Chapter 33: Morning light warms the stall, laughter fills the street
Morning dew still clung to the grass in the courtyard, and Little Swallow had already arrived, treading on the dew. She had changed into a comfortable royal blue shorts, with red ribbons tied around the bottoms. She carried a bamboo basket and, upon entering, called out, "Brother Liu Qing! Sister Liu Hong! Look what goodies I brought!"
Liu Qing was squatting on the ground repairing a pancake griddle. He looked up at the sound, his forehead still stained with black dust. "It's just dawn, why are you here again?" He was holding a piece of coarse cloth and vigorously wiping the black spots on the griddle. When he saw what was in Xiaoyanzi's basket, his eyes lit up. "Is this... a new bamboo basket?"
"That's right!" Xiaoyanzi put the bamboo basket on the stone table. Inside it were two brand new thin bamboo baskets, which were woven densely and evenly, and brushed with clear oil, making them shiny. "I asked the old bamboo craftsman in the mansion to weave them. They are guaranteed to be breathable and not soft when used to hold pancakes!" She picked up a basket and gestured, the red silk ribbon at the end of her braid swung back and forth with her movements, bringing with it a scent of morning dew.
Liu Hong came out of the house carrying a basin of water, her hair still damp. Seeing the new bamboo basket, she came over in delight. "This basket is so beautiful! It's much better than our broken wooden basin!" She gently touched the bamboo strips with her fingers, her eyes full of love. "It must have cost a lot of money, right?"
"Why would it cost anything? The old bamboo craftsman is my father's friend, so I'll just pay him a small fee." Xiaoyanzi said as she pulled out an oil-paper bag from her bosom. Inside, she saw sweet bean paste wrapped in oil paper. The aroma immediately filled the air. "This is the real thing! I asked the chef in the kitchen to make a special sweet bean paste with sesame seeds and crushed peanuts. It's absolutely amazing when spread on pancakes!"
Xiao Jian had been standing at the courtyard gate for some time, holding two strings of freshly bought fried dough sticks. A smile played on his face as he took in the sight. He was wearing a long, dark blue gown, which made him look even more impressive. He walked over to Xiao Yanzi and brushed the grass off her shoulders. "Mom said you ran out early this morning without breakfast, so I brought you some fried dough sticks."
"Big brother still loves me!" Xiaoyanzi took the fried dough sticks and handed one to Liu Hong. She took a big bite and said incoherently, "Come and try it. These fried dough sticks are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, perfect with pancakes!" She rolled her eyes and pulled Liu Qing towards the stall. "Brother Liu Qing, I'll teach you a new trick. I guarantee your pancakes will sell even better!"
Liu Qing's stall was parked under the old locust tree outside the courtyard. After a few days of repairs, the wooden frame had become much more stable, and the newly applied tung oil gleamed in the morning light. Xiaoyanzi hopped onto the stall, picked up the dough ladle, and demonstrated: "Look, when making pancakes, swirl the batter in circles. The edges will crisp up. Then spread my sweet noodle sauce on them, sprinkle some chopped green onions and sesame seeds, and they'll be more delicious than other places!"
Liu Hong squatted beside them, taking careful notes. She even used a small branch to draw the steps on the ground, nodding every now and then. "Yes, this looks delicious! Last time, a customer said our sauce was too salty. This sweet noodle sauce will just balance it out."
Xiao Jian stood aside, watching his sister enthusiastically teaching Liu Qing how to make pancakes. The sun shone on her serious face, and there was still a little flour on her eyelashes, making her look like a busy little bee. He turned to Liu Hong and said, "I asked someone, and there are a lot of people on East Street, and there are few pancake shops. You can try there."
"Really?" Liu Qing's eyes lit up, and he almost dropped the noodle scoop in his hand. "I've wanted to go to East Street for a long time, but I was afraid the people in charge there wouldn't allow me to set up a stall..."
"Don't worry, I've already made inquiries. There's a vacant lot at the entrance of East Street. Just give the manager a little gift." Xiao Jian pulled out a small cloth bag from his sleeve pocket, which contained some small change. "Here, buy some good tea and send it over. Be sincere and there should be no problem."
Liu Qing looked at the bag of silver, his dark face flushed red, and he declined, "Brother Xiao Jian, this won't do. Your mother has already given us a lot of things when we became sworn brothers last time. We can't take this silver anymore." He clenched the noodle bowl tightly in his hand, and his knuckles turned white.
"Take it, consider it my investment." Xiao Jian stuffed the silver into his hand, his tone gentle but unyielding, "When you make money, pay me back. We are brothers and sisters now, it's only natural for us to help each other."
Xiaoyanzi also joined in: "That's right! When you make a lot of money, just treat me to ten strings of candied haws!" As she said that, she jumped out of the car to help Liu Hong pack up her things, and put the new bamboo baskets and sweet noodle sauce on the stall cart with quick movements.
The old people in the courtyard also got up. Grandma Zhang came over with a cane to watch the fun and said with a smile: "Qing Xiaozi and Hong Yatou, you have a new thing on your stall, you are sure to have a big sale today!" Xiaodouzi and the others also came over, chattering and asking if they could go along to help, which made everyone laugh.
Everything was ready. Liu Qing pushed the brand-new stall cart, Liu Hong carried the basket of sauces, Xiaoyanzi skipped along beside them, and Xiao Jian followed them to the street corner. The morning light stretched their shadows long, casting them across the bluestone pavement like a warm painting.
Arriving at the intersection of East Street, they found a spacious open space, just as Xiao Jian had said. As soon as Liu Qing set up his stall, passersby, drawn to the new structure, gathered around to observe. "This pancake stall looks quite clean. How much is one?"
"One penny each, plus two for an egg!" Liu Hong replied crisply, deftly helping Liu Qing pass the items. Little Swallow, imitating the hawker, called out, "Don't miss these if you're passing by! Sweet bean paste and sesame pancakes, crispy on the outside, tender and delicious on the inside!" Her imitation was so impressive that passersby laughed, and many stopped to buy pancakes.
Liu Qing followed Xiaoyanzi's instructions, swirling the batter around the pancakes. Sure enough, the pancakes came out with golden, crispy edges. Spreading sweet bean sauce on them and sprinkling them with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, they were fragrant. The first customer took a bite and their eyes lit up. "Oh, this pancake is delicious! Much better than other places!"
Business picked up immediately, and soon a line formed. Xiaoyanzi helped collect money and pass out pancakes, sweating profusely, the red ribbon at the end of her braid soaked through, but she smiled with exceptional joy. Xiao Jian stood in the shade of a tree not far away, watching his sister's busy figure and the smiles on Liu Qing and Liu Hong's faces, and his heart was filled with warmth.
As the sun rose higher, most of the batter on the stall was gone, and Liu Hong's wallet was bulging. Xiaoyanzi wiped her sweat and said to Liu Qing, "See, I told you it would work! This sweet noodle sauce is a secret recipe. We can add other ingredients later, like pickled vegetables, dried tofu, and so on. The more variety, the more customers we'll have!"
Liu Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead, his dark face full of gratitude: "Xiaoyanzi, today is really thanks to you. If you keep going like this, we can buy cotton-padded clothes for grandpa and grandma in less than a month!"
Liu Hong also smiled and nodded, tears in her eyes: "When I make some money, I'll make you some new clothes. Look at your shorts, they're almost worn out."
Xiaoyanzi waved her hand and was about to speak when Xiao Jian came over and handed her a handkerchief. "Wipe your sweat off! It's time to go home, or your mother will be worried." He glanced at the busy stalls, then looked at the three smiling faces, and said softly, "I'll pick you up this afternoon to close the stall."
Xiaoyanzi took the handkerchief, wiped her face roughly, and waved to Liu Qing and Liu Hong: "I'll go back first and come to see you in the afternoon! Remember to save two more pancakes for me!" After that, she skipped and followed Xiao Jian home. The sunlight shone on her, and her back was as light as a bird.
Liu Qing watched their retreating figures, then glanced at the bustling stalls before him, his heavy wallet clutched tightly in his hand. He suddenly felt that life in the capital was like this freshly-made pancake: warm, fragrant, and full of hope. Liu Hong handed him a freshly made pancake: "Try it! The one with sweet noodle sauce is really delicious!"
The morning light warmed the street corners, and the aroma of pancakes drifted far away, mixed with people's laughter, composing an ordinary yet warm urban ballad in the morning market of the capital.
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