FTTW: Chapter 7 – Seafood Business

Cheng Zhou’s life has stabilized. He rides a tricycle to purchase goods from the other world every day and then transports them to his world for sale. When the seafood sells well, he even makes two roundtrips.

The cost of a pail of seafood is five pineapple buns and a bottle of soft drink, which is around 10 yuan. Selling a pail of seafood earns around 500 to 600 yuan, which is dozens of times the profit.

A famous person (Thomas Joseph Dunning) once said: “If there is 50% profit, positive audacity. If there is 100% profit, will make it ready to trample on all human laws. If there is 300% profit, there is not a crime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged.”

Cheng Zhou inwardly said: It is not a waste to risk my life to go to the other world for these dozens of times of profits.

With the supplies ready, Cheng Zhou set off again for the other world.

This time, when Cheng Zhou went over, in addition to carrying buns and soft drinks, he also brought an iron pot, some oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Cheng Zhou sometimes spends a lot of time in the other world. It is a little shabby to eat only buns. He feels that it is necessary to improve his meal.

While doing his supervision work at the seaside, Cheng Zhou made seafood chowder with the condiments he brought.

Several villagers around showed a look of fear when they saw Cheng Zhou making the seafood chowder.

Cheng Zhou finished making the chowder and ate it himself.

The crowd was shocked and panicked as they watched Cheng Zhou eating it.

The village head came over and said something in an anxious tone. After a few days of getting along, Cheng Zhou could understand some of the other world language.

Cheng Zhou told the village head that not all people are allergic to seafood. People who are not allergic can eat seafood. If seafood is not handled well, it is easy to have diarrhea, and if it is handled well, everything will be fine.

The village head was skeptical. The people in the village rolled their eyes and no one knows what they are thinking about inside. Several villagers suddenly thought that not everyone would die after eating seafood, but many people in the village had diarrhea and rashes. Later, everyone dared not eat it.

Cheng Zhou’s food was delicious. Maine couldn’t resist his curiosity and ate a little.

Cheng Zhou didn’t dare to give Maine more to eat. Fortunately, Maine is not allergic and is fine after eating.

Other villagers are eager to try, but they kept hesitating.

Cheng Zhou didn’t take away the kitchen utensils, vegetable oil, and soy sauce he brought. He asked Maine to put them away and keep them first. He will use them when he comes back next time.

Being entrusted with the important task by Cheng Zhou, Maine was very excited and promised to complete the task.

The next morning, Cheng Zhou appeared in the village on a tricycle.

Maine ran over apologetically and reported two strange events to Cheng Zhou.

The first is that the kitchen utensils brought by Cheng Zhou are not lost, but the oil, soy sauce, ginger, and stuff brought by Cheng Zhou are half missing.

Another thing is that Cheng Zhou cooked too much seafood yesterday and there were some leftovers. Cheng Zhou didn’t dare to let Maine eat more and told Maine to pour it away, so Maine did so. However, later, Maine was greedy and wanted to take it back to eat the poured seafood but found that the seafood disappeared and possibly have been eaten.

Cheng Zhou listened to Maine’s words and was dumbstruck.

Cheng Zhou guessed that the people in the village were afraid to see him eat seafood previously, so they picked up his leftover seafood and ate it in secret. It may not have been enough, so they stole his oil! And (also stole) soy sauce, to make a new pot. Cheng Zhou felt that he might have seen the truth.

When Cheng Zhou arrived at the seaside, many villagers were already waiting with pails.

Cheng Zhou’s eyes swept over the group of villagers. He always felt that several of the villagers looked at him in a strange manner, as if they were guilty of thievery.

Cheng Zhou took advantage of his spare time to make a pot of seafood as if nothing had happened and shared it with Maine.

When the seafood is loaded into the cart, Cheng Zhou took the seafood and left.

When Cheng Zhou returned, Maine told Cheng Zhou that he hadn’t finished the seafood yesterday and had planned to keep it for the evening. Several villagers ran over and said they were afraid of waste and ate the rest of the seafood in the pot.

Cheng Zhou was speechless, but he didn’t ask further.

Cheng Zhou is still engaged in the seafood business in the two worlds. However, the variety of things that Cheng Zhou brings has increased.

When Cheng Zhou went to the other world again, he brought a lot of vegetable oil and soy sauce and told a group of villagers that a pail of seafood can be exchanged for five pineapple buns and a bottle of soft drink, or a bottle of vegetable oil and a bottle of soy sauce.

As a result, more than half of the people chose vegetable oil and soy sauce. Cheng Zhou knew from this situation that many villagers had begun to try seafood.

If they don’t know about oil and soy sauce, these people would not simply give up the buns and choose the former.

Cheng Zhou was a little at a loss for words, but he didn’t point them out.

……

Cheng Zhou pedals the tricycle diligently and goes back and forth between his world and the other world.

As soon as Cheng Zhou came back, he changed to his van and went to the seafood market to sell seafood. Relying on the seafood business, Cheng Zhou’s wealth rose to 150,000 yuan.

On one sunny day, Cheng Zhou drove the van and arrived at the seafood market to set up the stall.

“That’s him, that’s him……”

As soon as Cheng Zhou stopped, he was surrounded by several people.

Cheng Zhou’s heart hung in the air for a moment, and he thought to himself: Is something wrong? Does someone have an allergic reaction after eating?

A young man rushed out of nowhere, grabbed Cheng Zhou’s hand, and said excitedly: “Lil’ brother, I’ll give you 25 yuan for a catty of seafood and will take all that you have.”

Cheng Zhou blinked and thought inwardly: Has the price increased? The price increase is rather reasonable. The seafood here is genuine seafood from the wild ocean, which can’t be compared with those that were bred in an artificial environment.

The man spoke and handed over a business card. Cheng Zhou knew that the other party’s name was Cai Longqiang. He opened several chain seafood hotels here, and his business was not small.

Cheng Zhou nodded and said, “Okay, just take away all you want.”

All the seafood is to be for sale. Who doesn’t want to sell them? The more you can sell and the more money you can get, the better.

Cai Longqiang came forward and said: “Lil’ brother, can you get that oyster?”

Cheng Zhou blinked and said: “Oh, oysters!” A gas station for men and a beauty salon for women. He understands the meaning (oysters are “tonic food”/natural aphrodisiac).

Cheng Zhou suddenly recalled that he had dragged a lot of oysters from the other world before. It seemed that it had been purchased by Boss Cai.

Cheng Zhou frowned and said: “Well, it depends on the situation.” The number of oysters in the other world seems not little, but it is also not too many.

Cai Longqiang nodded and said: “I know and understand. Lil’ brother, if you can get oysters of the same quality, I’ll give you this amount?”

Cheng Zhou said inwardly: 50 yuan a catty? Cheng Zhou was not really moved. Cheng Zhou’s profit originally has been dozens of times, and for Cheng Zhou, doubling it again does not hurt. Moreover, with such a connection, it will be much more convenient to sell seafood in the future.

Cheng Zhou nodded and said: “Okay, I will help to pay attention.”

Cheng Zhou prepared a set of barbecue equipment and went to the other world.

Several villagers greeted Cheng Zhou at the entrance of the village and sent him to the seaside.

Cheng Zhou unloaded the things in the cart and placed the barbecue grill on the beach.

When he was in the capital of devils (Shanghai) before, Cheng Zhou saw many rich second-generation driving luxury cars, having barbecues on the beach, and with beautiful women. It is romantic and picturesque, and very leisurely.

Cheng Zhou now feels that the styles of these rich second-generation are too low and cannot measure up to him. He rides a tricycle to barbecue in the other world and enjoys the revered eyes of the people there.

Cai Longqiang is very concerned about oysters, which also raises Cheng Zhou’s interest in it.

Cheng Zhou asked several villagers to collect some oysters. Hearing Cheng Zhou’s words, half a pail of oysters was sent to Cheng Zhou.

Cheng Zhou put the oysters on the barbecue grill and added some minced garlic.

Soon the oysters were grilled. They were steaming hot and looked very enticing.

Cheng Zhou tried one and felt it tasted very good. Yet, it was not only good but also quite special.

When Cheng Zhou ate the wild boar meat, he could feel a stream of heat flowing into his body. He does not get this feeling when eating other foods. He accidentally found that eating oysters also has this feeling, but it’s not very obvious.

Cheng Zhou said inwardly: This is an unscientific world. Perhaps, the oysters here have mutated.

Several villagers secretly paid attention to Cheng Zhou’s actions. When Cheng Zhou ate seafood chowder for the first time, the villagers were still very nervous. This time, Cheng Zhou barbecued at the seaside, and all the villagers looked on with some curious interest.

Maine stood at the side and looked at the grilled oysters, drooling, “Can I have one?”

Cheng Zhou nodded, indicating that it was fine. However, if he felt uncomfortable, he had to stop immediately. Some people were not suitable for seafood. Maine ate one and his eyes lit up. However, Cheng Zhou didn’t dare to let him eat more. Cheng Zhou ate over 200 oysters by himself.

At the end of the meal, Cheng Zhou realized that he had accidentally eaten all the oysters he wanted to give Cai Longqiang.

Therefore, Cheng Zhou happily decided not to sell oysters to Cai Longqiang. What he needs now is to silently make his fortune. These oysters may have mutated and it is not good to let people notice it.