Chapter 99: Made a Huge Profit

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Made a Huge Profit

This was Yun Zhen’s first time setting up a stall at the entrance of Jiuzhou Mall, and she had run into yet another kindhearted person.

Grandma Sun had helped her sell her first wooden hairpin and taught her how to identify counterfeit bills.

Yun Zhen was deeply grateful. "Grandma Sun, thank you so much for taking care of me."

Not only had the older woman helped her write her sign, but she had also given her a large bag of popcorn. She had helped her sell her first wooden hairpin, and now she was teaching her how to authenticate paper money so she wouldn’t be scammed.

How could there be so many warm-hearted people in this world! Since arriving here, she hadn’t met a single bad person.

At first, Granny Sun had pitied the child for being an orphan from Sister Zhang’s charity organization. Now, seeing how polite she was, she thought to herself that she hadn’t helped the wrong person. "You’re welcome. As long as you don’t find me too nagging. I was just worried that you might be taken advantage of because you’re young. It would be great if you had a smartphone and a bank card. You could link a payment app and receive money directly online."

She cast a cursory glance at the items on Yun Zhen’s stall. "You could make a few thousand yuan selling all this. Save up some money to buy yourself a phone, then use your ID to apply for a bank card and a SIM card. It’ll be so much more convenient wherever you go in the future."

She then asked, "By the way, how old are you?"

"Grandma Sun, I’m seventeen. I heard that once we turn eighteen and become adults, the organization will issue each of us a phone," Yun Zhen explained her situation.

She didn’t want to buy a phone just yet.

She might not know much else, but she was certain smartphones were expensive. She had seen Li Mei and Sister-in-law Liu using them to handle matters. A smartphone could transmit voices across thousands of miles, allow people to chat face-to-face, display scenery from afar, and look up anything one wanted to see. It could even be used for online shopping!

These were just the things she knew. There were still many phone functions she didn’t know about. Therefore, she felt that a smartphone definitely wouldn’t be cheap.

Converted to the silver of her world, it would surely cost hundreds of taels. Converted to the currency of this world, it would still be a hefty sum—around a hundred thousand yuan. She had never seen that much money in her life. So, she was waiting for the organization to issue her one.

Granny Sun nodded. "Seventeen? You’re not far from eighteen. Just wait another six months or so, and the organization will give you a phone. There really is no need to spend your own money on one."

While the old and young chatted, a customer approached.

A fair and chubby little girl pulled out ten yuan and handed it to Granny Sun. "I want a five-yuan bag of popcorn!"

Granny Sun gave her a bag of popcorn and handed her the change.

The little girl looked down at Yun Zhen’s stall. "WOW! Wooden hairpins! They look genuinely handmade, and there are so many styles. The wooden hairpins in stores are so glossy on the surface; they don’t have this simple and elegant vintage feel."

"A hundred yuan?" The little girl glanced at the prices on Yun Zhen’s cardboard sign, frowned in hesitation for a long moment, and then stopped overthinking it. "Whatever. My mom’s birthday is next week, and she likes putting her hair up. I’ll buy a wooden hairpin as one of her birthday presents. She usually loves handicrafts, so she’ll definitely love this."

She picked out a wooden hairpin with a cloud-patterned head and pulled out two fifty-yuan bills.

Yun Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the other party had cash. "Wishing your mother a happy birthday in advance."

She had heard from Li Mei that a "birthday" was the day of one’s birth, which was the equivalent of what they called a natal day back home.

The little girl nodded politely. "Thank you, big sister!"

She skipped happily away. That was another hundred yuan.

Yun Zhen was thrilled. It seemed Uncle Zhao’s craftsmanship in making wooden hairpins was recognized by the people of the Immortal Realm.

A neatly dressed woman stopped to browse her wares. "Handmade wooden hairpins? Are the fridge magnets handmade too? They look quite intricately crafted."

Yun Zhen nodded and explained, "Every single item here was made by my own hands."

The woman selected five large fridge magnets. She then picked up two wooden hairpins. "Great craftsmanship. I can take these back as gifts for my coworkers."

Five large fridge magnets were five hundred yuan. Two wooden hairpins were two hundred yuan.

What a massive purchase!

Terrified that this deal might fall through, Yun Zhen asked, "Excuse me, do you have cash? I only accept cash."

"Cash?" The woman paused.

Who used cash in this day and age?

Seeing the woman’s bewildered expression, Yun Zhen knew at a glance that she didn’t have cash. A wave of disappointment washed over her. "It’s alright. I’ll probably be back tomorrow. If you still want to buy them, you can bring cash tomorrow."

"Give me two minutes," the woman said. She turned and walked through a small door.

Granny Sun explained to Yun Zhen, "She went to the bank to withdraw money. Looks like she really appreciates your craftsmanship and doesn’t want to wait even a single day. Your handiwork truly is excellent. You might sell out in less than two hours."

Only a few minutes had passed, and she already had three customers.

Joy filled Yun Zhen’s heart. "After I sell my things, I’ll treat you to milk tea, Grandma Sun."

Granny Sun shook her head and politely declined. "I’m old now, I can’t eat anything too sweet. Keep your money for yourself; there will be plenty of places you’ll need it in the future."

Yun Zhen knew she might just be acting politely. Or perhaps she really didn’t like sweets. But she would definitely repay Grandma Sun when she got the chance.

The woman who wanted to buy the hairpins and fridge magnets emerged from the small building.

"Here, little one." The woman stuffed several red bills into her hand, then took the fridge magnets and wooden hairpins she had chosen.

Yun Zhen counted them—seven red bills. Seven hundred yuan!

Yun Zhen was ecstatic. Uncle Wang’s craftsmanship was also popular! If the two of them could make this many wooden hairpins and fridge magnets every day... it would probably be even more profitable than crocheting!

The money from the woodwork combined with the money from crocheting... how much would they make in a day! She didn’t even dare to imagine!

There were so many people here. Many passersby glanced at Yun Zhen’s stall, and those who found the prices acceptable would step up to browse. There was no need for her to introduce the items.

A girl in a pale yellow Hanfu was as thrilled as if she had discovered a treasure trove. "Wooden hairpins! They perfectly match the new Hanfu I just bought. I’ll take three for styling."

A group of five young men gathered to pick out fridge magnets. "The wooden fridge magnets at home can’t compare to the texture of these." They each bought one.

"A butterfly-shaped jewelry box for one hundred and fifty yuan? It really has an antique charm, perfect for collecting."

"I’ll take both jewelry boxes. The other one is two hundred yuan? Two tiers—definitely worth it!"

Yun Zhen packed their chosen items in plastic bags.

"These fridge magnets look nice. Six represents smooth sailing; I’ll take six to stick on my newly bought electric scooter!"

"Boss, why are your plastic bags so crumpled? You should at least buy some prettier little bags," someone griped.

Yun Zhen felt a rush of embarrassment. "I’ll buy new bags later."

She made a mental note to make the packaging look nicer. When she sold the crocheted dolls, most customers only bought one; they would just grab it in their hand and leave. Today, she had really learned something—when people bought wooden hairpins and fridge magnets, they bought several at once.

It seemed she needed to stock up on some new bags.

An hour and a half later, Yun Zhen’s wooden hairpins, fridge magnets, and jewelry boxes were completely sold out.

"Sold out!" Granny Sun had watched Yun Zhen sell her wares the entire time.

She was dumbfounded. She had expected Yun Zhen’s business to be good, but she hadn’t expected it to be *this* good.

Yun Zhen counted the money once. All twenty wooden hairpins had been sold for a total of two thousand yuan!

Twenty large fridge magnets had sold for two thousand yuan, and five small fridge magnets had sold for four hundred yuan. Two jewelry boxes: one for one hundred and fifty yuan, and the other for two hundred yuan, totaling three hundred and fifty yuan.

A grand total of four thousand seven hundred and fifty yuan!

She had struck it rich! This was four taels of silver!

She stuffed the cash into a plastic bag and rolled it into a tight bundle. It was a massive wad of cash—it wouldn’t even fit in her pockets.