Chapter 354: Cooperation with the Marketing Co-op

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The family was enjoying their meal when there was a sudden knock at the door. Jiang Chuan and Zhou Lan exchanged a glance, both nodding slightly to Jiang Xia.

Such perfect understanding between the couple! Jiang Xia made a face and obediently went to answer the door.

It was Xiao Li from next door, carrying half a bag of flour with him.

Jiang Chuan was taken aback by the sight of the flour. It wasn’t a holiday or any special occasion. Why was Xiao Li bringing something everytime he visited?

He quickly got up to greet Xiao Li and asked, “Have you eaten? If not, have some with us.”

Xiao Li waved his hand, smiling uncontrollably. He seemed to be in great spirits.

Setting the bag of flour on the floor, he blew on his hands to warm them up. They were stiff from the cold. His nose was red from the freezing air, but his happy demeanor didn’t wane. “I’ve eaten. 1 went to the town today and had my meal there. 1 brought back some flour and thought of sharing half of it with you.”

Even though Xiao Li claimed he had already eaten, he couldn’t help but cast longing glances at the hearty dishes on the table, especially the carrot stew and bamboo shoot soup.

Seeing his desire, Zhou Lan instructed Jiang Gu to fetch a bowl and chopsticks, saying, “You’ve walked a long way and probably have digested most of your food. Have some more.”

Without being shy, Xiao Li sat down. He gratefully accepted the warm soup Zhou Lan handed to him, letting the steamy goodness warm him through.

Hearing Xiao Li mention he had returned from town, Jiang Chuan guessed something good must have happened; otherwise, Xiao Li wouldn’t be this happy. However, Xiao Li hadn’t spilled the beans, probably waiting for them to ask. Jiang Chuan decided to play along, “You seem to be in a good mood. Did something great happen?”

Licking his lips, savoring the delicious taste of the soup, Xiao Li hesitated, a bit shy.

He warmed his hands again before saying, “Actually, yes, and it’s something that concerns you too.”

“Oh?” Zhou Lan feigned surprise.

The Jiang family knew how to set the mood. They didn’t necessarily have to be interested in the matter, but they made sure to give the right reactions, encouraging the storyteller to continue.

Seeing that Zhou Lan was so curious, Little Lee didn’t keep her in suspense and told her everything.

Seeing Zhou Lan’s curiosity, Xiao Li decided not to keep them in suspense any longer. “1 went to the local co-op today, and Xiao Liu mentioned that there’s been an increase in people exchanging pickled vegetables lately. They need a lot. So, he traded my pickled vegetables for flour. But 1 don’t have that much stock. 1 remembered that Sister-in-law also makes pickled vegetables, so 1 came to see if you’d be interested in trading yours.”

Zhou Lan thought it was a good idea. Making pickled vegetables was easy for her, and getting something in return was always beneficial.

Jiang Xia was puzzled. What made this any different from the regular trading they did at the co-op? Why was Xiao Li so thrilled?

Jiang Chuan caught on. What made Xiao Li so happy must be the high demand for pickled vegetables, indicating a consistent market for them at the co-op, allowing for regular exchanges.

He inquired, “Xiao Li, why does the co-op need so much pickled vegetables?”

Xiao Li scratched the back of his head. Indeed, Xiao Li tried to remember. Xiao Liu at the co-op had explained it to him why there was such a high demand for pickled vegetables. However, on his way back, he was so excited thinking about exchanging pickled vegetables for flour and meat in the future that he had forgotten the exact reason, leaving only a vague impression.

Stammering slightly, Xiao Li said, “It seems they mentioned that the neighboring village received flour, but they don’t have any side dishes to go with it.”

Jiang Chuan had heard about this flour distribution.

Currently, there’s a famine. Thanks to the determination of the village chief and Jiang Chuan’s assistance, Pushan Village was one of the few neighboring villages that suffered the least from the disaster. In contrast, the situation in the adjacent village was dire.

A while ago, the food distributed by the national government wasn’t enough for the neighboring village. Many, in an attempt to save food, ate even less daily, leading to an increasing number of people starving to death.

With no other options left, the government had to distribute another batch of coarse flour to the neighboring village. With coarse flour, they could make pancakes. However, eating plain pancakes was quite hard to swallow. As a result, affordable and long-lasting pickled vegetables became a sought-after item, making the pancakes tastier. Moreover, the consumption of pickled vegetables was much less compared to stir-fried dishes, meaning a jar of pickled vegetables could last a long time.

No wonder Xiao Li was so thrilled. Given this situation, the co-op market would undoubtedly need a large quantity of pickled vegetables, especially throughout the winter. This demand presented a long-term business opportunity.

Jiang Chuan pondered for a moment. Simply bartering goods seemed too tedious. He should head to the co-op market in town and discuss with Xiao Liu, proposing a partnership to provide pickled vegetables..