The old lady went home after she made her purchase. On the way back, she ran into the old ladies and gentlemen of the neighborhood. They greeted each other.
Some of them asked with doubt, “Grandma Li, why are you back so soon? Haven’t you just left moments ago?”
Grandma Li smiled, “I left the neighborhood and ran into a girl selling vegetables on a tricycle at the intersection. So I bought some and came back directly.”
Grandma Zhao looked at the bag Grandma Li was holding. “They look fresh. How much are they?”
Grandma Li said, “The cabbage is 15 RMB per head, the eggplant is 2 RMB each, spinach is 15 RMB per catty, and the chili is 20 RMB per catty!”
“What? How can they be so expensive?” The elders were surprised by the price.
Grandma Zhao immediately said, “Grandma Li, have you been cheated? How can vegetables be so expensive? At the market, you can get eggplants for 70 RMB per catty, cabbage is around 40 RMB per catty, and spinach is 2 RMB per catty. Chili costs 3 RMB per catty.”
Grandma Zhao was incensed and said loudly, “I need to see this swindler!” She grabbed Grandma Li’s wrist. “Grandma Li, come on. We’ll report her to police and get her punished!”
Grandma Li shook off the other lady’s grasp. She looked at Grandma Zhao and said, “Grandma Zhao, I know you mean well, but we’re not law enforcement. Plus, I’m not cheated. This was a willing transaction. She didn’t force me to buy these vegetables, so how can she be a cheater?” Then she huffed and said, “Grandma Zhao, my chicken stew is brewing. I need to go.”
Grandma Li thought she got her money’s worth. The cabbage leaf she tasted was very sweet. On top of that, Grandma Li was also stubborn. She would never admit she was cheated.
Grandma Zhao’s face turned black as she cursed at Grandma Li’s back, “Such a waste of my good intentions! She is such a show-off! She looks down on us because she’s rich!”
An old man beside her said, “That’s enough. Grandma Li is not a show-off. She never looks down at us before.”
Grandma Zhao glared at the old man. She said angrily, “Zhao Danian, I knew there is something between you and Li Qingxiu. You two keep making eyes at each other. Do you think I wouldn’t notice? Now, you’re even defending her. Has she seduced you?’
Zhao Danian’s face was red and white from anger. He looked around, and he blushed even more. He glared at Grandma Zhao. “You unreasonable woman, I’m not going to waste time explaining myself!” He turned and left.
Then, the other elders came. Some tried to mediate the problem, while others added fuel to the fire.
Of course, none of this had anything to do with Xiao Lingyu. She didn’t have any other customer from Sunshine District that day.
Xiao Lingyu and Mother Xiao pushed the tricycle of the market entrance.
Xiao Lingyu hadn’t found a stall inside the market. If she started a business in front of a shop, she would be scolded and chased away. Therefore, she settled with empty spaces near the market entrance.
However, she had to be careful of the Urban Administrative and Law Enforcement Bureau (UMALE) officers. After all, her action might affect traffic.
Xiao Lingyu was only testing the waters. She didn’t rent a market stall because it was still too early. She would use this temporary place for now.
Instantly, people came over when they saw her fresh vegetables. However, most revealed a disdainful expression when they heard the price. They said things like, “You must be money-crazy to ask for a price like that.”
Xiao Lingyu explained, “You get what you pay for. My crops are all organic and natural. They taste amazing.”
Xiao Lingyu broke off a cabbage leaf and cut it into strips. If there were hesitant customers, she would have them taste it. Some of them were cautious about eating raw cabbage, so Xiao Lingyu had to eat one to show that they were not poisonous.
Once the potential customers had a taste of the cabbage strip, their eyes lit up. Most who had tasted the cabbage bought the cabbage. However, some customers still felt the price was too high. They decided to buy from the other vendors.
Just like that, Xiao Lingyu used free samples to sell her remaining stock. Mother Xiao was ecstatic. When she heard Xiao Lingyu’s prices for the vegetables, she was worried that they wouldn’t sell. However, they sold everything in one afternoon.
Mother Xiao sighed. “City people are strange. They can afford such expensive vegetables. People at the countryside would compare prices from three stalls before settling for the cheapest one.”
After their tricycle was empty, Xiao Lingyu and Mother Xiao collected their income and returned to the rental house.