Chapter 248 Market
He looked towards Gu Jiayue with difficulty, his eyes seemed to say: Save me quickly, I'm almost being squeezed to death. Woo woo woo, it's so hard to make money this year.
Seeing this, Gu Jiayue quickly struck the gong again: "Stop crowding! If you're willing to listen to my instructions, the boss will give everyone a discount later!"
These words worked like magic. The originally restless crowd instantly quieted down, and everyone pricked up their ears, waiting for her next instructions.
An old lady asked in a hoarse voice, "Is there really a discount? Are you trying to trick us out again?"
"Yes, I managed to squeeze in with great difficulty."
"Is this girl trying to trick us away so she can go shopping alone?"
"Yes, I won't let you do that anyway. Shopkeeper, quickly weigh me half a pound of jujubes and half a pound of dried longans."
Seeing that a quarrel was about to break out again, the shopkeeper shouted with his last remaining strength, "What the girl said is true. You all should listen to her. I will give you the best price later."
He didn't know Gu Jiayue, nor did he know what she was going to do. But now he had only one thought in his mind: he had to leave this suffocating shop!
After hearing the boss's order, some quick-witted people retreated.
But some people still didn't believe it and insisted on squeezing forward.
The shopkeeper quickly added, "If anyone tries to squeeze me again, I won't sell it!" Wow, can't he just give up the money?
When he first started this business, no one told him that he would be squeezed to death just by selling dried fruits.
Not selling anymore? How can that be? What are they crowding here for?
"Back off, back off, everyone, back off and see what that little girl is going to do."
People began to move out.
"Yes, those outside, please leave first. Very good. Those who have already bought something should stand on the right side, next to the counter. Those who haven't bought anything should stand on the left side, next to the grocery store. Right."
Under her command, everyone gradually stood up in an orderly manner and there was no more quarreling.
The dried fruit shop owner finally squeezed out of the crowd, gasping for breath.
He looked at Gu Jiayue gratefully and bowed quickly: "Thank you for your wit, young lady. Otherwise, I would have lost my life."
Gu Jiayue smiled and teased, "Just hope the shopkeeper doesn't blame me for acting on my own."
Shopkeeper Qian quickly waved his hands: "No, no."
In his opinion, it was just a small favor, not worth getting angry about. Besides, he often gave discounts to old customers on weekdays.
Today's incident was all thanks to this girl's help.
"Boss, I think there's something wrong with the layout of your store." Gu Jiayue looked at the shop that had returned to normal and said seriously, "This dried fruit shop is quite large, but the items are placed too messily. The things people want to buy are scattered in different places, so they squeeze and shove each other, which causes congestion."
Shopkeeper Qian sighed, smiled bitterly, and said, "It's my fault for not thinking things through. There weren't so many people here in previous years."
He has been in the dried fruit business in Annan County for more than ten years. Business was better during Laba Festival in previous years, but it has never been like this year. There were so many people that the store was almost packed.
It feels like everyone has suddenly become rich. Is it his illusion?
Gu Jiayue smiled slightly when she heard this.
The shopkeeper didn't know, but she could make some inferences. This change was all thanks to Zheng Qing and the county magistrate, who was dedicated to serving the people.
The county magistrate of the past was only interested in extorting money from the people, never mind helping them find a way out. He was thankful he didn't come up with excuses to extort money from them. The people lived in constant fear, so how could they afford to spend their money? They couldn't even afford meat for the New Year, and yet they were still buying dried fruits to make Laba porridge? Haha...
Zheng Qinghe is different. He has ideas, ambitions, and the drive to act. He truly wants to benefit the people.
In just a few months, the county was put into good order.
When people have money in their hands, they naturally have the ability to consume, and the economy will be revitalized.
This is what gave the shopkeeper such a sweet worry. "Shopkeeper, I have a small suggestion."
Gu Jiayue's eyes sparkled as she slowly expressed her thoughts...
As Shopkeeper Qian listened to Gu Jiayue's talk, his cloudy eyes brightened, like a dry riverbed suddenly filled with clear spring water. "The girl is really smart!"
He slapped his thigh hard with his calloused hand, startling the clerk who was counting the accounts at the counter so much that the tip of his pen trembled and a small stain of ink spread across the account book.
Gu Jiayue's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her eyes and twirled the hem of her skirt.
In her opinion, it was just an application of the idea of modern supermarket zoning, which was not a real skill.
Outside the store, a long queue stretched to the corner of the street, and the noise was mixed with the crying of children and the urging of women.
Shopkeeper Qian didn't dare to delay and started shouting at his waiters at the top of his voice, acting like a general commanding thousands of troops.
He even grabbed the sleeve of the grocer next door and coaxed him into helping him. The grocer was also a good man, and while he was talking, his hands were constantly moving, and his coarse apron fluttered in the cold wind.
Today, most people go out to buy ingredients for making Laba porridge, so let's gather together several kinds of dried fruits commonly used in making Laba porridge.
Then put some dried fruits that are not commonly used but some people will buy in the middle, and have a worker stand in the middle to help pack them.
The rest of the dried fruits that basically no one will use today will continue to be placed in the corner.
In this way, the goods are basically concentrated in the center of the store, and the surrounding areas are left free.
"Everyone line up! Just shout out what you want!" Shopkeeper Qian stood behind the counter, holding a copper scale, looking majestic.
Customers lined up and filed in, stepping on the golden dried fruit crumbs on the ground, and actually felt a bit like they were "visiting a temple fair".
Some people stood on tiptoe to look around, some took out their handkerchiefs and carefully wrapped the selected fruits, and occasionally you could hear people secretly rejoicing, "These raisins are half a cent cheaper than those in East Street."
Shopkeeper Qian wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled with his gap teeth: "Miss, are you also here to buy dried fruits to make Laba porridge?" He rubbed his hands, his eyes full of flattery, like a servant who was afraid of neglecting the distinguished guest.
Gu Jiayue pointed at Li, who was standing on tiptoe not far away and looked around, and said with a smile: "Yes. My mother said that the shopkeeper is honest in business, so I must buy from you."
This made Shopkeeper Qian so happy that he slapped his thigh and insisted on stuffing the basket full of dried fruits into her arms: "Everything is free today! Just consider it as making friends!"
As the two of them pushed and shoved each other, Gu Zhigeng hid behind his sister and swallowed his saliva, wishing that the small box of dried fruits would fall into her mouth.
Finally, under the persistent persuasion of Shopkeeper Qian, Gu Jiayue finally bought a full bag of dried fruits at half price after a strong argument. Shopkeeper Qian even forced a bag of preserved fruits on Gu Zhigeng.
Gu Jiayue had no choice but to accept it, and then when Li wasn't paying attention, she stuffed the candied fruit into Gu Zhigeng's pocket.
The little girl held the candied fruit, her eyes sparkling. She looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to her. Then she quickly grabbed a piece and put it in her mouth like a kitten stealing fish.
The sweetness of the candied fruit spread in her mouth, so sweet that the little girl stamped her feet.
Gu Zhigeng covered his mouth and sighed in his heart, "It's sweeter than the sugar melons during the Chinese New Year."
After leaving the dried fruit shop, Li wanted to buy other things, and Gu Jiayue suggested taking Gu Zhigeng to visit the West Market.
Li thought that the security in the county town was good now, so she let them go by themselves. She still had some other things to buy, and it would not be convenient to take them with her.
The wind from Xishi blew in with the smell of fireworks.
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