Chen Qingqing took the backpack from Chen Xiaoyu, took out a paper package, opened it, and handed it to Manager Li.
"Look, this is the brown sugar I made."
Manager Li was so shocked his jaw almost dropped, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets. "You're saying you made all this brown sugar?"
“That’s right, I made it myself.” Chen Qingqing wasn’t surprised by his performance. After all, in this technologically backward era, not everyone knew the process of making brown sugar.
Shopkeeper Li looked on incredulously. "As far as I know, making brown sugar requires mulberry trees that grow in the south. Our Anyang County is located north of Daning, so there are no mulberry trees there at all. I wonder what ingredients this sugar is made from?"
"Manager Liu doesn't need to know. Since I can make brown sugar, I naturally have my own methods."
"Yes, yes, I was being presumptuous." Manager Liu quickly apologized, then praised, "Miss Chen is so young yet has such skill, it's remarkable, truly remarkable."
As he spoke, he picked up a small piece of brown sugar, examined it closely, and then smelled it.
Only then did I put it in my mouth and savor it carefully...
"How do you feel about the quality of this brown sugar? If you are satisfied, we can talk about cooperation."
"It is reddish-brown in color, has a uniform texture, tastes soft, sweet and fragrant, and is delicate in the mouth, like holding a precious jade in your mouth. It's really good."
Manager Liu nodded in satisfaction, put down the sugar block in his hand, and said with bright eyes, "This brown sugar is of excellent quality. To be honest, I am interested in buying it, but I don't know the price."
Chen Qingqing estimated that the average profit of brown sugar should be between 10% and 15%. Based on this calculation, the purchase price of brown sugar should be between 85 and 90 copper coins.
After what happened at Li's grocery store, Chen Qingqing didn't intend to waste time beating around the bush and went straight to the point.
"I'm offering you a price of eighty-five copper coins per pound. Is that acceptable to you?"
Manager Liu was secretly delighted. Merchants from the south wanted ninety copper coins for a pound of brown sugar, and they wouldn't even cooperate with him.
In order to get his hands on brown sugar, he offered ninety-two coins, but the man still wouldn't sell it to him.
Now it only costs eighty-five coins, it's like a huge pie falling from the sky and landing right on his head.
His eyes were full of smiles. "The price offered by Miss Chen is fair and reasonable. It's settled then."
"How many kilograms do you need, and how often will you supply the goods?"
"This..." Manager Liu hesitated, "To be honest, there are several restaurants that regularly buy grain from me, and they've asked me several times when they'll have brown sugar, but I haven't been able to get any."
I'll go around asking around in a bit. If they're all getting their goods from me, I'll definitely need a lot. I wonder how much brown sugar Miss Chen has on hand right now?
Chen Qingqing smiled and said, "I didn't bring much today, only forty catties."
"Okay, I'll keep all of these. Let's cooperate for the long term."
Manager Liu had already decided that as long as he got his hands on brown sugar, he could sell it for five copper coins less per pound than Li's shop across the street.
It will sell for 95 coins per catty. As soon as the news comes out, restaurants, clinics and snack shops in Qingshui Town will definitely flock to buy it.
"Don't worry, Manager Liu. Since you are my first customer, I will naturally remember you when I have goods."
Manager Liu opened his mouth, hesitated, and then said after a while, "Our Qingshui Town is neither too big nor too small. I think Li's grocery store also sells brown sugar, and together with my family, that should be enough."
Chen Qingqing immediately understood his meaning: he wanted to monopolize the business.
Scarcity increases value. In such a small place, if every household sells, it's definitely better to concentrate resources.
"Rest assured, I will only cooperate with you in Qingshui Town."
Shopkeeper Liu's face immediately lit up with a smile, "That's good, that's good! Miss Chen is such a straightforward person!"
Chen Qingqing only supplies Liu's General Store in Qingshui Town. Liu's General Store is not allowed to purchase brown sugar from other stores. In return, she guarantees the quality of the brown sugar. The two sign a contract, and the contract is considered to be in effect.
Manager Liu walked to the counter, took out three taels and four mace of silver from the drawer, and said, "This is the payment for the goods. Please keep it safe, Miss Chen. If you have any more goods tomorrow, please just deliver them to me."
Chen Qingqing put away the money, stood up and said goodbye, "Okay, I will deliver the goods on time tomorrow."
"Alright, Miss Chen, please take care."
After seeing Chen Qingqing off, Manager Liu immediately went out to find his regular customers and explained the matter of purchasing brown sugar, and that the price was only ninety-five coins per pound.
Restaurants and clinics readily agreed to buy from him, and the forty catties of brown sugar were completely sold out before he even left two of them.
Manager Liu couldn't stop smiling. If things continued like this, let's see how Li's Grocery Store across the street could still act so arrogantly in front of him...
Chen Qingqing and Chen Xiaoyu walked out of the shop in high spirits, planning to go home early.
At this moment, Chen Xiaoyu's stomach made a rumbling sound.
He rubbed his stomach and looked at Chen Qingqing pitifully, saying, "Wife, I'm hungry."
Chen Qingqing realized her mistake. She had rescued Xiaoyu more than half a month ago, and Xiaoyu had been kept alive by rice porridge and had not eaten any solid food.
I woke up today chasing after the oxcart and carrying her candy bag; no wonder I'm hungry.
His gaze fell on a wonton stall by the roadside, and he said, "Let's have a bowl of wontons here."
"Okay, okay!"
As Xiaoyu spoke, she skipped and hopped towards the wonton stall.
"Sigh, she's such a child." Chen Qingqing sighed, walked over, and called out to the stall owner, "Two bowls of wontons."
"Okay, coming right away," the stall owner greeted warmly.
Soon, two steaming bowls of wontons were placed in front of them.
The little fish picked up the spoon, gracefully blew on the steam rising from the wontons, and then ate them in small bites.
His every move exuded an innate air of nobility, which seemed somewhat out of place at this simple wonton stall.
Chen Qingqing looked at him and couldn't help but tease him, "Little Yu, you're so particular about eating wontons. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were dining in the palace."
Chen Xiaoyu glanced at the people next to her and saw that they were all wolfing down their food. "Oh, that's how I should eat."
After saying that, he picked up the bowl with both hands and took a big gulp of soup.
Just as Chen Qingqing was about to say "hot," Chen Xiaoyu was already grimacing from the heat, but she still forced herself to swallow the wonton in her mouth.
"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you." Chen Qingqing was both annoyed and amused.
Chen Xiaoyu grinned, mumbling, "Wife, these wontons are so delicious, I can't resist."
Recalling how she was poisoned when she saved him, Chen Qingqing couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Dining etiquette is cultivated from childhood and cannot be changed overnight. Before losing his memory, this little fish might have been a nobleman or a wealthy young master, but was persecuted and almost lost his life in Wolf Valley...
As Chen Qingqing pondered, she felt increasingly that Xiaoyu's background was mysterious and unpredictable.
Seeing that she wasn't eating, Chen Xiaoyu looked up and asked, "Wife, why aren't you eating? Is it not good?"
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