The morning sun had risen higher, casting golden light over the bustling marketplace. Li Qingyun secured her coin pouch tightly and picked up her empty baskets. Today had been a great success—her high-quality vegetables had sold out quickly, and she had earned more money than ever before.
However, the hostility in the eyes of the other vendors was unmistakable.
As Qingyun and her younger brother, Li Jun, prepared to leave, a voice called out.
"Wait a moment, little girl."
She turned to see Aunt Liu, the bitter old vegetable vendor who had tried to scheme against her before. This time, she wasn't alone—three other vendors stood beside her, arms crossed and eyes filled with thinly veiled malice.
Qingyun remained calm. "What is it, Aunt Liu?"
Aunt Liu's lips twisted into a mocking sneer. "We all saw how well you sold today. Your vegetables looked too perfect—unnaturally perfect. Tell me, are you using some kind of trick?"
Murmurs of agreement rose from the small crowd that had gathered.
"She must be using some secret fertilizer."
"Maybe she's cutting corners, adding something to make them look fresh."
"Or worse… maybe she's stealing from another farm and passing it off as her own!"
Li Jun clenched his fists. "My sister would never do that!"
Qingyun placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, silently telling him to stay calm.
She met Aunt Liu's gaze with a composed smile. "Aunt Liu, are you saying that because my vegetables are better than yours, I must be cheating?"
Aunt Liu's eyes flashed with resentment. "Hmph! Don't act innocent. If you refuse to explain how you grow such vegetables, maybe we should report you to the town's market officials."
A few other vendors nodded in agreement.
This was exactly how Aunt Liu operated—if she couldn't win fairly, she would use pressure and accusations to force someone out of business.
Too bad for her… Qingyun wasn't the same weak girl from before.
Turning the Tables
Qingyun tilted her head, her smile unwavering. "You want to report me? Then let's go."
Aunt Liu and the vendors froze.
"What?" Aunt Liu scoffed. "You don't even want to defend yourself?"
"There's nothing to defend," Qingyun said calmly. "The market officials can inspect my farm anytime they like. But while we're there, why don't we also ask them to inspect everyone's vegetables?"
Aunt Liu's smirk faltered.
Qingyun continued, her voice sharp as a blade. "For example… I heard some vendors soak their vegetables in well water overnight to make them look fresher."
The crowd gasped. That was a well-known deceptive trick used by dishonest sellers.
"And I also heard some people mix crushed rice husks into their soil to falsely increase weight."
Aunt Liu's face twitched.
"Surely the officials would want to check everyone's goods, just to be fair," Qingyun added with an innocent smile.
Now, it was the vendors who looked uneasy.
They had only wanted to bully a young girl into backing down—but now, they risked exposing their own tricks.
Aunt Liu gritted her teeth. "Tch! Forget it! I don't have time to deal with a little girl's nonsense."
She turned away sharply, and the other vendors quickly followed, their faces dark with frustration.
Li Jun exhaled in relief. "Jiejie, that was amazing! You made them back down so easily!"
Qingyun smiled but didn't let her guard down.
Aunt Liu wouldn't give up so easily.
This was only a small victory—the real battle was just beginning.
Unexpected Praise
As Qingyun and Li Jun started walking home, a deep voice called out.
"You handled that well, young lady."
She turned and saw Uncle Wu, the food stall owner who had bought her vegetables earlier. He was watching her with an approving expression.
"You weren't intimidated," he continued. "You stood your ground without unnecessary fights. That's how a real merchant should act."
Qingyun bowed slightly. "Thank you for your kind words, Uncle Wu."
He nodded. "If you keep producing vegetables of this quality, my stall will be a regular customer."
That was a huge opportunity—Uncle Wu's food stall was one of the busiest in town. If he continued buying from her, her business would only grow stronger.
"I won't disappoint you," she promised.
The Next Step
As they left the market, Li Jun looked up at her. "Jiejie, what's next?"
Qingyun's eyes shone with determination.
"We expand. We grow more vegetables, find more customers, and make sure Aunt Liu never gets the chance to scheme against us again."
This was only the beginning.
She would rise—one step at a time.
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