Song Tan’s Chronicle - Chapter 48

Song Hongmei was not pleased. “What kind of businessman doesn’t want customers?”

Old Zhang was equally annoyed. “My dear sister, every time you bring someone here, you haggle the price down so much I barely make any profit!”

Every businessman said that, but Song Hongmei knew better. She sold pancakes and eggs herself and didn’t believe for a second that he wasn’t making money.

Turning to Song Tan, she said, “Don’t be fooled by the shabby appearance; all this land belongs to him. Otherwise, how could such a run-down place still sell chickens and ducks? People would have come to buy him out ages ago.”

This place was tucked away between several family compounds, out of sight and mind, which is why his secret business was still running.

Having lived in the family compound for over twenty years, Song Hongmei knew the ins and outs. “Tan Tan, don’t listen to his nonsense. These ducks are hatched at home, costing him very little—last year they were four yuan each. Don’t overpay!”

Old Zhang’s face changed. “Sister! Last year’s price is not this year’s price. Everything has gone up! I can’t sell them for four yuan anymore!”

Song Hongmei turned to leave, “You negotiate; I need to get back and cook.”

She walked off, leaving the three standing there. Qiao Qiao repeated, “Four yuan each?”

Old Zhang was adamant, “No! The lowest I’ll go is four and a half yuan. If that’s not acceptable, you can buy them elsewhere!”

Song Tan almost laughed. She had done her research and knew that no one sold ducks for less than five yuan each. Four yuan was indeed rock-bottom.

“Alright, four and a half yuan each. Show us the ducks.”

Old Zhang was confident in his ducks. He led them through the front room, into a backyard, then another room, and finally to his secret nursery.

There, under a half-built canopy, the smell of duck droppings was strong. But inside, a group of fluffy yellow ducklings waddled over, their tails wagging.

The sight was delightful!

Qiao Qiao couldn’t move, squatting down to watch them, then looking up at Song Tan with hopeful eyes.

Old Zhang explained, “Have you raised ducks before? How many do you want?  These are Ma Ducks; they have good meat and grow fast. Look how healthy they are. You’ll have no trouble raising them!”

Song Tan believed him. They had come unexpectedly, and the ducks looked robust and lively, even without prior preparation from Old Zhang.

“Let’s start with a hundred.”

“A hundred?”

Old Zhang was surprised.

“I thought you were just small-time farmers. You need that many?”

He saw Song Tan’s determined expression and, remembering she was brought by Song Hongmei, became cautious again. “I’m telling you, even if you buy a thousand, it’s four and a half yuan each. Not a cent less!”

Song Hongmei was persistent. If she didn’t get the price she wanted, she would come back every day. Ducks weren’t like vegetables; they took time to grow, and she would be relentless.

Old Zhang couldn’t handle it, so he had to spill his lowest price.

Song Tan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Alright, I won’t haggle. Your ducks are good. I’ll come back next year for more.”

Her straightforwardness made Old Zhang a bit embarrassed:

“It’s all because of Song Hongmei. She haggles so much I’m scared of her.”

But then he looked at his small backyard filled with ducks. Hatching was done in batches, and he had only about a hundred and thirty ducks in total.

Old Zhang pondered for a moment, “Why don’t you take all one hundred and twenty ducks? I’ll throw in the rest for free.”

Even though most of the ducks were healthy, there were always a few weaker ones, which would lower the price.

Rather than keeping them and risking not selling them, it was better to sell them all at once.

He was also worried Song Tan might not know the difference:

“Half of this batch are male ducks, which are actually more nutritious and usually cost more. But I’m giving them to you all at the same price.”

Ducks are different from chickens. Male ducks have higher nutritional value than females. Besides, apart from salted duck eggs, there aren’t many better ways to consume duck eggs, lowering their economic value.

Old Zhang was honest about this.

Song Tan considered it; she had already decided on a hundred ducks. Adding twenty more wasn’t much difference. So she agreed:

“Okay.”

The hundred and twenty ducks were loaded into the truck bed, and by then, it was already noon. They wouldn’t make it back in time for lunch, but Song Tan was prepared for this.

She turned to Qiao Qiao, “What do you want to eat? I’ll take you.”

Qiao Qiao thought hard, “What does Peppa Pig eat?”

What does Peppa Pig eat?

Song Tan didn’t know either. Probably pig food…

She thought for a moment:

“Let’s go get some fried chicken, fries, red bean pie, and hamburgers!”

Not because they were particularly tasty, but because they came with toys, and Qiao Qiao, who had never had them before, could try something new.

With the ducks in the truck, they ordered takeout and ate in the car.

Qiao Qiao opened his toy box, surprised to find a small yellow duck inside, its wings flapping up and down.

“Little duck!”

He exclaimed in delight, then took a big bite of his chicken leg.

“Umm…” He chewed, making a strange face.

Song Tan glanced at him, “Is it good?”

Qiao Qiao thought, looking conflicted, “Not as good as vegetables, but…”

He couldn’t find the words.

“But it’s something different, right?” Song Tan suggested.

“Mm!” Qiao Qiao nodded vigorously, taking another bite.

Poor kid…

Song Tan thought: I should take him to an amusement park when I get the chance.

Qiao Qiao, unaware of the treats and fun awaiting him, was content for now, holding a chicken wing in one hand and the toy duck in the other:

“Sister, can we have this again next time?”

Song Tan felt for him: “How about we have it once every two weeks, okay?”

Two weeks felt like an eternity to Qiao Qiao. He blinked and finally nodded in confusion.

Then he pulled out half a pack of snow cookies from his bag:

“I can’t finish these. Can I give them to Big White?”

“Of course.”

She had another pack in her pocket: “We’ll need Big White to help with the ducklings, so give him plenty of treats.”

Big White with ducklings?

Qiao Qiao turned to look at the truck bed, then frowned:

“Will Big White be mean to the ducks?”

“No!” Song Tan reassured him, “The ducks will grow as big as Big White. They won’t all fit in one pot!”

Ah, winter melon duck soup, sour bamboo shoot duck soup, roast duck… She could already taste it.

But Qiao Qiao was distressed:

“Not Big White. Big White can’t be cooked.”

That’s the downside of raising animals for a long time. Once you get attached, you can’t let go.

Song Tan sighed:

“Alright, we won’t cook Big White. We’ll eat the ducks instead. But you’re not allowed to play with the ducks, okay?”