Chapter 192 This Wasn’t Bought at Xuehe Stall

Chapter 192: This Wasn’t Bought at the Xuehe Stall

At the stall next door.

Middle-aged lady Chen Lian was a new customer. Her son was bringing his girlfriend home tomorrow, and he insisted on buying groceries at Nanhe Village Market. She wasn’t happy about it, but she came anyway.

After seeing the prices inside the market, she regretted it.

She stared suspiciously at the vegetables on the stall, muttering to herself, “Every stall’s produce looks so fresh, and there’s not a single bug. Could they be loaded with pesticides? The more I look, the more it seems like it. Might as well just buy from the market near home—cheaper and just as tasty. I don’t know why my son insists on coming here. It must be his girlfriend’s idea!”

She looked up and said, “Hey, can you cut me a deal on these carrots? Back home, they’re 1.5 yuan a pound, but here you’re charging 4 yuan—that’s a bit much. And these tomatoes, they’re 3 yuan near me, but you’re asking 8. Too expensive. How about a discount?”

The stall owner was a 25-year-old woman named Jiang Lingzhi, Uncle Chenpi’s daughter. She smiled and replied, “This price is already fair. You get what you pay for. Ours might be a bit pricier, but the flavor is excellent. Buy some and try it, you’ll see.”

“If it tastes bad, you won’t take responsibility. You think I’m stupid?” Chen Lian scoffed. She crouched down, picked through the veggies, and pointed at the tomatoes. “Can’t you lower it a bit? How about 2.5 yuan a pound?”

Jiang Lingzhi said, “No.”

The market prices are set by the village; she can’t sell at a discount and mess up the pricing. Besides, their village’s produce was genuinely worth the cost. Fertilizer from a store costs 1,000 yuan for a small bag—selling cheap isn’t worth it.

Chen Lian grumbled, “You don’t know how to run a business. No wonder you can’t sell anything!”

Huang Minhua walked over to Jiang Lingzhi’s stall, already carrying a bag of veggies. Her eyes landed on the plump, bright carrots and corn.

The carrots and corn are good for soup, the sweet potatoes for candied sweet potatoes, and the choy sum for blanching. She grabbed a bit of each.

Chen Lian turned and saw Huang Minhua carrying a large bag. Right in front of the stall owner, she goes, “Girl, that’s too expensive. Buying without haggling is a rip-off.”

Jiang Lingzhi’s lips twitched. *This lady has no manners, trying to chase off my customer right in front of me.*

She said, “Our Nanhe Village Market doesn’t do haggling unless you’re buying wholesale, like dozens of pounds.”

Huang Minhua said, “Ha, sis, you heard her—this market doesn’t bargain. No loss there.”

Chen Lian’s lips pursed, her tone a bit sour. “Well, you sure don’t mind spending. I’ve got an old family and young kids—I can’t afford to be so lavish.”

*Spending a bit on groceries is called lavish? Then going out to eat must be like peeling off your own skin?*

Huang Minhua’s face went cold. She didn’t respond—talking too much could start a fight. After paying, she headed to the meat and seafood stalls to keep shopping.

In the end, Chen Lian didn’t buy anything. She left Nanhe Village Market empty-handed and bought some groceries at the market near her home.

Chen Lian’s son, Qi Xiang, glanced at his mom’s basket and said, “Mom, are these the veggies from Nanhe Village? They look pretty much like what we always eat.”

“Of course not. All markets sell the same thing,” Chen Lian said with a smile, not denying the assumption. She let Qi Xiang think the veggies were from Nanhe Market.

Qi Xiang said, “I wonder why Jiaxin is so set on this market.”

Chen Lian’s face darkened. *So it was the girlfriend’s idea.*

The next day, Qi Xiang’s girlfriend, Leng Jiaxin, came to visit.

This was Leng Jiaxin’s first time visiting their home. Two days earlier, Qi Xiang had asked what she wanted to eat. She didn’t have strong preferences, but when he asked, she thought of the recent meals at her own home.

Her village was right next to Nanhe Village, and lately, her mother had been buying from Nanhe Market. So she said honestly, “I’d like dishes made with stuff from Nanhe Market.”

Qi Xiang’s reply was, “No problem.”

Now, looking at the dishes on the table, she felt something was wrong. They looked totally different from what she had at home. Were these really from Nanhe Market?

When she actually tasted the food, she knew the answer. This definitely wasn’t from Nanhe Village Market.

While Chen Lian went to the kitchen to get more rice, Leng Jiaxin asked Qi Xiang, “Are you sure this is from Nanhe Village Market?”

Qi Xiang said confidently, “Of course. If you like it, eat more. Don’t feel shy about reaching for it at my place.”

Leng Jiaxin’s heart sank, and she felt displeased.

If Qi Xiang hadn’t asked what she wanted, she wouldn’t have felt this way.

Since he asked and she gave an answer, she had expectations. Now, those expectations didn’t match reality, and Qi Xiang had lied to her. She felt undervalued, hurt, and angry.

Just then, Chen Lian came out with the rice bowl, smiling. “These dishes are great, aren’t they? Eat up, Jiaxin. You’re so skinny—a little plump is lucky, good for childbearing.”

“Mom, I’ve been making sure she eats well,” Qi Xiang said to his mother, then turned to Leng Jiaxin with a smile. “Right, Jiaxin?”

“Heh.”

After the meal, Chen Lian smiled and asked Leng Jiaxin to wash the dishes. Leng Jiaxin shot a cold look at Qi Xiang.

Qi Xiang said, “Jiaxin, my mom worked hard cooking today. How about you do the dishes this time?”

Seeing Leng Jiaxin’s expression shift, he added, “You need to make a good impression on my parents today, right? Do it for me.”

“Fine!”

Leng Jiaxin took her phone into the kitchen. She had no intention of washing dishes. Instead, she messaged her best friend to call her.

Within two minutes, her phone rang. She answered, “Okay, there’s an issue with the spreadsheet? … Alright, I’ll head to the office now.”

She grabbed her bag from the stool, slung it over her shoulder, and said, “Uncle, Auntie, Qi Xiang, there’s something urgent at work. I’ll head back now. Sorry to disturb you.”

Chen Lian shot Leng Jiaxin a suspicious look. *What a coincidence?*

“Is it that urgent? Can’t you wash the dishes first?”

Chen Lian’s husband said, “Let Qi Xiang drive you.”

Leng Jiaxin forced a fake smile. “It’s very urgent. Auntie, if you don’t have anyone to wash the dishes, you could buy a dishwasher. They’re not expensive—a cheap one costs one or two thousand yuan.”

“Thanks, Uncle. No need for Qi Xiang to drive me. I can take a taxi.”

With that, ignoring Qi Xiang’s reaction, Leng Jiaxin left.

In the taxi, she drafted a breakup message, ending the relationship. Then she privately messaged the matchmaker—her coworker.