Cheng Yue glanced at the two men discreetly; something about their clothes and demeanor seemed off.
However, since they were guests, he opened the door and said, "Please come in, please sit for a moment, I will come over and we can talk in detail later."
The two smiled at Cheng Yue, "Madam Cheng, please go ahead with your work. We'll wait for you."
A long queue had already formed at the window. They could see it; it was obvious that the rain was heavy today, and Cheng Yue and the others were a little late.
Come to think of it, I came at the wrong time. I should have let them finish their business first before I had time to talk to them.
Since they had nothing to do during the day, they could just wait; it wouldn't take up much time.
Cheng Yue smiled and nodded. The two women glanced at each other, their eyes not exactly friendly, and then entered the lobby one after the other.
Looking at the crowd in line, Cheng Yue called out, "Please wait a moment, we'll be opening soon!"
"It's alright, it won't make a difference if it takes a little longer!"
"That's right, boss lady, don't be in such a hurry!"
They just arrived and lined up, so why are they in such a hurry?
They had initially thought the shop was closed and wouldn't be selling today! But they were pleasantly surprised to find it open.
After all, the rain was too heavy and the mountain roads were difficult to travel, so it was understandable that the store would be closed for a day.
After Cheng Yue finished speaking, she turned around and whispered, "Xiao Lin, go to the backyard and park the car first. Come with me to move the braised food out in a bit."
Shaowen, Changyong, you two go to the window area and tidy up the space, and reassure the diners.
"Okay!" the three replied and went about their business.
Cheng Yue went to the kitchen, took out all the braised food, put it on a tray, and carried it out with Chen Lin.
After the braised food went on sale, Cheng Yue looked around for a while and, seeing that there were no problems, went to the lobby to discuss business.
Chen Lin and the other two were already very skilled; they could handle accounting and collecting money with ease, so she didn't need to keep an eye on them.
Cheng Yue looked outside and saw that the chickens and ducks for today hadn't been delivered yet. Perhaps Liu Dazhuang, like them, had been kept out by the heavy rain.
We're about to supply Da Shun Zhai with chickens and ducks, and the quantity has doubled. The villagers of Wangshan Village have already agreed, so there shouldn't be any problems.
As soon as Cheng Yue sat down, the heavily made-up woman spoke first: "Madam Cheng, I am Qin Mama from Yichun Courtyard. I will speak frankly."
"We've come to inquire whether you could supply our Yichun Clinic with some braised dishes."
She had already tasted Cheng Ji's braised dishes, and the taste was undoubtedly excellent, so she had long had the idea of adding braised dishes to the Yichun Courtyard menu.
Most people who visit brothels have some money. Besides seeking entertainment from girls, they also need to eat, especially snacks, which are the most popular.
The reason she had been observing was because she knew that behind Chengji was Qin Xiaoyun, the wife of Master Chen, and the Qin family still had to be somewhat wary of her.
However, her status did not allow her to go and ask, so she could only wait.
Having heard that the manager of Da Shun Zhai had already come to negotiate a business deal, I inquired and learned that Cheng Ji was run by Cheng Yue herself, which is why I came to ask.
After hearing what Qin's mother said, Cheng Yue understood everything. She just hadn't expected that the person who came to her door would be a brothel madam.
Although brothels were legal to operate in ancient times, they were still places of entertainment and many people still found them taboo.
Especially since she has children, if rumors of her doing business with brothels were to spread, it could affect her children's marriage prospects.
But this business isn't something you actively seek out; people are actively asking to buy, so there's no reason to refuse outright.
Cheng Yue said, "Mother Qin, let me think about this."
Qin's mother was somewhat surprised, but still politely replied, "Then I will wait for Madam Cheng's reply."
After saying goodbye to Cheng Yue, he went out.
"Madam Cheng, I am Ning Mama from Xiaoxiang Pavilion. I am also here to discuss the braised food business, but you seem to be quite concerned. I wonder if this deal can be finalized?"
She hadn't spoken until now, wanting to gauge Cheng Yue's opinion, but now it seemed there was no point in continuing the business.
Indeed, there is no difference between people, so there is nothing to say if they look down on them.
Is this also a brothel madam? Cheng Yue's eyelids twitched. How did she end up in a brothel?
However, hearing her downcast tone, I had no choice but to express my concerns: "I do mind a little, but it's not that I look down on you."
I know everyone has their own difficulties, and perhaps you are also forced into this situation by fate.
However, I have children at home who are yet to be married, and I'm genuinely worried about affecting their future.
Unless one is desperate or encounters a sudden change in circumstances, who would be willing to work in this industry?
Ning Yu was surprised. Was Cheng Yue really that honest? There was no hint of disdain in her tone, and she was willing to tell him her thoughts truthfully. It was truly rare.
“Madam Cheng, although we are a place of pleasure, we are a legitimate brothel business, not some kind of brothel.”
Seeing that Cheng Yue still looked puzzled, Ning Yu whispered:
"Brothels and brothels are places where people sell their bodies, while brothels are mostly places where singers and dancers perform, and they cater to different types of customers."
As for what Madam Cheng said about it affecting the child, it's highly unlikely to happen. If you really mind, just pretend I never came.
Brothels certainly have a better reputation than brothels, and singers and dancers have a much higher status than prostitutes, but ultimately they are for men's amusement.
Even if Cheng Yue minded, there was nothing she could do. Ever since she was framed and forced into a brothel, what right did she have to complain about others' dislike?
If Cheng Yue hadn't been so honest with her, she wouldn't have said so much. As for whether the talks would go well or not, that was beyond her control.
Although Ning Yu spoke cryptically, Cheng Yue immediately understood that the brothel only sold its art, not its body.
It wasn't what she thought; it seems she had preconceived notions.
Having said all that, Cheng Yue felt more at ease.
Those who frequented brothels were either rich or noble, and there were quite a few literati among them. Some even spent a fortune, so it was a place where money was never an issue.
As long as it doesn't affect the children, this business shouldn't be turned away.
Cheng Yue said apologetically, "I was overthinking it, Aunt Ning. Let's talk about business then."
Ning Yu smiled upon hearing this and went straight to the point, "We need thirty catties every day, all kinds of flavors. We will come to pick them up at the end of the 5-7 PM, and the payment will be settled in person."
To avoid making Cheng Yue feel uncomfortable, they decided not to have them deliver it to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, and instead had someone come and pick it up so that no one would feel awkward.
Cheng Yue thought for a moment and then agreed, "Okay!"
After Da Shun Zhai started supplying goods, staff would stay at the shop all day, making it convenient to pick up goods in the evening.
After the two signed the contract, Cheng Yue inquired about the Yichun Courtyard from Ning Yu.
Although Ning Yu's words implied a slight disdain for Qin's mother, she didn't say anything bad about her. She only told Cheng Yue that it would be best to inquire about it.
Cheng Yue knew that Ning Yu was subtly reminding her, and she kept it in mind. If there were any problems, the business deal definitely couldn't be done.
After thanking Ning Yu and seeing her off, Liang Hongyu from the wine shop came over.
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