The moment I paid off our debt, a profound sense of liberation washed over me. It was as though a heavy weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Spiritually, if not physically, our new venture felt cleaner and unburdened. The slate was wiped clean, and this newfound clarity ignited a surge of motivation within me to push forward with even greater determination, so to say, Natasha and me were beaming with smiles now, since this debt has been plaguing us, even more for her, for so many years, and now everything is settled and done.
By 8:30 in the morning, all our preparations were complete. The tables and counters were set up, my cooking station was ready, and the flattops were heated and glistening with a light coat of oil. Our positions were simple, I would be manning the cooking station, Selene and Natasha would be manning the Bread and water counters, as for Scarlet, she would be in charge of maintaining the safety and order around our stall and our truck as well, with the tactical vest and an AR-15 rifle with her, rest assured our safety is truly taken care off, as for Alfred he would be in charge of inventory management of all the things we need.
Everything was in place, waiting for the first customer to arrive.
Natasha and I had a certain reputation in Rat Town, so it didn't take long for the locals to notice our new stall. As they approached, their faces lit up with recognition. Many of them came over to greet us, offering warm smiles and friendly words, even our old neighbors were here to come and greet us,
"Azra! Natasha! It's good to see you both doing so well,"
an older man called out, giving us a hearty wave. Natasha's face glowed with happiness as she reunited with familiar faces. The women of Rat Town flocked to her, drawn by her stellar reputation as a devoted wife and hardworking homemaker.
"Natasha, you haven't changed a bit,"
one of the ladies remarked, clasping her hands.
"You're as radiant as ever."
"Thank you, Lila,"
Natasha replied with her trademark smile.
"It means a lot coming from you. How's your family doing?"
As Natasha chatted with her friends, I observed quietly. While her reputation shone brightly among the townsfolk, mine was… complicated. People didn't openly criticize me, but I could sense their guarded glances and whispered comments. The shadow of my past lingered, which is not entirely surprising, the old me were a menace, strong but rather mindless, every day when the old me was drunk, I am like a mindless buffoon, thankfully despite the wariness, each of their words carried a tone of cautious optimism.
"You've really turned things around, Azra,"
a middle-aged merchant said, clapping me on the back.
"It's good to see you doing better."
"Me as well… I've decided to become a new man now… don't want to keep wallowing in despair, right?"
"Hahaha~ that's true."
Their acceptance of the man I had become warmed me. I could tell they were willing to leave the old stories in the past, acknowledging my efforts to rebuild my life, and I too had to speaks of it, just conforming to all of them, that I am now a new man, just so that their wariness of me waned down a little bit. Once the greetings and reunions settled, the townsfolk began to focus on our stall. With Natasha and me being familiar faces, they felt comfortable approaching us with questions.
"What's this you're selling, Azra?"
a curious man asked, peering at the setup.
"It's fresh bread and clean water,"
Natasha answered with a reassuring smile.
"And over there, Azra's cooking up something special."
The inquiries poured in, one after another.
"Is the bread really fresh? Is the water actually clean? And are these prices for real?"
Natasha, ever the trustworthy figure, handled the barrage of questions with grace.
"Yes, everything is real and safe. The bread is fresh sourdough, baked just this morning, and the water is crystal clear. And yes, the prices are exactly as listed: two coins for the bread and two coins for a liter of clean water."
Natasha words were met with a mix of surprise and skepticism. Bread and water of this quality at such low prices were unheard of in a village like Rat Town, heck it can be seen anywhere near a village or even a town, this sort of thing can only be seen in cities, even that were a rare case, since only the riches can get hold of this sort of high-quality products. Still, the people can see that, Natasha's sincerity and the enticing promise of a bargain began to chip away at their doubts.
Selene then stepped forward with perfect timing, opening the bread box. The rich, comforting aroma of freshly baked sourdough wafted through the air, captivating everyone around us. The scent was irresistible.
"Oh, my goodness, that smells amazing!"
a woman exclaimed, leaning closer to get a better look.
The crowd, drawn in by the enticing fragrance, began to murmur excitedly. Seeing their interest, Selene raised her voice with a bright, cheerful tone.
"Come on, everyone! Don't just stand there sniffing! Freshly baked sourdough bread, straight from the oven this morning! Just two coins a loaf, and I promise, it'll be the best bread you've ever tasted!"
She waved her hands invitingly, her energy infectious. The hesitation melted away as people stepped forward, intrigued by her enthusiasm. The combination of Natasha's trustworthiness and Selene's intentional call to action proved to be the perfect strategy.
With that, our stall officially opened for business. Natasha and Selene were immediately swamped with customers at the bread and water counter. Their hands moved swiftly, exchanging coins for goods while answering questions with practiced ease. The bustling crowd showed no signs of slowing down, their enthusiasm growing with each passing moment.
On my side of the counter, things were quieter. I was busy grilling burger patties and sausages, the savory aroma blending with the scent of the sourdough. The flattop sizzled as I worked, carefully flipping the patties and ensuring they were cooked to perfection. While there were fewer customers at my station, I remained confident and Steadfast.
"It's only a matter of time,"
I thought to myself, smiling as I plated the first batch of patties.
"Once they taste this, they'll be lining up."
The morning had only just begun, but already, I could feel the momentum building. This was more than just a business venture—it was a fresh start me and Natasha, it Is also a way to prove to ourselves and the people of Rat Town that we were here to thrive. As the sounds of cheerful chatter and sizzling food filled the air, I knew we were on the path to something truly special. This people will known what Azra Family Company can bring to them, which is a high-grade product at a bargain prices.
"By the way, babe…. Are you going to opened the Charity counter?".
Scarlett stood beside me, wanting to keep me company I supposed since my side of the counter were kinda lonely.
"I don't want to open it today on the first day… we need to make the people KNOW what we were selling and offering…once they knew about it and hooked on it… and then we will open the Charity Counter…"
"I see…I guess that's makes sense, I guess".
Scarlett shrugging her shoulders, the Charity Counter that she gracefully named it, is actually our Barter counter, the only counter that the people all over blatantly called it an act of foolish charity by me. Well to them, it might look like it, but to me, that charity counter was the one that is making the real money for me.