By the time they reached town, the streets were already lined with vendors preparing to open their stalls. They had been delayed a little, but still arrived earlier than usual.
Yuan Zhao followed Shi Wuxiang to the front of Xiangxiang Restaurant and suddenly felt nervous.
“What if they refuse? What if this causes trouble for your job? Should I try other restaurants instead?” he asked.
He had always sold goods on the street before—game, wild goods, anything he could find—so he didn’t feel ashamed about a young omega coming out to sell things. When people had no money, dignity was the last thing they could afford.
But this time was different. This was Shi Wuxiang’s workplace. If the restaurant got offended, it might affect his position.
Earning money was important, but not causing trouble for Shi Wuxiang mattered more.
“Don’t worry,” Shi Wuxiang reassured him. “If Xiangxiang Restaurant doesn’t take it, we can try others. Business is like this—honesty and trust matter.”
“Will it affect you?” Yuan Zhao asked uneasily.
“No,” Shi Wuxiang said calmly. “Every restaurant needs fish suppliers. Don’t worry.”
Hearing this, Yuan Zhao finally relaxed a little.
The restaurant was not yet open. Shi Wuxiang motioned for him to drive the cart through the back entrance.
Just as they passed the kitchen, they heard a heated argument inside.
Neither of them liked eavesdropping, but the voices kept drifting out anyway.
“Every day I have to remind you again and again! You always agree with your mouths, yet this keeps happening!”
“Shopkeeper, that’s too harsh! It was just an accident! Who wanted this to happen? Instead of arguing with us, shouldn’t you be finding a new supplier immediately?”
“I don’t need you to remind me! If this happens again, you can explain it to the owner yourselves!”
The shopkeeper stormed out, and immediately froze when he saw the two of them. A trace of embarrassment flashed across his face.
Fortunately, the restaurant was not yet open; otherwise, customers hearing this would have been disastrous.
The shopkeeper coughed. “You heard that?”
Shi Wuxiang did not fully understand the details of the argument, but he still frowned slightly. “Has something happened in the restaurant? Is there anything I can help with?”
The shopkeeper let out a long sigh. He had been holding in his frustration and finally found someone to vent to. So he pulled them aside.
“The kitchen didn’t keep the fish properly yesterday,” he said angrily. “Dozens of them died. With this weather, serving spoiled fish would make customers sick. We’re about to open, and I still haven’t found a supplier!”
Shi Wuxiang had not expected such timing.
This was like someone handing him a pillow when he was already sleepy.
He smiled immediately. “That’s quite a coincidence. My fellow villager here just happens to have fish to sell.”
He gave Yuan Zhao a look.
Yuan Zhao immediately understood and stepped forward. “I have fish.”
It was said very directly—just one sentence, instantly drawing the shopkeeper’s full attention.
“These fish were caught from our river yesterday,” Yuan Zhao explained with a smile. “They’ve been kept alive in water buckets. There are too many for us to finish, so we brought them to town to sell. Since Master Shi works here, we came here first for your consideration. Would you like to take a look?”
The shopkeeper, already in urgent need, immediately said, “Show me!”
The bull cart was large, loaded with buckets. As soon as the shopkeeper approached, a splash of water hit his face, making him laugh instead of getting angry.
“How much?” he asked. “Don’t overcharge me just because I’m in a hurry—but if it’s good, I’ll keep buying from you.”
Yuan Zhao smiled. “Fish under one jin is three copper coins. Fish over one jin is five.”
“That’s fair,” the shopkeeper nodded. “I like straightforward business. I’ll take them all. From now on, just deliver whenever you have more!”
“Alright! I’ll unload them right away!”
Yuan Zhao rolled up his sleeves, but Shi Wuxiang stopped him.
The shopkeeper immediately called for people from the kitchen and quickly settled the payment himself.
The total came to nearly five hundred copper coins.
Yuan Zhao held the string of coins and nearly laughed out loud. He instinctively wanted to hand them to Shi Wuxiang, then paused and awkwardly pulled his hand back.
Shi Wuxiang noticed but said nothing.
After solving this urgent matter, the shopkeeper relaxed completely.
“Yuan Zhao is already a regular guest of our restaurant,” he said cheerfully. “Next time you come to eat, I’ll give you a discount!”
“Thank you,” Yuan Zhao replied, though he silently thought he might never actually afford to eat here.
“You’re an interesting one,” the shopkeeper laughed. “How old are you? Are you betrothed?”
Businessmen loved chatting and matchmaking, and Yuan Zhao clearly suited his taste.
Yuan Zhao instinctively looked toward Shi Wuxiang. This question couldn’t be lied about—he was already married to Shi Wuxiang.
If he denied it, any future matchmaking would be unfair to others.
“I—”
“He is already engaged,” Shi Wuxiang stepped forward, shielding him slightly. “He’s shy, so don’t tease him.”
The shopkeeper looked regretful. “Really? Whose family is it? Why don’t I ever see you two together in town?”
He never suspected Shi Wuxiang.
In everyone’s eyes, Shi Wuxiang was destined for success—handsome, refined, and entirely unlike the “earthy” Yuan Zhao.
The “earthy” Yuan Zhao laughed awkwardly. “He stays at home. I’ll head back after selling these things.”
“Good,” the shopkeeper said.
After the fish was sold, Yuan Zhao had no reason to stay. He glanced at Shi Wuxiang, slightly embarrassed.
“Then I’ll head back. Thank you, Master Shi.”
That form of address made Shi Wuxiang frown slightly.
He really was getting bold—he didn’t even call him “brother” anymore.
Shi Wuxiang said flatly, “Didn’t you say you were buying scrap cloth for my mother? Forgotten already?”
Yuan Zhao: “……”
I did forget—but she’s also my mother. Why are you acting so stern?
The shopkeeper, amused, kindly insisted Shi Wuxiang accompany him.
Shi Wuxiang did not refuse.
At the cloth shop, the clerk still remembered them.
“What would you like to buy this time?” he asked, then glanced at Shi Wuxiang. “Are you two together?”
Yuan Zhao nodded vaguely. “Scrap cloth for making handkerchiefs.”
The clerk led them to a corner.
“These are our fabric scraps,” he said. “Sold by weight—two copper coins per jin. Take whatever you want.”
Each family has its own hardships, and there are always moments when this kind of thing can be a lifesaver.
Yuan Zhao selected a few items from the basket beside him and asked while picking, “Do you accept embroidered handkerchiefs here?”
The shop assistant immediately laughed. “Are you already planning ahead like this? You want to embroider them and then sell them back to our shop?”
There was no malice in his tone—only amusement.
Yuan Zhao followed the lead naturally. “If you don’t accept them, I can just set up a stall myself anyway. Either way, it’s all for selling. I just figured it would be more convenient to sell them here.”
“That’s not something I can decide. I’ll have to ask the shopkeeper. Why don’t you come back another day and I’ll give you an answer?”
The shop did accept handkerchiefs, but only depending on quality.
After all, the ones who used embroidered handkerchiefs were young ladies from wealthy families. If the embroidery was poor, it simply wouldn’t sell, and that would mean a loss.
Yuan Zhao nodded. “That makes sense.”
Shi Wuxiang saw that he was being lightly intimidated by the answer, so he took over the conversation. “Then tomorrow we’ll bring one sample first. If the shop finds it acceptable, we’ll send all future handkerchiefs here. How about that?”
“That works.” The assistant nodded. “We do accept them this way as well. But if future pieces are not as good as the sample, we won’t take them.”
“Understood.”
After settling the matter temporarily, Yuan Zhao quickly paid and collected the fabric.
Seeing him struggle to handle everything with his thin arms, Shi Wuxiang couldn’t help but remind him, “Be careful on the road. Let’s head home.”
“Got it!” Yuan Zhao responded cheerfully, lightly flicking the ox with the whip.
Until he could no longer see his figure, Shi Wuxiang finally turned back toward the restaurant.
He suddenly felt like he had just sent a child off on a journey.
Heh.
Yuan Zhao only learned something had happened after he returned to the village.