Chapter 2: Selling In-Game Watermelons in the Real World!

Chapter 2: Selling Watermelons from the Game in Reality!

In Youcheng County, there are generally two main channels for sourcing watermelons.

One is going to the fruit wholesale market located at the logistics park on the other side of Youcheng, which involves some travel.

The other is to personally work harder and buy directly from local fruit farmers in nearby villages.

So, if the wholesale price is the same 1.5 yuan per melon, but the watermelons taste better and come with delivery service, there’s no fear of having no buyers.

As soon as Qin Lin sent out the message, three people immediately responded in the group chat.

“Oh, it’s Little Qin.”

“Has Little Qin switched careers to wholesale now?”

“Let me join the fun too?”

Qin Lin knew all three who messaged; they all happened to run shops near Market Street.

Seeing no one else speaking up in the group, Qin Lin arranged to meet those three at his store.

At that moment, Qin Lin also noticed a prompt in his mind’s game screen: the seeds had been planted and needed their first watering.

He immediately commanded his game character to enter the tool room, take out the watering can, fill it with water from the river, and water all the seeds.

Shortly after, the three people they’d arranged to meet arrived on their electric scooters.

Two middle-aged men, Liu Dasheng and Chen Dahe, and a woman named Ai Quni.

Liu Dasheng spoke first upon entering: “Little Qin, where are your watermelons? Let’s have a look!”

Qin Lin pointed to a pile of watermelons on the floor. “Brother Liu, Brother Chen, Sister Ai, take a look at these melons.”

The three approached to inspect. Having been in this business for a long time, they could roughly tell if the melons were good.

Clear and distinct patterning, the stems still green and fresh.

They made a sound when tapped.

These were clearly quality watermelons.

“Looks really good,” Liu Dasheng smiled.

Chen Dahe and Ai Quni nodded in agreement.

However, nowadays, many unscrupulous wholesalers and farmers exist, so they would still cut one open to taste.

Qin Lin understood this and told them, “Please feel free to pick any one.”

“Little Qin, I’ll take this one!” Liu Dasheng randomly pointed to a melon.

Qin Lin nodded, lifted the watermelon, and cut it in half, revealing the luscious, appetizing flesh at first glance.

He then sliced each half into smaller wedges and said to the three, “Brother Liu, Brother Chen, Sister Ai, give these a try!”

They didn’t hesitate and each took a wedge to eat.

“Woof woof!”

The black dog barked again, seemingly noticing Qin Lin cutting the melon, it tentatively trotted to the shop’s entrance.

It seemed determined to stick around.

Qin Lin casually threw it a piece of watermelon.

Too much watermelon can upset a dog’s stomach, so he wanted it to learn that this was not food for it—then it wouldn’t hang around.

Under the attributes of deliciousness +1, sweetness +1, and texture +1, after just two bites, Liu Dasheng and the others’ eyes lit up.

“Good melons. The taste is far better than what I used to get.”

“Indeed, very sweet with lots of juice.”

“Little Qin, you really deliver to the door?”

All three looked at Qin Lin. With the melons looking and tasting better, priced the same at wholesale, and delivered, there was no reason not to buy.

Qin Lin explained, “Of course, delivery to your door.”

They nodded immediately and decided each would try 30 melons, leaving a few for Qin Lin’s own shop.

Their stores were not far away; Qin Lin did not ask for a deposit, agreeing payment would be made upon delivery.

His reason for delivering personally was to keep things discreet. Although his shop had no surveillance cameras, Market Street was full of them.

If melons mysteriously kept appearing from his shop, and suddenly there were many, it would raise suspicion.

After all, if no melons came in daily but suddenly they streamed out, it could cause big trouble if noticed.

Hence, he needed to find a hidden location outside in the future.

After Liu Dasheng and the others left, Qin Lin glanced at the black dog still munching watermelon outside. Ignoring it, he pulled down the shop’s metal shutter and headed to the Market Street parking lot’s inner area toward an old, rusty three-wheeled farm cargo vehicle.

Though rusty, it was still usable for hauling goods, as long as the tires didn’t burst, it could carry about a ton.

Qin Lin drove the tricycle to his shop, loaded all the watermelons onto it, closed the shutter, then set off to deliver to Liu Dasheng and the others.

Liu Dasheng’s store was the closest, also on Market Street. After a short ride, Qin Lin arrived at the shop named Dasheng Fruit Store.

Liu Dasheng was chatting at the door with a man holding a watermelon. Seeing Qin Lin’s tricycle stop, he pulled the man forward and said, “Xiao Chen, come check out these freshly delivered melons. They’re definitely fresh and good. Pick one and I’ll cut it for you to taste.”

“Okay, Brother Liu,” Xiao Chen nodded and began choosing from the tricycle.

Liu Dasheng explained to Qin Lin, “Xiao Chen is my neighbor upstairs and also an old customer of mine. He loves watermelons and usually buys several at once. We’ll settle the bill together later.”

“Alright,” Qin Lin replied.

Xiao Chen soon picked a melon from Qin Lin’s tricycle for Liu Dasheng to weigh.

“Little Qin, this one is 11 jin,” Liu Dasheng said after weighing, then cut it open and handed a small wedge to Xiao Chen.

Since they were old acquaintances, Xiao Chen took it naturally and tasted.

Soon, he exclaimed with delight, “Brother Liu, this melon is very sweet and grainy, much better than what you sold before. What’s the price?”

Liu Dasheng smiled, “Same price, 2 yuan per jin. How many do you want?”

“Brother Liu, I’ll take four. Could you deliver them to me when you have time?” Xiao Chen said, picking four melons from Qin Lin’s tricycle for weighing.

All four were over 10 jin each, totaling 47 jin.

Liu Dasheng said, “47 jin, 94 yuan. Xiao Chen, mark it down and I’ll help deliver later.”

“No need for marks, I trust you, Brother Liu. I’ll transfer the money via WeChat now.” Xiao Chen waved his hand and sent the payment.

After Xiao Chen left, Liu Dasheng called Qin Lin again: “Little Qin, looks like your relative’s melons are really good. Xiao Chen is quite picky about watermelons.”

Qin Lin was naturally pleased. Taking a basket from Liu Dasheng’s store, he began loading melons.

Liu Dasheng had sold four melons, helping Qin Lin earn over 70 yuan.

Adding the five melons sold earlier, Qin Lin packed 25 melons into the basket to weigh for Liu Dasheng, totaling 287 jin.

Together with Xiao Chen’s 47 jin, that was 334 jin.

At a wholesale price of 1.5 yuan per jin, that equaled 501 yuan.

Liu Dasheng promptly transferred the money to Qin Lin via WeChat.

Qin Lin also issued an invoice to Liu Dasheng, as this was necessary for individual business tax reporting.

“Brother Liu, if you need more, just let me know. I’m off to deliver to the other two now,” Qin Lin said with a broad smile.

From this single transaction alone, he earned more profit than from a full day of hard work at his fruit and vegetable store.

Next, Qin Lin delivered 30 melons each to Chen Dahe and Ai Quni.

Chen Dahe’s total was 360 jin, wholesale price 540 yuan, and Ai Quni’s was 328 jin, wholesale price 492 yuan.

Adding Liu Dasheng’s 501 yuan, the 90 melons earned Qin Lin 1,533 yuan.

Returning to his shop, Qin Lin found the black dog still lying contentedly at the door, showing no signs of stomach upset.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

As the sun fully set, Qin Lin sold another four melons from his shop, adding 172 yuan to his earnings.

Altogether, the watermelons taken from the game netted him 1,705 yuan.

Qin Lin clenched his fist, wanting to cheer.

Earning 1,705 yuan a day meant over 51,150 yuan a month—a high income in a small place like Youcheng County.

Thinking this, a prompt appeared again in his mind’s game screen: the grass was growing and must be weeded immediately, or else the watermelon seedlings might wither from the weeds.

After weeding, Qin Lin checked the time.

Night had fully fallen.

He packed up some leftover vegetables to take home, pulled down the metal shutter, then rode the tricycle back.

Usually, he would drive the tricycle early every morning to restock his shop.

But tomorrow, he planned to use it exclusively to haul watermelons.

With daily income of 1,700 yuan, there was no need to fuss over the small profits from his produce store.

Even with tens of thousands of debts at home, he could pay them off soon.

Qin Lin returned to an old residential complex.

After selling their house, his family rented a cheap two-bedroom apartment here.

Climbing to the third floor and entering the apartment, he saw his mother, Lin Fen, preparing dinner.

Though it had two rooms, the apartment was narrow and cramped with daily clutter, making it feel dim and tight.

With their situation and tens of thousands in debt, there was no choice.

Qin Lin said as he entered, “Mom, I told you to wait until I came back to cook dinner.”

“I’m not able to do much with my health, but I’m not useless. Come eat!” Lin Fen’s face looked pale, but her tone still carried stubborn firmness.

Having worked all her life, doing nothing was harder for her.

“Ah,” Qin Lin sighed helplessly and put the vegetables in the fridge.

Lin Fen handed him a bowl of rice and asked, “How was business at the shop today?”

“Better than yesterday, and it’ll only get better,” Qin Lin said with an unexplainable confidence recalling the day’s events.

Lin Fen sighed, “Xiao Lin, it’s your father and me who have failed you. All your peers have parents supporting them, helping with betrothal gifts and house down payments. Your father and I left you tens of thousands in debt.”

“Mom, what are you saying? You and Dad gave birth to me, raised me, and paid for my schooling. That’s already the greatest blessing,” Qin Lin never blamed his parents. After all, he was healthy and had been cared for meticulously since childhood, better off than many.

The more her son said this, the more useless Lin Fen felt. She sighed again.

“Xiao Lin, how are things between you and Mo Qing recently? Don’t blame her parents. Mo Qing is a good girl, and her parents have done their best. They don’t want a bride price or car, just the down payment on a small apartment—something our family can’t provide. That’s our problem.”

“You and Mo Qing stay together for now. When my health improves, I can manage the store and you can find a job. We’ll work hard together to save for a down payment. If you and Mo Qing can’t ultimately be together, don’t blame anyone.”

Hearing this, Qin Lin paused mid-bite.

Mo Qing was indeed a good girl.

They were classmates in neighboring classes through three years of high school, never more than passing greetings.

But after both got admitted to the same university and took the same train with seats next to each other, they officially met and gradually grew close.

Fate was indeed mysterious.

He had no right to blame Mo Qing’s parents.

Which parent nowadays would willingly marry their daughter to someone without a car, no house, and tens of thousands in debt?

If he were one of them, he wouldn’t either.

Moreover, they didn’t ask for a bride price or a car, only the down payment on a small apartment suitable for both.

That was already more lenient than many Chinese parents.

If they couldn’t manage that, then it was their family’s problem.

Anything else was ungrateful.

“Mom, don’t worry. The house will come. Mo Qing is your daughter-in-law; she’s not going anywhere.” Qin Lin quickly finished his rice and went to his room.

He opened a cabinet and took out a marriage certificate.

Groom: Qin Lin; Bride: Zhao Mo Qing.

When he told his mother Mo Qing was his wife, it wasn’t just talk.

All this was kept secret from both their parents.

When his girlfriend secretly took the household registration book and insisted on registering their marriage, saying she was committed to him for life, the warmth in his heart could have melted the Antarctic ice.

He knew the courage Mo Qing had shown and vowed never to betray her.

He also knew registering under those circumstances was unfair to Mo Qing and a deception to the Zhao family.

But he feared losing the most precious thing in his life even more.

Just then, a prompt appeared again in his mind’s game screen.

The watermelon vines in the fields had sprouted and would mature by morning.

However, pests appeared on the vines and had to be cleared, or they would affect the growth speed and yield.

Qin Lin willed his game character to take out a small net and carefully remove the pests one by one.

(End of chapter)