In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

Wang Xingguo narrowed his eyes and said very seriously, "Uncle Niu, what you said is just a judgment based on your own past experience, but who can guarantee that things will really turn out the way you say?"

Niu Ye did not refute Wang Xingguo's words. After all, he did judge that pork prices would rise by the end of this year based on his past experience. But could he guarantee that?

Wang Xingguo continued, "Uncle Niu, I'm not afraid to tell you the truth. I've found a buyer, but he only offered six jin of cornmeal. I'm not satisfied with that price. I can't convince my people if I don't offer eight jin."

Old Niu shook his head and said, "Wang Er, I can't meet your conditions. Let's just drop this matter. Don't try to fool me. Back in August, I was selling you Erguotou for two yuan a bottle. Now I need two yuan and fifty cents to buy a bottle. The black market price for cornmeal has already risen to twenty cents a pound. Such a big change in just one month. Do you think it's possible that grain prices won't rise by the end of the year?"

Wang Xingguo not only knew that grain prices would rise, but he also knew that they would double.

That's why he needs to take advantage of the fact that prices haven't risen yet and quickly get more grain so that once he gets to Gaobeidian, his grain can help his people better survive the food-scarce winter.

After this year, the output in his space will increase significantly, enough for him to subsidize his people and help them get through the difficulties of the next few years.

With such a group of people behind him, and with him providing them with a large amount of food to help them through their difficulties, who among them wouldn't help him if he ever needed anything in the future?

Wang Xingguo sighed and said, "Uncle Niu, how about we calculate it as seven jin of cornmeal then?"

Uncle Niu shook his head again and said, "Wang Er, seven catties of cornmeal would cost a full dollar and forty cents even now. Your price is dishonest."

At this moment, Er Gouzi suddenly spoke up: "Wang Er, what kind of deal are you discussing with Master Niu? Why don't you exclude me? I also have grain to participate in the exchange."

Liu Dadan and the others chimed in, wanting to know what kind of business Wang Xingguo was in, as they also wanted to get involved.

Wang Xingguo said with a smile, "Well, I don't know if Master Niu would agree to say it. Why don't you ask him?"

Niu Ye felt a bit annoyed. This Wang Er was a real jerk. He originally wanted to set a trap to get a big favor from Wang Er by taking the house, and then he would buy all the pigs that were not part of the plan from the Gaobeidian Production Brigade at a low price. But the plan didn't work out, and now Wang Er was talking about it in public. He clearly wanted to get rid of him and cooperate with others. It was infuriating.

Er Gouzi said cheerfully, "Brother Niu, we've known each other for a long time. It's not reasonable for you to have meat to eat but not let us little ones have a sip of soup, is it?"

Niu Ye said irritably, "Go away, go away, this is a private deal between me and Wang Er, don't interfere."

After saying that, he glared at Wang Xingguo angrily and said, "I agreed to Qi Jin, so don't give me any more nonsense, or I'll beat you up!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xingguo beamed with joy and said, "Alright, Mr. Niu, you're so generous. It's a deal then."

Old Niu snorted and drank a glass of wine by himself. He was really annoyed by what happened tonight. The price of grain had doubled in a month and it felt like it was still going up. If cornmeal was to rise to three or four cents a pound, he would be a huge victim of injustice.

But he had no choice, because he needed at least ten pigs to protect the backer behind him.

Previously, Gaobeidian did not have a person named Wang Xingguo, so most of the pigs there were sold to themselves. Now that there is such a person, they will definitely sell to him instead of selling to themselves.

Wang Xingguo knew he needed the support of his clan, and the Wang clan also needed someone like Wang Xingguo to help sell their goods; otherwise, the profits from the poultry and livestock they had worked so hard to raise would all be taken by these middlemen.

After Wang Xingguo had eaten and drunk his fill, Niu Ye called out to him, and the two went to sit down in his office next door.

Niu Ye said very seriously, "Wang Er, I agree to seven catties of cornmeal for every catty of pork, but you need to guarantee that you will get me at least ten pigs weighing over 140 catties each. Not even one less."

Wang Xingguo nodded and said, "Okay, I guarantee I'll get this done. But you also need to prepare the grain here and hand it over to me, Master Niu. No matter what happens to pork or grain prices later, we'll bear all the risks, okay?"

Old Niu nodded and said, "Don't worry, I promised you this. I'll accept any loss, no matter how much. I've been around for so many years, I still have some credibility and financial resources. I'll prepare the grain for you within a week. But you little rascal, you must get that many pigs. Otherwise, if I don't have these pigs to bribe people and things go wrong, you won't have an easy time either."

Wang Xingguo said with a grin, "No way, Uncle Niu, don't worry. Even if I, Wang Xingguo, can't buy pigs, my Wang family can buy pigs from other production teams in the name of the brigade collective. Ten pigs are definitely enough for you, and who knows, we might even get a few more to give you a big surprise."

Old Niu nodded in satisfaction and said, "That's more like it. The pig can be more or less, I'll eat it all, but if it's less, I'll skin you alive."

"Hehe, you wait and see, it'll be a bit difficult for you to peel off my skin."

Seeing Wang Xingguo's smug and obsequious look, Master Niu felt angry; he knew he had really messed up this time.

But think about it, no matter how much food prices rise, can they still earn as much as the casino's commission?

Thinking about this, his anger subsided considerably. After all, everything he did was to protect his backer and ensure his business could continue smoothly.

Wang Xingguo left and rode his tricycle home, thinking about the pigs. He planned to hold a clan meeting in Gaobeidian the next day to explain the situation to the villagers.

He needed to persuade the Wang family members to do things his way, so that they wouldn't suffer from hunger this winter like other communes that wasted food.

The wind was a bit chilly tonight, and Wang Xingguo was wearing short sleeves, so he felt a little cold.

That's just how the weather is in Beijing. In fact, the temperature started to drop in mid-to-late September, with a particularly large temperature difference between day and night. The temperature could drop to the teens at night, while it could rise to 27 or 28 degrees Celsius during the day, and sometimes even reach 30 degrees Celsius.

Living in this place is like being in a steel mill, your body being tempered by the alternating hot and cold temperatures...

When Wang Xingguo returned home, Wang Xingmin helped open the courtyard gate. He put down a mat and whispered in Wang Xingguo's ear, "Second brother, Grandma Jin and her nephew Jin Baorong are sitting in our house. They said they need your help with something."

Wang Xingguo was a little surprised and asked in a low voice, "Did Old Lady Jin tell my brother what she wanted me to do?"

"They didn't mention that, and my brother didn't ask either. By the way, Aunt Wang came to our house tonight. She said she's arranged a better blind date for my brother the day after tomorrow, and that things with the Feng family have been settled, so he can relax and start dating again."