Chapter 26: The Opportunity Is Yours! (Please Keep Reading!)

Although Jiang Tao was not as close to Xiao Liu and the others as he was with Wang Lianming, they were still good friends who enjoyed a solid relationship. They would occasionally get together for a meal, taking turns picking up the tab so that no one felt they were being taken advantage of or coming out ahead.

After welcoming everyone inside, the atmosphere was lively, filled with chatter and laughter. After a few rounds of drinks, Jiang Tao felt the time was right and spoke up: "A friend of mine who works in fruit wholesaling told me that sugar mandarin oranges are about to hit a massive market boom in the next few days. This friend of mine has always had a keen eye for market trends; he’s already a multi-millionaire at a young age. He only told me this because he knows I’ve had a tough year; he’s essentially taking pity on me. I have a lot of confidence in his analysis and plan to jump in on this. Are you guys interested in joining?"

"Wait, a massive boom for sugar mandarin oranges?"
"We’ve been selling them every single day for the past half-month, and we haven’t heard a whisper about that."
"Brother Jiang, is this really reliable?"

Upon hearing this, skepticism flickered across the faces of Xiao Liu and the others. It was no wonder they were doubtful—they were the fruit vendors who handled these oranges daily, yet they had heard nothing. For Jiang Tao, an outsider, to claim he had inside information seemed completely backwards.

"I wouldn’t have called you all here if it weren't reliable. It’s rare to stumble upon a market opportunity like this, and naturally, I want to bring everyone along to make some money." Jiang Tao didn't waste time arguing; words were less persuasive than action. "Believe it or not, I’m planning to invest about 250,000, and I’m heading to the wholesale market tomorrow to stock up. If you don’t want to participate, you can help me sell them, and I’ll pay you wages that definitely won't be less than what you’re making now."

This statement stunned Liu Zhiyuan and the others. "250,000 for sugar mandarin oranges? Are you for real, Brother Jiang?" Liu Zhiyuan’s small eyes widened in surprise. For those of them living as migrant workers in the city, 250,000 was a significant sum. Having the guts to put that much money into a single venture required immense courage.

"Yes. The New Year is almost here. Let’s make one last push, earn some money, and go home to celebrate the New Year in style!" Jiang Tao’s expression was calm and composed, and everyone could see the confidence in his smile. Still, they all had their reservations. If this investment failed, they wouldn't be able to afford the New Year at all.

Investing and doing business wasn't something one could decide on a whim. Having made his stance clear, Jiang Tao didn't pressure them further and returned to hosting the meal. Whether they joined or not was up to them; the opportunity had been presented, and it was up to them to seize it. He gave them until the next morning to provide a definitive answer.

The gathering lasted from shortly after 7:00 PM until past 9:00 PM. After they left, Liu Zhiyuan and Shan Yufei headed straight home, while Zhang Chao took a few turns through the urban village, ducking into a foot massage parlor near his place.

Once he saw them off, Jiang Tao had a video call with Xu Li. His mother-in-law had bought a red dress for their daughter, Jiang Xue, to wear for the New Year, and the little girl had put it on specifically to show her father. Jiang Xue had inherited her mother’s tall, slender frame, and despite being a little foodie, she never gained weight. She had inherited her father’s features—large eyes, a high nose bridge, and an oval face—making her a little beauty. Dressed in the dress, she looked like a princess out of a fairy tale.

"I doubt there’s another girl in the entire universe as beautiful as my daughter," Jiang Tao boasted, never stingy with his praise.

Jiang Xue giggled, "That’s because you’re the most handsome father in the universe, which is how you produced such a beautiful daughter!"
"Hey, Jiang Xue, I’m the one who gave birth to you, you know."
"Daddy played a big part too!"
"Who taught you all these things?"

The family of three laughed and chatted until past 10:00 PM before ending the call. After washing up, Jiang Tao wasn't sleepy, his mind still on the intelligence refresh due at midnight. He opened the file regarding the sugar mandarin oranges and reread it word for word.

[Today’s Intelligence]: Following your cooperation agreement with Yu Dongdong yesterday, you have received the following information: Due to meteorological conditions, sugar mandarin oranges will experience a price surge in three days. The increase will exceed 100% and last for one week. It is advisable to stock up accordingly.

This intelligence was different from previous reports about finding specific items in specific locations; it concerned the future price trend of a product, including the start and end dates. With such detailed information laid out before him, if he couldn't execute this well, he would be, as Teacher Xiaoyan said, better off going home to be a pig.

"Calculating with a principal of 250,000, the wholesale price for a 10-jin crate of large sugar mandarins is 35 yuan. 250,000 can buy about 7,000 crates. The current market price is 5 yuan per jin, so a 100% increase would make it 10 yuan per jin, meaning each crate could sell for 100 yuan. That’s 700,000 for 7,000 crates! Subtract the 250,000 cost, and that’s a net profit of 450,000! Damn, that’s a lot!"

Seeing the result on his phone’s calculator, Jiang Tao was shocked. He hadn't crunched the numbers properly before, and he hadn't realized the project was so lucrative. The boom would last at most a week, and he planned to finish the operation within that timeframe. Even after giving Xiao Liu and the others a cut and a bonus for their hard work, he would still clear at least 350,000 in pure profit after recovering his initial investment.

"I need to find a place to store 7,000 crates! The ambient temperature outside is just right, so I don't need a cold storage facility; a private courtyard in the urban village will do. Renting one for a month costs at most 2,000, which is much more practical."

After calculating the profit, Jiang Tao began planning for storage and future sales. The key to this project was entering at the right time and securing as much inventory as possible, then selling it at a high price to cash out. He took a notebook and a pen from his drawer, jotting down every thought that crossed his mind. A good memory isn't as reliable as a pen and paper; fleeting ideas are easily forgotten if not recorded.

After writing and sketching for over an hour, the clock struck midnight, and a new day began.