Chapter 38 Steamed Buns and Clear Mutton Soup on Opening Day
The clapper of dawn had just struck, and the sky was still dark and gloomy. Outside the alley of Yangliu East Lane, the cries of various vendors selling breakfast and tea soup could already be heard through the walls:
"Rice, millet, cowpeas, steamed buns with sugar, meat, and peas!"
"A thin rice porridge made with wheat flour, served with half a cucumber dipped in sauce, is absolutely delicious!"
The lively atmosphere carried by the morning breeze made the steaming heat from the Shen family's kitchen seem to be driven away, rushing out of the chimney in a frenzy. It was amidst this vibrant life that Shen Miao calmly closed the last bamboo steamer.
Behind her, on a wide, sturdy worktable, a considerable amount of kneaded dough had already been prepared and was being covered with a damp cloth to rest.
In the corner, a ceramic broth pot quietly exudes the warm, enticing aroma of mutton soup. A large mutton bone, simmering overnight until dawn, forms the base of the soup. The mutton has also been cut into large chunks beforehand, but after a few moments, as the mutton becomes tender and its essence gradually infuses the broth, it thickens, turning milky white and filling the air with its fragrance.
This mutton soup is made with high-quality ingredients. It can be used as the soup base for mutton noodles or ordered as a soup. Although pork bone broth is also prepared, the mutton soup is still the main focus of Shen Miao's attention today. As soon as she woke up, she put on her clothes and went to the kitchen to check on how the soup was cooking.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly. She scooped out a spoonful and tried it. The soup was smooth but not greasy. When she drank it, she felt as if a warm flame had stayed in her stomach along with the soup.
The steamed buns and mantou that needed to be sold for breakfast were prepared last night. After steaming the buns and mantou in the morning, Shen Miao had nothing to do, so she also made some guokui (a type of flatbread) and thousand-layer pancakes.
However, she had already made up her mind. There was no need to rush in the morning. For breakfast, she would mainly have mutton soup and simple steamed buns. After breakfast time, she would slowly prepare the noodles and side dishes needed for lunch and dinner. Now that she didn't have to go to the morning market on Jinliang Bridge, Shen Miao was more at ease, even though she could sell a wider variety of things.
She planned to open the shop at Chenshi (7-9 AM) to sell breakfast first. Lunch wasn't a formal meal for Song people, so she figured not many people would come for noodles, and she could prepare less food so she could rest. In the evening, she planned to stay open later, since Bianjing's night market was very bustling, and the crowds at night were no less than during the day. It was common for people to come out for a stroll and grab a hot late-night snack.
As for the noodles sold in the shop, Shen Miao planned to focus on her "deep-fried instant soup noodles" and the fried sauce noodles that were quite popular after a day of trial operation, as well as a few famous and delicious Henan specialties: "Hutu noodles", "steamed noodles" and "braised noodles" - she was very cunning and actually planned to use the classic Henan dishes that have lasted for thousands of years to conquer the ancient people of Henan in the Song Dynasty a thousand years ago.
However, Shen Miao didn't dare to be overconfident. She only thought of these few items to try selling for a few days, and then gradually added new items and expanded the product range depending on the situation.
Once the steamed buns and mantou for breakfast were ready, Chen Miao carried two layers of bamboo steamers to the small stall cart outside. The charcoal stove on the cart had already been lit. Xiang Jie, wearing a floral apron and holding a giant fried dough stick that looked like a golden cudgel in her mouth, nimbly climbed onto the high bamboo stool. As the breakfast stall vendor appointed by her elder sister, she was quite dedicated and had gotten up early.
She sat down, took a bite of a fried dough stick, and sipped some sweet jujube soup. Then, in a childish voice, she called out to passersby the words that Chen Miao had been teaching her to recite for several days: "Good skin, good filling, everyone praises the meat buns—"
"Chenji steamed buns, one bun with one ounce of filling, two buns are equivalent to a bowl of rice—"
"One bite and the skin is soft and fluffy; two bites and the meat filling is fragrant; three bites and your mouth is filled with deliciousness—"
"Steamed buns, mutton soup, freshly made and steamed, don't miss it when you pass by!"
The boy's voice was high-pitched and crisp, like the sweet and juicy loquats on the branches in early summer. In particular, Xiang Jie'er was a plump and cute girl. She would stop to take a bite of a fried dough stick after shouting a few words. She was busy and hardworking, which made Ning Niangzi, the matchmaker who had gotten up early and was about to go to the Gu family to arrange a marriage, stop in her tracks.
She stepped forward, glanced at the buns, and asked curiously, "What kinds of steamed buns do you have?"
When Xiangjie saw a guest arrive, she quickly swallowed what was in her mouth, tilted her head and thought for a moment before starting to announce the dishes: "Good morning! My sister said that today she made char siu buns, white cabbage buns, radish and shrimp buns, red bean buns, brown sugar buns, and Lin'an xiaolongbao! Which one would you like? I'll use this bamboo tongs to pack it for you! My sister said that you can't use your hands, it has to be clean so you can eat with peace of mind!"
As he spoke, he picked up a long bamboo tong from the small jar and snapped it into the air with a "snap snap".
Ning Niangzi, who didn't have children yet, was delighted to see Xiang Jie'er's cheerful and articulate appearance. She glanced at the clean and tidy stall and noticed that the other steamed buns had common flavors, but there was one... She hesitated and asked, "What is that Lin'an steamed bun you're talking about?"
Xiangjie straightened up and pointed to the small, round bamboo steamer on another small stove. She carefully lifted the lid of the top steamer: "These are Lin'an steamed buns. They're small and filled with scallions and pork. You can eat them one bite at a time, and they're so fragrant!" She recalled the taste her older sister had given her to try yesterday, and shook her head with admiration. "They're so delicious! I could eat a whole steamer by myself!"
Ning Niangzi waved away the rising, humid steam before her. A clean gauze cloth lined the bottom of the steamer, upon which neatly arranged small, evenly pleated meat buns looked exquisite and adorable. Most importantly, each bun was plump and full, the skin glistening with meat oil, the aroma of meat mingling with the fragrance of wheat filling the air.
A basket of eight, with thin skins and generous fillings, costs only ten coins!
Ning Niangzi became an official matchmaker at a young age, earning a very generous fee for each marriage she brokered. In Bianjing, matchmakers and monks were both lucrative professions that were not publicly acknowledged but were secretly very wealthy. However, being a matchmaker required not only family tradition and a silver tongue, but also extensive connections, influence in all walks of life, and good relationships with every household. It was not a profession that ordinary people could attain.
Without hesitation, the wealthy Lady Ning said, "Then I'll take a basket! And a whole bunch of red bean baked buns."
"A basket of steamed buns costs ten coins, and a red bean baked bun costs eight coins..." Xiang Jie'er was speaking when she suddenly stopped. She counted on her fingers again and again, but she couldn't figure out what "ten plus eight" equaled for a long time. Fortunately, Shen Ji had just finished carrying water for Shen Miao and heard her from inside. He quickly came out to help her out of the predicament.
Shen Ji gently flicked her forehead and smiled at Ning Niangzi, "Eighteen coins in total."
Xiangjie stuck out her tongue, handed the fried giant devil in her hand to her brother for safekeeping, and then eagerly grabbed the bamboo tongs, putting all the Lin'an steamed buns that Ning Niangzi wanted into the folded oil paper bag. After receiving the money, she handed it over with both hands, not forgetting to imitate Shen Miao's expression and tone, and smiled with her eyes crinkling: "Auntie, your steamed buns are ready, please come again if you like them!"
When Ning Niangzi took it, she touched her face with suspicion: was she about to be called "Auntie" by children? But soon the fragrance emanating from her bosom took away her thoughts. She walked to the willow tree at the entrance of the alley, turned her back, picked up a small steamed bun and took a bite.
The dough was soft and fluffy, chewy yet tender, with some parts soaked in meat fat. One bite revealed the soft dough sandwiching the braised meat, the savory broth spreading across the tongue. The skin was thin! The filling was generous! And it wasn't greasy at all; instead, every bite was a delightful surprise, making Ning Niangzi's mouth water.
She couldn't stop eating; she never expected that this newly opened soup noodle shop would make meat buns so delicious.
She ate the whole basket in one go. Although her stomach was full, her mouth was still not satisfied.
Ning Niangzi peeked into the still-closed Gu family's shop in Yangliu East Alley, then turned to look at the sky and pondered for a while. In the end, she happily followed her heart and stepped into Chenji Tangbing Shop. Before entering, she turned back to Xiang Jie'er and said, "Give me half a basket of small steamed buns."
After giving her instructions, she found a table and sat down. She looked around and saw that the small shop's tables and chairs were neat and tidy, and even the floor was spotless. She nodded to herself and then turned to see the menu on the wall. At the top was a large line of characters that read "Chen Ji Tangbing Shop Menu." Below that were two rows of smaller characters, with lifelike illustrations of the corresponding dishes next to them. After the illustrations, the price of each dish was written down.
This shop has some clever ideas.
Lady Ning was a worldly woman who had been a matchmaker for many high-ranking officials and nobles. To avoid being looked down upon by them, she hired a female tutor and studied diligently for several years, learning many characters and gaining some knowledge. However, she lacked talent in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. After several years of study, she was no longer illiterate and would not embarrass herself in front of the nobles, so she decided not to waste the money.
She glanced at the menu, her eyes landing on the words "Clear Stewed Mutton Soup, Thirty Coins a Bowl".
The illustration accompanying the mutton soup is also very tempting. The cool, milky white mutton soup is filled with meat and scallions, served in a large celadon bowl with a meander pattern, and wisps of steam are floating in it. Although the painting is not a fine brushwork, it has its own childlike charm.
She was a huge fan of mutton; no matter how it was fried, stewed, or boiled, she couldn't resist it. Thirty coins a bowl wasn't too expensive for mutton soup, so she called out towards the kitchen, where a half-draped coarse cloth curtain hung, revealing glimpses of people bustling about, "Another bowl of mutton soup, please!"
While waiting, she examined two calligraphy scrolls on the other wall, and her eyes lit up. She looked at them with great interest for a long time.
Shen Miao was surprised to have guests so soon. She responded, and since everything was ready, she ladled a bowl of soup from the earthenware jar. Xiang Jie'er, with her short legs, carried a small rattan bowl lined with oiled paper and served Ning Niangzi half a basket of four small steamed buns.
Shen Miao placed the hot mutton soup sprinkled with scallions in front of Ning Niangzi and said with a smile, "All the dishes you ordered are here, please enjoy."
"Please wait a moment, madam." Madam Ning pointed to the two calligraphy scrolls hanging on the wall and asked curiously, "These two scrolls are signed... Xie Jiu? Who is this Xie Jiu? His calligraphy has the style of a master."
Shen Miao looked up and saw the two calligraphy pieces Xie Qi had written, which Yan Shu had delivered the previous night. These two pieces were mounted on plain silk scrolls with subtle patterns; from a distance, the patterns were almost invisible. Only upon closer inspection could one see the flowing, understated embellishments beneath the ink. One piece read, "Three meals a day bring warmth, all four seasons bring peace," and the other, "Spring brings life, summer brings growth, autumn brings harvest, winter brings storage; follow the seasons to nourish."
I wonder if Xie Jiuge has ever seen the small wooden board with the words "Autumn Peace and Winter Joy" written on it that stands at the entrance of her backyard. The two pieces of calligraphy he sent are not only appropriate for hanging in a restaurant, but also subtly match her ideal.
She had no grand ambitions; all she wanted was for her family to enjoy warm meals together and live a life of natural comforts.
Even without mentioning Xie Jiuge's calligraphy, these two sentences alone are enough to bring a knowing smile to Shen Miaowang's face.
So that very night, she couldn't wait to find nails and hang it up. She stood under the words, admiring them quietly for a long time. At that time, mutton soup was simmering in the kitchen, the warm smoke and aroma enveloping her. Under the lamplight, in the empty shop with the doors closed, Ji Ge'er was reciting his lessons, shaking his head. Xiang Jie'er was holding a puppy, pinching its thick little paws to make it stand up on its hind legs, trying to dance with the dog.
As she gazed at them, and then at these words, her heart felt like a quietly burning ember, enveloped in the scent of smoke.
It turns out that there are people in this world who can see through a person's thoughts and feelings based on a relationship that is as light as water.
She found it very strange.
Shen Miao couldn't help but think of the pair of long, clean, and well-proportioned hands that gently brushed her shoulder under the crabapple tree at the entrance of Biyong Academy. She suddenly felt it was truly amazing—a person who was clearly so gentle, mild-mannered, aloof, and polite could have such keen eyes that could see through people's hearts.
Therefore, when faced with Ning Niangzi's curious and inquisitive gaze, Shen Miao recalled Xie Qi's words in front of the Biyong Academy and smiled: "It was made by a friend of mine. He doesn't like to make a name for himself, so he won't say more."
"I see. It's understandable that many scholars have a penchant for seclusion," Ning Niangzi said with a smile, thus bringing the topic to a close.
Shen Miao told her to take her time eating, and then went back to the kitchen to continue making noodles.
Ning Niangzi gazed at her tall, slender back, lost in thought. This Chen Niangzi from the soup noodle shop was probably no ordinary person.
The Song Dynasty was a culturally prosperous period, and it highly valued poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Some calligraphers would spend a fortune to obtain even a single good character. Some restaurants even became famous because a poet had inscribed a poem on their wall, and regardless of the quality of their food, they were always packed with customers.
Although the calligraphy displayed in this soup noodle shop is not worth a thousand gold coins per character, it is already quite incredible that such an inconspicuous little shop in the city could have such excellent calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall.
This small Chenji Soup Dumpling Shop may have powerful officials or dignitaries backing it up.
Ning Niangzi stroked her chin and came to a conclusion.
Shen Miao was unaware that her vague remark had made Ning Niangzi take the small eatery more seriously, and even sparked a thought in her mind—she knew that Shen Niangzi had been divorced by her husband's family. As the most popular matchmaker in the area, she already knew which couples near Jinliang Bridge were unmarried, which were married, and which were divorced. If she could find a good match for her and bring the two families together, wouldn't she be able to connect with the influential person behind Shen Niangzi? Perhaps she could even earn several strings of cash for matchmaking...
She was distracted and gently scooped a spoonful of mutton soup into her mouth.
The moment she took a sip, all those unfounded guesses vanished. The intense, rich flavor instantly spread through her mouth, dispelling the slight chill she felt upon waking. After a few more sips, the tender ingredients blended perfectly with the broth, warming her from head to toe.
Ning Niangzi's eyes lit up: What a delicious soup!
Initially, she didn't have high hopes for such a small shop. Everyone in Bianjing loved to eat mutton, but truly good mutton soup was rare. Even a mutton lover like Ning Niangzi often felt indignant after eating mutton soup that was murky, fishy, and tasteless like mud, with tough, coarse mutton meat like withered grass. Later, after drinking too much unpalatable mutton soup, she splurged once to eat at Fanlou. Fanlou's mutton soup was, of course, as delicious as nectar, but it cost 180 coins a bowl! 180 coins! And not even a large bowl, but a small one.
Sometimes, even Ning Niangzi would sigh, saying that Fanlou could have easily become a bandit, but he insisted on giving her a bowl of mutton soup, which showed his conscience.
But this little eatery has cooked such delicious mutton soup, and it only costs thirty coins! What a bargain!
Moreover, this soup was different from the soup in other shops. There were no spices such as peppercorns or star anise in this soup. It seemed to have only been made with scallions, ginger and salt, and simmered over a low flame. Therefore, in addition to being delicious, it also felt clean. Ning Niangzi took another sip with relish, and then ate a small meat bun with the soup. She was so happy that she squinted her eyes.
Halfway through her mutton soup, she ate a piece of meat from the soup. The mutton did not disappoint her; the soup was white and the meat was tender, with only fragrance and no gamey smell.
After finishing her soup, she was in a good mood. She got up to pay the bill and couldn't help but praise Shen Miaoduo, who came out to clear the dishes, saying, "My wife's cooking is superb. This mutton soup is just as delicious as Fanlou, but not too expensive. I will definitely come back for soup next time."
Shen Miao wasn't particularly modest; she simply smiled and said generously, "Thank you. Please come often if you like."
She put a lot of effort into this seemingly simple soup, which deserves praise.
Although mutton is expensive, the people of Bianjing love to eat it. Opening a shop is not like setting up a stall; you have to have dishes at different price points, from high-end to low-end. Chen Ji Tangbing Shop is located in the inner city, in a good location, near places with high foot traffic such as Daxiangguo Temple and Maxing Street. After much consideration, she decided to offer mutton soup and mutton noodles at her shop, priced at the highest level among all noodle dishes.
To prepare this mutton soup, Shen Miao visited numerous mutton stalls both inside and outside Bianjing (Kaifeng), thoroughly researching the origins and quality of mutton during the Song Dynasty. Most of the sheep in Bianjing came from several sources. One was the Yanchi Tan sheep from Xingqing Prefecture (Ningxia). Xingqing sheep, both in the Song Dynasty and later, were renowned for being almost entirely free of muttony odor, with tender meat and a bright red color, delicious no matter how it was cooked—boiled, stewed, roasted, simmered, fried, or grilled. However, due to the distance, transporting Xingqing sheep to Bianjing for slaughter was very expensive. The second source was lamb from Qinzhou in Longyou. Longyou is characterized by its rolling mountains, abundant water and grass, and year-round cultivation of various medicinal herbs. The local Tan sheep graze on grass and herbs from birth, reportedly not only lacking muttony odor but also possessing a natural medicinal aroma, making them ideal for braised mutton. The third type is Hengshan mutton from Yongxingjun Road (Shaanxi). These sheep from the old Qin Chuan region live on grasslands planted with sand onions and thyme. The mutton is fragrant, chewy, and tender, lean and low in fat, making it the most suitable for stewing. Hengshan mutton can be stewed to make the most fragrant and rich mutton soup.
After comparing various options, Shen Miao signed a long-term supply contract with a stall owner in the outer city who specialized in Hengshan mutton. Firstly, Hengshan mutton was cheaper than the other two types. Secondly, since she wanted to make soup, she naturally chose meat suitable for soup. Thirdly, after browsing around, only this stall, whose name sounded like a blacksmith's, "Niu Dachui Hengshan Mutton Shop," was willing to let her bargain. Finally, she settled on a price of 88 wen per jin of mutton, plus two bones.
With the mutton in hand, the mutton is first removed from the meat when making mutton soup, and the broth is simmered with mutton bones the night before. The next morning, the mutton is cut into large chunks and blanched, then stir-fried in hot oil in a pot for a while to render out the excess mutton fat. A suitable amount of wine is then poured in from the side of the pot, and finally, scallions and ginger are added and stir-fried until the aroma of the scallions and ginger is fully released in the wok.
Stir-frying the mutton before simmering it in soup makes the soup less greasy, and the rendered mutton fat enhances the flavor.
Finally, bring the stir-fried mutton to a boil over high heat with mutton bone broth, skim off the foam, and then simmer over low heat until the broth turns milky white.
Today's mutton soup was made with the Hengshan goat, which was raised on spices such as sand onions and mugwort. But Shen Miao didn't dare to cook too much. She only prepared one pot today, for fear that it wouldn't sell. If the mutton was stuck in her hands, she, Ji Ge'er, and Xiang Jie'er would probably eat until they had nosebleeds and still not be able to finish it.
After that, she sold seven or eight more bowls of noodles with soybean paste, and then Chen Miao had some free time.
There weren't many people eating soup dumplings early in the morning.
On the contrary, Xiang Jie'er's stall was very popular. Some customers were diners who had known her since Jinliang Bridge and came to buy red bean buns; some were passersby who smelled the aroma, bought a few meat buns and left in a hurry; and some were neighbors who saw Xiang Jie'er, a little girl, sitting behind her stall cart with a serious expression and busy at work, so they all came over to chat and bought a few buns to eat.
Ji Ge'er would occasionally go out to help Xiang Jie'er with accounting and collecting money, and then he would voluntarily come over to help Shen Miao wash the dishes. After washing them, he would take a broom and rag and go out to wipe the table and sweep the floor. Shen Miao felt that she was already very clean, but Ji Ge'er's obsession with cleanliness seemed to be even more severe than hers.
Before the results of the Biyong Academy exams were released, he spent all his time helping out at the shop, except for practicing calligraphy and reading. While Shen Miao made noodles and prepared vegetables, he took on all the odd jobs, carrying water, sweeping the floor, washing dishes and vegetables, and sorting ingredients, keeping himself as busy as a spinning top.
Shen Miao couldn't get rid of him, so she had no choice but to work with him. As she turned the washed dishes upside down to dry, she thought about last night. In just half a day of trial operation, she had sold more than forty bowls of noodles. Afterwards, she and Ji Ge'er washed a huge basin full of countless dishes, pots, and pans after closing up shop. She told Ji Ge'er to take a break, but the boy wouldn't listen and kept working hard. His hands had been soaking in soapy water for too long, and his fingers were red from rubbing.
Looking at the scene today, Shen Miao pondered, "In my past life, when I ran a restaurant, the tableware could be put into a large dishwasher or outsourced to a professional tableware sterilization company. Some small shops even used disposable tableware, saving the trouble of washing the bowls. But in the Song Dynasty... washing dishes became a big problem."
Whether or not Ji-ge can pass the entrance exam for Biyong Academy, even if he doesn't, she will still send him to study at the home of a good teacher in the future. Even if it's a family that doesn't have a good education, they wouldn't dare to treat such a young child like a donkey pulling a millstone.
Perhaps she should hire a handyman to help her out.
She remembered that every year during the busiest seasons of brewing wine, spring and autumn, Aunt Gu's family would go to the "matchmaker" who provided a matchmaking service between employers and servants to hire short-term workers. It seemed that they would have to pay the servants 90 to 100 coins a day. There were also idlers gathering in places like the teahouse at the entrance of Qiaoshi Alley, waiting for employers to come and select manpower. However, most of these people were "temporary workers" who would run away at the slightest disagreement, so they were not a good choice.
It was still early, and no customers had come to eat noodles yet. Shen Miao instructed Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er: "If you sell out of steamed buns, push the stall back to the backyard. I'm going to Aunt Gu's house. Keep an eye on things. I'll be back in a little while."
The two were serving steamed buns to a customer when they both replied without turning their heads, "Okay!"
Shen Miao planned to detour to Aunt Gu's house to inquire about the "caretaker's" employment situation, so as not to go there confused and be deceived and swindled out of money by those smooth-talking middlemen. But when she reached the back gate of Aunt Gu's house, she heard arguing in the yard, and she stopped in her tracks, no longer going forward.
She vaguely heard Aunt Gu seemingly scolding Gu Tusu: "How old are you? Still not married? Do you want to kill your father's line? The Liu family next door who makes tofu, their eldest son is the same age as you, and his son is already as tall as a table! What are you thinking?"
Gu Tusu remained silent. In the dead silence, another woman's voice rang out: "Alright, alright, since your family hasn't reached an agreement yet, invite me again next time. Forced marriages are never happy. The girls I've found are all good girls, and their families value them. They won't want to marry someone without a clear plan. Aunt Gu, just consider this a wasted trip. I'm leaving now."
Shen Miao quickly lifted her skirt and ran home, not wanting Aunt Gu to think she was eavesdropping.
When she turned around, she was so frightened that her heart almost jumped out of her throat—Aunt Li was standing behind her like a ghost, craning her neck and listening intently. When Shen Miao suddenly turned around, she put her finger to her lips, her eyes shining as she shushed her: "Don't shout, let me listen some more."
He paused for a moment, then said confidently, "I saw that matchmaker Ning coming to the Gu family's door from afar, and I knew something was wrong. Sure enough! Don't worry, that matchmaker Ning is a distinguished guest. The Gu family will definitely see her off through the front door of the shop, not through the back door."
Shen Miao was on the verge of tears. She really hadn't come to eavesdrop! Now she'd become Aunt Li's accomplice!
She waved awkwardly and hurriedly slipped back to her own home across the street.
Fortunately, she returned. A dozen or so people suddenly entered the shop. They were either sitting or standing, all wearing Fanyang hats, waist belts, and short-sleeved clothes. They also carried long sticks, quivers, or large swords on their backs.
Beneath their straw hats, they all looked fierce and menacing, some even bearing scars on their faces.
Ji-ge and Xiang-jie had just finished selling breakfast and pushed their cart back to the backyard when these people rushed in. The two children turned pale with fright and were frantically trying to find her! She peeked out through the gap in the curtain and quickly hid the two of them inside. She then pulled Lei-ting over to guard the door: "Don't come out. I'll go check on them. Everything will be alright."
Xiangjie hugged Leiting's neck in fear and tugged at her clothes, saying, "Sister, be careful."
Ji Ge'er's face darkened, and he revealed the same fierceness he had shown when he heard that she had been bullied by the Rong family. He rolled up his sleeves and said seriously, "Sister, if anything happens, just shout loudly. I'll go to the kitchen to get a knife in a bit. If necessary, we can fight them!"
"No, no, our family hasn't done anything wrong, so you can all stay put!"
She took a deep breath, put on a smile, lifted the curtain, and walked into the shop: "Good morning, gentlemen. What's going on?"
She only opened her shop for one day; surely she couldn't have done anything wrong? She mentally reviewed all the food she sold yesterday and this morning, wondering if anyone had gotten sick and reported her to the authorities. But her ingredients were all very fresh, and she was very hygienic when cooking; she even had several separate dishcloths and never mixed them up. Besides, her family ate the food she cooked; how could there be a problem?
She quickly went through all the worst-case scenarios, her face calm but her heart pounding.
At this moment, the dignified middle-aged man sitting in the middle, surrounded by other soldiers, spoke in a deep voice: "So you are Madam Shen?"
"Yes." Shen Miao straightened her back subconsciously, unwilling to show any weakness.
The middle-aged man looked up at her, silently scrutinizing her from head to toe. His face was weathered and stern, and he possessed sharp, eagle-like eyes that instilled a sense of unease. He stared at Shen Miao for a long while, then glanced hastily at the menu on the wall, unfastened the sword from his waist, placed it on the table, and said:
"Give me twelve bowls of that... deep-fried instant soup noodles."
Shen Miao was too nervous to hear clearly for a moment, and subconsciously said "Huh?"
"What? This is the address the boy mentioned? I've searched all over Yangliu East Lane, and your family is the only one with the surname Chen. Your shop closed way too early yesterday, making me come all this way for nothing. Hurry up, hurry up, twelve bowls of instant soup noodles, the kind you can eat by just pouring hot water on them." Another, younger soldier gesticulated excitedly as he described the dish to the middle-aged man. "Just bring the dried soup noodles and hot water, we'll make them ourselves!"
After saying that, he turned to the middle-aged man and asked for credit: "Instructor, it's rare that you have time. I've seen how the boy eats. I'll make it for you! It's so much fun, like magic. In the blink of an eye, it becomes a bowl of thick soup noodles."
The other soldiers burst into laughter: "Look how much this kid is craving it! He's been thinking about it for so long. We brothers hear him talking about it every day, and our ears are about to fall off. Madam Chen, you'd better hurry up and prepare it, or this kid's drool will flood your shop."
The young soldier blushed and scratched his head.
The middle-aged man they called their instructor then curled the corners of his mouth and revealed a slight smile.
"I see, I'll bring it over right away." Shen Miao breathed a sigh of relief, and as she turned around, she patted her chest. She was so scared!
Hot water was readily available, and the instant noodles had been fried in advance. She grabbed a handful of dried vegetables that had been dried in an earthen kiln, then cut up braised meat and braised eggs, divided them into twelve portions, and made several trips to carry them all.
Seeing the young soldier already loudly pouring hot water to demonstrate his "magic trick" to his colleagues, Shen Miao tiptoed back to the backyard from the kitchen. She pushed open the door to the room where Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er were hiding, and looked at Ji Ge'er, who was still gripping a kitchen knife as if facing a great enemy. She couldn't help but laugh: "Ji Ge'er, what did you say to those inspecting soldiers when you went to take the exam?"
Ji Ge'er, holding the knife, was also stunned for a moment: "It's nothing. They asked me where I bought the soup dumplings, so I told them to come to my house to buy them."
Shen Miao silently gave him a thumbs up.
This ad was so hardcore, it almost scared her out of her wits.
She went back to the shop, where the tall, sturdy soldiers had all prepared their noodles and were slurping them down. The entire noodle shop had become a sea of braised instant noodles, and the smell made her a little hungry.
She went to the shop entrance for some fresh air when she suddenly heard a commotion coming from the entrance of another eatery not far away, which advertised "Deng Wu's Fresh Fish Soup." A simply dressed woman in her fifties was tightly holding the hand of a tall, sturdy girl who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was being rudely shoved out by the waiter of that eatery, who waved his arms impatiently as if shooing away flies.
"Are you here to make fun of us, woman? Your daughter is clearly a fool, worse than a three-year-old, yet she dares to come in looking for work? Get out! Get out! Don't come back! Hurry up! What bad luck this early in the morning, don't ruin our business!"
The woman was so angry that her eyes turned red, and tears welled up in her tired, relaxed eyes. But in the end, she said nothing. She simply grabbed her daughter, who was still dazed and confused, and turned away, suppressing her anger.
The mother and daughter walked heavily, the mother pulling her daughter, who was a head taller than her, as they passed by the dimly lit shop, dejected.
In the fleeting moment as they passed each other, Shen Miao also caught a glimpse of the mother and daughter.
She only glanced at it, but her heart felt like it had been clenched.
The mother and daughter were dressed simply, both in short, coarse brown jackets and matching narrow-legged trousers. The woman looked much older than her age, thin, and her back was hunched from overwork. Yet, she had raised the girl to be tall and strong, with a rosy and healthy complexion. However, the girl's appearance was somewhat strange; she had wide-set eyes, a flat nose, and a listless expression. She also always unconsciously opened her mouth slightly, as if trying to speak, but could only utter short, indistinct sounds.
"Cool. Cool."
Shenmiao heard her trying to make a sound, calling out "Mother".
The woman lowered her head, and the tears she had held back for so long finally fell.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com