Chapter 25: Mother Knows Best
“Words come from others’ mouths; let them say what they want,” Su Mulan gripped Bai Shuiliu’s arm tightly, afraid she might get lost in the bustling market. Her eyes darted around, searching for a suitable stall.
“Don’t be upset about this. Whatever they say, it won’t make us any poorer, right?” Su Mulan continued, her tone reassuring.
“Besides, it’s their own worry. If they want to create trouble for themselves, let them. We can just stand by and watch,” Su Mulan turned to Bai Shuiliu, smiling.
Bai Shuiliu lifted her head and met Su Mulan’s gaze squarely.
Her gaze was bright and clear, her eyes deep and filled with a strong sense of humor. The smile on her face carried a playful charm.
Bai Shuiliu’s mind stirred, and after a moment’s thought, she smiled too. “Mother is right.”
As she spoke, she looked around at the bustling town square and the stalls being set up on both sides. Standing on tiptoe, she suggested, “Mother, let’s go over there. I see they are selling all kinds of food.”
Su Mulan looked up and indeed saw stalls selling peaches, green apples, plums, braised pork, and baked goods ahead. She led Bai Shuiliu forward.
After searching around the market, they finally found a suitable spot.
To the left were stalls selling peaches, and to the right were stalls selling tofu and bean sprouts, with the overall environment being clean and tidy.
They placed the bamboo basket on the ground and lifted the cloth covering it, revealing the orange-yellow sweet potato slices inside. This makeshift stall was now set up.
However, despite being stationed there for quite some time, with people bustling around, very few paid any attention to their stall.
Watching the steady stream of customers at the tofu and peach stalls nearby, and their baskets being emptied, their dried sweet potato had yet to attract a single buyer.
Bai Shuiliu grew anxious, and even Su Mulan furrowed her brow, observing carefully for a while.
The stall was small and placed on the ground, making it inconspicuous. That was one reason. The second reason was that people didn’t know their dried sweet potatoes were soft, chewy, and sweet. Even if someone glanced at them, they turned away and left.
As for the third reason…
Next to them, the tofu stall owner shouted until his voice grew hoarse, and the peach seller was drinking water to quench his thirst. Their own stall, however, remained eerily quiet, hardly attracting any attention.
Having lived two lives, she had somehow forgotten the importance of advertising. It seemed that traveling through time had muddled their brains.
Su Mulan sighed helplessly, rubbed her forehead, cleared her throat, and began to call out:
“Dried sweet potato, soft and sweet sweet potato, three coins per pound…”
Her voice was loud and clear, yet rhythmic and melodious due to Su Mulan’s well-paced calling, reminiscent of a theatrical performer’s opening aria.
This melodious call quickly caught everyone’s attention.
As a snack, these dried sweet potatoes were reasonably priced and came in sufficient quantities per pound to last a while. However, these dried sweet potatoes…
An elderly woman carrying a bamboo basket stopped in her tracks, watching Su Mulan with a smile. “Your calling is indeed pleasant to the ears, but you’re mistaken. These dried sweet potatoes are very hard. Those with weak teeth won’t be able to chew them. They’re nowhere near soft and chewy.”
As she spoke, the fish inside her basket flapped about, clearly fresh and just bought.
“I’m not just making it up in front of you, Auntie. The dried sweet potatoes from my home are soft, chewy, and delicious, unlike the ordinary ones. If you don’t believe me, why don’t you taste one?” Su Mulan was always generous in business dealings, so she picked up a piece of sweet potato slice and handed it to the elderly woman.