Chapter 36 is a promising talent!
Yuanyuan pushed her grandparents away: "Don't disturb my chess game with Song Yu, I always lose."
She does have a competitive spirit, you know? She used to win against Song Yu occasionally when playing chess, but today she really lost badly.
Yuanyuan felt something was wrong, and then she saw her grandparents standing nearby.
Oh, so that's where the problem lies!
If her grandparents weren't here, would she have won?
The two elderly people were both amused and exasperated. Grandpa Xu pretended to go for a walk, saying, "I don't want to watch you play, you lousy chess player!"
How come he never noticed how mischievous his adorable granddaughter was before?
Grandma Xu wanted to tell her granddaughter the truth. Without their guidance, she would only lose even more miserably. She didn't even know how she won before.
Grandpa Xu called out, "Yuanyuan's grandma, let's go for a walk in the neighborhood."
Grandma Xu is now overflowing with love for Song Yu, and she doesn't forget to tell him, "Yuanyuan, have fun with Xiao Yu."
Yuan Yuan didn't even look up, just waved her hand and said, "Okay."
Grandma Xu walked to the door and whispered to her husband, "Lanlan was right after all. Xiao Yu is a promising talent."
Grandpa Xu snorted: "I always said that children and grandchildren have their own blessings, so let's not meddle in the affairs of the young people."
Before they could even step out the door, a fragrant aroma wafted from the kitchen on the breeze, landing right on the faces of the two elderly people, causing them to stop in their tracks.
Their eyes met, and years of tacit understanding revealed what was that wonderful aroma!
At first, it's the salty and savory aroma of dried plum vegetables, which isn't overpowering; it's a warm and rustic fragrance that's quite enticing.
Then comes the aroma of the pork belly after steaming, with a hint of caramel sweetness, a touch of soy sauce saltiness, and the addition of star anise and bay leaves. Surprisingly, the flavors of these seasonings do not clash at all; they blend together perfectly, intertwining to create a rich, savory fragrance that lingers on the palate.
They could tell it was braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens just by smelling it!
This dish is served when someone in their area has an important event. We've eaten it so many times that we don't miss it. Sometimes, after eating a couple more pieces, we even feel a bit overwhelmed by the richness.
But I've never smelled this before! It's incredibly fresh and fragrant.
Could it be because he was hungry? Grandpa Xu couldn't help but wonder, but when he looked at the time, it was only a little past eleven o'clock, not yet lunchtime.
Yuanyuan looked up and asked curiously, "Grandpa and Grandma, why haven't you left yet?"
Grandpa Xu immediately turned around and said in a serious tone, "It's time to eat, I'm not leaving."
Grandma Xu glanced at him and walked towards the kitchen: "I'll go see if there's anything I can help with."
Once I entered the kitchen, I realized that the aroma I had just smelled came from opening the lid of the pot for steaming braised pork with preserved mustard greens. In that instant, the smell was so enticing that my stomach was growling.
Grandma Xu glanced at the tightly covered pot lid and asked, "Is it ready yet?"
Kang Zhilan smiled and said, "Xinran said that steaming it a little softer would make it easier for Mom and Dad to eat."
Grandma Xu really wanted to say that it didn't have to be soft, that she could try it first, but she was too embarrassed to say it.
"The braised pork with preserved mustard greens is almost done steaming. I'll stir-fry two side dishes." Kang Zhilan now knew that Song Xinran was very good at cooking, and turned to say, "Xinran, can you keep an eye on things for me and give me some pointers?"
Song Xinran laughed and said, "It's not like I'm giving pointers. Yuanyuan used to tell me that her mother's cooking is delicious, and she eats two big bowls of rice every day."
Kang Zhilan blushed slightly, thinking to herself that Yuanyuan's favorite dish right now was oden: "Don't be modest!"
She heated the oil in the wok and added the vegetables. Song Xinran praised from the side, "The timing of adding the vegetables is just right! The oil temperature is perfect. If it's too high, the wok will burn, and if it's too low, the flavor won't come out. This dish is sure to taste great!"
When Kang Zhilan added the seasoning, Song Xinran said, "Many Chinese recipes emphasize the appropriate amount of seasoning, and I think yours is just right. It perfectly matches the principle of 'appropriate amount,' and the saltiness is absolutely just right!"
Kang Zhilan was watering the vegetables while stewing them, and Song Xinran said, "Hey! It's hot water! So many people don't know this principle when stewing vegetables. Green leafy and root vegetables taste the best when watered with hot water, they're tender and nutritious!"
As Kang Zhilan took the vegetables out of the pot, Song Xinran exclaimed, "These green vegetables are so tender and smell so delicious!"
Grandma Xu blushed as she listened to Song Xinran's words, and shook her head as she looked at Kang Zhilan's beaming smile.
Song Xinran has so many words to praise people. Compared to Lanlan, it's hard to tell who is the real kindergarten teacher. She truly understands the essence of being a kindergarten teacher.
Lanlan is the same; she's listened to a lot of open courses, so why isn't she immune to these compliments?
No wonder the two families have such a good relationship after only knowing each other for a short time; there's a reason behind it all.
Kang Zhilan couldn't stand it anymore, and said with a big smile, "Xinran, stop talking. You're better at praising than many of the teachers in our kindergarten."
Song Xinran said seriously, "I'm not praising you, I'm telling the truth, your cooking is indeed very good."
Song Xinran has different requirements for professional chefs and home cooking. Kang Zhilan's cooking skills can already be considered above average for home cooking.
When it comes to family meals, the key is that the food should be easy to eat and not obviously overcooked, undercooked, too salty, or too bland.
Kang Zhilan felt her face getting sore from smiling, and quickly said, "Go out and rest for a bit. Leave these to me. I see you've finished cooking the chicken soup and prepared the seasoning for the cold chicken salad. We'll wait for Guolin to come back and butcher the chicken; he's strong."
Song Xinran wanted to say that she was quite strong, since no chef is weak in their hands, but Xu Guolin just came back, carrying cold dishes in one hand and drinks in the other: "What are you making? It smells so good!"
Kang Zhilan said, "Let Xinran go and rest. We'll take care of things in the kitchen."
Song Xinran was thus asked to leave the kitchen. The two children were still playing chess in the living room. When Song Xinran went over to check, Yuanyuan jumped up with a "whoosh," raising her arms and cheering, "I won! I won! Hahaha!"
Grandpa Xu thought to himself, "How is this possible!"
He strode over and saw that Yuanyuan had indeed won. The reason for her victory was that Song Yu had made a strange move. He pointed at the piece and said, "How could you play it here?"
Who knew that in Gomoku it's best to play adjacent pieces? Song Yu's piece ended up far away.
"Why can't we get off here!" Yuanyuan retorted confidently.
Grandpa Xu seemed to understand something.
Yuanyuan said, "I'll help Song Yu with that one!"
She even seemed quite smug.
Grandpa Xu rubbed his forehead, wondering if his granddaughter had won by betting in the same way before.
Luckily, he hadn't played games with Yuanyuan before, otherwise they might have argued countless times.
Looking at Song Yu, she wasn't unhappy at all. She even clapped her hands and clapped her hands, a smile on her fair face: "Yuanyuan, you're amazing."
Then, he slid off the sofa with both hands and ran towards Song Xinran: "Did Mom make chicken soup? It smells delicious."
They seemed completely unconcerned about the game, while Yuanyuan, sitting on the sofa, cheered to herself, touching her chin with one hand and smiling with her eyes crinkling: "I'm so amazing!"
Grandpa Xu: ……
How shameless!
He shook his head and left.
At this moment, the braised pork with preserved mustard greens was also steamed and taken out of the pot. Kang Zhilan inverted the dish onto a plate, removed the steaming bowl, and a perfect plate of braised pork with preserved mustard greens was presented in front of her.
The pork belly was fried until it developed a tiger-skin pattern, then evenly coated with soy sauce before steaming. It turned an amber-like honey color with a glossy sheen, the edges of which were slightly curled. The slices of meat were alternating between lean and fat, with clear marbling.
The dark brown preserved mustard greens peeked out from the edge of the white ceramic plate, clinging tightly to the slices of meat. Tiny bits of dried mustard greens were hidden among the oil droplets, and a layer of rich broth soaked underneath. Just looking at it made one's mouth water.
Not to mention the incredibly enticing aroma; Kang Zhilan struggled to resist picking up her chopsticks to taste it before finally managing to serve the dish.
As soon as it was placed on the table, its domineering and rich aroma enveloped everyone.
Yuanyuan reacted the fastest, rushing off the sofa and running to the table: "Where are the chopsticks! I need to get some chopsticks to eat!"
Grandpa Xu quickly stopped them: "Yuanyuan, wait a minute, everyone can eat after they're all at the table."
Yuanyuan swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on the plate of braised pork with preserved mustard greens. She patted her stomach and said in a spoiled tone, "Grandpa, I'm hungry."
Grandpa Xu said sternly, "Even if you're hungry, wait a little longer. You can't be so unruly."
They educate their children to be pampered when necessary, but by no means spoiling them; they also set rules for their children in certain aspects.
Besides, he was hungry too; his stomach was growling, but thankfully the sound wasn't loud enough for anyone to hear, otherwise Grandpa Xu would have been really embarrassed.
I haven't felt this kind of hunger in years. If his old comrades knew, they would laugh until their stomachs hurt.
Grandpa Xu was hungry but couldn't eat. He swallowed his saliva several times as he looked at the plate of braised pork with preserved mustard greens on the table, which was emitting a continuous aroma.
The glossy pork skin was evenly laid out, piled up like a small mountain. The thick sauce slowly flowed along the translucent steamed pork slices, finally gathering at the bottom of the plate, making the preserved mustard greens glisten.
The taste immediately reminded him of the first time he ate braised pork with preserved mustard greens. Grandpa Xu remembered it very clearly. When he was a child, his family was too poor to afford this dish. He only ate it for the first time in the canteen after he joined the army.
The taste was indescribable!
The fatty meat is tender and juicy, while the lean meat is succulent and not dry. Upon tasting it, you can feel the rich fat melting on your tongue, with a salty and savory flavor that makes you want to swallow your tongue.
Meat! This is real meat! I stuffed big slices into my mouth and swallowed them with rice. I felt like I had never eaten such delicious meat in my life!
Dried plum vegetables soaked in broth are an excellent accompaniment to rice, making it easy to eat several bowls of white rice in one go!
Grandpa Xu remembers it very clearly. In the end, he didn't even leave the last bit of soup in the bowl. He scooped rice into it and mixed it all over. After eating, the bowl was so clean that he didn't even need to wash it.
Later, as the economy developed and living conditions improved, eating a bowl of braised pork with preserved mustard greens became a common occurrence. However, Grandpa Xu didn't eat it often anymore. He was getting old, and after a few bites, he felt tired of it. In addition, there were more kinds of food, and new dishes were constantly emerging. He no longer remembered this dish.
It's only occasionally served on the table when visiting relatives and friends, but Grandpa Xu usually only eats one piece and then puts it down, finding the taste just so-so.
But as soon as this plate of braised pork with preserved mustard greens was served and he smelled it, Grandpa Xu's stomach was whetted. Not only his stomach was whetted, but he also had memories of the past. There was no mistake, there was no mistake, the first time he ate braised pork with preserved mustard greens tasted like this!
Stopping Yuanyuan from starting early is also stopping myself. There are still guests at home, and the adults need to set a good example. What are Guolin and Lanlan still busy in the kitchen? The braised pork with preserved vegetables is already on the table, and the two of them are still stir-frying. Isn't this one dish enough?
Grandpa Xu felt that each day was like a year. Looking at Song Xinran and Song Yu, the mother and son were chatting, and Song Yu was even teaching his mother to play chess. They didn't seem to be tempted by the delicious food at all.
Grandpa Xu felt ashamed. At his advanced age, he was less composed than a three-year-old when it came to his appetite.
Yuanyuan didn't need to look. Although she obediently stayed still, her eyes were fixed on the braised pork with preserved vegetables, and her mouth was practically watering.
Grandpa Xu had no idea that Song Yu ate his mother's cooking every day at home, giving his tongue a high-class spa treatment, which naturally built up some resistance.
Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Xu finally finished their work and brought out the dishes one by one.
Two plates of cold chicken salad, a large bowl of chicken soup, a plate of stir-fried shredded pork, a plate of stir-fried greens, and a plate of braised duck.
Grandpa Xu's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed: "Come and eat, Yuanyuan has been waiting for you for a long time!"
They never mentioned how anxious they were to wait.
Yuanyuan nodded quickly: "Yes, yes! I've been hungry for ages!"
Grandma Xu glanced at Grandpa Xu, her eyes full of understanding. After decades of marriage, didn't she know her husband well?
However, she didn't have much to say: "Come and eat quickly."
She couldn't wait any longer!
Everyone sat down at the table, suppressing their surging appetites, and still had to say the polite things: "Xinran, we're so sorry to have made you cook for us when we come to visit. It's really too much trouble for you. Please eat more!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "It's no trouble at all. I enjoy cooking. Your kitchen is so nicely decorated; cooking here is a real pleasure."
Grandma Xu thought to herself, regardless of whether what they said was true or false, it was still very comforting to hear. She was about to exchange a few pleasantries when Grandpa Xu said directly, "Eat quickly, the food won't taste good if it gets cold, and everyone is hungry!"
Grandma Xu rolled her eyes at him, thinking to herself, "You're probably just hungry!"
But without saying a word, her chopsticks went straight for the braised pork with preserved mustard greens; she had been craving this dish for a long time.
When you press down with the bamboo chopsticks, the steamed, soft, and tender fatty meat collapses and creates a hole. Wisps of lean meat release steam. You quickly put it in your mouth. The skin is springy and tender. Before you can even bite down, the fatty meat melts away. There is not a trace of greasiness, only a rich, fatty aroma spreading in your mouth.
The lean meat absorbed the salty and savory flavors of the preserved mustard greens and the savory sweetness of the sauce, becoming tender yet not dry. One bite, and your tongue feels refreshed.
Grandma Xu paused for two seconds, but didn't say a word. She just increased the speed at which she picked up her chopsticks, putting pieces of pork belly into her bowl one after another.
What was originally a large plate of braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, piled high with scallions, was quickly reduced to almost half by the two elderly people taking turns eating it with their chopsticks.
Kang Zhilan was stunned, and Xu Guolin couldn't believe it. Were these the same parents who didn't like eating greasy food, who would only eat one piece of pork belly and then stop, saying that they preferred a light flavor?
Grandpa Xu and Grandma Xu are just like each other. When they were young, they enjoyed everything and ate a lot, but as they got older, they became more picky about food.
"Mom and Dad, stop eating!" Xu Guolin quickly called out, "This is pork belly, it'll be too greasy if you eat too much!"
Grandpa Xu glanced at him: "Don't I know whether you're tired of it or not?"
Grandma Xu praised, "This braised pork with preserved mustard greens is delicious! I ate several pieces and didn't find it greasy at all!"
It's really strange. The braised pork with preserved mustard greens they used to eat smelled quite good, but one piece was enough. But this dish was completely different. It smelled many times better! And they couldn't stop eating it, one, two, three pieces at a time. The fatty meat didn't feel greasy at all. When they swallowed it, they only felt the salty and fragrant flavor with a strange aftertaste.
Grandpa Xu began to reminisce about the past: "This dish of braised pork with preserved mustard greens reminds me of the time I was in the army canteen. You all live such good lives now, you don't know that back then, whenever a pot of meat dishes was served, people would fight over it. Once, the canteen made braised pork with preserved mustard greens..."
Dad Xu gave Mom Xu a knowing look: Dad's at it again.
Xu's mother returned her gaze: "Just eat, why are you talking so much!"
Grandpa Xu often reminisces about the past, and he has mentioned braised pork with preserved vegetables many times. In the past, his parents would say, "If you want to eat it, go to a restaurant," but Grandpa Xu would always shake his head and say, "It doesn't taste the same!"
Grandpa Xu now says, "It tastes exactly like that! This plate of braised pork with preserved mustard greens tastes exactly like the one I ate back then!"
He sighed, "It would be great if my old comrades could have tasted it together. They must miss it terribly. Decades have passed in the blink of an eye."
As he spoke, Grandpa Xu scooped a spoonful of dried plum vegetables into his bowl and started mixing it with the rice. Then he recommended it to Yuanyuan: "Yuanyuan, you should try mixing rice like this. It tastes amazing!"
Yuanyuan's mouth was shiny with oil, and her face was covered in soy sauce. As she gnawed on a chicken wing, she said, "No, no, I want to eat cold chicken salad! Cold chicken salad is so delicious!"
Grandpa Xu thought his granddaughter didn't know what she was talking about, and snorted arrogantly, "Braised pork with preserved mustard greens is the best!"
Grandma Xu smiled but didn't say anything. She just put a piece of chicken breast into her bowl. She was old and her teeth weren't good, so she couldn't gnaw on bones as easily as a child.
I don't usually like to eat chicken breast, because I think it's tough and dry and hard to chew, but today's cold chicken salad is completely different!
The chicken breast was very tender, but Grandma Xu could tell that this tenderness wasn't due to the chickens being fed commercial feed.
The chicken is a good chicken, the meat is good meat, and the other parts of the meat also have a chicken flavor. It must be because the chicken breast was treated separately!
Grandma Xu ate several bites in a row, and only after slightly satisfying her appetite did she ask, "Xinran, was this chicken breast cooked separately? It's not tough at all."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Auntie, you're amazing. You can tell just by tasting it. I cut the chicken breast separately and cooked it, and then simmered it for a few more minutes at the end. That makes it more tender."
Grandma Xu gave a thumbs up: "No wonder it doesn't get stuck in your teeth at all. You're so careful, no wonder it tastes so good!"
"I'm glad you like it," Song Xinran said.
Grandpa Xu was savoring the braised pork with preserved mustard greens, trying to recapture the feeling of his youth, when he suddenly heard his wife's words and immediately became interested, picking up a piece of chicken breast.
Grandpa Xu thought that chicken always tasted the same, and no matter how you changed it, you couldn't make it any different.
But the tender chicken melts in your mouth without much chewing. The spicy flavor first stimulates the tongue, followed by the numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorns. The chili is not dry at all, and the aroma of red oil slowly spreads in your mouth. The vinegar is not strong but has just the right amount of presence. Combined with the spiciness of minced garlic, it makes you feel that the taste is extremely rich.
I swallowed it in the end, and the aftertaste still had a hint of the chicken's natural sweetness.
Grandpa Xu didn't react for a moment. He smacked his lips, the various flavors blended perfectly, fresh, fragrant, spicy, slightly sour and sweet, with a lingering numbing sensation and meaty aroma on his lips and teeth. He subconsciously wanted to eat another piece, but then realized that what he had just picked up was the last piece of chicken breast.
Grandpa Xu immediately looked at Grandma Xu and said, "You're eating all this delicious food by yourself without even reminding me?"
He was still savoring the braised pork with preserved mustard greens when he realized that everyone else had already moved on to other dishes, and he finished his meal in no time.
Grandma Xu said with a smile, "The stories about your unit from the past sound really interesting. Could you tell us more?"
Grandpa Xu knew perfectly well that she was being sarcastic. Every time he talked about the past, his wife would say the same thing. He was tired of hearing it. Today, at his son and daughter-in-law's house, with Song Xinran there, she was able to say it more tactfully.
But he didn't say it that many times, maybe five, six, seven, eight... definitely not more than ten times!
Grandpa Xu snorted. If they didn't want to listen, he wouldn't say anything more!
Mr. Xu quickly picked up a piece of chicken leg and put it into Grandpa Xu's bowl: "Dad, try this, it tastes good too!"
The golden, glossy chicken skin was taut, covered with a layer of sauce that trembled and seemed about to drip. The chicken meat, coated in the sauce, had an amber-like sheen, and its distinct muscle texture made it clear that it was good quality meat.
Grandpa Xu put it in his mouth, and his brows immediately relaxed. He nodded repeatedly, "Who made this seasoning? It tastes absolutely amazing, even better than what I used to eat at state-run restaurants!"
Grandma Xu said, "This cold chicken salad and braised pork with preserved mustard greens were both made by Xiao Song."
Grandpa Xu's eyes lit up: "Little Song, your cooking skills are amazing! Are you a chef?"
Song Xinran said, "No..."
But before he could finish speaking, Grandpa Xu said, "It's a waste for someone with your skills not to be a chef. A friend of mine opened a restaurant. Would you like to go? It's called Guose Grand Restaurant."
Mr. Xu quickly said, "Dad, Xiao Song isn't a chef; he runs his own business now!"
Upon hearing this, Grandpa Xu nodded repeatedly: "Young people should have this drive. It would be best if you opened your own shop! Your skills wouldn't be wasted."
Song Xinran blushed, thinking that she only had a small pushcart stall, and had only used the pushcart for less than two weeks. Their words made it sound like she was doing some big business. She quickly explained, "I'm not opening a shop. I just set up a small food stall to sell some things."
Grandma Xu said, "It's oden and hot pot that Yuanyuan just told us about."
When Yuanyuan mentioned it, Grandma Xu thought it was just a child being greedy, but after tasting Song Xinran's cooking, she immediately overturned her previous idea.
It's not just kids who are greedy; adults are too! Anyone who's tried something this delicious probably wants it!
In particular, Song Xinran has a good personality. She always greets people with a smile, speaks gently, and loves to praise people. Even her daughter-in-law, who is a kindergarten teacher, is constantly being coaxed into smiling.
Moreover, the child is well-behaved; look how obedient he is, he doesn't need to be fed and doesn't bother the adults at all.
Grandma Xu works in education, and she can tell a lot about a family just by looking at the child. It's not easy for Song Xinran to raise a child alone, so she must be quite good herself to have raised the child so well.
"Don't worry, Xiao Song," Grandma Xu comforted him. "With your temperament, opening a shop is just a matter of time."
Xu's mother said, "Xinran's business is booming right now. Every day after school, the line is incredibly long. Even some of the kids in our kindergarten are talking about wanting to eat there."
Yuanyuan immediately raised her hand: "I'm that little girl."
Aunt Xu laughed and said, "How could I forget you?"
Everyone was extremely satisfied with the meal. The cold chicken salad and braised pork with preserved vegetables were completely devoured, and the remaining dishes only suffered minor scratches.
Xu's father said, "Let's have some more braised duck. I went to Tiannan Bridge specifically to buy it!"
This shop claims to be a 20-year-old establishment, and its business is booming every day.
Yuanyuan shook her head, sucking on the bone: "I prefer cold chicken salad."
Grandpa Xu said, "This braised duck used to be pretty good, but today it's just so-so. If Xiao Song had this skill, he could definitely make some braised duck products to sell!"
There was no more food on the table; everyone was full, and their palates had truly enjoyed a feast.
Grandpa Xu pulled out his phone book, sat down on the sofa, leaned close to the phone, and muttered, "I need to call my old comrades and tell them I had braised pork with preserved vegetables today. It tasted exactly like the ones in the old canteen. It's such a pity they can't have it anymore..."
Grandma Xu rolled her eyes, knowing her husband just loved to show off. She asked the two children, "Yuanyuan and Xiaoyu, do you want to play chess again?"
Song Yu shook her head, her voice light and joyful: "I want to go out with my mother to get the name stamp!"
He kept thinking about it while he ate. The old man who made the seal said he could pick it up in the afternoon, and it would be afternoon after lunch.
Yuanyuan asked curiously, "What is a name seal?"
Song Yu gestured with his thumb and forefinger to indicate the size, and explained quite clearly in his childish voice: "It's a way to stamp a drawing, so that everyone who sees it will know that it's my drawing."
Yuanyuan exclaimed in surprise, "There are such wonderful things!"
Turning to her grandmother, she said, "Grandma, I want one too!"
Grandma Xu was also surprised to hear this. Although the name badge was small, it could bring the child a lot of sense of accomplishment. Song Yu's mother was really thoughtful and didn't mind the trouble.
Grandma Xu said kindly, "Yuanyuan, you don't like painting, so there's no use in having your name stamp made."
Yuanyuan didn't care about any of that: "Song Yu has it, I want it too."
Song Xinran said, "When I took Xiaoyu to get the name seal, I also took Yuanyuan with me and had one made for her."
When the last two children returned, each held a name stamp in their hand, and they were all beaming with joy.
“I want to paint with Song Yu!” Yuanyuan said.
Grandma Xu smiled and said, "Let me show you."
Kang Zhilan said in a low voice, "My mother-in-law's hobby is painting. She's been painting for many years. Let her look after the two children. Xinran, you go and look at the things."
Song Xinran had mentioned to Kang Zhilan the purpose of her trip to the city. Now that she saw Song Yu and Yuanyuan drawing happily, with Grandma Xu giving them pointers and guidance, she felt relieved enough to go and check on the refrigerator.
She didn't plan to buy a refrigerator today; she just wanted to see the differences between refrigerators and freezers, consider which one would be more suitable, and then look at the common prices and models.
However, after seeing the frozen goods in the city, Song Xinran wanted to buy a freezer and take it back as soon as possible.
There's a small, dedicated frozen goods wholesale area in the city, offering a wide variety of products, unlike the town which only has one type of ordinary fish balls. Here you can find fish tofu, crab balls, beef balls, konjac knots, and more.
How can oden be complete without konjac knots? Song Xinran used to love oden the most, and she had never seen any place in town sell them.
With so many food stalls near the Third Middle School, to stand out and build a reputation, you need something unique and irreplaceable.
Taste is the most important thing, but changing the ingredients from time to time will make it more appealing.
Not to mention that some of these frozen goods are of very good quality. Although the price is relatively high, money doesn't lie. Whether it looks or tastes, they are incomparable to cheap goods.
Song Xinran once again realized the huge difference between the town and the city, and that the city they were now frequently visiting was not the provincial capital, but just an ordinary city.
After browsing around the appliance market, Song Xinran decided to buy a freezer first, as it was relatively inexpensive and had a large freezer capacity. She finally chose a 200L freezer, which cost 880 yuan, including shipping.
Now that we have freezers, it's definitely better to order frozen food as early as possible.
She returned to the wholesale market and, after comparing prices several times, finally ordered everything from one store. This made it easier to negotiate prices and included transportation, as refrigerated trucks were hard to find at that time.
It was already 4 PM when Song Xinran finished dealing with all these matters. She hurriedly boarded the bus back to the Xu family home. The last bus from the city back to the town was at 5 PM, and it would be about time for her to take Song Yu to the station to catch the bus.
She spent nearly 1,400 today, including 880 for the refrigerator and 500 for a bunch of high-quality frozen goods wholesale. She still has about 2,500 left.
For the first time, Song Xinran truly experienced the benefits of making more oden to sell. Although she was more tired on weekdays, she made a lot more money. Even after spending so much today, she still had a lot of money left over.
She has now bought a lot of frozen products wholesale, and can sell even more at her stall.
People are very enthusiastic about oden now. Not only do students from No. 3 Middle School come to buy it, but many residents in the town also buy it.
As the bus traveled along, Song Xinran mentally calculated the journey, feeling increasingly pleased with herself and realizing that life was getting better and better.
When she arrived at the Xu family's house, Kang Zhilan opened the door and said with a smile, "You're back! The two children are drawing in the study. I've never seen Yuanyuan concentrate for so long. It's all thanks to Xiao Yu."
When Song Xinran entered the study, she saw two children sitting side by side, drawing very seriously. Grandma Xu, wearing glasses, watched from the side and kept nodding: "Xiao Yu, you used the colors well. It reminds me of an endless green lawn in spring!"
Yuanyuan took out her drawing: "Grandma, look at my blue sun!"
Grandma Xu smiled and said, "The sun is usually red, but its round shape is very imaginative."
Grandma Xu turned her head and saw that Song Yu was already finishing up, carefully coloring the small kites flying in the sky. She couldn't help but ask, "Has Xiao Yu studied painting before?"
Song Yu nodded: "Yes, I've learned it!"
Grandma Xu smiled with satisfaction: "No wonder the painting is so well done, and the color scheme is so beautiful."
“I learned it from the book!” Song Yu’s voice was clear and crisp.
Grandma Xu asked, "What book?"
“Fairy tale books! I have fairy tale books at home, and Yuanyuan’s family has fairy tale books too. I’ve seen so many pictures!” Song Yu laughed happily.
Grandma Xu was silent for a long time: "...Is it just something you learned from fairy tales?"
"Mmm!"
Grandma Xu couldn't help but reach out and touch the child's hair, her gaze very gentle: "You drew very well, draw whatever you want from now on."
When she saw Song Xinran, Grandma Xu said, "Xiao Yu is very good at drawing and has a lot of imagination. There's no need to send him to extracurricular classes. The quality of those teachers varies, and we shouldn't hold the child back. Just let him keep his childlike heart."
Song Xinran quickly thanked her, but extracurricular classes are still popular in the town now. Even tutoring is only for graduating students from No. 3 Middle School who are preparing for the high school entrance exam. And that's only if their families are aware of this and have the money.
Song Yu painted a picture of children playing in the park in spring; some were reading, some were jumping rope, and some were flying kites...
Song Xinran doesn't really have much appreciation for painting, but she can still see that it's richer and more vivid than Xiaozai's previous paintings, and the colors are much more harmonious.
Song Yu said, "Grandma Yuanyuan taught me, thank you Grandma Yuanyuan!"
Grandma Xu smiled kindly: "Xiao Yu drew them all himself. Xiao Yu is really great."
"What about me?" Yuanyuan asked anxiously, tugging at her grandmother's arm. "Am I good?"
"Great, all great!"
Song Xinran thanked the child and prepared to go home. Upon hearing this, Yuanyuan immediately let out a wail and grabbed Song Yu's arm: "Don't go! Stay at my house! I have plenty of rooms!"
Song Yu frowned slightly, looking a little troubled.
Grandma Xu said seriously, "Yuanyuan, Xiaoyu is going back to her own home. You'll see each other again the day after tomorrow."
Xu's mother also said, "Yes, Yuanyuan, you are now classmates, you have plenty of time to play, a little while won't make a difference."
"It's not good enough," Yuanyuan said seriously. "I still want to draw with Song Yu!"
She felt that drawing was boring before, but drawing with Song Yu was a lot of fun, and even her nails had more colors.
Xu's mother gently persuaded, "But every child has a home. This is Yuanyuan's home, and Xiaoyu also needs to go back to her own home."
Her round eyes darted around, and she immediately came up with a plan: "Song Yu, I'll go home with you!"
She thought her idea was particularly good, but somehow, when she mentioned it, her grandmother and mother were horrified.
“Yuanyuan, you can’t do this.” Song Yu spoke first. The child’s voice was childish, but the tone was like an adult’s. “I want to go home with my mom. My mom wants to make oden.”
“This is your home. If you come back with me, your parents and grandparents will miss you a lot. We can play together every day when we're in school, but you can only play with your grandparents on weekends, and that's very little time.”
Grandma Xu's eyes lit up with satisfaction upon hearing this. Look at this child, who is only three and a half years old, yet is more sensible than many older children and speaks so clearly.
Grandma Xu thought again, no wonder Lanlan let him transfer to Xingmiao Kindergarten halfway through his studies, he is indeed a good prospect!
Yuanyuan wasn't a completely clueless child. After thinking for a moment, she nodded heavily and said, "Okay, you can go back now. I'll play with my grandparents this week and play with you next week."
Song Yu smiled slightly, pursing her lips: "Mm!"
After seeing the two off, Xu's mother was reluctant to part with them.
Grandma Xu comforted him, saying, "Xiao Yu is indeed a good child. I like him very much. Don't be reluctant to part with him."
Xu's mother: "It seems like Xinran only has a little bit of dried pickled mustard greens left from the dishes she made for lunch...sigh..."
I should have eaten less at lunch and saved more.
Grandma Xu: ?
I thought you couldn't bear to part with the child, but it turns out you couldn't bear to part with the child's mother.
*
Song Xinran and her child successfully caught the last bus. After boarding, Song Yu showed her his hand: "Mom, Yuanyuan painted my nails, and she said they look nice."
Song Xinran looked down and her vision went black.
Song Yu's fair and delicate hands were adorned with colorful nail polish in shades of red, orange, and yellow.
He turned his palm around and looked at it, finally asking Song Xinran, "Mom, do you think it looks good?"
“Yuanyuan even asked me to paint her nails; she painted all ten nails! She said she looked like a female knight-errant from a story.”
Song Xinran said tactfully, "Mom thinks the original color is the best."
Song Yu nodded quickly: "I think so too."
He breathed a sigh of relief.
When they were at Yuanyuan's house, Yuanyuan said that in the story, this was called colorful nail polish, and only the most skilled children could apply it. The two of them applied it to each other.
Song Yu hadn't read this story before and was a little hesitant, but the title of "most amazing kid" was quite appealing to him, so in the end both kids colored it.
However, as soon as the five colors were applied, Song Yu felt something was off. He raised his hand, frowned, and looked around, thinking that if his mother were here, he could ask her questions.
If Mom says it looks good...
Let him keep it!
However, now her mother says it looked better before, and Song Yu agrees.
He used the pad of his other hand to rub it, gently removing most of it, then raised his hand and waved it in front of her: "It'll be clean after a wipe!"
The two got home around eight o'clock. If they rushed, they could set up their stall today. After all, oden is easy to make nowadays. They just made the broth yesterday, and today they just need to boil it and add the vegetables to cook.
However, Song Xinran decided to rest for a day to recharge her energy and go to the glass factory tomorrow to take back everything that belonged to the original owner!
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