Food Supplements - Chapter 20

Unaware that fate had just played a trick on her, Boss Qin continued steadily carrying out her original plan: attract a specific group of customers to the shop and build word of mouth among them.

In all fairness, she truly had no idea which company the cleaning woman worked for. Cleaning uniforms all looked more or less the same, and there were plenty of office buildings nearby.

No matter how closely she followed one particular company, her access was still limited. No one could possibly memorize the faces of every member of its maintenance staff.

So throughout the first few days after opening, Qin Cheng remained full of anticipation. Every day, while doing her best to handle all kinds of customers, she also waited for someone familiar to appear.

The third day was busier than the first two. The previous days had already established a customer base, and since it was the final day of the promotion, many people returned, likely hoping to enjoy the discounted prices one last time.

But better business brought its own troubles.

The people most concerned about the final day of a sale were often the calculating sort who counted every last cent—such as a certain cleaning woman.

“Oh, this isn’t fair. Whether I buy one thing or several, you still give only one jar of jam. I’m buying more today, so how about giving me two extra jars?”

After criticizing the value for money and then the flavors, the cleaning woman had now begun finding fault with the complimentary gifts.

Perhaps because it was the final promotional day, she had indeed bought more than usual. Besides two cups of soy milk, she also ordered a fruit custard sandwich.

But when she discovered at checkout that she would still receive only one jar of jam, she became dissatisfied.

Her complaint was completely unreasonable.

The flyer had never said that the gifts could be stacked. Besides, asking for additional freebies while everything was already half price was more than a little greedy.

But arguing the matter on principle would only make the atmosphere tense.

Although the Qin Cheng who knew nothing about fate regarded the woman as nothing more than a troublesome customer, she still did not want to embarrass her publicly.

“Auntie, here’s the thing.”

After thinking for a moment, Qin Cheng chose a more tactful explanation.

“Our jam contains no additives or preservatives, and we keep the sugar content as low as possible. That’s why it’s both healthy and delicious. The downside is that it doesn’t keep for very long, so we don’t recommend storing too much. Have you already finished the jars from your last two visits?”

Qin Cheng said this because she was certain the woman could not possibly have finished them.

She knew her own product. The jars were small, but the flavor was concentrated. No matter how much someone liked jam, they could not finish one in a meal or two.

However, as a master of bargaining, the woman did not care.

“So what if I haven’t finished them? Can’t I give them to other people? Just tell me whether you’re going to give me a discount.”

The unreasonable exchange had already drawn sideways glances from the other customers, yet she seemed entirely unaware.

It was hard to tell whether she was naturally thick-skinned or had simply become accustomed to behaving this way.

Because her costs were so low, Qin Cheng did not particularly care about a few small jars of jam.

But giving in now would undoubtedly be unfair to the other customers.

For a moment, she wondered whether she ought to become firmer.

After hesitating, however, she decided not to waste her precious energy.

“How about this?”

In the end, Qin Cheng turned, took a takeout box, filled it with plump, bright-red cherry tomatoes, and handed it to the woman with a smile.

“Let’s both compromise. Consider these cherry tomatoes a small thank-you from the shop for supporting us these past few days. And in return, please be generous and don’t make things difficult for me. All right?”

The issue had shifted from arguing over freebies to expressing gratitude toward a regular customer.

Besides, to the younger customers watching, a small box of fruit hardly looked like an excessive concession.

As for someone who enjoyed bargaining, the exact form of the advantage did not matter as long as she received one.

“What cherry tomatoes? They’re just little tomatoes…”

The cleaning woman muttered at first, casually popped one into her mouth, then immediately broke into a delighted smile.

After Qin Cheng sent the difficult customer away that day, she did not see her again for several days.

That was understandable.

Qin Cheng’s shop was positioned as high-end, and the prices were not especially economical. For someone who carefully calculated every expense, it made sense to try the products while they were discounted.

Once the promotion ended, no matter how good they were, paying full price would feel too extravagant.

The cleaning woman was not the only person with that mindset.

After the discount period ended, customer traffic dropped considerably. Combined with the shop’s less-than-ideal location, the little store became rather quiet.

Mother Qin, who brought meals, and the landlady, who dropped off and collected her daughter, both grew visibly anxious.

Compared with the mothers, the shop’s employees were quite relaxed.

Nuonuo knew very little and actually felt more comfortable when the shop was quiet. She could wash an apple and obediently nibble at it all afternoon.

As for the owner, she had never aimed to make a fortune. As long as the shop did not lose money, she was satisfied.

Her main concern each day was stretching her neck and waiting for a familiar face to appear.

With enough patience and anticipation, the seed planted unintentionally finally began to blossom and bear fruit.

That morning, the sun shone brightly.

Most office workers had only just begun another busy day, while some people had just finished working and were preparing to catch their breath.

A bespectacled woman with dark circles beneath her eyes and constant yawns—clearly a habitual all-nighter—walked listlessly toward the commercial food street.

She rubbed her empty stomach as she went, apparently starving.

What should she eat?

Something sweet would probably be best…

She looked around as her sleep-deprived, hypoglycemic mind moved sluggishly, instinctively craving sugar.

Then, while passing the entrance to an alley, her eyes happened to skim across the name of a shop.

That name triggered a small memory connected with sweetness.

Fruit…

Wasn’t that the shop Auntie Wu had mentioned?

Ah, those sweet-and-sour little tomatoes that burst with juice when you bit into them…

Her low blood sugar made the memory unusually vivid.

Although she had already walked past the alley, her feet stopped almost on their own, then turned back.

“Welcome.”

Boss Qin, unaware of everything that had led the customer there, saw only an exhausted-looking woman with glasses entering the shop.

She greeted her naturally, wearing the polite smile of a business owner.

Only when the woman approached the counter and began staring intently at the menu on the blackboard did Qin Cheng pause.

She narrowed her eyes slightly and discreetly studied the customer.

Compared with the neatly dressed white-collar workers common in the area, this woman was obviously unconcerned with her appearance.

Her casual clothes were slightly wrinkled, several strands of hair stuck out messily, and together with her dark circles and constant yawning, she looked almost like a delinquent woman emerging from an all-night internet café.

The only difference was that her bare face and glasses gave her a rather scholarly air.

Qin Cheng did not care what her identity was.

What caught her attention was that the woman looked vaguely familiar, as though Qin Cheng had seen her somewhere before.

She could not remember where for the moment.

But a stranger who appeared vaguely familiar to her…

Could she belong to the target group?

Even without certainty, the possibility alone was enough to energize Qin Cheng.

Without revealing anything, she stepped forward and took Nuonuo’s place behind the counter, patiently waiting for the woman to order.

The bespectacled customer seemed to have difficulty making decisions.

Her eyes moved repeatedly over the blackboard as she murmured to herself, unable to choose.

Fortunately, mornings were quiet. Most people still preferred savory food early in the day, so she had plenty of time to hesitate.

“Hello. Do you need any help? Would you like me to recommend some of our specialties?”

Although the customer was free to take her time, Qin Cheng was especially attentive because she wanted an excuse to start a conversation.

“I want juice… What do you recommend?”

The bespectacled woman seemed mild-tempered and easy to speak with.

She also casually asked, “And why can some fruits only be ordered as a two-fruit blend? Can’t I get them by themselves?”

“Some fruits, such as bananas, produce very little juice. Most of their nutrition and flavor are in the flesh, so rather than juicing them, they’re really being blended into a purée.”

Qin Cheng explained with a pleasant smile.

“Once blended, they become too thick and affect the texture. Instead of diluting them with milk, as many shops do, we pair them with another fruit that produces more juice. That’s why they’re only available as blends.”

This was true, though not the whole truth.

The fruits that did not come from the lakeside realm were still good, but naturally, mixing them with her own produce produced the best flavor.

“Oh… very good, very good.”

The agreeable woman nodded repeatedly.

“Then give me an iced kiwi and pear juice, and one fruit sandwich.”

“Certainly. Please wait a moment.”

Qin Cheng immediately turned and began working.

To inspire maximum trust, she took the fruit directly from the refrigerated display.

The sink and preparation counter were behind the service counter, making them both convenient to use and fully visible to customers as the fruit was washed, peeled, and cut.

The high-speed juicer stood beside the display case.

The fresh juice was extracted, poured, and sealed directly before the customer’s eyes.

The entire process was transparent.

With Qin Cheng’s quick, practiced movements, it flowed so smoothly that it was almost pleasing to watch.

“Huh? What did you add? Ice?”

Because everything was visible, few of Qin Cheng’s actions escaped the customer’s notice.

When the bespectacled woman saw her add small transparent pellets before sealing the cup, she immediately asked.

“They’re little ice spheres. They don’t melt as quickly as ordinary cubes,” Qin Cheng answered with a nod.

The woman’s face immediately fell.

“I forgot to ask for no ice… Too much ice will make it less sweet…”

Boss Qin clearly heard her, but pretended she had not.

She continued sealing and bagging the cup.

Only when she handed it over did she smile and say, “Don’t worry. It won’t affect the sweetness.”

But how could ice not affect sweetness?

Even asking for “no ice” affected it.

After all, a no-ice drink was often chilled by putting ice in and removing it again. That left behind not only coldness, but also some melted water that diluted the juice.

For the hypoglycemic woman craving sugar, coldness and sweetness had always been mutually exclusive pleasures.

But the drink had already been made and was now in her hands, so she said nothing more.

She walked to the long table against the opposite wall and eagerly prepared to soothe her stomach and body.

Perhaps she did not want disappointment to ruin her mood, because the first thing she opened was not the juice but the fruit custard sandwich.

The sandwich was wrapped in thick kraft paper, with only one transparent plastic window revealing the filling.

There were three layers.

The left and right layers contained fresh fruit purée, while the center held diced fruit mixed with custard sauce.

Colorful pieces of strawberry, apple, dragon fruit, and other fruits were coated in pale-yellow custard and held firmly between wheat-colored slices of toast.

Its appearance alone was irresistible.

The bespectacled woman’s eyes lit up.

Filled with anticipation, she took a large bite.

The pressure caused the abundant custard to nearly spill out, but instead of wiping it away, she hurriedly leaned in and sucked it up before closing her eyes and chewing.

Although it was called a fruit sandwich, the decisive element was the custard sauce.

Because it had to be blended and seasoned, nearly every shop made it differently.

This shop’s custard was silky and mellow, with a rich texture but moderate sweetness.

It did not overpower the fruit.

Instead, it sealed in the fresh juices, while the purée on both sides concentrated the fruit’s natural sugars.

The fragrance of fresh fruit, the sweetness of the purée, and the creamy richness of the custard balanced perfectly in her mouth.

What an excellent sandwich!

After confirming this with the first bite, the woman could no longer stop.

She devoured the food in a rush, sighed with satisfaction, took a sip of the complimentary lemon water, then looked regretfully at the cup of juice on the table.

After eating something so sweet and delicious, she did not particularly want a drink diluted with ice.

Still, after thinking for a moment, she inserted the straw and decided to try it.

Because she had rinsed her mouth with lemon water, the sandwich did not interfere much with the juice.

But when the icy liquid traveled through the straw into her mouth, its unexpected sweetness still astonished her.

There was no sense of dilution whatsoever.

The moment it touched her tongue, the fragrance of fruit filled her mouth and nose, making even her breath seem scented.

The sweet tartness of kiwi blended perfectly into the clean, refreshing pear juice.

The smooth drink also contained tiny kiwi seeds, like specks of black sesame, bringing occasional sandy bursts of texture.

They enriched the experience and proved that the juice was genuinely made from real fruit.

The most ingenious part was the ice spheres.

After melting for some time, they had become small enough to pass through the straw, like tapioca pearls in milk tea.

The woman accidentally sucked one into her mouth and bit down.

She expected bland coldness.

Instead, the same fragrance and sweetness of fruit spread across her tongue.

“Huh?”

Curious, she spat half of one onto the cup lid and examined it.

Only then did she notice that the crushed ice was not perfectly clear.

It held a faint tint, almost as though…

“The ice spheres themselves are frozen from different kinds of fresh fruit juice.”

Qin Cheng had been watching her from behind the counter.

Seeing her confusion, she finally explained with a smile.

“We were worried ordinary ice would affect the flavor, so after thinking it over, we came up with this method. It works quite well, doesn’t it?”

Speaking of which, the idea had come from the square-dancing auntie brigade.

Qin Cheng had also worried about dilution and had originally planned to chill the fruit itself.

But during their tastings, the older women complained that juice made from chilled fruit quickly stopped being cold enough.

Fresh juice at room temperature also oxidized and changed color very quickly.

After everyone offered suggestions at once, they eventually came up with this solution.

The bespectacled woman was clearly surprised.

Once the surprise passed, it turned into satisfaction.

She noisily finished the entire cup, then tipped the still-unmelted bits of ice into her mouth and crunched through every one.

Afterward, she bought another fruit custard sandwich and a large box of freshly cut fruit before finally wandering out of the shop.

Business was slow in the early morning anyway.

After watching her leave, Boss Qin had a thought.

She told Nuonuo to watch the shop for a while, removed her apron, and followed the customer outside.

Her recent habit of tailing a certain assistant had greatly improved Qin Cheng’s tracking ability.

She followed the woman without difficulty.

In the end, she watched her enter an extremely familiar three-story glass building.

A relieved smile appeared on Qin Cheng’s face.

Meanwhile, the employees of the Creative Planning Department made a despairing discovery.

Their pillar of support, who normally transformed into a hypoglycemic sleeping deity after every all-nighter, had arrived after working through the night wearing a satisfied smile.

She then supervised the team continuously until lunchtime.

After consuming a sandwich and a box of fruit, she worked smoothly all the way until the end of the day.

Her back did not ache.

Her legs did not hurt.

Her head did not spin.

She did not become sleepy even once.

More terrifyingly, she maintained this momentum afterward, forcing the entire team to work desperately alongside her until they completed the excessive assignment President Chu had given them ahead of schedule.

The bonus for finishing early was certainly tempting.

But working like this was inhuman.

After repeated hesitation, the others chose a representative to test the waters and ask what miraculous stimulant their leader had taken.

Their team leader, who also served as the department’s mascot, adjusted her glasses, solemnly lifted a cup of juice, and recommended:

“Eat more fruit.”