Seventies Sweetheart: From Breakup to Billionaire-Chapter 201: But I’m Not a City Kid

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: But I’m Not a City Kid
After taking a shower, Fifth Uncle and Dong Sheng felt much more comfortable.
He found Mrs. Lin busy in the kitchen, "Sister-in-law, do we have any soap at home? I want to scrub my clothes a bit, so they’ll be dry by the time we leave this afternoon."
Mrs. Lin wiped her hands on her apron and reached out to Fifth Uncle, "Give me your clothes, I’ll wash them for you."
"No need, no need, summer clothes are thin and easy to wash, I can do it myself."
Seeing his insistence, Mrs. Lin pointed to the west window, "The soap is there on that window, and the faucet is nearby."
"Alright, I’ll go do it now."
Meanwhile, Lin Xiang successfully found the popsicle factory.
It was called a popsicle factory, but it was really just a storefront with one room, inside there were four or five freezers, and the place producing popsicles and ice cream was in the back.
There were only two products in the freezer: one was a popsicle with several color options, and the other was a creamy ice cream.
The popsicle was three cents each, and the creamy ice cream was ten cents each.
The popsicles came in white, pink, green, and yellow, with each color having a different flavor, but they were all mixed with flavoring agents.
The ice creams were black and white, respectively, with chocolate flavor and milk flavor.
"First time buying here?" The owner warmly greeted Lin Xiang, "Want to try this chocolate flavor? Chocolate isn’t available in Mianyang Town, you have to go to the big cities to buy it. But this chocolate-flavored ice cream is almost the same, lots of people eat it."
Lin Xiang hadn’t had this kind of old-fashioned popsicle in years, so she got a white popsicle and a chocolate ice cream.
After paying, the owner let her take it herself.
As soon as she opened the freezer, the cool air rushed out, and Lin Xiang closed her eyes in delight.
She hadn’t felt such complete coolness in a long time.
She took a bite of the ice cream, which was far from the taste of real chocolate but had a strong milky flavor.
"Owner, are you the boss here?"
"What do you mean by boss?"
"I mean, do you have the authority to make decisions?"
"Hey!" The owner chuckled, "I opened this place, of course, I have the authority!"
He was the brother-in-law of the ice cream factory manager! Although it cost a bit to open this shop, if it weren’t for his brother-in-law’s connection, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity.
Even though they only earn money for a few months a year, the money earned in those months was much better than working in a factory, and he could rest for over half the year, how relaxing is that?
Even though the factories and some positions now belong to the state, there’s a lot of room for maneuver internally.
Lin Xiang took another bite of ice cream, chewed it into bits, swallowed it, and then said, "I want to discuss something with you."
"If it’s bargaining, let’s talk face to face!"
"Such cheap popsicles, what’s there to bargain about!" Lin Xiang said, "I noticed that your freezers aren’t completely full, there are quite a few empty spaces. How about you freeze some clean ice cubes for me every day, and I’ll give you a grilled fish every day in return?"
Lin Xiang had this idea just when she opened the freezer to get popsicles.
Last night she was discussing with Aunt Ge. If the drinks could be a little cooler, they’d sell faster, but they lacked the technology to make ice.
Well, the pillow came just in time.
The owner’s eyes lit up, "You’re the little boss selling skewers at the triangular spot in Welfare District?"
"I wouldn’t call myself a boss, just earning some hard money, not like you."
"Then give me some skewers too."
Now there was room for negotiation.
Lin Xiang smiled and shook her head, "If you freeze enough ice cubes for me every day, I’ll give you a grilled fish and a bowl of every flavor drink each day. If you want to have skewers, I’ll give you a discount: if others pay one cent, I’ll charge you only eight-tenths of a cent, but with the condition that you must buy at least ten skewers."
Ten skewers would still be only eight cents, two cents cheaper!
The owner happily agreed, "Then tell me how you want me to freeze the ice cubes?"
Lin Xiang said, "Just use larger containers like pots and bowls, the bigger the better, fill them with cooled boiled water and put them in the freezer. In an hour or two, they’ll turn into ice cubes. I’ll come by once at five o’clock in the afternoon to pick them up. Then you can go to my stall to eat grilled fish and bring some more to me. How’s that sound?"
Such a simple way to make ice cubes, the most troublesome part was boiling water, but there’s a popsicle factory behind, so boiled water is always readily available, just two trips a day, and he can eat a grilled fish for free, he definitely wouldn’t refuse that.
"Give me eight popsicles and eight ice creams more."
Lin Xiang handed over the money and went home in high spirits with a bag of popsicles.
"Dong Sheng, come and eat popsicles!"
As soon as Lin Xiang pushed the door open, she called out to Dong Sheng.
Dong Sheng let out a "woo-hoo" sound and jumped in front of Lin Xiang in a few steps, "Popsicles? The popsicles that only city kids can eat? I can eat popsicles too? But I’m not a city kid!"
Lin Xiang used one hand to knock Dong Sheng’s head jokingly, "Don’t make such a clear distinction between classes. You haven’t had a popsicle before not because you’re a rural kid and can’t qualify, but because rural people seldom go to the city, and popsicles aren’t sold in rural areas."
Dong Sheng clutched his slightly aching head and looked eagerly at the popsicles in Lin Xiang’s hand.
There were seven people in the family, Lin Xiang bought eight popsicles and ice creams each, so Dong Sheng got four, holding two in each hand, eating with great enjoyment.
Slurping on the popsicle with green food coloring, Lin Xiang said, "No one sells popsicles in the countryside, it’s quite a business opportunity."
"What kind of chicken is a business chicken? Is it tastier than an old hen?"
"Delicious, unbelievably delicious! As long as you can seize the business opportunity, you’ll have endless delicious stuff to eat that’s even better than old hens!"
Dong Sheng continued biting on his popsicle, "Sister Niu, why don’t I understand?"
Fifth Uncle chimed in, "What your Sister Niu means is that we hope to seize this opportunity and sell popsicles in the countryside."
The more Fifth Uncle thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, "Many rural folks have never eaten popsicles. If the price isn’t too high, even out of curiosity, someone will be willing to spend the money."
Just like the spicy noodles for ten cents a bowl, at first even Fifth Uncle thought not many people would be willing to spend that money, but the spicy noodle business was doing well.
Even though most families were still struggling to make ends meet, in every place, whether city or countryside, there were always families in good economic conditions.
"It’s just that it involves a problem now," Fifth Uncle said, "The distance is really too far, and the popsicles would melt on the way back."