Chef Hua
Chapter 68: Episode 58: We must not suffer a loss.

Chapter 68: Episode 58: We must not suffer a loss.

The dining table suddenly became very quiet.

A large handful of Copper Coins were tossed on the table, and the mere clinking sound alone was shocking enough for the ordinary folks. Hua Ermu and Jing Taihe were both somewhat taken aback and appeared to swallow their saliva ungracefully, while Grandma and Grandpa were surprised at how their stingy son had suddenly become so generous. They both looked up at him at the same time.

As for Hua Xiaomai, she managed to remain calm but was incessantly puzzled in her heart.

Why did Pan Ping’an carry so much money with him every day? Didn’t he find it terribly heavy?

As if he had read Hua Xiaomai’s mind, Pan Ping’an laughed heartily and said, "I don’t usually carry much money on me, but this time I brought extra because I came back to buy the preserved fruit cakes made by the Hua Family’s little sister. I thought it would be better to be prepared. Now that I know the Hua Family’s little sister also has such a knack for making sauces, naturally, we should start this business as soon as possible. These coins, consider them as an advance payment for the order. After all, making sauces will require buying a lot of ingredients, which also costs a good bit of money!"

Hua Ermu had already walked up behind Hua Xiaomai and was secretly clenching her fist, jabbing it hard into her little sister’s back, each punch harder than the last. Hua Xiaomai, pummeled until her bones felt like they were about to break apart, could no longer bear it. She turned her head to glare at her and whispered angrily, "Second sister!"

Hua Ermu couldn’t say much without revealing their ruse and could only frown and purse her lips, her expression truly colorful. The meaning was also very clear: "Hua Xiaosan, are you really an idiot? Such a good deal, you should hurry up and agree to it for your elder sister!"

Hua Xiaomai pushed her hand away, glanced at the Copper Coins on the table, then looked up at Pan Ping’an. She paused before speaking calmly, "Uncle Ping’an, you should take the money back for now."

"...What do you mean?" Pan Ping’an hadn’t expected her to react this way, and he began to feel a bit anxious.

In the rush to grab the coins earlier, he hadn’t had the time to count them carefully. Now, upon a rough look, there were quite more than three strings of cash—no small sum! Could it be that the little niece of Jing Taihe thought it too little? Or perhaps... she simply wasn’t willing to make this deal with him?

"Hua Family’s little sister, do you perhaps have any concerns? Hey, this is really a profitable business!" Clapping his hands enthusiastically, he said earnestly, "Which restaurant or eatery doesn’t use sauces? Sesame paste, soy sauce, these are all essentials in the kitchen, and in my opinion, they are even more crucial than poultry and seafood! The sauces you make taste much better than those sold at the Sauce Garden. Once I promote them to my acquaintances at the eateries... ah, I guarantee they will be an instant hit!"

As if afraid his words weren’t persuasive enough, he straightened his face and added seriously, "Let me tell you, this can make much more money than those fruit preserves and pastries. If you miss out on it, you’ll definitely regret it!"

Hua Xiaomai smiled at him and said unhurriedly, "Uncle Ping’an, you misunderstand. Why wouldn’t I want to do a business that could make money? It’s just that you suddenly produced a handful of coins, and I really can’t just accept them so rashly. Otherwise, if there’s some dispute over the Silver Coins later on, wouldn’t that affect the relationship between our two families? I’m overjoyed that you appreciate the sauces I make, but before that, we should sort out all the details of the deal. "

Pan Ping’an didn’t speak but looked puzzled, tilting his head to the side.

Seeing that he seemed not to understand, Hua Xiaomai patiently explained with a smile, "For example, right now my family has four or five different kinds of sauces. Do you want every kind, or are you only interested in one, two, or three types? Another example, each type of sauce uses different ingredients and requires varying amounts of effort, so how are you planning to price them?"

Pan Ping’an, who had been excitedly taking out the money earlier without much thought, was now somewhat stunned. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find his voice for a long moment.

Without waiting for his answer, Hua Xiaomai continued, "Anyway, you just returned to the village today, right? I also need some time to make cakes, so during the next few days, you could go around the village and the County to inquire about the current market prices of various sauces. Then consider how much to pay me, as well as how much profit you’ll make. Once you’ve figured all this out, we can discuss the deal at our leisure. So, this matter can’t be rushed, and I can’t accept the money just yet."

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