The next day, Mo Yan, as usual, brought her basket of vegetables to the market to sell. She had only sold half of them when an uninvited guest arrived.
"You're asking for a large batch of vegetables?"
Looking at the man standing before her, who smiled like Maitreya Buddha and claimed to be the Manager of Xiangmanlou, Mo Yan narrowed her eyes. She hadn't yet figured out how to get her vegetables into the restaurant business, and she hadn't expected someone to seek her out so soon.
"Manager Wang, you see, I still have to sell vegetables. How about this, you go back first, and once I've finished selling these vegetables, I'll come to Xiangmanlou to find you. This street is too chaotic and noisy to have a proper conversation."
Manager Wang, seeing that Mo Yan was not willing to leave her business to follow him immediately, did not get angry. His face remained cheerful as he said, "That's understandable. This old man will head back then. Young lady, once you finish your business, you must come to Xiangmanlou."
His attitude, in the eyes of Mo Yan, made her feel that Manager Wang was quite favorable. Thus, she also smiled and agreed, promising to visit.
Manager Wang was also very busy. After receiving a definite response, he did not linger much longer and left with his two subordinates.
"Child, you've hit the jackpot! Xiangmanlou is the biggest restaurant in town. Selling them a batch of vegetables would earn you more than selling here for a month!"
The old lady said excitedly, genuinely happy for Mo Yan.
Mo Yan gave the old lady a smile, but her heart was not as joyous. It was true that this was a big deal; if it went well and they made money, her family wouldn't have to sleep on the streets upon reaching Jing City. However, the variety of vegetables in her Space was too limited; a restaurant couldn't just sell these few kinds. Even if the variety wasn't a problem, she still had to figure out how to safely get the vegetables out without arousing anyone's suspicion!
After grappling with the issue for a while, Mo Yan decided not to think about it any longer and continued to serve the customers. In no time at all, her basket of vegetables sold out. She had intended to help the old lady sell pears, but the old lady insisted she attend to more important matters and adamantly refused her further assistance.
Having no other choice, Mo Yan picked up her worn basket and, with directions from passersby, made her way to Xiangmanlou.
Perhaps there had been a word put in; once the Waiter in the main hall heard she was looking for Manager Wang, he immediately ushered her to the second floor where Manager Wang was.
Manager Wang was going over the accounts. Seeing Mo Yan, he put down his ledger and, with a face as cheerful as a blooming chrysanthemum, invited her to sit. He then instructed the Waiter to serve tea and pastries.
"Manager Wang, you're too courteous. You are an important man with many responsibilities; let's get down to business first!"
Sitting down opposite Manager Wang, Mo Yan wasn't much for small talk and went straight to the point with a smile.
Manager Wang was taken aback, not expecting the young lady to be so direct, and had no choice but to follow her lead. "Well, it's like this. Xiangmanlou usually has its designated vegetable farmers and doesn't need to buy vegetables from the outside. But recently, our farmer had some issues and couldn't continue the supply. So we found you, Miss, and we hope you can be our long-term supplier of vegetables for Xiangmanlou. What do you think of this proposal?"
Xiangmanlou, in just a few short years, had soared past several other venerable restaurants and become the biggest restaurant in town. They had to consider every aspect carefully, especially their source of vegetables, which was of utmost importance. To maintain the quality and steady supply, the designated farmers for Xiangmanlou must be capable of providing all varieties of vegetables. Of course, there were downsides; if the farmers could no longer provide, the restaurant needed to find another reliable supplier, and finding the right one wasn't easy.
Quality was critical for the restaurant, and lately, they'd been gathering vegetables bit by bit from the market, which was not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also compromised on the previously high quality. This was no solution for the long term. So when Manager Wang heard his procurement staff mention that there was someone in the market selling vegetables even better than their previous supplier, he couldn't help but take the initiative to seek her out.