Doing it and getting caught were two entirely different things. removing their names from the leaderboard would make the kids fear about abusing their methods and be more careful.
When they see others getting similar sales without being noticed the others too will quickly catch on and change their methods. It was the most classic carrot and stick method but this time it was being used to teach kids to adapt.
Arjun also wanted to punish the people who caused the scene but held back knowing it was not one of his own and just gave a heads up to Tharun.
The duo left the union and returned to the hotel for a small nap. By the time they woke up it was already evening Arjun wanted to visit the tailor shop to check about the suit's progress.
They reached the shop on B-cent road in no time. When Arjun enquired about the progress he was informed they needed a trial run to check fitting and mark the adjustments. Since Karan was not here Arjun wore all of them to try out.
They still needed some adjustments and final stitching, the tailor at the shop asked them to visit in a week to collect their suits.
Arjun then wanted to visit the new warehouse those college kids rented but it would take at least half an hour to go and by the time they would reach it would be past eight. Arjun decided to visit the next day if his meeting finishes earlier and proceeded to enjoy some proper street food before returning back to the hotel.
The next day Arjun woke up late, much later than his usual timing since it was a holiday. When he checked the time to notice it was already past ten he quickly ran around getting refreshed and had a light breakfast before getting on a bus to Guntur.
He had already called Vasu at the Chili mill the day before and made an appointment to meet at twelve. It was already eleven by the time he boarded the bus and would probably get delayed.
When he reached the mill it was already thirty minutes past the appointed time. Arjun hurried to the mill and noticing Vasu still inside the office he started apologizing to him for the delay.
Vasu did not mind and asked him to take a seat.
So tell me Arjun what brings you here today?
I am here for another order for Vladimir sir.
Was that the foreigner's name you last visited with?
Yes that is him.
So how much are you thinking of scamming that guy this time around?
"???" Arjun did not know what to reply with.
Oh forgive my slip of tongue, how much are you considering to purchase this time kid?
Sir, same chili ratio as last time but i don't know if you can supply the quantity i need.
How much do you want Arjun? Vasu got serious after Arjun's last reply, the taunt of not being able to meet the needs did not sit well with his ears.
I want around fifty five tons sir
fifty five tons of mixed chili powder? You're right i can't meet such demand
Sir, i don't need them right away
what do you mean?
Arjun explained about Vladimir visiting in another forty days and his bigger sized export order
Fifty five tons? there's going to be issues at the export bureau, have you thought about this?
No sir, i have just applied for export license and i will probably receive the license this week.
Okay if it's forty days i can do it. Same price as last time?
No sir this time most i can offer is sixteen rupees per kilo.
That's too low Arjun even last time i gave a huge discount already at seventeen and half rupees a kilo.
You can't blame me sir, this was Vladimir's condition. Considering the volume i think bigger mills would be tempted for the price too.
No Arjun the most i can do is seventeen rupees.
Let's meet midway at fifty five tons for nine lakh rupees sir. This is my last offer sir, i am sure many bigger mills would take up this offer.
Okay let's do it this way, do you still want fake bills and twenty percent mix of lower class chili powder?
No need for the fake bills sir but the mix is still needed.
Okay, i can do that. How much advance are you going to pay for the order?
Sir, i can't offer much will one lakh do? Arjun brought only two signed cheques with him and one already had one lakh written on it while other was blank.
One lakh is too small advance for an order of nine lakh rupee worth order Arjun, i need at least fifty percent deposit as i have to purchase chili's first and if you default i will be left in a ditch.
Sir, fifty percent is too much. Most i can do is twenty percent.
No kiddo forty percent, last offer.
How about two lakh fifty thousand Vasu sir, this is all the money i have with me right now Arjun explained with a lamenting expression.
Vasu was convinced and accepted the quote and received the cheque from Arjun.
Vasu asked Arjun to contact him if he needs any help with export bureau as he had some connections there. Thanking Vasu Arjun left the mill and returned back to the hotel.
It was already around four by the time he reached Vijayawada and Arjun was too hungry to care about anything else and went to have the Biryani he liked from last time.
When he reached the hotel, Bhargav had also just come back from his gigs. They vacated their room and started to leave.
It was then that Arjun got the idea of visiting the new studio and prompted Bhargav to go there.
When they reached the warehouse seeing the lights inside still lit they were relieved for not being late.
As they went inside though Arjun was confused. Is this really the office they were spending over two thousand rupees for? he wondered.
The warehouse was filled with clothes and other painting stuff thrown around the tables and chairs. The warehouse was probably not cleaned from renting till now either, when he swiped his finger on the table he could feel half an inch of dust sediment on it.
Two people were lying down in a corner asleep while one guy just came out from the bathroom in his towel hinting he had just taken a bath.
Noticing Arjun and Bhargav at the door he hurriedly woke up the other two who were asleep.
When Arjun enquired about Vinod and Sumanth he was informed they had just gone out to get some lunch packed. Arjun was even more confused, who would have dinner at six in the evening he wondered.
When Sumanth and Vinod reached warehouse to see Arjun angrily sitting on a table, Sumanth hurried to greet him.
What is this Anna, i asked you to rent a office to work not a college dorm.
This this Arjun, Sumanth was still ruminating about what to say.
And what's all this dust in the office Anna, did you not hire a cleaner?
That Arjun we wanted to but they are asking too much. So we figured we could do it ourselves.
Yes i can see clearly how you're doing it. How much were they asking anyway?
Three hundred rupees a month to clean once a day.
Arjun understood, for people receiving only fifteen hundred to two thousand rupees per month this was a big amount.
But still he reprimanded them and asked them to hire a proper cleaner.
Why are you people sleeping here Anna? you even have mattresses, did you vacate your room at the hostel?
No Arjun we have not vacated but we spend most of the time here and decided to bring a couple of mattress so people can take a nap when they are too tired to go on.
Okay Anna, can you show me your current progress
It was Vinod's turn to shine, he showed him over thirty monster ideas but Arjun felt they were too realistic.
He took up the drawing he handed them of Teju and a normal mouse and explained why it was modified in such a way to make it more cute and appealing to others and catchy as well. He expressed all other monsters should be the same way cute and catchy for kids.
Vinod acknowledged his point but explained he needed more examples to get a proper understanding, Arjun then handed him the comic strip Sumanth made and his other works and said to take inspiration from the cartoony style but still wanted to make them more children friendly.
He suggested making sharper things curvier and to go for stylish tails or heads as this could mark key characteristics of a monster showing Teju and Agnika as examples.