Ma Lu and Old Wang had been standing at the subway entrance for a full 20 minutes, but they hadn't managed to sell even a single Fried Jackal Meat Cake.
During this time, some people did come over, but after hearing the price, they abandoned the idea of trying one. Others were attracted by the advertisement for stir-fried small seafood from afar and only realized it was a fried meat cake stall when they got closer.
Muttering, "Are they crazy? Can't they change the sign?" they walked away.
As 12 o'clock passed, more and more people emerged from the subway, and even Henan Big Brother's Buddhist bead bracelet stall attracted customers, not to mention the small stalls selling grilled sausages, grilled gluten, and Roujiamo nearby.
In just a short while, some had already done seven or eight transactions, whereas Ma Lu still hadn't made a sale.
The kind-hearted Henan Brother came over again to offer his advice, suggesting, "You must be new at running a stall, right? When there's nothing to do, you can still make some movements with your hands, pretending to be busy. That way, it's easier to attract customers."
Seeing Old Wang pick up the frying pot and start waving it around, he broke out in a cold sweat and quickly added, "Well, there's no need for such a big show. Just wiping the stove or moving the spoon is enough. Hmm, it would be good to fry one as a display, to give people a point of reference."
"That makes sense!" Ma Lu gave a thumbs up. "Henan Brother is very knowledgeable. Did you sell snacks before?"
"No, no, I've always been here selling bracelets. I've seen a lot and have gradually come to understand. Actually, the most crucial thing is that whatever you make has to be delicious so that people are willing to pay. And also..."
Henan Brother stopped mid-sentence.
"It's okay, Henan Brother, speak your mind. We are still in the early stages of setting up our business and it's exactly the time to seek advice humbly."
"Then I'll be frank. I think the price you've set is a bit too high. With 18, one could buy a roasted chicken. Many people lose interest just at the sight of the price. In the beginning, you can afford to make a little less profit to get the business going."
Though Ma Lu also felt that 18 was a bit steep, thinking about the 1-star ingredients used and that these ingredients were not available elsewhere in the universe, he believed the price was already quite fair. Besides, from Little Brother Yang's reaction, it was evident that 18 was not an unacceptable price.
The key was to make everyone recognize the deliciousness of the Jackal Meat Pie.
While Ma Lu was still contemplating strategies to attract customers, a voice suddenly reached his ears, "I'll take a meat pie, boss."
The speaker was a man wearing glasses, looking rather scholarly, with a boy around eight or nine years old beside him, probably his son.
As soon as they emerged from the subway entrance, the boy started clamoring for a grilled sausage. When the man with glasses wouldn't agree, the boy sat down on the ground and refused to get up.
Eventually, unable to resist, the man with glasses had to bring him to the stall selling grilled sausages, but upon seeing the deep brown oil in the pot, he led his son away.
After that, they checked out several snack stalls before stopping in front of Ma Lu's tricycle.
"All right, 18 each."
At the price, the man with glasses hesitated, and Ma Lu hurriedly added, "We use top-grade, healthy, ecologically raised desert pigs, hormone-free, free-range, slaughtered on the spot, and air-shipped to us. The ingredients are high-quality, which is why we're priced higher."
The man with glasses was skeptical but still took out his phone and scanned the QR code to pay.
Old Wang then dropped the meat pie into the fryer. Once both sides were golden brown, he took out a paper bag for jianbingguozi, filled it with shredded cabbage, and was about to add some sauce to the meat pie when the man with glasses stopped him again.
"What's all this now?"
"Lemon juice and tomato sauce, all natural, additive-free, homemade by us," Ma Lu said.
"Hmm," the bespectacled man's expression softened.
The little boy, who had been fussing for grilled sausages, gradually fell silent at the smell of the fried meat pies, staring intently at the frying pan.
"Careful, it's hot." Ma Lu handed the freshly made meat pies to the father and son, watching them walk away.
Though it was a bit late, no matter what, he'd finally made his first sale since heading out, but when the second would come was anybody's guess.
Ma Lu checked his phone; the time was 12:13. He had to do something, or he would miss the lunch rush.
After making up his mind, he said to Old Wang, "Fry four more meat pies, put two of them on the rack, and chop up the other two for sampling."
Though lowering prices was the simplest and most effective solution, Ma Lu didn't want to go down that path unless absolutely necessary.
With the Fried Jackal Meat Cake's Deliciousness Index at a whopping 1.5 stars, it could sweep away 99% of its market competitors and fully justified its current price, especially since he could only gather ingredients every six days at the least.
Even if he went hunting again, he couldn't guarantee he'd bag any jackal meat. As a limited-time offering, it certainly couldn't be sold too cheap.
Just as Ma Lu began to take action, the second sale came to him, and it was a returning customer.
The bespectacled, refined-looking man came back from across the street and said to Ma Lu, looking exhausted, "I'll have another fried meat pie."
Ma Lu looked over at the little boy behind him; the boy was also panting heavily, his face streaked with tear marks, looking like he had just been through a battle. His school uniform and backpack were dirty too, probably from rolling around on the ground.
Ma Lu mentally gave him a thumbs-up and replied, "Sure, just a moment."
As luck would have it, Old Wang had already started frying in advance, and this time, it only took a minute to get the meat pie out of the pan.
The bespectacled man hesitated, then added, "Put, put another one on."
He never had much affection for these street food vendors, believing that their food was mediocre compared to restaurants and even less appealing than homemade dishes. Besides, he was concerned about hygiene issues and the mysterious sources of their ingredients.
But with his son insisting on eating from the stall, he had no choice. He picked Ma Lu's stall because he noticed the oil in their pan was relatively clear.
As for the price, he also found it a bit expensive—the talk of free-range, ecological pigs in the desert sounded far-fetched. However, perhaps their ingredients were indeed better than others. When it came to his son's health, he was willing to pay the extra price.
The bespectacled man had originally hoped that the fried meat pie would keep his child quiet until they got home, but unexpectedly, after taking a few steps, his son devoured the meat pie voraciously, like a hungry tiger.
Then, perhaps re-energized from the snack, he started a new round of tantrums, rolling on the ground and causing a scene, insisting on another one.
Those who've never raised a child might never truly understand this sense of desperation. Every time the bespectacled man took his son to and from school, he felt like he was accompanied not by a human but by a bear.
Or rather, a panda that would go berserk, unleashing furious blows and causing chaos around him.
Though he had tried to fight back, attempting to maintain a father's dignity, a man is destined to be unable to defeat a bear.
After a bout of struggle, he too was tired, and seeing how much his son was enjoying the food, he uncharacteristically felt tempted to try a bite himself.