Chapter 14: Life in Town
The tricycle stopped right downstairs at the house, and the three of them carried their luggage down together.
Song Xinran said, "Sister, thanks to you today, otherwise I don't know how long it would have taken me to move all these things."
"Why are you saying all this? I'm your sister. If I don't help you, who will?" Song Xinwen, used to physical labor, carried a large bag of luggage in one hand and walked with a brisk pace. "Open the door."
Song Yu followed beside the two, also carrying an enamel washbasin in his arms.
The child felt a mix of apprehension and anticipation about his new home. He rarely came to town, except on market days when his aunt would occasionally bring him.
The town is so lively, with all sorts of things for sale. The streets smell wonderful, making your mouth water. The roads in the town are also clean, unlike in the village where you get muddy everywhere you step.
But the town is also dangerous. My aunt said there are bad people who kidnap children here, so he should stay close and not wander off.
Therefore, as soon as he got off the car, Song Yu followed closely behind his mother and aunt without blinking.
As they reached the door, her mother took out her key and opened it. Song Yu stared at the scene inside, stunned and frozen in place.
Song Xinran patted the child's hair: "Xiao Yu, come in."
Song Yu looked up in disbelief and asked timidly, "Mom, is this our home?"
Song Xinran smiled: "Yes, Xiao Yu will live here with her mother from now on."
Song Yu felt his heart pounding, his mind seemingly blank, and he felt dizzy and confused, wondering if this would be his home from now on.
What a beautiful home, what a clean home! He had never seen a home like this before.
He carefully walked in, carrying a porcelain basin in his hands. Looking down at his shoes, which were covered in mud, he shrank back a little, embarrassed that he would make the new house dirty.
"What's wrong with Xiao Yu?"
Song Yu said softly, "My shoes are dirty."
Song Xinran smiled, taking care of the child's tender feelings, opened the luggage, and found his slippers: "Then Xiao Yu can wear these."
The slippers were bought last year, and Song Yu would wash them very clean every time he wore them. He pursed his lips and gave a small smile, making a loud "hmm" sound before putting on the clean slippers.
Because there were two adults, they only had to make three trips to move all their belongings into the house.
Song Xinwen looked around the house and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so clean, completely different from the village."
The house they built a few years ago was already considered one of the best in the village, and Song Xinwen was quite proud of it at first. But now, compared with the houses in the town, Song Xinwen realized what the difference was.
The bathroom is tiled, there are no livestock, and it doesn't smell at all. The kitchen has both a honeycomb briquette stove and a gas stove.
In the countryside, everyone uses wood-fired stoves. Sometimes, Song Xinwen is so busy cooking and tending the fire all by himself. But here, even if he's cooking alone, he can do it without any rush.
The two rooms were spacious, with snow-white walls, well-ventilated windows, and floral curtains.
Song Xinwen asked, "Xinran, your rent must be very expensive."
“It’s not expensive,” Song Xinran said. “The landlord is very nice; he charged me 180 yuan a month.”
Song Xinwen clicked his tongue in amazement; 180 was no small number.
Then I became a little worried. Now that Song Xinran is not working at the glass factory and has no income, what will she do in the future?
Song Xinran seemed to know what she was thinking: "Sister, I've already decided what I want to do in town. I'm going to set up a stall to sell some food."
Song Xinwen's eyes widened immediately. Her first thought was that it wouldn't work. Her family had never run a business in the city, but she had heard that doing business was difficult and that one could easily lose everything. It would be safer to find a factory job and work honestly.
But before she could speak, Song Xinran asked again, "Sister, do you think my cooking is delicious?"
Song Xinwen nodded. Her sister had changed a lot since she came back this time. Her cooking skills were naturally excellent, as evidenced by Cai Yang's sneaky eating that night.
Although Song Xinwen beat and scolded him severely at the time, it was understandable on one hand, since who wouldn't be tempted by such delicious food?
Song Xinran smiled: "That's fine then, I just want to give it a try."
Knowing that she had made up her mind, Song Xinwen didn't say anything more. He just thought that Song Xinran had changed a lot; she was not only more talkative but also more opinionated.
“Okay, if you want to do it, I’ll stay and help you for the next couple of days. You’ve never done this before, so two people are always better than one.”
Song Xinran smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Sister, you're still the best to me."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinwen felt a pang of sadness. He lowered his head, hurriedly responded, and strode out to open his luggage and begin packing.
She was used to doing housework, so she was quite adept at it.
The food we brought was put in the kitchen, the clothes in the closet, and the blankets and sheets were immediately put on.
Song Xinran assisted with the tasks, while Song Yu ran around packing things.
It was almost 6:30 when Song Xinran said, "Sis, we're basically done. You can rest for a bit, and I'll go cook dinner."
Song Xinran brought the meat she bought from home, and Song Xinwen also took a lot of other things with him when he left, such as rapeseed oil, lard jars, and even the two large cabbages, as well as some odds and ends he made himself, including a bag of sweet potato starch.
They're all kept in the kitchen, so they're very convenient to use.
Song Xinran looked around and saw that the only usable stoves were honeycomb briquettes. The gas stove was a Wanmei brand, but bottled liquefied gas was expensive and people used it less often.
But gas is really convenient; you can adjust the flame size, and you don't need to ignite it before use.
Considering the current environment, Song Xinran decided to make a pot of pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles, a dish that doesn't require precise control of the heat.
While she was cooking, Song Xinwen didn't stop for a moment and continued to do housework, with Song Yu joining in as well.
Watching the small figure bustling about, Song Xinwen couldn't help but think of her own child. When she was busy at home, Cai Yang would never come to help.
It's all because Cai Yongde spoiled them!
Song Xinwen cursed inwardly, "Xiao Yu, go play by yourself, leave these to your aunt."
Because she had moved to a new home, Song Yu was filled with curiosity and excitement about everything around her. Upon hearing this, she said in her childish voice, "Auntie is very tired. If I do a little, Auntie will do less."
Song Xinwen felt as if something had poked him in the heart.
Thinking back to how she knew Cai Yongde was biased, but Song Yu and Cai Yongde would always argue whenever the topic came up, Song Xinwen eventually stopped talking about it and just treated Song Yu well in the places he could see.
Now that I think about it, Cai Yongde was heartless. She ignored Song Yu because she didn't want to argue, even though Song Yu was the one who was related to her by blood and even cared for her more than Cai Yongde.
Song Xinwen felt a slight pang in his heart, touched his pocket, took out two ten-yuan bills and stuffed them into Song Yu's hand.
Song Yu was startled. His eyes widened, and he tried to hide his hands behind his back, not daring to take the money.
This is far too much money. Song Yu has only ever seen such a large sum of money in the hands of adults. Even Cai Yang wouldn't dare to ask for so much money.
Song Xinwen stuffed it into his pocket: "Take this. You'll definitely not have any pocket money when you live with your mother from now on."
Song Yu never told Song Xinwen that although his aunt would give the two children a dollar of pocket money every week, his money was always taken away by Cai Yang.
The two were locked in a tug-of-war when they suddenly smelled a strong fragrance, causing them to pause in their movements.
"Sister, Xiao Yu, come and have dinner! I made pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles," Song Xinran called out.
Both of them swallowed hard. Song Yu immediately tried to run out, but Song Xinwen quickly stuffed the money into his pocket. The child was still a little confused when Song Xinwen took his hand and led him out.
The aroma is even more enticing once you get to the dining table. The rich, fatty flavor of the pork belly blends with the sweetness of the cabbage and the rustic fragrance of the sweet potato starch, creating a warm and comforting atmosphere that makes your mouth water.
"What kind of dish is this? It smells so good!" Song Xinwen had just finished working and was already a bit hungry. Now, as soon as he smelled this aroma, he felt like he could eat several bowls of rice.
Song Xinran set out the bowls and chopsticks: "This is a dish from the North, taught to me by someone else. Try it."
As soon as Song Xinwen sat down, he put a big mouthful of sweet potato noodles into his bowl. The homemade sweet potato noodles were soft but not mushy, slightly transparent, and very chewy. When he put them in his mouth, the wonderful flavor of meat and vegetable aromas exploded in his mouth.
Song Xinwen's eyes lit up, and he gave a thumbs up: "Xinran, your cooking is amazing!"
The glass noodles were a bit hot, but Song Xinwen couldn't wait for them to cool down before putting them in his mouth. Logically, he should have praised Song Xinran for her delicious cooking, but Song Xinwen didn't have that thought. His mind was entirely focused on the pork, cabbage, and glass noodles. He felt that the cabbage, which he usually got tired of eating, tasted very different today. The stems were sweet, and the leaves were coated with a thick broth. One bite was a real treat for his tongue.
Song Yu held her small porcelain bowl, eating and blowing on it as she ate. Her little face was flushed from eating, and she looked up at Song Xinran with a smile: "Mom's cooking is so delicious."
All three of them ate their fill. While Song Xinran was washing the dishes, Song Xinwen came in and stuffed something into her pocket.
"Sis, what did you give me?"
Song Xinwen mumbled, "It's nothing."
Song Xinran felt something was wrong. She dried her hands and checked her pockets. She found five hundred yuan. She quickly returned the money to Song Xinwen.
Song Xinwen said, "Just take it. Aren't you planning to set up a stall? You can't do business without some capital."
Song Xinran shook her head: "I have money."
Song Xinwen forcefully shoved the money into her hand: "Take it if I give it to you. In the past two years, you brought back three hundred a month at first, and then four hundred a month. How much can a child like Xiaoyu use? This is all money saved up."
After a few tugs of the knot, Song Xinran couldn't refuse any longer and solemnly accepted it, carefully putting it into her pocket: "Thank you, sister."
Song Xinwen's brow finally relaxed.
Afterwards, the three of them went out for a walk to digest their food.
It was past eight o'clock. Streetlights were on everywhere in the town, and many people were out for a walk. A cool breeze was blowing, which made people feel very comfortable. Song Xinwen felt a little dazed. Usually at this time, she would be at home washing dishes, then giving Cai Yang a bath, then washing the family's clothes, and finally going to bed around nine or ten o'clock.
But today she was taking a walk with her sister's family in town. This was the first time she had left home since arguing with Cai Yongde. She was a little uneasy on the way, but once she got to town and got busy, all her unease disappeared. Now she was experiencing a leisurely feeling she had never had before, and she was also a little lost.
"There are so many vendors here!" Seeing several food stalls near the entrance of No. 3 Middle School, Song Xinran suddenly remembered what Huang Yun had said. "Sister, let's go take a look."
There were about a dozen stalls along the way, selling cold noodles. The stainless steel basins were filled with golden-yellow cold noodles and white cold skin noodles, with bottled garlic and ginger water and small bowls of various powdered seasonings next to them. The flavors were also quite varied.
There are vendors selling fried potatoes. A small portion costs 50 cents, and a large portion costs 1 yuan. The "wolf tooth" potatoes and the crispy potato are placed on opposite sides of the pan.
Besides these freshly made food stalls, there are also snack stalls selling spicy strips, instant noodles, potato chips, and other snacks.
Seeing this, Song Xinwen was astonished. She had been to the town many times, and usually went to the vegetable market. She never expected there to be so many stalls near the school.
But……
“Xinran,” Song Xinwen said worriedly, “no one comes here. How can we make money?”
These stalls are all empty now, with few people coming and going, and the stall owners are chatting in twos and threes.
Song Xinran glanced at the school: "Let's wait, it might not be time yet."
"Dong dong dong!" The school bell rang.
A group of students rushed out, their running, talking, and laughing all blending together, instantly turning the once quiet school gate into a lively place.
The students swarmed towards the stalls at the entrance, chattering and making a ruckus.
"I'd like a small portion of fried potatoes!"
"A bowl of cold noodles with a sweet, sour, and spicy flavor!"
"Pack me two white cakes!"
"I want this bag of spicy strips!"
...
"Hey, hey! Don't push, there's enough for everyone!"
In a short time, the once empty stall was packed with students, who handed over money, mostly in one-yuan and fifty-cent denominations. The stall owner couldn't keep up with the money and couldn't stop smiling.
Song Xinwen's eyes widened in surprise, but he also thought that Xinran's idea of setting up a stall might actually work.
Song Xinran took the opportunity to observe the situation. Among the stalls near the school gate, the ones selling fried skewers and fried potatoes were doing the best business. The average price per customer was not high, ranging from 50 cents to a dollar, but the sheer number of customers made it impossible to resist.
The stall owner was very experienced, but he was still extremely busy, constantly shouting, "Don't rush, come in order!"
These things are all made to order; with so many people flocking in, it's impossible to finish them all in one go.
Song Xinran looked on with envy; in her eyes, all that money was money.
"Xinran!" A voice rang out beside Song Xinran.
Song Xinran turned her head and immediately smiled: "Sister Yun, what brings you here?"
Huang Yun said, "My daughter is clamoring for cold noodles and insisted that I bring her here to buy them. Why are you still in town so late today? Have you already moved here?"
"I moved here this afternoon and just finished unpacking. I haven't even had a chance to tell you yet, and we bumped into each other here. What a coincidence," Song Xinran said, then introduced Song Yu and Song Xinwen.
As soon as Huang Yun saw Song Yu, she said, "Your child, you've grown up so much. What would you like to eat? Auntie will buy it for you."
Song Yu smiled and said in a soft but polite voice, "Thank you, Auntie. I've already eaten at home, so I don't need to buy anything."
Huang Yun chuckled, "Xinran, you've raised such a good child."
After exchanging pleasantries, Song Xinran explained her purpose: she wanted to see how business was going. Huang Yun vividly described how her daughter was a regular customer, and how there were always many stalls here after school, and business was always booming.
The two were chatting enthusiastically, and Song Xinwen watched from the side, feeling a complex mix of emotions for some reason.
She had always thought Song Xinran was introverted and worried that she wouldn't have any friends to talk to outside. But now she saw that Song Xinran had made new friends after visiting the town a few times and they got along so well.
When Song Xinran was at home before, I only talked to her a lot.
Song Xinran chatted with Huang Yun for a while. When Huang Yun's daughter heard that she also wanted to set up a stall, she immediately came up with a lot of ideas, such as fried chicken wings, grilled chicken legs, and large meat skewers...
Huang Yun laughed and scolded, "These are probably what you want to eat."
"No way, all my classmates want to eat it, but we've never seen it for sale. It's only available in the county town."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Then I'll try to do it in the future."
However, Song Xinran does not plan to sell this type of food at the moment. According to her observation, more low-priced food is sold near the school gate. Most students order small portions of potatoes and cold noodles. After all, people are not very rich at this time and prefer to try more food at a lower price.
If she were to set up a stall, it would be best if the product categories didn't overlap with the existing ones. Firstly, she didn't want to sell the same things as the old stalls, which could cause disputes; secondly, she wanted to listen to Huang Yun's daughter, as everyone was eager to try something new.
A dish immediately popped into Song Xinran's mind—spicy, savory, and delicious, just the way the locals would like to eat.
The price is low; you can try several kinds of food for just one yuan.
Pre-cooked food is placed on the stall, eliminating the need for on-site preparation and making buying and selling convenient.
She's looked all over town these past few days, but hasn't seen anyone selling this thing.
A note from the author:
The next chapter is a super long one (V chapter), thank you for your support, my darlings!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
