The air on the train crackled with tension as Zhang Aiguo, his face flushed with embarrassment, turned to Xu Ying. “I’m so sorry,” he stammered, “Suqin is just young and a little ignorant. Please don’t take her words to heart!”
Uncle Xu, however, was not so easily swayed. He shot Zhang Aiguo a side-long glance. “Polite people like us don’t stoop to arguing with the impolite,” he stated, his voice laced with disdain. “Brother, you seem like a decent fellow, but you lack conviction. How can you let a woman sway you so easily?”
Nearby, Liu Suqin, who had been secretly eavesdropping, clenched her fists, her anger simmering.
Xu Yan remained silent, engrossed in his camera, but Zhang Aiguo couldn’t contain his anxiety. “Did you… did you not take pictures of that scene just now?” he pressed, his gaze fixed on Xu Yan. The thought of Su Qin’s reputation being utterly ruined if those images were broadcast across the country filled him with dread.
Suddenly, a realization dawned on Liu Suqin. The camera! The scene Xu Yan had been capturing! Losing all composure, she scrambled down from the upper bunk. “Reporter, I didn’t mean it just now. Please, delete the photo you just took!” she pleaded, desperation in her voice.
Xu Yan looked up, feigning surprise. “Sister, I’m not sure what photo you’re referring to,” he replied, an innocent air about him. “I was just interviewing this girl!”
Liu Suqin’s face burned crimson with a mixture of embarrassment and fury. “It was what I just said about their county!” she blurted out.
Xu Yan’s feigned surprise deepened, and his voice sharpened. “Girl, if you knew those words were so terrible and wrong, why did you say them?”
Under the collective gaze of the entire train car, with fingers pointing and whispers echoing, Liu Suqin was consumed by humiliation. “I’m so sorry,” she cried, tears welling in her eyes, “I just spoke without thinking. I apologize to everyone in this county.”
Xu Yan then revealed his hand. “I was merely interviewing this girl and taking her pictures. I didn’t take any photos of you at all. But if you acknowledge your mistakes and are willing to correct them, then that is all .”
The realization hit Liu Suqin like a physical blow. She had been tricked! Her fists clenched again, she shot Xu Yan a furious glare before turning and storming away.
Xu Yan, touching the tip of his nose, felt a pang of slight embarrassment. It seemed the woman still harbored no true remorse, but he shrugged it off. Her character, he mused, would likely lead her to offend many more people in the future, and eventually, someone would inevitably deal with her.
Third Uncle Xu watched Liu Suqin depart, a look of profound disgust on his face. He sighed, his earlier optimism fading. He had thought securing an order would be simple, but instead, they had stirred up a commotion. His lively spirit, so evident moments before, now seemed to wane.
Xu Ying, sensing his despondency, patted Uncle Xu’s shoulder. With a flourish, she produced a knife. “Get out all the duck and fried goods we have,” she instructed.
“What do you plan to do?” Uncle Xu asked, his curiosity piqued.
A mysterious smile played on Xu Ying’s lips. “Let’s give them a taste.” She knew that sometimes, a small sacrifice was necessary for a greater gain. In the future, many places would hold food tasting events, and she intended to learn from that principle.
“But… but there are so many people on this train!” Uncle Xu exclaimed, despair creeping into his voice. “Who knows how many rich people there are? If they eat it all, won’t we lose money?”
“Just listen to me,” Xu Ying urged, taking the food from him. She began to distribute it, piece by piece. However, she deliberately bypassed Xu Yan, the reporter. While she didn’t expect him to place an order, his promotion would be far more valuable than a single sale.
“This is a new product from our factory,” she announced, her voice clear and engaging. “You can try it for free. If you like the taste, please spread the word at your workplace. Our Yuxian Food Factory has just launched a new New Year’s set meal, which includes braised duck and fried goods, and we’re selling them wholesale by the dozen.” She then cut a small piece and offered it to Xu Yan first.
Xu Yan wasted no time. He had been eyeing the delicious-smelling food for a while. The braised duck, with its rich flavor and spicy kick, instantly captivated him. His eyes widened in surprise. “Can we buy this directly from your food factory?” he asked, eager for more.
Xu Ying shook her head, a polite smile on her face. Direct sales weren’t part of the plan for individuals. “If you enjoy it, please help us promote it more,” she replied. “Then, we’ll personally visit your local department store to discuss a partnership.”
Xu Yan understood immediately. He nodded enthusiastically. “Don’t worry,” he assured her, “I’ll make sure to promote your braised duck when I get back.”
“Everyone gets a share, and it’s a free tasting!” Xu Ying continued to call out, her voice carrying through the train car. “This is our factory’s phone number. If you need it, you can call to place an order. Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and your jobs must be wondering what benefits to offer employees. Employees are surely tired of the same old gifts every year. Our braised duck and fried goods are delicious and affordable. You can take them back for your leaders or use them as employee benefits!”
The entire train seemed to perk up at the mention of her braised duck and fried food.
Uncle Xu followed behind her, his heart aching as he watched their provisions dwindle. So much meat, given away for free! What if they didn’t get a single order? The thought of such a substantial loss was almost unbearable.
“Yingying, is this really going to work?” he fretted. “Aren’t we supposed to be selling in their local department stores? This product is almost gone! How can we let people taste it?”
“It’s fine,” Xu Ying reassured him. “I have more with me, stored in the train’s luggage area. I believe that conducting food tastings on the train is an easier way to find customers. There’s a large flow of people here, traveling to various places. If we went to each place individually to promote our products, I doubt we’d visit many in these seven days. But on the train, we might meet people from all over!”
Just then, a voice cut through the murmurs. “Girl, I’m the manager of a department store in ** City. Your braised duck is truly delicious, but I’d like to know the price. Can we discuss it? If it’s suitable, we’ll place an order right away.”
Uncle Xu’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was actually working!
Xu Ying smiled warmly at the middle-aged man. “Of course,” she replied.
“Wait a minute!” another voice interjected. “I’m from a department store in ** County. Can we also negotiate a cooperation?”
Within moments, a crowd had gathered, forming a large circle around Xu Ying. She stood in the center, eloquently introducing her factory’s products and their prices. In a remarkably short time, several orders were signed on the spot.
Back at the factory, Director Sun’s face was etched with worry. Ever since Xu Ying had departed, he had been plagued by regret over his impulsive decision. But not long after, his phone rang. It was Xu Ying. “Director,” she began, her voice filled with excitement, “we’ve received orders from ** City, and also from ** City… Some of these people paid a deposit, and some just signed the contract without one. But we have the contracts, so don’t worry about non-payment. You need to quickly get people to speed up production. I anticipate many more orders arriving in the next few days. Go to our village and find my dad; tell them to accelerate production!”
Director Sun’s face was a mask of utter surprise. For a long moment, he couldn’t utter a word.
“Hey, can you hear me? Director, are you there?” Xu Ying asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.
It took several teasings from his secretary before Director Sun finally snapped back to reality. He quickly responded, “We’ve found Xiao Xu, so you can rest assured out there. I’m taking care of everything here at the factory!”