“Do you want to find out where there’s a high demand for eels?”
After some busy work, Whitaker Scarlett’s face was flushed, glowing pink like a tempting peach. Kay found her beautiful in every way. But knowing Scarlett didn’t like him being too straightforward, he begrudgingly shifted his gaze slightly.
Scarlett nodded.
“It’s not just about eels. There are plenty of good things in the countryside. It doesn’t hurt to ask casually; maybe I’ll discover a new opportunity.”
Farmers don’t save much money because the purchase prices for agricultural products are very low.
Once sold to the state, the goods are prioritized for big cities. People don’t have much money to spend, and in places with insufficient allocation, even if people have money, it’s hard to buy things. Town workers aren’t all wealthy, either. They can afford to treat themselves occasionally, and Scarlett was looking for business opportunities arising from the information gap between buyers and sellers.
Seeing her happy made Kay happy, too.
Even under the blazing autumn sun, Kay didn’t feel tired.
But Scarlett’s business wasn’t always smooth sailing. After visiting several noodle stalls, most owners weren’t interested in stable eel purchases. Others already provided them with eels. Though eels couldn’t be caught in Harborfield, nearby farmers brought them to sell in the city. If Scarlett wanted to dominate the supply market, she’d have to edge out the competition. But she was just one young woman, unlike Kay and Leo, who could handle things forcefully. She couldn’t solve problems with brute force.
Undercutting prices wasn’t an option either.
Driving prices too low would disrupt the market and hurt her own profits.
Others sold sporadically, often catching the eels themselves, which only cost them time and effort. Scarlett, on the other hand, bought her eels for resale, making money from the price difference. The lower the price, the slimmer her profits.
Would she have to stick to retail sales only?
Should she sell to state-owned restaurants?
Anything labeled “state-owned” came with a haughty attitude. No one in those places would give Scarlett special treatment just because she was pretty. Seeing her troubled expression, Kay wanted to tell her to drop the idea and let Leo bring goods from the south to Greenfield County every two weeks instead of selling eels.
“You can only run this business for two more months. By November, it’ll be hard to catch eels. You don’t plan to do this forever, so why overthink? Once you save enough capital, ask Leo to bring back clothes to sell.”
Scarlett suspiciously asked, “How do you know I want to sell clothes?”
Kay burst out laughing. “Back at the farmers’ market, your eyes were glued to the people running the stalls. You practically wanted to push them aside and take over yourself. Selling clothes is a good idea—clothes are cheap in Windford.”
Kay didn’t mention that Scarlett’s focused stare might have made some stall owners misunderstand her intentions. That’s why he had intentionally told others that Scarlett was his girlfriend. Being too beautiful was a hassle—it meant he had to stay on guard wherever they went!
Let Leo bring back clothes? Scarlett shook her head.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to save money, but she didn’t trust a straight man’s sense of style.
She had to pick the clothes herself in Windford. While the conditions on the train from Harborfield to Windford were less than ideal and the journey long, Scarlett was determined to make the trip herself. Kay knew how resolute she could be, so he dropped the subject and suggested going to a restaurant for a meal. This time, Scarlett firmly refused. She wanted to stay comfortable within her means, but eating out every meal was beyond her current budget.
Even though Kay often footed the bill, Scarlett couldn’t justify spending his money so casually.
Left with no choice, Kay bought a few steamed buns.
On their way back, Scarlett swung by the farmers’ market again. Some pork ribs were still unsold at the meat stall. At this time, people preferred fatty cuts with plenty of lard. Lean meat was often snubbed, and ribs, which had both bone and meat, were considered the least economical option. But Scarlett liked them and bought the remaining two pounds of ribs from the stall.
Kay knew Scarlett was currently staying at her uncle’s house. Otherwise, he would’ve shamelessly tried her cooking.
On second thought, she didn’t seem like the type suited for smoke-filled kitchens. In the future, she ought to have a maid to do the cooking.
Sitting comfortably, she didn’t have to hold onto Kay’s waist as much, which made him feel a little disappointed.
