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Chapter 515: Chapter 505: The World is So Big, It Has All Kinds of Birds
Shen Yunfang felt this woman was truly ruthless—she’d slashed the price by half with just one word.
"Sister, that price you mentioned isn’t sincere at all. Do you think I can earn half of your money? No, no, the price you’re talking about definitely won’t do." Shen Yunfang shook her head in disagreement. The price was simply too low; besides, in this era, it wasn’t common to bargain like this. Usually, customers are over the moon if they save ten or twenty cents, feeling like they’ve snagged a huge bargain. But someone cutting the price in half right off the bat was truly unheard of.
"Okay, okay, what’s not okay about it? This price is fine, you won’t lose out." That woman still thought Shen Yunfang was just putting on an act, with an expression that suggested she was doing her a favor.
Shen Yunfang didn’t think she really wanted to buy anything and decided not to squander more time dawdling with her. She bent over and began picking up the fireworks from the board and started placing them back into her own cart.
"Hey, what are you doing? Didn’t I say I want to buy them?" The woman quickly intervened to stop Shen Yunfang from moving the firecrackers to the tricycle.
"Sister, if you really want these firecrackers, then it’s ten yuan. If you miss even a cent, you can’t take them. If you still find it expensive, then wait until the supply and marketing cooperative has stock and go take a look there," Shen Yunfang responded. After all, she couldn’t sell at the price that woman had mentioned.
"Hey, look at you—you’re getting panicked before we’ve even really started. Is this how you do business? Besides, you just said if I bought everything up you’d give me a discount, and now that I’ve asked you for a discount, you’re making a fuss." The woman actually felt justified and put her hands on her hips, ready to pick a fight with Shen Yunfang.
Shen Yunfang straightened up and faced the older sister opposite her, her facial expression indescribable. It was such a good day, how could this sister be so determined to sour it at the very end?
"Sister, look at us, who is the one getting worked up? I’ve been nothing but pleasant with every word I’ve said. We’re both in business, and harmony brings wealth, right? But I really can’t sell at the price you’re offering. I’ve been busy all day and can’t afford to not make any profits, let alone lose money, you understand that, don’t you? So let’s not argue about it. I can see you really want to buy, and I don’t want to bicker over cents anymore. The original price of these firecrackers is eleven yuan. I’m giving you a discount to ten yuan, and you still think it’s expensive. I’ll knock off another yuan for you—how does nine yuan sound for the lot? If you still find it expensive and want to haggle further, then there’s no point. Like I said earlier, I can’t sell at a loss," Shen Yunfang decided to concede a point, thinking of the concession as a small price to pay to get rid of such an unreasonable person.
The woman clearly remained dissatisfied with Shen Yunfang’s offer. In the end, after disdainfully flip-flopping through the remaining firecrackers with her hand, she stood up straight, cursed, "What kind of trash is this, selling for such a high price at the end? Who do you think is so dumb to buy this? I don’t want it anymore," and left.
Well, that finally got rid of her.
As for the unpleasantries, Shen Yunfang didn’t take them to heart at all. To do business, one had to have thick skin. They said the world is full of all sorts of birds; if she got angry with people like that, she wouldn’t be able to do anything else all day but stew in anger. It was better to learn to ignore it.
"All right, that trouble is finally gone. Let’s quickly pack up, go eat, and then head home."
Dashuan obediently packed up the remaining items in no time, and then they each pushed a tricycle towards the market to find a place to eat.
While strolling along, Shen Yunfang spotted a vendor selling big, live geese when they reached the noodle stall.
Shen Yunfang told Dashuan to go ahead to the noodle stall and order two bowls of noodles while she went to buy the goose.
By the time she returned with a goose in hand, tied up and ready for transport, the large bowls of noodles were already served on the table.
"Yunfang, why did you buy this?" Dashuan hadn’t started eating; he was sitting and waiting for her to come back.
"What else would I do with it? Eat it, of course." Shen Yunfang felt his question was superfluous.
"Not that—I mean, didn’t you buy quite a lot yesterday? Why buy more?" Dashuan remembered that Yunfang hadn’t bought sparingly the day before, so why was she buying again today?
"We have a lot of people, and if we don’t prepare enough for the New Year, there won’t be enough to eat," said Shen Yunfang, though what she didn’t mention was that she had actually been craving goose. There were originally not many geese in the space, and Li Hongjun loved eating them too. Over the years, all the geese in the space had been eaten, so when she saw some for sale, she wanted to buy a few to eat.
"Oh." Dashuan didn’t say much and just nodded his head. Since it wasn’t just his family living on the courtyard side, but also Shen Yunfang’s aunt’s family was there, he couldn’t say that there was enough to eat and no need to buy more. It wouldn’t be right.
"Yunfang, why didn’t you sell to that woman just now?" Dashuan voiced his confusion. Although he didn’t know the specific cost price of the fireworks Yunfang had purchased, he had heard they weren’t too expensive and was thinking to himself that at least half could be made back on the fireworks.
"I couldn’t sell to her," Shen Yunfang gestured for Dashuan to eat quickly. "That woman was looking for a bargain and started by cutting the price in half right away. She obviously had no real intention of buying at fair value. If I had agreed, do you believe she wouldn’t have found another reason to complain about the price and tried to haggle even more? That’s why I couldn’t lower it."
"Is that so?" Dashuan looked surprised. He hadn’t noticed that.
"How could it not be? Work a few more days and you’ll understand," Shen Yunfang spoke like one who had been through it all before.
After finishing their meal, they pushed their two tricycles back home; when they got to less crowded areas, they connected the two tricycles together—with Dashuan riding the rear one and Shen Yunfang sitting in the one Dashuan was riding, steering the one in front. On the way there, the tricycles were loaded with heavy goods, so they had to push them, but on the way back, there wasn’t much in them, so they could ride.
However, due to poor road conditions, when they reached an uphill, Shen Yunfang had to get off and push the tricycle uphill. So, by three in the afternoon, the two had returned to the courtyard. 𝓃𝓸𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Dashuan had just arrived at the courtyard and had not even washed his face when he hurriedly went to find his wife—he had been with Yunfang but was worried about home as well.
Shen Yunfang, however, did not follow. She washed her hands and face, then went to the police station.
She had already agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
The officers at the police station basically all knew Shen Yunfang, so the investigation proceeded very smoothly.
About an hour later, Shen Yunfang emerged from the police station with a smile.
"Sister, I’ll head back first. When you’re free, help me make an appointment with your colleagues. With all the help they’ve given, we really should treat them to a good meal," Shen Yunfang said to Mu Huazhen next to her.
She had just been informed of some good news today. Although the man who had intended to rob them was still lying in his hospital bed, the police had already initiated their investigative work. After a day’s questioning, the man finally confessed the truth, admitting his intent to commit robbery and assault without any reservation. Now, Shen Yunfang’s status had officially changed from a suspect to a victim.
"Understood, when we are free after the New Year," Mu Huazhen nodded in agreement. It was almost time for Mu Huazhen to get off work, so they left the station together.
"Brother Ma should be getting off work too..."
Before Shen Yunfang could finish speaking, a person darted out from the side, fell to her knees in front of Shen Yunfang, and started kowtowing, "My girl, I have wronged you. Please, I beg you, forgive my son this one time. I’m kowtowing to you here; you are a great benefactor to our Zhao Family. If I kowtow to you, would you agree to let my son off?"
Shen Yunfang barely retracted the leg she was about to kick out. She recognized this old lady, as she had just seen her at the police station. This old lady was the mother of the man who had attempted the robbery yesterday, and today she was here on behalf of her son.
