They needed to figure out something for selling their goods. Theycouldn’t retail them. If they wanted to wholesale, they would need largecustomers, but where were they going to find large customers where they were?
They had soured the relationships with both of their largecustomers. Now they would need to figure out something on their own.
Thinking about this, she asked her mother next to her, “Mom, doesdad have any close friends? I think it’s best we will look for a largecustomer. After all, we have expanded, and pretty much taken care of everythingwe need. A customer that we are familiar with will be best.
“Well, Xiao Xiao. That might be an issue. Your dad used to havefriends, but he hasn’t been in contact with them. Nor do we know if theirintentions were pure. I am not sure if it’s a good idea to approach thesepeople!”
Mrs. Cheng, who was just about to pick vegetables stopped andthought this over. She was still worried.
Cheng Xiao Xiao frowned slightly. She felt it’s better to have adiscussion with her father on this issue. Her mother didn’t know too much andcouldn’t make these decisions.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
The dogs started barking again. The two of them stood up in thevegetable field just in time to see some women from the village showing up butwere blocked by the dogs.
“Aiya, Cheng niangzhi,since when did you have dogs? Quick, tell them to go away!”
“Cheng niangzhi, yourdogs are so mean….”
Mrs. Cheng smiled when she heard them. She walked out of thevegetable fields to greet them.
Cheng Xiao Xiao had already told the dogs to move out of their wayand stopped block them. The lot approached them quickly.
“Zhou niangzhi, Zhen niangzhi, Shi niangzhi, Lin niangzhi. Whatbrought you here?” Mrs. Cheng was surprised as she greeted them.\nZhou niangzhi smiled,“We heard that you place was fixed up nicely, so we came to check it out. Arewe not welcomed?”
“Of course you are welcomed. Just wasn’t expecting you is all!”Mrs. Cheng politely invited the inside the house.
They smiled and walked at the same time. Passing the vegetablefield, they saw Cheng Xiao Xiao picking vegetables like they are flowers andShi niangzhi let out a small cry, “Ohmi, your vegetables look beautiful. Come and have a look. They are as pretty asflowers!”
“They are indeed! How come all the bok choy look identical?”
“Incredible. Simply incredible. We didn’t know that Cheng niangzhi was a master in growingvegetables. All these vegetables are pleasing to the eyes. Not like ours atall.”
The fours village women cried and shouted. Certainly, the Cheng’svegetable fields look like artwork. Cheng Xiao Xiao had applied modern daystechnique in planting their fields, naturally village women back in the timecouldn’t accomplish anything remotely similar.
Seeing this beautiful scenery of vegetable fields, of course theyhave to let out their sigh of admiration. Mrs. Cheng smiled tenderly. Shecouldn’t control the happiness between her brows. She said to them, “If youlike, bring some home with you on your way back!”
“Yes, fellow daniang.<sup>2</sup>Our vegetables are quite fair. Do bring some with you on your way back!” ChengXiao Xiao chimed in from the vegetable field.
___
Note:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.    <!--[endif]-->Polite way to refer to other women who aretheir peers.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.    <!--[endif]-->Polite way to refer to women older thanyou.
___
Find advanced chapters on my Patreon site! I am currently offering three different tiers.