Chapter 206: A Kind of Business Acumen ③
Actually, a more appropriate description would be like how city dwellers used to look at villagers, or how some rich people look at the poor.
If they were to become partners, then the most basic requirement would be for them to be equals, not for one to be condescending. Even Zhang Qitian, whom he considered a collaborator, had a look of charity.
Nie Qiu was not satisfied with the person in front of her. He did not shake her hand, so she withdrew hers. Mr. Chen was naturally also not very satisfied with Nie Qiu. Nie Qiu picked up her trash can and said to Zhang Ge, “Brother Zhang, customers will be coming in soon, I’m going to help my mom.”
“Hey, Nie Qiu…” Zhang Qi Tian started to call out to Nie Qiu, but Nie Qiu had already walked more than ten meters away.
Mr. Chen glanced at Zhang Qi Tian. Knowing that he couldn’t make the decision, he left without even saying goodbye. Although they couldn’t get him to reveal which farm he bought the vegetables from, he was confident he would find it. He didn’t have to buy from these vegetable vendors; buying from them meant they earned a middleman’s profit. If he could find the farm, the money saved could allow him to go to nightclubs several more times each month!
Seeing Mr. Chen about to leave, Zhang Qi Tian quickly came out from behind the vegetable stand. “Mr. Chen, are you… not buying vegetables anymore?”
The person called Mr. Chen didn’t even look at Zhang Qi Tian and walked out of the vegetable market.
“What did Brother Zhang say to you just now?” Nie Ai Fang asked Nie Qiu, who had returned with the trash can, after finding change for a customer.
“Oh, Brother Zhang asked me how my exams went.” Nie Qiu called Zhang Qi Tian “Brother Zhang” because she was the same age as Zhang Qi Tian’s younger brother. Nie Ai Fang called Zhang Qi Tian “brother” because Zhang Qi Tian was younger than her. In the local dialect, people younger than oneself, but not by much, are called “brother,” and those older are called “ge lao guan.”
“I came home late yesterday, I haven’t asked you how your exams went yet!” Nie Ai Fang looked at Nie Qiu with a smile. “How did you do? Were the questions on the test paper difficult? If you found them not difficult, then you should have done well.”
Nie Qiu nodded with a smile. “Yes, it was pretty good. I could do basically all the questions on the test paper.”
“That’s good.” Nie Ai Fang smiled and said, “If you can get into the top three hundred, we outsiders can still study like locals, just by paying tuition fees.” With the nine-year compulsory education and now subsidies for poor students, tuition fees are affordable for every family. It’s just that Nie Qiu’s previous grades were not good, and she was an outsider. Schools like A City High School would not accept such students unless they paid to attend. However, if Nie Qiu’s grades improved to the top three hundred, she could study like others, just by paying tuition.
“Mom, before the exams, the Principal said at the flag raising ceremony that those who rank in the top ten in the entire grade will have all their tuition and miscellaneous fees waived, meaning they can study for free,” Nie Qiu told Nie Ai Fang.
Nie Ai Fang smiled and said, “Yes, yes, yes. Then you should hope to get into the top ten.” Nie Ai Fang’s thoughts were similar to many people’s. The reason Nie Qiu managed to get into the top eight in the entire grade during the last monthly exam was because Nie Qiu had put in effort that month. A monthly exam tests knowledge within a month’s study. She felt that if her daughter had worked hard, it was reasonable for her to improve from over 400th place to over 300th place, but to get into the top ten was impossible.
“There’s also a five-thousand-yuan scholarship for first place,” Nie Qiu told Nie Ai Fang. “If you get into the top few in the city, there’s also a five-thousand-yuan scholarship.”
Nie Ai Fang saw a customer arrive. Although she heard what Nie Qiu said, she didn’t have time to reply and busied herself, “Miss, are you here to buy vegetables again? What would you like today?”
“I want a pound of green chili peppers and some long beans.” The girl pointed to the vegetables she wanted and asked Nie Ai Fang to pack them. Usually, younger people who come to buy vegetables don’t ask about the price; they just have them packed, pay, and leave.
Nie Qiu grabbed two plastic bags for Nie Ai Fang. Nie Ai Fang skillfully packed the two vegetables into separate bags and put them on the electronic scale. Nie Qiu looked at the scale and told the young woman buying vegetables, “Chili peppers are three yuan per pound, and long beans are two yuan for half a pound, totaling five yuan.” Nie Ai Fang had been in the vegetable business for over two months, and her packing was quite consistent, with little deviation.
The young woman took five yuan from her wallet and handed it to Nie Qiu. Nie Qiu took it, tied the plastic bags, and handed them to her with a smile, “Here are your vegetables.”
Nie Ai Fang also smiled and said, “Take care! Come again next time.”
After seeing the customer off, Nie Ai Fang looked at Nie Qiu and smiled, “Then you earn some scholarships for me next year.”
Nie Qiu didn’t say anything. Although she felt she was close, there were always exceptions. Just like some people say, a highly skilled martial artist can lose to a less skilled one due to many external factors, such as mood or physical discomfort, and many other things. Everything requires favorable timing, location, and human harmony.
She believed she had approached every subject’s exam seriously and checked her work carefully, so there shouldn’t be many mistakes. However, for English composition, Chinese composition, and applied problems in various subjects, which don’t have exact scores or answers, it depends on whether her test paper appeals to the grader. For example, in Chinese composition, everyone’s preferred stories and writing styles are different. If the grader likes her writing style and descriptions, they might give her a high score of forty-eight out of fifty. If the grader doesn’t like her writing style and descriptions, even if her writing is undeniably good, they might give her forty.
She couldn’t be sure if she could get first place, so she didn’t dare to promise Nie Ai Fang that she would get first place and win a scholarship.
Nie Qiu remained silent, and Nie Ai Fang didn’t mind. More and more customers arrived, and the two began to get busy. When Nie Ai Fang’s mobile phone rang, she was packing vegetables for someone, so Nie Qiu had to answer the call herself.
“Hello, Auntie? It’s Huang Yan…” As soon as the phone was answered, Huang Yan on the other end spoke.
Nie Qiu’s expression darkened. Before Huang Yan could finish speaking, she interrupted, “It’s me. Is there something you need?”
“Nie Qiu, I’m looking for Nie Qiu…” Huang Yan continued speaking. Hearing Nie Qiu’s voice, she was surprised. “Nie Qiu, it’s you! Are you free tomorrow? Let’s go to People’s Park!”
“Go to People’s Park? Didn’t we just go before the exams? Why again?” Nie Qiu frowned. No matter how beautiful the scenery, it loses its charm after seeing it too many times. For example, Mount Tai is considered magical and beautiful by many, but for those who live at its foot, Mount Tai is just Mount Tai, nothing special.
This is precisely why many people enjoy vacationing but would never choose to stay in that place.
