Chapter 25 Delicious Braised Pork Noodles
The next day, Song Yu woke up very early. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Song Xinran had changed her clothes and was ready to go out.
The little one rubbed his sleepy eyes, his childish voice a bit muffled from just waking up: "Where is Mommy going?"
Song Xinran turned her head and saw Song Yu propping herself up on the bed, slowly sitting up. Her soft black hair was a little frizzy from sleep, with a small tuft sticking out straight from the top of her head. Her face was flushed from sleep, and her wet eyes were looking at her.
She smiled slightly: "Mom is going out to buy groceries to make breakfast."
Upon hearing this, Song Yu quickly climbed to the head of the bed, picked up the clothes she had chosen the night before, and said, "I want to go with Mom."
As he spoke, he changed his clothes. The weather was getting a bit cold, and as soon as he took off his pajamas, goosebumps rose on his chubby arms. But he was very skilled. He picked up his thermal underwear, grabbed the hem with both hands, and with a shake, his arms slipped into the sleeves. He lowered his head, and his upper body was completely inside the thermal underwear.
The neckline of his thermal underwear was too small, and no matter how hard he tried, his head couldn't squeeze out. He looked like a little earthworm, all bulging around.
Song Xinran chuckled, walked over to him, and helped him put on his autumn clothes.
Now the little guy's already messy hair looked even more like an afro, and his face turned even redder, whether from holding it in or from embarrassment, it was hard to tell.
Song Xinran said, "So this is how Xiao Yu dresses?"
Song Yu's cheeks were a little hot, and she said in a childish voice, "Little Yu's head has grown too big, and her clothes are too small."
Song Xinran patted his head, feeling that he was pretty much the same as before.
"Let Mom help you get dressed."
Song Yu shook her head rapidly: "I'll dress myself!"
He is a very capable child. When he was at his aunt's house, he dressed himself, which was better than Cai Yang, who needed help from adults to dress.
Seeing his radiant appearance, Song Xinran said, "Okay, Mom will wait for you outside."
Song Xinran didn't have to wait long before Song Yu came out. Apart from his hair being a little messy, his clothes were on perfectly fine.
The little one seemed very happy. As soon as he came out, he ran to her side, looked up at her with his little face, and said, "Mommy has sewed my clothes back!"
When he came out of the room, he saw that the button that had fallen off his clothes had been sewn back on, and the dirty spot on the front of his clothes had been washed clean. The clothes were hanging on the hanger and looked brand new.
"When I grow up, I'll sew and wash clothes for my mom too!" he said happily.
Song Xinran smiled and agreed, then picked up a comb, dipped it in water, and smoothed down his unruly hair, making him look like a well-behaved little boy again.
The two went to the market together and bought a piece of pork belly and some shiitake mushrooms.
"What is Mom going to do?" Song Yu asked.
Song Xinran: "Xiao Yu, have you ever tried braised pork noodles?"
Song Yu said excitedly, "I've eaten instant noodles before! They have meat in them, and they're delicious! Mom, are braised pork noodles instant noodles?"
“No,” Song Xinran said, “but it tastes better than instant noodles.”
Song Yu swallowed hard. It had been a long time since he last ate instant noodles. It started when Cai Yang wanted to eat them and insisted on having them bought. So his aunt bought two packs, saying that one would be for Cai Yang and the other for him.
Cai Yang puffed out his cheeks and said, "I won't give any to Xiao Yu."
After being slapped by her aunt, Cai Yang pouted and remained silent, but when choosing instant noodles, she picked out a brightly colored pack based on the packaging, leaving a yellow pack for Song Yu.
Auntie boiled water and made instant noodles for them both for breakfast. It was Song Yu's first time eating instant noodles. They were so bouncy and the noodles were like springs. They were delicious. He even drank all the soup.
"Mom, is Xiaoyang coming to eat braised pork noodles?" he asked. The last time he ate instant noodles was with Cai Yang, so he thought of him again when he ate braised pork noodles this time.
He was young and thought he would live with his mother from now on, but Cai Yang was his younger brother and would come to their house to play.
Song Xinran said, "Xiao Yang lives in his hometown, which is far from the town, so he doesn't come."
"Oh, I see." However, Song Yu felt it was a bit of a pity that Xiao Yang would not be able to eat braised pork noodles that were even better than instant noodles.
After leaving the market, Song Xinran went to a store and bought a pound of premium milk candy.
The reason it's called "high-grade" isn't because it's particularly rare; it's simply because it's already the most expensive variety in Lingde Town, costing ten yuan per kilogram.
Song Xinran bought a bag, casually took out a candy, peeled off the coating, and stuffed it into Song Yu's mouth.
Song Yu ate until his cheeks were bulging, and his words were a little slurred: "It's so delicious, Mom, eat some too."
The child also peeled one like her, stood on tiptoe and tried to bring it to her. Song Xinran took it and put it in her mouth. It had a strong milky aroma, but the texture was a bit hard, and it was still not as good as what she had eaten in her previous life.
But perhaps it was Song Yu who fed it to her, because she found it incredibly sweet.
Song Xinran was preparing to make braised pork noodles last night. These past few days, she had been focusing more on her stall and hadn't paid much attention to her little one.
The braised pork noodles are fresh, fragrant, and delicious, and not spicy, making them perfect for children.
After returning home, Song Xinran soaked the shiitake mushrooms in water and then began to prepare the pork belly.
Pork belly should be cut into medium-sized cubes. If the cubes are too large, the fat will not render properly, resulting in a greasy texture. If the cubes are too small, they will burn easily, making them too tough and bitter.
Therefore, Song Xinran always does these things herself, without relying on others, in areas that require meticulous preparation.
After slicing the pork belly, I started preparing the remaining vegetables, chopping the shiitake mushrooms and mincing the scallions, ginger, and garlic.
Song Yu, who was watching from the side, wanted to help. His eyes darted around and he suddenly noticed a few fresh shiitake mushrooms in the sink. He immediately ran to the main room, grabbed a small stool, and ran into the kitchen. He placed it by the sink and stepped on it so he could touch the water.
Song Yu began to carefully wash the shiitake mushrooms.
After Song Xinran finished chopping the vegetables, she was about to wash the shiitake mushrooms when she noticed that Song Yu was already washing them. The child was washing them very carefully, breaking the mushrooms apart with both hands and washing every corner. Finally, she touched the mushroom caps with her hands before putting them in the vegetable basket next to her. By now, most of them had been washed.
"Xiao Yu is so amazing." Song Xinran never hesitated to praise her. "She actually washed so many shiitake mushrooms. She really helped her mother a lot."
Song Yu was secretly pleased, and her tone revealed a hint of pride: "I've known how to wash vegetables for a long time!"
He moved his hands faster and looked more carefully, determined to wash the shiitake mushrooms thoroughly!
He was so focused on his hands that he didn't notice his feet. He stepped on the stool, which tilted and he was about to fall. The little boy was so scared that his face turned white.
He would spill water, break bowls, and make a mess of the floor, and his mother would definitely scold him.
Before she could even fall to the ground, Song Xinran caught her.
With a "thud," the small stool fell to the ground, accidentally bumping into the shelf next to it. The shelf wobbled, and all the freshly washed shiitake mushrooms fell to the ground, getting wet and dusty.
Song Yu's eyes widened, a hint of panic in them. She grabbed Song Xinran's clothes and was about to stand up to pick up the mushrooms.
Song Xinran held the little cub's soft body, still feeling a bit scared. She hadn't expected Song Yu to be so easily flattered; just one sentence had made the little cub so excited that he almost fell over. If she hadn't reacted quickly enough, he would definitely have fallen to the ground by now. She hurriedly asked, "Did you hurt yourself?"
Song Yu shook his head, twisting his body in fear as he tried to get down. Song Xinran asked, puzzled, "What is Xiao Yu going to do?"
Song Yu said in a low voice, "I'll pick up the mushrooms, Mom, please don't be angry."
He kept his head down, not daring to look at Song Xinran.
Seeing his cautious manner, Song Xinran understood what was going on. She put him down and took his little hand in hers, saying, "Mommy won't be angry. As long as Xiao Yu isn't hurt, that's all that matters."
Song Yu raised her eyes, glanced at her cautiously, then quickly lowered her eyelashes again: "I'm not hurt."
He squatted down, quickly picked up the plastic basket, and put the mushrooms in one by one. He kept his head down and didn't dare to speak, but then he noticed that his mother was picking them up with him.
The already limited supply of shiitake mushrooms was quickly picked up.
Song Xinran stood up and walked out, leaving Song Yu somewhat at a loss.
A few seconds later, Song Xinran returned with a mop in her hand. Seeing the child standing there blankly with a vegetable basket in his hand, she said softly, "Xiao Yu, would you like to come out first? Mom will mop the floor clean."
Song Yu quickly ran out, but his shoes were wet, leaving footprints with every step. He looked back and hesitated, unsure whether to run inside or outside.
Song Xinran was much more decisive. She put the mop aside, stepped in, picked up the child, turned around and put him out. Song Yu was standing at the kitchen door.
Song Yu's eyes were wide open, his head was blank, and he didn't know what to do while holding the vegetable basket.
Song Xinran quickly mopped the kitchen, then smiled gently at Song Yu: "Xiao Yu, you don't need to worry anymore, the kitchen is clean."
Song Yu was still somewhat uneasy.
Song Xinran bent down, patted his head, and said gently, "Xiao Yu, don't be afraid. Mom won't scold you. Mom knows that Xiao Yu wanted to help me. As long as Xiao Yu didn't get hurt, that's fine."
Song Yu whispered, "I wasn't hurt."
His little head was still a bit fuzzy. He watched as Song Xinran put the mop away, then came back to take the vegetable basket from his hands, put it back in the sink, and turned to look at him: "Xiao Yu, would you still like to help Mom wash the vegetables?"
He was naturally willing, but hesitated a bit before slowly walking inside.
Song Xinran took a large basin, filled it with water, and placed it on the ground so that Song Yu could wash herself without having to stand on a stool and could just squat down.
The child washed his hands without saying a word at first, but after he finished, he whispered, "Mom, I didn't mean to."
Song Xinran smiled and said softly, "I know Xiao Yu didn't do it on purpose, so Mom won't scold Xiao Yu. Mom is very grateful that Xiao Yu is willing to do so many things for me."
Song Yu's tightly pursed lips curved into a small smile, and his eyes shone brighter. It seemed that he was only now realizing that this matter, which would have been very serious at his aunt's house and would have earned him a severe scolding, would have been easily forgotten by his mother today.
Although she didn't quite understand why there was such a big difference, Song Yu was very happy: "Mom, I'm not a stupid child."
"Of course." Song Xinran looked into the little boy's bright eyes and said gently, "Xiao Yu is the smartest baby. He can count, recognize words, and draw."
Song Yu was a little embarrassed by the praise. He was rarely praised before, but after coming to live with his mother, he was praised every day. However, the child was shy and blushed every time.
"I'll go get the chopsticks!" His voice became lighter, and he seemed less worried, less afraid of being scolded for not doing it well.
Seeing the little one become happy again, Song Xinran felt much more relaxed and started to dice the shiitake mushrooms.
Since the installation of the liquefied gas tank, Song Xinran has found cooking much easier. She stir-fries diced pork belly in hot oil until the fat is rendered, and the aroma of the meat immediately fills the air. When the pork belly turns golden brown with tempting crispy edges, Song Xinran adds seasonings to enhance the aroma, and then adds other vegetables to stir-fry and bring out their freshness.
All sorts of aromas were released under the high temperature of stir-frying, and the heat wafted straight to people's noses.
Song Xinwen was sleeping when she was woken up by the alluring fragrance. She usually feels a bit bitter in her mouth when she wakes up in the morning, but today, as soon as she opened her eyes and smelled the aroma, her mouth started to water and the bitterness disappeared. She also started to feel hungry.
She quickly changed her clothes and went into the kitchen. As soon as she entered, she was enveloped by a rich aroma. The pork belly was savory and fatty, the soy sauce was salty and fragrant, and the seasonings were stir-fried until they were spicy and fragrant, making her mouth water.
"What delicious food has Xinran made so early in the morning?"
She craned her neck to look and saw that the broth in the pot was thick and glossy, with a layer of amber color. It looked warm and translucent under the light. The broth was filled with a variety of ingredients. The diced pork belly was stir-fried until it was slightly translucent, and there were mushrooms as garnishes. Some seasonings were also moving around in the pot as the spatula moved. The layers were distinct and looked so delicious that it made her mouth water.
"Let's make braised pork noodles," Song Xinran said.
Song Xinwen gave a thumbs up: "I can tell this braising sauce is amazing just by the smell. Your skills are incredible! How can you make everything!"
Song Xinran ladled out the braising liquid and prepared to cook the noodles. Strictly speaking, only freshly made noodles by hand could match this half-pot of braising liquid. But to make noodles, she had to buy flour, knead the dough, let it rest, roll it out, and cut it. It was really troublesome. In addition, people here did not have the custom of eating hand-pulled noodles. Everyone kept a handful of dried noodles at home.
Song Xinran bought fresh noodles specifically for this braising sauce, which is already more than enough.
Once the noodles were cooked, Song Yu placed three ceramic basins on the stove. The basins were two large and one small. The large ones were for Song Xinran and Song Xinwen, and the small ones were naturally for himself.
Song Xinran put some noodles into each bowl, and Song Yu carried them with both hands, her little face serious, and carefully placed them on the table.
He sat obediently on the stool, chopsticks in his hand, waiting for his mother to scoop out the broth, mix the noodles for him, and push it in front of him. He took a deep sniff, his round eyes seeming to shine.
He picked up the noodles with his chopsticks, each strand coated in a thick, glistening sauce. The sauce slid down the noodles, and the diced pork belly and shiitake mushroom pieces clinging to them trembled precariously. Before they could fall off, Song Yu popped them into his wide-open mouth and swallowed them all in one gulp.
The child's cheeks were bulging, and his cheeks twitched.
So delicious! It's incredibly delicious! A hundred times better than instant noodles!
In Song Yu's mind, one hundred is the largest number, because one hundred yuan is the most money.
He has a limited vocabulary and hasn't read many books. His description of food is simply "delicious." His mother's braised pork noodles are worth a hundred times the deliciousness!
After slurping down the last bit of food, with some soup still left in the bowl, Song Yu picked up the small bowl with both hands, tilted his head back, and gulped it down.
Song Yu patted his belly, which was bulging, indicating he was quite full. However, seeing the remaining gravy on the enamel basin, he hesitated to wash it.
Delicious food is precious. Although Song Yu eats very well every day after being with his mother, he still thinks back to the days when he lived with his aunt.
He looked at his fingers, slid off the stool and ran to the kitchen. He washed his hands carefully, came back, picked up the enamel basin, ran his clean fingers along the side of the basin, and was about to happily put them in his mouth when Song Xinran grabbed his arm.
Song Xinran's eyes widened: "Xiao Yu, what are you doing?!"
Song Yu blinked her big eyes and said in a soft voice, "Mom, I want to finish all the noodle soup."
Song Xinran: ...Then you don't need to lick it with your fingers.
She tried to soften her tone: "Xiao Yu has already finished eating."
Song Yu showed her the basin: "There's more."
The gravy was thick enough to cling to the enamel basin, but a small spot inside was clean, clearly the area Song Yu had just wiped with his finger.
Song Xinran tried to speak politely: "We don't need these. If Xiao Yu still wants some, there's still some gravy left in the bowl, so she can have some more."
Song Yu shook his head. He was already full, but he understood what his mother meant, though he felt a little regretful.
Song Xinran always understood him well: "Don't feel bad. I'm happy as long as Xiao Yu likes to eat it. Don't wipe it with your hands to eat it."
Hmm... She really wanted to say that this was not very elegant and did not conform to the norms of table manners, but Song Yu was too young to understand.
Eating this privately at home might be considered casual, but if it's seen in public, it'll be described with words like disgusting.
Song Xinran hopes that Song Yu will be liked and treated kindly by others, so she wants to teach him more about etiquette and manners. He will naturally understand when he grows up.
Song Yu was very obedient, although he didn't quite understand why. Cai Yang would eat like that when he liked something, and he would lick his whole palm. But when his mother said no, he didn't want it.
After hearing Song Xinran's words, Song Xinwen silently put the basin down.
She shared similar thoughts with Song Yu. It would be such a waste not to finish such delicious food. She didn't feel embarrassed at home because they grew up in an era of food scarcity. Even eating rice was a rare treat, reserved for important occasions. No one would leave a single grain of rice uneaten. After finishing the rice, they would add water and stir it in, eventually drinking all the water. They even thought the water tasted like white rice and that it was delicious!
However, times have indeed changed. With improved rice varieties, every household can now have enough to eat. While the food may not be the best, people are no longer starving.
Some of her old habits need to be changed now, Song Xinwen thought. Xinran has indeed changed a lot and is becoming more and more like a city person.
After eating noodles, the three went to the market to buy ingredients for their stall that day. When they came back, they saw several children standing downstairs, calling out one after another, "Song Yu, we've come to play with you!"
"Song Yu, come down quickly!"
Song Yu was standing not far away. Upon hearing the voice, her face immediately turned red. She ran over and said, "Stop shouting, I'm here."
The four children turned around and ran over.
Yuanyuan stood at the front, holding a remote-controlled toy car, and asked him in a clear voice, "Why aren't you home?"
Song Yu glanced back at Song Xinran, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I went out to buy groceries with my mother."
Upon hearing this, Yuanyuan looked up, then ran right up to Song Xinran and asked loudly, "Auntie, can Song Yu play with us?"
Song Yu was stunned. In his mind, children were children and adults were adults. Children could only talk to their own parents, how could they talk to other adults?
Even a bold child like Cai Yang wouldn't speak so loudly when he met other children's parents in the village.
He ran over, wanting to say something, but heard his mother's gentle voice: "Sure, are you the new friends Xiao Yu met yesterday? Xiao Yu told me about you when he got home yesterday."
Yuanyuan was very happy: "Yes, my name is Xu Shuyuan, and my nickname is Yuanyuan!"
The other three children also introduced themselves one by one, but compared to Yuanyuan's boldness, they were somewhat shy and reserved.
Song Xinran waved to Song Yu and grabbed all the milk candies from her pocket and handed them to him: "Xiao Yu, go out and play. Share the milk candies with the other children."
Song Yu tilted his head, feeling a little unfamiliar with the scene. This was the first time a child had come to his house to invite him out to play, and it was also the first time he had received a gift to share with the children.
Yuanyuan chuckled twice and grabbed Song Yu's arm: "Auntie, let's go!"
Song Yu was still a little dazed and hadn't quite reacted yet. She subconsciously waved to Song Xinran and said, "Goodbye, Mom."
A few candies fell to the ground, but before he could even bend down to pick them up, Yuanyuan had already gathered them all up and stuffed them into Song Yu's pocket: "Let's go play with toy cars!"
The children cheered, but they didn't hear Song Yu's voice.
Zhang Xiaoda said, "Song Yu, your mother is doing well; she doesn't stop you from going out."
Zhou Xue nodded: "Your mother even gave you milk candy."
As if remembering something, Song Yu held the milk candies in both hands and counted them: "Here, have some."
He gave one to each child, and after distributing them once, he started distributing them a second time. In the end, each child had three, but Song Yu still had one left. He thought about it, put it in his pocket, and decided to go home and give it to his mother.
Zhang Xiaoda exclaimed, "Song Yu, you're so smart! You can count! We all have the same milk candy."
Song Yu glanced at him, thinking it wasn't a big deal: "I'll count to twenty."
Yuanyuan said, "You're better than Zhang Xiaoda. He can only count to ten. You count for us quickly!"
Song Yu was a little shy, counting in front of so many people on the street. But facing the expectant looks of his friends, who were also his first friends, he still whispered, "1 2 3..."
He wanted to say that he could read and draw, but he was afraid that his friends would ask him to perform on the spot, and he was too shy to say it.
*
“It’s great that Xiao Yu has made a new friend,” Song Xinwen said. “That little girl is really bold and outgoing. She dared to call us ‘Auntie’ the first time she saw us and let Xiao Yu go out to play.”
Song Xinwen couldn't help but compare the children in the village to the children in his mind, and felt that the difference was really big.
Children really do need to grow up in the city, where they see more people and become bolder. Song Xinwen couldn't help but think of Cai Yang.
Song Xinran said, "The environment is one aspect, and parental education is another."
Song Xinwen also thought it made sense. She used to think that educating children was just a matter of feeding them and clothing them, and that they would understand things when they grew up. That's how she grew up, and she's doing just fine now.
But after living with Xinran for half a month and seeing how she treated Song Yu, Song Xinwen's thoughts began to change quietly.
The two prepared the ingredients for the Sichuan-style boiled chicken at home as usual, and then set up their stall on time in the afternoon.
As soon as you arrive at the entrance of No. 3 Middle School, you can hear a loud loudspeaker blaring: "Buy fried skewers! Clean fried skewers! Fried skewers made with fresh meat! Huge discounts and special offers!"
The husband and wife who run the fried food stall are also out today. The banner on their tricycle has a different slogan, emphasizing safety and health.
Upon seeing them, Xiong Li glared at them fiercely, but made no further words or actions.
Song Xinwen scoffed lightly: "They used to laugh at us for not being able to sell our products, but now the words have fallen on their own shoulders."
Song Xinran said, "Never mind them, they're all just grasshoppers in autumn."
Song Xinwen didn't understand: "What?"
Song Xinran said in a low voice, "They won't be able to keep jumping around for much longer."
Song Xinwen chuckled after a moment's thought: "Xinran, you're so funny."
"But they really won't be able to turn things around again, will they?"
Song Xinran said, "No, you'll see today."
Just as Song Xinran had predicted, even though the fried food stall was shouting more enthusiastically today, not a single student went there, and they even kept their distance when they passed by the stall.
Xiong Li couldn't take it anymore, so he had Yang Changhai fry a few skewers and put them on a plate. He walked up to the stall, and as soon as a student came, he held out the plate to him: "Hey classmate, come and have a taste, it's free!"
But the students walked even faster, almost running, and the few skewers on the plate just wouldn't sell.
Song Xinwen almost burst out laughing when she saw this, and then she heard the students who came to buy Bobo Chicken say, "Aunt Song, you should set up your stall somewhere else. I'm scared to walk past this fried skewer stall."
Song Xinwen's smile vanished instantly. He hadn't expected the fried food stall to be so powerful, that it could even affect them. This wouldn't do!
Song Xinran smiled generously and said, "Thank you, classmate. I'll move over if there's a suitable place."
Upon hearing this, the primary and secondary school students immediately spoke up: "Auntie, please move it to the school gate!"
"Yes, our place is spacious, and there are only five or six stalls!"
"Auntie, please move downstairs to our building, I promise I'll buy from you every day!"
"Oh no, how can you do this? If you can come to my building, you can come to my building too! I buy things every day!"
The students from No. 3 Middle School were unhappy: "Auntie, you stay here and don't go anywhere. I'll have all my classmates come to buy it tomorrow!"
How can there be such people? They're deliberately trying to steal their customers! There's only one auntie who makes delicious Sichuan-style boiled chicken; they must protect her!
"That's right, Auntie, I'll buy from you as long as you're here!"
The students were chatting noisily when suddenly a girl's voice exclaimed from the side, "What are you doing?!"
It was Xiong Li's voice.
There were overturned plates and a few pitiful fried skewers on the ground.
Standing in front of Xiong Li was a tall, burly middle-aged man, the stall owner selling guokui (a type of flatbread) next door, who was yelling at Xiong Li angrily: "What am I doing! The students are too scared to come here because of your shouting, and you've ruined my business!"
When Yang Changhai saw his wife being bullied, he immediately ran out and punched the guokui stall owner, saying, "We're just making noise, what's it to you? Mind your own business!"
The burly owner of the flatbread shop was unharmed; in fact, he pushed Yang Changhai so hard that he stumbled and yelled, "Get that stinky loudspeaker off the spot right now, or I'll make you regret it!"
Seeing this, Xiong Li knew he couldn't let it go so easily, so he turned around and shouted, "Someone's been beaten! Someone's been killed!"
He picked up a plate and swung it at the guokui vendor's head. Although the vendor was alone, he was quite agile and dodged, causing Xiong Li to crash into the stall and land on his backside. He immediately yelled even louder, "You dare hit me! I'll make sure you don't get away with this today!"
When the surrounding students saw what had happened, the timid ones quickly ran away, no longer wanting to buy anything, while the bolder ones gathered a short distance away to watch the commotion, chattering with their companions.
Song Xinran's spot had the most people standing there. Firstly, it was a good spot for her to watch the game, and secondly, it was a good cover for the many people buying things there.
Seeing others enjoying their "bobo chicken" (a type of Sichuan hot pot), onlookers couldn't resist buying some themselves. The moment they put it in their mouths, they felt their tongues come alive and quickly bought several more skewers.
Eating Bo Bo Chicken while watching two vendors argue and fight back and forth, neither willing to give in, is much more interesting than watching TV!
In the end, the police came and took the guokui (a type of flatbread) owner and the couple running the fried skewers stall to the police station.
The school bell rang, and the students, having had their fill of watching the excitement, scattered in all directions, leaving the other stalls by the entrance to suffer, as they barely sold anything today!
Sister Feng looked at the potatoes that were still mostly left on her stall, her face turning frighteningly dark. There were so many left, she wouldn't be able to sell them all even after evening self-study. She was going to lose a lot of money today!
Only Song Xinran's pot-boiled chicken sold out completely; even those who came to watch the spectacle couldn't buy any later.
After the two people selling fried skewers and the potstickers left, the place suddenly became much quieter. Song Xinran packed up her things and went home, feeling that she had made a fortune off the fried skewer stall.
Song Xinwen almost burst out laughing: "The fried food couple has finally been dealt with!"
After this incident, they won't dare to come again.
Song Xinran smiled but remained silent, though she found the lively scene quite enjoyable.
The two were chatting and laughing, and had just turned a corner and reached the bottom of the stairs when they suddenly heard a sound:
"Mother!"
Cai Yang rushed over like a cannonball, grabbed Song Xinwen's leg, and cried heartbrokenly, "Mommy, I missed you..."
When Song Xinwen looked down, he saw that Cai Yang's hair hadn't been washed or cut in a long time; it was all clumps and looked like it was about to get lice. He was also wearing clothes that looked like they'd been found somewhere, with the collar worn white. His once chubby body had also lost a lot of weight.
Before Song Xinwen could even speak, her heart ached. This was how Cai Yongde treated the children when she wasn't home!
“Xinwen…” An old man’s voice suddenly sounded beside me.
Standing beside her, Cai's mother's eyes also reddened. She wiped her eyes and said, "Xiao Yang missed you, so I brought him to see you."
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