The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 856 - 855: I’m Just Looking for Trouble!
Chapter 856: Chapter 855: I’m Just Looking for Trouble! freeweɓnovel~cѳm
They hoped to get lucky and encounter a generous customer who would leave a tip for running errands. Meeting one or two such customers in a day could make their monthly income quite decent.
The young clerks, all in their teens, were clean-cut with neat appearances, agile and attentive, dressed smartly and refreshingly, naturally appealing to customers.
When young ladies who had not yet married came to buy rouge and face powder, they spoke a few words shyly, feeling too embarrassed to say much. They would often buy what they liked and leave without asking for change.
Even married young women, who were bold and uninhibited, would come to the rouge shop daily, not for anything else but to banter with these young clerks, throwing flirtatious glances that made the clerks blush, giving the women a day of joy.
Therefore, the young clerks often received decent tips, especially when tired female customers rested in the shop and asked the clerks to run errands for them, buying snacks or other items, which usually came with a tip.
Because of this, though Shopkeeper Tian didn’t pay much salary, the clerks managed quite well. They all operated under this tacit understanding.
But since Lady Fang, the owner’s daughter-in-law, arrived, she relied on her privileged position to nitpick and find fault everywhere. No one in the shop escaped her criticism except the shopkeeper.
This could have been tolerated, considering she was the owner’s daughter-in-law.
However, Lady Fang did something recently that enraged everyone. After being in the shop for two months and thinking she had a handle on things, she began disliking the young clerks.
She believed they were focused too much on running errands for customers and making them happy just to earn extra tips.
Why not put that effort into selling more rouge and face powder?
But she knew she was new and interfering with her father-in-law’s business too soon could be dangerous.
Therefore, she held back, especially since her husband was increasingly favored by her father-in-law, being taken everywhere by him.
Her husband, after drinking too much one night, revealed to her that their father-in-law had secretly stated that the family business would be passed to the second branch.
Seeing the shop as their future fortune, Lady Fang become emboldened.
After several days of observing, she noticed her father-in-law never contradicted her husband’s suggestions, while the elder son from the main house was dismissed and awkwardly out of place.
This assurance changed her perspective towards the clerks.
Previously cautious, she now openly grabbed business opportunities.
Whenever a clerk attended a customer, she would intrude, engage the customer, and pull them aside.
Initially, the clerks didn’t mind, but her persistent actions made them realize something was wrong.
They wanted to compete like Lady Fang but could not bring themselves to physically pull customers, fearing they would be seen as scoundrels and beaten, or worse, reported and possibly losing their lives.
So they could only watch helplessly as Lady Fang did her thing.
Day after day, who hadn’t been cut off by Lady Fang? Who wasn’t harboring anger?
Complaints to the shopkeeper were met with understanding but greater concern. Having worked at the Tian Family Rouge Shop for nearly twenty years, rising from a clerk to his current position, he had more at stake.
Seeing the owner favoring the second branch, he feared offending the future owner’s wife could jeopardize his future.
The influence of a wife whispering in her husband’s ear—pillow talk—was not to be underestimated.
Fearing retaliation from Lady Fang when she relayed to her husband, he urged the clerks to endure.
Unexpectedly, the future owner’s wife caused a major scandal today in his absence.
This incident, trivial or severe, could lead to the shop being shuttered if it upset someone. Delivering rouge and face powder to someone mourning a parent was considered unfilial, bringing disgrace upon the shop and the owner if it escalates.
However, a conciliatory approach, sincere apologies, and compensation might defuse it.
The shopkeeper kept apologizing, trying to invite Wang Yongzhu inside to discuss resolving the issue quietly.
Wang Yongzhu sneered, "Why can’t we speak here? Must it be inside? Going in alone, a room full of men—how honorable is that? Your shop wronged a customer, and instead of apologizing, you want to destroy my reputation?"
This outcry changed the expressions of all present, understanding the importance of a woman’s reputation.
Young ladies and married women frequenting the shop would never be so forward, worried about preserving their honor.
A woman alone in a room with clerks or the shopkeeper would indeed be scandalous.
Fearful customers left hastily, abandoning their intended purchases out of worry for their reputations.
Braver customers stayed, hoping to witness the shopkeeper’s explanation, not interested in buying anything but seeing the drama unfold.
The shopkeeper’s face paled; before he spoke, Lady Fang snapped, "What nonsense! Our rouge shop has been reputable for decades. Our business integrity is known to all. You’re picking a fight because of old grudges between our mothers!"
Wang Yongzhu smiled, "That’s right! I’m here to pick a fight!" With those words, she kicked the counter, sending it three feet away,
it crashed into the shelves, causing rouge and face powder to tumble to the floor.
The ground was speckled with reds and whites, and osmanthus oil from broken bottles added to the mixed scents permeating the shop.
Those sensitive to smells sneezed uncontrollably from the overwhelming fragrance.
Everyone covered their noses and fled.
Onlookers gathered, curious about the commotion, seeing people emerge from the shop holding their noses.
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