Making Money Just By Breathing (Patreon)

Chapter 7: Melons

Wang Yangguang found a small factory, with a small storefront and a small industrial park. They specialized in various types of paper cartons and boxes, but the advantage was that they were willing to take on small orders.

When he arrived, he found the person in charge, a sturdy man named Mr. Wu.

Mr. Wu sized up Wang Yangguang and showed a hint of disdain. It was clear he didn't fully trust this young man who appeared both young and poor.

"Young man, what do you want?"

"Boxes for packing watermelons. Can you provide boxes suitable for watermelons?!"

As soon as Wang Yangguang spoke, Mr. Wu's brow furrowed even tighter, and his tone became even more indifferent.

"Are you kidding me? What kind of box would you use to pack watermelons?"

Wang Yangguang didn't understand.

"Is it that you can't use boxes, or that you don't need to use boxes?"

"Heh!"

Mr. Wu chuckled lightly, took out a pack of soft red plum cigarettes, lit one slowly, glanced sideways at Wang Yangguang, and casually offered the cigarette pack, "Want one?"

"Thank you, Mr. Wu, but I don't smoke."

Wang Yangguang hurriedly waved his hand to decline.

Mr. Wu nonchalantly put away the cigarette pack, sneered, and quipped, "Even if you don't smoke, when you go out, you should at least bring a pack. No one in society is your parents. It's better to be overly polite than rude, understand?"

Wang Yangguang felt embarrassed, his face reddening, and he felt somewhat aggrieved.

Damn it, I'm just a high school student. How would I understand all your twists and turns?

Fair trade should be straightforward: you pay, and I deliver, right?

However, Wang Yangguang was not naive, though he was young. He understood clearly in his heart: even for such a small demand of his own, people might not be willing to fulfill it, even if paid.

So, it was indeed a case of needing something from others, and he should lower his stance.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm just a soon-to-be college student doing summer internships, and I really don't have much experience. Thank you for reminding me!"

Wang Yangguang immediately apologized, with a very sincere attitude.

Selling melons and running a stall had plenty of troubles. Since he had decided to challenge himself, he couldn't act like a spoiled brat.

Otherwise, why not just lie at home and sleep, waiting until his fixed income was enough, and then go out and splurge?

Bars, nightclubs, KTVs, malls, restaurants, foot massage parlors... as long as the wallet was full, he could be the boss wherever he went.

But going out to run errands was a different set of rules.

He had to learn.

It's unclear whether Wang Yangguang's attitude moved the other party, but as soon as Mr. Wu heard the phrase "summer internship," his expression finally softened.

"Oh, so you're a recent high school graduate doing a summer internship? Which school did you attend?"

Wang Yangguang answered truthfully, "Yes, I studied at Experimental High School."

"Haha, my daughter is at Erzhong. She just entered the third year of high school this year, and she'll be taking the college entrance exam next year. How did you perform in your exams?"

Wang Yangguang scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed and awkward.

"It was just average, a normal result for a second-tier normal university. I'm not cut out for studying, so I want to use the summer vacation to improve myself a bit and figure out what to do in the future."

"That's a good idea!"

Mr. Wu nodded approvingly, seeming to be touched by Wang Yangguang's sincerity.

"Boys and girls are different. In the future, you'll have to support a family, so it's necessary to gain some life experience and toughen up. Being able to drink and smoke, that's what makes a real man!"

Is it really necessary for a man to be good at drinking and smoking?

….Maybe

But I'm a wealthy man. Once I get past this hurdle, I won't need to socialize for the sake of socializing anymore. Your theory doesn't apply to me.

Wang Yangguang didn't fully agree with Mr. Wu's views, so he quickly changed the subject.

"Mr. Wu, how is your daughter's academic performance? I have a lot of study materials for the college entrance exam that I can't even sell for as much as scrap paper. If you're interested, I can bring some over for you."

"My daughter's grades are good! She ranks in the top fifty or sixty in her class every time. With a bit more effort, she should be able to get into a top-tier university..."

"Oh, that's really impressive, much better than me!"

"Hahaha!"

Mr. Wu laughed heartily, feeling proud.

"Alright, it's quite commendable that you're willing to work hard at such a young age. You know, it makes me feel bad if I don't help out a little. What exactly do you need?"

Finally getting to the point, Wang Yangguang's spirits lifted.

"Mainly, I'm looking for some boxes that look a bit upscale, the material doesn't matter much, as long as they're sturdy and can withstand the weight of several tens of kilograms. And then, I want to print the name of my uncle's research institute on them."

"Hmm.. your requirements are not easy to fulfill."

Mr. Wu furrowed his brow.

"Very few people use boxes to pack watermelons. Cardboard boxes can't withstand such heavy weights. Even if they don't collapse individually, stacking them together will definitely crush the bottom.

As for those plastic mesh boxes, they can withstand the pressure, but the individual cost is too high. Moreover, watermelons come in various sizes, and the larger ones may not fit, while for the smaller ones, you'll need to stuff them with a lot of foam or padding.

You see, it's troublesome and expensive. How are you going to sell your watermelons to make a profit?"

Wang Yangguang started spouting nonsense as soon as he opened his mouth, using the prepared script from earlier.

"The watermelons I want to sell are a new variety developed by the Mining Province Agricultural University. They are currently being experimentally promoted. I'm just taking advantage of my uncle's connections to get a batch and try them out.

You see, these watermelons were developed with research funds, so the cost is already high. Although the research institute doesn't need to make a profit for the time being, I do!

If I don't sell them at a high price, how can I make money?

Anyway, they were already expensive to begin with, and I didn't get many of them. It won't hurt to add a bit more for packaging costs and sell them at a retail price."

Overall, Wang Yangguang's words sounded reasonable, but his delivery was quite mediocre.

Fortunately, Mr. Wu didn't have any suspicions—after all, there was no need to doubt a young man would want to be doing a business if it netted him a few thousand yuan.

"Alright, I understand what you mean. You know, it's actually a good business opportunity to earn some extra cash. We have no shortage of wealthy people willing to try new things. As long as the quantity is not large, they will definitely buy it!"

Mr. Wu slapped his thigh and turned to walk back into the factory.

"Follow me, take a look at these boxes."

The boxes Mr. Wu brought out were actually the plastic mesh boxes used to pack oranges in the winter. They had lids and could be sealed on the outside. They were sturdy and could withstand pressure.

"These were custom-made by a plastic factory for a customer before, but there were leftovers. We have three sizes: small, medium, and large. The largest can hold watermelons up to 25 centimeters high and 40 centimeters long. If you want them, I'll give you a discount."

Wang Yangguang carefully inspected the boxes, and an idea gradually formed in his mind.

The mesh boxes were milky white and quite sturdy, but they didn't look very high-end. However, truly high-end boxes... were either too expensive or unsuitable.

So he had to figure out another way.

So Wang Yangguang asked, "Mr. Wu, can I print some promotional material and seal it on the box lid with plastic film?"

Mr. Wu scratched the stubble on the back of his head, frowning deeply.

"We can do it, but it's probably not useful. Nowadays, who reads promotional material? When people buy watermelons, they just pick one from the pile and leave. Who has the patience to look at advertisements?"

Faced with Mr. Wu's skepticism, Wang Yangguang smiled.

"I sell watermelons, but I won't let them pick and choose!"

Despite his youth and inexperience, Wang Yangguang exuded an extraordinary confidence at this moment.

Mr. Wu looked at the young man in front of him, feeling a bit uncertain. The sarcastic remarks that had almost slipped from his tongue were swallowed back at the last moment.

"Alright, you're the customer. I'll do as you say, Wang Yangguang. However, don't talk to me about the price. It's 2 yuan for the small size, 4 yuan for the medium size, and 6 yuan for the large size. Is that acceptable?"

"Sure."

Wang Yangguang readily agreed to the price, then immediately made his own demands.

"But for the first batch, I only plan to take 100 boxes, with 50 large and 50 medium. I'll take the rest later if needed, and I'll pay in cash. Also, you need to help me smooth out the edges of the boxes."

"Damn, it's just a few hundred yuan worth of business, and it's a hassle for my workers..."

Although he grumbled to himself, Mr. Wu thought for a moment and ultimately nodded in agreement.

With the deal settled, they arranged to pick up the mesh boxes in the afternoon. Without delay, Wang Yangguang rushed off to his next destination.