Chapter 52: Buy It or Not, Up to You

Chapter 52: Take It or Leave It

Jiang Yingxue smiled, her eyes curving like crescents. "I remember you. Today, buying meatballs or rice balls comes with a free Qiong Peach Juice." The elementary school student before her had visited the stall yesterday and was among her youngest customers, so she recognized her at a glance.

"Wow! Okay, thank you, sister!" Saving the 20 yuan for the juice, Liu Minmin was thrilled. She decided she'd definitely be back to buy more tomorrow!

Liang Zecheng said, "Sister, I'll have the same as her." He didn't like choosing for himself. Since Liu Minmin's tastes were similar to his, he often just ordered whatever she did.

Zhang Xuhao said, "Sister, I'd like 4 fish balls, 6 shrimp balls, and one pork cutlet flavor rice ball and one egg and ham flavor rice ball, please."

Wu Xiaoxuan said, "Sister, I want two shrimp balls."

...

"Alright, just wait a moment."

These elementary school students really liked the meatballs. Jiang Yingxue hadn't prepared a large quantity today, and their orders quickly cleared out the remaining stock.

Just as Jiang Yingxue was preparing the Qiong Peach Juice, a middle-aged woman suddenly popped her head in. Her name was Yuan Yali, and she was one of the people who had asked Lu Caiyun about the "family secret sauce" last night.

Yuan Yali inquired, "Young lady, are your family members the ones selling vegetables at the Dongsheng Market?"

Jiang Yingxue smiled and replied, "Yes, are you here to buy the family secret sauce?" Her family shared stories from their day, and Lu Caiyun had mentioned again how much people liked their food. Jiang Yingxue had then suggested selling the Spirit Chili Bean Sauce. This auntie was probably here for that.

"Yes, yes, exactly!" Yuan Yali nodded happily. She had found the right place.

She waved to a middle-aged couple behind her. "It's here, come quick!"

The couple were Zhuang Liuhong and Wang Shaobo, Yuan Yali's neighbors and residents near the Dongsheng Market.

Zhuang Liuhong had also asked Lu Caiyun for the sauce recipe last night but was refused. Even if Lu Caiyun had given it to her, she couldn't have replicated it. How could she possibly source all the spiritual plants required, which didn't even exist in the mortal world?

Zhuang Liuhong swayed her hips as she stepped forward. "Coming, coming."

Jiang Yingxue said, "The Spirit Chili Bean Sauce is 200 yuan per jar. How many would you like?"

Yuan Yali said, "I'll take one for now." If her grandson liked it, she could always buy more later.

Jiang Yingxue quickly packaged a jar of the sauce. Remembering that customers who bought meatballs or rice balls today received free juice, she didn't want to treat sauce buyers differently. So, she also prepared a cup of Qiong Peach Juice.

She handed the packaged bag to Yuan Yali with a smile. "Here's your Spirit Chili Bean Sauce. We're running a promotion today, so the Qiong Peach Juice is complimentary."

Zhuang Liuhong saw that the sauce jar was only palm-sized and came with a juice worth 20 yuan. She felt the 200-yuan price tag for the sauce was unreasonable and had too much markup.

She tried to haggle. "Miss, will you sell it for 20?"

Twenty was ten times less than two hundred. Zhuang Liuhong was a skilled bargainer.

Jiang Yingxue maintained her customer-service smile. "No, no haggling." When the family discussed pricing yesterday, she had suggested 2000 yuan, but Lu Caiyun had ultimately set the price at 200.

Zhuang Liuhong frowned and raised her voice. "Miss, sauces in the supermarket are only ten or twenty yuan. Do you think it's appropriate to sell a palm-sized jar for 200? Honestly, forget giving away one cup of juice; even if you gave away eight or ten cups, it still wouldn't be worth buying! Change the price!"

With that, she crossed her arms and stared at Jiang Yingxue.

Jiang Yingxue glanced at Yuan Yali beside Zhuang Liuhong, her lips twitching slightly. Were these two acquainted?

Zhuang Liuhong also realized she had spoken too hastily, forgetting about Yuan Yali who had already paid and received her goods. She nudged Yuan Yali's arm with her elbow. "You can return it now. The stall owner can't do anything to you."

Yuan Yali didn't move. She had already bought it; she'd wait and see.

Jiang Yingxue said coolly, "Changing the price is possible. 300 yuan per jar. This is a secret-recipe sauce. I actually think 200 yuan is too low. As for whether it sells, customers who find the price acceptable will buy it. Those who don't are not forced to."

A flicker of displeasure crossed Zhuang Liuhong's heart. This stall owner was as annoying as her family—one hoarding the recipe, the other trying to raise the price to spite people. In her view, all street stall goods were negotiable. She hadn't expected this young vendor to break the usual haggling script by not countering with 150 yuan, eventually settling for her final offer of 30.

With her neighbor watching, Zhuang Liuhong felt she had lost face. The more she looked at that sauce jar, the more it irritated her.

"How can you be so ungrateful? I told you to lower the price for your own good, and you go and raise it by 100? Why don't you just rob people! And don't act like I can't afford it! I'm telling you, I have money, I just won't buy from you! If you won't listen to advice, you'll regret it!" Humiliated and angry, she spat out these words, turned, and walked away, her husband following behind.

Jiang Yingxue's cool voice sounded from behind her. "Whether I regret it or not is my own business. Others should worry about their own business. Take it or leave it." Trying to lecture her? She should look in the mirror and see if she was qualified!

Zhuang Liuhong's steps faltered. She wanted to turn back and argue, but her husband Wang Shaobo, finding her behavior embarrassing, forcibly pulled her away.

*This girl has character*, Yuan Yali thought awkwardly, forcing a smile at Jiang Yingxue. "Actually, she's usually quite nice. Don't take it to heart."

"Doesn't seem like it," Jiang Yingxue said indifferently. "She's not even worthy of me taking it to heart." People like Zhuang Liuhong were a dime a dozen. Not just her, but even troublemakers like Jiang Hui and Zhang's mother from the past two days couldn't stir a ripple in her heart. However, they also couldn't expect to gain any verbal advantage.

Yuan Yali: "..."

*This girl is so stubborn.* Yuan Yali couldn't think of a response, so she fell silent.

Several more middle-aged people came to buy the Spirit Chili Bean Sauce. After Jiang Yingxue clearly stated the price was non-negotiable, half paid, while the other half found it too expensive and left.

Hu Chunmei was among those who paid. Her stall was right next to Lu Caiyun's. For her, the enticing aromas from Lu Caiyun's stall these past days had been both a pleasure and a torment.

If spending 200 yuan on the Spirit Chili Bean Sauce meant she could enjoy her meals more, then the money was well spent.

Time reached 11:20 AM. A young man wearing a black cap came to the stall to buy the last pork cutlet seaweed rice ball.

Zhang Weilong was idly watching, his gaze frequently drifting towards the Xuehe Rice Ball stall.

Just then, as he glanced over, a thin figure wearing a black cap caught his eye.

Why did this person's build look somewhat familiar?