peasant young lady

Chapter 46 I Can Bring the Pharmacy Back to Life

When Cheng Xia stood at the window on the second floor of the restaurant, there was only one person beside him.

"Just Xiaowu said that you can bring the restaurant back to life?" The mellow and clear voice has the thickness and precipitation unique to middle-aged men, just like the sad man standing with his hands behind his back, full of depression and pity.

Cheng Xia Nunu smiled, feeling a little uncomfortable facing the strange man, "If I don't say that, I'm afraid I won't be able to see the shopkeeper."

"So I'm lying to me?" Shopkeeper Shang suddenly turned his head to look at Cheng Xia, the disappointment in his eyes couldn't be stopped.

Cheng Xia shook her head, "I didn't lie to you, I really have a way to bring the restaurant back to life."

"Quickly tell me what to do?" Shopkeeper Shang asked anxiously.

Cheng Xia put down the pannier that Lin Xiu was carrying, and put the pannier on her back by the window, then looked at the shopkeeper and said, "Actually, I came here to sell the winter melon preserves I made myself. , but regarding the restaurant, I really have a solution, and I originally wanted to negotiate with the shopkeeper."

Only then did Shang Liangzhong seriously look at the girl standing in front of him. She was slender and taller than many ladies of the family. He couldn't imagine that such a young girl could come up with something to bring the restaurant back to life. idea.

Cheng Xia saw the scrutiny and disbelief in his eyes, and just smiled, "If the shopkeeper really wants to hear, we can find a quiet place," Cheng Xia pointed to the window, there are still people coming in and out here , not safe.

After a long time, Shang Liangzhong nodded, and led Cheng Xia into a private room on the second floor, and carried two baskets over by the way.

With this action alone, Cheng Xia's impression of the shopkeeper in front of him was much higher.

This middle-aged man, about forty years old, looks quite elegant, and he can be seen that he has read poetry and books, and he has the temperament of a scholar. This is the kind of anecdote.

Moreover, looking at his demeanor, he was dignified, polite and respectful, a bit of what modern people call a gentleman's demeanor. To cooperate with such a shopkeeper, Cheng Xia's mind became a little firmer.

There is a big long table with a few chairs in the private room. The big difference from the modern private room is that it has a strong classical charm. The elegant screen is painted with lifelike paintings of flowers, birds, insects, fish and various animals. Inlaid with characteristic classical beauty portraits, it looks antique.

Cheng Xia put a basket on the table, took out the porcelain altar and opened it, a fresh scent came to his nostrils, Shang Liangzhong nodded, it smelled really good.

"Is this what you want to show me?"

Cheng Xia nodded, took the chopsticks placed in the middle of the long table and handed them to Shang Liangzhong, "You can try it, the shopkeeper. This is a winter melon preserve that I made with a special method. It is made of white sugar, called crystal preserves. The one in the other porcelain jar is made of brown sugar, which is called amber candied fruit, and the taste is similar, but the main difference is the color." After Cheng Xia finished speaking, he looked at the shopkeeper expectantly.

Seeing her looking at him with such burning eyes, Shang Liangzhong suppressed the question about the restaurant in his heart, and tasted a piece of it patiently, but his brows and eyes instantly relaxed. He didn't expect that this crystal clear food tasted delicious It turned out to be better.It's slightly sweet, refreshing and crispy, sweet but not greasy, much healthier than the candied fruit he gave to his children in the pharmacy.

Shang Liangzhong looked at Cheng Xia again, and Cheng Xia looked back clearly, "Shopkeeper, last time my younger brother and sister came to sell herbs, I saw preserved fruits and candied fruit placed next to each doctor for the children to eat, so I knew Shang The shopkeeper of Jiji Pharmacy is a man with a bodhisattva heart. Although candied fruit is delicious, it is inevitably sweet and greasy, and it is not good to eat too much. I happened to know a way to make candied winter melon, so I tried it, and everyone in the family thought it was good Eat, so I brought them here to show the shopkeeper, do you accept this candied fruit?"

"Where are you from?" Shang Liangzhong then asked the details of the person in front of him, and Cheng Xia knew that he was beginning to think about it.

Cheng Xia smiled, and explained in detail, "I am a villager in Qingxian Village. I seldom come to the market or sell herbs in the past. The shopkeeper must have never seen me. But don't worry, the shopkeeper, I am not a bad person."

"Haha," Shang Liangzhong smiled heartily, "How could a bad guy call himself a bad guy? I don't doubt you, but I want to ask you, how do you plan to sell this candied fruit?"

In business, Cheng Xia understood, "This candied fruit is made of wax gourd, white sugar and brown sugar. The shopkeeper must know better than me. Brown sugar costs twelve cents a catty, white sugar costs ten cents a catty, and the shopkeeper usually uses candied fruit." It's 25 Wen a catty." Seeing Shang Liangzhong's eyes suddenly looking at him, Cheng Xia smiled calmly, "I just asked the guy who brought me up."

Shang Liangzhong smiled again, "Know yourself and know your enemy. I didn't expect you, a woman, to understand this truth. Keep talking."

"I asked myself that the winter melon preserves I made are not inferior to candied fruits. No one has even tasted them before. The taste is naturally better and fresher. The shopkeeper's candied fruit is not bad even if it is sold separately. But the shopkeeper bought candied fruit It is for children to eat, so I decided to sell all these candied fruit to the shopkeeper, fifteen cents a catty, what does the shopkeeper think?"

"You have to know that you just told me that this is made of wax gourd and sugar. If I don't buy yours, I can find someone to make it myself, and it won't fail me."

Cheng Xia laughed and shook her head, "You are wrong, shopkeeper. Since I dare to tell you what the raw material is, I am naturally not afraid of you making it, because no one else can make it except me."

"So confident?" Shopkeeper Shang was a little surprised.

"That's natural!" Cheng Xia chuckled, her tone full of calmness, "I figured it out on my own. Winter melon and sugar are obvious raw materials. Anyone who sees it can try it, but I can guarantee that, No one can do what you see and taste like this."

Shang Liangzhong tapped the table with his fingers, making crisp sounds, "How do I know you won't frame me?"

"Shopkeeper, I'm not here for a one-off sale. I owe someone 50 taels of silver. You know that 50 taels of silver is not a small amount for us farmers. I make money by doing this, so naturally I can't offend you. Big customer, if the shopkeeper doesn’t believe me, I can store all these candied fruit with you, and I won’t take any money for the time being. The shopkeeper just needs to tell me how many catties there are in total, and how much it should be based on fifteen cents per catty. Below Before the market, there are five days. The shopkeeper can find someone to try to see if they can make the same crystal candied fruit and amber candied fruit. If they can be made, these candied fruits will be given to the shopkeeper for free by me today. The shopkeeper can't do it, so when I come next time, I will give me the money that should be given."

After Shang Liangzhong listened, he really looked at Cheng Xia Lai seriously, such a woman dressed in coarse sackcloth had such insights, and his speech was logical and clear, which had to impress him.

However, "You have to know that there are not many people who can make candied fruit in the market now. The price is generally very high, and twenty yuan is considered low. And the people in Chong'an County are not poor, and occasionally buy a candied fruit. You still have the ability to taste it. Your crystal candied fruit and amber and amber candied fruit are very fresh. If you take them directly to the market and sell them, even if you sell them for twenty yuan a catty, you can sell them in a day. It’s much better than selling it to me.”

Seeing the sincerity of the shopkeeper Shang, Cheng Xia also thought of her everywhere, and the impression in his heart added a little more, "The shopkeeper is right, I haven't thought about it. But in fact, candied winter melon is not suitable for everyone. Winter melon is cold in nature, so the shopkeeper must know better than me. If you meet someone with physical weakness and coldness, eating this will aggravate your physical discomfort. Although it’s okay to eat less, I just want to earn money honestly, and I don’t want to eat it. What kind of trouble did I get into, so the shopkeeper is the first partner I consider. The doctor in the Shangji pharmacy naturally knows whether children are suitable for eating. In fact, not only candied winter melon, but also ordinary candied fruits. Not everyone can eat it. If you want to deal with such a matter, the shopkeeper is more experienced than me, so I don't need to say more."

"You are honest!" Shang Liangzhong lowered his eyes and smiled, "But, do you know medical skills?"

Cheng Xia shook her head guiltily, "My mother has a little knowledge of medicine, I've only heard a thing or two."

Shang Liangzhong got up by himself and took out another porcelain jar from the back basket at the corner of the table and opened it. It was crystal clear amber, and the color was more attractive. After taking it and tasting it, the taste was similar to that of crystal candied fruit, but the taste was better. A little, more suitable for women to taste.

Seeing Shopkeeper Shang’s narrowed eyes, Cheng Xia knew something was going on, “If Shopkeeper Shang replaces candied fruit with this candied fruit, those parents who bring their children to see a doctor will definitely find it rare, and Shopkeeper Shang can try to promote it in the pharmacy. If parents want to buy it, the shopkeeper can also sell it separately."

"Haha," Shang Liangzhong smiled heartily, "Then my pharmacy will become a place for buying and selling things. Can I still see a doctor?"

Cheng Xia raised her eyebrows, "The shopkeeper is right, but I'm afraid that if the shopkeeper doesn't want to sell it, some people will beg the shopkeeper to sell it."

"Oh, you have such confidence in this thing?"

Cheng Xia nodded naturally, "I know the taste of the things I make myself the best. If I think it's not good, I won't be ashamed in front of the shopkeeper."

Shang Liangzhong lowered his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly raised his head to look at Cheng Xia, "Aren't you afraid that if I seize your candied fruit, the money will not be given to you in the future?"

"The shopkeeper is joking," Cheng Xia smiled brightly, "Just because the shopkeeper is so praised by the people in Chong'an County, and the pharmacy has been operating for more than [-] years without making money, it shows that the shopkeeper is a worthy one. Trust me, I have nothing to worry about." Cheng Xia raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Furthermore, my contact with the shopkeeper is not limited to this little candied winter melon, and there will be many places to deal with in the future."

Shang Liangzhong recognized that she was talking about restaurants.

"Since that's the case, can you now tell me what you can do to bring the restaurant back to life?"

(End of this chapter)