Chapter 125 Low-end Market
Liu Zhixia's strategy was unanimously approved by the whole family.
While her family was busy with orders from the lumber mill, she quietly emptied out her stock from the storage space. In addition to regular pickled vegetables, she also prepared a batch of pickled mustard greens, intending to tap into the low-end market.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and the Liu family had almost finished preparing their goods.
That day, a commotion suddenly broke out at the Lu family's place.
The Liu family had just finished their work and, having nothing else to do, joined the villagers to watch the excitement.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the Lu family was about to open the jar of pickled vegetables.
The Lu family actually followed Liu Zhixia's example and held a grand "tasting event," gathering many villagers.
Gu Mansheng stood in the courtyard, her face beaming, and called out, "This batch of pickled vegetables is going to supply the state-owned factory! Let everyone have a taste today and give us your feedback!"
While claiming to offer suggestions, it's obvious to anyone with eyes that this is blatant boasting.
However, the villagers were happy to participate, since being able to get a taste of something good that only the supply and marketing cooperative had was a source of pride.
Gu Mansheng stood on the steps, like a proud peacock, and shouted to the throng of villagers below:
"We've made a total of twenty jars of pickled vegetables! Packaging them will be a huge undertaking. Anyone willing to help will get a bottle as a gift!"
Upon hearing this, the villagers instantly erupted in excitement, raising their hands to sign up. Who wouldn't want something for free?
As jars of sealed pickled vegetables were brought out and neatly stacked in the courtyard, the villagers craned their necks and began to discuss among themselves.
Liu Zhixia's pickled vegetables are so delicious, yet they didn't get into the state-owned factory. Since Gu Mansheng has managed to get in touch with them, their taste must be even more amazing, right?
Everyone was full of anticipation.
However, as more and more jars gathered, an indescribable strange smell began to permeate the air.
Standing in the front row, Aunt Zhou covered her nose and bluntly questioned, "Something's not right with this smell. Could it be rotten?"
Gu Mansheng snorted coldly, her face full of disdain: "What do you know, you bumpkin? This is our family's secret recipe! If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense!"
Liu Zhixia and Zhang Xiuying, who were not far away, exchanged a glance and almost burst out laughing.
Good heavens, when did I become this woman's ancestor?
Once all twenty jars were in place, the smell became even stronger. A gust of wind blew through the room, and even the people standing in the back row were made to frown by the stench.
Someone couldn't help but exclaim, "Wait a minute! This is definitely spoiled! Do you, a city girl, even know how to make pickled vegetables?"
Faced with everyone's doubts, Gu Mansheng became a little anxious and argued, "What do you know! That's called fermentation! Do you understand fermentation? Stinky tofu smells bad but tastes good, that's the point!"
Although she was stubborn, she was unsure of herself when she saw the suspicious looks in everyone's eyes, and glared fiercely at Li Xuemei and her daughter who were hiding in the corner.
At this moment, Lu Xiaohui and Li Xuemei were huddled behind the door, trembling with fear.
"Mom... this taste is really wrong, it's like it's gone bad..." Lu Xiaohui said, her voice trembling with tears.
Li Xuemei panicked too: "I told you! But that brat wouldn't believe me, saying that Liu Zhixia's recipe must be right! If she can make even those astringent wild vegetables taste so good, this recipe must have something special about it!"
"What do we do now? The whole village is watching! If this gets smashed, I'll be too ashamed to show my face!" Lu Xiaohui tried to run away.
Li Xuemei grabbed her tightly: "Trying to run away? No way! We'll all lose face together! You're the one who got this recipe. If you run away, my whole family will skin me alive!"
Just when the scene was getting awkward, Lu Huaiyuan slowly strolled out of the house, put his hands in his pockets, and walked confidently to Gu Mansheng's side.
Looking at the skeptical crowd, he curled up a smile full of superiority.
"Everyone, Xiaoman comes from the big city and has seen the world. Since it's a family secret recipe, there must be some tricks we country folk don't know. This stuff is a rare find in the city, and it's all thanks to Xiaoman that we've been able to broaden our horizons. As people, we should know how to be grateful!"
Zhang Xiuying couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help but complain, "Even if it's made by gods, it's still just pickled vegetables. What? Will eating it grant you immortality?"
"Hahaha!"
The crowd burst into laughter.
Lu Huaiyuan's intimidating rhetoric was completely ineffective in front of the honest villagers.
A young educated youth in the crowd shouted, "Lu Huaiyuan! You're supposed to be a youth raised under the red flag, how can your ideological awareness be so low? You keep talking about the city and the countryside, this is a privilege mentality! As the family member of the brigade leader, you should be even more vigilant against this kind of unhealthy trend!"
These words instantly resonated with many.
"Exactly! Just a few days ago they reported the Liu family for speculation and profiteering, but they found nothing. Now they're running their own business. Is it a case of 'only the magistrate is allowed to set fires'?"
"I think they're just afraid the Liu family's business is doing too well, so they're deliberately causing trouble!"
"No wonder she's a capitalist's daughter, she's so cunning! The captain's family has been completely led astray!"
"Compared to this, the Liu family is truly kind! They taught us to make pickles from wild vegetables, which is a great example of diligence and thrift!"
...
Sensing the shift in the wind, the villagers' gossip not only belittled her to nothing but also praised Liu Zhixia, making Gu Mansheng so angry her face contorted.
"Fine! Since you all look down on it, none of you who spoke up earlier are allowed to help! You won't get any of this pickled vegetable!"
The room quieted down a bit after those words were spoken. After all, why not take something that's free?
Aunt Zhou had already covered her nose and retreated from the crowd, pulling Zhao Dongmei and Xu Zhihong along with her, until they reached Liu Zhixia's side.
"Alright, enough nonsense, hurry up and open the jar so everyone can see what kind of foreign stuff this is!"
She was experienced; she could tell something was wrong just by smelling that odor, and it was best to stay away.
With a "pop," the seal was pried open.
A pungent, suffocating stench erupted instantly, like a bucket of swill that had been fermenting for a hundred years being overturned.
The villagers standing in the front row turned green and vomited on the spot, clutching their throats.
"Ugh—! What is this?! It stinks!"
"It's rotten! It's completely rotten! Look, it's covered in green mold!"
"I knew it! That capitalist lady is all talk and no action, she doesn't know how to manage a household at all! All that good food is wasted!"
...
Gu Mansheng and Lu Huaiyuan were not far away, and the smell made their stomachs churn, causing them to vomit their lunch.
Hearing the mockery around her, Gu Mansheng felt her scalp tingle and couldn't believe it would turn out this way.
She held her breath, gritted her teeth, and rushed forward to take a peek into the jar.
All I could see inside was a dark, rotten mass, with no trace of any delicious pickled vegetables.
"vomit--!"
She couldn't hold it in and gagged again.
"What on earth is going on?!"
Gu Mansheng turned around abruptly, her eyes red as she glared at Lu Xiaohui and her daughter.
The two of them froze, trembling with fear.
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