Chapter 136 – Big Dreams, Harsh Reality
Ms. Zhong glanced at the woman, feeling that she looked familiar, but she couldn’t remember where she had seen her.
“Big sister, who are you?”
Yan Xiaosi recognized the woman at a glance.
“Mom, this aunt is the owner of the restaurant that sells steamed meat.”
When Yan Xiaosi mentioned the restaurant that sells steamed meat, Ms. Zhong and the Yan sisters finally recognized the woman.
They had encountered her the last time they went to the town market. She had a worried expression on her face before. Today, the woman was in high spirits, so Ms. Zhong and the Yan sisters didn’t recognize her.
When the woman found out that Yan Xiaosi still remembered her, she smiled happily.
“You have a good memory, young man. Yes, I’m the owner of that steamed meat restaurant.”
Yan Xiaosi asked, “Boss lady, you look so happy today. Has the business of your restaurant improved?”
The woman looked at Yan Xiaosi with a grateful expression.
“Thanks to you, young man. If it weren’t for your suggestion to my husband, I’m afraid our little restaurant wouldn’t have survived.”
Previously, Yan Xiaosi felt that the owner of the steamed meat restaurant was kind, so she suggested that he take the food to the dock to sell.
“Boss lady, did your husband go to the dock to sell food?”
The woman nodded.
“Yes, although the price is lower at the dock, small profits but quick turnover allow our restaurant to at least not lose money. During this period of war, we don’t expect to earn a lot of money, just enough to make a small profit and have a stable life.”
The woman sighed, and her gaze shifted to the pile of firewood in front of Ms. Zhong.
“Big sister, if these pieces of firewood haven’t been sold yet, you can sell them to me.”
The owner of the steamed meat restaurant had just bought their firewood last time. Today, the boss lady offered to buy it again. Ms. Zhong understood that the boss lady wanted to help her.
With gratitude on her face, Ms. Zhong said, “Big sister, your husband just bought our firewood last time. I’m afraid it hasn’t been burnt out yet.”
The woman responded, “Firewood can be stored for a long time, it’s okay to buy more. Big sister, just sell it to me. By the way, my husband’s surname is Yu. If you don’t mind, you can call me Sister Yu.”
Since Sister Yu wanted to help, Ms. Zhong couldn’t refuse her kindness. Moreover, at this time, there were a lot of people selling firewood, and it wasn’t easy to sell.
“Since Sister Yu appreciates our firewood, we’ll keep the previous price, eight coins for each bundle.”
Seeing that Sister Yu came out to buy things alone and had no one to help, Ms. Zhong said to Tian Dazhuang, “Dazhuang, I’ll have to trouble you to help me load the cart and deliver these firewoods to Sister Yu’s restaurant.”
“Aunt Yan, you don’t have to be so polite to me”
Tian Dazhuang agreed readily, and skillfully moved the firewood onto the cart.
Ms. Zhong and Tian Dazhuang went to Sister Yu’s restaurant together, leaving Yan Xiaosi and her sisters to sell the pompom hairpins.
Before leaving, Ms. Zhong looked anxiously at her four daughters, her gaze finally resting on Yan Shuqin.
“Qin’er, I’ll be back soon. Take care of Xue’er, Yun’er, and Xiaosi.”
Yan Xiaosi waved at her, saying, “Mom, you can go with peace of mind. I’ll take good care of big sister, second sister, and third sister.”
Ms. Zhong smiled in response, “The one I worry about the most is you.”
This girl first barged into Jiren Hall to negotiate business with Bai Mingyue, then confronted the Yan family. Her boldness concerned her mother, and her many ideas caused her mother to worry that one day, this girl might offend someone she couldn’t afford to.
Once Ms. Zhong and Tian Dazhuang left to deliver the firewood to Sister Yu’s restaurant, the four Yan sisters began to peddle their pompom hairpins.
Yan Shuqin often helped Ms. Zhong sell firewood, and she had learned how to promote it to customers.
“Selling hairpins here, pretty and cheap hairpins.”
They had big dreams, but reality was harsh. Yan Shuqin called out for a long time, but no one came to look at their hairpins.
Her throat was dry from shouting. Yan Shuqin stopped and frowned, looking worriedly at the pompom hairpins in front of her.
“Xiaosi, it seems our hairpins aren’t selling.”
Yan Xiaosi’s brows were also deeply furrowed.
She had originally thought that these beautiful and novel hairpins would sell well, but the reality slapped her in the face. It seemed that the women of the Great Chu Dynasty were more conservative.
Yan Shuyun looked dejected.
“Xiaosi, what should we do now?”
When making these pompom hairpins, she had been the most diligent. Her right hand was rubbed raw from the needle. If they couldn’t sell a single one, all her hard work would be in vain. The same would go for the hard work of her big sister, second sister, and Xiaosi.
Yan Xiaosi propped her chin in thought, her eyes lit up, she picked up three hairpins, and waved at her three sisters.
“Big sister, second sister, third sister, bend down a bit.”
Seeing her with the hairpins, Yan Shuqin asked puzzledly, “Xiaosi, what are you going to do?”
Yan Xiaosi said, “I just thought of a method that might help us sell these pompom hairpins.”
On hearing this, the three sisters quickly bent down.
Yan Xiaosi placed the three hairpins on the heads of Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun respectively.
The teenage girls, wearing the fluffy hairpins, suddenly looked a lot prettier and cuter.
Yan Xiaosi swept her gaze over the faces of her three sisters, pleased, she pursed her lips.
Her sisters were all so pretty. Given time, when their features matured and their bodies filled out, they would all be loved and admired for their beauty.
“Xiaosi, these pompom hairpins are for sale, why are you putting them on us.”
Growing up, they had hardly worn any accessories, Yan Shuqin felt awkward with the pompom hairpin on her head.
“Big sister, second sister, third sister, you look so pretty with these pompom hairpins. When others see them on your heads and find them pretty, they’ll be tempted to buy.”
The three sisters finally understood her intention.
“Our Xiaosi is indeed smart to think of such a method.”
Second sister Yan Shuxue looked at herself in admiration, while Yan Xiaosi just smiled without a word.
The idea didn’t come from her being exceptionally intelligent, but because she had lived two lives and had a wide range of experiences.
“The hour is getting late, big sister, second sister, third sister, hurry up and start selling.”
When it came to hawking, Yan Xiaosi couldn’t do as well as her three sisters.
The three sisters were as if injected with chicken blood, each holding a pompom hairpin and shouting loudly.
“Selling hairpins here, pretty and cheap hairpins, young ladies passing by, come and have a look. Looking doesn’t cost anything.”
Yan Xiaosi’s method worked. After a moment of shouting, the three sisters attracted a few women.
The women came over and immediately noticed the pompom hairpins on the sisters’ heads, which were indeed novel and pretty. Among them, a young woman leading a green-clothed maid stood in front of the stall. The young woman first looked at the pompom hairpins on the stall, then lifted her gaze to look at the four girls.
