Chapter 25: A Stutterer Doesn't Deserve to Do Business

Someone had just bought three pots of venison, causing the onlookers to click their tongues in surprise.

The drunkard, meanwhile, was watching Lin Ruanruan as she mixed the potatoes, hanging his now-empty wine gourd back at his waist.

Lin Ruanruan noticed him watching from the corner of her eye but didn't look up. When she finished mixing the potatoes, she casually handed some to him to check the seasoning.

His eyes lit up, clearly pleased with her actions. He proudly picked up a piece of potato, put it in his mouth, and his expression turned to one of delight after chewing for a couple of moments.

"How much is this?"

The fact that he was asking for the price indicated he found the potatoes quite good.

Lin Ruanruan was overjoyed and held up five slightly rough fingers: "F-five... five... five coins."

"Give me a portion," the drunkard said heartily, then glanced at the pot of venison next to him.

"Give me a pot of this too." He added, patting his wine gourd.

"Damn, after this, I'll only have enough money left for another pot of wine. I'll need to find some work," he muttered.

Busy packing the potatoes, Lin Ruanruan couldn't help but look up at him when she heard this.

Even in the Great Liang Dynasty, there were people living paycheck to paycheck?

"Th-this... simmer... simmer to eat," she said, handing him a pot of venison and giving a reminder.

She had given the same reminder to Liu Sheng earlier, but she wasn't sure if he had heard it in his exuberance.

"Simmer it?" The drunkard frowned as he took the pot of venison. "Why didn't yesterday's rabbit meat need simmering?"

Lin Ruanruan took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly. Explaining the difference between the two dishes in detail would take her forever with her stutter.

"Different... different... methods."

"You're not good with words, but you sure can cook. Alright, I got it," the drunkard said, counting out the money and handing it to her with a wave.

Seeing someone set an example, the onlookers were eager to try too.

Those who could afford it bought a pot of venison, while those with less money bought a portion of the spicy potatoes to satisfy their cravings.

By the end of the morning, she had sold more than half of the spicy potatoes she had prepared.

Continuing to fry potatoes with joy, Lin Ruanruan thought she could sell them again the next day.

Around noon, the sun was especially fierce. Although there had been a gentle autumn breeze in the morning, it was now completely still.

Lin Ruanruan's stall was positioned to catch the afternoon sun, and the heat was starting to make her sweat.

With the intense heat making everyone sluggish, fewer people were on the streets.

Lin Ruanruan calmly continued frying the potatoes, turning the charcoal stove to its lowest setting.

The sun, combined with the oil pan, made the temperature around her stall particularly high.

Few people wanted to come close, making her stall less busy compared to the morning.

However, the aroma of the potatoes occasionally drew a few people over to buy one or two portions.

Worried that the venison might spoil in the sun, she covered it with two layers of white cloth and placed it in a shady spot.

Busy on her own, Lin Ruanruan didn't notice that several other stall owners were watching her.

These people were selling pancakes, buns, and small pastries.

After a while, they exchanged glances and left their stalls.

"Potatoes, five coins," Lin Ruanruan called out, sensing someone approaching without looking up.

"Oh, nowadays even stutterers can do business," a sharp, harsh woman's voice cut through the air, hurting Lin Ruanruan's ears.

She squinted and saw a few unfriendly-looking men and women.

They stood with their arms crossed and chins raised.

Their expressions made it clear they were here to cause trouble.

Lin Ruanruan's mouth twitched as she glanced at their unattended stalls, understanding their intentions.

"Hey, stutterer. You can't even speak properly, so why are you running a stall?" The pancake vendor, wearing a dirty apron, mocked her.

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"Exactly, a stutterer running a stall. Aren't you afraid people will laugh their heads off?" the pastry vendor lady scoffed.

Lin Ruanruan looked at them wordlessly, wondering if they were jealous of her successful business.

There's no need for this. They weren't even selling the same kind of food.

"Stutterer, why aren't you saying anything?" The pastry vendor lady became more aggressive when Lin Ruanruan remained silent.

"Sister Fu, she's a stutterer. Why force her to speak? Look at her pitiful state; she's probably afraid we'll mock her if she opens her mouth," another woman sneered, enviously eyeing Lin Ruanruan's pretty face.

Blocked by these fierce stall owners, people who smelled the fragrant potatoes and wanted to come closer didn't dare to buy.

Seeing several people glance her way and then quickly walk off, Lin Ruanruan grew more irritated.

"Stutterer, pack up and go home. Not everyone can do business. You should straighten your tongue before you come back."

"Exactly, a stutterer doing business isn't ashamed of herself."

They continued mocking her, and Lin Ruanruan became even more annoyed.

"Get lost!" she shouted. Her attempt at a fierce tone sounded less intimidating due to her young voice.

"Did you hear that? The stutterer told us to get lost."

"Tsk, a stutterer with quite a mouth. Let's see who should get lost."

They were unimpressed by Lin Ruanruan's anger. She was just a weak woman alone, not threatening at all.

The pastry vendor lady went too far, even shoving into Lin Ruanruan's stall and grabbing two pieces of seasoned potatoes from her bowl with her bare hands to eat.

Lin Ruanruan, who hadn't wanted trouble, was thoroughly angered by this. She noticed other stall owners watching from a distance.

If she tolerated this today, any beggar could flaunt themselves in front of her, and any dog could treat her disrespectfully in the future.

The pastry vendor lady, surprised by how good the potatoes tasted, began plotting how to make Lin Ruanruan give up her recipe.

Before she could think further, her hand reaching for more potatoes was caught by Lin Ruanruan's rough but small hands.

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Looking down, she saw it was the stutterer who had grabbed her hand, stopping her from taking more.

This was unacceptable, and the lady lost her temper immediately.

"You little stutterer, you have guts. I'm giving you face by tasting your stuff, and you won't let me?"

She snarled, gritting her teeth in anger.

Lin Ruanruan, expressionless, pulled her hand back. With her body's insufficient strength, she used her other hand to grab the lady's hair.

Using both hands, she forcefully threw the woman out of her stall.