Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 593 - 593 594 Just Call Me Qinqin_1

Chapter 593: Chapter 594 Just Call Me Qinqin_1 Chapter 593: Chapter 594 Just Call Me Qinqin_1 “Why spill the beans? If I just say she should come over to my house to play, would she refuse? It’s perfect, in a few days I’ll invite Uncle Zhao and others for dinner. When the time comes, your family can join us we’ll be all set,” Muniang said with a smile.

“Hey, that’s a good idea. Otherwise, if we tell her outright, she’s definitely not going to like it!”

So it was settled, though they did not know the odds of success, it was still a thought, wasn’t it? Madam Liu felt much more relaxed.

Since Madam Liu moved to Qinghua City, she no longer had to worry about the people from the Qiao family. She hired a private tutor just for Tianniu. After all, Lu Qi’er was married off and Tianniu couldn’t study with her anymore. Now that the troupe from Mei Garden was on tour, Madam Liu saw it as an opportunity to get Tianniu to settle down and kept her at home to study.

Tianniu wasn’t illiterate, it’s just that no tutor could handle her sharp mind. Three tutors had come and all were embarrassed to find themselves outsmarted by Tianniu. This was also her way of resisting Madam Liu. Madam Liu was both frustrated and amused, so she tirelessly sought out a new tutor, pulling many strings to find one with high accomplishments. But without any news, she finally hired a teacher to instruct her daughter in the arts befitting a lady of a great household – playing zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

When Muniang heard this, she couldn’t help but chuckle, though she didn’t say much. The girl needed to settle down, and learning those calming skills was good for her.

On her way back, she also stopped by Uncle Zhao’s shop, which was a general store Muniang had nothing particular to say about, as she was not familiar with that trade. However, she was quite interested in the fruit stand, for Uncle Zhao had long been in that line of business, with ample sources and connections, making it easy for the shop to thrive.

Seeing Muniang’s arrival, Uncle Zhao eagerly welcomed her: “Muniang is here! Would you like some fruit? Uncle Zhao has plenty, all of it is the freshest stock. Please help yourself; consider it a gift from me.”

Muniang was not shy and said with a smile, “Then I’ll thank you, Uncle Zhao.” After a glance around his shop, she added, “Does your place sell watermelon? Summer is approaching, and watermelons, melons, and the like should sell pretty well, right?”

“We do have those, but it’s a bit early in the season, they haven’t come in yet. Give it another month or so, and they’ll be available. I’ll send you some then,” replied Uncle Zhao.

But Muniang suggested, “Uncle Zhao, would you like to get a hold of some supplies in advance? I used to have a farm in Tupo Village where I grew a lot of watermelons, and there’s a hilltop planted with all sorts of fruit trees. I just sent someone to check on them recently, and they’re growing quite well. If your shop needs them, I can supply you.”

Uncle Zhao was surprised and said, “You have stock? And it’s available so early in the season?”

Muniang smiled proudly, “My growing technique is different from others, so naturally, it matures earlier. Several establishments have wanted my stock, and I’ve sold a batch to a restaurant and transported another to the Capital City. There’s still a batch left, and when I remembered you were in the fruit business, Uncle Zhao, I thought I’d ask if you needed it. If so, I’ll do business with you.”

“I want them, I want it all! Fruits that come to market a month earlier than usual can be sold at a great price,” Uncle Zhao said hastily.

Muniang curved her lips into a smile, “Then, Uncle Zhao, you set the price.”

“Why don’t you set the price instead? Knowing you have a batch of this quality, I imagine lots of people are eager for it. You even kept some specifically for me, I’m grateful. Just name your price and I won’t haggle,” said Uncle Zhao, who wasn’t a fool; he wouldn’t just let someone set a price that might cause him a loss, especially in a trade as profitable as this.

After all, fruit was something only the wealthy could afford, so when he sold the fruit he brought in, he’d be making several times the price. Moreover, the fruit was more than a month earlier than what was available in the market, and those willing to buy it now were those willing to pay a hefty sum for the privilege. Mr. Zhao was definitely not going to lose out on this deal.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony with Mr. Zhao either. When the time comes, I’ll sell at the same price I give to the restaurants. Tomorrow I’ll send someone with Mr. Zhao to Tupo Village to look at the goods. The price of each type of fruit is different, and naturally, someone will tell you about it then.”

Now it wasn’t just the hybrid watermelons of Tianzhuang that could make money, but also the grafted fruit trees originally planted on the mountain that had by now all borne sweet and delicious fruits. Muniang had quite a lot of goods in her hands. Apart from the fruit that had been agreed upon years before to be sold to Dongxing Building, and some sent to the Capital, there was still a large quantity remaining.

Moreover, fruit came in crops one after the other, so this time she was naturally going to make enough to cover her costs.

Mr. Zhao promptly agreed.

As they were talking, suddenly they heard a sharp, thin female voice, “Oh, Mr. Zhao, what a coincidence finding you here; I specifically came to buy some fruit!”

Muniang turned her head and saw a woman dressed as a lady enter, wearing cheap satin and several golden hairpins in her hair, which had some of the lacquer chipped off, indicating that they were probably made of iron and just gilded. She appeared to be in her thirties or forties, and although her skin quality was not clear, her makeup was thick, and she seemed to have applied too much cheap powder, which flaked off as she talked, particularly around her bright red lips, which moved in a manner resembling a gaping maw.

Muniang took one glance and could roughly tell that this woman was likely to put on airs beyond her means, feeling some disdain inside, but she kept her composure outwardly while Mr. Zhao went to greet her. He instructed a servant to take Muniang to sit down at the counter and have some tea.

Mr. Zhao said, “Mrs. Li, what are you planning to buy today? Please, pick whatever you like.”

Mrs. Li glared at Mr. Zhao, “I’ve told you not to call me ‘Auntie’ all the time; you make me sound old. We’re neighbors, after all; why be so formal? Just call me Qinqin.”

Muniang nearly spit out a mouthful of tea and choked on it, coughing into her handkerchief for a good while but still struggling to suppress her laughter, her face turning red. The shop’s apprentice, acting as if nothing were out of the ordinary, said, “You might think I am being indiscrete in front of Lady Yu, but lately Mrs. Li has been coming here quite frequently, and I can tell her ulterior motives.”

Muniang asked amusingly, “What kind of motives?”

“Isn’t it obvious that she’s taken a liking to Mr. Zhao? She’s the owner of the fabric store next door. Her husband died a long time ago, and ever since she moved in, our shop had just opened its doors, and she’s had her eyes on Mr. Zhao, stopping by every three days, not even worried about being a nuisance.”

Muniang looked over with interest; Mr. Zhao was indeed a hot commodity.

Mrs. Li gave Muniang an annoyed look; she couldn’t stand seeing a young and attractive wife!