An Jing laughed even more joyfully, teasingly touched Xiao Changyi’s unexpressive handsome face, and then pulled Changyi out of the house with her to deal with the Shopkeeper from Jadeite Tavern.
The Shopkeeper of Jadeite Tavern had arrived in a horse-drawn carriage, which was parked at the entrance of the courtyard, and the Shopkeeper himself was standing on the carriage with his nose in the air, not bothering to come down.
As soon as he saw An Jing and Xiao Changyi, the Shopkeeper bluntly asked, "Are you the couple that sells fermented bean curd?"
"Yes, that’s us." An Jing smiled radiantly.
The Shopkeeper frowned when he saw the hands An Jing and Xiao Changyi were holding, muttered something about impropriety under his breath, and finally descended from the carriage, not caring whether An Jing and Changyi had invited him in, and walked straight into the courtyard.
An Jing’s pupils slightly contracted; although her face bore a smile, it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Approaching An Jing and Xiao Changyi, the Shopkeeper said, "I want to buy your fermented bean curd, fifty pounds. Hurry up and load it onto my carriage, I have other matters to attend to."
Seeing the Shopkeeper’s attitude as if buying their bean curd was doing them a favor, An Jing, far from being angry, laughed, "Not selling."
The Shopkeeper, who had already taken out his money bag and was about to pay, paused, looked up at An Jing in disbelief, and asked, "What did you say?" He must have heard wrong.
"Not selling," An Jing repeated without minding saying it again.
So he hadn’t heard wrong! The Shopkeeper instantly got angry and demanded loudly, "Why won’t you sell it to me?"
"Why should I sell it to you?"
"I came here to buy!"
"Do you have any idea who I am?!" The Shopkeeper was even more furious. He was the Shopkeeper of the largest tavern in Sixteen Town! Their boss had connections in the County Government!
"I don’t care who you are; I’m just not selling to you. Also, get out of here quickly, you’re not welcome in my home."
The Shopkeeper’s eyes bulged with anger, but recalling that their boss had insisted he procure the fermented bean curd, he suppressed his rage and said, "Our boss mentioned that you sell for ten coins a pound in the market, and we are willing to pay eleven coins a pound for your fermented bean curd."
His tone was condescending, and he maintained an air of arrogance, acting as if he were doing them a great favor.
An Jing, however, offered him just one word in response: "Leave."
Never before had the Shopkeeper been treated with such disrespect. Backed by his powerful boss, he was well-known and influential in TipLiu Town. Today, however, he was being dismissed by a little woman and could no longer contain his anger.
"You’ll regret this!" With those five words spat out in a huff, the Shopkeeper stormed off.
An Jing turned her head, smiled at her aloof husband, and asked, "Husband, will we regret it?"
"Exactly," An Jing chuckled. "I don’t know where that guy got his sense of superiority. He’s shorter than you but still tried to look down on us with his chin up. Heh, serves him right to be sent off in a huff."
She started the fermented bean curd business to make money, not to take insults. If earning money meant also taking insults, she’d rather not do business at all. In other words, neither she nor her husband would stand to be disrespected.
No one was going to insult her and her husband!
The next morning, Shopkeepers from Auspicious Liquor House, Famous Liquor House, and Double Happiness Liquor House arrived; presumably, the three had agreed to come together.
The three Shopkeepers were very polite and courteous. Only after An Jing invited them in did they enter the courtyard.
Upon entering the house, the Shopkeeper from Auspicious Liquor House began, "Xiao Bio Gong, Mrs. An, we inquired from many sources to find your residence. We apologize for coming unannounced today and hope you can forgive us."