Chapter 44: 44 Dafang Hardware Store

Chapter 44: Dafang Hardware Store

This riverside wet market had a history of ten or twenty years.

For the most part, the vegetable sellers and their stalls here were relatively fixed.

Occasionally, farmers might carry shoulder poles to sell some self-grown rural fruits, but that followed the seasons and didn't last long.

But Song Tan, this newcomer to the vegetable trade, was strange—too strange.

First of all, there weren't many young girls selling vegetables here.

Secondly, this young girl was beautiful, and she brought along a similarly beautiful, simple-minded younger brother; she could easily play the sympathy card while also attracting attention.

Finally, her vegetables were actually sold so expensively!

At first, the other vendors sneered

*Don't think having a simple brother will attract customers!*

This market was filled with middle-aged and elderly aunts who were experts at picking and calculating; they would sooner split a single cent in half than spend it. Being beautiful and pitiable might work elsewhere, but here, these aunts wouldn't spend an extra dime!

But as they watched, this "simple child" went from being slow and clumsy at the start to becoming increasingly efficient, even getting better at counting—

Good heavens!

You're actually using this to train your brother.

Then there was the price.

Twenty yuan a jin for wild vegetables?

The vendors sneered, thinking, *You're just selling freshness!*

But as the weather warmed up and vegetable prices dropped lower and lower, she was still selling them at twenty yuan a jin?!

The vendors scoffed: *You must be using shills, right?*

Later on, she even started selling Chinese milk vetch, used for fertilizing fields, still at twenty yuan a jin, and yet so many people were fighting to grab it...

The vendors were left numb.

How should they put it? Had they been selling vegetables for ten or twenty years and failed to grasp the trends of this market entirely?

Having endured it for a long time, one vendor finally asked today.

To his surprise, the aunt being questioned was also full of melancholy: "Tell me about it! These vegetables are so expensive, my heart aches every time I spend money."

*Then why do you buy so much?!*

The vendor stared at the bunches of fresh, delicate milk vetch in her basket, eyes filled with confusion.

Unexpectedly, the aunt's attitude instantly brightened again

"You don't understand. Eating more vegetables is good for the body. Our whole family eats a few extra jin of this every day; it keeps our digestion smooth, our health is good, and we sleep soundly at night... even the acne on my daughter's face has cleared up quite a bit! It's worth the money."

"Besides, these vegetables are incredibly delicious. Whether they're tossed in cold, stir-fried, or put in hotpot, you can't go wrong! If I don't eat them for a meal, I feel restless."

The onlookers: "..."

*I mean... what you're buying isn't vegetables, is it? Is it Brain Platinum, or calming oral liquid, or laxatives, or melatonin?*

*Should we just add poppy to the list?*

This praise was far too exaggerated.

Seeing that they didn't believe her, the aunt's stubborn streak flared up: "You lot, don't go thinking you know better! We've been buying vegetables for decades; how could we not know if something is good?"

"Just look at that girl selling vegetables—every time, people have to fight to get them. Everyone here isn't a fool! If you really don't believe it, spend twenty yuan and get scammed once yourself, then you'll know just how good it really is!"

The aunt left in a huff with her basket of vegetables. Seeing tomatoes being sold two stalls away, she stepped forward

"How much for these?"

The vendor hesitated for a moment: "Eight yuan."

The aunt's brows shot up immediately: "Fine! I've been buying vegetables in this area for decades, and you actually dare to rip me off? I clearly bought these tomatoes for four yuan yesterday!"

With that, she stood up and turned to walk away.

A nearby vendor cautiously approached: "Brother, why did you raise the price?"

The vendor wanted to cry: "I saw her spending a hundred yuan every day just on her wild vegetables..."

He thought she was some wealthy patron who just liked expensive things!

While they were wallowing in their own grievances, they turned around to find the beautiful girl and her simple brother already preparing to pack up their stall.

A neighboring vendor took a quick step forward

"Um, do you have any vegetables left? Give me a jin too!"

Song Tan was startled, then directed her brother: "Qiaoqiao, go to the car and get a bunch."

She said with a smile, "Uncle, sorry for bothering you next to your stall these past few days—today's vegetables are all sold out, but I'm planning to send some to my relatives, so I'll just take one jin."

Only then did the vendor's expression soften. He waved his hand and said with a chuckle, "I don't own the market, and we sell different things, so there's no impact at all. But you have to pay for these vegetables; I won't take them for free..."

Before he could finish, Qiaoqiao puffed out his chest and presented the QR code on his sweatshirt.

The vendor: "..."

Looking at the smiling young girl, he had no choice but to scan the code, pay, and turn away in frustration while carrying the vegetables.

Song Tan, acting with practiced ease, pulled out five yuan: "Be good, go buy your Peppa Pig stickers!"

...

With stickers stuck to his cheeks and clothes, Qiaoqiao happily carried the basket by Song Tan's side, looking at everything with wonder along the way

"Sister, those buildings are so tall!"

"What are they selling?"

"There are flowers!"

"Where is Great Uncle?"

Song Tan looked at his carefree expression, her gaze softening: "Soon. See that blue sign up ahead? Qiaoqiao, do you recognize the words? Can you read them?"

Qiaoqiao followed her finger and began to struggle, counting on his fingers: "Da, Da... um, Wu, Jin... um..."

He turned his head, his clear eyes looking at Song Tan: "I finished reading it."

Song Tan sighed—in his current state, Qiaoqiao could understand what was said, could count, could recognize money, and could occasionally tell time. He was obedient, sensible, and easy to coax, never throwing tantrums.

But in a systematic sense, he was truly like a kindergarten child; he couldn't recognize all the characters, and even traveling was an issue. She couldn't just send him to school in the city alone...

She would have to think of another way later.

But the thought passed through her mind quickly, replaced by a smile: "Qiaoqiao is so amazing! That is—Dafang Hardware Store! Our Great Uncle's name is Song Dafang. Do you remember?"

Twenty years ago, Great Uncle Song had worked on construction sites in the city with his wife. Later, through various connections, he saved up some money. He took over a shop in the construction market, and through that shop, he built a substantial nest egg for his entire family.

He had been doing this for twenty years.

Although the market had been a bit slow in the last two years, his children were all grown up, so the pressure wasn't as great, and life was actually more relaxed than in previous years.

Recalling the past, Song Tan vaguely remembered how her aunt loved gold. Years ago when they returned to the village, any part of her body that was exposed was adorned with gold jewelry.

Because of this, the villagers whispered that Great Uncle had struck it rich, until one day, Auntie took everyone to a jewelry shop.

"Just bring a few fifty-cent coins, pay a little labor fee, and you can have a bracelet made! It's just like gold—bright yellow and very sturdy!"

It wasn't until Song Tan grew up that she realized—damaging RMB is illegal...

But at this moment, these memories flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern, bringing back the feelings of the past.

Qiaoqiao nodded obediently: "I remember, Great Uncle is called Hardware Store!"

Song Tan: *Pfft!*

"You just call him Great Uncle, don't make up names."