Seeing how dejected Shopkeeper Li looked, Yang Chuxia found it a bit amusing, but she didnât relent, as her family didnât have enough sugarcane to share. Although they provided the seeds, there was only one bag of sugarcane seeds initially, not a lot to go around. How much could they have grown from that?
"Uncle Li, donât be disheartened or disappointed. There are more good things to come!" Yang Chuxia said, pointing to the bags on the ground.
Upon hearing this, Ye Ziâan took out a white sweet potato from the bag near his feet and placed it on the table.
"What is this? Itâs so big!" Shopkeeper Li looked at the white sweet potato in amazement. Heâd never seen or tasted one before.
"Uncle Li, this is the white sweet potato Brother An mentioned last time! It can be eaten as a vegetable or enjoyed raw." As she spoke, Yang Chuxia peeled the skin off the white sweet potato on the table, revealing a juicy white flesh. Its lustrous white color made peopleâs mouths water instantly.
"This can be eaten as a vegetable?"
"Of course!" Yang Chuxia answered, "Uncle Li, take this sweet potato to the kitchen and have the chef cook it. It can be stir-fried plain or with shredded meat. Some people prefer it raw, so have the chef prepare some sauce with a bit of vinegar as a cold dish."
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Li quickly summoned a young waiter and handed him the white sweet potato along with Yang Chuxiaâs instructions.
A short while later, the chef personally brought out a plate of stir-fried white sweet potatoes and another plate of the cold dish.
The air suddenly filled with a sweet scent. Shopkeeper Li couldnât help but pick up his chopsticks and take a bite. One bite wasnât enough, so he took another, and another, until he finally put down his chopsticks.
"Delicious, delicious! Crunchy, succulent, and sweet! It would be so comforting to have a bite of this during winter." Upon saying this, Shopkeeper Li quickly added, "Xiaxia, my dear Xiaxia, weâve been working together for a long time. You must be here to help me improve my business, right?"
"Of course! Iâd definitely want to collaborate with your restaurant with this new dish. Besides, my family doesnât run a restaurant, and we canât finish them all."
"So Xiaxia, how much do you plan to sell it for per pound?" Shopkeeper Li asked.
Upon hearing this, Yang Chuxia broke into a smile. "Uncle Li, youâve tasted it, what do you think itâs worth?"
"How about thirty wen per pound?" Shopkeeper Li pondered for a moment before saying, "Fish from the sea doesnât cost more than that."
Yang Chuxia knew that Shopkeeper Liâs price wasnât the highest, but it was not bad. She did some calculations in her mind and found it reasonable. Besides, white sweet potatoes have a high yield, and growing them is much more profitable than growing rice or corn.
But she still had to bargain a bit. "Uncle Li, this is a new and fresh product. I wouldnât sell it to anyone else below forty wen. However, you did provide the seeds, and weâve been collaborating for such a long time and have had a pleasant partnership. It wouldnât be right to haggle over this small matter. So, just as you said, Uncle Li, thirty wen per pound!"
Shopkeeper Li listened to Yang Chuxiaâs generous words with hidden undertones and twitched the corners of his mouth, thinking that the price he offered was not low at all. This young girl was taking advantage and acting like a saint.
"Alright, I can offer thirty wen and make the decision. I just donât know how many pounds you have to offer."
"Well, thatâs quite a lot!" Yang Chuxia touched her nose and said, "Iâm afraid you wonât be able to handle all those goods. Between my family and Brother Anâs, there must be at least ten thousand pounds. We didnât expect such a great harvest in the first year. Not only are the sweet potatoes big, but some plants also have more than one."