There was no point in saying more. Ruyi snatched the basket from her shoulder, slung it over her shoulder, and pulled Xu Cui away gracefully.
"Hey! Stop right there! Are you still going to sell or not!" The shopkeeper panicked when he saw the two leaving and rushed out to stop them.
Although Cheng Ruyi's current skills are not considered to be those of a master of light-body techniques, they are more than enough to leave ordinary people behind. So the two of them left the alley and merged into the crowd on the main street in an instant, just like a gust of wind.
There are no more than ten restaurants in the entire Huaishan County, and six of them are located on the main street. Right across from Baizhenlou is a time-honored restaurant called Zhiweiguan.
Unlike the ornately decorated Baizhenlou, this time-honored restaurant has a low-key and elegant style, which is very simple and warm. Although the dishes are mostly home-style dishes, they are delicious and inexpensive, so ordinary people can occasionally dine there.
There was also a long queue at the back door of Zhiwei Restaurant, but everyone was chatting and laughing, and the waiters at the door were also friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere was completely different from that at Baizhenlou.
"Oh dear! Ladies, your baskets look quite heavy. Why don't you put them down first and then we can chat?" One of the round-faced shop assistants looked very young, and his smile made people feel friendly. After speaking, he carefully helped put the baskets on the floor.
Ruyi casually lifted the white cloth covering the rabbits, revealing them all.
"My surname is Cheng, and my home is in the county town. These rabbits are raised by our family and they eat the cabbages we grow ourselves. The rabbits reproduce quickly, and we can't eat them all, so we thought we'd sell them. Do you buy rabbits?"
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up as soon as he saw the rabbit, and he said happily, "It's in! It's in! Ladies, please come in with me!"
Ruyi and her companion followed the shop assistant through the screen wall to the backyard, which was about fifty or sixty square meters in size and kept very clean. Besides them, there were two other groups of people meeting with the shop assistant: one group selling mutton and the other group selling mountain products.
"Please wait here for a moment, ladies. I'll go and fetch the manager right away!"
The round-faced waiter hadn't finished speaking when he disappeared. Ruyi and Xu Cui couldn't help but laugh; he was such a child.
Soon, a rather plump manager came over. His face was somewhat similar to that of the waiter from before. However, upon closer inspection, it was not hard to find that the biggest difference between the two was their eyes. The round-faced waiter had large, clear eyes that were innocent and without guile. The manager's eyes were small to begin with, and when he smiled, they narrowed into slits. But his small eyes revealed great shrewdness.
"Sisters, you've worked so hard! I heard you've come to sell rabbits, that's wonderful! Oh dear, it's just bad luck. The hunter who usually supplies us with rabbit meat got injured and hasn't been able to deliver any recently. We were just wondering what to do when you two came at the perfect time, hahaha!"
They always have suppliers, they just can't deliver for the time being, so don't even think about asking for an exorbitant price... Hmm, the subtext is quite clear and easy to understand.
Ruyi thought for a moment, then forced a harmless smile. "What a coincidence! Hehehe, my surname is Cheng. May I ask how this manager is addressed?"
"So it's Madam Cheng. My surname is Huang, and I'm the manager of this restaurant. You can just call me Manager Huang!" After saying that, Manager Huang moved his eyes to the rabbit, as if weighing something.
Cheng Ruyi and Xu Cui were both quite surprised that the owner of Zhiwei Restaurant had come in person.
"Manager Huang, since everyone is interested in doing business, feel free to pick up these rabbits and inspect them. There are nine rabbits in two baskets, each weighing ten pounds. They are all raised on our own vegetables, so they are very clean and the meat is tender. Everyone who has tried them says they are delicious!" As Ruyi spoke, she picked up a rabbit and handed it over.
Manager Huang skillfully took the rabbit, stroked it over, and even smelled it, finding that it didn't have a foul odor. "Hmm, not bad, you've raised it very well!"
After saying that, he asked someone to bring over the scales, which seemed to indicate that he wanted to buy it.
"Madam Cheng, how much do you plan to sell these rabbits for?" Manager Huang noticed that Madam Cheng was the one who could make the decision, and the other woman was probably just there to help carry things, so he ignored her.
Previously, wild rabbits cost around twenty-odd coins per pound. Based on current prices, they should be several times more expensive, not to mention that her rabbit is a first-tier spirit beast.
"One hundred coins per catty." Cheng Ruyi paused for a moment, then continued, "To be honest, shopkeeper, our rabbits are truly top-quality. You'll know once you've tasted them. People from the county don't lie to each other. My home is at the well at the end of Wutong Lane, and we also run a furniture shop. If you don't like them, feel free to come and settle the score with me!"
Cheng Ruyi had absolute confidence in her rabbits and really couldn't bear to sell them cheaply, so even if they couldn't be sold, it didn't matter; she could keep them for herself.
Upon hearing this, Manager Huang raised an eyebrow, then stared at the rabbit in his hand and began to think.
Although 100 coins per catty is expensive, it's not outrageous considering current prices. And it's not like you can't bargain after the initial price.
With his many years of experience, he could tell at a glance that it was indeed a top-quality rabbit. Look at those robust rabbit legs; they would be absolutely delicious when braised.
"How about this, since Madam Cheng is so sincere, let's compromise. How about fifty coins per catty? Just nod your head, and I'll have the money prepared immediately!"
Cheng Ruyi nearly vomited blood after hearing this. This wasn't just taking a step back, it was practically retreating by half! No wonder he became a manager; indeed, there's no business without cunning!
She felt a pang of heartache and anger, so she simply clutched her chest and pretended to be disappointed. "It seems Manager Huang doesn't think much of us rabbits. Oh well, we're not meant to be. Farewell!"
After saying that, he squatted down as if to pick up the basket. Xu Cui thought it was the same as before, so she quickly picked up her own basket and was ready to leave at any time!
To everyone's surprise, although Manager Huang was fat, he was a nimble fat man. He grabbed the basket with one hand to prevent Xu Cui from carrying it. Although he wasn't very strong, he was heavy enough that he managed to hold his own against Xu Cui for a moment.
"Oh, Madam Cheng, you're exaggerating! Quickly put down the rabbit... no, put down the basket. When it comes to business, we have to talk. It's not good to just leave at the drop of a hat!"
"Who's being temperamental with you?" Cheng Ruyi felt the veins on her forehead bulging. "One hundred coins a catty is already a huge loss for us. If Manager Huang really doesn't believe me, why don't we buy one first and have the chef in the kitchen cook a dish right away? After you taste it, you'll know that I haven't cheated you."
Looking at Cheng Ruyi's confident and determined eyes, Manager Huang knew that it would be difficult to bargain any further. However, as a businessman, he always felt that he would be losing out if he didn't bargain. In any case, he needed to find a way to stall the two of them. So he agreed to Ruyi's suggestion.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com