She anticipated that the food would sell well, but she didn't expect it to sell this well.
But thinking about it, it makes sense. Customers would naturally flock to a delicious and novel flavor that they've never tasted before.
What she needs most right now is manpower.
Looking around, I saw a group of young beggars in the distance, begging along the street.
The older ones are eleven or twelve years old, and the younger ones are only seven or eight years old.
They were dressed in rags, their hair was disheveled, and their faces were covered in dirt. They should have been carefree at that age, but their eyes were lifeless and their faces were full of sorrow.
"Please have mercy and give us some food. We've been starving for two days."
They held up broken bowls and begged from passersby.
"Wishing you peace, joy, good health, and longevity, please give me two copper coins."
But the passersby were very impatient and waved their hands in disgust, telling them to get lost.
The stall owners and shopkeepers were also on guard, and they started chasing people away before they even got close.
Qiao Lian'er walked over and asked, "Do you want to eat your fill?"
The children looked at her and, seeing how thin and small she was, were no longer as afraid as they had been in front of adults.
"Nonsense, you'll die if you don't eat, who wants to die?" The older beggar guessed she was a child and probably didn't have much money.
"Make way, make way, don't block our way from having lunch."
Qiao Lian'er said, "Do you see that stall number eight? I'm the stall owner. If you work for me, I can give you food."
The little beggars' eyes lit up.
"Are you telling the truth? Those stall owners chase us away when they see us. You're not lying to us, are you?"
"I'm not lying to you, but you'll need to get ready. Come with me."
The beggars looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Boss, should we go with her?"
“Go away, what can a little girl do to us? We’re just worthless beggars anyway. Even if we’re sold to some family, we’ll still have food to eat,” said the big beggar.
Qiao Lian'er led them to the abandoned courtyard where she had kidnapped people last time: "Wash your faces and hair here first. It's better to be clean before working at the stall. Wait for me here after you're done washing."
She tossed a piece of soapberry she had just bought from the stall to the beggars.
“You have to keep your word. You can’t just abandon us. You said you’d feed us,” said a beggar who was not quite grown up.
He was clearly starving; his big eyes were wide open, and he looked a little nervous.
"Don't worry, my stall is right there, I'm not afraid you'll cause trouble."
Qiao Lian'er didn't take their rudeness to heart; they were just children who only wanted to satisfy their most basic survival needs and have enough to eat.
In ancient times, boys were considered laborers when they grew up, and they would never be easily abandoned. These beggars, for example, were almost all orphans.
Qiao Lian'er went to a clothing store and bought several sets of the cheapest clothes, linen shorts, in various sizes, which cost just over a hundred coins in total.
She went quite a distance, and when she returned, the little beggars had all washed up. Their faces were clean, and they all looked quite pretty after tidying themselves up. Their hair had also been washed and dried quickly in the scorching sun.
Qiao Lian'er walked into the courtyard and found them secretly peeking outside.
It's as if they're really afraid she'll run away.
She handed out the clothes to them: "Put these on, and then you can go to work."
The little beggars held the clothes, their faces filled with disbelief. Gradually, tears welled up in their eyes, and they all lowered their heads.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
