Chapter 242: Hot in the Capital
After successfully selling the longans, Deng Shirong didn't rush home. Instead, he spent a few days "inspecting" the seven courtyard houses he had purchased earlier.
These seven courtyard houses not only had excellent locations but also had clear and undisputed property rights.
After all, Deng Shirong wasn't a native of Beijing and wouldn't be staying there long-term. If there were any disputes over the houses, he definitely wouldn't have bought them.
In this era, there were countless courtyard houses in the capital.
As long as you had the money, you could choose from any of the ordinary three-in-one courtyard houses, except for the top-tier ones. There was no need to settle for houses with potential disputes.
After inspecting all seven courtyard houses, Deng Shirong quickly noticed a problem: the houses looked significantly older than they had six months ago.
It's common knowledge that unoccupied houses age faster.
When he first bought the houses at the beginning of the year, Deng Shirong had considered renting them out. Not only would this provide a steady income, but it would also keep the houses occupied, slowing down their aging process.
However, after much thought, Deng Shirong abandoned the idea for three reasons:
First, renting out houses is a tedious process. It's not as simple as collecting rent every month. There are numerous issues to handle.
Deng Shirong's properties weren't just one or two houses. Each of the seven courtyard houses had dozens of rooms, totaling hundreds of rooms. Renting them all out would mean dealing with at least a hundred or more households and their various problems. How could that be a small task?
Deng Shirong didn't plan to settle in Beijing. Without hiring a professional property manager, renting out all the houses would be impractical.
Second, even in later generations, property disputes were common, let alone in this era. If the houses were rented to unscrupulous tenants who discovered Deng Shirong was an outsider, they might try to take advantage of the situation.
Although the property rights were clear and undisputed, as the saying goes, "It's easier to invite a god than to send one away." Once such tenants moved in, getting them to leave might not be easy.
Third, the more intact the courtyard houses were, the more valuable they would be in the future. If the houses were rented out, Deng Shirong worried that tenants might make unauthorized modifications. While he could keep an eye on things if he were present, he only visited Beijing once or twice a year. How could he manage everything from afar?
In summary, Deng Shirong decided against renting out the courtyard houses.
But this time, seeing how quickly the houses were aging, Deng Shirong felt it necessary to reconsider renting them out.
After all, having people live in the houses would indeed slow down the aging process.
Of course, this was just an idea. He would need to find the right person to manage the properties. If he couldn't find someone suitable, Deng Shirong would rather let the houses age slowly than create unnecessary trouble for himself.
…
While Deng Shirong was inspecting his seven courtyard houses, the entire capital was buzzing with excitement over longans, one of the most famous fruits from the south.
It wasn't uncommon for longans to appear in Beijing. Even Bobai water spinach could be airlifted to the capital, so it was reasonable for longans to make their way there as well. It was also normal for people to bring longans with them when visiting relatives in Beijing or for Beijing residents to bring some back from the south.
Although longans didn't have a long shelf life in this era, they could still be eaten soon after arriving in the capital.
However, transporting longans from the south to the capital for sale was another matter.
Not only were the shipping costs high, but the short shelf life of longans made it impractical for fruit merchants.
After all, this wasn't a small quantity for personal consumption but a large shipment for sale. After traveling thousands of miles, the fruit would no longer be fresh. If it took a few more days to sell, the longans would likely spoil.
Customers weren't foolish. Who would pay a high price for fruit that wasn't fresh?
But now, longans had not only appeared in the Beijing market but also looked as fresh as if they had just been picked from the tree. It was no wonder they caused such a sensation.
"Hey, what kind of fruit are they selling?"
"That's longan. Haven't you heard of it?"
"Oh, so this is longan. I've heard of it but never seen it. Are longans being sold in Beijing now?"
"I've lived for over 50 years, and this is the first time I've seen longans for sale in the capital. It's really an eye-opener!"
"I've lived for over 70 years, and this is my first time seeing this. I wonder if these longans are tasty."
"They're delicious. Two years ago, a neighbor's relative brought some from the south and gave our family a bunch. They were amazing."
"I heard longans are one of the most famous fruits in the south, just like lychees. I have to buy some to try."
"The price is so high, three yuan per pound."
"It's understandable. They're shipped here from thousands of miles away. The transportation costs alone must be significant. Plus, they're one of the most famous fruits in the south, so it's normal for them to be more expensive than other fruits."
"Wow, these longans look so fresh. Look at the branches and leaves—they look like they were just cut from the tree. I don't know how the seller managed it. The preservation technique is incredible!"
"I have to buy two kilograms of such fresh longans to try."
"Oh my god, these are absolutely delicious. People in the south are so lucky. Longans are this good—how amazing must the more famous lychees be?"
"I've had lychees before. A few years ago, I went to the south on a business trip and tried them for the first time. After eating them, I completely understood why Yang Guifei loved lychees so much. The taste is unforgettable!"
"Is it really that good?"
"It's no exaggeration. Lychees are the most delicious fruit I've ever eaten."
"It's probably just personal preference. I think apples are delicious—crisp and sweet."
"…"
Similar conversations could be heard all over the capital.
Beijing, the capital of China, is a megacity with a population of nearly 10 million. The total number of public officials, college students, workers, and self-employed individuals who earn money easily likely exceeds one million.
These people are the main consumers.
If longans were sold at three yuan per pound in a small place like Bobai County, they might not sell well. But in a city like Beijing, the sales speed was astonishing.
Initially, Zhou Shengli estimated it would take at least a week to sell all 63 tons of longans, even with price reductions later on. But now, just five days later, they had sold out all the longans at the highest price, which was incredible.
Of course, this success was due to Zhou Shengli, Wang Dadan, and Tian Chunzhi working tirelessly over the past few days. They mobilized their families, relatives, and friends to transport longans to different areas for sale, reaching a population of over one million.
This was how they achieved such impressive sales results.
…
In a private room at a restaurant in East Wind Market, Zhou Shengli, Wang Dadan, and Tian Chunzhi hosted a banquet for Deng Shirong.
After the waiter left, Zhou Shengli stood up with a glass of wine and said gratefully, "Boss Deng, thank you for giving me such a valuable opportunity to make money. I've earned more in these few days than I have in the past few years. I'll drink this glass of wine to you. Please enjoy the meal."
This time, the three of them had worked together and made over 120,000 yuan after deducting costs. Zhou Shengli took 40%, nearly 50,000 yuan, which was almost half of his total wealth.
His wealth had been accumulated over many years, so his statement wasn't an exaggeration.
Deng Shirong wasn't arrogant either. He also stood up with his drink and said with a smile, "Boss Zhou, you're too kind. You took a risk too. It's your skill that allowed you to make this money."
As they spoke, the two clinked glasses. Zhou Shengli downed his wine in one gulp, and Deng Shirong followed suit.
Next, Wang Dadan and Tian Chunzhi also toasted Deng Shirong, their faces filled with gratitude, and expressed their thanks.
They had taken 30% of the profits and earned over 36,000 yuan. With their current business profits, it would have taken them at least two or three years to make that much money. For Deng Shirong, who had provided such a lucrative opportunity, it wasn't excessive for them to curry favor with him.
During the meal, Zhou Shengli and the other two treated Deng Shirong as a benefactor and spoke to him with great respect.
Deng Shirong understood their intentions. He also wanted to establish a long-term partnership in Beijing, so after the meal, he reassured them, saying, "Boss Zhou, Boss Wang, Boss Tian, if you can keep the longan business a secret, please do so to avoid unnecessary trouble. I'll come to you again next year when the longans are ripe."
Zhou Shengli and the other two's eyes lit up at this. They understood Deng Shirong's implication: he was willing to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with them. As for keeping it confidential, they wanted to keep it secret even more than Deng Shirong did.
Telling others about such a lucrative opportunity would only invite competition. Wouldn't it be better to make a fortune quietly?
Therefore, upon hearing Deng Shirong's words, Zhou Shengli immediately patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Boss Deng. We promise to keep this matter to ourselves and won't even mention it to anyone else."
Tian Chunzhi also nodded and said, "Yes, Boss Deng, don't worry. We won't tell anyone else. The three of us are eager to cooperate with you for many more years. It would be best if no one else ever interferes, so we can peacefully follow you to make money."
Wang Dadan shared the same sentiment.
"Just keep it in mind. Thank you for your hospitality. I'll take my leave now. See you next year!"
(End of this chapter)