Chapter 86
Chapter 86
In the afternoon, there was still work to be done, but everyone had had a few drinks, though they had all controlled their intake.
Elder Mr. Xu had other matters to attend to, so he was not present.
"What's this dish you've tossed together? Are those eggs? The taste is quite novel," Jiang Feng asked Gu Jinchen towards the end.
"Mm, they're preserved duck eggs, made by my wife."
Jiang Feng: "......"
Listen to that tone - so full of pride and affection.
"Those are the ones I sent to you yesterday," Li Shopkeeper chimed in from the side.
The previous night, he had taken some of the eggs back and given half to the boss. He couldn't resist trying them himself last night, but it seemed the boss hadn't had the chance yet.
He had grown accustomed to addressing the boss with that honorific title, and it slipped out naturally.
But Luo Ge and her husband didn't seem surprised at all, Jiang Feng noticed.
"Your sister-in-law is quite skilled," he remarked with a smile.
"Shall we move to the main hall to chat, if it's convenient?" he suggested, glancing around the room.
They had already noticed, so there was no point in pretending anymore.
Hearing this, Gu Jinchen and Luo Ge exchanged a glance. "Very well."
Seeing Luo Ge and the others move to the hall, Li Shopkeeper followed them in.
Unsurprisingly, the deal would likely be sealed today.
"Please, help yourself," Luo Ge said with a smile as she poured tea for everyone.
Jiang Feng hesitated for a moment before nodding and accepting the tea.
"Your sister-in-law is a straightforward and uncommonly talented person."
"You flatter her," Luo Ge replied with a smile, while Gu Jinchen remained silent by her side.
The talents were his wife's, so naturally she would take the lead in the business dealings. His role was to be her support and shield.
"You are too modest. To be skilled at making all sorts of delectable dried fruits, fruit teas, and pastries, as well as being an excellent cook - Gu has truly hit the jackpot."
Jiang Feng spoke from the heart, his expression tinged with a hint of envy as he looked at Gu Jinchen.
Gu Jinchen raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."
He agreed wholeheartedly - he was truly fortunate.
Luo Ge, Li Shopkeeper, and Jiang Feng: "......"
That prideful demeanor of his nearly threw them off balance.
Luo Ge pinched Gu Jinchen discreetly, drawing a low chuckle from him.
"Ahem, I hear that aside from the dried fruits, fruit teas, and pastries we see here, the young Mrs. Gu has other talents as well?" Jiang Feng cleared his throat awkwardly, steering the conversation back on track.
"Yes, I have a few other skills - dried fruits, fruit teas, pastries, and more, on par with what you've seen here, if not better."
She knew he wanted to assess her true value.
In addition to the lychee and peach dried fruits they had now, she could also make mango dried fruit.
As for fruit teas and drinks, she could essentially make them from any kind of fruit, turning them into jams or syrups to brew the teas. She could also make candied fruits.
Furthermore, fruits could be canned, and there were countless varieties of pastries she could make.
All of these would be perfect for the Fuxin Shop.
"In any case, I won't let you down," she added with a smile after a moment's thought.
"I can see that the young Mrs. Gu is truly capable and a valuable partner to collaborate with. But I wonder what share of the profits she would expect."
Jiang Feng nodded, getting straight to the point.
In any business deal, the party that named their price first tended to be at a disadvantage.
Since they were aiming to make money, Luo Ge naturally didn't want to be shortchanged.
"What share is Jiang willing to offer?" Luo Ge asked directly and decisively.
"Our self-evaluation may not be accurate. More importantly, what do you think we're worth?" She added another smile.
Jiang Feng was taken aback for a moment before breaking into a laugh.
How clever and sharp she was.
If she were under his command, she would undoubtedly be one of his most trusted lieutenants.
"Three tenths of the sale price, with us covering labor and material costs. What do you think?"
Since she had been so straightforward, he decided to reciprocate in kind.
This was his bottom line.
One should know that his shops were spread far and wide across the land, so a three-tenths share was already quite generous.
The Fuxin Shop was his own creation, so he had full authority over it.
Hearing his direct and decisive offer, Luo Ge was momentarily stunned before smiling and nodding in agreement.
"Deal."
This price aligned with her expected bottom line. She had anticipated him offering only one or two tenths, never imagining he would be so generous.
Essentially, she would be profiting without contributing much - she would simply need to teach them her techniques, then collect her share of the profits without lifting a finger.
However, the value she could bring them would be well worth that three-tenths share.
Since he was being sincere, she would ensure he didn't end up at a disadvantage.
Though he would keep the larger seven-tenths share, labor, materials, and operations all incurred costs.
She wouldn't need to put in much effort, so it wouldn't be fair for her to be overly greedy.
"A fruitful partnership," Jiang Feng smiled.
He had a feeling that he would be thankful for his decision on this day.
"A fruitful partnership," Luo Ge echoed.