Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Little Shop
Chapter 277: Little Shop
“Alright, haha… I knew you were a cunning girl.”
He Yulan and Xu Xiangdong thanked Su Wen again and again before leaving. Su Wen saw them out. Before she could re-enter the house, she noticed someone walking toward her. That person had just stepped out of her neighbor’s house. At this moment, she received a scare from someone who had crept up behind her.
She spun around, coming face-to-face with Zhou Hengyang.
She should have known. No one else in the family could have snuck up on her like that. Hengyang had a dangerous aura about him, one he concealed well till it was the moment to strike, instilling an overbearing sense of oppression over his target.
“What’s wrong?” Su Wen asked.
Why did he sport such a dark look? Did someone provoke him?
“Trouble will come Imocking if you partner up with He Yulan,” Zhou Hengyang said, his words tinted in ice. “If I’m not around, you won’t have peace.” Indeed, Su Wen was a magnet for trouble.
No wonder Li Youcai had had no choice but to ask him to return.
“Do you think the rest of the Su family will be unhappy and find trouble with me?” Su Wen had considered this issue but was unwilling to compromise. When she had been schemed against by others, the rest of the Su family had idly watched; some even kicked her while she was down.
Now with business booming, why should she give them anything?
“Whatever! My Second Aunt is eyeing this house. She won’t be satisfied no matter what I offer,” Su Wen said casually.
Zhou Hengyang’s expression softened. “I’m glad you realize.” He was so proud that Su Wen had changed for the better.
He Yulan did not try to hide her business that day. She carried a basket of steamed cakes, preparing to sell them in town. Many villagers witnessed the scene. Those who met her in the town’s market chose to converse with her, their children clamoring for a piece of the delicious-smelling steamed cakes. With gritted teeth, those villagers each bought a steamed cake, even if they had not wanted to.
Although the steamed cakes were expensive, they were incredibly delicious. One look and anyone could tell that it was expertly made.
The villagers and townsfolk who bought it were all envious of its taste. When they returned home, they spoke to anyone who would listen about the wonders of the steamed cakes He Yulan had sold in town. By nightfall, the entire village learned of the new business.
No sooner had He Yulan’s family exited Su Wen’s house than the villagers began gossiping.
Under the shaded boughs, those who had just returned from work gathered to spread the news. Slowly, the topic of their discussions diverged from the impending land distribution to the new business venture by Su Wen and He
Yulan.
Several comparisons were drawn between them and Sister Chrysanthemum’s business. Sister Chrysanthemum had been the first to open a small provisions shop in the village and had promised prices comparable to those in town for goods such as cigarettes, alcohol, oil, salt, sauces, vinegar, etc.
At first, people patronized her small shop because she had kept her word.
The common consensus among villagers was that if the price were the same, they would not need to go to town to buy their daily necessities. However, some people grew jealous. When they saw Sister Chrysanthemum’s success, they followed suit, opening provision stores for themselves.
In less than a week, at least three other shops dealing in the same goods opened in the village.
It created intense competition.
“Aiya! Have you heard? Uncle Gengtian’s family is opening a provisions shop at the intersection. Which shop are you going to buy goods from in the future?” A voice piped up from amidst the crowd of gossiping villagers.
Another voice said, “Although our village isn’t small, it isn’t so big that we need more than one provisions shop. What’s the point of having so many of them?”
Chen Guihua, who stood in the crowd, munching on melon seeds, said, “If there’s only one provisions shop, it’ll mean Sister Chrysanthemum will have a monopoly.”
“What? Chen Guihua, are you planning to open a shop too?”
“So what if I am? Is there anything that says I can’t?” When Chen Guihua heard that Sister Chrysanthemum had opened a shop, she immediately thought of doing the same. “Trinty Village has plenty of people.. If I were to open a
provisions shop too, wouldn’t it make buying things more convenient for my family?”