But Su Jianjun had already stood up and taken out the tractor key from his pocket.
"Brother, I still have a few cucumbers I picked this morning in the truck bed. I'll grab them and compare!"
Before anyone could react, he had already strode out of the restaurant.
The diners in the hall whispered among themselves; some chuckled, while others shook their heads.
Waiter Xiao Zhang stood by the table with a fake smile on his face, but his eyes were full of disdain.
"Comrade."
Xiao Zhang said to Su Jianguo.
"In the century since Quanjude opened, no one has ever questioned the quality of our ingredients."
Just as Su Jianguo was about to speak, Su Jianjun rushed back, carrying three lush green cucumbers, their blossoms and thorns still attached, gleaming healthily under the restaurant lights.
"Look everyone!"
Su Jianjun slammed the cucumber on the table with a loud thud.
"Now this is what fresh cucumbers look like!"
He picked up a cucumber strip from Quanjude from the Peking duck side dish and placed it next to the whole cucumber he had brought.
In contrast, Quanjude's cucumber strips, although neatly cut, were noticeably dull in color and had some wrinkled skin.
Su Jianjun's cucumbers, on the other hand, were emerald green and plump.
The guests at the surrounding tables couldn't help but gather around to watch the spectacle.
A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses even picked up two pieces of cucumber and smelled them together.
"Yes, they are definitely different."
The man with glasses nodded.
"The cucumbers here have a stronger aroma."
Waiter Xiao Zhang's face turned ugly. He picked up Su Jianjun's cucumber and forced a smile.
"Comrade, where did you buy these cucumbers? They look really good."
"Bought?"
Su Jianjun proudly puffed out his chest.
"These are grown in our own greenhouse in Sujiatun! We just picked them this morning!"
"Sujiatun?"
An elderly woman at the next table asked in surprise.
"Is that the newly opened 'Su Ji Vegetable Shop' at Dongdan Market? I bought two pounds of tomatoes there this morning!"
Seeing the topic shift, Su Jianguo immediately seized the opportunity to promote his work.
"Yes, that's us. We harvest fresh every morning to guarantee quality."
In no time, the restaurant's customers gathered around, asking all sorts of questions about the location and opening hours of the vegetable stall.
Waiter Xiao Zhang was pushed aside, and his fake smile finally crumbled.
"Distinguished guests, please return to your seats for your meal..."
Xiao Zhang tried to maintain order, but no one paid any attention to him.
An elegantly dressed elderly gentleman patted Su Jianguo on the shoulder.
"Young man, are you still selling cucumbers tomorrow? Reserve five pounds for me!"
"I want one too!"
"Bring me two pounds of tomatoes!"
Do you have any chives?
Su Jianguo was overwhelmed and had no choice but to speak loudly.
"Everyone, tomorrow morning, at 'Su Ji Vegetable Shop' in Dongdan Market, quantities are limited, first come, first served!"
This unexpected "cucumber comparison" ended with Quanjude's manager apologizing and offering a free meal.
Of course, after learning about Su Jianguo's cucumbers, the manager also said that he would go there in person tomorrow if what Su Jianguo said was true.
Therefore, Quanjude will prioritize purchasing cucumbers from their store.
When Su Jianguo and his family walked out of the restaurant, Su Jianjun was still immersed in the joy of victory.
"Brother, did you see that waiter's face? It looked like he'd eaten a bitter melon!"
Su Jianjun laughed heartily.
Su Jianguo shook his head, but there was a smile in his eyes.
"You almost wrecked their place."
Wang Xiulan took her husband's arm and whispered.
"Honey, aren't we being too conspicuous?"
"What's with the ostentation?"
Su Yufen interjected.
"We grow good vegetables through our own hard work, can't we even say so?"
...
After finishing his meal, Su Jianjun drove the tractor back to Sujiatun.
The tractor's "putt-putt" engine sound echoed along the country road.
Su Jianjun gripped the steering wheel, a smile he couldn't hide on his lips.
The night wind, carrying the chill of early winter, brushed against his face, but it could not extinguish the fire in his heart.
In the truck bed, fifty yuan weighed heavily in his pocket. It was a gift from Su Jianguo before he left, which he said was a bonus for the workers.
"Two yuan each, and use the rest to buy some things..."
Su Jianjun muttered to himself, pondering how to spend the money.
The tractor drove over the familiar field ridges, and the lights of Sujiatun could be faintly seen in the distance.
It was already evening when we returned to the village.
To Su Jianjun's surprise, a dozen people had gathered under the old locust tree at the village entrance. When they saw him return, they all surrounded him.
"Jianjun is back!"
"How's business? Are sales good?"
"Do city dwellers even like our vegetables?"
The barrage of questions left Su Jianjun unsure who to answer first.
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