Money-Saving Solutions

"Besides, doing business with the government isn't just a one-off deal. There will be more construction in the future. If this partnership goes smoothly, everything will be easier down the road!" Belle saw the group wavering and decided to push a little harder.

Leon Chen and his crew had been counting on this government contract to revive their struggling brick workshop. The haggling was just for show—so long as they didn’t lose money, even a small profit could keep the business afloat.

Belle set the price just right—right at the bottom line both sides could accept. After a few rounds of negotiation, the final price was settled.

Leon Chen and the others signed the contract with Belle on the spot, and everyone was delighted.

Belle, William Wang, and Nathan Ye were all thrilled to have secured the deal at such a low price.

"Belle, you’re amazing!" Nathan Ye gave Belle a big thumbs-up. "I was holding my breath the whole time you were bargaining—never thought you could push the price down that far!"

Belle grinned proudly. "You men are too concerned about saving face, so you hesitate to haggle hard—no wonder you get overcharged! Us women are different. When we bargain, we go all out and never quit until we get what we want. Besides, those little bosses are desperate for this order. As long as my price is just a bit above their cost—even just a tiny bit—they’ll agree, since the order is so big. So I went in swinging!"

After speaking, Belle handed the contract to Nathan Ye. "Here you go, Minister Ye. This is the order—take it back and redo the budget. You’ll need it."

The group was about to pack up and head back to report when, unexpectedly, Leon Chen returned.

Nathan Ye saw Leon Chen come back and said, "Mr. Chen, why are you back? Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts?"

Leon Chen shook his head like a rattle-drum and quickly said, "Oh, Lord Ye, how could I regret getting such a good deal! Actually, I have something I’d like to discuss with you all."

"Oh? What is it? Mr. Chen, have a seat and tell us," Nathan Ye said.

Leon Chen sat down and said, "The government wants to build academies, but money is tight, so you ordered these sturdy and cheap bricks from us. On my way here, I was thinking—building schools for the people is a good deed, and as a commoner, I should support it. I may not have much ability, but I do have an idea that might help save the government some money. Let me share it with you."

"Oh? What’s your idea?" Nathan Ye’s interest was piqued.

Leon Chen said, "Here’s the thing—I know a lot of folks who deal in second-hand goods, mainly collecting old furniture like desks, chairs, benches, and so on. They refurbish these old pieces and sell them at a price less than half of new ones. Don’t look down on them—the refurbished furniture is sturdy and durable! I was thinking, once the academy is built, you’ll need desks, chairs, bookshelves, maybe even beds. Buying new is expensive, so why not buy refurbished ones? They’re just as solid and much cheaper. That would save a lot of money."

"Really?" Nathan Ye, William Wang, and Belle’s eyes all lit up.

"Of course it’s true!" Leon Chen said. "Most of those who do furniture refurbishing are carpenters by trade. Their skills might not be top-tier, but they’re more than capable of fixing up everyday furniture. If you’re interested, I can take you to their shops right now to have a look and see if anything catches your eye."