EBE Chapter 14 Selling Charcoal
Chapter 14 Selling Charcoal
Yun Dan took some home, and the adults were amazed to see the charcoal in her hand.
They were even more surprised when they learned that the children had actually made the charcoal themselves.
Yun Dan lit a brazier of charcoal, and the temperature in the room rose rapidly, making everyone feel warm.
She told Grandpa Lin, "Grandpa, we did it! We have more than a dozen baskets of charcoal now. I plan to have Dad and Uncle take them to town to sell."
Grandpa Lin stared wide-eyed at his granddaughter in disbelief.
He thought to himself, "Is this still my innocent and naive granddaughter who needed to be taken care of? How could she be so independent and intelligent, and even come up with such a good idea to make money?"
Yun Dan continued, "I've already discussed it with Xiao Yue and the others. We'll wait until these charcoal pieces are sold."
We'll use the money we earn to buy some good food, as well as fabric and cotton. Everyone will be able to wear new clothes and have a warm winter!
The thought that the children wouldn't have to suffer from the cold filled her with joy and anticipation, as if she could already see their happy faces and laughter.
Grandpa Lin realized that his granddaughter had grown up and become sensible and capable.
He smiled with satisfaction and fully supported Yun Dan's idea.
After all, by achieving their dreams through their own efforts, these children not only improve their lives but also cultivate independence and self-reliance.
“Alright, I’ll go and talk to your village chief. After all, these charcoal pieces were made by you, and every household gets a share.”
Grandpa Lin was one of the few elderly people in the village, and he was also surprised to see the charcoal made by Yun Dan.
He thought of Yun Dan telling him to sell the food in town, and he supported it, since it was the older generation's wish to ensure that these children had enough to eat and wear.
He talked to the village chief about how to take Yundan's charcoal to town to sell.
Grandpa Lin arrived at the village chief's house, where the village chief warmly welcomed him and asked if he needed any help.
Grandpa Lin got straight to the point: "Old Su, you know about the charcoal that Xiaoya and her group of kids have been making lately, right?"
"Yes, I know. The child just brought some back. I tried it, and it is indeed quite heat-resistant and quite warm."
"These kids are making charcoal, and they said they want to take it to town to sell, but I'm not sure how to do it, so I came to discuss it with you, old man."
After listening to what Grandpa Lin said, the village chief nodded and said, "Old Lin, these are all the fruits of the children's labor. This charcoal is of very good quality. If we can take it to town to sell, it will definitely be popular."
However, if you want to sell charcoal in town, you need to consider the following issues.
The village chief continued, "First, we need to determine the price of these charcoal pieces."
You can refer to the prices of other charcoal on the market, and then determine your price based on their costs and profits.
"Secondly, we may need to find a suitable sales channel. We could consider setting up a stall at the town's market, or see if there are any wealthy families in town who need our products."
Grandpa Lin listened to the village chief's words and felt that they made a lot of sense.
He said, "Old Su, you're absolutely right. Let a few of the younger generation go to town and set up a stall. As for the price, let's see what Xiaoya and the others have to say."
The two elderly people talked for a while longer, then Mr. Lin went home and brought Yun Dan over.
"Little girl, how much are you planning to sell these charcoal for?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Dan immediately looked distressed; she had no idea.
"Grandpa, how much does charcoal usually cost in town?"
"The better ones cost three coins a pound, and the worse ones cost one coin a pound."
"Grandpa, ours are of pretty good quality, so let's sell them for two coins a pound."
"Okay, have your dad and the others find a couple more people to go to town to sell them tomorrow, and see if we can sell them then."
The next day, Uncle Lin, Aunt Lin, Xiaoyue's parents, and the parents of the snotty-nosed little boy pushed three carts toward the town.
The three carts carrying six couples arrived in town and headed east, unloading twelve baskets of charcoal and placing them by the roadside.
I was hoping passersby would come up and buy it, but after a short while...
A passerby saw that charcoal was being sold there and came up to ask about it.
A passerby asked curiously, "Brother, how much is this charcoal?"
Uncle Lin smiled and replied loudly, "Brother, this charcoal is made with care by my family. We dare not deceive you. The quality is quite good, and it burns for a long time. It only costs two coins per pound."
Upon hearing this, the passerby bent down to examine the charcoal closely and noticed that although its color was ordinary.
But the charcoal was hard and produced a clear, crisp sound when tapped lightly. He nodded in praise: "This charcoal may be ordinary, but it produces a clear, resonant sound. Your craftsmanship is truly exceptional."
Uncle Lin waved his hand modestly and said with a smile, "You flatter me, you flatter me. It's just some rudimentary skill. I'm already very fortunate to have your approval."
After saying this, the passerby took out his money and bought several kilograms of charcoal.
Lin's father and his family were delighted, yet they remained humble and sincere. They knew that only by operating with integrity and honesty could they earn a lasting reputation.
Once the first person buys it, others will gather around to watch, and soon everyone will be buying several kilograms.
Time passed slowly, and the group sold eight of the twelve baskets of charcoal they had brought.
Around noon, Uncle Lin took the money out of the bag and counted it: 168 coins.
"We've sold eight baskets of charcoal for a total of 168 coins. You three can use that to buy a few feet of cloth. The three of us will set up the stall here and wait for you to come back before we go eat."
After hearing this, the three women, surnamed Lin and Zhang, took the money bag and headed towards the cloth shop.
The three of them, including Lin's father, chatted while they waited.
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The scene shifts to Yun Dan, who, along with a group of innocent children, works diligently like busy little bees, continuing to make charcoal. Before long, they have harvested more than twenty full baskets.
In Sujia Village today, any child under the age of fourteen or even a toddler following Yun Dan around, enthusiastically making charcoal.
"Sister Xiaoyue, will Mom and Dad bring us new clothes when they come back today?"
"Xiaoman, your aunt and the others brought back fabric to make clothes, so you won't have new clothes to wear for another two days."
That's right, the little kid who's talking is the little snotty boy named "Su Man".
(Author: Ugh... naming is so hard)
Upon hearing Xiaoman's words, Yundan couldn't help but burst into laughter at his adorable appearance, and a thought of teasing him welled up in her heart.
"Xiaoman, you might be disappointed."
Even if we can sell this charcoal, it won't buy much fabric. You might not even get enough fabric to make a single garment.
Upon hearing Yun Dan's words, Xiao Man immediately jumped up anxiously, like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.
"Sister Xiaoya, why don't I have any fabric to make clothes? I'm helping out very diligently."
"Because, our Xiaoman is the youngest among the boys."
So, you have to be last in line to get your share of the cloth.
Xiaoman immediately became anxious when she heard that she would be the last one to wear the new clothes.
"I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to be last, I want to be first to wear new clothes." Xiaoman's tears flowed like a burst dam.
Seeing how easily Xiao Bili could be amused, Yun Dan laughed even harder.
Yun Dan's smile seemed to infect everyone else, and they all started laughing along.
When Xiaoyue saw Yundan teasing Xiaoman, she quickly stepped forward to comfort him.
"Don't worry, your little sister is just teasing you. Xiaoman will definitely be the first to wear the new clothes."
After being comforted for a while, Xiao Bi stopped crying and believed that Yun Dan was just joking with him.
And so, the group spent a wonderful time amidst laughter and joy.
The money that Lin's father and the others made from selling charcoal was like a drop in the ocean, and it was indeed difficult to buy clothes for these twenty-odd children.
If all the children in Sujia Village were to be able to wear new clothes and pants, these few baskets of charcoal would be nothing short of a pipe dream; at least a thousand kilograms would need to be sold.
Before winter arrived, a group of children in Yundan were like hardworking little bees, tirelessly making charcoal every day.
Everyone longs for warmth and hopes to have warm clothes to wear this winter.