BXBX NOVEL Chapter 98 - 98: Coming to the Door
Qiao Xiaomai felt puzzled, put down the needle and thread in her hand, and went to open the courtyard door.
There were two people standing outside. One was a chubby middle-aged man with a smile like Maitreya Buddha, and the other was a handsome young man dressed in a moon-white long gown. This young man was tall and straight, his features very symmetrical, and was smiling at her, presenting an image of gentle refinement.
Behind them was a luxurious and exquisite carriage, coupled with their attire, it was clear that they came from lofty backgrounds.
Qiao Xiaomai felt even more confused and asked, “Who might you be?”
“My name is Shen Bai, nice to meet you, Miss Qiao.” The handsome young man opened his mouth to speak with a smile, his voice as pleasing as pearls falling onto a jade plate.
Qiao Xiaomai nodded slightly, returning a light smile, “Nice to meet you too, Mr. Shen. May I ask why you are looking for me?”
“Miss Qiao, this is Shopkeeper Zhou of the Zuixian Building. We’ve come to inquire about the cold jelly noodles, tofu, and white jade flower.” Shen Bai stated their purpose of the visit straightforwardly.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiaomai finally understood, and all her confusion vanished.
Bailu Town had two significant restaurants, one was the Ji Wei Ju, and the other was the Zuixian Building. These two restaurants were located at either end of Bailu Town’s main road, facing each other from east to west.
Now, Ji Wei Ju had a monopoly on the town’s market with its cheap cold jelly noodles and expensive tofu and bean curd. It was within her expectations that the Shopkeeper of Zuixian Building would come looking for her.
However…
“I’ve already sold the recipe for the cold jelly noodles to Ji Wei Ju. As for the tofu and bean curd, I make only enough for Ji Wei Ju each day,” Qiao Xiaomai explained sincerely.
Without any change in expression, Shen Bai replied, “Miss Qiao, may Shopkeeper Zhou and 1 come in for a chat?”
“Please, come in,” Qiao Xiaomai said after a moment’s thought. She moved aside, allowing the two of them into her courtyard.
When they were seated, she served them well water in large coarse porcelain bowls.
She had no choice but to use cold water when seeing guests, as there was no hot water bottle and she couldn’t possibly heat the water now.
Shen Bai glanced around the small farmyard. Seeing it was clean and tidy with everything neatly arranged, his impression of Qiao Xiaomai further improved.
From his investigations, all four dishes were created by Qiao Xiaomai alone. She really was a clever girl.
“Miss Qiao, are you willing to sell the recipe for Bean Curd and White Jade Flower?” Shen Bai got straight to the point, not one for small talk.
Qiao Xiaomai laughed and started to do the math for him, her words the same as when she refused Shopkeeper He. “I can make fifty catties of tofu every day at ten Wen per catty, so a day’s amount is…”
As she spoke, the figure she proposed left Shen Bai and Shopkeeper Zhou stunned.
“I prefer a steady income, so I’m sorry for wasting your time,” she said.
Shen Bai stared at her face for a moment before laughing. His eyes glistened in the sunlight. “Miss Qiao, you could make more of it. Don’t always supply it to Ji Wei Ju. The Zuixian Building is not lacking in any aspect compared to them. Shopkeeper Zhou is willing to offer you fifteen wen for each catty.”
Qiao Xiaomai widened her eyes in surprise. The price had suddenly increased by five wen. In comparison to Shopkeeper He’s penny-pinching, the person in front of her was seriously generous!
An extra five Wen per catty would increase her daily earnings by hundreds of Wen. She was genuinely tempted.
She hadn’t signed any contract with Shopkeeper He for the tofu and bean curd. She could supply them to the Zuixian Building.
However, she wasn’t sure about the integrity of Zuixian Building. When she first started selling the cold jelly noodles, she had hesitated between the two establishments until Tong Sanlang recommended Ji Wei Ju..