Chapter 34 You Have to Give to Receive
"You little rascal, you know how to handle things!"
The squad leader took the iced tea, smiled, and playfully punched Zhao Hu on the shoulder. This gesture made them feel exceptionally comfortable.
"What's your name? Which class are you in?"
"Brother, my name is Zhao Hu. I'm a work-study student at Notting Academy. I just enrolled this year."
Zhao Hu answered with a simple smile and took the opportunity to sit down in the shade next to the guards, acting very familiar with them.
"Work-study student? It's not easy."
"I attend classes during the day and work at night to earn tuition fees."
Another older guard remarked, "No wonder you're so young and already trying to earn money on your own."
"Hey-hey!"
Zhao Hu scratched his head and, when he brought up his family, his tone became more familiar: "My dad used to be a peddler who went from street to street, carrying a load of sugar figurines and needles and thread. His feet would be blistered after a whole day of walking."
He often told me that one should be honest and have a sweet tongue...
He recalled going to the countryside with his father to sell goods when he was a child. His father could always tell at a glance who really wanted to buy and who was just watching. He would also give the old man guarding the village entrance a piece of candy and give the aunt who was taking care of the child an extra needle. Over time, everyone in the village recognized his family's goods.
The iced tea I brought to the guard just now was actually something I learned from my father.
You have to give up something to gain something.
It's much more effective to first curry favor with key figures before discussing business than to directly shout out orders.
"No wonder you're so good at handling things!"
The squad leader chuckled and pointed to the people still queuing up for iced tea not far away: "Look, before you set up your stall, those people were hesitant, but now they're all rushing to buy. That's what you call 'bottoming out,' understand?"
"Uh-huh."
Zhao Hu nodded quickly, his eyes bright.
The squad leader's words struck a chord with him.
The iced tea sold out quickly, partly because it tasted good, and partly because of the guards.
With these guards watching over things, no one dares to cause trouble, and there's even less haggling. People who buy things feel more at ease.
A thought suddenly popped into his mind.
If I could set up a fixed stall here at the city gate and have the guards help look after it, wouldn't I be able to free up my hands to sell elsewhere?
So Zhao Hu continued, "Our iced tea sells fast, but we don't have enough staff."
"I just asked a classmate to go back to the Academy to get four more baskets. I reckon they'll be sold out again soon."
"With such a large flow of people at our city gate, it's impossible for us students to keep up with the demand by just setting up stalls after class. We miss out on a lot of business. If only we could have a stable place to sell..."
As he said this, Zhao Hu glanced at the squad leader's reaction out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that the other party was not offended, but instead frowned and nodded, he felt reassured.
"That makes sense!"
The squad leader put down the bamboo cup in his hand and pointed to the unused stone block next to him.
"If you really plan to set up a permanent stall here at the city gate, we'll help you keep an eye on it."
"Firstly, this iced tea is really good, inexpensive and delicious."
"Secondly, with us here, no one dares to cause trouble."
"It's better than those itinerant vendors who inflate prices; at least passing merchants and pedestrians can get a decent drink."
Zhao Hu was overjoyed and quickly stood up: "Thank you so much, brothers!"
"However, I can't make the decision on this myself. I have to discuss it with Brother Tang. He came up with the idea for this iced tea. We're just helping out by running errands."
"I'll tell Brother Tang when I get back."
"If he agrees, I'll bring over more iced tea every day from now on, so there's enough for the guys to quench their thirst!"
While saying this, Zhao Hu was already planning in his heart how to help Brother Tang sell more iced tea and open more stalls, so as not to let down Brother Tang's trust and care.
Just then, he heard hurried footsteps in the distance.
Four part-time workers came running up, panting, carrying six baskets of iced tea: "Brother Tiger! Brother Tang said we should bring two extra baskets, and that if it sells well here, we can increase the quantity tomorrow!"
"Put it here, put it here."
Zhao Hu took the iced tea, handed a cup to each of the guards, and then turned to greet the people in line: "Sorry to keep you all waiting!"
"Iced tea is here!"
"It's still one copper soul coin per cup, so those who want to try it should hurry!"
The crowd immediately became lively. With the guards watching over them, no one cut in line or haggled over prices, and the order was even better than before.
While serving tea and collecting money, Zhao Hu chatted with familiar vendors, noting who wanted to pre-order for tomorrow. These were all methods of building a customer base that he learned from his father.
He thought that when he returned to the Academy, he would definitely explain the situation at the city gate to Brother Tang.
Let me mention asking the guards to help look after the stall again. Maybe we can find a reliable backup in the east of the city, so Tang's Ice Tea can sell even more.
He felt that someone as smart and capable as Brother Tang would definitely understand the benefits.
North of the city.
Li Shuan's side was much quieter.
The three of them found a shady spot under a tree and put down their baskets. The chubby boy was a little nervous and didn't dare to shout loudly.
Another part-time worker in the same group was quick-witted. Seeing a woman with a child passing by, he proactively went up to her and quietly asked, "Auntie, would you like to buy your little brother or sister a cup of iced tea?"
"Sweet and refreshing."
A woman with a little girl was persuaded and bought a cup.
The little girl took a sip, her eyes crinkling into crescents: "Mommy, it's delicious! I want more!"
Gradually, the residents and children who were cooling off nearby were drawn over.
Although Li Shuan didn't talk much, he was quick and efficient at taking money and serving tea, and always had a kind smile on his face, which made people feel good about him.
The other two groups also gained an advantage in Notting.
The iced tea's excellent taste and the price of one copper soul coin are extremely attractive, and the free tasting has created an excellent reputation.
When it was time to close up shop in the evening, each group sold hundreds of servings of iced tea.
Zhao Hu's team not only sold the most, but was also the only one to return with a huge stack of orders.
"Brother Tang! The guy at the city gate said he'll take care of our stall from now on! And these caravans have all pre-ordered iced tea for tomorrow..."
Inside dormitory room number seven, Zhao Hu handed Tang Chuan a heavy bag of money and the order form, his face beaming with pride.
"Well done!"
After listening to Zhao Hu's explanation, Tang Chuan patted him on the shoulder approvingly: "Zhao Hu, you're quick-witted. Let's do it your way."
"I'll go with you to the city gate tomorrow morning to discuss it with the guards."
The other four groups also chimed in, reporting their sales figures and customer feedback to Tang Chuan, not wanting Zhao Hu to steal the spotlight.
Tang Chuan listened attentively, a satisfied smile on his lips.
He kept his promise, not only providing a barbecue dinner, but also distributing the money from selling tea to each person in accordance with the agreement, ten copper soul coins each.
"Wang Sheng, go and call the mistress here."
"Everyone else, come with me to the cafeteria stalls, get ready to open!"
"Yes, Brother Tang!"
The cheers of the work-study students echoed throughout Dormitory 7, filled with anticipation and enthusiasm for the future.
[end of the chapter]