Chapter 59 The esteemed manager of Xiangbaoge, what brings you here?
After everyone left, Jiang Ling pulled down the iron gate before starting to move things.
By the time she had put the shelves back in order, she was exhausted.
Jiang Ling sat on the warehouse floor, looking at the three large and six small boxes in the corner.
With all these things, does she no longer need to open a shop?
But what else can she do if she doesn't open a shop?
Beyond the wooden door lies the world of Jishui Village, home to Grandpa Zhao, Uncle Zhao, Aunt Zhao, Aunt Qian, Xiaohua, Xiaozhuang...
There are also Cheng Fang, Zhao Jingxing, Qin Zhao, Hongxiu, and Madam Chen the Second...
Vivid faces appeared in her mind. These were not fake, not a dream.
He was someone who truly entered her life.
Some of them are even already her friends...
If that door never opens again, she will lose these friends forever.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ling seemed to have found the answer.
She walked behind the wooden door, put her hand on it, and did what she had been doing most often these past few days.
"Squeak—"
The door opened, and the familiar scent of grass and trees wafted in with the air. The afterglow of the sunset here was gentle and just right.
"Miss Jiang has opened her shop again!"
"Good afternoon, Miss Jiang!"
Hello, Sister Jiang!
In that instant, Jiang Ling seemed to feel that she was also a person of this era.
"Hello everyone!" she replied with a smile.
Back at the shop, she remembered that there was still some chicken and meat she had bought last time in the refrigerator that she hadn't cooked.
Jiang Ling took them out to thaw and then found some tutorials on her phone.
Wow, chicken soup for the soul is so easy to make.
Use scallions and ginger to remove the fishy smell, then add some ginseng, red dates, and goji berries. After the water boils, simmer for an hour.
Make another braised pork dish; she happened to have a seasoning packet for braised pork in her shop.
Just follow the video; it's not difficult.
Smoke curls from chimneys, and the aroma of food fills every household.
Jiang Ling stewed a chicken soup, made braised pork, and stir-fried some seasonal vegetables, happily preparing to eat.
Just then, the light at the shop entrance dimmed, and three men walked in.
The leader was a well-dressed but gloomy-faced middle-aged man, followed by two burly thugs with menacing faces.
They all looked menacing.
The one leading the group was Wan Furong, the manager of Xiangbaoge.
In the past few days, Wan Furong's men were turned away at the door, so he had no choice but to bribe Zhang Laizi of Jishui Village.
Ask him to keep an eye on this auspicious general store. As soon as the store opens, no matter if he rolls or crawls, he has to come and tell him.
Xiangbaoge's business has been so bad lately that even the owner behind the scenes has noticed. If he doesn't do something soon, he won't be able to keep his position as manager!
As soon as Wan Furong entered the room, his shrewd eyes darted around, taking in the sights.
The decor here is quite strange, but the shelves are neat and clean, filled with all sorts of goods he has never seen before.
The most eye-catching thing was those two buzzing, rapidly spinning objects above my head; I had no idea what they were.
"Where is the shopkeeper?!" shouted the armored man following behind Wan Furong, his voice filled with menacing rage.
The atmosphere in the store instantly became oppressive.
Jiang Ling ate at the table next to the counter.
She rose and approached the counter, discreetly taking out a stun gun from the drawer and concealing it within the wide sleeves of her traditional costume. Only then did she go out to greet them.
"I am the manager here. What would you three like to order?"
Wan Furong then looked at Jiang Ling properly.
He had already inquired and learned that this deserted village general store was run by a young woman, but he hadn't expected her to be so young and quite pretty.
But how dare this young girl steal his Xiangbaoge's business?
They're practically asking for it!
"Have you heard of Xiangbaoge in Ping'an Town? This is Wan Furong, the head manager of Xiangbaoge!" Er Yi, who was following behind Wan Furong, introduced him with pride.
Xiangbaoge?
Jiang Ling had indeed heard of it, thanks to those ladies who bought scented soap.
"What brings you here, esteemed manager of Xiangbaoge?"
It's obvious they're not here to buy anything.
Wan Furong has not said a word since he entered the room.
He glanced at the stool in the corner, and Dajia understood immediately, moving the stool out and placing it in the middle of the road.
Wan Furong then slowly sat down, crossed his legs, and began to speak in a pretentious manner.
“Young lady, although your shop is located in a village, you still have to abide by the rules of this trade! Although you run a general store, you also sell cosmetics and face powder. You've been running the shop for months, yet you've never come to pay your respects. Do you know how despicable your behavior is?”
bad?
It's undeniable that her grocery store and Xiangbaoge were somewhat in competition, but the word "bad" doesn't quite fit.
She didn't promote her own products in a big way, nor did she belittle Xiangbaoge.
The customer makes the choice; what can she do?
However, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, and Jiang Ling knew that there were some unwritten rules in ancient times that still had to be followed.
"In your opinion, Manager Wan, what should our shop do to make amends?"
Jiang Ling wouldn't mind if she were given some gold or silver, since she doesn't lack those things now, and harmony brings wealth.
Wan Furong hadn't expected her to be so lenient. If he had known, he wouldn't have bothered making this trip.
She's just a young girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world. Sending a few people over to say a few words might make her obediently agree.
"In that case, I won't make things difficult for you. I've inquired and found out that the goods in your shop are also sourced from elsewhere. So, all you need to do is introduce me to your rouge and face powder supplier and guarantee that from now on, you will never sell rouge and face powder in your shop again! I, Wan Furong, can guarantee that your shop can continue to operate safely in Ping'an County."
He brought two thugs with him today, intending to smash up the shop.
Seeing that she only had one little girl, he decided to sit down and have a proper talk.
Hearing this, Jiang Ling laughed. "It's my fault for not following the rules of this industry, but Manager Wan, you're being a bit too domineering."
It's not that she's unwilling to reveal the source of the goods.
If Wan Furong were a modern person, Jiang Ling would be happy to tell him which brand of cosmetics his shop used and from which store they were sourced.
But Wan Furong wasn't like that, and Jiang Ling telling him was useless.
They might even think they're being played.
Moreover, Wan Furong wanted more than just a supply channel; he also wanted her to promise that the general store would never sell rouge and face powder again!
Isn't this blatant bullying?!
Wan Furong hadn't expected her attitude to suddenly become so firm. Where did this young girl get her confidence?
His face darkened. "Young lady, don't be ungrateful! This is the most generous offer I can make! Don't you know how many shops in Xiangbaoge can survive after offending me? I only offered because I saw how difficult it is for a young lady like you to manage all by yourself, otherwise your shop would have been smashed to pieces by now!"
"No wonder everyone says Xiangbaoge is the largest supplier of rouge and face powder in Ping'an County. So that's how it is. Jiang Ling, I've learned something!"
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