Chapter 10 Cooperation
Chen Da Niu and Chen Fangfang went to Xu Chuan's house again, just in time for lunch.
Bai Jing naturally welcomed them.
Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan did not go to school; they studied at home whenever they had free time.
Sometimes, Chen Da Niu and his sister would bring their school textbooks and homework for the two brothers to reference.
It must be said that both Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan were intelligent.
Their knowledge was not inferior to theirs, and their horizons were even broader.
Tempered by real-life experiences, they became even more outstanding.
Three days later, in the evening.
Er Gou, bathed in the sunset glow, carried a bottle of excellent Yellow Sorghum Wine into Xu Chuan's courtyard.
“Sister-in-law, has my Chuan Ge returned?”
Seeing Bai Jing on the corridor in front of the main hall, supervising Xu Mingyuan practicing calligraphy, Er Gou called out with a smile.
“My husband should be back in a while. If you have something to discuss with him, please sit down and wait for a bit. You can also stay for dinner.”
“Thank you, Sister-in-law. This is good wine I stole from my Father. He hid it for more than ten years, and there’s not much left.”
Bai Jing smiled in surprise, took the wine, and brought it inside, bringing out a stool for him as well.
Er Gou looked at Xu Mingyuan’s calligraphy and nodded, saying, “It’s much better than my Da Niu’s. Sister-in-law, you really know how to teach.”
“How could I have such ability? Your Chuan Ge taught him hand-in-hand. I merely supervise them to complete the homework my husband assigns daily.”
“Chuan Ge’s level of knowledge is enough for him to be a master in the school.”
Bai Jing chuckled, naturally delighted to hear others praise her husband.
“What are you talking about, so happily? Oh, Er Gou, you’re here.”
Er Gou turned his head and saw Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei both carrying hoes and with their trouser legs rolled up, walking towards them.
Xu Mingwei was also carrying an iron bucket in his hand.
“Chuan Ge, you’re back.”
Xu Mingwei handed the iron bucket to Bai Jing and said with a simple smile, “Mother, today Father and I caught quite a few snails.”
“Tsk, that’s quite a lot.” Bai Jing smiled faintly, “But the snails need to be settled for a day or two first, otherwise they’ll make a perfect dish to go with wine for your Father and Second Gou Uncle.”
“Do you have something to tell me? Let’s talk inside. Dinner will probably be a while.”
Er Gou nodded.
At this moment, Xu Mingxuan, seeing Xu Chuan return, ran over excitedly, wanting Xu Chuan to play with him.
Xu Mingwei picked up Xu Mingxuan in one go, “Tantou, Big Brother will play with you. Big Brother will show you some punches.”
“Okay, okay! I want to see punching!” Xu Mingxuan clapped his hands happily.
Bang, bang, bang~
As Xu Mingwei practiced his punches, the air let out bursts of explosive sounds.
Er Gou was startled, staring at Xu Mingwei in the courtyard for a long time.
“Chuan Ge, Stone is amazing! He feels like a Martial Artist. I’m afraid it won’t be long before he becomes a true Martial Artist.”
Er Gou's vision was, after all, limited.
If his elder brother were here, he would probably recognize at a glance that Xu Mingwei was already a Martial Artist who had developed inner Qi.
He only needed to open up thirty-six acupoints to become a third-rate Martial Artist.
Several years had passed, and Chen Daming, now thirty-six, was still only a second-rate Martial Artist.
Although he had talent in martial arts, it was only considered average, and he would probably remain at the second-rate Martial Artist realm his entire life.
“My brother also said that you couldn't practice the Small Dragon Elephant Skill. I think it’s because his own talent isn’t high.”
Er Gou chuckled twice, “Next time I meet him, I’ll definitely mock him properly. I wonder how his qingyu pear tree is growing.”
“Alright, let’s talk business. Why did you come looking for me today?”
Er Gou said, “It’s about what A Yuan told my two boys the other day. I think it’s very suitable.”
“Now that you’ve developed the Xu Family to a certain scale, if you want to expand further, you definitely can’t handle it all by yourself. You also know that I’m relatively free. Any matters you don’t have time to deal with, you can let me do.”
“This way, everyone will be happy.”
“Did Chen Bo agree?”
“My Father thinks very highly of you. As soon as I told him, he agreed and said that my brain had finally opened up.”
Xu Chuan smiled slightly, “Then how do you plan to cooperate?”
“Let’s choose the second type. I will sell all the goods from both our families. Your family’s profits will all go to your family, and my family’s profits will be split three to seven.”
“Thirty percent profit, that’s not a small sum. Are you really willing to give it up?”
Er Gou patted his chest, “Even forty percent is fine.”
“I appreciate your kindness.”
“Chuan Ge, you’re not agreeing?” Er Gou was a little flustered.
“No, I mean two tenths is enough. You handle the planting of the fields yourselves, the quantity doesn’t matter. I’m only responsible for guidance, and your family will handle the sales, but my family also needs to send someone.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but this way it’s fair.”
“Chuan Ge, you’re going to get involved personally? Can you handle it?”
“Naturally not me, but my A Yuan.” Xu Chuan smiled, “He has quite a talent for business. Letting him follow you around when he has time, to broaden his horizons, is an excellent experience.”
“A Yuan is indeed good. If he hadn’t proposed this idea, I definitely wouldn’t have thought of it.”
Xu Chuan nodded, “Also, I suggest you find your brother and hire a few honest, trustworthy Martial Artists during those selling days to prevent any accidents.”
“Chuan Ge, you’re still thinking so thoroughly.” After careful consideration, Er Gou said, “Not long ago, I heard my Father say that there was a disaster in the west, and quite a few refugees are heading towards our area.”
“Is that so?”
Xu Chuan narrowed his eyes, feeling that he should find time to divine the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of this matter.
Recently, during the busy farming season, he had been using it to predict the day's weather and such.
After settling on the cooperation between the two families, Er Gou's hanging heart finally relaxed, thinking that he could finally get a good night's sleep when he returned tonight.
Evening.
Er Gou was dead drunk, and it was Xu Mingwei who helped him back.
However, on the way, a figure suddenly darted out and struck Xu Mingwei on the head with a club, knocking him dizzy.
His hand loosened, and Er Gou fell directly to the ground, letting out an “ouch.”
Xu Mingwei clutched his head, turned, and looked intently.
Although the night was hazy, he possessed a pair of extraordinary eyes.
In the dark corner, a ragged beggar, holding a wooden club, trembled slightly, his eyes glowing green like a hungry wolf, staring at Xu Mingwei.
Seeing that his full-force strike had no effect on the other party, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
“Who are you?” Xu Mingwei shouted loudly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the disheveled beggar turned and ran.
Xu Mingwei wanted to give chase, but Er Gou clung to his leg, refusing to let go, muttering, “Wife, wife.”
Xu Mingwei couldn't possibly leave Er Gou alone there, so he helped him up and sent him home.
Then, he didn't forget to warn Xu Yan not to go out casually at night, saying that he himself had been ambushed.
If it weren't for his good physical condition, the valuables on both of them would have probably been robbed, and their lives might even have been in danger.
“Is that so? Then Stone, you be careful when you go back too.”
After Xu Mingwei returned home, he also told Xu Chuan about the incident.
“Beggar?”
“It seems things are going to be chaotic for a while.”
“Don’t go out at night recently unless necessary.”
“Understood, Father.”