interpersonal Relationships Are the Primary Productive Force

Many sellers at the ghost market were already preparing to pack up and leave, but Yue Feng was not flustered. He knew that Niu Fusheng, the man who buys wild game, would definitely come looking for him.

Since he wouldn't be able to come for the next few days, and wanting to secure this long-term client, Yue Feng had no intention of selling the game to anyone else.

Upon arriving at the ghost market, Yue Feng didn't display all his stock. Instead, he symbolically placed two Flying Dragons and two Sha-ban Chickens at his feet, passing the time by chatting aimlessly with Xiao Tao.

Sure enough, less than ten minutes after the two brothers had set up their stall, Niu Fusheng arrived.

"So little today? Only four?" Seeing the Flying Dragons and Sha-ban Chickens on the ground, Niu Fusheng thought Yue Feng hadn't caught much stock, and his tone carried a hint of disappointment.

In recent days, the top leaders at the mine had been full of praise for the Flying Dragons and Sha-ban Chickens Niu Fusheng prepared. Whether for internal dining or hosting guests, these had become signature dishes.

Because ingredients were limited, priority was always given to the high-ranking leaders. Many lower-level officials who couldn't get their hands on the wild game from the Second Canteen expressed their dissatisfaction through subtle remarks.

Meanwhile, Fu Qinghe, a chef at the First Canteen who was at odds with Niu Fusheng, had also sourced some wild game through connections, hoping to gain favor with the leaders.

However, no matter what he did, the taste always seemed to fall short. Over time, Niu Fusheng's status at the mine grew even higher.

Only Niu Fusheng knew that his culinary skills weren't significantly different from Fu Qinghe's. The secret to the superior taste of his dishes was that his ingredients were always fresh and slaughtered on the spot.

Yue Feng patted his satchel. "They're in the bag. I didn't take them out because we had an agreement! There's plenty today—19 Flying Dragons in total, plus 8 Sha-ban Chickens. It's actually more than the last two days!"

"Not bad. I just told you yesterday that the more the merrier, and today you've increased the volume?"

"Hehe, making money in the countryside is hard. It's tiring, but one must cherish the opportunities to earn! I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news for you. The good news is that I've already started arranging to increase the production of wild game. In about five to seven days, the quantity will go up!"

"And the bad news?"

"The bad news is that I'm going up the mountain to hunt eagles tomorrow, so I won't have much time to set traps for chickens. I won't be here to sell tomorrow! You'll have to manage today's Flying Dragons and Sha-ban Chickens carefully!"

Niu Fusheng nodded. "Alright, I understand. It's a transition period. Let me see today's goods."

"Right!"

After a brief exchange, Niu Fusheng pulled a folded fertilizer bag from his waist. Yue Feng then began taking the wrapped Flying Dragons and Sha-ban Chickens out of his bag one by one.

Once the count was finished, they tied the fertilizer bag shut. The 27 Flying Dragons and Sha-ban Chickens made for a substantial amount inside the bag.

Yue Feng calculated the price and said, "19 Flying Dragons at 1.1 each, totaling 20.9 yuan. 8 Sha-ban Chickens at 5.6 yuan total. That's 26.5 yuan in total. You can just give me 25. I'll waive the 1.5 yuan difference as a personal gift of two Sha-ban Chickens for you to try!"

Anyone capable of acting as a procurement officer in a coal mine canteen certainly had their own network of connections. Although it currently seemed like the other party was the one chasing him to buy goods, Yue Feng's vision was not so narrow.

The current business volume was small, so giving small favors to build rapport was wise. Once his eagle hunting squad's harvest increased, Yue Feng would certainly increase his efforts to strengthen the relationship.

In an era of low productivity, human connections were paramount. To succeed, one had to consider the balance of all aspects in advance.

One must build roads in sunny weather to walk on during rainy days; only by planning ahead can a business last long.

Seeing how tactful Yue Feng was, Niu Fusheng was quite pleased. In the previous two transactions, the boy had only symbolically rounded down a few cents, but this time he had directly waived 1.5 yuan.

Even though Niu Fusheng's department had its share of "grease," letting go of 1.5 yuan was a sign of great sincerity.

Moreover, Yue Feng's wording was impeccable. Instead of calling it "rounding down," he called it "personally gifting two birds for a taste." This changed the nature of the transaction from a bribe to a gift, ensuring that even if it were brought into the light, no one could hold it against him.

"Fine! Then I must thank you, Little Brother Yue!" Niu Fusheng chuckled as he paid, pulling out three large bills and handing them directly to Yue Feng.

"Brother Niu, do you live nearby? Should I help you carry them back? By the way, this is my brother, Li Mingtao. If I can't make it to deliver the goods in the future, he might do it for me. You should get to know him!"

Yue Feng pulled Xiao Tao forward, formally introducing them to one another.

Xiao Tao was still dazed until Yue Feng tugged at his jacket from behind, prompting him to greet the man with a slight delay.

"Hello, Brother Niu. My name is Li Mingtao. You can just call me Xiao Tao!"

"Xiao Tao, right? Alright, I'll remember! No need to carry them; my house is over in the Second Avenue residential compound, just a short walk away! In the future, once your production increases, just deliver them directly to the Second Canteen of the mine. The ghost market is risky after all; you never know when you might run into bad luck!"

Just as he finished mentioning the risks of the ghost market, a shout came from the other end of the street near the intersection: "The Red Armbands are here! Run!"

Following the shout, the many sellers who had been squatting silently by the roadside suddenly sprang into action, grabbing their goods and fleeing in panic.

Fearing trouble, Niu Fusheng said urgently, "They might be looking for a scapegoat! Run!!"

With that, Niu Fusheng hoisted his bag and turned to bolt.

Yue Feng, also fearing arrest, grabbed Xiao Tao, and the two brothers sprinted away with long strides.

They didn't stop until they had run two streets away. Both were panting heavily like large wolves, unable to catch their breath for a long time.

"Feng, didn't you say the ghost market was unmanaged? I caught a glimpse just now—it looked like a grain seller at the eastern intersection was pinned down!"

Xiao Tao had never experienced such a scene, and even though they were in a safe area, he was still shaken.

Yue Feng explained, "Didn't Brother Niu say they might be looking for a scapegoat? The patrol teams have to submit regular reports! Even if they turn a blind eye most of the time, their authority hasn't been revoked. If a leader suddenly decides to make an example of someone, the low-level soldiers will arrest a couple of people just to fulfill their quota! That's what a 'scapegoat' is! But you don't need to be afraid. Later, we'll have Brother Niu take us to the Second Canteen to get acquainted. We'll get them to issue an official procurement certificate for mountain products, and then there will be no risk!"

"Oh! So that's why you gave him those two Sha-ban Chickens!" Xiao Tao said, realization dawning on him.

Yue Feng smiled thinly. "You might think that since our goods are easy to sell, there's no need to cater to a procurement officer with politeness and discounts. When dealing with people from the subordinates of these massive entities, you can't just settle things on a transaction-by-transaction basis. Remember this: if you want to do well in society, interpersonal relationships are the primary productive force!"