章 11: Curious Ethan
Chapter 11
"Ugh, just because I use fancy cars and good stuff, he sells them at exorbitant prices! What a black-hearted shop!" said the man, annoyed.
The man in question is Ethan Bakarman, a wealthy second-generation individual. Unlike other wealthy second-generation people who tend to play around, he is busy building his own business. Due to his status, he is aware that many people, including merchants, change their behavior when they see him, often increasing the prices of their goods in the assumption that he can afford them.
Ethan despises this dishonest behavior and immediately walks away from such vendors, expecting to see the usual pitiful faces and adoration he often encounters.
However, to his surprise, Alex, the vendor he just encountered, does not act according to the expected script. Instead, Alex remains calm and doesn't try to persuade him to purchase a typical salesperson.
This leaves Ethan feeling a bit perplexed, and he quickly leaves the place. Alex, on the other hand, is left feeling somewhat helpless. He had expected to sell out all his vegetables within an hour and accumulate a good amount of money, but it seems his real-life experience doesn't match the scenarios he read in novels.
"Huhuhu, it seems I'm still too influenced by those novels," Alex mutters with slight disdain.
With a change in plans, Alex starts packing up and decides to try offering his vegetables to premium outlets such as high-end hotels and restaurants. He believes they would appreciate the quality and value of his produce better, considering their familiarity with ingredients and their willingness to pay a fair price for quality goods.
Giving a taste to the previous aunts is not the same as giving a taste to chefs or logistics personnel in star-rated restaurants and hotels.
Thinking of this, Alex felt a little unwilling in his heart when he remembered some of the aunts who tasted his vegetables but didn't buy them.
After a while of packing, everything was finally ready. As Alex was about to start the car, he was suddenly approached by the aunts again, and this made him a bit apprehensive.
"Is this aunt going to rob me because she can't buy anything?" Alex wondered a thought that quickly crossed his mind.
Aware of his vegetable mangosteen, Alex's mind began to race as he considered the situation with the aunts. Deciding to handle it with a friendly approach, Alex got down from the car with a warm smile.
"These aunties, although my vegetables are of the highest quality, robbing and stealing is illegal," he said, trying to address any potential misunderstandings.
The aunties' faces turned unfriendly when they heard what Alex said.
"Hey you brats, don't say we want to rob or steal, we just want to buy tomatoes! Look at you, big and covered in tattoos, you are the one who is more suitable to be called a thief!" one of the aunts retorted with dissatisfaction.
Hearing this, Alex found it amusing that despite the aunt's harsh words, they still wanted to buy his vegetables.
"Hehehe auntie, don't say that. Do you discriminate against small people like me?" Alex replied with a playful tone.
"Bah, little fellow!" another aunt scoffed in response.
"Sell the vegetables quickly, don't beat around the bush, my son will be going to school soon," urged one of the aunties.
"Yes, yes, hurry up, my husband is already angry at home!" added another impatiently.
Alex smiled happily and swiftly started to display and sell the vegetables he had packed before.
"Hahaha, okay aunt, please wait. I guarantee the vegetables that I have are of exceptional quality and won't disappoint you!"
With that assurance, a frenzy of buying and selling erupted at Alex's booth. Time after time, each aunt left satisfied with their purchases, discovering not only extraordinary tomatoes but also other delicious vegetables.
The aunts were so delighted with the vegetables that they didn't hesitate to buy even more. After all, they didn't lack the means to afford it, living in an elite complex.
Alex, witnessing the crowd of aunties enthusiastically picking tomatoes and other produce, felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, as if he was witnessing an angel descending from heaven.
…
"Oh, my head hurts so much! Looks like I drank too much last night," grumbled a man in his 30s while driving his car. The dizziness in his head made driving difficult, and suddenly, his cell phone started ringing.
Ring!
Ring!
Annoyed, he reached for his cell phone and muttered, "Agh, shit! Who would call so early in the morning!"
"Hello..."
"Uh, yes, hello brother, good morning!"
"Yeah, good morning. Have you taken care of what I asked you to do?"
With this, the man with a headache engaged in a conversation for a while before finally turning off his cell phone.
"Humph, doesn't he know that it's still dawn? Why is he bossing me around like this!?" The man seemed very annoyed with his job, complaining of pain and rumbling while driving.
As he reached a street, he noticed an area bustling with middle-aged women.
"Ah, what is that?" Curiosity piqued, and he came over to take a look.
As he pulled over, his curiosity grew further.
"Is there still a vegetable market in this place now?" he wondered.
He moved closer to see what the owner was selling.
When he reached the tailgate of the car, the man nodded slightly, finally understanding what these women were fighting over.
"These are indeed vegetables of good quality. Moreover, they're organic. No wonder many rich people know about this and will come soon," he thought.
Observing the scene, the man was not surprised by the enthusiasm of the women, and he decided to join in, following the same routine as the other aunties around.
He found the vegetables exceptionally good, a rare sight in recent days.
The man quietly chose for a few moments before he was taken aback by the transaction taking place at the vendor's stall.
"Damn, what a rip-off! Why is it so expensive!" he complained in a low voice.
The thing that puzzled the man, even more, was that he thought the stall owner's face looked familiar. He continued picking around, just to clear up his doubts. He wanted to see what tricks the vegetable sellers were using to entice their customers.
After all, the women around were not rich fools, so the man wanted to discover the trick, thinking he might use it in the future. However, to his disappointment, after observing closely, he couldn't find a single abnormality or any deceptive tactic that the seller might be using.
Instead, he found the owner's face becoming more and more familiar, which left him feeling a little displeased in his heart. He pondered when and where he had seen this familiar face before.
…
Ethan, who had failed to buy vegetables from Alex earlier, had forgotten about the vegetable stand as he was now irritated due to leaving important files at home. He couldn't help but order his driver to go back home to retrieve the files.
"Roy, let's go back home. I forgot the files I just signed..." Ethan instructed his driver.
Roy nodded and turned the luxury car back towards Ethan's home at a normal speed. During the short drive, Ethan pondered the situation at the vegetable stand. He wondered if the lack of sales was due to the high prices. He was curious to see the display again and check if Alex had adjusted the prices.
As they approached the vegetable stand, Ethan was taken aback to find a bustling crowd around it. It was much more crowded than he had expected. He wondered if the aunts had been deceived and bought the vegetables at high prices. However, he realized that these experienced women were unlikely to be easily fooled. So, he considered the possibility that Alex had lowered the prices to attract customers.
Ethan smirked, assuming that Alex was running a dishonest business. He passed by the vegetable stand without stopping and quickly retrieved the files he had left behind. As the car sped away, Ethan couldn't help but notice the still-bustling crowd around the stand.
He found himself a little intrigued now. The vegetables Alex was selling looked very appealing, but Ethan disliked dealing with dishonest shopkeepers. After some internal debate, he decided to take a break and leave the matter for another time.
After all, if Ethan could buy such good raw materials at a reasonable price, he would already be making a profit. And if he couldn't, he had nothing to lose other than wasting his time and energy dealing with the black-hearted shop owner.
Ethan stepped out of the car gracefully, his young and promising figure catching everyone's attention. As he observed the various expressions around him, he found it strange that he didn't receive the usual flattering glances from the shopkeepers. Instead, he sensed a hint of unease from the aunties nearby.
Feeling slightly irritated, Ethan couldn't help but wonder, "What is this? Do they think I'm borrowing money from them or something?" But he refrained from expressing his frustration and continued walking in Alex's direction. As a rich second-generation individual, he was accustomed to receiving peculiar looks.
Upon seeing Ethan's arrival, Alex was momentarily surprised, but he quickly composed himself and behaved naturally. What intrigued him even more was the changed attitude of the aunties. They suddenly clutched their vegetables tightly, as if they didn't want anyone else to buy them.
This behavior provided Alex with a clue as to why these previously indifferent aunties now seemed determined to make a purchase. Ethan's desire to buy all the vegetables had unconsciously created a psychological burden on each of them.
"Hello, sir. What brings you here again?" Alex greeted Ethan, trying not to change his tone too much.
"Ahhh, I am very interested in your item, but the price is not suitable. Is there any way you can lower the price? I intend to buy it all to save my friend's labor," Ethan said confidently, believing his words would convince Alex to agree to sell at a lower price. However, Ethan was taken aback by Alex's response.
"Thank you for valuing my vegetables so much, but I'm afraid the price can't be reduced any further," Alex replied politely but firmly.
Surprised by the refusal, Ethan wanted to negotiate further, but before he could speak, another aunt pointed to some vegetables and requested a purchase. Apologizing, Alex attended to the transaction, weighing, wrapping, and receiving payment as usual.
Observing this interaction, Ethan couldn't help but be intrigued. The aunt willingly paid the price as quoted earlier by Alex. It made Ethan wonder, "Is it worth that much?"
With a changed perspective, Ethan approached Alex again in a friendly manner. "Before we continue, let me introduce myself properly. I'm Ethan, the owner of Bakarman Meat House Steak Restaurant," he said, extending his right hand.
"Nice to meet you, Ethan. I'm Russel, a farmer," Alex replied, shaking Ethan's hand with his left hand due to his missing right arm.
Ethan couldn't hide his awkward smile upon realizing Alex's condition. Meanwhile, in a corner of Alex's booth, someone was squinting with disbelief. "Could this person be Russel?" they wondered.
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