C5 Zhao Lei Was Selling Jujubes

To reach the town as quickly as possible, Zhao Lei pedaled his tricycle at breakneck speed, effortlessly overtaking numerous electric scooters along the way. It's no easy feat to ride a fully loaded tricycle that fast, and it certainly drew surprised looks from onlookers. But Zhao Lei wasn't concerned with what others thought and maintained his pace.

At that moment, a sports car whizzed by the tricycle, flashing its taillights in a taunting gesture before speeding off into the distance.

Zhao Lei watched with envy, "It's just an Audi TT, what's the big deal? When I make it big, I'm getting myself a Ferrari, and there'll be a gorgeous woman by my side... Ah, that's the life I'm dreaming of!"

The journey from Three-river Village to Ma Lu Town spanned over 20 kilometers, yet Zhao Lei made it in under half an hour, a speed that could qualify him for the Tour de France.

Zhao Lei was well aware that his incredible strength came from the Immortal Dew. The Purple Gold Gourd was truly a treasure, and he was counting on it for his future wealth.

Upon reaching the town, Zhao Lei didn't even stop for a drink of water but headed straight to the market to sell his jujubes. He parked his tricycle at one end of the market, set up his electronic scale, and waited patiently for customers.

It was the morning rush hour, and the market was bustling with people. An elderly lady passing by the tricycle was immediately drawn to the attractive jujubes and stopped to inquire, "Young man, how much are you selling these jujubes for?"

"You've got quite the eye," Zhao Lei replied with a grin. "These jujubes are 12 yuan per half-kilogram, and you can get two for 22 yuan!"

The old lady frowned, "That's too pricey. The stall over there is selling them for 8 yuan!"

Zhao Lei responded, "Well, you know what they say: you get what you pay for. Just look at these jujubes; none are as appealing as these, and they're all about the same size too!"

The elderly woman hesitated, "Even if your jujubes look better, they shouldn't be half again as expensive as the others!"

Zhao Lei added, "My dates aren't just easy on the eyes; they taste even better! Go ahead, try one. If you don't find it delicious, I'll give you two pounds for free, no charge!"

The elderly lady, intrigued, picked a date at random and took a bite. Her eyes lit up with delight as she exclaimed, "This date has a truly unique flavor. It's absolutely delicious!"

Zhao Lei chuckled and asked, "See, I didn't deceive you, did I? How much would you like?"

The old lady decisively replied, "Give me two pounds, I want my grandson to have a taste of this too."

"Coming right up!" Zhao Lei responded cheerfully. After weighing out two pounds of dates, he casually tossed a few extra into the plastic bag, grinning as he said, "You're my first customer today, so I'm throwing in a few extra dates for you."

The old lady grinned back, "Young man, you've got a knack for business. You're bound to make a fortune one day!"

Others noticed the old lady purchasing dates from Zhao Lei and started to gather around, inquiring about them. Despite initially balking at the price, they were convinced after tasting the dates and ended up buying several pounds each.

For people these days, a small price difference is negligible when weighed against the delightful taste of these dates. Everyone agreed that the premium price was justified.

It's human nature to follow the crowd, and as more people flocked to buy Zhao Lei's dates, his business flourished.

Some customers expressed concern over the exceptional taste of Zhao Lei's dates, wondering if any chemicals had been used. Health is a growing priority, and it was a common concern among the crowd.

Zhao Lei responded with candor, picking up two dates and eating them right there for all to see. Between bites, he assured them, "These dates are grown right in my own yard, with no pesticides or chemical fertilizers—genuine organic produce. There's only a few hundred pounds in total, and once they're gone, that's it!"

Learning that the dates were a hot commodity only fueled their eagerness to buy. What started as purchases of one or two pounds quickly escalated to three, five, and even ten pounds for some, with the reasoning that they had large families and such tasty dates would surely not last long if they didn't buy enough.

After purchasing their dates, customers invariably sampled them on the spot. Unsurprisingly, Zhao Lei's dates received rave reviews, which in turn drew in even more patrons.

For Zhao Lei, this bustling activity was a welcome sight. He was happily occupied with weighing dates, handling payments, and making change. In just a couple of hours, he had sold over half of his stock from the tricycle, leaving only sixty or seventy kilograms.

Zhao Lei's thriving trade sparked envy among the other date vendors in the vicinity. Despite Zhao Lei charging prices that were nearly double theirs, his dates were flying off the shelves. What was his secret?

Once the other vendors had a taste of Zhao Lei's dates, they were thoroughly convinced. The flavor was exceptional, and the presentation was top-notch—it was no wonder they were a hit.

Zhao Lei reassured the vendors that he only had five to six hundred kilograms of these dates in total. This bit of news provided some comfort; if Zhao Lei had an endless supply, they feared they wouldn't stand a chance.

The remaining dates sold quickly, and soon there were less than fifty kilograms left. At that moment, a middle-aged man in his forties paused in front of the tricycle, captivated by the dates on display.

After scrutinizing the dates, his eyes lit up, and he finally inquired, "Young man, these dates certainly look first-rate, but how do they taste?"

Zhao Lei, having fielded this question numerous times that day, confidently replied, "Don't take my word for it—try one for yourself."

Pleased with Zhao Lei's response, the middle-aged man picked a date and bit into it, his face lighting up with delight. He enthusiastically gave Zhao Lei a thumbs-up, exclaiming, "I never expected this—the taste surpasses their appearance! They're a perfect pairing!"

While many customers had complimented Zhao Lei's dates, none had been as effusive as the middle-aged man. Zhao Lei couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, yet he maintained a courteous demeanor and asked, "Since you're impressed with the dates, how many kilograms would you like?"

The middle-aged man offered a faint smile and said, "A few kilograms? That's hardly enough. How much do you have? I'll take it all!"

Zhao Lei, taken aback, replied, "There's at least fifty kilograms here. What do you need so many jujubes for?"

"No need for concern, young man!" the middle-aged man reassured as he handed Zhao Lei a business card. "I'm Lee Qingfeng, the chef at the Garden Restaurant in the city. I'm purchasing these jujubes for the hotel's use. This amount is actually on the modest side!"

Upon hearing the name Garden Restaurant, Zhao Lei perked up. It was the city's most renowned establishment, famous for hosting foreign dignitaries during their visits.

Looking at Lee Qingfeng's business card, Zhao Lei's respect deepened. This unassuming man was the executive chef at the Garden Restaurant!

Zhao Lei had never imagined that a simple trip to town to sell jujubes would lead to an encounter with the Garden Restaurant's head chef. It was an incredibly fortunate turn of events. Quickly shifting from his initial astonishment, Zhao Lei realized this was an excellent opportunity. For a farmer who grew vegetables and fruits, there could be no better client than the executive chef of a prestigious restaurant.