Chapter 28: Setting up a stall
Ji Zhisui couldn't wait to take the cart back home, and went into the kitchen to start busying himself, preparing to set up the stall.
She made pancakes and fried the fillings, using up all the meat and vegetables she had bought in the morning. She prepared about forty or fifty servings and placed the fried fillings in various clay pots.
After finishing these preparations, it was almost time for dinner.
The Pei family members were also busy. They washed vegetables, cut vegetables, lit the fire, and moved the pottery jars to the cart one by one. They prepared some change in the drawer of the cart. Everything was ready and they could set up the stall.
They all wanted to go and help, but were stopped by Ji Zhisui. The two children were too young to be of much help, the old lady was old, and Mrs. Pei was weak and should have a good rest.
She took the remaining two people and went out with the cart in her hands. Pei Yian could help collect money and do the accounting, and her second sister-in-law was quick and skillful and could help her.
The price of an ordinary wrap is two cents, and you can add various vegetables and eggs. The wrap with shredded meat is three cents. If you double the shredded meat and eggs, you have to add another cent to the price. This was set by Ji Zhisui after referring to other stalls.
When they arrived at the middle of North-South Street, Ji Zhisui discovered that the good spots had already been taken, so they could only set up their stall in a more remote and inconspicuous place.
While I was packing up, the owner of the sesame pancake stand next door said, "Are you new here?"
The owner of the pancake stall is an elderly man with white hair on his temples and a face full of traces of vicissitudes of life.
Ji Zhisui politely replied, "That's right, old man."
"You're too late. The good stalls here are up for grabs. Whoever comes first gets them. It's best to come at 3:00 a.m.," the old man at the pancake stall kindly reminded.
"I understand. Thank you, old man."
Yinshi is between three and five o'clock. People have to come so early to grab a spot. It seems that setting up a stall is not an easy task.
A dozen people came rushing in from the entrance of the ship, talking and laughing, and began to choose their favorite food.
But those people had no intention of going downstairs and just lingered around the food stalls in conspicuous locations.
Ji Zhisui was a little anxious. Although what she made was novel and tasted good, it would be useless if no customers came and the wraps could not be sold.
She had to think of a way to attract customers. Her eyes fell on the ceramic pot filled with shredded meat. An idea suddenly came to her mind. She gave Pei Ersao a few coins and whispered a few words.
Pei Ersao also knew the seriousness of the matter. She did not dare to delay at all and ran out in a hurry, then came back with a large palm-leaf fan.
Ji Zhisui opened the clay pot filled with shredded meat, and the aroma of meat that had been locked up rushed out.
The aroma of meat attracted several food stall owners nearby. They looked over here curiously, wondering what kind of food this young lady was selling.
Ji Zhisui stood at the vent. As it was close to the sea, the wind was already strong. He took the palm-leaf fan from his second sister-in-law's hand and started fanning the meat pot so that the smell would drift further.
Chen Wu looked at the nearby food stalls with little interest. They were all very common food and he was a little tired of it.
Although he really wanted to go to a restaurant on South Street, it would cost at least forty or fifty cents a meal. He was just a porter and couldn't bear to spend so much money.
Along the way, there was nothing new to eat.
The sweet and fragrant meaty smell drifted to the front under the influence of human and natural wind. This sweet smell was completely different from the meaty smell of steamed buns and wontons.
Chen Wu smelled the sweet and fragrant smell of meat, a very special smell that instantly piqued his interest and made him curious about the source of the meaty aroma.
Following the special aroma of meat, he came to a corner and saw a young lady fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan on a stall not far away.
That sweet, meaty smell must be coming from here.
He walked forward out of curiosity and saw that it was just a bowl of flatbreads in several clay pots. Although the flatbreads were large, they were not thick. Even such flatbreads were not enough to fill his teeth.
"Young lady, are you selling pancakes?" Chen Wu looked at the pancakes and was a little disappointed. He thought it was some new food.
It turns out it’s just a pancake, that’s boring!
"Hey, big brother, we sell spring rolls. You can wrap cabbage, radish, spring bamboo shoots, eggs, and meat in the rolls." Seeing that his method was effective and actually attracted a customer, Ji Zhisui introduced it enthusiastically.
"Boiled pancake?" Chen Wu had never seen such a way of eating. In addition, as he stood in front of the stall, the sweet aroma of meat kept entering his nose, and he became curious about how to eat this boiled pancake.
"Our mother is a great cook! Big brother, you can buy one to try. I guarantee you'll want to eat more!" Pei Ersao introduced confidently.
This is not only about confidence in Sui Niang's cooking skills, but also confidence in one's own mouth.
When she was in Beijing, she had no other hobbies except eating. She had tried many delicious foods, but when she ate a burrito for the first time, her eyes still lit up.
The food made by Sui Niang's skillful hands is delicious and unique, and she is always amazed.
Encouraged by Pei Ersao and out of curiosity, Chen Wu decided to buy one to try. Anyway, there was nothing he wanted to eat at those stalls.
"A vegetarian wrap is two cents, and with shredded pork it's three cents. What kind do you want, brother?"
"Give me one with meat!" He came here just for the smell of meat, and it was a good deal to be able to eat meat for three cents.
"Okay!" Ji Zhisui wrapped the burrito quickly and handed it to Chen Wu.
Chen Wu was very curious about this new food, so he took a bite on the spot. The deliciousness of the burrito instantly conquered him, and he quickly finished the full burrito.
After finishing his meal, he licked his lips with a hint of satisfaction. "My dear, can you give me another meat and a vegetable wrap? How much is it?"
"Eight cents." Pei Yian said. The task assigned to him by Ji Zhisui was to count and collect money.
After Chen Wu took out eight cents from his pocket and handed them to Pei Yian, he watched Ji Zhisui wrap the pancake intently.
This burrito is quite big, and he would be full after eating two, but the burrito tastes so good that he wants to eat more.
Before leaving, Chen Wu did not forget to ask: "Young lady, will you come again tomorrow?"
"I am coming." Ji Zhisui replied.
After everyone left, Ji Zhisui looked at the eight coins in his hand and counted them over and over again with Pei Ersao, fearing that the number would not match.
Pei Ersao's voice trembled: "Sui Niang, it's eight cents, we earned eight cents!"
"Second sister-in-law, that's right, it's eight cents." Ji Zhisui's voice was full of satisfaction. If one more person came, he could make back the money he earned from buying vegetables in the morning.
Ji Zhisui and Pei Ersao were both happy about making money from the stall, and Pei Yian was no exception, with a faint smile on his face.
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