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“Alright, it’s fine to have slightly higher prices. When you go back with them, see if they have any other vegetables available, and buy some together,” she said. Her child was always picky with food, eating a few bites and then refusing to eat anymore. Other children were chubby, but her child remained thin, which worried her greatly. Today, seeing her child eat a big bowl of rice and plenty of vegetables, she couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.
“Yes.”
The next day, Chef Zhang went to find Wang Jinhe but couldn’t locate her.
The same thing happened for the next three days. They finished the vegetables they had bought before, and Zhang Zhilin refused to eat anything again. This deeply troubled the Zhang couple.
Finally, on the fifth day, Chef Zhang spotted Wang Jinhe at the vegetable market.
Seeing Wang Jinhe, Chef Zhang was overwhelmed with joy, treating her like a close relative, which made Wang Jinhe feel somewhat uneasy.
“After buying your vegetables, my young master ate quite a bit, but once the vegetables were gone, he refused to eat again. I’ve been coming here every day, waiting for you. Are these all the vegetables you have? Come, I’ll take them all,” Chef Zhang said, purchasing all the vegetables in one go.
“Madam, this is too much,” Wang Jinhe said with a wry smile.
This time, it was six different types of vegetables, totaling over a hundred catties. Can she handle taking all of this?
“Oh, young girl, you’ve finally come! If you didn’t show up, I would have turned grey from all the worrying,” Chef Zhang said, grabbing Wang Jinhe’s hand and pouring out her grievances.
“What? What happened? Is there a problem with the vegetables?” Wang Jinhe inquired.
“You know what’s strange? Even after being stored for three or four days, your vegetables still look fresh. Taking all of these won’t be a problem at all,” Chef Zhang waved her hand and reassured Wang Jinhe.
“While they may have been stored for some time, they might not be as fresh as you think. How about this? If you need any vegetables, you can send someone to pick them directly from my vegetable garden at home. That way, you’ll get them fresh,” Wang Jinhe proposed, considering the potential for a long-term customer.
“That sounds great! In that case, I’ll take five catties of vegetables as well.” With the vegetable issue resolved, Chef Zhang was delighted.
Thirty catties of vegetables, totaling one hundred and fifty wen.
“Would you accompany me to the mansion? Our mistress wants to meet you and discuss a long-term business deal.”
“I have to sell the vegetables first; there are still customers waiting.” Wang Jinhe gestured to the people who had come to buy vegetables from her before.
Upon hearing this, Chef Zhang moved aside with the vegetables to make room for the other customers.
After selling over a hundred catties of vegetables, they were quickly sold out. Today, they earned nearly six hundred wen, which was more than before. With just two rounds of selling, Wang Dagui had already made a profit of one tael of silver. This further strengthened his determination to grow the remaining vegetables carefully.
“Father, are we going together?” Wang Jinhe asked.
“You go ahead. I’ll go check on your brother and give him some money. He’s been away for so long, and I’m not sure if he has enough money,” Wang Dagui said with concern.
“Alright, I’ll come find you later then.”
“Sure.”
They went their separate ways, and Wang Jinhe followed Chef Zhang to the Zhang mansion.
“Madam, Chef Zhang is here to see you,” the personal maid of Madame Zhang informed her.
“Quickly, let her in,” Madame Zhang responded promptly.
Chef Zhang entered the room quickly, but before she could bow, Madame Zhang spoke, “So, did that young girl come to sell vegetables today?”
“Yes, she came, and I’ve bought the vegetables. That young girl is here as well. Madame, don’t you want to meet her?” Chef Zhang hastily said.
“Please come in.”
Chef Zhang hurriedly called Wang Jinhe inside.
“Greetings, Madam.”
“No need to be so formal. What’s your name, young girl?” Madame Zhang asked, looking at Wang Jinhe.
“My name is Wang Jinhe.”
“It’s a good name. Jinhe, may I call you that?”
“Of course, you can,” Wang Jinhe inwardly chuckled, thinking, ‘You’ve already called me that, how could I mind? Besides, you’ll be my important customer in the future.’
Madame Zhang smiled and said, “I wanted to meet you to ask if your vegetables can be supplied to our mansion regularly?”
“To be honest with you, my son is five years old, and he has been a picky eater since he was young. He doesn’t like to eat anything and only takes a few bites during meals. But when Chef Zhang bought vegetables from your home the other day, he ate quite a bit. These days, without your vegetables, he refuses to eat and insists on having your vegetables. I have no choice, as it’s rare for him to have something he wants to eat,” Madame Zhang said helplessly.
“Of course, it’s possible, but I would trouble you to send someone to pick them. I can’t come every day as I have to take care of my three-year-old child, and we are also building a house,” Wang Jinhe explained.
“That’s not a problem at all.”
“Madam, we also have some eggs at home. They taste better than the ones sold elsewhere and can be used to make steamed egg custard for your young master to eat.”
“I want them all, not just for my son. We will buy as many as you have,” Madame Zhang said. Eggs were the least favorite food of her son, but since he loves the vegetables from Wang Jinhe’s home so much, he might also enjoy the eggs.
“Okay,” Wang Jinhe considered whether to go into the mountains again and catch a few more wild hens. This way, they would have even more eggs.
“Mama, I’m hungry. I want to eat the vegetables from the other day,” the slender little child ran in and complained.
Holding the child, Madame Zhang lovingly touched his face and said, “Chef Zhang has already bought them. We’ll be able to eat them soon.”
“Then I want to eat them every day.”
“Alright, Mama has already talked to this auntie here. We’ll have someone go to her home and buy vegetables for you every day.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhilin was overjoyed. Wang Jinhe looked at him and walked over, playfully pinching his nose. “You’re so picky, yet my little brother at home is chubby. You should eat more and gain some weight so that you’ll be healthy.”
“Zhang Zhilin puffed up his cheeks and said, ‘I’m tall for my age, that’s why I’m thin.’
“Is that so?”
“I…” Zhang Zhilin suddenly lowered his head and remained silent.
Hmph, little rascal.
Wang Jinhe couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Were all the little children in this world so adorable?
“My little brother at home eats everything, and that’s why he’s so healthy. He’s two years younger than you, and he’s already up to your ears in height. If you don’t eat properly, you won’t grow as tall as your little brother in the future.”
“I definitely will! I’ll grow taller than your little brother,” Zhang Zhilin said with determination.
He had made up his mind. From now on, he would eat well and grow taller, just to prove this aunt wrong.
Wang Jinhe pretended to look surprised and said, “Really? Then you have a chance to come to my home and compare heights with my little brother.”
“Where’s your home? I want to go see if your brother is really as tall as you say. Who knows if you’re just tricking me?” Zhang Zhilin grumbled unhappily.
Wang Jinhe’s mouth twitched. Did she just dig her own grave?
“What’s wrong? Are you afraid to let me go? Are you trying to deceive me?” Zhang Zhilin had a look of “I knew you were lying” on his face.