"Jinhua, go home today and give the watermelon to your mother immediately. Maybe you won't get scolded too much."
Qin Yao covered the broken half of the watermelon with gauze, put it in a bamboo basket, and helped the little girl put it on her wrist while giving her instructions.
Jinhua looked at her bulging belly and burped with a watermelon-flavored burp. She nodded gratefully to her Aunt San.
"Then I'll go?" Jinhua had a serious expression as if she was ready to die heroically.
Qin Yao nodded heavily, "Let's go, little girl!"
Jinhua walked away carrying the heavy bamboo basket, looking back every few steps. Awang, who was sitting on the doorstep eating watermelon, watched her successfully enter the village and turn into the Liu family's old house. He turned to Qin Yao in the yard and said, "You've arrived home safely."
Qin Yao signaled Awang to finish eating quickly, "We will go to the town to pick up Dalang and the others later."
By the way, I'll pick two melons from the field to see if they can be sold.
The whole melon is too expensive, and most people would definitely not be able to afford it, so Qin Yao plans to slice it and sell it by slices, so that the price sounds much more acceptable.
Awang finished the watermelon in his hand in a few bites, threw the rind into the wooden basin that Qin Yao brought out, and carried the basin to the livestock shed to give Lao Huang and Lao Qing a snack.
Although there was only the rind, the horse and the cow were enjoying chewing it.
When Awang led Old Huang out and harnessed him to the carriage, Old Huang was so excited that he shouted loudly at the top of his voice.
The carriage was harnessed, and Qin Yao also prepared the high-legged table, gauze, chopping board, and kitchen knife needed to set up the stall.
Qin Yao asked Awang to load the things into the car, and she personally went to the melon field to pick two melons that were a little crooked.
The good-looking ones will be sold whole, and the ugly ones will be cut!
A long section of the road out of the village has been repaired, the roadside has been widened, and the roadbed has been reinforced.
The outer roadbed is built entirely with stones, and the foundation is half a meter deep, so it will not collapse easily.
The materials used for paving the road are also very particular. It requires several layers, and each layer is made of different materials.
The first layer is ordinary soil, and the second layer is sprinkled with something that can inhibit the growth of weeds, usually lime powder mixed with something else.
The third layer is made of crushed stone, which is first pounded flat and then pressed down with a heavy stone roller to make it very solid.
All the gravel produced by the stone mill in Qin Yao's factory is now recycled and paved on the road.
On top of this layer of gravel, a layer of fine sand sifted from the river is laid to serve as a buffer to reduce the friction when the wheels are moving.
Only by doing these well can a solid and easy road be completed.
The road has also been widened. The original path, which was less than 1.5 meters wide, has now been widened to about 2.23 meters, and it has also been widened at the bends to facilitate passing of vehicles.
After walking on the good road and then walking on the old bad road, even the horse Lao Huang became impatient and snorted loudly, seeming a little irritable.
Two quarters of an hour before the end of the Ding family school, Qin Yao and his servant arrived safely at the school gate.
Qin Yao found a clean and cool place under an old elm tree by the roadside, put out a high table, and put a chopping board and kitchen knife on it.
Awang tied up the carriage, came over carrying two heavy buckets, and placed the buckets under Qin Yao's table.
In the bucket was the ice-cold water that Awang had fetched from the well in the nearby farmhouse. He put the watermelons that had been on the carriage in the bucket and soaked them for 25 minutes before taking them out and breaking them open. The watermelons were just the right coolness.
The gate of the clan school opened, and the students who were dismissed from school ran out one after another. They smelled a special sweet smell wafting from the roadside, and their eyes uncontrollably looked towards the direction where the fragrance was emanating.
Slices of watermelon cut into even sizes are spread out on the white gauze. The red flesh emits an alluring glow under the setting sun.
"Gurgle~" A student couldn't help swallowing his dry throat.
Qin Yao patted Awang, and Awang started to sell with an expressionless face -
"Fragrant and sweet bitter melon, if it doesn't taste good, I won't pay for it!"
Soon, a group of students gathered around, stood in front of the stall, and asked Qin Yao if the food was really free even if it didn't taste good.
Qin Yao handed over a bowl of cut watermelon cubes. "Free tasting, try it everyone. The watermelon is sweet and crispy. I guarantee you'll want more after eating it!"
They were all teenagers, how could they resist such temptation? When they heard it was free, they immediately reached out to take it.
Eating a piece of watermelon caused a burst of "wow" sounds.
The four brothers and sisters of Dalang who came out late saw from afar that A Niang and A Wang were surrounded by students. They ran over to check what was going on. When they saw the tempting bright red watermelon, the four brothers and sisters couldn't help swallowing hard.
Someone wanted to buy it, so Qin Yao took out the price tag. Ten cents for a small piece, which didn't seem expensive at first glance, but after a careful calculation, ten cents would be gone in just three or four bites for a person with a big mouth.
But how could the students who have already tried it resist?
A servant boy came to pick them up, and he immediately asked them to pay. He chose the one that looked the biggest and reddest, and ate it with great satisfaction.
One piece is not enough, I want another one.
Qin Yao only cut half of the watermelon and it was gone in seconds.
I cut another half, but it was still sold out as soon as I finished cutting it.
The remaining watermelon was cut into pieces, and the Ding student who had been hesitating just now ran home to get the money. The chopping board was empty in a short while.
Someone tried one piece and wanted to buy more. He reached out to take the last two pieces, but Qin Yao quickly stopped him and said, "Sorry, these two pieces are not for sale."
He then handed it to the four brothers and sisters of Dalang who had come forward on their own accord and were helping to sell and collect money.
"Half a slice per person, quench your thirst first, and then we'll eat our fill when we get home." Qin Yao smiled and winked at the four siblings.
The child is so sensible, it’s a bit sad to see him like this.
I was obviously very greedy, but I don't know how I resisted. I helped sell the melons but didn't taste a single one.
Si Niang jumped up with joy, "Mother, the watermelon is so delicious!"
"Isn't it bitter melon?" Sanlang asked doubtfully while gnawing on the remaining sweet potato skin reluctantly.
He just heard Awang selling something and said it was bitter melon.
Qin Yao: "It's both bitter melon and watermelon, call it whatever you want."
Sanlang still didn't understand, "Why not call it watermelon instead of pumpkin?"
Qin Yao: "Shut up and eat your melon."
Saburo was confused, but obeyed, "Oh."
After the stall was closed, the students reluctantly dispersed, hoping that Qin Yao would come again tomorrow, but also afraid that she would actually come.
Ten cents for a piece of melon is not expensive, but it is not cheap either. I was afraid that if I wanted to eat it, the adults would not buy it for me, so I could only watch other students eat it.
Looking at the four brothers and sisters of Dalang, and the classmates who have a good relationship with them, the envy in their eyes is almost overflowing.
Madam Qin just said that we should let them eat their fill when we get home!
"We are going home, you should go back soon too."
Dalang waved to his envious friends, licked the watermelon juice off his fingers, helped his stepmother pack up the stall, and the four brothers and sisters took the bus home with great anticipation.
As soon as he entered the yard, Erlang saw the bucket under the eaves of the kitchen. He rushed over to take a look and found that there was indeed a melon. He turned around to look at Qin Yao, and after getting her approval, he picked it up and rushed to the kitchen chopping board.
The remaining three threw their book boxes aside and followed immediately.
Qin Yao smiled as she watched the children scream in surprise. She asked Awang to prepare dinner, and she sat down calmly in the main room to count the money.
I sold two watermelons in the afternoon and earned three hundred and ninety cents.
Oh, and there’s also a buy one get one free offer at Liu Dafu’s place, which adds up to 590 coins. (End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
