Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years

Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Cutting One’s Losses

Shen Ningning was so hot she had to take off her light outer jacket.

This terrified Grandma Qin. "Does this grass have any side effects?"

Shen Ningning’s little face was flushed, but her dark eyes were crystal clear and bright.

"No, Grandma, this is Spirit Grass! I understand what it does now!"

Spirit Grass could warm the body, and its effect was extraordinary.

Even in the dead of winter, eating just one stalk of Spirit Grass would allow a person to wear thin clothes without feeling the slightest chill.

The little girl made a special note of how long the Spirit Grass’s effect lasted.

To her surprise, after eating just one stalk, the warmth in her body persisted for a full two days.

It only began to fade on the morning of the third day.

And Shen Ningning felt as if her entire body had been detoxified. Her skin was fairer, and her cheeks were rosy and radiant.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but it seemed like the silver strands in Grandma Qin’s hair were starting to turn black.

’It seems Spirit Grass not only provides warmth but also strengthens the body and promotes detoxification.’

’What a treasure!’

Next, Shen Ningning had to figure out how to launch her Spirit Grass soup at the shop.

The weather wasn’t extremely cold yet, so it probably wouldn’t be a bestseller. The little girl decided to take some Spirit Grass over and have Aunt Yun make two pots to test the public’s reaction.

A persistent drizzle fell for several days, and the weather grew colder.

Shen Ningning diligently attended her classes at the National Academy for a few days before rushing to the shop to deliver the Spirit Grass.

But as soon as she arrived, Aunt Yun approached her with a worried frown. "Commandery Princess, the fruit we have in storage is about to rot."

Shen Ningning paused, then headed inside. "Didn’t you store them the way I told you to?"

Aunt Yun said, "It didn’t help much. The weather has been so unpredictable lately, constantly overcast and damp. The fruit is spoiling in the humidity."

Shen Ningning walked into the fruit storage warehouse. Inside, she saw Wuer and four or five other helpers sorting through the fruit, separating out what was still good.

The rotten fruit already filled three large baskets.

’If this keeps up, we’ll be losing money before we even officially open.’

Shen Ningning bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "Bring those baskets out. And the good fruit, too. Put it all in baskets and carry it outside."

"Price them. The bruised fruit will be one tael of silver a catty. The better ones will be three taels for half a catty. Let people pick whichever they want."

The shop staff were all stunned.

The accountant, Uncle Zhong, hurried over. "Commandery Princess, if we sell them like this, we’ll take a loss."

The fruit congee was already priced at one tael a bowl for a strategy of low profit, high volume.

The drought just ended, so fruit trees everywhere haven’t even budded yet. To sell so much delicious fruit this cheaply would be a huge loss!

But Shen Ningning was calm and composed, her little face set with determination.

"If we let them sit any longer, even more will spoil. We’ll be stuck with all of it. It’s better to sell it off cheaply."

Besides, she had no intention of putting them back in the Immortal Realm anyway.

In the Immortal Realm, the fruit trees were so prolific that ripe fruits were falling to the ground with nowhere to store them. Even so, new fruits were constantly growing on the branches.

’I still need to figure out what to do with all this good fruit anyway.’

Uncle Zhong thought it over and realized there was no other choice. He sighed heavily.

Aunt Yun immediately called over a few strong young men. "Come on, help move all this outside! Wuer, go write a couple of price signs."

Shen Ningning handed the Spirit Grass to Aunt Yun and asked her to have the kitchen maid make two large pots of soup.

"Once it’s ready, bring it out. We’ll give a free bowl of soup to everyone who buys fruit. After they finish, ask them to leave some feedback."

"We’ll use a cabbage and tofu base for the soup," Aunt Yun said.

Time was short, and there were only a few kinds of soup that could be prepared quickly.

Shen Ningning nodded.

The early winter rain was fine and chilling. Pedestrians on the street held umbrellas, clutching their collars tightly with their other hand.

Otherwise, the biting wind would seep in, chilling them to the bone.

Winter had come earlier than usual this year, bringing with it a ceaseless, cold rain. The common people complained bitterly, but at the same time, they were secretly pleased.

After the terror of the drought, every household now welcomed the sight of rain.

They would rather endure the rain than suffer through another drought.

Thus, despite the continuous drizzle, the number of pedestrians on the streets had not diminished.

Wuer stood outside the shop, hawking their wares. His clear, young voice drew the attention of many passersby, who stopped to have a look.

"Overripe fruit, one tael of silver a catty! Freshly ripened fruit, three taels for half a catty!"

"Lords and ladies, don’t miss out! Step right up!"

Before long, an old woman approached. "Is it really that cheap? One tael of silver a catty, and I can pick any I want?"

Wuer beamed. "Pick any you like."

He deftly picked up a paper bag. "Ma’am, I recommend the snow pears and honey peaches. You won’t be able to get them once winter truly sets in."

The customer hadn’t even said yes, but Wuer was already skillfully bagging the fruit.

He had a silver tongue, a skill he had honed back at their old stall.

Listening to his pitch, the old woman nodded. "Alright then, add some of these Red Fruits, too."

"You got it!" After bagging them, Wuer smoothly grabbed a plump tangerine from the basket of good fruit and tucked it in. "This one’s on me, Ma’am. If you like it, please come again."

The old woman’s face broke into a wide smile. "Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise?"

She paid her silver without hesitation.

Wuer glanced over at Shen Ningning, who gave him a sweet smile and a discreet thumbs-up.

Instantly energized, Wuer called out again, "Sweet fruit, delicious and affordable! Guaranteed by Princess Fu Nü herself! Come and get a taste!"

The woman who had just bought the fruit hadn’t left yet. She was already eagerly peeling the tangerine.

The plump segments were a vibrant orange-red. With one bite, sweet juice burst in her mouth.

"Delicious, truly delicious," the woman said at once. "Give me half a catty of those tangerines—the three-tael ones."

"Right away!" Wuer replied cheerfully.

The crowd of onlookers could no longer resist.

They surged forward to buy. Aunt Yun, ever prepared, had three nimble-fingered women join Wuer to help serve the customers.

Uncle Zhong and another young man handled the money and kept the accounts.

In just half an hour, the three baskets of overripe fruit were sold down to the very bottom.

Every customer who bought fruit also received a free bowl of hot soup, and they all praised it endlessly with a single word: "Delicious!"

With the winter rain swirling around, one bowl of soup warmed them from the inside out.

It was unbelievably comforting.

Someone praised again and again, "It’s just what you’d expect from the blessed girl’s shop! They really know how to do business. I’ll be back."

Hearing this from inside the shop, Shen Ningning smiled with satisfaction.

’A hundred people have a hundred different tastes; it’s impossible to please everyone.’

’But if I can satisfy the majority, the shop’s business is sure to boom.’

Just then, Shen Ningning happened to glance up and saw four or five middle-aged men approaching in the distance.

Their robes were soaked dark with rain, and though they held newly bought paper umbrellas, they were shivering uncontrollably from the cold.

Shen Ningning noticed their attire, as well as the green Jade thumb rings on their hands.

The little girl’s dark eyes blinked twice. She immediately put down her notebook, poked her head out, and called, "You sirs over there in the rain! Come have a sip of hot soup to warm yourselves up! It’s free of charge."

Hearing this, the men hurried over.

Once inside the shop, they handed their umbrellas to an employee, then brushed the rainwater from their clothes. Wiping their weather-beaten faces with handkerchiefs, one said, "Thank you, Shopkeeper. We’re traveling merchants who just arrived in the Capital City. We didn’t expect the weather to be so unpredictable."