Chapter 25: Raising Capital!

Having eaten his fill, Jiang Tao was in no rush to leave. He lit a cigarette, found Xu Li’s WeChat contact, and initiated a video call.

*Ring-ring—*

The call connected after just a few chimes. The screen flickered, revealing Xu Li’s tall, slender figure. Her delicate face was bare of makeup, save for a simple swipe of lipstick. She wore a long, coffee-colored down jacket over a plain white base layer—a style she carried off perfectly with her tall frame.

"Hey, honey! I’m at the mall with my mom and my sister. Mom says she wants to buy our daughter some new clothes for the New Year," she said. "Did you finish eating? What did you have?"

Xu Li had been in a great mood these past few days, and her voice sounded noticeably sweeter when she called Jiang Tao "honey." The reason for her good mood was simple: Jiang Tao had been transferring quite a bit of money to her via WeChat lately. While they might not be able to pay off all their debts this year, they could certainly clear a portion, making for a much happier holiday.

"I had fried pancakes today. My dear wife, can I discuss something with you?" Seeing his beautiful wife, Jiang Tao felt a swell of warmth. The only downside was that they were currently relegated to video calls to comfort each other; he would have to wait another ten days before they could be together again.

"It’s definitely nothing good," Xu Li said, rolling her eyes in a charming way. Having dated for over six years and been married for seven, they knew each other inside and out. Jiang Tao didn't even have to finish a sentence before she knew what he was up to, and vice versa.

Jiang Tao chuckled. "How could it be anything but good? It’s fantastic news!"

Xu Li went straight to the point: "Tell me, how much money?"

Jiang Tao didn't beat around the bush and held up five fingers. "Fifty thousand."

Xu Li rolled her eyes again. "So that’s it? You’ve been keeping track of every cent you sent me, and now you want it all back at once?"

Jiang Tao smiled. "I’ll only need it for ten days at most. I’ll pay you back a hundred thousand when I’m done."

"Are you serious?" Xu Li’s eyes lit up. That sounded like a deal worth making.

"Dead serious!"

"If you’re lying to me, you’re sleeping in a separate room when you get back!"

"I would never lie to my beautiful wife!"

"Psh, save the sweet talk. What do you need the money for?"

"It’s a secret. If I talk about it now, the luck might run out. But you know me—I don’t make a move unless I’m absolutely sure."

"Alright, alright. If you don't want to say, then don't. You’re the head of the household, and you’re the one earning the money. I’ll support whatever you do."

While still on the call, Xu Li operated her phone and transferred 56,000 yuan to Jiang Tao. Her account balance instantly dropped back below a thousand.

"Don't worry, honey. After this, not only will we clear our debts, but we’ll have plenty left over to have a great New Year! Once I make the money, I’ll buy you some new clothes."

With his wife’s unconditional support, Jiang Tao felt his confidence soar. He was determined; this was a move he had to make.

"Mmh, go for it, honey! I’ll always support you."

"Thank you, love. I must have had some incredible luck to have married a wife as wonderful as you."

After finishing their business, the couple flirted for a while longer, enough to make the two single guys at the next table green with envy.

With his wife’s 50,000 yuan in hand, Jiang Tao’s total balance was just over 70,000, not even reaching 80,000. Based on the market rates from his haul earlier today, large sugar mandarins were going for 3.5 yuan per catty. A ten-catty crate cost 35 yuan. With his current capital, he could wholesale at most 2,000 crates.

According to his intelligence system, this price surge would last for a week. Even if he worked alone, he wouldn't have trouble selling 2,000 crates. But if he brought in his friends—Xiao Liu, Xiao Dan, and Xiao Zhang—that amount wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket. He planned to go all-in with every cent he had on sugar mandarins. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; with the heavens handing him a meal, he had to open his mouth as wide as possible and eat as much as he could.

After settling the bill, Jiang Tao left the restaurant and returned to his truck. Thinking it over, he decided to tap into his credit line on the Alipay app. His maximum borrowing limit was 176,400 yuan at an annual rate of 9.72%. Using a repayment method of interest-first and principal-later, borrowing for three months would only cost him 4,760 yuan in interest. Since he expected this mandarin wave to end in ten days, he would pay back the principal and interest early, costing him only a hundred or two in interest. Old Ma was the only one he knew who could produce that much cash and be willing to lend it to him.

"With my own money plus this, I’ll have about 250,000 yuan. That’s enough; one shouldn't be too greedy. With the intelligence system, there will be plenty of opportunities to make money later. No need to try and get rich overnight."

While sitting in his truck waiting for jobs, Jiang Tao thought about how to convince the three of them to join in tonight. Of course, he wouldn't force them if they weren't interested. He was providing the opportunity; whether they grabbed it was up to them.

As he was thinking, a client approached. "Driver, how much to take two beds and some chairs to the Xiao Sha River area?"

"Eighty."

"How about fifty?"

"The going rate here is eighty. If you don't believe me, go ask around."

"Fine, fine. Eighty it is."

After agreeing on the price, Jiang Tao drove them into the market and started his afternoon work. By the end of the afternoon, he had completed four more jobs, raking in 330 yuan. Combined with the 240 from the morning and the 600 from hauling for Yu Dongdong, he had made 1,170 yuan in a single day—his best day of work all year. Of course, compared to the intelligence provided by his system, this was mere pocket change.

At 5:30 PM, Jiang Tao finished his work and drove back to Xiao Sha River Village. He stopped at a deli to buy pig head meat, liver, crawfish, braised duck necks, shredded meat with toothpicks, and chicken legs. He also picked up two sausages, a roast duck, and a large bag of cold dishes. Finally, he went to the Pang Dongdong supermarket for two bottles of ten-year-aged white liquor, two large bottles of Sprite, and a carton of Liqun cigarettes.

After his shopping spree, he returned to his rented room. While waiting for the others, he tidied up and placed a small round table in the center of the room, setting out the feast he had purchased. Just as he finished, he heard the sounds of laughter and chatter coming from the hallway.

Jiang Tao stepped out to see the three of them climbing to the second floor. None of them had come empty-handed; each carried a large bag—some with side dishes, others with alcohol, and of course, some fruit for Jiang Tao.