Carl hesitated. His lips pressed into a thin line. "That's… still low."
Ivy didn't flinch. "It's fair. Think about it. With rice, you can feed your family for months. If you keep holding out, someone might rob you before you can even trade."
Carl looked at her for a long moment, then let out a small laugh. "You're sharp, girl. Alright, you win. One hundred and fifty it is."
"Good," Ivy said simply.
Carl called out, and a small group of men appeared from behind a truck. They began unloading samples to show her. Long steel pipes, large blue tanks, and boxes of connectors were stacked neatly. Ivy checked them carefully. Everything was in good condition.
"When can you deliver the rest?" Ivy asked.
"Tomorrow," Carl said. "But I'll need help unloading."
"I'll handle that," Ivy replied.
Carl grinned. "Then we have a deal."
They shook hands, and Ivy paid him on the spot with bags of rice she had prepared earlier.
