Chapter 58: Don’t Be Too Greedy
Having already sampled a few pieces, the person naturally couldn’t continue asking for more without feeling embarrassed. They looked eagerly and asked, “How much for your popcorn?”
“One cent for a ladle,” Su Mulan replied, scooping a ladleful of popcorn from the bamboo basket with a gourd that had been cut in half.
The ladle was quite sizable, and the scoop of popcorn looked substantial. If poured into a bowl, it would easily fill two or three large bowls.
The person’s eyes lit up visibly at the sight.
One cent could barely buy a small piece of sesame candy, which would crunch away in just a couple of bites. If they bought a sesame pastry, they’d only get half of a large one, and it would be gone after a few bites.
But buying a ladleful of popcorn like this, if it’s for snacking, as long as they don’t eat non-stop, it could last a day or two. Plus, every child at home would definitely get a share, preventing any squabbles over not having enough to eat.
“I’ll take a ladleful,” the person decisively handed Su Mulan one cent, handing over their small backpack and spreading open the cloth bag inside for Su Mulan to fill.
“Alright,” Su Mulan decisively scooped up a ladleful of popcorn, generously adding another handful. “Enjoy it and come back if you want more.”
“Thank you.” Seeing Su Mulan’s straightforward business approach, the person’s face lit up with a happy smile as they walked away with their bamboo basket.
After taking a few steps, they stopped again, setting down their backpack and scooping up a handful of popcorn from inside. They continued walking while stuffing it into their mouth, exclaiming in admiration with a satisfied smile on their face.
Starting something new is always difficult, but with this first sale going so smoothly, and the person so happy about it, others began to gather around.
“Popcorn, what a strange name for a food. I wonder what it really is.”
“It looks like tiny snowflakes and smells so fragrant. It’s quite peculiar.”
“Well, why not taste it yourself? The popcorn seller isn’t being stingy, she even lets us try a few.”
Curious and intrigued, the crowd discussed animatedly. With Su Mulan’s encouragement, they gathered around to taste a few pieces of popcorn.
“This popcorn really tastes good, so fragrant and crunchy.”
“Yeah, it leaves a strong aftertaste with a hint of sweetness, really good. Makes you want to have more.”
“More? Then you’ll have to pay for it. You can’t keep tasting it forever.”
“Of course, that’s natural. One cent for a ladleful, it’s not like one cent is hard to come by. Come on, give me a ladleful.”
Someone had already handed money to Su Mulan.
“Alright, a ladleful of popcorn.” Su Mulan acted quickly, scooping up a ladleful of popcorn and placing it into the person’s bamboo basket. She added, “During the rainy season, if you can’t finish it in a day or two, put it in a clean, dry jar, seal it tightly, and it’ll keep for ten days to half a month.”
“I’ll remember that,” the person replied with a smile, but added, “I don’t think it’ll be necessary to go through all that trouble.”
The popcorn tastes so good that once they start eating it, it’s hard to stop. Even if they can eat it for a day or two, it’s unlikely it would last long enough to need to be stored that way, so there’s no need to worry about that.
Su Mulan understood what the person meant and just smiled, “While the popcorn is delicious, try not to be greedy. Eating too much might cause internal heat, so remind the kids to drink more water after they finish.”