Chapter 214: Youthful ①
Peng Yu Yang’s uncle and Zhang Qitian finished discussing the specific details of their cooperative business. After greeting Nie Aifang at Nie Qiu’s stall, he left the vegetable market with a smile.
Although Zhang Qitian really wanted to make a lot of money and felt it was a pity to have lost his previous customers, he also understood that making a lot of money came with great risk. It was better to diligently and honestly do a small business. Doing business with Zijin Hotel, in the end, he was still making money. Although his wife had told him more than once that he couldn’t make big money, they had gotten through so many years together. Married life is like that, sometimes sweet, sometimes noisy; how could they be inseparable for a lifetime?
After thinking it through, his disappointment and frustration from not being able to close that big deal subsided. When customers came, he could greet them with a smile.
Nie Qiu had always known that Zhang Qitian resented her for driving away the previous big client. However, Nie Qiu didn’t want to do business with people like that. Doing business together should be mutually beneficial. Business is only business when everyone makes a profit. Although there are highs and lows, outwardly, there should be harmony. This is the merchant’s way of prosperity through peace. If she had truly done business with that so-called big client, then at any time, people would have to look down on them, as if buying their vegetables was an act of charity.
In the past, when Nie Qiu came to the vegetable market after school to help Nie Aifang, Zhang Qitian would greet her. But ever since Nie Qiu forced that big client away, Zhang Qitian had been depressed for days. Not only did he not smile much at Nie Qiu, but he also greeted fewer customers who came to buy vegetables. Seeing Zhang Qitian happily greeting customers now, Nie Qiu also felt happy.
Nie Aifang asked her to buy takeout. She directly ordered three servings of stir-fried peppers with meat and three servings of rice. After putting her own two servings inside, she delivered one serving to Zhang Qitian.
Seeing Nie Qiu bringing him food, how could Zhang Qitian accept it? “My wife is supposed to bring me food at three o’clock. You eat the food you bought.”
Nie Qiu smiled, “Brother Zhang, I know you resented me for driving away that big client before, but you’ve seen it yourself. Doing business with that person was like charity, as if we were beggars. How could such a business last? It’s possible they might turn around and bite us.”
Zhang Qitian and Nie Aifang were the same. Villagers, with narrow vision, were accustomed to some people looking down on them and putting on airs. They didn’t think much of it. They greeted the customers who came to buy vegetables with smiles. They were used to seeing such faces and accustomed to superficial flattery, so they didn’t notice the true expressions of others, instead thinking it was normal.
But when Nie Qiu said it, it felt different. How was it different? With a little thought, he knew. Between the big client Mr. Chen and the current client Mr. Liu, whose demeanor made him feel more comfortable? Naturally, it was Mr. Liu, which was obvious. Thinking of this, Zhang Qitian smiled, “Nie Qiu, do you think Brother Zhang is getting old? I’ve lived for over thirty years, and I still can’t see through people.”
“Brother Zhang, where are you old? I see Sister Zhen Zhen comes to sit at your vegetable stand every day, just like those handsome middle-aged uncles popular in Korean dramas.” Zhen Zhen is the administrator of the vegetable market. Besides those selling their own goods, the vegetable market actually has many employees, such as Zhen Zhen from the management office, two cleaners, and two security guards. This is also why the rent for the vegetable market stalls is expensive. Management fees alone are nearly two hundred. Nie Qiu smiled as she walked into the vegetable stand and placed the boxed meals and stir-fried dishes on the stand. “Brother Zhang, you’ve helped us a lot with our vegetable stall in this market, and we’re eating your food. We also learned from you how to sort and wash vegetables and preserve unsold ones. We should treat you to a meal, but you vegetable sellers don’t have much time during the day. I bought you food and meals to eat, you can’t dislike it.”
Handsome middle-aged uncles in Korean dramas. Nie Qiu’s family now has a television, and she’s good friends with Huang Yan. She knows a thing or two about what’s popular among young people, even though by the time she knows, what young people are popular with has already changed. She is a professor, but now “professor” has become a synonym for “handsome guy”…
As for Zhang Qitian, there’s no need to say more. His wife likes watching Korean idol dramas and likes the pretty boys on TV. His own younger brother is also young, so he naturally knows some new things. When Nie Qiu praised him as being like an uncle in a Korean drama, he naturally felt much more confident. Didn’t his wife like men from Korean dramas? He happily took the boxed meal Nie Qiu bought him, “Then I won’t be polite. You two also don’t need to be polite with me. If I have to say it, I should thank you. If it weren’t for you! My vegetable stand would only net three to four thousand a month. Now I can earn seven to eight thousand, and that’s thanks to you.” This was true. Nie Qiu’s family didn’t owe him anything. He hadn’t spent a penny, and with a little effort, he helped rent a vegetable stall. They sold him vegetables, and at the same retail price as ordinary vegetables. It made things much more convenient for him, and he also made money.
Before, he had to wake up early every day. Besides necessary procurement channels, such as for water bamboo and garlic, which required bulk purchases, fresh vegetables had to be bought from farmers. Therefore, he had to buy vegetables from farmers selling on the road outside the vegetable market to sell them. Not only was it troublesome, but some farmers would also raise prices. He rented a stall and had to pay money; he also had to make money, so naturally, he wouldn’t buy from those who raised prices. Thus, every day was tiring and busy.
Now it’s so convenient. Besides necessary vegetables, he gets them from the warehouse. They are fresh and grow well, so sorting and washing them isn’t as laborious. They grow well, and the price is the same as others. Naturally, they can sell out earlier, earn more money, and close their stalls early every day.
“Since that’s the case, let’s not be polite to each other.” Nie Qiu said with a smile, “I’ll go back to my vegetable stall to eat first. You eat slowly.”
“Then thank you for the treat today. The vegetable market will be closed for the New Year, so our two families must have a good meal.” Zhang Qitian opened the food container and couldn’t help but smile when he saw the stir-fried peppers with meat inside. He broke open the disposable chopsticks and started eating.
“Okay.” Since they had already said not to be polite, Nie Qiu wouldn’t stand on ceremony anymore. She smiled and agreed to what Zhang Qitian said, then returned to her own vegetable stall.
Nie Aifang had already placed cardboard on a small stool and put the dishes on the cardboard on the stool. Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang held their own meals and sat on two other small stools, starting to eat.
“How much is left from the fifty yuan I gave you for the food?” Nie Aifang asked while eating.
Nie Qiu smiled, “Mom, I stir-fried three servings of stir-fried peppers with meat, twelve yuan per serving, which is thirty-six yuan. A box of rice is two yuan. The total cost was thirty-nine yuan. The takeout container cost one yuan, so there’s ten yuan left.”
“Three servings?” Nie Aifang saw Nie Qiu deliver food to Zhang Qitian and only thought that Zhang Qitian had given Nie Qiu money to help him bring food.
