Chapter 4: Start Making Money with Chive and Egg Pancakes!
The docks were gradually becoming lively.
On the river, the water shimmered in the morning light, like a flowing golden ribbon.
Ships were moored along the shore, cargo ships fully loaded with goods, their hulls slightly submerged by the weight, while dockworkers busily loaded and unloaded cargo.
The nimble fishing boats huddled together, their bows still hung with the fishing nets from the previous night's catch.
On the distant river, some boats were slowly approaching, their sails billowing in the breeze.
The dock was lined with various stalls, some selling freshly caught fish and shrimp, but most selling breakfast items like steaming buns and fried dough sticks, which smelled delicious.
Lin Yao arrived a little late today. When she got there, all the good spots had already been taken. They found a corner spot, put down their carrying pole and basket, and started setting up their food stall.
After setting up her pancake stall, Lin Yao took out the ingredients from her basket and arranged them before getting to work.
Lin Yao first put a large piece of lard into the pot. The oil sizzled on the hot pot. Lin Cheng hesitated to speak. Lin Yao saw that her older brother was worried about the lard. "Brother, when we come out to sell food, color, aroma and taste are all essential. Otherwise, why would people pay money to buy it?"
Lin Cheng thought about it and agreed, "Ayao is right."
Aunt Li, who sells porridge next door, glanced at the woman several times and clicked her tongue in surprise. She wondered what the new young woman was up to, how could she be so willing to put in so much oil? These three siblings didn't look like they came from wealthy families, so why were they being so wasteful?
Lin Yao was completely unaware of Aunt Li's inner turmoil. She poured the ingredients she had prepared that morning into the pot, and as soon as the batter touched the hot pot, a layer of fine bubbles instantly appeared.
Lin Yao skillfully picked up the spatula and gently pushed the edge of the pancake to ensure it was heated more evenly.
As the temperature rises, the edges of the pastry gradually turn golden and crispy, emitting an enticing aroma.
As Lin Yao watched one side begin to turn slightly yellow, she immediately flipped the pancake over and continued frying the other side.
In no time, the other side also turned golden and tempting. The fresh aroma of chives and the rich flavor of eggs blended perfectly together, and the fragrance immediately seemed to grow wings and drifted leisurely.
Aunt Li couldn't help but sniff, leaning over to ask, "Young lady, what are you making? It smells strangely delicious."
Lin Yao looked up and replied with a smile, "Auntie, this is a chive and egg pancake."
Before long, several chive and egg pancakes were neatly arranged to the side. Lin Yao picked out the one that looked the best, wrapped it in a palm leaf reed, and handed it to Aunt Li: "Auntie, please try it."
Aunt Li hurriedly waved her hands, saying, "Oh dear, no, no, you kids work hard to earn money, how can I eat for free?"
Lin Yao insisted on giving it to her: "Auntie, please don't refuse. We might need your help in the future!"
Aunt Li then took the pancake, took a bite, and her eyes lit up instantly. She exclaimed, "Delicious! So delicious! Young lady, your cooking skills are truly excellent! I've been running a stall at this dock for most of my life, and this is the first time I've ever eaten such delicious pancakes!"
Lin Yao knew that chive and egg pancakes were not difficult to cook. However, in ancient times, oil and fat were scarce, and lard was a rare commodity that ordinary people could only afford to use more of during festivals. The pancakes she made were made with plenty of lard and eggs, so they were naturally delicious.
Lin Yao smiled even more sweetly at the praise, her hands still busy making pancakes. "Thank you for the compliment, ma'am. My surname is Lin. This is my older brother, Lin Cheng, and my younger brother, Lin Song. May I ask how you would address me, ma'am?"
“My surname is Li, you can call me Aunt Li,” Aunt Li replied.
At this moment, a passerby was attracted by the aroma and walked up to ask, "What is this food, and how much does it cost?"
Lin Yao answered crisply, "This is a chive and egg pancake, three coins each."
Upon hearing this, the man frowned and muttered, "Three coins? That's too expensive; it could buy several steamed buns." With that, he turned and left.
Lin Yao felt a little disappointed, but she quickly recovered. She turned around, took a pancake, and handed it to her older brother and Lin Song, who were standing to the side looking a little reserved: "Brother, Song'er, are you hungry? Eat up."
“If Big Brother won’t eat it, then Song’er can eat it. We can keep it to sell for money,” Lin Cheng said.
Lin Song was already craving it, and couldn't wait to reach out his little hand, take the cake and take a big bite. His cheeks were bulging and his eyes were squinted, as if he were eating some rare delicacy.
This scene was witnessed by several passersby, who were unconsciously drawn to it.
Seeing an opportunity, Lin Yao cleared her throat and began to call out crisply, "Dear uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters, come and try our chive and egg pancakes! We use fresh chives and free-range eggs, along with plenty of lard, and slowly fry them over low heat. The outer layer is crispy, and the inside is soft and chewy. They smell delicious! They're only three coins each, affordable and filling!"
Staying close to his older brother and sister, Lin Song grew bolder. He swallowed the biscuit in his mouth, raised his little face covered in crumbs, and imitated them, chiming in his childish voice, "It's so delicious! Come and buy some!" As he spoke, he waved his little hand, his lively and playful spirit much more cheerful than yesterday.
"Young lady, how much are your pancakes?" someone asked.
“Three coins each,” Lin Yao replied again.
Upon hearing this, everyone hesitated. Working at the docks earned thirty coins a day, and a three-coin pancake wasn't cheap, so not everyone could afford it. Some poor people brought their own pancakes from home and would swallow them with cold water during breaks.
Seeing this, Aunt Li smiled and chimed in, "This pancake is really delicious! I just tried it. It's made with high-quality ingredients and tastes great. It's definitely worth the three coins! I've been running this stall for so many years, and I've never had such a delicious pancake before!"
Some people, though still skeptical, couldn't resist the enticing aroma emanating from Lin Yao's stall and ended up buying one.
The person took a bite, intending to just eat a couple of bites, but to their surprise, the crispy outer layer, the soft and chewy inside, along with the fresh aroma of chives and the rich flavor of eggs, spread freely across their lips and tongue.
He no longer cared about his image and started eating heartily, his ravenous eating leaving everyone around him stunned.
"Is it really that amazing?" someone muttered, but a few curious individuals still bought some to try. Upon tasting them, they all showed delight, exclaiming, "They're really delicious!"
Lin Yao and her group's stall was small and had no tables or chairs. Some people who bought the pancakes would turn around and see Aunt Li's porridge stall next door, so they would go over and buy a bowl of hot porridge to eat with the pancakes.
As a result, Aunt Li's porridge stall business flourished. Aunt Li couldn't stop smiling as she served porridge and called out, "Dear customers, please drink slowly and don't burn yourselves!"
Lin Yao's stall gradually became busier, with people constantly taking out money to buy pancakes. Lin Cheng helped hand out pancakes and collect money, his forehead beaded with sweat from the work.
Just then, a master and servant came to the stall. "I'll take all the remaining cakes here."
Lin Yao looked up and saw the boy she had been haggling over at the grain shop yesterday.
He was wearing a faded but clean indigo long gown and a scholar's cap on his head. Judging from his attire, he should be a scholar. However, upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the long gown he was wearing was a bit tight, and the size of the gown seemed to be a little small, which made him look even more robust.
Nowadays, scholars are mostly thin, but this man, though dressed in a long gown and wearing a scholar's cap, looks like a warrior.
It wasn't that Lin Yao judged people by their appearance. Xu Zhiheng, as the son of the General of the North, had practiced martial arts since childhood, which was naturally very different from those weak and frail scholars who buried themselves in books all day.
Lin Yao's gaze fell on Xu Zhiheng's face. He had sharp features, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and lips that curved upwards in a beautiful arc. However, what he said was not so pleasant: "Young lady, give me a discount."
The servant behind him was carrying large and small bags of food in one hand and a meat bun in the other, eating with relish. He was already used to his master's habit of haggling over everything.
Lin Yao was speechless for a moment. This man had bought fifty catties of flour in one go at the grain shop last time, and now he even had a servant to serve him. He didn't seem like a poor family, so why was he still haggling over a few coins?
But it would be a fool not to make money if he could. Lin Yao had witnessed his persistent and annoying ways before. After a brief internal grumbling, she agreed, "Alright, these eleven cakes will cost thirty coins. Is this your first time at our stall, sir? Come again next time if you're satisfied!"
Xu Zhiheng was very satisfied and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you very much, young lady! I will definitely come here often in the future!"
His family's travel allowance was almost gone, and military expenses were high, with money needed everywhere. Now he wished he could stretch every penny to its limit, saving as much as he could.
Lin Yao deftly wrapped the eleven cakes carefully and handed them to Xu Zhiheng. He took the cakes, took out his purse from his pocket, and counted the coins one by one, afraid of giving him even a single extra coin.
A note from the author:
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You're so beautiful, will you add this to your favorites? [starry-eyed]
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