Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Smilingly_1
Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Smilingly_1
The young woman’s mother-in-law had initially thought of bringing her daughter-in-law to Lin Yue because she heard the steamed buns were cheap and tasty. It turned out to be a worthwhile trip. Although they didn’t buy any steamed buns, the stall had a few new dishes she hadn’t seen before. Her husband at home was just complaining about being sick of eating the same few dishes every day, but she couldn’t do much about it given the season. Today, however, she had stumbled upon something interesting.
“This five-spice tofu looks really aromatic, how much do you sell it for?” The young woman’s mother-in-law looked serious, but when she spoke, her voice was crisp and pleasant, carrying a hint of elegance.
“Five coins per piece, two pieces chopped up can make a bowl, good with either rice or alcohol.”
“It’s a bit pricey, can you make it cheaper?” On hearing Lin Yue’s price, Madam Lin slightly furrowed her brows, thinking it was a bit expensive. It wasn’t about the money itself; after all, one coin could buy a piece of regular tofu, and this was several times more expensive. She felt that Lin Yue was being insincere by setting a high price, and it soured her mood a bit,
“I can’t make it any cheaper, this is already the lowest price. The five-spice tofu is made from a secret family recipe handed down through generations. It requires several steps to make, and just the ingredients alone include over ten different kinds. The cost is too high, if I sold it for less, I would be at a loss. The five-spice tofu is already cooked; why don’t you try a piece, ma’am? Then you’ll know whether I’m telling the truth.”
Actually, upon hearing that the five-spice tofu required over ten kinds of ingredients from Lin Yue, Madam Lin thought five coins a piece wasn’t so expensive. After all, the beans weren’t the costly part; it was the ingredients inside that were. Her husband was particular about food, so she always tried to make tasty dishes and would buy various ingredients to mix with the vegetables, which indeed weren’t cheap.
Taking Lin Yue’s lead, Madam Lin pinched off a tiny bit of the five-spice tofu to taste. Without a second word, she instructed Lin Yue to pack up ten pieces of the five-spice tofu, purchasing most of what Lin Yue had left. Only a few pieces remained in the basket. Moreover, she bought two portions each of bean sprouts and bamboo shoots, paying promptly—a total of eighty-six coins—and also inquired about when Lin Yue would come next.
Lin Yue could tell that the mother and daughter-in-law came from a well-off family that was willing to spend money and quick to accept new foods. She said, “I only sold today, I’ll have to wait until the next market day to come again. I came in a rush this time and didn’t prepare enough, only these few dishes to sell. Next time, I’ll bring more variety. I hope big sister and madam will come and support me again then.”
“No problem, as long as your stuff is good and we enjoy it, it’s not just my mother-in-law who will buy. Next time, I’ll bring the neighbors from our street, too.” The young woman was straightforward; seeing Lin Yue, a woman with a child, selling goods wasn’t easy. She found Lin Yue quite likable and readily made her promise.
“Then I thank you, big sister.”
After the mother-daughter-in-law pair left, people trickled in to buy some things. Watching the last of the bean sprouts sell out, only some bamboo shoots and a few pieces of tofu remained. Lin Yue closed up her stall and took Dalang to find Chunxi.
Since that time Lin Yue helped with the sales pitch, Chunxi had learned not to stay silent like before. Occasionally she would call out to attract customers, and her goods were selling better than in the past. By the time Lin Yue and Dalang arrived, Chunxi had sold all her wild vegetables. At that time of year, most wild greens were not yet growing in the fields, and there wasn’t much competition on the market—thus, being the only seller, she did well. But it wouldn’t be as easy once the wild greens started growing everywhere.
“You’re here, just wait a moment, and I’ll pack up and take you to the Embroidery Store.” Chunxi was very happy to have sold all her wild vegetables, speaking more cheerfully than usual. She was all smiles upon seeing Lin Yue and Dalang