Chapter 33 Iced Tea's First Appearance
"Please distribute these flyers at the cafeteria entrance and on the bulletin board."
"Let everyone know that we not only sell iced tea, but also deliver these grilled meats and cut fruits to your door."
Wang Sheng took the flyer and, looking at the dazzling array of food and low prices, couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Um!"
"Brother Tang, I understand!"
"I will definitely distribute the flyers properly and manage the orders well!"
While Tang Chuan was busy setting up stalls in the school cafeteria, the five stall teams sent to Nottingham City also opened for business.
The stalls in the east of the city were the first to become lively.
Ali, along with two companions, chose the busiest spot at the entrance of the market.
At first, their shouts were drowned out by the cacophony of hawkers, and the effect was minimal.
Remembering Tang Chuan's suggestion about tasting the food, Ali had a sudden inspiration. He had one of his companions carry a wooden board filled with small bamboo cups through the crowd, offering them to the stall owners and women buying vegetables.
"Uncle and Auntie, have a taste!"
"Tang's Iced Tea, made with fruits from the Soul Hunter Forest, is free to try."
This move had an immediate effect.
A sip of ice-cold, sweet tea is a true salvation in this sweltering market.
Many people immediately took out their money to buy them, and some even bought several cups to take home to their families. The wicker baskets emptied at a visible speed.
Zhao Hu, accompanied by two companions, carried a rattan basket to a shady spot near the city gate.
He didn't set up a stall to hawk his wares.
Instead, he first straightened his clothes, then picked up a few glasses of iced tea, put on a simple yet respectful smile, and walked toward the soldiers standing guard at the city gate.
"Thank you all for your hard work!"
Zhao Hu spoke in a loud, clear voice, full of enthusiasm and sincerity: "We're students from Notting Academy. We made some iced tea to quench our thirst. Would you gentlemen like to try some?"
"It's free."
"Consider this a small token of our Notting Academy's appreciation for our brothers' efforts in protecting the city."
As he spoke, he handed over the iced tea.
The guards were taken aback for a moment, looking at Zhao Hu and the strange bamboo cup in his hand with suspicion.
A man who looked like a squad leader frowned: "A student from Notting Academy?"
"Instead of studying properly, you're here selling things?"
"Brother, you've misunderstood."
Zhao Hu quickly explained, his attitude sincere: "It's not for sale, it's a gift!"
"This is a sincere gift to help you guys beat the summer heat!"
"Try it. If you like it, we'll come here every day at this time, and we'll make sure you have a refreshing iced tea every day."
"Real?"
The squad leader took the bamboo cup with some skepticism, finding it icy cold to the touch. He glanced at the clear tea inside, then at Zhao Hu, whose face was etched with sincerity.
After hesitating for a moment, he tilted his head back and took a sip.
The refreshing and sweet taste, with a hint of aftertaste, instantly calmed his body and invigorated him.
"Hey!"
The squad leader's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Kid, your iced tea... it's something else!"
"It really quenches my thirst!"
Seeing this, the other soldiers also curiously accepted the iced tea that Zhao Hu handed them. After drinking it, they were all amazed, and the fatigue on their faces vanished.
"Excellent tea!"
"So refreshing!"
"Thanks, young man!"
"This is much more effective than drinking water!"
Zhao Hu chuckled and pressed his advantage, saying, "I'm glad you guys like it!"
"Actually, our iced tea costs one copper soul coin per cup. We're not trying to make money; we mainly sell it to passersby to help them relax."
"But our brothers have worked hard guarding Nottingham, so from now on we'll provide this tea for free every day!"
Upon hearing this, the soldiers felt somewhat embarrassed.
"That won't do!"
The squad leader waved his hand: "One copper soul coin per cup, that's so cheap. You're not even making a profit to begin with, how could we possibly take advantage of you?"
"Brothers, pay up!"
"From now on, we'll pay for our own tea!"
The squad leader was the first to pull out a copper soul coin and hand it to Zhao Hu, and the other soldiers followed suit, insisting on paying for the tea Zhao Hu had just offered.
"Big brother, this..."
Zhao Hu wanted to decline, but he had already made up his mind that even if the guards were really impolite, he could take seven out of the ten copper soul coins that Brother Tang gave him every day to treat them, so that Brother Tang would not have to bear the loss of his own initiative.
"Take it!"
The squad leader's tone left no room for refusal: "It's not easy for you students to make a living."
"Judging from your appearance, you're probably a part-time worker, right?"
"From now on, you can set up your stall here, and no one will dare to cause you any trouble!"
He spoke loudly, not only to Zhao Hu, but also to the vendors waiting in line around him.
With the city gate guards' approval and tacit consent, Zhao Hu's team had already won their first wave of positive word-of-mouth even before they officially set up shop.
This scene was witnessed by the caravans queuing to enter the city.
Immediately, a man who looked like the caravan manager came over and asked, "Young man, would you like us to try a few cups of your iced tea?"
Without saying a word, Zhao Hu poured a small cup and handed it over.
The manager downed the drink in one gulp, his eyes immediately lighting up: "Good lad! This iced tea is excellent! Give me... twenty cups, please."
"Okay!"
Zhao Hu readily agreed, secretly pleased. As he took the money and handed over the tea, he said, "Our iced tea is made from fruits from the Soul Hunter Forest. It not only quenches thirst but also refreshes you."
The news quickly spread among the people in line.
"Hey, Lao Zhang, go buy a cup, it's really delicious and refreshing!"
"Bring me one too!"
"Hey kid, twenty drinks for our team!"
Zhao Hu's group's wicker baskets emptied at an astonishing speed.
To Zhao Hu's even greater surprise, several caravan managers he regularly dealt with placed orders with him for tomorrow's orders.
"Young man, we should arrive around noon tomorrow. Could you reserve thirty cups for us in advance?"
"Leave twenty cups for our team too!"
Zhao Hu was overjoyed, but he tried his best to remain calm. He quickly took out the paper and pen he carried with him and clumsily but carefully wrote down the names of each caravan and the quantities they had ordered.
"Don't worry, uncles, I guarantee everything will be ready tomorrow!"
Before the iced tea sold out, Zhao Hu specially reserved seven cups and said to his two companions:
"Quick!"
"You guys hurry back to the academy to find Brother Tang, tell him what's going on here, and bring two more baskets of iced tea!"
"No, prepare four baskets. You'll have to make one more trip, so hurry up!"
The two work-study students also saw the bustling scene and knew they couldn't delay, so they agreed and grabbed their empty baskets, rushing towards the academy.
Zhao Hu then apologized to the many people behind him who hadn't managed to buy anything.
Carrying seven cups of iced tea that had been set aside in advance, he approached the guard squad leader with a sincere yet slightly embarrassed smile on his face.
"Here you go, brothers."
"The older brothers insisted on giving me money for the tea just now. They were being considerate of us, and we appreciate their kindness."
"But you brothers have worked hard guarding the city, so we absolutely cannot accept money for these few cups of tea."
"This is just a small token of my appreciation. I simply wanted to ask you gentlemen to soothe your throats and quench your thirst. Please don't find it offensive."
The guards were taken aback by Zhao Hu's actions, then they all burst into laughter.
[end of the chapter]