19
Superiority Complex
The veteran stall owner next door had noticed her “competitors” the moment she arrived.
At first, she felt quite anxious – what terrible luck to have two sock sellers set up right next to each other.
Competitors are natural enemies, after all, and this would surely affect her sales.
After observing them intentionally or unintentionally for a while, she finally relaxed and concluded: three greenhorns, nothing to worry about!
They don’t know the first thing about business, yet they’re trying to sell socks?
The aunt had her own business philosophy when it came to socks – they’re worn inside shoes where no one can see them. Whether you have holes at the heels or your toes are poking through, who would know?
Generally, few people specifically come to the night market just to buy socks. Most customers browse around looking at other trinkets first, then pick up a pair or two incidentally on their way.
Therefore, a sock stall needs comprehensive inventory.
Not only should you have all types of socks, but other items too.
Hair ties, nail clippers, hair clips, towels – daily necessities of all kinds. The more variety you offer, the more customers you’ll attract.
Look at her cart – dozens upon dozens of different products, that’s how you run a proper business!
Then look at the stall next door – she counted only five basic categories of budget goods, plus quite a few messy high-end items. But who’s going to buy those expensive things?
She also carried some premium socks for display purposes, but would be lucky to sell even one or two pairs before the market closed.
These days, most ordinary folks are poor, with only a minority having money to spare. Branded socks costing over ten or twenty yuan might be good quality, but people can’t bear to wear them, so naturally they don’t sell well.
After assessing their merchandise, she turned her attention to the three youngsters, clicking her tongue in even greater disdain.
There were plenty of good-for-nothings these days who thought they could make a living anywhere without studying properly. And these three were definitely among the worst!
Think about it – young, strong, decent-looking – wasn’t there anything better they could do than set up a stall here?
To put it bluntly, they were just hopeless, complete failures!
The aunt criticized others for being hopeless, completely overlooking that she herself was just a sock seller too.
But that was typical of her generation’s mindset.
Young people should be ambitious, should venture out into the world. Staying in this dump of a town called Shangbei without studying or improving themselves – that was just pathetic.
Moreover, the aunt derived a sense of superiority from the three boys.
She thought to herself, thankfully her own son was sensible and knew the importance of studying. If he turned out like these three, she’d worry herself to death!
The more she thought about it, the happier she felt. The weather was so nice today, the night market was bound to be crowded. And with these three fools nearby for comparison, business should be really good.
Don’t underestimate her small stall – between morning markets, night markets, and regular street vending, she could make over a thousand yuan per month!
Though she looked down on Qi Lei and his two friends, she showed none of it outwardly – that’s the tactfulness of adults.
Seizing an opportunity, she initiated conversation with Qi Lei, “Young man, with all these socks you’ve brought, who are you planning to sell them to?”
While busy with his work, Qi Lei smiled and replied, “We’ll sell them gradually, but we definitely can’t outsell you, ma’am! You’ll have to teach us your ways.”
The aunt chuckled, “What’s this about outselling? Customers will buy from whoever they prefer.”
“By the way,” Qi Lei seized the opportunity, “ma’am, could you tell us if selling this stuff is profitable?”
The aunt stiffened her neck. “What money? Ten or eight yuan at most! Not that I’m criticizing you, but you’re all young folks—why not head inside the pass? Here you’ll work yourselves to death and still not earn much!”
After saying this, she knew her words wouldn’t deter these three troublemakers. She thought to herself, Fine, let them compete for business—it’s not like they can steal much anyway!
Changing the subject, she asked, “You all look quite young. Why aren’t you studying?”
Qi Lei replied, “We just graduated from ninth grade!”
“Oh.”
She understood immediately—they’d dropped out after ninth grade? No ambition, good-for-nothings!
Just then, a group of teenagers passed by the stall. The aunt’s eyes lit up as she called out to one of them, “Dazhi! Dazhi! Come here!”
The tall, lanky boy clearly didn’t want to acknowledge her, but her persistent calling left him no choice. After murmuring a few words to his classmates, he reluctantly shuffled over.
Keeping his head down with a displeased expression, he muttered, “Mom.”
“Hey!” The aunt was deeply offended. “What? Ashamed of your mom?”
Pulling the boy closer, she introduced him to Qi Lei’s group. “This is my son Song Dazhi. He’s in eighth grade at No. 2 Middle School—top student! You know No. 2 Middle School, right? Their junior and senior high programs are excellent—a key school! Most people can’t even get in.”
Qi Lei pretended not to catch her implication and simply smiled in greeting.
As for Tang Yi and Wu Ning, they could only sigh inwardly, pulling their collars even higher.
Damn, just what we were afraid of—haven’t even started business yet and we run into someone from No. 2 Middle School.
Under his mother’s oppressive authority, Song Dazhi had no choice but to greet Qi Lei’s group. Though he found it strange—these three… they looked so familiar?
But he merely brushed off the thought, hurriedly making excuses. “Mom, my classmates are waiting for me!”
The aunt chided, “Always playing, all you know is playing! Would it kill you to spend that time studying? What will become of you if you don’t study hard?”
She shot a glance at Qi Lei’s trio, making her meaning clear—drop out of school and you’ll end up like them.
“Go on, head home early!”
“Okay!” Song Dazhi replied and dashed off, not wanting to stay a second longer.
Rejoining his friends, who’d been staring at the scene, one asked, “Was that your mom?”
Song Dazhi nodded reluctantly. “Yeah.”
His classmates didn’t comment further but focused on Qi Lei. “Isn’t that Qi Lei from Class 5, ninth grade? What’s he doing here?”
Song Dazhi took a closer look. “Is it? Don’t really know him.”
He’d only heard of Qi Lei but wasn’t familiar with him.
Another classmate added, “And those two behind him look like Brother Tang and Brother Ning?”
Song Dazhi glanced over and immediately dismissed it. “Impossible! Are you blind?” Not wanting to linger, he urged, “Whoever they are, let’s go! Time for basketball!”
With that, he dragged his classmates away.
Tang Yi and Wu Ning were nothing like Qi Lei—they were legendary figures at No. 2 Middle School, real powerhouses. Coming from influential families, they were figures ordinary students like them could only look up to.
Selling at a street stall? What nonsense!
After her son left, the aunt didn’t mind at all that he looked down on her profession. In fact, she thought it was a good thing.
It’s good that you feel ashamed!
If you’re ashamed, you’ll study hard—so you won’t end up like these three good-for-nothings, doing the same work as an old woman like me.
Gradually, the Night Market grew busier, bustling with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.
While attending to customers, the aunt kept a watchful eye on Qi Lei’s stall.
After all, they’re competitors—gotta keep tabs on them.
In just that short while, she had already opened for business, completed two transactions, and earned seven or eight yuan.
As for the stall next door, it wasn’t so fortunate.
With just a few types of goods on display, everything was clear at a glance. Basically, anyone strolling through the night market could take one casual look and see it all—not even a single person stopped to browse.
After watching for a while, she found it dull again, thinking to herself, “What’s the point of watching? It’s just like that young fellow Zhou in the movie said… ‘There’s nothing to gain here!'”
“Boss, how much for these athletic socks?”
Another customer stopped to look at the goods—a couple with their child.
The aunt could tell right away that the child wanted to buy them.
She quickly put on a welcoming smile, “These? They’re five yuan! Look at the quality—it’s really good, sturdy and durable. Does your kid like playing soccer? Don’t worry, they won’t wear out even after a year.”
The parents had only intended to ask, but upon hearing this, they couldn’t help but pick them up for a closer look.
When buying things for kids, durability is the main concern. Young boys are like they have drills attached to their legs—socks are bound to get holes in them within days.
“Five yuan is a bit expensive, isn’t it? Can you make it cheaper?”
The aunt pursed her lips, “You get what you pay for!” She picked up the socks and tugged at them forcefully, “See for yourself—isn’t this quality worth five yuan?”
The parents also tugged at them and had to admit the quality was good. But there was another stall selling socks nearby, and their eyes unconsciously drifted in that direction.
The aunt knew that Qi Lei’s stall also had athletic socks, and the quality wasn’t much different from hers.
Afraid of losing the sale, she seized the opportunity, “How about this? Four yuan and fifty cents! I’ll give you a pair for four and a half.”
Hearing there was room for negotiation, the parents bargained again, “How about four yuan?”
In the end, the aunt reluctantly agreed.
But just as the man was about to pay, his wife poked him from behind and pointed to the neighboring stall.
The man turned his head and saw the young man next door propping up a large cardboard sign. “Huh?”
He withdrew his outstretched hand and led his child and wife over to the neighboring stall.
Seeing the sale slipping away, the aunt panicked, “Three yuan and fifty cents!! I’ll give them to you for three and a half!!”
But the customers didn’t even look back.
Furious, the aunt thought, “Are you messing with me?!”
She instinctively glanced over at Qi Lei’s stall and nearly jumped in anger.
There, spread across his stall, was an enormous cardboard sign—
Pure Cotton Socks: Two pairs for five yuan!!!
Other Styles: Three pairs for five yuan!!!
Damn it! The aunt felt like scratching someone.
Is he trying to cause trouble?
…