Chapter 24: Selling Those Flower Baskets
Zhou Wulang and the others heaved a collective sigh of relief – thankfully, Man Bao still retained some sensibility regarding financial limitations.
Momentarily taken aback by her dismayed reaction, the poultry vendor hesitated before attempting to rekindle her interest with a “discounted” offer. “Alright, how about I give you a better deal then – sixty-five fen instead?”
But Man Bao shook her head firmly. “I don’t even have that much money. Though if I manage selling these flower baskets, I may accumulate enough to definitely come back and purchase your prize rooster later. Say, Uncle, do you know which areas tend to have the most children around?”
Finally realizing the implications behind her floral wares and the accompanying youths, the vendor studied the bamboo basket in her hands before surveying her companions, recognizing them as fellow sellers of novelty merchandise.
After pondering pensively for a while, he gestured down the main thoroughfare. “Head out and take a right turn further down that way. Keep going and you’ll eventually reach the area with sugar figurine and candy vendors – plenty of children tend to congregate around those stalls.”
Unable to resist remarking with an impressed chuckle, “You’re quite the resourceful young lady, aren’t you?”
Beaming shyly at the compliment which brought a rosy blush to her cheeks, even Man Bao couldn’t deny her sense of burgeoning pride and self-assuredness.
Bidding the poultry seller farewell, she eagerly led her little troupe onwards in search of their recommended demographic – youngsters with affluent parents more amenable to indulging whimsical purchases.
This main street district certainly proved far livelier and more densely crowded compared to the previous side alley, virtually every conceivable commodity spilling across an expansive array of vending stalls lining both sides with aggressive hawkers loudly promoting their respective wares.
Such vociferous soliciting had been completely absent along their previous thoroughfare, immediately piquing Man Bao’s immense curiosity as she strained to decipher the cacophonous barrage of raucous shouting that steadily coalesced into discernible marketing calls and slogans.
Eyeing her modest bundle of diminutive floral confections, she abruptly felt emboldened to join the auditory fray – cupping her hands around her mouth, she bellowed with childlike enthusiasm: “Selling flower baskets here! Pretty, pretty little flower baskets for sale with candy treats too!”
Amidst the surrounding deeper adult tones blaring various sales pitches, the shrill, piping treble of Man Bao’s youthful tenor immediately commanded attention, drawing numerous intrigued onlookers from across the crowded street.
Buoyed by their captive interest, Man Bao’s bravado escalated as she proudly showcased her dainty wares, hollering at the top of her tiny lungs with escalating gusto: “Flower baskets for sale – extraordinarily beautiful, freshly arranged flower baskets here! Come get them while they’re new and perfect for play too!”
Clearly appropriating and combining some of the more memorable advertising slogans echoing around her, the jumbled mash-up phraseology nevertheless retained an endearing charm specifically due to her innocent, childlike delivery.
For despite the rather garish vocal disruptions amidst such a public promenade, absolutely nobody found Man Bao’s spirited pitches remotely irksome or objectionable. Even those initially inclined to be briefly annoyed found themselves swiftly disarmed upon being rewarded with her radiant, dimpled smile and cherubic features – who could possibly begrudge such an utterly adorable bundle of youthful joie de vivre?
Roaming up and down the bustling street while proudly cradling her array of tiny floral baskets, Man Bao’s enthusiastic cries attracted more than just bemused stares, prompting numerous inquiries about pricing. To which she confidently quoted with sugary persuasiveness, “Five fen per basket, with a free candy treat included too!”
Punctuating her offer by extracting a neatly wrapped hard candy from her pocket to nestle alongside the blooms in each petite basket as visual enticement.
These treats had been carefully prepared the previous evening, with Man Bao gathering every discarded scrap of wax paper which she then had Mrs. Xiao Qian methodically snip into petite squares mimicking standard candy wrapper dimensions. Afterwards, she and the other girls had meticulously rewrapped individual candies in these homemade “pouches” to recreate the festive confectionery packaging aesthetic.
This entire stash remained securely bundled within Zhou Wulang’s carry basket, enveloped in protective cloth swaddling – barring the twenty or so individual candies Man Bao had reserved in her own coat pocket to complement her pitches.
While most passersby only inquired about pricing out of fleeting curiosity without genuine buying intent, Man Bao’s offer to include a complementary treat frequently gave them pause to reconsider more seriously.
“Is the candy actually tasty though?” one interested bystander asked skeptically.
Nodding emphatically, Man Bao reassured him without hesitation, “Extremely delicious!”
Seizing the opportune moment, Zhou Wulang retrieved the carefully prepared confectionery sample shards he had premixed with crystallized sugar remnants, presenting them discreetly bundled within a handkerchief pouch.
Trying the sugary nibble, the man’s eyes widened with pleasant surprise before inquiring eagerly, “Alright, I’ll take one of those flower baskets then. Say, do you also sell just the candies separately?”
Eyeing him shrewdly, Man Bao parried with her own question, “You mean, purchase only candies without any baskets?”
Nodding enthusiastically, the man confirmed, “Yes, these are quite tasty – I’d like to bring some home for the children in my household to enjoy as well.”
Without missing a beat, Man Bao extracted her limited personal stash to state her pricing terms: “The candies are one fen for every two pieces if buying separately.”
Zhou Wulang and Da Ya immediately whipped their heads around to stare at her in shock, gaping wordlessly as they instinctively moved to protest this unilateral declaration. But Zhou Liulang and Er Ya swiftly intervened, discretely elbowing them into silence while positioning themselves behind Man Bao with purposefully puffed chests feigning unshakable confidence.
After a momentary hesitation, the customer agreed to the deal, “Very well then, let me have ten candies. No need for a basket after all.”
Displeased by this rejection of her primary merchandise, Man Bao frowned stubbornly, “No, that won’t work. The candies are supposed to be supplemental bonuses only available when purchasing these flower baskets too. If you don’t buy a basket, then I can’t sell you any candies either.”
Even Zhou Liulang and Er Ya couldn’t resist nudging her reprovingly, as if to question her bizarre bargaining tactics.
But Man Bao remained unmoved, twisting her body defiantly as she firmly stood her ground – for while personally valuing the decorative baskets more highly than the candies, she also intrinsically understood that without offering the sweets as alluring incentives, the baskets would likely fail to generate any sales momentum whatsoever.
So in order to effectively market her main merchandise, she could not simply hawk the supplemental treats in isolation, no matter how tempting those confectionery profits appeared.
Blinking in surprise, the man sought clarification, “Wait, so does that mean I’d have to purchase ten entire flower baskets just to get candies too?”
“At minimum you must buy one basket,” Man Bao stated plainly. “Only then can I also sell you separate candies in addition.”
Considering her conditions carefully, the customer eventually nodded his acquiescence. “Very well, I suppose that’s reasonable enough. One flower basket then, along with ten individual candies on the side.”
Handing over her sample basket, Man Bao carefully counted out ten carefully wrapped candies to nestle alongside before beaming victoriously.
Producing ten copper fen pieces, the satisfied customer laughed as he remarked teasingly, “The candies are indeed delicious, as promised. But I must say, these little flower baskets seem rather impractical and useless as actual utility items!”
However, his words immediately drew the wistful gaze of a young girl passing by who instinctively tugged at her mother’s sleeve while eyeing their purchases enviously. “Mother, I want one of those too!”
Glancing over, the mother gently placated her daughter, “Now dear, how about I just buy you some candies instead? Those flower baskets are merely decorative, not really meant for children to play with.”
Pouting insistently, the little girl reiterated her desires, “But I really want one – they’re so incredibly pretty!”
Seizing this serendipitous opening, Er Ya swiftly approached while proclaiming enticingly, “Our flower baskets also come with delicious candies included, you know!”
The girl’s eyes lit up radiantly as she gazed imploringly towards her mother.
Wavering momentarily at her daughter’s naked yearning, the matron ultimately caved as she inquired about the pricing, “Well…how much do they cost?”
“Five fen each!” Er Ya chirped confidently.
Finding the sum eminently reasonable, the mother promptly acquiesced, gesturing for her daughter to personally select whichever arrangement most appealed to her.
Eagerly claiming the one cradled in Zhou Liulang’s hands, Man Bao carefully deposited one of her wrapped candies within before collecting the promised payment, both parties leaving thoroughly satisfied with their transaction.
Emboldened by these first fruitful sales totaling fifteen fen already, everyone’s spirits soared euphorically – for they all instinctively recognized that securing this crucial initial momentum represented the pivotal breakthrough, with further sales bound to steadily accumulate from this point onwards.
Energized by their embryonic success, Er Ya swiftly discarded any lingering shyness, excitedly joining Man Bao in audibly soliciting patrons by merrily grasping her hand and parading up and down the main thoroughfare hollering their sales pitch in unison, with even Da Ya gradually succumbing to the infectious zeal as their rambunctious chanting escalated into an unbridled competitive spectacle:
“Flower baskets for sale here, lovely baskets for sale – come get your elegant, freshly woven baskets right now!”
Drawing the attention of nearby children who rapidly congregated, reinforcing their growing pedestrian procession with not just curious prospective buyers but even opportunistic bystanders enthusiastically mimicking the infectious marketing chants, by the time they reached the main confectioners’ district, the three girls found themselves at the exuberant vanguard of an expansive trailing gaggle comprised of local youths reveling in the impromptu parade’s spectacle.
For both children and adults alike possess an innate susceptibility towards gravitating towards public pageantry and festivities – the stall’s adorable juvenile hawkers radiated an irresistible allure further amplifying their fledgling flower basket enterprise’s rising popularity.
Barely able to replenish their rapidly depleting merchandise stocks quickly enough, Zhou Wulang finally signaled for everyone to pause along a relatively spacious plaza, allowing Da Ya and Er Ya to rapidly weave together fresh baskets utilizing designs and patterns previously rehearsed the prior evening while supplementing them with several new elaborate stylings demonstrated by Man Bao courtesy of the system’s expansive database of inspirational examples.
Coupled with their concerted efforts to incorporate a vibrant diversity of floral specimens into every individual piece, each newly completed basket emerged as an inherently unique creation boasting its own distinctive aesthetic flourishes, effortlessly distinguishing the stall’s products from any homogenous wares offered by competitors.
As their growing audience steadily expanded with more and more curious onlookers, numerous children rushed off to importune their parents for spending funds, clamoring to procure these whimsical decorations available exclusively from these charming young entrepreneurs.
In the relatively affluent county town, five fen represented a nominal enough outlay which most families of reasonable means could easily afford to indulge on a simple impulse purchase, especially given their offspring’s growing desperation. After all, how could any doting parent resist such ardent, plaintive pleas from cherished children infatuated by these delightfully quaint baubles?
Having finally depleted their initial provisions, Zhou Wulang retrieved the protective cloth bundle stashed within his shoulder basket, dutifully nestling an appetizing candy treat inside each newly sold arrangement. Meanwhile, Man Bao enthusiastically promoted their merchandise with all the energetic bravado of a seasoned town crier, fervently extolling the unparalleled beauty of their singular floral creations while rapturously hyping the incomparable deliciousness of the confectionery bonus gifts essentially being given away with each purchase!
Scores of children found themselves succumbing to the tantalizing allure of these dual enticements, eagerly producing their coveted coins to exchange for both decorative basket and accompanying sweet reward. As customers proffered their payments, Man Bao would graciously accept each while simultaneously extending her open palms containing an assortment of completed pieces displayed invitingly before them to select whichever most appealed to their individual fancies.
But even the combined efforts of Da Ya and Er Ya swiftly weaving fresh merchandise faltered against the relentless customer onslaught, their dwindling supply of vine and flower trimmings rapidly depleting under inexorable demand. Recognizing their stocks would be completely exhausted at this rate, Zhou Wulang urgently instructed Zhou Liulang to dash back and retrieve their remaining bamboo baskets and foraged plant materials from their original market pitch while he assumed money-handling responsibilities from his fatigued brother.
