Liu Xiaoxiao didn't understand why he asked this, and said with a worried face, "Except for selling vegetables, I don't know how to do anything else."
"You've been selling vegetables in the market for so long, haven't you ever thought about selling other things?" Zhang Liunian continued to inquire.
"Selling other things requires capital, and I have no capital, so I can only grow and sell vegetables." Liu Xiaoxiao's vegetables weren't always available, and there were quite a few months when she had nothing to sell. Moreover, because of her bad reputation, her business was not good.
Zhang Liunian saw that she had considered selling other things, but she didn't have the capital to invest. After a moment of thought, he invited her, "If I say I want to offer you a job, would you like it?"
"A job? That would be great!" Liu Xiaoxiao's expression was surprised, and it didn't seem fake.
Seeing this, Zhang Liunian breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Du Ziteng, "Ziteng, put the vegetables on the tractor."
Then he said to Liu Xiaoxiao and her son, "Follow me." He didn't take them elsewhere but led them to the tractor outside the market, where there were fewer people and it was easier to talk.
"Comrade, tell me, as long as I can do it, I'll do it," Liu Xiaoxiao eagerly asked about the job when they reached the tractor, because she remembered Zhang Liunian's help and was willing to accept any job he offered her.
"I want you to help me sell food, specifically this lobster sauce. You can try it first." Zhang Liunian took out the lobster sauce for her to taste.
Liu Xiaoxiao took it and tasted it, and as expected, she gave it a good review.
"This sauce is delicious. It seems to have many flavors," Liu Xiaoxiao commented while chewing the lobster meat.
"This is what I want you to sell. Do you want to try? I'll give it to you at 1.5 yuan. This price is fixed. Whatever you sell is your profit. Do you understand what I mean?" Zhang Liunian explained seriously.
When Liu Xiaoxiao heard the price, her heart skipped a beat, but Zhang Liunian's next words dispelled her concerns.
"You can try it first, and pay after you sell. If you don't sell a bottle in a week, I can take it back, and you won't lose anything. The only thing you'll have to sacrifice is some time and courage."
Zhang Liunian's words gave Liu Xiaoxiao great support. She had time; she had plenty of time right now.
She didn't have courage before, but now she did.
Because Zhang Liunian gave her the courage to try, and also took on the consequences of failure.
At worst, she would consider this week as not having earned any money, just like this past week.
But if she sold any, she would earn money.
Even if she only earned ten cents per bottle, it would be very considerable.
"I've made up my mind. I'll help you sell it and we can try for a week first," Liu Xiaoxiao said with all her courage.
"Okay, I have fifteen bottles here. You go and try. And this one," Zhang Liunian gave her half a bottle of lobster sauce to let people taste for free, to help her sell. He also advised her on how to try selling.
Liu Xiaoxiao understood his meaning, took the lobster sauce, and started walking towards the market.
Zhang Liunian sat on the tractor and watched Liu Xiaoxiao hesitate for a long time. Then, with a bite of her lip and a stomp of her foot, as if she had made up her mind, she started offering samples to passersby.
After letting everyone taste it, she sold three bottles on the spot. Although the price was not high, 1.6 yuan per bottle, it was still progress.
"She's actually quite capable!" Du Ziteng found some foxtail grass from somewhere, put it in his mouth, and looked at Liu Xiaoxiao, who was surrounded by people.
"Brother Liunian, why did you think of letting her help you sell lobster sauce? And how did you know she could do it?" Zhang Qian was even more curious about how Zhang Liunian had such keen insight.
"I don't know if she can do it or not; I just wanted to give her an opportunity," Zhang Liunian indeed just wanted to give her an opportunity, and whether she took it was entirely up to her.
As it was now, she was doing quite well.
"..." Zhang Qian was speechless and thought that Brother Liunian was indeed extraordinary.
"Alright, it's time to go back to work." Zhang Liunian checked the time; it was almost two o'clock, and they had to go home immediately.
Zhang Qian also realized something and started the tractor.
Back home, they immediately began preparing the goods for the Nancheng Food Factory.
They rushed to finish and set off at five o'clock in the afternoon. By the time they arrived at Nancheng Food Factory, it was almost six o'clock.
"This is the payment for four deliveries. It's a total of 3680 yuan. Count it." The supervisor settled the accounts for the past few days.
Zhang Liunian took it, glanced at it casually, and put it in his pocket before leaving.
"Let's go to the department store," Zhang Liunian said as he got on the tractor. With over seven thousand yuan on him, he planned to buy dowry for his younger sister. He decided not to buy a cabinet but instead to get her the "three big items": a watch, a sewing machine, and a bicycle.
He had already given her the watch, so now he only needed the other two items.
Arriving at the department store, Zhang Liunian went straight to the sewing machine section. Black-head machines were the most popular at the time.
If any family could afford such a sewing machine, it would be a topic of conversation in the village for a long time.
Zhang Liunian didn't look at anything else; he only wanted a black-head machine. However, there were many brands, such as "Feiren," "Fengyu," and "Hudie."
The "Hudie" brand black-head machine was considered top-notch among sewing machines. Zhang Liunian directly asked for the price.
"Comrade, how much is this sewing machine?"
The salesperson heard him and walked over with a smile, "385 yuan each."
Du Ziteng gasped at the price, thinking how it was more expensive than a bicycle.
Zhang Liunian looked around and found that they also had bicycles there. He casually asked, "How much is a 'Fenghuang' brand two-eight straight bar bicycle?"
"300 yuan with the industrial coupons, and 350 yuan without industrial coupons."
This price was slightly higher than the newly opened bicycle shop.
"I'll buy it without industrial coupons, but can I get a discount if I buy two items?" Zhang Liunian said imposingly.
The salesperson was stunned and almost blurted out, "Say that again!" Suppressing his shock, he regretfully said, "We can't make that decision."
Zhang Liunian was just asking, not holding out much hope, because he knew very well that there wouldn't be another watch salesperson in the department store.
"Alright, I'll take these two items." Zhang Liunian was too lazy to run around and decided to purchase his younger sister's dowry here.
The salesperson, hearing that he was serious, excitedly packed them for him.
"Brother Liunian, are you buying these for your wife?" Du Ziteng couldn't help but ask curiously on the way back.
Zhang Liunian shook his head and smiled, "These are for my younger sister's dowry."
Originally, this should have been prepared by the groom, but since the mute man had no house, car, or savings, he, as the third brother, had to arrange it for her.