Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 110

Since the “supermarket” in the south of the city opens, the people of Linzi have something to talk about. Nobles and aristocrats flock to it. Though the common people can’t afford much, they enjoy going to see the excitement. Teahouses and restaurants, once deserted, become bustling with customers again. Except for a few scholars occasionally discussing court affairs, no one pays much attention to the situation in the palace anymore.

It seems that, aside from the day Chen Hou returns to the city, this matter doesn’t cause any ripples.

Ye Zhou doesn’t plan to set up a tent around the supermarket this time—it was necessary when it was in the wilderness, but there’s no need now.

When the door opens for business this time, Ye Zhou doesn’t need to handle customers himself; the employees are sufficient to manage things.

It’s not that no one causes trouble, but most of the conflicts are between the upper classes and have nothing to do with the shop. When such incidents occur, both parties are simply thrown out.

Currently, it’s a seller’s market—only those with money and property can afford to buy, and there’s no shortage of customers.

Ye Zhou doesn’t sell technological products to these high-ranking officials. Instead, he sells them luxury goods that are hard to come by in this era—sugar, salt, and wine. Just these three are more than enough, not to mention a whole assortment of eye-catching but impractical knickknacks.

Things like crystal balls, porcelain dolls, and glassware.

Of all of these, sugar and salt are the most popular.

Ye Zhou knows that sugar will be a hit—after all, Chen Hou gets cavities from it—but he doesn’t expect it to cause a nationwide sensation.

To prevent the noble families from buying sugar and then reselling it to commoners at exorbitant prices, Ye Zhou has Wu Yan and the others set up a stall outside the supermarket that sells only sugar. All the sugar sold there is in bulk—loose, unbranded sugar. It isn’t necessarily worse than the premium-packaged sugar sold inside the store, but because it looks plain, the nobility don’t feel like they’re losing face by not buying it.

While bulk sugar isn’t cheap, the common people can still afford it. Peddlers and hawkers wandering the streets occasionally buy some to bring home to their families.

Ye Zhou asks Chen Shu to rent a house near the supermarket, preferably a larger one to accommodate all the supermarket employees.

Once rented, they’ll renovate the house, making it livable.

Chen Shu is the best candidate for this task. She’s skilled at handling disputes. If anyone dares to cause trouble, she can easily break their jaw with a single punch.

And though she’s tall, she’s a woman—and women naturally have more approachability than men.

Most importantly, she’s far more eloquent than either Zou Ming or Zhou Yuanhe.

Zou Ming, when not in front of Ye Zhou, barely speaks unless absolutely necessary. He can stand off to the side like a tree.

Zhou Yuanhe, on the other hand, always wears a bitter expression, as if he’s suffering every day. Ye Zhou fears that if any local “gentleman” sees him, they’d try to “rescue” him.

Moreover, Zhou Yuanhe is an ahead-of-his-time doctor, and Ye Zhou fears that he might get knocked out and kidnapped.

After asking Ye Zhou for details about the kind of house he needs, Chen Shu sets off.

She wears local clothes made of cotton cloth instead of the traditional linen. She doesn’t like jewelry, so she simply ties her hair into a high ponytail.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she feels somewhat heroic, with a bit of Hua Mulan’s style.

The supermarket entrance is still crowded with carriages, but these aren’t for people—they’re for transporting goods.

Many servants stand by, waiting for their employers to finish shopping and load the goods onto the carriages.

It’s not just the retainers of noble families; business agents are there too. In fact, the ones bulk-buying goods are mostly the merchants who stay in Linzi. They’re eager to clean out the supermarket themselves so no other merchants can get their hands on anything.

As soon as someone emerges from the supermarket—someone who clearly isn’t a merchant buying supplies—those waiting outside swarm forward.

“Miss, are you from the supermarket? Do you need anything? Feel free to ask!”

Since the goods in the supermarket are expensive, everyone wants to offer favors to build a relationship, hoping for discounts in the future.

Chen Shu understands their intentions but isn’t polite in the slightest. She says directly, “I want to rent a house, one that can accommodate 30 people comfortably, and the kitchen needs to be more than just a shed.”

“I know of a place,” one man says. “The family moved away from Linzi and only left an old servant behind to guard the house. It’s probably available for rent, but if you want to send a message, it might take some time to arrange.”

Chen Shu stops listening to that man and turns to another, a wealthy-looking merchant, who says, “There’s a house in the east of the city. The family’s situation isn’t great, so they moved out. However, the price is high, and so far, no one has rented it. If you’re interested, I can take you to have a look.” The merchant continues, “I’ve seen it before. It’s a decent place, well-built, with beams shipped from Lu. It’s just a shame that the family’s ancestors left too much for their descendants…”

Even the nobility can “go bankrupt.”

While most have land outside the city and servants to farm it, they still have to pay taxes. If their ancestors don’t leave them with enough, bankruptcy is just a matter of time.

Even if they sell their homes, it’s hard to find buyers. Most merchants aren’t staying long, and if they do buy a house, they won’t resell for a couple of years. Commoners don’t have the money, and the wealthy clans already have ancestral homes—they won’t buy someone else’s house.

Chen Shu thinks for a moment and says, “I’ll take a look at it. Please lead the way. You won’t lose out on this.”

The merchant beams. “Please, get in the cart.”

Chen Shu shakes her head. “Let’s walk. I haven’t explored Linzi yet. Are you in a hurry?”

The merchant quickly shakes his head. “No, not at all.”

As they walk toward the east of the city, the merchant strikes up a conversation. He’s talkative and, after a while, notices that Chen Shu is taller than him. He asks, “Miss, you’re so tall. Are your parents from a foreign land?”

Actually, foreigners aren’t necessarily taller, but mixed-blood children often are.

Chen Shu shakes her head. “They’re not foreigners.”

The merchant, intrigued, says, “If you were a man, you’d be a rare talent—a general, I’d say.”

Chen Shu smiles and replies, “You have a good eye.”

Though she isn’t a general in her own world, she believes that with more experience, battles, and training in tactics, she can still become one before reaching fifty.

The merchant, seeing that she’s easy to talk to and loves to laugh, feels more at ease and says, “You don’t seem like a servant.”

Chen Shu smirks, “Oh? Are you trying to hire me? How much are you offering?”

The merchant waves his hands rapidly, “No, no, I wouldn’t dare to poach someone like you.”

He’s not stupid. Someone who can eat well and live comfortably at the supermarket isn’t someone he can afford to hire.

As they continue, the merchant begins to regard Chen Shu as a confidant. When they reach the house, he comments, “With your talents, why not start your own business? I’ve traveled widely and met many people, but I’ve never come across someone like you.”

She’s generous, clear-headed, and at ease when conversing. Her knowledge surpasses that of many scholars who never leave their hometowns, relying on outdated books and thinking they know the world.

Though Wei Shang, the merchant, has never been to school, he understands that true talent is rare. He knows that great talents are often sought after by monarchs from various countries.

Chen Shu isn’t shy about accepting the compliment, responding calmly, “Well, now that we’ve met, you’re the most talkative person I’ve met so far.”

Wei Shang laughs, “As a businessman, you must treat everyone like a guest. Without a good way with words, it’s hard to do business.”

Chen Shu nods thoughtfully, “Business isn’t easy.”