Going to the pier, Chun Nuan knew her appearance was striking, so she simply grabbed some soot and smeared it evenly on her face, instantly turning her face dark.
Others aim to be fair-skinned, but elder sister has to disguise herself as ugly.
Seeing this scene, Chun Ning's heart ached as if cut by a knife, secretly vowing to grow up quickly, to take on the burden of the Xiao family, and to let elder sister relax a bit.
From home to the town, it was another three miles.
Because the flower cakes were freshly fried and fresher, they quickened their pace, almost jogging, exhausted Chun Nuan refused to stop.
Looking at such an elder sister, Chun Ning silently noted down once again.
By this time, the pier had already become lively.
"Sugar doughnuts."
"Pea cakes."
"Bean curd."
"Cold noodles and cold jelly."
"Foam cakes."
"Buns and steamed buns."
People carrying baskets, buckets, and water pails, coming and going, with endless shouts.
Occasionally, someone would inquire about the price, ask if it tastes good, and the vendors would pause to introduce, directly saying their taste is the most authentic, if not delicious then no charge... saying so much, primarily aiming for the other to pay for a purchase.
"We also have to shout." Chun Nuan whispered, "If we don't shout, people won't know what we're selling."
"How should we shout?"
"Sell..." Chun Nuan opened her mouth to shout, but Chun Ning hurriedly stopped her.
"Elder sister, you tell me how to shout, you shouldn't speak."
Chun Nuan looked at her brother's determined eyes, her nose ached slightly as he was trying hard to protect her from being exposed to the public.
"Flower cakes, fresh flower cakes, fresh and crispy flower cakes." Chun Nuan quietly observed that buns were one wen each, while she believed her flower cakes were more fragrant than buns, though smaller, a pack of ten was priced at five wen, which shouldn't be considered too much.
"Chun Ning, you should shout towards children or young women."
These couldn't satisfy hunger like buns, just as a snack.
"Alright, elder sister, just watch."
Chun Ning took a deep breath and started shouting loudly.
"Flower cakes, fresh flower cakes, fresh and crispy flower cakes." After shouting, Chun Ning attracted a crowd of people who turned their heads to look at him.
Well-read scholar, how could he ever be in such an awkward state?
His fair face turned crimson.
Chun Nuan felt a little worried.
Unexpectedly, Chun Ning seized the opportunity and shouted a few more times.
He even directly shouted at a woman with a child, "Madam, buy some flower cakes for the child as a snack, freshly fried, fresh and delicious."
Indeed it was delicious, after Chun Nuan fried them, the whole family each tried a piece, all exclaiming they had never eaten such delicious flower cakes.
"No need."
The woman was a bit embarrassed, being just a rural woman, had never been addressed as madam, which made her a bit flustered, she quickly took her young child and left.
Chun Ning... did I scare her away?
"Chun Ning, when selling, you have to observe people first." Luo Xiaogang couldn't bear it and reminded kindly, "Look at her clothes, patched over and over, five wen could buy half a pound of flour, she would never spend money buying snacks for the child."
Chun Ning was stunned for a moment, nodded to show he understood.
In the end, judging people by appearance can really be effective sometimes.
Seeing Chun Ning really learned to judge by appearance, and his convenient flattery, addressing ladies and mistresses, even calling the wrinkled old woman as elder sister, directly amused her, and she willingly paid.
Most importantly, Chun Ning taught himself and directly opened a pack for people to taste, children dragging their parents to buy after tasting.
Watching Chun Ning and Luo Xiaogang finally start selling, one pack, two packs, three or four packs... a crowd surrounded Chun Ning to buy, Chun Ning's lips curved slightly... life will eventually get better.
"Make way."
Suddenly, two people came through the crowd, the leader was burly, dark-skinned, a head taller than other men.
"The Third Young Master is here."
"Third Young Master, I have already paid."
While speaking, they also presented a paper slip with a seal on it, offering it with both hands.
Wherever he went, everyone hurriedly provided proof of payment, Xiao Changfu glanced and walked on, without stopping.
He stopped in front of Chun Ning.
"Where are you from, boy?"
"Third Young Master, this boy is from the Luo family in Shuikou Village, An Nan Town." Luo Xiaogang remembered Elder Sister Chun Nuan's instructions, not to say they were from the Xiao family, as the Xiao family was expelled by the Xiao clan and had enmity.
"Doing business at the pier? Do you understand the rules?"
"Third Young Master, I'm just selling some flower cakes, tell me, how much to pay?"
Elder Sister Chun Nuan had instructed before, if the amount is small, pay it, if too much and unaffordable, leave quickly.
Xiao Changfu looked at the banana leaf-wrapped items in Chun Ning's small basket and frowned.
"Third Young Master, homemade flower cakes, please try some, please try some."
Chun Ning was seething with anger inside, yet knew he didn't dare hate, swiftly offering a pack to Xiao Changfu: "The taste is very fresh, please try some."
Xiao Changfu weighed the item in his hand, suddenly amused.
"Go pay, doing business at Xiao Family Pier, it's twenty wen a day."
"Ah, oh, alright!"
Chun Ning and Luo Xiaogang hurriedly asked, "Where to pay?"
"Children, don't you know? At the inn, Sixth Master collects money there, remember to get a receipt."
Nearby, someone kindly pointed out.
"Alright, thank you, thank you."
Luo Xiaogang glanced at Chun Nuan, Chun Nuan felt her heart bleeding, yet nodded, signaling them to go pay.
Such an esteemed Xiao clan!
Clearly could rob, yet chose this "civilized" way, demarcating territory, even selling small goods at the pier required paying twenty wen.
Touching the recently earned thirty-five wen, glancing at the small basket with more than ten packs of flower cakes left, Chun Ning's heart was full of resentment yet had to compromise.
Luo Xiaogang mentioned, if not paying, they'd throw the goods into the river.
These were elder sister's hard work!
The two went to pay, returned with a paper slip stamped in red, Chun Nuan checked, it read: Xiao Family Pier, April 8th.
While observing, the burly Xiao Changfu appeared again.
"Third Young Master, paid already?"
Luo Xiaogang also learned from others, presenting the receipt to him.
"Remember next time, don't let me handle it." Xiao Changfu said coldly, "If everyone relies on me, can I handle it all?"
"Yes, yes, I'll remember."
Watching Xiao Changfu's retreating back, Xiao Chunning felt like spitting at him!
But, he had to endure.
"Flower cakes, flower cakes, fresh flower cakes..."
Chun Ning quickly adjusted his mood and shouted energetically, he must sell all these cakes to live up to elder sister's efforts.
Chun Nuan watched from the side, lamenting inwardly: making money is truly hard!
This small basket, according to her plan, could sell for a hundred wen or so, then purchase some necessities for the family, but unexpectedly, a ruthless folk appeared halfway, taking twenty wen.
Paying the Xiao family is the real profit, it's tough earning money all only to be taken by bandits.
People say merchants are cunning, if not cunning, how can they earn money?