Chapter 105 — A Haggling Expert
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
Tang Zhi stared in astonishment as Wei Zhao and the vendor chatted away like old friends... When had he ever run a clothing stall south of the bridge? Since when did he have a wife? And pregnant, no less? Wasn't he still in school?
"Hey, a pregnancy's a good thing—congratulations!" The vendor nodded at Wei Zhao in congratulation. In truth, he hadn't the faintest recollection of ever seeing Wei Zhao. Who knew which Old Zhang that was? He picked up stock in so many places; there were at least three or five bosses surnamed Zhang, if not ten. But Wei Zhao was so familiar, and a fellow vendor besides, so clearly they'd met and chatted before—only he hadn't remembered the man. The vendor felt a little embarrassed and couldn't very well admit it, so he could only put on a look of sudden recollection and keep chatting with Wei Zhao.
"Ah, don't mention it. My wife's a vain one—even pregnant, she sends me out to buy her things," Wei Zhao said. "She wants me to get some cosmetics and clothes for the summer that's coming in a couple of days... I was just on my way to Old Zhang's when I ran into you. I'll just grab a couple of things from your stall."
"No problem at all," the vendor said warmly. "The wholesale market's a long walk from here—just take a couple of things here. I can't make a profit off you; we both know what these things cost."
"All right, then I'll just pick a couple at random." As he spoke, Wei Zhao casually picked up the dress Tang Zhi had been looking at, then chose a pair of men's shorts for himself. Once he'd made his selections, he said to the vendor, "Just these two."
"You got it." The vendor glanced at them and said, "That dress came in at forty-five, the shorts twelve—fifty-seven in all."
"Keep the change from sixty—I've still got bus fare to the wholesale market, and I can't let you make the trip for nothing." Wei Zhao fished sixty yuan from his pocket and handed it to the vendor.
"How can I do that? We're in the same trade," the stall owner waved his hands over and over. "It's such a small business, and your wife is with child—I already feel bad enough for not having given you a gift. How could I possibly take your money?"
"Come on, brother," Wei Zhao waved his hand back, affecting a mock-angry look. "If you do this, I won't dare set foot here next time. Sixty, then—just sixty, alright?"
"All right, sixty it is." The stall owner accepted the money with a beaming smile. "You're a straight shooter, little brother. I won't say anything more. Next time you've got time, come by and let's have a couple of drinks together."
"You got it." Wei Zhao nodded and rose to his feet. "Brother, I'll be on my way now."
Tang Zhi watched Wei Zhao carry off the skirt she had fallen in love with, too stunned to speak. Forty-five yuan? Was this some kind of joke? This stall owner was nothing short of a highway robber! He had sold it to her for two hundred not long ago—enough to buy four of them! Tang Zhi seethed inwardly.
The stall owner saw Wei Zhao off with a cheerful smile, then finally remembered that he still had a customer on his hands. "Oh, right," he said. "What were you looking to buy?"
"Um... that skirt you just sold—do you have any more?" Tang Zhi asked.
"Nope, that was the only one." The stall owner shook his head.
"Then why did you sell it to him for forty-five, and to me for two hundred?" Tang Zhi couldn't help pressing him. This stall owner was far too crooked for words.
"He's in the same trade as me. I felt like selling it to him for forty-five—what's it to you? Got a problem with that?" The stall owner was growing impatient with Tang Zhi loitering about without buying a thing. If she hadn't been so easy on the eyes, he would have ignored her long ago.
"Him? In the same trade as you?" Tang Zhi stared at the stall owner with a strange look on her face.