Chapter 34 The Oden is so delicious it makes you forget everything else…
"Xinran!"
Hearing a somewhat familiar voice, Song Xinran, who was busy scooping oden and collecting money, looked up and recognized the person through the rising steam.
"Chen Jingfang! Xu Sha!" Her voice was full of surprise, "What are you doing here?"
However, she didn't stop working while she was talking. It was peak business hours, and every second she stopped meant a second less money she would earn. There were also so many students queuing up next to her.
Seeing how she was multitasking, Chen Jingfang was worried that her hand might get burned by the boiling soup pot, so she quickly said, "Don't worry about us, you go ahead and do your work!"
Song Xinran said, "I'm happy to see you all."
These two people were the ones who showed her kindness when she first came into this world. Although she had never seen them again after resigning from the glass factory, she would never forget them.
After meeting the glass factory employees yesterday, she thought she would definitely run into acquaintances again today.
She is not afraid of either gratitude or enmity. As the saying goes, career and money are a person's foundation, and she is very confident now.
Upon hearing this, Chen Jingfang's initial anxiety subsided considerably, and she smiled, saying, "We didn't know you were in town, otherwise we would have come to see you sooner."
Xu Sha nodded in agreement. She had no idea there were so many stalls outside the Third Middle School.
Although they work in town, the glass factory and the No. 3 Middle School are in completely different directions, and it takes half an hour to walk there. They usually go home after work and rarely wander around. They only come to town on market days to buy household items.
The stalls outside the Third Middle School only set up in the afternoon and after evening self-study, so I completely missed them.
If she knew there were so many delicious foods here, she would definitely come to eat here every week.
Compared to Chen Jingfang's thoughts, Xu Sha's thoughts were much simpler at this moment. Her eyes were fixed on the two pots of oden. She saw the clear amber broth being scooped up and poured out, and the plump meatballs looking very bouncy. They were obediently put into the bowls one by one.
The rich aroma formed a huge net, completely covering the surrounding area. Within this area, you could only smell the sweet, salty, and savory flavor of oden. It was warm, steaming, and moist, making you feel warm all over after just one whiff. But at the same time, your stomach was also rumbling, its palpable sense of food clamoring for food and to be filled.
Xu Sha swallowed her saliva repeatedly.
I saw the students eagerly eating it as soon as they got their hands on it, spitting out hot food, but their mouths wouldn't stop. After swallowing, their faces showed a satisfied expression as if they were in heaven.
Xu Sha, who loves to eat, almost couldn't resist asking the students to sell her some to try.
If it weren't Song Xinran selling oden, she wouldn't have hesitated to rush over and buy a big bowl, since she doesn't particularly like it and there are some people she dislikes about it!
But now, she felt very conflicted and embarrassed, always feeling that if Song Xinran saw her go to buy it, she would definitely laugh at her.
After all... back then, Song Xinran ate two candies from her, and she kept complaining about it.
If she had known, she would have given Song Xinran two more candies.
But how come I didn't know Song Xinran had this skill before?
Although everyone usually lives in the factory dormitory, they often go home and bring some food with them each time they come from home, but Song Xinran has never brought any.
This is also one of the reasons why Xu Sha has a bad impression of her. It's not good to eat alone in a dormitory. Every time, they would share food with Song Xinran, but Song Xinran never shared any with them.
Thinking about the past, Xu Sha became even angrier, and she could no longer bring herself to ask Song Xinran to buy her anything.
However, the aroma of oden never stopped, and even seemed to be getting stronger. Watching the students eat with such gusto, Xu Sha's willpower was gradually diminishing.
She simply turned to Chen Jingfang and asked, "Aren't you hungry? Want to go buy something?"
Anyway, Chen Jingfang has always been a nice person and has a good relationship with Song Xinran, so she won't feel awkward when she goes shopping, and she can eat with her too.
She wanted to see just how delicious this stuff was that made those students feel like their souls were about to fly after just one bite.
Chen Jingfang said, "Xinran is so busy right now, let's not go and cause her trouble."
Xu Sha wanted to say that they weren't causing trouble at all; they were clearly helping Song Xinran's business. However, since Chen Jingfang had already said that, she couldn't insist any further.
Chen Jingfang was increasingly pleased with what she saw. Who said Song Xinran's business was bad? This business was clearly fantastic!
She was watching Song Xinran sell things, but she wasn't just watching; she was also doing some mental calculations. Suddenly, she was so surprised that her eyes widened.
These students were surprisingly quite wealthy, spending only one or two yuan at a time, with a few five or ten yuan. They were even more generous with their money than the adults.
She was shocked when she calculated that Song Xinran had sold at least ten or twenty yuan worth of goods in such a short period of time; the business was incredibly booming.
Chen Jingfang was a person who couldn't stay idle. Seeing Song Xinran so busy while they were just playing around, she felt bad.
However, she wasn't very familiar with Song Xinran, and it wouldn't be right to rashly help her, especially since it involved money. So she reluctantly refrained from doing so.
Chen Jingfang wasn't a glutton, but the pursuit of food is ingrained in people's genes, especially when it comes to food that suits her taste. Just looking at it for a few more seconds made her feel hungry, so she had to quickly look away.
"It's almost sold out!" But Xu Sha couldn't move it an inch. Seeing that there wasn't much food left in the soup pot, she became anxious. "Jingfang, go buy some more."
Chen Jingfang shook her head and said no, no, they are so busy, it's not good to bother them.
But before the voice could even finish, it was drowned out by another, louder, older voice: "Boss, I'll take all the rest of the oden!"
Xu Sha suddenly looked up: What?!
The man who bought them all was an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, who said to Song Xinran with a smile, "Young lady, see how much is left, give it all to me."
The students who couldn't buy any cried out in despair.
The old man smiled kindly: "I'm sorry, students, it's finally my turn. The owner will be setting up his stall again tonight, so please come back later. I'm too old to stay up all night. Thank you, students."
When the students from No. 3 Middle School saw the old man's condition, the school teachers' constant admonition to respect the elderly and care for the young came into play at that moment. Although they felt sad, they still said, "Grandpa, please eat. This oden is really delicious."
"That's right, that's right. I've never eaten anything this delicious before. You can't waste it, sir!"
The old man smiled and said, "Don't worry, students, I'm not eating alone. My wife is waiting for me. I'm a regular customer; I eat here often."
The student said, "When I get home, I'm going to tell my mom that oden is very healthy, and even old men come to buy it!"
The old man nodded and said yes, without the slightest bit embarrassed.
The students exclaimed, "The oden auntie is such a blessing to us, living right here at our school gate!"
"Auntie, please don't move to the area near the elementary school! How many students are there in an elementary school compared to how many students are in our No. 3 Middle School!"
Song Xinran had already packed up the remaining oden and said gently to the group of regular students, "No, you can come and eat here every day, and I'll make it every day."
Then he handed the bag to the old man: "Grandpa, it's ten yuan and six cents in total. You can just give me ten yuan."
The old man took it: "What a coincidence, my wife also bought ten yuan's worth yesterday."
Song Xinran had known them for a long time; they lived next door to her. She asked with a smile, "Why didn't you come out today, Auntie?"
The old man said, "She bought it yesterday, but she felt bad about it today, so she asked me to buy it for her. What's there to be embarrassed about? Can't we old people like the things that students like? Everyone loves delicious food."
Song Xinran gave a thumbs up: "Grandpa, you see things very clearly. Isn't this how life is lived? Eat what you like and do what you want to do."
Because of the limited time after school, the students dispersed and went home after seeing that the oden had sold out, and the place became much quieter, with only a few adults around.
The old man looked at Song Xinran intently after hearing her words and smiled, "Young lady, you look young, and you speak quite clearly."
The old man carried two large bowls of oden home.
Chen Jingfang finally found a moment to speak: "Xinran, your business is booming!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "It's just a small business, but everyone's been very supportive."
"Not at all, you're too modest!" Chen Jingfang said. "The food is delicious, so it's no wonder the business is good."
She glanced at Song Xinran's two empty pots, now only filled with broth, and couldn't help but sigh, "They're all sold out in such a short time."
At a glance, it's obvious they must be making a lot of money, far from the meager existence Tian Hong and the others claimed. It's probably just Tian Hong being jealous.
Song Xinran said, "I still have two pots of food simmering at home. Let's go back and have some together."
Chen Jingfang repeatedly declined, saying, "No need, we can't trouble you like that. We just came to visit and see that you're doing well."
Xu Sha pursed her lips, swallowing back the words that were on the tip of her tongue. She was a polite and considerate person, and she hesitated even when buying things, which led to her regret in the end, let alone going to someone else's house to freeload a meal.
However, my heart was pounding wildly, which I could hardly contain.
Song Xinran glanced down at the several packages and said, "Look at all the things you brought, you should at least come back with me for a while."
Chen Jingfang felt a little embarrassed. Originally, she had brought these things to help Song Xinran, but now, looking at them, she realized there was no point in helping her. Song Xinran might not even appreciate them, and they would only be a burden. She said, "They're not anything good..."
This is a dilemma. It's embarrassing to take it out, but it's not good to bring it home since it's already been brought here.
Song Xinran said, "The fact that you came to see me is the best thing ever. This sentiment is better than anything else."
Chen Jingfang was about to decline, but Xu Sha said directly, "Then let's go take a look. Weren't you talking about it to me the whole time in the dorm?"
Xu Sha was also a little puzzled. How come Song Xinran's verbal skills had improved so much in just over a month? Wasn't she the kind of person who was always quiet and unresponsive?
Song Xinran's smile became even more genuine: "I live right next door, it's just a few steps away."
Chen Jingfang helped her push the cart, chatting casually: "Isn't your home in the village? Why did you move here?"
"I thought it would be more convenient to rent a place in town to set up a stall."
Chen Jingfang was secretly astonished. Renting a place in town would cost her a lot of money. It seemed that Song Xinran had really made a lot of money from her stall. She didn't know that renting a place in town was so expensive.
As they were talking, they arrived at the place. Song Xinran opened the door, and Chen Jingfang glanced inside and knew that it must be expensive.
The house is spacious and bright, with everything you need. The walls are even painted with white putty, which looks really pleasing to the eye.
Chen Jingfang hesitated for a moment: "Now that we're here, see if you can use these things. I'll head back now."
She doesn't like associating with wealthy people or those whose family backgrounds are very different from hers.
When visiting relatives, if you hear that someone is sick, you will specially buy nice things to visit them, hoping that they will recover soon.
As a result, the other person said nice things to her face, expressing gratitude and such, and Chen Jingfang even felt touched, thinking that she could visit them more often in the future.
But later they found out that the relatives not only gave away the gifts they brought, but also said that they came because they wanted to ask for favors.
Chen Jingfang was furious and felt disheartened. She decided it was best not to associate with relatives who were too different from her, lest they think she was asking for something.
She had come to see Song Xinran with good intentions, but seeing that the other party was completely different from before, she became somewhat hesitant.
Xu Sha was surprised and even after reaching the door, she said she wanted to go back.
Song Xinran pretended not to hear this and pulled the two of them inside, closing the door behind her: "Sit down and have some water first."
Then he went into the kitchen and came out a short while later, carrying two bowls of steaming oden.
The fragrance went straight into their noses, and upon smelling it, they felt a shiver run through their bodies.
"Try it," Song Xinran said. "I was so busy outside just now and didn't have time to look after you. I'm really sorry."
Chen Jingfang quickly said, "No, no, it was us who disturbed you."
"Xinran, I'm relieved to see you're doing well now. Look at this house, it's square and spacious, and bright..."
Chen Jingfang was about to say a few more words of praise when she suddenly heard a slurping sound coming from the side. She glanced at Xu Sha out of the corner of her eye and was surprised to find that Xu Sha was already eating with great relish, her eyes slightly narrowed and her expression extremely happy and relaxed.
She was startled. Wasn't Xu Sha and Song Xinran's relationship just ordinary? How come they were eating without any regard for anything else?
However, the aroma of oden was so enticing that it made one dizzy. Looking at Song Xinran's gentle and sincere smile, Chen Jingfang realized that she was completely different from that relative. Song Xinran's enthusiasm was genuine.
She didn't have time to say anything more and quickly scooped up a piece of mushroom and put it in her mouth.
The moment it entered my mouth, my body froze.
Rao Chenjingfang is not a person who craves good food, and she never imagined that there could be such delicious food in the world. Before she could even swallow the first bite, her hand was already reaching for the second bite.
The umami flavor exploded in my mouth, instantly activating all the taste cells on my tongue. All the other foods I ate before suddenly seemed tasteless, and my mouth and mind could only remember the deliciousness of oden.
After taking several bites, Chen Jingfang finally regained some composure and wanted to say a few words of praise, when she heard Xu Sha say, "Xinran, your cooking is amazing!"
Chen Jingfang was still a little confused. Xu Sha used to always call her by her full name, so why was she being so affectionate today?
Xu Sha added, "No wonder so many students buy it, the taste is truly amazing!"
Chen Jingfang nodded in agreement, noting that not only students came to buy, but also elderly people.
You know, these older people have the most outdated ideas. They always think that the things sold at street stalls are unhygienic. They won't buy anything themselves, and they'll even shake their heads if they see strangers buying something, muttering something like, "They have money to burn."
Food from street vendors that seniors can buy must be pretty good!
As Chen Jingfang ate, she wanted to say a few words of praise, but before she could speak, Xu Sha interrupted her: "Xinran, with your skills, you should have quit your job at the glass factory a long time ago. Doing anything is better than earning a fixed salary."
"This must be a radish. I've never eaten such a soft, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth radish before. People always say that you should eat radishes in winter and ginger in summer, but this weather is perfect for eating radishes."
Listening to Xu Sha's words, Chen Jingfang was a little dazed. What was going on? Wasn't Xu Sha the one who disliked Song Xinran the most in the dormitory before? Even today, when she asked Xu Sha to come over, Xu Sha was reluctant to move. How come she can't stop praising her now?
Seeing that Xu Sha was about to speak, Chen Jingfang had to interrupt her, giving her a thumbs up: "Xinran, you're really amazing."
Xu Sha had used up all the words of praise she could think of, so Chen Jingfang racked her brains to come up with something impressive.
Song Xinran laughed, her voice light and cheerful: "Thank you, you've made me blush. I'm glad you like it. There are two more big pots in the kitchen."
She was genuinely happy to see old acquaintances, and these two people were truly speaking up for her.
However, Chen Jingfang and Xu Sha couldn't eat anymore after they finished eating, as this was what Song Xinran used to make money.
After a few words, the conversation turned to the glass factory again. Xu Sha snorted and said, "Yesterday, Tian Hong and Xing Shurong came back and said that your business was not doing well. I think they were just talking nonsense. They haven't even been paid their own wages yet, but they hope that others are also broke."
Song Xinran said, "The glass factory hasn't paid wages for almost four months, has it?"
“Yes,” Chen Jingfang said, “but thanks to your suggestion, I borrowed a thousand from the factory manager, which made things a little easier.”
"It's probably not feasible for the whole factory to keep dragging this out like this."
“What do you mean the whole factory got it?” Xu Sha said. “The sales department got it.”
"What?" Chen Jingfang was extremely surprised. "Didn't the factory manager say that everyone's wages are owed?"
Xu Sha was a little embarrassed and whispered, "I heard it from someone else, Wei Yufa from the sales department."
"What's going on?" Chen Jingfang frowned.
“Wei Yu is the most beautiful girl in the sales department. I have a friend who works there. He said that he saw her wearing gold and silver every day, changing her clothes all the time, and frequently going in and out of the factory manager’s office. So he decided to pay her a salary.”
Chen Jingfang disagreed, saying, "How can you say such things? I thought someone actually saw it. At this time, how could we possibly pay someone a salary separately?"
Xu Sha said, "That's why I didn't tell you. Just take it as gossip."
After listening to their conversation for a while, Song Xinran asked, "If things aren't going to work out at the factory, have you tried talking to the factory manager's wife?"
Xu Sha muttered, "Why do you say the same thing as Jingfang?"
The relationship between the boss and his wife was not uncommon in the factory. Song Xinran had heard about it before, and said, "That's because the boss's wife also has shares in the factory. The factory was able to start up thanks to the boss's wife's family. So she naturally gets a share of the wages. Moreover, the boss's wife doesn't come to the factory often, so she is asked for favors less often. Her family is not short of money, so it's naturally easier for them to ask for favors than for the boss."
Xu Sha said, "Then I'll take a look."
"By the way," Song Xinran asked, "what did you think Wei Yu looked like?"
Xu Sha's eyes lit up: "You also think what I said makes sense, right? She has long hair, big eyes, and fair skin. You should have seen her before, right? She's quite famous in our factory. There's a picture of her on the factory bulletin board."
Song Xinran recalled that she seemed to remember it, but not much. She laughed and said, "There's no smoke without fire, but don't say these unfounded rumors in public."
She felt there might be something fishy going on here, so she wanted to find out more. She also still had two months' worth of wages left at the glass factory, and all the work the original owner had done day after day couldn't be wasted.
Xu Sha: "Of course I know. I didn't even tell Jingfang before."
Today we had a great time eating, and then we started talking about things at the factory, and before we knew it, we were talking about it.
Chen Jingfang: …………
"Xinran, I found some clothes for you that are suitable for children at home," Chen Jingfang said. "Take a look and see if you can wear them. If not, I can take them back."
Chen Jingfang genuinely thought so. Although the clothes given by others were old, they weren't torn. Children grow quickly and use up clothes quickly, so it would be best to have some good clothes to wear.
Her child will be able to wear these in a couple of years, and taking them home will save her some money.
Upon learning the origin of the clothes, Song Xinran was deeply moved: "Jingfang, thank you for still remembering me. Let me take a look."
Chen Jingfang brought a cotton-padded jacket, a sweater, and two pairs of pants, all for winter.
Song Xinran opened the bag and touched it, praising it repeatedly: "The quality is really good. You can tell the stitching is solid just by touching it. It won't break even after wearing it for several years. It still looks new and is really warm."
Chen Jingfang laughed when she heard her words: "My cousin's family is not short of money, and they buy good things for their children. I specially picked out a few larger ones to bring over."
Song Xinran shook her head, praised the clothes a few more times, and then said shyly, "But these clothes are a bit small. My Song Yu probably won't be able to wear them. He's already four years old this year."
Chen Jingfang said, "Oh, that's really unfortunate. You see, I didn't even know how tall your child is."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "It's nothing. You'll understand once we keep in touch. I'm very grateful for the things you brought. I know you're worried about me and are considerate."
Chen Jingfang went along with it, saying, "Then I'll take these clothes back and see if I can find anything bigger when I get home."
"Okay, okay." Song Xinran then looked at another bag, which was full of vegetables she had grown herself. She quickly said, "I won't refuse this bag. You're so thoughtful, knowing what I need. It's so expensive to buy things at the market these days. These vegetables have been a great help to me, and I even asked you to carry them over for me."
Hearing her say that, Chen Jingfang's smile became even more genuine: "It's good that it's useful."
She had initially worried that Song Xinran, now that she had money, wouldn't be interested in her, leaving her in a dilemma. But now, seeing this, she felt relieved.
He sighed inwardly, thinking that Song Xinran was much more upright than that relative. She didn't waste things she didn't need and spoke her mind clearly. That's what a friend should be like.
Song Xinran naturally accepted the white sugar that Xu Sha gave her. That's how human relationships work: you give a papaya and receive a precious jade in return. This kind of exchange deepens the relationship.
After seeing the two off, Song Xinran poured the sugar into the sugar jar and picked out the vegetables to use the next day.
Song Yu now has new clothes. If he needs more, Song Xinran will buy him some. Before, the little boy always wore hand-me-downs, and she didn't want Song Yu to live like that anymore.
But she also understood Chen Jingfang's good intentions; none of the clothes were torn or tattered, showing that they had been carefully selected.
I could only make up an excuse to refuse. It's very common for children to wear hand-me-downs these days. If she just accepted it but didn't want it, that would be a real waste of her good intentions. It would be better to let Chen Jingfang take it back and use it.
Although she refused the old clothes, she accepted other things, but she would not give them away or keep them unused.
Chen Jingfang is a reasonable person and can understand her good intentions.
When Song Yu came back, he asked, "Mom, who came to our house?"
He went to Yuanyuan's house to play after school today, and even had dinner there before coming back.
Song Xinran initially felt this was inappropriate, but Kang Zhilan said that Yuanyuan would come to Song Yu's house every morning to ask for food, so they felt really bad.
Song Xinran didn't take it to heart. She always prepared extra food every morning, so it was just a matter of convenience for Yuanyuan to come and eat.
Since Kang Zhilan had said so, she simply complied.
Song Xinran was quite surprised. Song Yu wasn't home when Chen Jingfang and Xu Sha arrived, so her guess was quite accurate: "How did Xiao Yu know?"
Song Yu pointed to two unwashed bowls in the kitchen and said, "It smells like oden. Mom doesn't eat oden at home; it's for other people."
Song Xinran stared at Song Yu with great surprise, her gaze unblinking.
Song Yu blinked, a little shyly, and touched her cheek: "What's wrong, Mom?"
"Mom didn't know that Xiaoyu was a little genius."
Song Yu's face flushed red, and she shook her head repeatedly: "I'm not."
"that is."
Song Yu's face flushed, and he shook his head so hard it was like a spin dryer. He was rarely praised when he lived with his aunt, except when he was doing chores. But he hadn't done any chores today, and his mother always liked to praise him.
"That's Xiao Yu."
Song Yu lowered her head slightly, feeling embarrassed as she held her right hand with her left and pondered, her voice low: "If Mom says so, then it must be so."
He didn't want to argue anymore.
Song Xinran laughed loudly. How come she never knew that teasing children was so fun?
“Two aunties did come to our house today; they are Mom’s friends.” She hadn’t realized before that Song Yu was a little detective.
Song Yu gave a soft "oh".
Song Xinran asked, "What did Xiao Yu do at Yuanyuan's house today?"
Upon hearing this, Song Yu perked up, his eyes shining: "Yuanyuan's family has so many books."
Ever since Yuanyuan told her parents she wanted to read fairy tales, Mr. and Mrs. Xu were very touched and gratified. They not only bought Yuanyuan a variety of fairy tales, but also many other books, which could already fill an entire bookshelf.
However, Yuanyuan's interest in fairy tales is limited to having her parents read them to her every night; she doesn't want to read them herself.
After Song Yu arrived, the books that had been bought but left unused finally found a purpose, and Song Yu took one out and began to read it.
He doesn't know many characters, but now the kindergarten is teaching pinyin. Although he has only learned a little and can't spell everything, he still watches with great interest.
Seeing this, Xu's mother was greatly relieved. She handed over the cooking to Xu's father and taught the two children to read.
Originally, Yuanyuan could not last more than two minutes, but today, with her friend Song Yu by her side, she actually lasted for half an hour.
Half an hour was enough, which was beyond Xu Ma's expectations. She didn't insist and let the two children play.
“Yuanyuan wanted to give me a pot of mimosa, but I didn’t want it,” Song Yu said. “Teacher An said that every student in the class has a potted plant, and I want one too.”
Song Xinran learned that the plants were for observation purposes, partly to cultivate children's observation and descriptive skills, and partly to decorate the classroom. The children also needed to water and care for them themselves, and at the end of the semester, the child whose plant grew the best would receive a small red flower.
"Yuanyuan has a lot of flowers at home."
Song Xinran patted his head: "Mom will take Xiaoyu to the city to buy this on the weekend."
Song Yu hurriedly said, "There are also plants in the town, but they are very expensive to bring to the city."
Song Xinran guessed that he wouldn't be able to change his habit of saying that everything was expensive anytime soon. As long as it didn't affect his life, she said, "Mom has other things to do in the city."
"Mom, do we need to buy anything for our family again?"
In his memory, he always had to buy a lot of things every time he went to the city.
Song Xinran said, "Let's go see. Doesn't Xiao Yu want to go to the city?"
She pretended to be a little disappointed.
Song Yu hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, the city is very big and there are many things. I want to go."
Song Xinran was very pleased.
Somehow, Xu's parents found out that they were going to the city for the weekend. On Friday, Kang Zhilan came to tell Song Xinran that they were also going back to the city this week and could ride with her.
Song Xinran could not refuse and had no choice but to agree.
She stroked Song Yu's little head, deeply moved, and said, "Little Yu, this is all thanks to you."
When she first saw Song Yu, all she wanted was to raise the baby well and prevent him from meeting a tragic end. She never imagined that she would have to rely on the baby one day, and that day would come so quickly.
Song Yu didn't quite understand what this meant, and only said, "Mom is a blessed mom."
Today he heard others say how lucky they are, and he knows it's a good word. He has learned to use it actively.
On Saturday morning, Song Xinran took Xu's father's car to the city. She thought to herself, "The Xu family is indeed very well-off. They even have a car in this day and age."
Xu's mother said, "Yuanyuan's father and I both work in town, but our parents live in the city, so buying a car would make things more convenient."
After getting on the bus, it took fifty minutes to reach the city. Xu's father dropped them off at the designated place, and Xu's mother said, "Come to our house for lunch. Our house is in Xiyuan, it's very close by."
Yuanyuan immediately poked her head out: "Song Yu, you have to come! I have some puzzle pieces at my house, let's play together!"
Mr. Xu was also very enthusiastic.
Song Xinran couldn't refuse, so she had to agree. But as soon as she left, she thought that even if she was going to someone's house for a meal, she shouldn't go empty-handed. Yuanyuan said that the oden she brought home last time was all eaten by her parents, and Song Xinran thought that her family probably liked that kind of taste.
She can buy some groceries and fruit and go early so they can cook more to eat together.
But for now, let's take Song Yu to buy plants.
The place where Xu's father dropped them off was close to the flower and bird market. Song Xinran and Song Yu arrived in just a few steps. The first shop at the entrance had many flowers, plants and greenery on display.
Song Yu's eyes were immediately drawn to it, and she pointed to one of the potted green plants and said, "There are many of these plants on the balcony of our class."
The shop owner overheard their conversation, came out, and said with a smile, "These soil-grown pothos are the easiest to grow. Just water them and they grow incredibly lush. You don't need to take care of them for days."
"You're in kindergarten, right? These days, kindergartens love growing flowers, which are also said to help prevent radiation and reduce nearsightedness when reading and writing."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinran felt her vision go black. So the theory that plants protect against radiation has been around for a long time. But reading and writing have nothing to do with radiation.
Song Yu pointed to one of the green plants with long, narrow leaves and asked, "Uncle, what is this?"
The shopkeeper took one look and said, "This is Ophiopogon japonicus. It's not only easy to grow, but you can also eat it."
Song Yu's eyes widened.
The boss chuckled at his ignorant look and explained, "Boiling the roots of Ophiopogon japonicus in water is good for clearing heat and reducing internal fire. It's also great for sore throats and coughs, and it helps prevent radiation. It's perfect to keep in the classroom. Plus, it blooms, which is quite beautiful."
Song Yu had never heard of a plant with so many uses before; it was not only beautiful but also edible, and he was intrigued.
Song Xinran noticed the child's thoughts and asked, "How much is a pot of this Ophiopogon japonicus?"
The owner said, "This is cheap, five yuan a pot."
Song Xinran thought she was robbing her. Although five yuan wasn't much, liriope was common in their rural area. If it weren't for the flowerpot, she would have gone home and dug it up.
The shop owner seemed to sense her thoughts and quickly said, "There's more inside, come and take another look. We have the most variety in our store."
Song Xinran went inside.
The shop owner seemed to know how to cater to children, and started introducing the products directly to Song Yu. Song Yu listened attentively with a serious expression.
Song Xinran was also looking at the plants when suddenly her eyes lit up and she noticed someone walking past the door. The figure looked very familiar, so she quickly took Song Yu's hand and went out.
Song Yu was a little puzzled, but she was very obedient and ran after her mother.
The flower and bird shop owner was stunned. What was going on? If you don't want to buy, then don't buy. Why are you dragging a child and running so fast? This isn't some shady shop that preys on people.
Song Xinran pulled Song Yu along for a couple hundred meters before they stopped right in front of a flower and bird shop.
The proprietress quickly introduced the product as soon as she saw a customer coming in, but for some reason the adults didn't seem to notice it. They were just holding the child's hand and looking outside. The child, on the other hand, was very interested and looked very well-behaved, which prompted the proprietress to say a few more words.
Song Xinran noticed her heart was beating a little fast, so she took a deep breath. When she saw familiar figures walking towards her, she quickly turned her head away as if to look at something, but in reality, she was focused on the two figures.
Song Xinran's gaze seemed to casually glance at them, but the man and woman walking past her were oblivious, continuing their cheerful conversation.
“We’re going to Guhua Street. The shop owner there left me a new dress. I’ll wear it to show you.”
The man was very generous: "Okay!"
“Our colleague Xiao Deng just got a new customer the day before yesterday, and he wants a lot of bottles.”
The man said, "The quantity ordered is indeed large, but since the price was kept low, we can still make a profit."
...
The two walked away chatting and laughing, completely unaware that Song Xinran was pretending to buy something.
Song Xinran matched these two people with the people in her vague memories, and even felt happy.
"Mom!" Song Yu exclaimed excitedly, tugging at her hand with bright eyes, "Auntie is going to give me MaiMaiDong!"
Song Xinran snapped out of her daze: "What?"
The flower and bird shop owner smiled broadly: "You're such a good talker, child. This pot of Ophiopogon japonicus is a gift for you."
Song Xinran: ...Wait!
She didn't even notice for a minute or two what had happened.
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