The old lady knew that Xu Xiangjuan was not easy to deal with, so she started with Wu Caifeng. Unexpectedly, Wu Caifeng directly refused. She couldn't save face and simply dragged her grandson away who was crying non-stop. Two or three other old ladies who followed her murmured a few words and left as well.
Xu Xiangjuan didn't care. Soon the second group of customers came. They were a few middle-aged men with thin bodies and dark faces. They were real farmers.
They each ordered a piece of bread, some wanted a whole piece without cutting, and some wanted it cut into several small pieces to bring back to their family.
There is no rule prohibiting eating in public places now. Even in ten or twenty years, when a stage is set up in the countryside to perform plays, there will be many small stalls selling snacks nearby.
Only now Xu Xiangjuan's family has set out their food. Some of them actually brought melon seeds and peanuts. They had also eaten dinner, but the food smelled so good that they couldn't resist asking the people who were eating the food the price. If they found it acceptable, they came and bought it.
When Wu Caifeng and several old sisters came over with stools, they also patronized Xu Xiangjuan's business. Most of them wanted to cut a few portions for their grandchildren.
They arrived early, and the play had not yet begun. Several actors were preparing on the stage, and a few others were temporarily setting up a simple scene.
Everyone brought their own benches to sit on. The benches looked similar, but everyone could recognize their own and no one moved them away. Seats were on a first-come, first-served basis.
Omelettes can only be made one at a time now. As more and more customers come, Xu Xiangjuan, who is making the omelettes, has no time to rest.
The cattle were all in grandpa's hands, and grandma was helping mom add more dishes.
In order to avoid forgetting about the dishes because there were so many people, Wu Caifeng remembered everyone’s tastes and decided whether to add or not add any vegetables, while Xu Xiangjuan focused on making the pancakes.
When the play officially starts, the whole area is filled with the aroma of omelettes.
It was time to take a break, so Zhou Chengning took down several small stools hanging on the bicycles and gave them space for everyone to sit on.
"Juan, we have earned 10 yuan now." Zhou Chengning, who was sitting next to Xu Xiangjuan, counted the money in the box and was surprised.
Basically it's dimes, the largest is fifty cents, and they're very scattered, but when you add them up, the number is astonishing.
The experience at night was undoubtedly new to him. Earning 10 yuan in one night was something he could not imagine in his nearly 30 years of life.
"There should be another wave when we leave tonight." Xu Xiangjuan was not as excited as her husband. She turned around and said to her parents, "Mom and Dad, how much vermicelli is left?"
She prepared the most vermicelli before going out. After all, the quantity was sufficient. One egg pancake was not enough, and adding vegetables didn't seem worthwhile. So everyone basically added vermicelli, which was consumed the fastest.
"A small half basin. This vermicelli is selling really well. Some people even asked if it can be sold individually." Xu Gensheng said while holding Niu Niu.
"It tastes better if it's fried and sold separately. This one is suitable for heating up and putting in the omelet." Xu Xiangjuan rubbed her arm.
Zhou Chengning, who was counting the money for the second time, noticed his lover rubbing his arm. He put the money away and massaged his lover's shoulders and arms.
The child's father pinched him, but Xu Xiangjuan didn't do it herself and just waited to be served.
There was no electricity in the village, but the stage was lit up by big lights, and there was also a dim light on Xu Xiangjuan's side. Everyone's attention was on the stage, and when their family had free time, they would sit by the stall and listen to the opera.
Although it's a bit far away, it doesn't prevent you from listening to the opera.
Both the scene layout and the actors' makeup were rough and simple, but no matter what the audience was doing, they would turn their eyes to the stage when the performance began.
Whenever there is a performance, everyone will come early to grab a seat, no matter if they are adults or children, no matter if they understand it or not, they all watch it intently. Even the cows will sit quietly in the stands without making any noise.
Zhou Chengning actually didn't understand what was being sung, but the announcer told him the name of the opera. These operas basically had allusions, and he understood the allusions, so he was able to enjoy the show and massage his lover's shoulders and arms at the same time.
After most of the game, Niu Niu couldn't hold it in any longer and kept moaning, asking his mother to hold him. Xu Xiangjuan probably knew that her son wanted to pee.
Xu Xiangjuan took Niu Niu and gently stroked Niu Niu's back. She took Niu Niu to find a place to relieve herself, saying, "Mom stinks, but you still want me to hold you."
Niu Niu lay on his mother's shoulder and uttered a few words, "oh oh oh", and soon calmed down.
Zhou Chengning followed behind, and when they were a little further away, he said, "Juan, you don't stink, you smell good."
Xu Xiangjuan: "Come on, what are you doing following me?"
Zhou Chengning: "It's dark, and the road here is hard to see clearly. I'll follow you and feel more at ease."
Xu Xiangjuan: "I'm worried if you follow me. Be careful when you walk in the dark."
There is actually a pit toilet nearby, but the smell is so strong that adults have to pinch their noses and walk past it. Niu Niu is a little kid and doesn't know how to pinch his nose, so he would cry loudly when he was taken there before. Now we can only find a field for the child to pee. Fortunately, there are many fields in their village, so it is easy to find one.
After urinating, Niu Niu became energetic again and talked to his mother, making sounds of "oh oh oh".
This time, Xu Xiangjuan handed Niu Niu to Zhou Chengning. She really had a smell on her body. She might not have noticed it when she was standing next to the stall, but once she got outside, the smell of the egg pancakes on her body rushed directly into her nose. Niu Niu was still a milk-scented baby, but she was already a stinky mother.
Niu Niu was hugged by his father, but he did not forget to interact with his mother.
Not long after the daughters left, the lady who asked but didn't buy came over again and asked Wu Caifeng if she could make a pancake for her with some vermicelli, and she would pay 20 cents.
Just want to take advantage, Wu Caifeng was concentrating on watching the show, and refused again, "I said no, what do you want me to say when Juan comes back later?"
Xu Xiangjuan was a well-known tough girl in the village. Who dared to mess with her? The old lady waited until she left before approaching.
"Grandma, can you give me a cake?" the old lady's grandson spoke.
Wu Caifeng is not the kind of elder who would pity other people's younger generations. "Wait for your aunt to come back and tell me. I can't make the decision. She remembers everything. She will find out if there is anything missing. Besides, I don't know how to make an omelet."
Guagua and Miaomiao returned to the stall earlier than Xu Xiangjuan because Guagua wanted to drink some water.
"Can your mother give me a cake?" the little boy said to Guagua.
Guagua: "30 cents a cake. My father's words are written here. You have to pay extra for other things. If you want to buy some, wait until my mom comes back and give her the money."
After Gua Gua said this, the little boy felt even more aggrieved and started crying again.
When Gua Gua saw someone crying, he took Miao Miao to the back of the stall and ignored him.
When Xu Xiangjuan and Zhou Chengning came back, they saw this scene. She took Niu Niu from the child's father and handed it to the child's grandfather.
Xu Gensheng didn't say anything until his grandson came into his arms. Then he said a few words to him, even though his grandson couldn't understand him.
Xu Xiangjuan: "Auntie, it's what it is. Everyone else is paying this price. I can't lower the price just because of you. If others hear it, they will think I'm being picky. Who would dare to buy from you?"
The grandson was crying so aggrieved that the grandmother gritted her teeth and bought him one. "Okay, give me one with shredded potatoes. Take the 40 cents. Add more shredded potatoes. My dear grandson loves it."
Since the other party wanted to buy it, Xu Xiangjuan didn't say much and made an egg pancake for the customer and added some more shredded potatoes.
Anyway, we didn’t sell many shredded potatoes tonight, so it’s okay to give people a few more.
As soon as the egg pancake came out, the little boy started to gobble it up, and the old lady took the little boy away.
Wu Caifeng was quite surprised. "My daughter's cakes are delicious. The stingy guy left and came back."
Xu Xiangjuan knew that the old lady didn't eat, but her grandson was pestering her, "It's just that the child is greedy, Guagua, you can't be greedy in the future, do you understand?"
Guagua, who was suddenly mentioned, had just finished drinking water, said he understood, and took Miaomiao away again.
"Should we come here earlier tomorrow?" Wu Caifeng is confident now.
Xu Xiangjuan: "Mom, no need. Just come at the usual time. Prepare the ingredients at home first. Doesn't anyone want to eat fried vermicelli? Sell another sample of fried vermicelli tomorrow and bring a bucket of tomato and egg soup."
Fortunately, the place is not far away, so it is not troublesome to bring a bucket of soup.
She has to soften the vermicelli in advance and blanch it in hot water so that it is easier to fry. She breaks the vermicelli for the egg pancake and fry it. Of course, it is different for special frying. She has thought about the price, 50 cents as the base, and 20 cents for an egg. Except for a few green vegetable leaves that are already there, all other ingredients are charged according to the price of egg pancake ingredients.
Wu Caifeng didn't understand how the soup was sold. "How is the soup sold?"
"The soup is free, and the vermicelli is 50 cents as a base."
Wu Caifeng originally thought that she was at a loss because the soup was free, but when she heard that the fried vermicelli was only 50 cents, she immediately ignored the fact that the soup was free and thought, "Why is it so expensive? Who wants to eat it?"
"Some people will be willing to eat it. If no one wants to buy it, just let Guagua take the fried vermicelli and eat it. If someone buys egg pancakes after the show tonight, I will say a few words. Tomorrow I will sell fried vermicelli. If you buy fried vermicelli, you can get soup for free. If you want to buy it, remember to bring your own bowl or enamel pot."
Wu Caifeng didn't express any opinion. Her daughter had her own ideas. She opposed buying the stove, but her opposition was useless. Wouldn't she still buy it if she opposed?
She originally thought her daughter was joking when she said she was starting a food business, but now that she has set up a stall here, she can’t help but believe what her daughter said.
...
There were indeed repeat customers when the show was over, even the opera singers from outside, who didn't even take off their makeup. They made reservations for five, paid the money, and were told they would pick them up later.
After the show, it was busy again. Xu Xiangjuan finished the work for the five opera actors and asked her father to watch before she started working for others.
Most of the people in the village came out, but there were still some who didn't come. Some of them who were unfamiliar with the place and had never bought anything before came out to buy some, preparing to take some home for their families.
The fried vermicelli was sold out the fastest, and no one was picky about the rest, they just all asked for more.
Xu Xiangjuan gave people too much in that range, there was no more.
Two opera singers came over to get egg pancakes. Since his daughter was busy, Xu Gensheng took the opportunity to promote the business for her.
He heard that it was not a good idea to eat before a play started, so if people wanted to eat, they could come and buy it after the play tomorrow. They would get soup, and they should remember to bring a bowl.
It was past nine o'clock in the evening when the family closed their stall. Zhou Chengning didn't know how much money they had, but everyone was tired, so they went home first.
Xu Gensheng carried Wu Caifeng and Guagua on the bicycle, Xu Xiangjuan sat on the side of the tricycle holding Niu Niu, and Zhou Chengning rode a bicycle.
Xu Gensheng dropped his granddaughter off and didn't mention anything about money. He parked his bike and went home.
After returning, Xu Xiangjuan went to boil some hot water. She smelled so bad that she didn't even want to hold the child.
Zhou Chengning held Niu Niu and counted the money. When Niu Niu wanted to touch the money, he moved Niu Niu's chubby hand away. The chubby hand was persistent, but the more times Niu Niu touched the money, the more his father moved his hand away.
Guagua was the oldest child and knew that the family was “short of money”, so he just watched his father count the money one penny at a time and did not reach out to take it like his younger brother.
"Juan, the total is 24 yuan and 30 cents."
"Give 5 yuan to your parents tomorrow, and keep the rest for yourself."
"I got it, Juan. I'll put it away first." Zhou Chengning closed the money box and prepared to hide some of the money inside.
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