Zhang Xiu'e looked helpless, but didn't say anything. Instead, she followed Song He'er's instructions, prepared all the dishes, and sent them out.
The old woman sitting outside frowned when she saw the fragrant soup, as if she was deliberately trying to find fault. "This looks no different from pig feed. In the countryside, these vegetables are used to feed pigs."
Zhang Xiue had just served the dishes when she was suddenly subjected to such a scornful remark. Her anger flared up immediately, and she walked over and retorted, "Grandma, please respect us. If you say this food is pig swill, then what are the people who eat it?"
Zhang Xiu'e's implication was that the people who ate these dishes were pigs, and since it was food for pigs, she shouldn't eat it.
Song He'er almost burst out laughing, but doing business also requires a balance of yin and yang; one person has to play the good cop and the other the bad cop.
Thinking of this, Song He'er stepped forward with a smile and said, "Grandma, if this dish doesn't suit your taste, we can take it away. I'll take it right away."
As she spoke, Song He'er picked up the hot pot and headed towards the small kitchen.
The old woman was very unhappy to see the duck she had been trying to take advantage of fly away. She had come here to make a profit, and now that she had failed, how could she feel good?
"Wait, how can something that has been given away be taken back?"
Song He'er replied calmly and slowly, "Didn't you just say it looked like pig swill? Since you think this stuff is pig feed, it would be very unbecoming for you to eat it. Besides, we were thinking of giving you a portion to try today, but since you don't like it, we have the right to take it back."
After saying that, Song He'er didn't give her a chance to explain. She handed the bowl back to Zhang Xiu'e and gestured for her to take it to the kitchen.
The young man beside her felt embarrassed seeing his mother humiliate him like this, so he tried to persuade her, "Mother, what are you doing? We agreed to come out happily, so why did you upset people as soon as we got here?"
"Where did I offend anyone? I was just telling the truth. Do you expect an old woman like me to lie?"
"Alright, alright, let's skip the meal and head back..."
"I'm not leaving! She promised to let me try it for free, how come she's going back on her word now? I'm going to eat here!"
Song He'er couldn't help but roll her eyes. If this were in modern times, he would be nothing more than a troublemaker who would cause problems for his children.
The young man had no other choice. His mother was sitting opposite him, and he couldn't disobey her. So he went along with her wishes and tried to curry favor with Song He'er, "Miss, please say a few nice words to your mother for my sake and bring that bowl of soup back to us. We'll pay whatever it costs. We definitely won't eat your food for nothing."
The man meant that as long as she brought the food back for his elderly mother to eat, he would buy all the dishes at the original price, without any bargaining.
After much deliberation, Song He'er concluded that making money was the most important thing, and there was no need to offend a customer because of an old woman!
Before Song He'er could even speak, Song Xiaoyu had already turned around and gone to the small kitchen to prepare things...
The old woman finally quieted down and stopped picking and choosing until she finished all the soup and vegetables in her bowl.
After the man finished eating, he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief he carried with him, and then held it to the old woman's mouth to wipe away the grease from the corners of her lips.
Song He'er saw the whole scene. Why would an ordinary-looking man carry a handkerchief made of fine silk? Isn't that something only wealthy families have?
Upon closer analysis, although the old woman spoke harshly, she did not resemble a shrew from the streets. Instead, she seemed like a matriarch, and she had a unique air about her when scolding people.
Could they be relatives of some wealthy family, or... relatives of officials?
"He'er, what are you thinking about? The guest is talking to you!"
Song He'er came to her senses and saw the young man take out a silver coin from his money bag and place it on the table.
"We apologize for troubling you today. This money is for the soup and vegetables. If it's too much, consider it my apology. My mother is old and has a bad temper and poor appetite, so sometimes she says things that are not pleasant to hear. Please bear with her."
Song He'er glanced at the bottom of the old woman's bowl and saw that there wasn't even a single vegetable leaf left, just a little bit of clear broth. She was practically licking the bowl clean...
And you still have a poor appetite?
There was simply no food that suited my taste!
Song He'er didn't argue, but simply continued along with the young man's words, "Older people are like this, we understand. But we agreed beforehand that the amount should be the amount, and I'll have my third uncle find the rest for you."
"They...aren't your parents?"
Song He'er forced a smile: "No, my father has passed away. This is my cousin."
"Oh, she's a woman with a pitiful past. No need to look for her anymore, we'll do it next time. We live in Jiangning and will come back in a few days."
After saying that, the young man got up and went to help the old woman next to him.
Song He'er couldn't help but glance at the old woman's expression. She noticed that the old woman's eyes were somewhat evasive, as if she felt a little guilty.
Just as he reached the door, he turned back and said casually, "Young lady, the food is good, a very novel way to eat it. You have a knack for business, and you will surely become very wealthy in the future."
Upon hearing such praise, Song He'er froze on the spot, until the two people in front of her disappeared down the long street...
“These people aren’t here to take advantage of anyone. I’m looking out the east window, and at the corner of the street ahead, there’s a three-person carriage. Even if they’re not officials’ spouses, they must be prominent and influential people in Jiangning.”
Zhang Xiue snorted coldly, "No matter who she is, if she speaks rudely, I won't tolerate it!"
"Third Aunt, you're always so intolerant. We're just running a small business now, so we've only encountered so few things. If we open a restaurant in the future, we'll inevitably run into high-ranking officials and their sons. That kind of business will be even harder. If we encounter someone we don't like, are we supposed to hang ourselves?"
"Hmph! She really made me furious just now! What pig slop! She looks more like an old sow to me!"
Song Xiaoyu shook her head helplessly and put the silver ingot back into her account.
"Shall we accept this money?"
"Of course we should accept it. Are we going to chase after the person to collect the money? It's reasonable for the customer to give a tip for good food, and it's not illegal. Just keep it!"
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