C19 Delicious Food

"How could that be? I'd be thrilled if Dad found someone to keep him company," Lim Fuqing had long since come to terms with this idea. Unfortunately, his father was as stubborn as a mule, solely focused on raising him. Once Fuqing grew up, the old man shifted his attention to his nephew. Now, he was even starting to meticulously plan for Fuqing's unborn child. Thinking about it, Fuqing felt he wasn't quite living up to his role as a son.

The Chinese restaurant that often bought Shen Shuling's produce suddenly stopped accepting it. The new manager, with his slicked-back hair and straight posture, looked down his nose at Fuqing, who was dressed in work clothes.

"If I said we're not taking it, we're not taking it. Your produce is just average. We've done you a favor by buying it several times already. That should be enough," the manager said impatiently. "Now, please leave so we can get back to business."

Fuqing clenched his jaw, his expression growing darker. Shuling gently tugged his arm and said lightly, "It's okay, we'll just find another buyer."

"Good produce will always find a buyer. He might be begging us to sell to him next time."

As they walked away, they saw another truck full of vegetables pull up. The vendor cheerfully handed the manager a cigarette, exchanged a few pleasantries, and soon the entire load was being taken into the restaurant.

"Is that how it works? You have to 'offer tribute' just to deliver some vegetables?"

Shen Shuling took in everything, making sure to remember the name of the three-story restaurant.

As they continued walking, they came across a smaller diner. Though it was modest in size, it was still bustling with customers.

The owners, a middle-aged couple, listened to Shen Shuling’s proposal without turning her away. They carefully inspected the produce, even washing and tasting the tomatoes and cucumbers.

The wife, with a loud and cheerful voice, decisively declared after tasting a tomato, "We’ll take all of it. Your produce is top-notch."

"It would be great if you could deliver every day."

Shen Shuling quickly replied, "How about every other day? Would that work for you?"

The wife nodded immediately, and they agreed that Shen Shuling would deliver again in two days. If the quality remained high, they would continue the arrangement.

The price was fair, calculated based on the market rate, and the wife even offered a little extra.

With about thirty pounds of vegetables, Shen Shuling made ten dollars. For everyday produce, earning ten dollars was satisfying for her.

Next time, she planned to bring shiitake mushrooms and yellow chives, expecting to earn even more.

On the way back, passing by the restaurant that had refused her produce, Shen Shuling overheard two customers leaving, looking displeased.

"Why does their food taste different now? It was better a few days ago."

"Yeah, the food today had a weird earthy taste. It was really bad. I'm not coming back next time."

The customers coming out afterward didn't look too happy either. Some were more reserved, while others rolled their eyes at the restaurant, vowing never to return.

Wow, people are already noticing how different her produce is? She's just started selling. Soon, as more people find out about her vegetables, there'll be lines, and they won't be able to get enough.

Once she earns a bit more money, she can start working on building a greenhouse. With a greenhouse and her unique abilities, she won't have to worry about the seasons and can grow vegetables whenever she wants!

To quickly gather funds for the greenhouse, Shen Shuling stayed up late thinking. She realized she was stuck in a mental rut. She kept accelerating the growth of those little vegetable seedlings, but her plot was less than an acre. No matter how much she pushed, she wouldn't make much money.

Why not try something more valuable? What's valuable? Medicinal herbs, of course. There are several mountains near the village. If she could find some herb seedlings, she could discreetly speed up their growth.