That day, as Su Zhen and her brother arrived at their usual spot to set up their stall, they immediately sensed something was off.
The auntie selling pickled vegetables next door quietly leaned over and gestured with her chin. “A-Zhen, look across the way! I noticed something was wrong earlier. Are that couple planning to sell porridge too?”
Su Zhen looked over and indeed saw a young couple busily setting out bowls. On the ground, five double-handled pots were neatly lined up, each steaming with heat.
Before Su Zhen could even finish setting up her porridge stall, the couple had already gotten everything ready and began loudly hawking their wares: “Porridge for sale! Delicious and nutritious porridge! Tasty and affordable, only eight wen a bowl!”
Nutritious porridge too?
And for only eight wen a bowl?
Su Anyu couldn’t sit still any longer. “Sister! What are they doing? Isn’t this just stealing our business?”
Su Zhen calmly arranged the porridge ladle and glanced at him. “Have you forgotten what I taught you? When something happens, don’t act impulsively. Calm your mind, observe first, think more, and speak less.”
He could let other things slide, but now that someone was practically challenging them on their doorstep, how was he supposed to stay calm and not act impulsively?
Su Anyu clenched his fists, his temples throbbing with anger. If his sister weren’t standing right there, he would have already grabbed a stick and overturned that stall across the way!
“Sister, aren’t you angry? Their porridge is only eight wen, two wen cheaper than ours! They’re trying to squeeze us out of business!”
Su Zhen, of course, knew. Back when she used to buy groceries on the street, she often saw vendors fighting and cursing each other over territory, prices, or poaching customers. Now, she had encountered the same situation herself.
“Sister, just say the word, and I’ll go over there right now to reason with them!”
Su Anyu was already rolling up his sleeves, ready for action. In his view, reasoning meant whoever had the harder fists was right.
Su Zhen held back his eager arm, amused. “Silly boy, is your sister afraid of a fight?”
Had this foolish brother forgotten how she, alone with a single stick, had beaten Nanny Liu’s two sons until they howled all over the courtyard?
Running a business wasn’t just about fighting; harmony brought wealth!
However, if some people insisted on being unreasonable and asking for trouble, she wouldn’t mind showing them her fists either.
Normally, after setting up the stall, Su Zhen would immediately head to Ying Ke Lai to prepare the digestive tea. But given today’s circumstances, she couldn’t bring herself to leave right away.
As the sun rose higher, more and more people filled the market. Half of the customers who usually bought porridge from their stall were now drawn away by the “eight wen” call from across the way.
Seeing another elderly auntie about to leave after hearing the hawking, Su Anyu quickly grabbed her and forced a smile. “Auntie, our porridge is really delicious. Although it’s two wen more expensive than theirs, it’s packed with quality ingredients and tastes great. Some bargains just aren’t worth it.”
The auntie pulled away, waving her hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s all just porridge. What’s the difference? I’ve had plenty of yours already. Today, I’ll go try someone else’s and see what theirs is like!”
Su Anyu tried to pull her back, but Su Zhen quickly stopped him. “Alright, auntie, go ahead and try their porridge first. Compare and see. If you think ours is better, come back and buy from us tomorrow!”
The auntie nodded repeatedly and shuffled her way through the crowd to buy porridge from the other stall.
“Sis! I finally managed to pull in a customer, how could you just let her go?” Su Anyu grumbled, scratching his already messy hair until it looked even more like a bird’s nest.
“Don’t worry. What that auntie said is true—when there’s something new and cheaper, everyone wants to give it a try. But once they try it, they’ll know whose food is truly the best.”
Su Zhen had confidence in her skills and integrity. The porridge she made was rich in ingredients and delicious in flavor. With the added boost from her Golden Finger, those who ate her porridge felt refreshed and energized.
As for the porridge stall across the way, she’d just have to wait and see!
Usually, her nutritious porridge would sell out within an hour, but today only half was gone. Meanwhile, the porridge stall opposite was bustling with business, the young couple running it grinning from ear to ear.
Even the auntie selling pickled vegetables next door couldn’t stand it anymore and quietly advised Su Zhen, “Ah Zhen, why don’t you lower your price too? You’ll just earn a little less!”
Su Zhen shook her head, refusing to budge on the price. “Auntie, lowering the price is easy enough, but what happens after? If I lower mine, they’ll definitely lower theirs too. Once that happens, it’ll be hard to raise it back up.”
They were all running small family businesses. Lowering by two coins today and another two tomorrow—if it kept going like this, they’d end up losing money and eventually run the stall into the ground.
Su Zhen remained calm, but Su Anyu squatted on the ground, glaring fiercely at the porridge stall across the way, his eyes practically shooting flames.
“Folks, today’s nutritious porridge is sold out! Come back early tomorrow!”
With a cheerful shout, the male vendor from the opposite stall happily began packing up.
The customers who missed out on the “eight-copper-coin” deal reluctantly turned back to Su Zhen’s stall. But upon hearing it was still ten coins a bowl, they started complaining again.
“Girl, they’re selling for eight coins now. Why don’t you lower your price too? Your porridge tastes great—if you drop it by two coins, I’ll buy two more bowls!”
“No? Then how about just one coin? Every little bit helps!”
No matter how others tried to persuade her, Su Zhen just smiled and shook her head, which only made Su Anyu even more frustrated.
Still, he knew his sister always had her own ideas, so he kept his anxiety to himself and said nothing.
Some people, tempted by the two-coin discount, turned and left.
Others didn’t care about those two coins and just wanted clean, nutritious, and delicious porridge, continuing to support Su Zhen’s business as usual.
Although it took longer, the three pots of nutritious porridge were eventually sold out.
Just as she sold the last bowl, Su Zhen suddenly noticed the male vendor from across the way standing right in front of her, arms crossed, looking down at her with a condescending gaze. “Tsk tsk, little girl, it’s not that I’m trying to lecture you, but it’s all just stuff made from rice and beans. Why are you so stubborn about charging those extra two coins?”
Su Zhen frowned slightly. His words were unpleasant to hear. Rice and beans were grains, and the porridge made from them was fragrant and wholesome—how could he call it “stuff”?
Although the dynasty she lived in was prosperous and peaceful, with no major disasters and the common people well-fed and well-clothed, who could say for sure what might happen? Someone who didn’t cherish food like this couldn’t be much of a decent person!
“Big brother, there are costs to consider. I can’t just lower the price recklessly.”
Not wanting to engage with him further, Su Zhen replied politely before lowering her head to continue packing up.
She still had to go to Ying Ke Lai to prepare the digestive tea. If she were any later, Manager Qian would probably be climbing the walls with impatience.
The male stall owner Liang Er, however, lacked tact, and his words grew increasingly sarcastic: “Cost? Rice and beans are grown in the fields—how expensive can they be? Could it be that you’ve added something you shouldn’t have to your porridge, driving up your costs?”
People came and went in the marketplace, and many stopped to listen when they heard this, some even whispering among themselves: “Added something they shouldn’t have? What could it be? I heard this girl’s porridge is quite tasty, much better than what we make at home.”
“Could it be something that makes people crave it after eating? Maybe it’s…”
Seeing her reputation about to take a hit, Su Zhen’s expression turned stern. She threw down the cloth she was using to wipe the jars, her voice loud and sharp: “Everything I, Su Zhen, make is absolutely safe and genuine. Don’t let yourselves be misled by certain people’s provocations and falsely accuse me!”
She then turned to Liang Er: “And you! Spreading baseless rumors without any evidence—aren’t you afraid I’ll report you to the authorities for spreading falsehoods and inciting trouble?!”