Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Disagreement

[’This sales method is… a little too aggressive, isn’t it?’]

[’Everyone has their own way of selling fruit. The cherries Rachel is selling are genuinely good, so it’s not a rip-off for the people who buy them.’]

[’What’s wrong with the person above’s moral compass? Since when is it okay to force people to buy something?’]

[’I wouldn’t call it forcing. If the person kept refusing, it’s not like Rachel could just shove the fruit in her hands, right? Everyone has a different sales strategy. We know what kind of person Rachel is, so we should be more understanding.’]

…

*

Renee Jennings returned, holding the cash she had just earned. Naomi Kenway was in the middle of pouring the cherries from a basket onto a spread-out fertilizer bag. This would keep the cherries from getting stuffy and spoiling, and also make it easier for customers to pick them out.

The skins of the cherries were very delicate, so Naomi Kenway moved with extreme care to avoid damaging them.

Renee Jennings stopped in front of Naomi Kenway and flashed the twenty in her hand. “See? I’ve already made one sale. We’re one step closer to going home.”

Naomi Kenway had been completely focused on spreading out the cherries and hadn’t noticed what was happening with Renee Jennings. She raised an eyebrow slightly. “Not bad. That was fast.”

A triumphant look appeared on Renee Jennings’s face. She ordered, “Nina, stop fiddling with these cherries. Grab a small basket and come with me to push sales.”

“Isn’t it a hassle to go after customers one by one?”

“A hassle? Didn’t you see how fast I made a sale? If we just sit here and do nothing, we’ll starve! Cherries are expensive, so not many people will buy them in the first place. It would be a miracle if we sold any just by sitting here like idiots.”

Naomi Kenway said, “What I mean is, we could put on a little show here, like singing or dancing. Once we attract a crowd, it’ll be easier to sell the cherries.”

Renee Jennings stared at Naomi Kenway in disbelief. “Perform? In a public market? Nina, are you…” She chose her words carefully. “Nina, do you have any idea how much I get paid for a single appearance? We’re celebrities. Why would we perform for free? That’s so… degrading.”

Naomi Kenway couldn’t comprehend Renee Jennings’s logic. “Isn’t the most important thing right now to sell these cherries? We have to figure out a way to sell them, don’t we? This is the fastest way to attract customers.”

With a disapproving look, Renee Jennings picked up another small basket of cherries and slung it over her shoulder. “I’m going out to make some sales.”

Naomi Kenway watched her leave, the space between her eyebrows twitching.

It took Naomi Kenway some time to arrange all the cherries. Soon, she noticed something strange. She and Renee Jennings had managed to secure a relatively “hot” spot for their stall, and a few customers had come by to ask about the fruit earlier. But now, there wasn’t a soul in sight. Everyone at the market seemed to be actively avoiding their fruit stall, giving it a wide berth.

Naomi Kenway frowned and stood up. ’Renee Jennings just came by several times to brag about her sales, so why are there fewer and fewer customers around?’

“I said I’m not buying!”

A roar suddenly cut through the clamor of the bustling market.

Up ahead, Renee Jennings seemed to be in a dispute with someone. A crowd of onlookers had gathered.

Renee Jennings couldn’t understand why the woman was so worked up, and continued her hard sell. “Our cherries are large, with thin skins and plump flesh. I guarantee you’ll be back for more! If you don’t like cherries, that’s fine too. We also have freshly picked apples and pears, and every single one is perfectly fresh!”

The woman she was pestering was extremely impatient. “I said I wanted to try one to see if they’re sweet, but you won’t let me. You just keep blocking my way and telling me to buy them. Who knows if these cherries of yours are pumped full of pesticides!”

This was Renee Jennings’s first time selling fruit. She was used to a pampered life at home where fresh fruit was air-freighted directly to her door; she rarely even had the chance to buy it herself. “How can you say that? Our cherries are the freshest, and they absolutely don’t have excessive pesticides. Besides, we’re here to sell cherries, not to give out samples…”

The woman was fed up. “I’ll say it again. I really don’t like cherries, and I don’t want to buy any.”

“But our cherries are so good. You should just buy a couple of pounds to take home and try.”

“What’s going on?” Naomi Kenway pushed through the crowd. She pried Renee Jennings’s hand off the woman’s shoulder. “Is this how you’ve been selling things?”

The rescued customer quickly pulled out a face mask, put it on, and hurried away.

The onlookers, having lost interest, began to disperse.

Renee Jennings looked at her, confused, her voice tinged with grievance. “Nina, not only did you not help me, but you scared away my customer?”

“Renee Jennings, this is just forcing a sale! What’s the difference between this and being a mugger? Haven’t you noticed you’ve scared away all the other customers? No one is even coming to our stall anymore!”

Naomi Kenway’s voice was ice-cold.

Renee Jennings’s mouth fell open. “Nina, I worked my tail off selling fruit, and now you’re blaming me? If it weren’t for me, who do you think earned that money in the basket?”

Naomi Kenway tried her best to remain patient. “I know you tried, but your sales strategy and your attitude are a huge problem.”

“A problem? I think you’re just trying to humiliate me on purpose.” Renee Jennings’s eyes welled with tears as she snapped, “If you’re so capable, sell them yourself! I’m done serving you!”

With that, she threw the basket on the ground and stormed off without a second glance.

Naomi Kenway picked up the basket and returned to the stall, with no intention of going after Renee Jennings.

[’Rachel is crying! How can Naomi Kenway be so awful? She completely dismissed all of Rachel’s hard work. Naomi is so vicious!’]

[’This is the first time I’m siding with Naomi Kenway. Renee Jennings’s attitude was the problem from the start, and she gets mad when someone calls her out on it?’]

[’That last customer was so ungrateful. This is fruit being sold by Rachel herself! If I were there, I’d pay ten thousand for a single pound!’]

[’Is the person above some kind of deranged Renee Jennings fan? All you see is Renee Jennings crying because she feels wronged, but did you even stop to think about the customer she was harassing?’]

…

“Rachel, what are you doing here?” Ruby Preston asked, slightly surprised. “How are the cherry sales going? Fruit isn’t easy to move. We just managed to sell a bit more after lowering our prices.”

Renee Jennings’s eyes were glistening with tears, and she reached up to wipe them away.

Margaret Jennings quickly rose and went to her side. “What happened? Did someone bully you?”

“Nina went too far! I was working my butt off selling cherries, and she just accused me and chewed me out!”

Ruby and Margaret didn’t reply right away.

Renee Jennings paused, her hand still raised to wipe her tears. “You… you don’t believe me, do you?”

“Rachel, could there be some kind of misunderstanding?”

“A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding could there be? I’ve known for a long time that Nina can’t stand me. If I’d known I was going to ruin her mood, I should have just disappeared long ago.”

Ruby Preston and Margaret Jennings exchanged a troubled glance.

Renee Jennings said, “Anyway, there’s no way I’m going back. I don’t want to sell fruit with Naomi Kenway anymore. She’s always bullying me!”

Ruby Preston said, “Alright, how about this: you two stay here, and I’ll go team up with Nicole.”

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