Celine and Eleanor quickly arrived at the market.
The noisy and lively atmosphere instantly lifted the gloom in Celine's heart.
To be more efficient, they decided to split up.
Celine would buy fruits and vegetables. Eleanor would go get meat.
Before they separated, Celine handed half the cash to Eleanor.
Eleanor carefully tucked the money into the inside pocket of her coat.
"Go to the second fruit stall. It's run by Ziro's wife, Juanna. Her stuff is fresh and cheap." Eleanor reminded her.
Ziro?
Celine immediately remembered that he was the man who threw Jison out on the roadside yesterday.
Looks like they owed him a favor.
Without hesitation, she headed straight to the second fruit stall.
Juanna had a loud voice and was cheerfully calling out to customers.
She wore a gold necklace that sparkled in the sunlight. It was the one Eleanor had given to Ziro.
Although Juanna didn't know Celine, she still greeted her warmly and offered her a slice of watermelon.
"Miss, what would you like to buy?"
"I'm Eleanor's sister," Celine said directly.
"Oh, you're family!" Juanna's face lit up with a bigger smile. "Take whatever you want, don't be polite with me!"
Celine wouldn't really take advantage.
She wasn't just there to buy fruits today. She also wanted to return the favor.
Since they would be dealing with each other more in the future, it was best to build a good relationship.
She took out a prepared list and handed over 20,000 in cash to Juanna.
"Sis, please help me with this list. This is the deposit."
Juanna was stunned for a moment when she saw the money, then quickly waved her hand.
"This is too much. You won't need all this!"
"Please take it. We'll be working together a lot in the future," Celine said gently but firmly.
Seeing that Celine insisted, Juanna didn't refuse anymore. She laughed happily.
"Alright. You're a straight shooter. Don't worry, I'll get everything done nicely for you."
Then Juanna quickly started counting and sorting the goods.
She moved quickly, counting while loading everything onto the tricycle.
Once the cart was full, she called her younger brother who was helping at the stall.
"Liyo, take the cart to Celine's car. Be careful."
Celine was about to help but Juanna stopped her.
"Miss, don't touch anything. Go do your other errands. I've got this."
Celine stepped aside and asked, "Sis, do you know any good vegetable vendors? I'm buying a large amount."
Juanna's eyes lit up when she heard that.
She hadn't expected that her husband helping Eleanor just once would bring such a big return.
She started calculating in her mind.
Her parents' family ran a vegetable greenhouse, and her husband's family had a fruit orchard. Judging from Celine's bulk buying, she was clearly a major customer.
If they worked together long-term, it could bring in a lot of money.
With that thought, Juanna's smile grew even brighter, and her tone turned even warmer.
"If you trust me, leave the vegetable buying to me."
"My family's greenhouse has plenty, and if something's missing, I can get it from our neighbors too."
Celine really liked Juanna's straightforward attitude. She handed over the vegetable shopping list and another 20,000 in cash as deposit.
"Sis, I'll leave it to you then."
Juanna took the list and money, grinning with joy.
She patted her chest and promised, "Sis, wait for me. I'll head back and ask them to pick it fresh and send it over."
Celine nodded. She finally felt relieved.
She didn't expect things to go so smoothly. Looks like returning Ziro's favor was worth it.
And it was all thanks to Eleanor.
Eleanor wasn't good at studying. He joined the workforce right after graduating high school. But with his street smarts and years of hard work, he had built up strong connections.
As soon as he stepped into the meat stall area, loud greetings rang out.
"Eleanor is here!"
"Hey, Third Yu, buying meat today?"
"Wow, Eleanor! Long time no see. Where have you been making money this time?"
Eleanor kept a friendly smile and joked around with everyone as he walked straight to the stall with a sign that said "Cao's Fresh Meat."
The owner, Cao Jun, was busy chopping ribs when he heard the commotion. He looked up, saw Eleanor, and immediately smiled.
"Wait a sec, Eleanor!"
Eleanor wasn't in a rush. He stood by calmly, watching Cao Jun weigh meat, collect money, and send off customers.
"What do you need, Eleanor?" Cao Jun wiped his hands and asked.
Eleanor didn't say a word. He handed over the purchase list.
Cao Jun took the list. His relaxed expression froze after just one glance. The cigarette in his mouth almost fell, and his eyes widened.
"Whoa! Eleanor, what kind of banquet are you planning?"
"Pork, ribs, chicken, duck... this amount is crazy!"
Next to him, Cao Jun's younger brother, Cao Wu, who was singeing pig feet, leaned over out of curiosity. He instinctively reached for his cigarettes to offer Eleanor one.
Eleanor waved his hand, refusing the cigarette. He still smiled, but his tone was more serious.
"Not a banquet. It's a new job."
He paused and lowered his voice.
"I'm doing procurement for a few hotels in the city. It's a long-term deal."
The words "long-term deal" lit up Cao Jun's eyes like magic.
He was a smart man and instantly understood what that meant.
"Got it!"
Cao Jun quickly stubbed out his cigarette. A sharp look flashed in his eyes as he waved at his brother.
"Little Wu, don't just stand there! Hurry and pack the order for Eleanor. Pick the best stuff!"
The Cao brothers used to haul goods with Eleanor back in the day. Life was hard for them too.
Later, they saved up some money and got smarter. Cao Jun saw an opportunity and opened this poultry and meat shop, selling free-range chicken and duck. Business was booming.
His brother, Cao Wu, opened a butcher stall next door, supplying pork to restaurants in the nearby towns.
Though their lives were much better than before, who would ever complain about having too much money?
Eleanor's words were clear. The Cao brothers would become the stable meat suppliers for a few city hotels.
It was a great business opportunity, with steady profits over time.
With the local Cao brothers fully on board and Eleanor's strong network, the meat procurement went very smoothly.
In this way, the entire morning passed quickly.
By noon, Celine and Eleanor had already bought everything on the list.
After settling the remaining payments with Juanna and Cao Jun, the siblings drove their fully packed truck back home.
But their large-scale shopping trip didn't go unnoticed in the crowded marketplace.
Some were impressed, some were curious, and of course, some were jealous.
Before long, rumors about the Yu family striking it rich began to spread.
After twisting and turning through many mouths, the gossip finally reached the old Yu family house and landed in the ears of Celine's grandparents.