Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

An Ning turned back and called to An Guoming, and together they boarded the Route 2 bus.

After eight stops, the two of them got off the bus and arrived at a rather quaint, old-fashioned street.

As An Ning and An Guoming walked side-by-side down the street, they drew the attention of many people.

Most people who came to this street fell into two categories.

One was the wealthy, who were either dripping with gold and silver or simply exuded an air of nobility, and came here to buy.

The other was people like An Ning and her brother, dressed in a rustic style, who were generally here to sell.

However, the young girl’s demeanor made quite a few shopkeepers take a second look.

An Ning noticed many people sizing them up and began to consider the worst-case scenario.

’It would be no problem for her to fight their way out, even with her second brother in tow,’ she thought.

"Little Sis, which shop should we go to?"

"It doesn’t matter. I can take them all."

As soon as she said it, An Ning gave An Guoming an embarrassed smile and casually pointed to a shop. "How about this one."

"Okay, Little Sis. Just try not to get too worked up."

"Okay."

An Ning obediently played the part of the younger sister, following behind An Guoming into a shop on the left: Cuiyu Pavilion.

As they entered, an old man in a long, dark blue tunic stood behind a counter. He had a black goatee and was fiddling with an abacus.

"Welcome. What can I help you two with?"

The Shopkeeper with the goatee closed the ledger at his side, placed the abacus on top of it, and gestured for them to come closer.

His attitude was quite good; there was none of the stereotypical snobbery one might expect.

An Guoming walked over to the counter, then turned to An Ning and said, "The item."

"Oh."

An Ning opened her backpack and took out a piece of jewelry that An Sancheng had given An Guoming to pack.

A string of jade-green beads lay in the palm of An Ning’s hand.

"May I have a closer look? I need to handle it myself."

An Ning took a step forward and saw the old Shopkeeper spread a black cloth on the countertop. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

She placed the string of beads on the black cloth.

The old man behind the counter waited until An Ning’s hand was completely clear before reaching for it.

With the string of beads in his hands, the old man carefully inspected each and every one.

He didn’t say a word the entire time, simply observing them in silence.

"Are you two looking to sell?"

"Yes."

An Guoming picked up the beaded string. "What price can you offer?"

The old man didn’t answer, asking a question of his own instead.

"What price are you two hoping to get?"

An Guoming didn’t know how much something like this should sell for, but he understood that the old man was trying to drive the price down.

"Take it back."

An Ning took the beads, and An Guoming said to the old man:

"We don’t know, so we’ll go ask around and see."

He made no attempt to hide his ignorance. On the contrary, he admitted it openly, stating his intention to go inquire about the price elsewhere.

The old man smiled.

"Not bad, young man. I’ll give you this much, and if you’re not satisfied after looking around, you can always come back."

The old man held up three fingers.

"Three hundred thousand?"

An Ning’s words startled the old man. He stared at his own three raised fingers. ’How in the world did she get ’three hundred thousand’ from this?’

"You must be joking, little girl. Three thousand."

An Ning shook her head.

"One hundred thousand, and it’s yours."

"Hehehe... No, that’s not how you bargain. No one will take it at that price."

The old man genuinely disagreed with the price, his expression showing no fluctuation.

An Ning stated another price.

"Eighty thousand?"

"No."

"Fifty thousand?"

"Still no."

"Forty thousand?"

"Why don’t you go have a look around outside."

The old man with the goatee had initially thought An Ning was just throwing out random high numbers, but now he felt like she was just a child messing around.

An Ning stopped asking. She slung her backpack on, called to her second brother, and the two of them walked out of the shop, one after the other.

After they had walked a short distance, An Guoming asked, "Little Sis, what was all that just now?"

"Testing the price."

An Ning stopped and said, "This method of mine isn’t for you, Second Brother. You shouldn’t try to learn it. Just find a method that works for you."

An Guoming nodded. He hadn’t even understood what she was doing, so how could he learn it?

An Ning turned and walked ahead. She now had an estimate of the beaded string’s value.

When she was quoting prices, she had been closely monitoring the old man with her spiritual power.

While the old man’s breathing and expression hadn’t changed, his spiritual power had.

She used these fluctuations to determine what price was appropriate.

The price of the beaded string was between forty and fifty thousand. The old man really liked it; An Ning had sensed his fondness when he was holding it to observe.

After that, they went to several more shops in succession, but the prices offered were lower each time.

At least the first old man had offered three thousand. Some of the other shops offered as little as three hundred.

"It’s just a string of cheap glass beads! I’m being generous by offering you a hundred, and you’re still not satisfied?"

One shop owner grumbled as An Guoming led An Ning out of his store.

"Back to the first shop?"

"Okay."

The two of them returned to the first shop once more.

When the old man at Cuiyu Pavilion saw them return, he understood what had happened.

If he hadn’t known an old madam who was fond of beaded strings, he wouldn’t have offered three thousand in the first place.

The other shops offering a few hundred was already considered decent.

"You two are back. Are you interested in selling now?"

An Guoming, who had been standing in front, took a step back, and An Ning stepped forward.

When An Ning came forward, the old man felt a sense of unease.

’Is this little girl actually the one in charge?’

’Then what she was doing earlier... that wasn’t just a game, was it?’

"Forty-seven thousand, and it’s yours."

As soon as she named the price, the old man’s fingers curled under the counter.

’Too precise!’

"Heh, you jest, young lady. My offer of three thousand was already my most sincere price, as you two should know by now."

"Forty-seven thousand."

An Ning didn’t budge an inch, firmly defending her price.

For the first time, the old man met An Ning’s gaze. It was firm.

Or rather, certain.

She was certain this was her bottom line.

In truth, there was still a profit to be made buying it at forty-seven thousand.

But compared to three thousand, the difference was huge.

"My apologies, my apologies. May I ask which ’route’ you came from, young lady?"

The old man suspected An Ning was from some prominent family and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect as he asked.

"Came here on Route 2."

The old man kept his hands cupped as he pondered. ’The Route 2 family?’

’Why have I never heard of them?’

"How about thirty thousand?"

The old man offered a price. An Ning shook her head.

"Forty-seven thousand."

The old man gave a somewhat bitter smile.

"Young lady, there has to be some give and take. How about forty thousand?"

This time, An Ning didn’t reject him outright. Instead, she thought for a moment before saying, "Forty-five thousand. Final price."

It was the first time the old man had seen someone haggle like this. Most importantly, he felt that this young lady was completely serious.

"I’m getting old. Alright, forty-five thousand it is."

The old man settled on the price. An Ning finally broke into a smile and patted An Guoming, who had his eyes closed and his ears covered.

"Is it over?"

An Guoming had been afraid that hearing the prices would make him lose his nerve and affect An Ning’s bargaining, so he had simply closed his eyes and covered his ears.

"How much?"

"Forty-five thousand."

An Guoming’s jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. He gave An Ning a thumbs-up.

Amazing!