BXBX NOVEL Chapter 144 - 144: Speak Nicely!
“Isn’t there a rush?” Qiao Xiaomai furrowed her brow.
Plant trees? How long would it take her and Qiao Changshun to plant them?
Seemingly perceiving Qiao Xiaomai’s concern, Yuan Ding reassured her with a smile, “Don’t worry, miss. The shopkeeper will send people over to help you plant. And this batch of apple seedlings isn’t too much, just two hundred.”
“That’s great!” Qiao Xiaomai and Qiao Changshun exclaimed in unison.
“Of course, when Shopkeeper He does things, he does them most properly.” The smile remained unchanged on Yuan Ding’s round face.
After a moment of consideration, Qiao Xiaomai nodded, “Alright then.”
Since Shopkeeper He planned to be fully helpful, she naturally couldn’t refuse. In her view, this help with the apple seedlings was part of the previous tofu and bean curd biscuit trade, nothing to do with owing personal favors.
So, Qiao Changshun took the donkey cart to the Jinwei Residence.
Shopkeeper He was standing by the back door. Seeing the three members of the Qiao family arrive, he immediately burst into laughter, just like Shopkeeper Zhou, “Ah, Miss Qiao, Brother Qiao, long time no see!”
Qiao Changshun returned a constrained smile, without answering.
Qiao Xiaomai forced out a similarly Buddha-like smile, “Shopkeeper He, long time no see.”
“Come in for a cup of tea.” Shopkeeper He moved to the side, inviting the Qiao family inside.
“No need, we have things to do at home. What about the apple seedlings?” Qiao Xiaomai asked.
“Uh…shall we talk about it on the way?”
“Huh?”
“It’s about the chicken feet.”
Putting on a look of deep concern, Shopkeeper He began his patient explanation to Qiao Xiaomai, “Look, this donkey, these apple seedlings, and your family’s millstone, as well as that one hundred and fifty acres of land, all were given as a gift by Jinwei Residence. And the cold jelly noodles, tofu, and bean curd biscuits sold by Jinwei Residence are your gifts.”
“Look, you and Jinwei Residence have such an intimate relationship. Now that you have access to a new delicacy, you can’t give Jinwei Residence an exclusive supply, but at least you shouldn’t deprive us right off the bat.”
Speaking frankly, Shopkeeper He was frustrated. Very frustrated.
He didn’t know that his initial comment about dowry offended Qiao Xiaomai. Thinking that Qiao Xiaomai was upset about the one hundred and fifty acres of land, he offered to deliver and plant the apple seedlings as a bonus when she got them.
But looking at Qiao Xiaomai’s current expression, it was a forced smile. How irritating to look at.
Qiao Xiaomai has many novel ideas for making money. This gap between them must be bridged today. With that thought in mind, he made his tone even more sincere and earnest than before, “Miss Qiao, the one hundred and fifty acres of land are far from Anping Village. This is not our shopkeeper’s intention. But the villagers of Anping Village won’t sell their land. Our shopkeeper can’t rob them, can he?”
Upon hearing these words, Qiao Xiaomai was taken aback, then she laughed, “I’m not angry.”
“Then why didn’t you come to Jinwei Residence when you got the new food, and instead went to Zuixian Building? After all, your first cooperation was with Jinwei Residence. Moreover, we also have a relation with Tong Sanlang. He often comes here to sell wild game, and I’m quite familiar with him.”
Shopkeeper He was confused as he tried to establish a connection.
“Shopkeeper, you’re really well informed.” Instead of answering Shopkeeper He’s question, Qiao Xiaomai sighed.
Two jars of chicken feet, a hundred in total, were sold out casually, yet this trivial matter was uncovered by Shopkeeper He as her doing.
Zuixian Building and Jinwei Residence surely are competing fiercely.
“Next time, I’ll definitely come to Jinwei Residence.” She said, “I’m too busy to
supply both of you with chicken feet at the same time..”