Many of those who bought skewers and cold porridge from Sheng Xia had nowhere to sit, so they would go to the wonton or dumpling stall to buy a bowl and eat there. Business for the others wasn't significantly affected.
However, the woman who sold *mahua* twists hadn’t been doing very well to begin with. After Sheng Xia arrived, those who wanted wheat-based snacks mostly chose to buy Sheng Xia’s baked flatbread with skewers, making the woman’s business even worse. In truth, while the other three stalls prepared their food fresh, she sold hers pre-made. Even if her twists and sesame balls were deep-fried, they were cold—hardly a match for the fresh, piping-hot food Sheng Xia served.
Instead of questioning her own products, the woman blamed Sheng Xia for stealing her business. Seeing how well Sheng Xia was doing, she decided to imitate her; she ordered a grill, skewered some meat, and started selling her own barbecue. Openly encroaching on someone’s business like that was one thing—everyone had their own methods—but the woman went a step further, shoving her skewers into Sheng Xia’s face and insisting she try them, which was purely meant to be grating.
Chapter 37