"As you can see! Alas, with everyone selling vegetables, we are running losses every single day. If it weren't for the loyal customers, I don't know where I would be. Anyway, are you here to buy some vegetables today?"
Tapiwa shook her head before nodding it, shocking Ma Denis with how confusing she was becoming.
"I am not here for the usual purchasing, but I want to talk some business with you," Tapiwa said smilingly.
Ma Denis, who was in the middle of processing Tapiwa's contradictory actions, suddenly brightened up.
Business, as in business talk, was different from the normal purchase of daily vegetables.
Whatever this young madam was here for, Ma Denis was anxious to know what it was and snatch that opportunity as soon as possible.
"Tell me. What kind of business is it?" Ma Denis eagerly asked, making Tapiwa feel good inside.
"I want to buy some tomatoes and onions in large quantities. I would buy as much as you have. And if you have any more friends who have them, I want to buy them as well," since her heart was set on stone for this project, Tapiwa decided to go all out.
Ma Denis, hearing that, was so shocked that her mouth opened wide.
Her shock was so huge and her neighboring sellers were shocked as well.
"This .... you are serious?" Ma Denis asked shakily, still not believing what she had just heard.
Smiling reassuringly at the woman plus the several ladies that had somehow added themselves to her supposed private conversation with Ma Denis, Tapiwa reconfirmed again, "Yes. And as long as the village is nearby, I will come to the village and buy the tomatoes and onions there."
Hearing it for another time, Ma Denis and her neighbors heaved a sigh of relief, smiles obviously on their faces.
"Haha, this is great. Since you have said it, I can assure you that in my garden I have a lot of ripe tomatoes that are lacking someone to buy. Since you want them, I will sell them to you. I will also tell some of the villagers that have them as well," Ma Denis said happily as her mind already started counting money.
"I am glad then. I will drop by the village tomorrow in the morning. However, I will only buy those that aren't damaged and for every twelve tomatoes, I will pay ten copper coins. It won't go any higher than that," Tapiwa felt that it was necessary to make this clear before buying.
In normal cases, it would take ten copper coins for ten tomatoes and yet in hers, she was lowering the price.
Ma Denis looked at Tapiwa with a confused expression.
'Why was she even doing this? Wasn't she afraid that people won't sell to her?' However, her questions were answered when Tapiwa opened her mouth to continue.
"Won't it be better for me to buy them than for them to rot in the gardens? Trust me, there won't be anyone who will be willing to buy as many tomatoes and onions as me."
And for this, she was very confident about. And unless they wanted to dry all tomatoes or watch them rot in their gardens, then they were allowed to reject her offer.
Ma Denis quickly did a mental calculation inside her head and found Tapiwa's words plausible. It was still better to earn something than lose everything in the end.
Even the restaurants didn't buy everything. And as long as the existing vegetables were still in the garden, they wouldn't be able to plant new crops as well.
"Okay, I will take the deal and also pass the news to the villagers," Ma Denis conceded.
Tapiwa smiled relievedly upon hearing this, "That's good then."
Ma Denis's colleagues, seeing that Ma Denis had struck a deal, were also anxious and ignoring how nosy they might have looked. Seeing how they eavesdropped on someone else's conversation, they anxiously asked.
"This… eh, Madam Sims. Are you only buying from Zengeza village or other villages can also sell?"
Tapiwa turned her head to look at the short woman who had just asked and smiled at her, "It won't be just Zengeza village. I will buy from other villages, just that I won't buy at the same time. I will tell you when I need to buy the next batch."
The women, hearing that, felt both upset and glad at the same time. Upset that they wouldn't count their money as soon as Ma Denis and glad that Tapiwa would still buy from them in the future.
After discussing the business with Ma Denis, it was finally time for her to leave and return home. After all, there were still children waiting for the adults at home.
Feeling happy about everything, Tapiwa headed for Tambudzai, who was attracting all sorts of gazes from the passersby.
And the two of them went back to the estate. And it was through this return trip that Tapiwa saw how skillful Tambudzai was at leading and driving an ox-cart.
When they reached the estate, the kids were very happy to see their mother, mostly because she was the one that they were very close to.
The five of them helped each other to unload the cart. The kids were mostly interested in the chickens that they had brought and Tafadzwa, being the youngest, vowed to look after the chickens.
With someone willing to take care of them, Tapiwa was at ease.
One big meal was prepared that night and after the meal, they all parted. Tapiwa returned to her house, where she flashed back into the store space to check on her progress.
GOALS
1. Awakening an ability, no matter how trashy it is. (COMPLETED)
2. Register a business that will cater to the needs of women (a women's club.)
3. Run the business with only women and uplift the standards of women, especially the divorced, single mothers, and the widowed.
4. Partition of the estate wasteland for the empowerment of women (club offices, workshop to earn money, and club gardens.)
5. The most ambitious goal, turn the rest of the land into an all-women's village (a haven for the women who don't have a place to go but still want to become someone in life) VERY IMPORTANT.
Looking at the goals she had set for herself when she started this journey, she felt like she was going further.
And without further ado, she crossed the goal she had achieved. Leaving the three main goals that would take a very long time to achieve but would still be achieved in a long time.
GOALS
1. Awakening an ability, no matter how trashy it is. (COMPLETED)
2. Register a business that will cater to the needs of women (a women's club.)
3. Run the business with only women and uplift the standards of women, especially the divorced, single mothers, and the widowed.
4. Partition of the estate wasteland for the empowerment of women (club offices, workshop to earn money, and club gardens.)
5. The most ambitious goal, turn the rest of the land into an all-women's village (a haven for the women who don't have a place to go but still want to become someone in life) VERY IMPORTANT.
With her mind in the game, Tapiwa finally was in the mood to go to bed. So, she took a shower and changed into the silky nightwear that Ratidzo made for her before flashing back into her bedroom.
With a new mattress and new quilts, Tapiwa no longer needed to sleep inside the store space. There was more comfort in the real world and with people staying with her, it was better for her to live on the outside.
Just in case something happens.