Chapter 103 : Selling Cucumbers  

Shen Zheng, noticing that Fang Xiaoluo might feel disheartened after being turned away at the Peace Hotel, gently reassured her, “The next one will definitely work.”  

Fang Xiaoluo smiled at him warmly. “Don’t worry, I’m not that sensitive. I know my produce is good, but selling it depends on fate. I can’t sell to people who don’t appreciate its value.”  

Shen Zheng asked, “So where to next?”  

“Dongfeng Hotel,” she replied.  

In Jiangcheng, the Peace Hotel was the largest and most prestigious, but Dongfeng Hotel ranked a close second.  

—

When they arrived at the Dongfeng Hotel, Fang Xiaoluo noticed a recruitment notice at the entrance seeking chefs.  

She stepped inside. Although it wasn’t business hours, a waiter quickly approached her, polite and welcoming. “Good day. Do you need a private room?”  

Smiling, Fang Xiaoluo replied, “There are four of us, and we don’t need a private room. But isn’t it still before business hours?”  

The waiter responded kindly, “It’s fine. You can sit and rest for a while without ordering anything.”  

He set up a chair near a window and wiped down the table.  

Noticing the sign, Fang Xiaoluo asked, “I saw you’re recruiting chefs?”  

“Yes,” the waiter confirmed. “If you know someone interested, they can come to our kitchen for a trial.”  

“Then I’d like to try cooking,” Fang Xiaoluo said with a confident smile.  

The waiter was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a beautiful young woman to want to apply as a chef.  

“Please wait here. I’ll check with the kitchen staff,” he said, hurrying off.  

—

Shen Zheng teased, “Are you really planning to work here as a chef?”  

Fang Xiaoluo grinned. “Why not? Do you think I’m qualified?”  

Shen Zheng nodded earnestly. “Of course. Your cooking is far better than most chefs’.”  

A few minutes later, the waiter returned. “The kitchen staff said you can come and try.”  

Holding two cucumbers, Fang Xiaoluo stood up. “Wait for me. If I succeed, we’ll eat here for lunch.”  

Shen Jinxia’s sweet voice cheered her on, “You can do it, Mom!”  

—

The Dongfeng Hotel kitchen was spotless, which impressed Fang Xiaoluo.  

“Young lady, are you the one here to try?” A cheerful man in his fifties greeted her warmly. “This job is hard work, you know. You need strong arms.”  

Smiling confidently, she replied, “Uncle, let me make something simple first. Once you taste it, you’ll know.”  

The man chuckled. “Alright, what dish are you planning to make?”  

Holding up the cucumbers, she announced, “Crushed cucumber salad.”  

The kitchen staff burst into laughter.  

“Crushed cucumbers? Are you serious?”  

“Girl, cucumbers taste the same no matter how you crush them.”  

Unfazed, she said, “I promise this will taste different. Give it a try!”  

Since it wasn’t mealtime yet, the staff were relaxed and curious to see what she could do.  

The head chef nodded. “Alright, show us what you’ve got with these cucumbers.”  

—

Fang Xiaoluo washed the cucumbers and placed them on the cutting board.  

The head chef approached, curious. “Did you bring these cucumbers yourself?”  

“Yes,” she replied.  

As she began crushing the cucumbers with a knife, the kitchen filled with a delightful, fresh aroma. The scent was so unusual that everyone stopped what they were doing to take a look.  

The head chef asked in surprise, “Where did you get these cucumbers? They smell amazing!”  

Fang Xiaoluo quickly cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and placed them neatly on a plate. “I grew these myself,” she said confidently.  

To preserve the natural fragrance, she kept the seasoning minimal, sprinkling just a touch of salt.  

“Try it,” she said with a smile.  

The uncle leading the kitchen team picked up his chopsticks, eyed the plain preparation, and asked skeptically, “Are you sure you don’t want to add any other seasonings?”  

“No need,” Fang Xiaoluo replied. “This way, the natural flavor shines through.”  

Though the fresh aroma was enticing, the simplicity of her preparation left the kitchen staff doubtful. They assumed it would taste no different from a typical salted cucumber.  

The uncle popped a piece into his mouth, chewed thoughtfully, and his eyes lit up in surprise. Without a word, he reached for another piece, then another, unable to stop.  

Seeing his reaction, the others couldn’t resist. “Is it really that good?” someone asked, grabbing their own chopsticks to taste.  

Soon, a scramble ensued. Those who managed to grab a piece savored it, while those who hesitated found the plate already empty.  

The staff stood there, satisfied and amazed.  

“Young lady,” the uncle said, clearly impressed, “your skill isn’t just in cooking, your cucumbers are exceptional.”  

Grinning, Fang Xiaoluo gave him a thumbs-up. “You have excellent taste.”  

—

Just then, a middle-aged woman entered the kitchen, drawn by the commotion.  

“What’s that smell? Are you cooking something?” she asked.  

The uncle replied cheerfully, “Boss, we’re testing out a dish for the chef position.”  

The woman, Tang Jingxian, was the owner of Dongfeng Hotel. She wore a crisp white blouse with a loose collar, paired with brown wide-leg pants. Her tied-up hair and casually rolled sleeves added to her intellectual and approachable aura.  

Spotting the empty plate, she raised an eyebrow. “What was this? It smells delicious.”  

The uncle quickly explained, “Boss, you wouldn’t believe it, these cucumbers are unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. Crisp, fresh, sweet… it’s hard to describe. I’ve lived over fifty years, and I’ve never had cucumbers like these. And they’re not ours, the young lady brought them.”  

Tang Jingxian turned her attention to Fang Xiaoluo, studying her. She was struck by how radiant and graceful the young woman seemed. “What’s your name? Are you here to apply as a chef?”  

With a polite smile, Fang Xiaoluo replied, “Hello, Boss. My name is Fang Xiaoluo. I’m not here to apply as a chef. I’m here to sell my cucumbers.”  

Tang Jingxian chuckled at her candor. “Straightforward. I like that.”  

—

The two stepped out of the kitchen, where Shen Zheng and the children waited at the window-side table.  

“This is my wife,” Shen Zheng introduced, “and these are my son and daughter.”  

Tang Jingxian’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. She found it hard to believe that someone as youthful as Fang Xiaoluo could be the mother of such big children. But she didn’t voice her thoughts, focusing instead on the cucumbers everyone in the kitchen had raved about.  

“Do you have more cucumbers?” she asked.  

Fang Xiaoluo produced two more from her basket, handing them over.  

Tang Jingxian instructed the waiter to wash and slice them into strips.  

When the cucumbers were brought back, their vibrant green color and fresh, crisp aroma were captivating. This time, not even salt was added.  

Tang Jingxian took a piece and ate it slowly, savoring the flavor. After finishing one, she offered pieces to Shen Haiping and Shen Jinxia, who happily ate as well.  

“You want to sell me these cucumbers,” Tang Jingxian said after a moment. “But I assume you’re not expecting the standard market price. Right now, cucumbers are in season. The best quality ones go for 70 to 80 cents per pound at most. And for bulk delivery to restaurants, the price is typically even lower.”