They chatted for a while longer until the clock struck 10, at which point the couple said goodbye and left.
Lu Zhixia told Su Lan as she was leaving,
"The steamed buns that Aunt Pang lost this morning must have been stolen by Liu Yue'e. She's out of money now. We must keep our valuables safe. Better safe than sorry!"
"Okay, I understand." Su Lan wasn't surprised that Liu Yue'e was the one who stole the buns.
She and her husband returned to the house and saw that the children were already lying down and didn't need their care at all.
After they fell asleep, she turned to look at Zhou Cheng and found that he was not asleep, but had his eyes open.
What are you thinking about?
"I'm wondering whether it's better to have a regular job or to do a small business like Xia Meizi."
"You're not planning to go back to work?"
"I have a thought: if making steamed buns and tea eggs can earn more money than working a regular job, then maybe we could do it too."
"Then what about our work?"
"My reasoning for taking a leave of absence without pay is this: the factory isn't doing too well right now, so it's better to be proactive than passive. If I can get the business going, I can make money before they do!"
What if we lose money?
"With my skills, it's impossible for me to lose money. It's just a matter of how much I can earn! I think the boxed lunches that Xia Meizi mentioned are a great idea."
"Then we can't compete with them for business; this is their idea."
“I understand, so if we're going to sell boxed lunches, I'll tell her in advance. Once we get her permission, it's not too late for us to start selling boxed lunches. If we work together, we can save a lot on costs and labor.”
"You mean we should cooperate?"
Su Lan's heart was pounding. This was a huge matter, concerning their future livelihood.
"That's right! Why can't we work together? Whether it's one dish or two, it's still cooking. So let's cook one more dish and she can sell it at the train station. I can sell it at the factory gate. We won't bother each other or interfere with each other. Why can't we each make our own money?"
After listening to her husband's words, Su Lan felt that they made a lot of sense, but if neither of them went to work, they could only make money by selling things.
She felt uncertain for a moment and fell silent again.
Zhou Cheng knew his wife's temper; if she understood, she understood; if she didn't, she would never understand.
So I turned over and went back to sleep; I had things to do tomorrow, so I couldn't stay awake.
——
When Lu Zhixia woke up in the morning, it was already bright outside. She needed to go out to buy meat and eggs, and this was the perfect time to get up.
I tied my hair up and looked at the clothes by the bed. I'd worn them for two days straight and couldn't wear them anymore.
He rummaged through the cloth bag and found a set of clothes. The blue top was almost faded from washing, and the trousers had been patched after being torn at the hem.
I was so stupid before, why didn't I buy myself a few decent clothes?
After selling the umbrella, she'll definitely pamper herself and buy herself some decent clothes.
"I knew my steamed buns were missing! It turns out it was you, you little slut!" Aunt Fat's shout rang out.
Lu Zhixia's lips curled up slightly. This Liu Yue'e is really bold. She stole once, and then she stole a second time.
Moreover, it's like provoking the tyrant. Just imagine how big Aunt Pang's body is. If she were to slap someone, their face would swell up like a pig's head!
"If you don't watch the excitement, you have a problem with your thinking," so he quickly opened the door and looked in the other direction.
Su Lan came out to pour water and saw Lu Zhixia watching the commotion. She smiled slightly and first took the water to the water room to pour it out.
Then I brought back a basin of clean water.
Lu Zhixia was watching with great interest when Aunt Pang grabbed Liu Yue'e by the collar and slapped her hard across the face.
"I'll teach you to steal again! You stole my bag yesterday, and you stole my porridge today. Are you out of your mind because you're so poor?!"
Liu Yue'e was beaten so badly that she couldn't take it anymore. Those people just watched the spectacle and no one came to break up the fight. She didn't expect that she was so unpopular. All she could do was hold the woman's hands with both of her own.
"I was wrong, I really know I was wrong, I won't do it again!"
"A next time? I bet I didn't hit you hard enough!"
He raised his hand and slapped the woman twice more, on both sides, until her face was terribly swollen and her nose was bleeding.
He realized he might have gone a bit too far, but then he remembered that she was the one who had been robbed, so he straightened his back, pointed at the woman's face, and said...
"Let me tell you, Liu Yue'e, if I ever find you stealing from me again, I'll send you to the police station! Once you're in jail, you'll know what hardship really means!"
"I know I was wrong, and I will never do it again."
Liu Yue'e knelt on the ground and begged desperately, saying she didn't care about saving face or dignity if she was beaten less.
With her eyes swollen, she could only squint to look ahead. Lu Zhixia was watching the commotion.
Su Lan handed her a mixed-grain steamed bun, and then the two of them started chatting and laughing again. This scene was too jarring.
Lu Zhixia ate the steamed bun with pickled vegetables and thought it was quite delicious.
Suddenly, I thought of the hamburger that would become popular all over the country a few years later. It was a favorite food for children and adults alike, because it was filled with freshly fried chicken coated with spices.
These days, you can only make money by doing new things. Although I have this idea in mind, I have limited time right now, so I can only make steamed buns and tea eggs for the next few days.
I'll make a profit by wholesaling umbrellas in a few days; I'll have to wait until after I sell all the umbrellas before I can make hamburgers.
"How is it? Isn't my side dish pretty good?" Su Lan asked.
"It's delicious, but you need to drink some water."
Lu Zhixia picked up the large porcelain jar next to her and took a sip of water. The steamed bun was delicious, but it was a bit dry.
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