Chapter 264: Great Purchase

Chapter 264: Great Purchase
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Jiang Xia had inquired about the market price of fish. The money the man offered was noticeably low. A difference of a dime per pound might seem insignificant, but for fifty fish, weighing at least two hundred pounds in total, that’s a difference of twenty coins!
Jiang Xia pretended to consult with Jiang Chuan and said hesitantly, “Dad, didn’t we agree to deliver these fish to the restaurant? If we sell them now…”
Jiang Chuan instantly understood his daughter’s and added with a troubled face, “My dear daughter, it’s true we shouldn’t break our promise, but we need to buy essentials for our life…”
Both spoke with hesitation, leaving the manager a bit nervous, unable to gauge if they wanted to sell the fish or not.
The manager then looked at Zhou Lan, who was standing with Jiang Gu, and spoke as if they were close friends, “Big Sister, I noticed you’ve been looking around here for a while. How about this: whatever you fancy today, I’ll sell to you in cash, so you can save the hassle of exchanging tickets.”
This was an unexpected offer. Exchanging different vouchers was not only a hassle but also uncertain in terms of availability. If they could buy things directly with cash, it would be the best.
But Zhou Lan wasn’t one to be taken advantage of.
She laughed and mimicked the manager’s tone, “That’s great! If you call me ‘sister’, then we’re like family. Why bother sending the fish to the restaurant when we can prioritize you?”
The manager was delighted to hear this, thinking women were easier to deal with. However, Zhou Lan’s next words wiped the smile off his face.
“Since we’re all family, after the great trouble we went through to bring the fish, we should make some profit. Let’s settle on 45 cents per pound, a compromise for both.”
Before the manager could react, Zhou Lan started selecting items from the shelves.
Jiang Xia gave a mental thumbs-up to her mother, thinking, “When it comes to bargaining, you can always count on mom!”
With the deal set, the manager had no room for objections and let the sales clerk assist them.
Zhou Lan chose four pairs of cloth shoes, four pairs of rubber shoes, three boxes of milk, a big box of cookies, and a delicate hairpin.
Jiang Xia spotted a cheongsam on the ready-to-wear rack. It was sky blue with dark cloud patterns and looked very high-end, perfect for Wang Ping.
She inquired about the price. At five coins a piece, it was expensive, but it was the best gift for Wang Ping. So, she made the purchase.
Zhou Lan then went to the fabric section and found a material perfect for making quilts. She asked, “Can I buy this with cash too?”
The clerk hesitated, glancing at the manager, who was weighing their fish.
Thinking Zhou Lan might just want a few yards for clothes, the manager thought, “Why not?”
“Yes, you can.”
Without rushing, Zhou Lan pointed to some cotton and asked, “And how about that cotton?”
The clerk figured it was the manager’s call and said, “Yes.”
With a triumphant gleam, Zhou Lan ordered, “Give me twenty yards of that fabric and weigh out twenty pounds of cotton.”
She had calculated it. The quilts at home were decades old – heavy and thin with little warmth. She wanted to make a quilt with fifteen pounds of cotton and clothes for her family with the rest, including her married daughter.
The clerk was taken aback. This was a huge request, maybe even too much for the manager.
“Wait a moment; 1’11 ask the manager.”
The manager hadn’t expected Zhou Lan to ask for so much. He couldn’t explain this to his boss.
Jiang Chuan sensed the manager’s hesitation and timely added, “I have thirty more fish. If you’re interested, 1 can bring them tomorrow. The same price, 45 cents per pound, okay?”
The manager hesitated. Such fish were hard to come by, especially in such a quantity. He thought, “It’s a rare opportunity. 1 can use my own fabric tickets if needed.”
After a moment, he agreed, “Okay! Weigh the cotton for them.”
The fifty fish weighed exactly two hundred pounds, totaling ninety coins. They used up the entire amount on their purchases. With their items packed, Jiang Chuan left with his wife and daughter, planning to return the next day with the remaining fish.
At the ground floor of the shopping mall, Jiang Xia rushed to the bookstore to give Wang Ping the cheongsam. Overwhelmed by the valuable gift, Wang Ping suggested, “This cheongsam is too precious. Why don’t you pick out a few more books?”
Jiang Xia agreed without being greedy, selecting four books recommended by Wang Ping, and then said goodbye happily..