Chapter 13 Setting up a Stall
In the afternoon, Sheng An continued to prepare for his first day out at his stall the next morning.
Clean the bowls, spoons and kitchen utensils you bought, and then soak them in boiling water to disinfect and sterilize them.
Then clean the pork bones, chop them into small pieces with an axe, and stew them in two pots of cold water.
In less than half an hour, the aroma of meat filled the entire courtyard.
After simmering for another half hour, Sheng An promptly removed the heat.
After the two pots of bone broth have cooled, pour the broth and bones into a clean wooden bucket, cover it, and place it in a cool, shady corner.
In the evening, Sheng An made hand-pulled noodles, using bone broth as the base, and cooked a pot of fragrant noodle soup.
With a plate of tangy and refreshing cucumber salad, the family of three ate with great satisfaction.
Knowing that his daughter-in-law was going to set up a stall to sell wontons to earn money, Xu Chenglin felt deeply guilty.
"Good child, it is the Xu family that has dragged you down, making you have to take care of the family's livelihood right after you married into the family."
Sheng An quickly shook his head: "Father, you are too kind. I am also a member of the Xu family, and it is only right that I do my part."
Her initial intention in setting up a stall to earn money was entirely to improve her own life and, incidentally, to prepare for the retirement of the Sheng family's two elders.
Even without her, the Xu family father and son could still get by.
"Sigh, I'm so sorry to have troubled you."
Xu Chenglin patted his leg, then clenched his hands, a hopeful look on his face:
“I’m feeling a bit better these past few days. If things continue like this, I’ll be able to walk again someday, and then I’ll help you out.”
Upon hearing this, Sheng An immediately laughed and said, "Great! With Dad's help, we'll definitely be able to earn more money."
Xu Chenglin smiled and instructed his son, "Don't sleep in this morning, and help your wife out too."
Xu Jinnian said helplessly, "Father, when have I ever overslept?"
Since he started school, he has never slept in late.
Only during the first few days of his marriage did he delay getting up, worried that he might disturb his wife.
Xu Chenglin laughed heartily: "It's good that you know what's going on. Just be more understanding of your wife; it wasn't easy for her to marry into our family."
We can't let our daughter-in-law live a life of luxury; we can't let her manage everything at home and outside all by herself.
He's not like that old woman from the Sun family who takes pleasure in tormenting her daughter-in-law.
After a busy day, Sheng An took a shower and went to bed.
Before returning to her room, she made a special trip to the study to give Xu Jinnian some instructions:
"I can't estimate the time, so remember to wake me up tomorrow morning."
The soup base was ready, but she had to get up early to knead the dough and roll out the wrappers, and the wonton filling also had to be prepared fresh.
The next day, Xu Jinnian woke up after the rooster crowed a second time.
Hearing the long, drawn-out breathing beside him, he hesitated for a moment before gently nudging Sheng An: "Wife, it's time to get up."
After being called three or four times, Sheng An finally woke up slowly.
Her eyes were open, but her mind was still foggy. She instinctively rolled over and nestled into the man's arms, saying, "So sleepy~"
Xu Jinnian hugged her tightly, feeling her slender and petite figure. His raised hand stiffened slightly, and after a moment, he softly suggested, "How about we set up the stall again tomorrow?"
Upon hearing the words "set up a stall," Sheng An's mind instantly cleared: "No way!"
She sprang to her feet like she'd been injected with adrenaline: "I can sleep in forever, but I have to make money right now!"
Sheng An was in a great hurry, moving with astonishing speed. In no time at all, he had dressed and combed his hair, as if he had grown three hands.
Xu Jinnian only came to her senses when the room became completely quiet.
He shook his head, amused and helpless, and then lifted the covers to start getting dressed.
Sheng An kneaded the dough and rolled out the wrappers, while Xu Jinnian lit the stove to brew medicine for Xu Chenglin.
They were both busy with their own things and neither of them bothered the other.
Until there was a knock on the courtyard gate, Zhang's eldest cousin, Zhang Daikui, brought freshly slaughtered pork, his feet glistening with morning dew.
Zhang Daikui is a strong and robust man. He is only seventeen years old this year, but he has been slaughtering pigs for three years and is his father Zhang the butcher's most capable assistant.
He was a bit shy, and seeing Sheng An busy in the kitchen, he smiled sheepishly and handed her the basket of pork.
"Sister-in-law, this is the pork shoulder you ordered. It's nine parts lean and one part fat, just like you said. Do you think this is good enough?"
Sheng An took the basket, glanced at it casually, and thanked Zhang Daikui with a smile: "This is exactly what I wanted. Thank you, cousin Daikui, for making the trip."
Zhang Daikui blushed and waved his hand: "It's not hard work, it's not hard work. I will bring fresh pork to my cousin-in-law every morning from now on, and I will also save the pork bones for her."
My parents told me that it wasn't safe for my cousin's wife, a woman, to walk across several streets to get pork from our house before dawn every day.
He was different; he was a man who had slaughtered pigs for three years. When he wandered around outside late at night, he was afraid of others.
Zhang Daikui was in a hurry to go back and process the next pig, so he left in a rush without even taking a sip of water.
Sheng An couldn't help but say to Xu Jinnian with emotion, "My aunt's family has been so good to us."
Although I've never met Zhang's uncle and his two other cousins, judging from the eldest cousin's attitude, I know that the three of them are easy to get along with.
Upon hearing his wife's approval of his sister-in-law's family, a hint of nostalgia appeared on Xu Jinnian's face:
“My aunt’s husband and his family are very kind. When I was little, my father would occasionally go on long trips and would send me to my aunt’s house. My aunt’s husband treated me like three younger cousins.”
As a child, he was not a well-behaved boy and often got into trouble with his three younger cousins.
Whenever the neighbors who had been victimized came to their door, the uncle would scold the four of them with a dark face.
He will not be exempted from punishment just because he is a guest.
Treating everyone equally, though seemingly strict, is actually like teaching a son as if he were one's own, fearing that one might not be able to control him and cause him to make a big mistake in the future.
On her first day setting up a stall, Sheng An was unsure about the number of customers, so she only made about five hundred wonton wrappers.
Zhang Daikui delivered four jin of pork, and with Xu Jinnian's help, Sheng An quickly made a full basin of fine minced meat.
After all this was done, the sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn.
After loading the stove, large pot, firewood, and other items onto the cart, Sheng An felt that something was missing.
After circling the cart twice, she suddenly slapped her forehead: "We're still missing a table and chairs!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Jinnian rummaged through the storage room and found a small square table and four small stools.
Sheng An was overjoyed: "So we had it at home!"
Xu Jinnian nodded: "It's good that it's useful."
After saying that, he took a rag and cleaned the dust off the table and chairs.
When Xu Jinnian was a child, he was too short to reach the dining table, so Xu Chenglin specially asked a carpenter to make him a small table and stool.
Once Xu Jinnian is old enough to sit at the main dining table, this smaller set will be stored away by Xu Chenglin in the storage room, to be used by his grandchildren in the future.
Unexpectedly, even before the grandchildren have appeared, they've already come in handy.
Pushing a cart full of goods to the market, I found a suitable spot to set up a stall selling wontons. The sun had already peeked out, and the street was gradually becoming lively.
Xu Jinnian lit a fire in the stove, poured the bone broth he had made the day before into the pot, and wanted to stay and help, but Sheng An waved him away:
"Didn't you say you were going to study with your teacher during the holidays? I can manage on my own. If it gets too difficult, I'll find someone to help. You can go back home without worry."
Xu Jinnian was not entirely at ease, so he could only tell her, "Your uncle's stall isn't far away. If you need anything, just ask them for help."
He kept turning back to look at Sheng An until her figure was completely swallowed up by the bustling crowd before he left with a heavy heart.
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