The market indeed makes Songling Town more lively than usual.
When Zhuang Keqing and Shen Ling took Dahei to the south of the town, all the places where they usually set up stalls were occupied. Now, not only was there a mule cart packed in the street, but even putting a backpack on it had to be squeezed in with others. of.
It's not easy to get involved in this situation, as it could lead to a quarrel easily.
"It's better to go to the grocery store first." Zhuang Keqing couldn't help it, so he discussed it with Shen Ling.
"That's fine." Shen Ling nodded.
The two of them turned the car around and headed west of the town.
At this time, Zhuang Er and Zhuang San were pushing a cart and going to the grocery stores along the west side of the town, asking one by one if they wanted to collect dried potatoes.
"I've never heard of dried sweet potatoes, so I won't harvest them!"
Zhuang Santi slipped a cloth bag and left his large shop. Zhuang Er, who was waiting outside, saw him, with a glimmer of hope on his honest face.
"How about it, can you accept it?"
"Stop it! Didn't you see that I brought it up again?"
At this moment, Zhuang San deeply resented that Zhuang Er was the idiot who followed him. Even if this guy had half as much skill in talking as he did, he would still be like this.
What is it like now?
Not a single piece was sold!
As soon as they entered the city, they pushed the car to the grocery store where they had collected their dried potatoes. After arriving, Zhuang San went in and asked the shopkeeper if he wanted to accept their goods.
Unexpectedly, the shopkeeper said that not many of the dried potatoes he had bought in the past few days had been sold, and he had suffered a huge loss. They happened to come and expected to return the goods. This frightened Zhuang San and ran away quickly. I dare to think about asking again.
After that, they visited several more stores, but they all said they would not accept items they had never seen before.
Even though Zhuang San thought he was a sharp-tongued person, he didn't take any chances in selling the goods.
After wandering around for half a morning, I still didn't sell any of them.
"What are we going to do? Don't get scolded to death by your mother when you go back."
Zhuang Er looked at the two cane baskets of dried potatoes on the cart and felt extremely regretful. Why didn't he persuade his mother in the first place?
If you keep the sweet potatoes, you can still eat them as food in the winter to fill your belly. But now that these sweet potatoes have been dried and sold, you can’t make any money, and you have lost the sweet potatoes that were used as food rations. Wouldn’t it mean that both ends are empty? .
It’s impossible for the whole family to grab dried potatoes and gnaw them when they’re really hungry, right?
"What's the use of complaining to me? If you're in a hurry, just take your own basket and sell it, and you'll save me more money!"
Zhuang San worked hard for a long time and didn't accomplish anything. He was already unhappy, and he couldn't bear to see his second brother's foresight and coward. Hearing him mumbling on the side, he felt angry. If he hadn't taken care of it, he would have The slightest bit of brotherly love would have been abandoned long ago.
Zhuang Er came out of the car and pushed the cart without letting go or taking a sip of water. However, he pushed the cart behind him and did not dare to say a word. He just pushed the cart behind him.
There are several shops in front of Haolai, so you have to try your luck. If it doesn't work, you can only go to Zhennan and sell them in pieces at a low price, so as not to make a loss.
After carrying the bag, Zhuang San entered a grocery store again, but this time he didn't come out for a while. Zhuang Er waited outside, feeling some hope in his heart.
No matter how much or how little, you must accept it.
"Second uncle, why are you here?"
A clear and capable voice came from not far away.
When Zhuang Er heard the sound, he turned around and saw his niece and niece's son-in-law pulling a cart behind him.
"Dried potatoes are not easy to sell. This third brother is trying to find out if the grocery store will accept them." He looked embarrassed, glanced at his smiling niece, and his eyes stayed on his cart for a moment, feeling ashamed. Lowered his head.
The recipe given by someone kindly was used by his family to make money in a blink of an eye. Zhuang Er really had no face to explain, and he did not dare to look in the direction of his niece. He just held a cart and remained silent. For a while, the air around the man felt a little heavy.
.
"Dried sweet potatoes are just like melon seeds during the Chinese New Year festival. The weather must be cooler to sell well. Uncle, don't worry."
Zhuang Keqing didn't seem to notice anything and spoke to reassure him.
This made Zhuang Er even more embarrassed. He tried to explain a few words, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out.
What's the explanation? There's nothing to explain. It's all his fault. He shouldn't have listened to his mother and asked for a prescription, and he shouldn't have been forced by his mother to dry the dried potatoes and sell them.
But, what can he do? That's his mother! How could his son not listen to his mother's words...
Zhuang Keqing saw Zhuang Er's entangled expression to the point where his facial features were squeezing together, and knew that her second uncle was not very good at talking at home. He could probably speak a hundred sentences, but it would still be worth the old lady's hum.
Thinking of this, she even felt a little pity for him.
It's better to do your own business as soon as possible, so as not to make him feel uncomfortable here.
"Second uncle, I'll go buy some things first, and you can do it yourself."
After speaking, she entered the grocery store without waiting for Zhuang Er's hesitant reply.
Maybe there was a big market, so the store was much busier today than when I came back last time. There were two waiters in front of the counter, one helping people pack vinegar, and the other packing candies.
The shopkeeper was bargaining with a tall man who had his back turned to her.
"Seven cents per catty, no more."
"What? Look again! My dried potatoes are made from the sweet potatoes that were just harvested in the past few days. They are sweet and fresh. How can I only cost seven cents per pound!"
"We've already said seven cents. If you want to sell it, bring it in. If you don't want to sell it, leave!"
"Here, you! Fresh potatoes cost three cents a pound. I only get one pound of dried potatoes from these two pounds of fresh potatoes. Plus this artificial firewood, shopkeeper, you should give me a little profit!"
When Zhuang Keqing heard this, he guessed that this person was Zhuang San.
"Why are you so persistent? When I didn't know that the new grocery store in front of you collected your dried potatoes and didn't sell much yet? I opened a store here to do no good deeds!"
The shopkeeper's brows were furrowed and he was obviously impatient.
"Shopkeeper, please think again! If it doesn't work, try another piece. The sweetness is no worse than caramel!"
"You're so ignorant, you're so ignorant. You won't leave even if we can't agree on a penny. If you continue to be so annoying, I'm going to have the guy beat me up!"
Zhuang San wanted to fight for it again, but the shopkeeper had already come out from behind the counter.
He followed the shopkeeper's step and turned around. He bent over and raised his head, and happened to face Zhuang Keqing behind him.
There was a playful smile on the corner of the girl's mouth. Although she said nothing, in Zhuang San's eyes, it was like a bolt from the blue.
When did she come in?
How long have you been watching?
How much have you heard?
Are you laughing at me in your heart?!
Zhuang San froze for a moment, maintaining the ridiculous posture of holding the bag and handing it forward, his eyes almost bulging from his sockets.
But Zhuang Keqing no longer looked at him at this time.
She turned around and smiled and said hello to the shopkeeper familiarly. During the conversation, she asked if she had bought what she wanted last time. She just pretended that Zhuang San was nothing.
The shopkeeper took Zhuang Keqing to the back room, and the waiter came down to take over Zhuang Er's work.
"Hey, are you still selling that thing?"
He looked at this man as something a little unusual, as if he was in a nightmare and couldn't move.
"are you OK?"
The waiter asked again and reached out to pat the other person's shoulder.
Only then did Zhuang Er come back to his senses. He turned his head and glanced at the curtained inner room, feeling mixed emotions in his heart.
He took a deep breath, picked up the bag and walked out. Unexpectedly, the clerk stopped him and asked again, "Do you still sell these dried potatoes?"
"Not for sale!"
After that, Zhuang San rushed out without looking back, and the small waiter didn't even try to hold him back. He wanted to give chase, but another customer came to the store, so he had no choice but to step forward to entertain him.
"Why don't you sell it? The price is obviously open to negotiation."
The waiter muttered in a low voice. He had been working in the store for a long time and knew that his shopkeeper used this method to lower the price. He liked to look impatient to show others, but in fact he was anxious to buy.
Just now, he clearly saw the look the shopkeeper gave him, telling him to eat the goods no matter what. Who knew this man could run so fast!
Really, a good job can be done badly!
The back room of the grocery store.
The shopkeeper took a linen bag from the cabinet and opened it in front of Zhuang Keqing.
It was a bag full of small, round balls with light green tints, which looked exactly like the koji she had seen in later generations.
"The wine koji you want, these are enough for you to make more than a dozen jars."
The shopkeeper put the bag on the small table next to the seat, raised his eyes and looked at the girl in front of him arrogantly, "This is for three months, I want to see what kind of good wine can surpass my Luofuchun go!"
