Chapter 190: Shop Opening-Questioned
Translator: Lonelytree
Chu Mingjiao was angry because she believed she was being cheated by an actor. “If you’re not an actor, why would you buy such expensive vegetables? Do you have that much money?”
Most of the customers present were old customers who had received the news or new customers recommended by old customers or those attracted by the info on the forum. After the tomato taste test, they believed the vegetables were worth their prices.
Clearly, Chu Mingjiao didn’t understand the situation. She was suspicious when she saw so many people inside the store.
Some of the old customers were insulted when they heard her call them actors.
“How can you talk like that?” The woman who was talking to Chu Mingjiao was angry too. “Who are you calling an actor? Are you crazy? Do you think the boss can hire so many actors? Just to buy vegetables?”
“Exactly. Do you think the boss can hire actors every day? Or do you think the boss opens the shop to lose money?”
People could be fooled by actors on the first day, but it was not a trick that could be relied on forever. Xiao Lingyu’s shop was going to be here long-term.
“Auntie, it’s your choice not to buy anything, but you shouldn’t be questioning the rest of us.” A young lady said, “Miss Xiao’s vegetables are expensive, but they are worth the price. Auntie, you haven’t tasted her food before, so you have no right to throw your suspicions around like that!”
“That’s right. Boss Xiao’s vegetables are reasonably priced if you asked me. Who are you to call us actors?”
Chu Mingjiao didn’t expect to get such a large reaction from the crowd. She stood there, and her ears turned red. She said. “Fine, since you people say the vegetables are reasonable for their prices, then I’ll buy some today. I want to find out why they can be so expensive. If they are not worth the price and I find the boss is deceiving the customers, I’ll bring the Commerce Bureau to seize this shop tomorrow!”
Xiao Lingyu narrowed her eye and said in a good-natured manner, “Madam, my shop has clear pricing and no bargaining. The bureau can come to supervise anytime.”
Chu Mingjiao looked at the shelves and grabbed a handful of leeks. She didn’t even line up and ran to the weighing area angrily. She placed the leeks on the weighing station and said, “Weigh these for me!”
Xiao Lingyu said, “Madam, please line up. This is just normal courtesy.” She could not give the woman special priority because she was unreasonable.
“That’s right. Line up! We’ve been queuing orderly, and no one has cut in line!”
“Queue up!”
Chu Mingjiao was so angry that her face turned red. She pointed angrily at Xiao Lingyu and said loudly, “You… Fine, I’ll queue up!”
Chu Mingjiao thought to herself, ‘Just you wait. I’ll bring the Commerce Bureau over tomorrow to close down your shop!’ The price might be marked, but it was clearly a hiked-up price.
Xiao Lingyu didn’t pay much attention to Chu Mingjiao. As long as she didn’t ruin the store, she could do anything she wanted.
Finally, it was Chu Mingjiao’s turn. But she was asked 9 RMB for a dozen of leeks.
Chu Mingjiao immediately screamed in disbelief, “Nine RMB? Are you trying to rob me? So expensive! There is not even a catty there. The market sells them for 3 RMB per catty, and you’re asking for 9 RMB for less than a catty. This is ridiculous!”
Someone reminded her, “You’ve taken the high-grade leeks. They are priced at 10 RMB per catty. The normal leeks are 6 RMB per catty!”
“What?” Chu Mingjiao huffed back to the shelf where she took the leek. It was written clearly: High-grade Leeks 9 RMB per catty.
Then, she turned to another shelf. The leeks there were indeed sold for 6 RMB per catty. She frowned and stomped back. She glared at the leeks.
Mother Xiao was nervous. She asked politely, “Madam, do you still want the leeks? If not, do you mind giving the space for the customer behind you?”
“Fine, I’ll take them!” Chu Mingjiao said, “I’ll see how high-grade they are that they cost so much!”
After Chu Mingjiao paid the bill and left, there weren’t many customers left in the shop.
Around 11 am, most of the customers had left.
Liu Chunhua and Xiao Mingyang looked at the empty shelves with disbelief. They had sold 1000 catties of vegetables in two hours.
“Dear, let me pinch you to see if I’m dreaming!” Liu Chunhua told Xiao Mingyang. She really went to pinch Xiao Mingyang’s arm.
Xiao Mingyang winced in pain. He groaned. “You should pinch yourself. Why did you pinch me?”
“I’m afraid of pain!” Liu Chunhua said matter-of-factly.
1
Xiao Mingyang, “…”
Liu Chunhua said, “So we’re not dreaming. All the expensive vegetables are almost sold out.” There were probably less than 100 catties left.
“Yes, it’s unbelievable.” Xiao Mingyang was surprised too. He thought no one would buy such expensive crops. But once the doors opened, people rushed in. They fought for the vegetables like they were free.
“Lingyu, you said most of the customers were return customers?” Xiao Mingyang asked.
“That’s right!” Xiao Lingyu nodded. “When I came to set up stall last month, I told them that I might open a shop, but I didn’t give them the exact address and location.” Then, she paused and smiled. “Honestly, I didn’t think the business would be so good too. I really need to thank Qian Yifan and the customers brought over by Uncle Chen.”
Qian Yifan posted the information about her shop on the forum, which attracted many people’s attention.
Uncle Chen’s social circle was filled with rich elders. Their most important thing was not money but good health. It was why Xiao Lingyu’s crops were so famous in that circle.
Xiao Lingyu had a limited supply in the past. Many people wanted to eat them, and they could only visit Uncle Chen. However, Uncle Chen had limited supply from Xiao Lingyu too. He couldn’t feed everyone. Therefore, once they heard Xiao Lingyu was opening a shop, they all came to buy vegetables.
Some of the customers were there due to introduction by old customers.
A thousand catties of vegetables sounded like a lot, but there were more than 20 types of vegetables. Each type occupied around forty to fifty catties.
The customers bought 10 catties on average. So the stock depleted quickly.
Liu Chunhua asked, “Yu ‘Er, do you know all the grandmas and grandpas who came this morning?”
Xiao Lingyu nodded. “I know some but not all!”
“That’s why education is so important. It’s beneficial to have a wide range of friends.” Liu Chunhua sighed. “My brat can’t even sit down to read. What will he do in the future?”
Xiao Lingyu smiled and said, “Fourth aunt, Xiaohui is still young. What are you worried about? Plus, Old Master Gong likes Xiaohui very much. He says that he’s very smart!”
Liu Chunhua’s smile immediately appeared. However, she said humbly, “The old master is just praising him casually.” However, her tone couldn’t hide her pride.
Among all the children in the village, Old Master Gong only liked Xiao Xiaohui. As for Xiao Xiaohui, he seemed to like Old Master Gong very much and often went to his house.
At this moment, Mother Xiao smiled and said, “I heard that Xiaohui is very talented in martial arts. He has been going to Old Master Gong’s house and pestering Xiao Wang to teach him martial arts.”
“This child is always up to something.” Xiao Mingyang chided with a smile. “Why is he learning martial arts? To fight? Now, no one his age is his match. If he learns martial arts, he’ll only be more arrogant.”
Mother Xiao said, “I don’t think it’s that bad. At least, he won’t be bullied by others in the future.”
Liu Chunhua shook her head and said, “I still hope Xiaohui can study well and learn from Yu ‘Er and Ye ‘Er.”
Xiao Lingyu chuckled, “Fourth Aunt, Xiaohui is still young. Plus, he might be successful in other fields.”
“Haha. That is not bad too!” Xiao Mingyang guffawed.
“This is it! I bought it here!” A voice came from outside the shop. “This place’s cucumbers and radishes are very delicious.”
Xiao Lingyu and the others looked over and saw a group of young men and women walking in.
“Sun Li, is this really the place?” A young girl looked at Xiao Lingyu and her family.
Sun Li answered, “Yes. When I was here this morning, there were so many people. Hmm, there’s not many people now.”
An Ming glanced around and said, “It’s already so late, and there aren’t many vegetables left on the shelves. Isn’t it for there to be fewer people now?”
Zeng Yanhong frowned and said, “The vegetables are all sold out. What can we buy then?”
Xiao Lingyu walked over and asked, “May I ask what are you looking for?”
Zeng Yanhong said, “Do you still have green cucumbers and radishes?”
Xiao Lingyu took a look, shook her head, and said, “I’m sorry, but they’re all sold out. Would you like other vegetables? Or do you want to come back tomorrow?”
“Ah, they’re really all sold out.” Sun Li appeared a little disappointed, and then she said, “I guess that’s to be expected. When I was here this morning, there were so many people fighting for the vegetables. It’s already so late, so it’s normal for the stock to be sold out.”
An Ming asked, “Miss, do you still have any vegetables that can be eaten raw?”
Xiao Lingyu shook her head and said, “They’re all sold out. If you want, you can come back tomorrow.”
The vegetables that could be eaten raw were only tomatoes, green cucumbers, white radishes, carrots, and cabbage. But these vegetables had all been sold out.
Zeng Yanhong looked around and asked curiously, “Boss, your vegetables are so expensive!”
A few friends beside her echoed, “Yes, the vegetables here are indeed expensive. Look, a cabbage costs more than ten RMB.”
Xiao Lingyu explained with a smile, “My vegetables are expensive, but there is a reason why they are so expensive. You have eaten cucumbers and white radishes, right? Don’t you think they are worth the prices?”
“Your cucumbers and radishes are indeed delicious.” Sun Li didn’t deny it. They were worth more than 4 RMB per catty.
They were climbing the Nanshan Temple Mountain this morning. They took a break and sat down to eat.
Sun Li took out the green cucumbers and white radishes from her bag and broke them open. There were six people in the group, three couples in total.
“Sun Li, why did you buy two white radishes? Are they delicious?” Zeng Yanhong was very confused when she saw Sun Li take out the white radish.
Sun Li shook her head and said, “I don’t know either. An Ming and I saw people buy them and eat them directly. We bought the last two.”
An Ming broke the radish and put it into his mouth. The others immediately stared at him and asked, “An Ming, is it delicious?”
An Ming shook his head and said, “It’s not good, not good at all. I’ll eat it for you!” He held the radish in his arms, afraid that it would be snatched away.
The rest of his friends eyes An Ming suspiciously. “Is it really not good?”
Would An Ming act like this if the radishes were not delicious?
No.
Therefore, the two young men snatched the radish from An Ming and took a bite. After a moment, they cried out in surprise, “Damn, this is heaven’s delicacy! An Ming, how can you lie to us? Brothers, get him!”