Chapter 47 Food Sharing Session
When Lin Hexiang arrived, the braised food stall had already been cleared out, and Song Xinran and Chen Jingfang were packing up to go home.
Lin Hexiang strode over and asked incredulously, "Xinran, you've sold out of braised food?"
Song Xinran looked up and smiled, "What brings you here, Sister Xiang? If you want some food, I have some left at home for myself. I'll go home and get it for you."
Lin Hexiang still couldn't believe it. She walked around the braised food stall and saw that everything was indeed gone. Her expression was so shocked that she was a little bewildered: "This...this is too fast! It's not even ten o'clock yet! Did you not prepare enough food today?"
Lin Hexiang is also in business. Their restaurant business has always been good, but there has never been a time when all the food is sold out in two or three hours.
Moreover, this is Song Xinran's first time selling braised food at a stall. No matter how good the food is, she needs to make a name for herself before people will come.
Song Xinran said, "I didn't prepare much. I thought it was my first time setting up a stall, so I prepared 120 or 130 items."
Lin Hexiang was astonished. One hundred and twenty or thirty was not much! She also worked in the catering industry and knew the cost of various raw meats.
Seeing that the two were exchanging pleasantries, Chen Jingfang guessed that they were familiar friends, and said with a smile, "Business is good today. Customers are lining up to buy, and we sold out in no time."
Lin Hexiang exclaimed, "Oh my! So the braised food they were talking about that was so popular with long queues was made by you, Xinran!"
"I thought I'd come see you since it's your first time setting up your stall today, but I couldn't leave the restaurant, so I only had a moment to myself now." Lin Hexiang couldn't stop smiling. "Someone at the restaurant was saying that a braised food shop opened up near the market, and the business is so good that there are long queues! When I heard that, I was really worried. You're setting up a stall, and someone else is opening a shop, both selling braised food. Won't that clash with your business and affect your own?"
As it turns out, Lin Hexiang now realizes that she had worried for nothing.
Song Xinran smiled, first introducing Chen Jingfang, and then said, "This is all thanks to you, sister-in-law. If you hadn't introduced me to this great spot, I wouldn't know where to set up my stall. You've also benefited from this good business!"
Lin Hexiang chuckled as she listened, thinking that Xinran was indeed a kind and grateful person with good character; she had only helped with a small matter.
But she didn't take credit: "It's still because your cooking tastes good. The most important thing about food is the taste!"
“However…” Lin Hexiang looked at the stall, which was set up on the main street, “Didn’t Sister Fang tell you to set it up on the small open space yesterday to avoid being crowded?”
Chen Jingfang spoke up first: "We arrived early, and the small flat area is piled high with things. They said it was vegetables delivered this morning. Xinran said to put them out on the street so it's convenient for customers to buy them."
She smiled, her tone revealing no intention of complaining. She knew that Song Xinran was acquainted with Lin Hexiang and, judging from her tone, knew Sister Fang as well. Since Song Xinran couldn't say anything, she would do it for her.
Song Xinran continued, "I planned to set it up on the street from the beginning. You see, everyone on this street does it this way; it's a kind of custom."
Lin Hexiang was still smiling, but she had some thoughts in her mind. She wasn't stupid. If she really wanted to give Xinran the small open space in front of her door to set up a stall, she would never put anything there. Even if someone delivered vegetables, she would avoid it. It was obvious that she didn't want to give it to her.
Lin Hexiang understood that Sister Fang was probably worried about affecting her business, but if she was worried about the impact, she shouldn't have said that in the first place.
She said, "Xinran, your business will be good no matter where you set up your shop."
A voice suddenly came from behind: "He Xiang, what brings you here at this hour? Isn't the restaurant busy anymore?"
It was none other than Sister Fang. She insisted on pulling them inside to sit down, and her attitude was extremely enthusiastic: "He Xiang, you didn't see it, but you really know how to do business. Our regular customers who come to eat noodles are now specifically buying braised chicken legs! There's a long queue behind us, and the doorway is packed with customers. I even want to buy some to eat myself."
He turned to Song Xinran and said, "Xinran, you should come again tomorrow. This business is so good that it's more profitable than opening a shop."
Fang's wife kept talking nonstop, praising Song Xinran's business and how much popularity she had brought to the noodle shop, describing her as the best in the world.
Chen Jingfang didn't say anything, but she was rolling her eyes inwardly. They were praising them so much, but when there was no one around, they didn't come to support them, nor did they try to sell the braised dishes to the noodle customers.
"Sister, I'll reserve this spot in front of my noodle shop for you. You can come whenever you want." Sister Fang's face was full of smiles.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Okay, I'll come again tomorrow."
When they left, Aunt Fang even saw them off to the street outside the door. It was almost noon, and Lin Hexiang couldn't stay outside for too long, otherwise the restaurant would be too busy. But as they left, Lin Hexiang felt that something was not right.
When she first met Sister Fang, she found her to be a helpful, warm, and generous person.
After seeing the person off, Sister Fang went back inside. It was midday, and the noodle shop was empty. The man was taking a nap in the back. When he saw her come back, he said, "Why are you saying so many nice things? If that braised food stall hadn't been set up in front of our shop, we probably wouldn't have such good business. She should be the one thanking us!"
Aunt Fang spat, "Didn't you see He Xiang is here too? She's the one who introduced me. You always tell me to spend more time with He Xiang, how come you don't even understand something this simple?"
Lin Hexiang's family runs a restaurant, which is very successful and profitable. Ever since Fang's wife met Lin Hexiang, she has been sending her gifts from time to time.
The man took a drag of his cigarette: "That guy selling braised food is really inconsiderate. He sets up a stall in front of our noodle shop and doesn't even offer anything as a token of respect."
Sister Fang said with a hint of reproach, "That's right, our noodle shop has so many more customers than usual today. I don't know how many people it has attracted to her, but she hasn't even acknowledged it. She's still too naive."
Chen Jingfang pushed the cart home and asked, "Are you really going to set up a stall outside that noodle shop again next time?"
Song Xinran said, "Go ahead, we've already made a name for ourselves, so we don't need to advertise anymore. You don't need to worry about the noodle shop owner either, we don't have much contact with her anyway."
Chen Jingfang thought about it and agreed. In Lingde Town, the market days are on the 3rd, 6th and 9th of the lunar calendar, mainly in the morning. There is not much need to deal with noodle shops. Most importantly, the business is good and you can make money!
They'd been busy since seven o'clock, and everyone was hungry, so Song Xinran lit a fire to boil water and cook noodles.
Take out the last half of the braised meat, cut it into thin slices of roughly the same size, and then scoop a large spoonful of braising liquid into water and steam it.
The braising liquid, after being used to braise meat several times, has turned into a thick, dark brown sauce. Once steamed, the rich aroma of the braising liquid wafts out, wafting up your nose and tempting you to eat.
Snow-white noodles are put into the pot, along with some bright green vegetables. Once cooked, they are scooped out and placed into two large bowls and a small bowl. A little bit of the original noodle soup is added, which has both the aroma of wheat and the fragrance of fresh vegetables.
Finally, pour the hot braising sauce over the top, add a few slices of braised meat, and a simple bowl of braised meat noodles is ready.
The aroma made Chen Jingfang feel like she had never been so hungry before. She picked up her chopsticks and mixed the noodles well, coating each strand with the dark brown sauce. She quickly put the noodles in her mouth, and the salty, savory, and delicious flavor filled her mouth. The freshly cooked noodles were still a little hot, and Chen Jingfang swallowed them whole, feeling a lingering taste in her mouth.
"Xinran, you're such a good noodle cook!"
Song Xinran chuckled: "Everyone knows how to cook noodles, what skills are needed?"
Chen Jingfang shook her head: "Noodles I eat on the street don't taste like this. You could open a noodle shop and it would taste just as good!"
She took another bite and exclaimed, "These noodles are cooked to the perfect consistency, not too soft or too hard, and they're not sticky at all!"
Song Xinran couldn't help but blush as she listened to these words. What kind of skill was needed for this?
Chen Jingfang is really exaggerating. She usually seems like a very composed person.
After eating, it's time to get to work and prepare the ingredients needed for the oden in the afternoon.
Song Xinran took advantage of her afternoon nap to count how much money she had made that day.
Song Yu was lying in bed trying to fall asleep when she turned over and saw her mother take out that familiar black handbag. She immediately sat up in bed, her round eyes shining: "Mom, are you going to count the money?"
Seeing his excited expression, Song Xinran couldn't help but laugh and waved to him, "Xiao Yu, come help Mom count."
"Hmm!" The little boy's eyes lit up like light bulbs.
He loves counting money!
But since starting kindergarten, I haven't had time to count money with my mom anymore.
"Mom, I can count to one hundred now!" The child's voice was tender, but his tone was very happy, with a hint of pride as he asked for a reward.
Song Xinran also exclaimed in an exaggerated "Wow!": "Xiao Yu is so amazing!"
He chuckled twice, then lowered his voice and said very, very softly, "Teacher Lin only taught me!"
Ms. Lin is the teacher who teaches them to count and play math games.
During a class, Teacher Lin introduced the students to numbers, and it turned out that Song Yu knew the most numbers and grasped them very quickly.
Surprised and curious, Teacher Lin took Song Yu back to her office to see how many numbers he could recognize. After a little guidance and instruction, she discovered that the child could recognize any integer up to one hundred.
Teacher Lin was silent for a moment, then patted the child's head and said, "Song Yu, don't tell the other students what I taught you today, because we will be learning to recognize integers up to one hundred in the future."
This has seriously accelerated the teaching pace! The reason is Teacher Lin's momentary curiosity and desire for a challenge.
Song Yu nodded and solemnly agreed. He really didn't tell anyone, not even Yuan Yuan.
But I told my mom today, so it should be okay, right...?
My mom wasn't even a classmate.
Song Xinran waved her hand and said, "Alright, Xiao Yu can have a bigger payout today!"
Song Yu was so happy he couldn't stop smiling, revealing his white baby teeth.
He likes counting money because it makes him happy every time he does it. It feels like his heart is filled with something, like jelly or clouds. The jelly is sweet, and the clouds are soft.
He used to have to collect a lot of plastic bottles to earn two cents, but now his mother can earn many two-cent coins in a morning.
In his heart, his mother is the most amazing adult.
Each time he counted, he knew they had a lot of money and could live together in the future.
Song Xinran counted the money carefully and found that she had sold a total of 431.5 this morning. She gave the change to Song Yu. Even if it was 430, the cost excluding the braising sauce was 125, so the gross profit was 305.
Even after deducting the extra wages paid to Chen Jingfang and the cost of the braising sauce, they could still earn 200 yuan, which is equivalent to the money they would normally earn in one or two days, but this time it only took them one morning.
Song Xinran thought selling braised food was a very feasible business opportunity. Even if she could only sell it for 10 days a month, she could still earn nearly 3,000 yuan more per month.
This amount of money would be equivalent to a person's annual income for an average rural family.
Song Xinran happily put the money in the drawer and decided to deposit it at the credit union when she had some free time.
Song Yu happily straightened the 1.5 yuan note and put it into his piggy bank.
He picked up the piggy bank with both hands and shook it. There were more than a dozen coins inside, which made a clattering sound against the sides of the piggy bank. Paper money didn't make such a crisp sound; it was a rustling, whispering sound. Song Yu put his ear close to the piggy bank and listened with great satisfaction.
When will he be able to fill his piggy bank?
*
Even after making money, Song Xinran didn't forget to thank the elderly women who came to support her. She really didn't expect that the elderly women's performance would be so vivid and engaging, attracting passersby with just a few words.
Huang Yun went with her. In the small pavilion outside the teahouse, the older women sat around a table. When they learned that Song Xinran had come, their faces lit up with smiles.
Song Xinran said with a smile, "Aunties, you all acted so well today, you fooled me completely, I thought what I made was really that delicious!"
An older woman said, "Little Song, don't say that. I'm not lying. When I took the braised food home, my husband was eager to eat it!"
Song Xinran: "It's because of your kindness, Auntie and Uncle. Auntie, I brought the money to cover all the expenses you spent today so I can reimburse you. I can't expect you to come and support me while also paying for the event, can I?"
The women immediately chimed in, saying, "What money do you need? I genuinely ate the food and I genuinely liked it."
"Exactly, Xiao Song, you're too honest!"
An older woman with short, permed hair said, "When I bought the braised chicken legs today, my wife complained, saying that I was buying unhygienic things again."
As soon as the old lady spoke, the others asked, "Sister Xu, you didn't have a fight with your wife, did you?"
Those who know them well know that Sister Xu and her daughter-in-law often have conflicts because of their different lifestyles. Sister Xu is also strange; she always likes to buy things outside to eat at home.
My wife prefers to cook for herself, saying it's cleaner, more hygienic, and saves money.
Neither of them had any bad intentions, but they always had to exchange a few words.
Upon hearing this, Sister Xu covered her mouth and burst out laughing: "Hahaha, this time we didn't argue. My wife originally said she was going to give it to the stray cats outside, but my granddaughter took a bite and immediately stopped her, making a fuss and insisting on eating it herself. My wife was quite unhappy, saying that she just loves snacks, and wondered if they were really that delicious. But after tasting them, she was speechless."
“As you all know, my wife never even tastes the things I buy for her home. But today, strangely enough, she ate a chicken leg herself, saying that since we'd spent the money, we shouldn't waste it. I was wondering about that when my granddaughter told me she'd buy more next time, I found out that her mother had made her do it.”
Sister Xu gave a thumbs up: "Xiao Song, your braised food is so good! Even my picky wife has been won over."
With Sister Xu's example, everyone started sharing their own braised food to take home, and their families loved it!
“In my family, my wife and son like spicy food, while my daughter-in-law and grandson prefer milder flavors. They all say the braised chicken feet are delicious. Xiao Song, your skills are amazing; you've won over people with all tastes.”
"When I bought it, my son initially said I was wasting money, but after eating the chicken leg, he gave me the money and told me to buy more tomorrow. Xiao Song, I was just about to ask you, are you setting up a stall tomorrow?"
Song Xinran said, "I only set up my stall when I go to the market. If the older women want to eat, I'll save some for them."
"Alright! Little Song, you should leave more!"
Huang Yun, who was listening nearby, was laughing so hard her face was practically splitting open. Song Xinran was her friend, so weren't these older women praising Song Xinran just praising her?
She was quite pleased with herself. She had eaten Song Xinran's braised dishes a few days in advance, including not only braised chicken feet but also braised pig's head. Song Xinran even brought her a bowl of the braising liquid. She only finished the last bit of the braising liquid while eating noodles today, and it was so delicious that it left a lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth.
Ding Sisi was still thinking about how to ask Aunt Song for another bowl of braised sauce.
Song Xinran was both touched and happy, and said, "Auntie, you've made me blush. I really want to thank you today. If it weren't for your support, I definitely wouldn't have been able to sell everything."
Sister Xu smiled broadly: "You know what, I really enjoyed performing today! I used to just watch TV, but today it felt like I was acting in a TV show myself."
“That’s right!” an older woman said with a smile. “I never knew acting could be so interesting. I even laughed while acting myself.”
"Nobody can tell yet. If you ask me, the town should send someone to film a TV show. I could go and film one too."
"Xiao Song, please call us again if you need anything like this in the future!"
Song Xinran was both amused and exasperated, thinking to herself that these older women were even more mentally active than young people.
Huang Yun was intrigued. She had never participated in such an interesting activity before. If she hadn't had to watch over the meat stall at the market today, she definitely would have joined in.
“Xinran, if you need to put on a show next time, I’ll have my mom watch over my stall. You absolutely have to come and perform.”
Song Xinran agreed to all of them: "Okay, okay, I'll come to you all."
I thought to myself, no wonder there's a saying that "having an elder in the family is like having a treasure."
*
Around 9 p.m., Fan Yongping came to pick up Chen Jingfang from get off work.
As soon as he picked them up, Fan Yongping immediately asked, "Is the braised food shop with the queue at the entrance of the market today yours?"
Chen Jingfang was surprised: "You already knew before I even told you?"
Then he couldn't help but laugh: "It seems Xinran's braised food stall has a great reputation."
Fan Yongping exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! It really is you guys! On my way back today, someone insisted that I share some braised meat with him. I was worried he had the wrong shop. There weren't many people when I went to buy it, so how did a line form so quickly?"
Chen Jingfang said, "You left just a few minutes ago and people are already here. We sold out before 10 o'clock. Business is booming."
Fan Yongping was still somewhat incredulous and puzzled: "There are so many braised food stalls on the street, why are you the only ones buying from them?"
Chen Jingfang was unhappy: "That's because our food tastes good, and we don't make many. Later on, people who want to buy it can't get any, so they have to go early in the morning."
Fan Yongping was greatly surprised, feeling that this had exceeded his expectations.
Chen Jingfang said, "You should thank me. If I hadn't worked for Xinran, do you think you could have eaten this? You've eaten your fill, so of course you don't feel anything special. But other people can't even buy it, so isn't it even more delicious?"
Fan Yongping murmured, "That's how it is..."
"Are you convinced now? Back then, we thought we wouldn't be able to sell them." Chen Jingfang was overjoyed, both because of the reputation of her braised food and because she felt a sense of triumph.
Fan Yongping said, "I'm convinced. I originally thought that if I wouldn't buy it, others would probably be the same. I didn't expect everyone to have such different ideas."
He can be both stubborn and flexible.
Before Chen Jingfang started selling braised food, he thought the business wouldn't last. But today, he's having no trouble finding customers!
Facts teach you how to be a person, and you only need to do it once.
"How come your newly opened stall is sometimes empty and sometimes so crowded that there's a queue?"
Chen Jingfang casually said, "Everyone liked it after eating it, so they bought more when they came back."
She didn't tell her husband the truth. She asked Song Xinran about it today and found out that it was actually just a show of support.
Chen Jingfang was extremely surprised when she heard this. She had never imagined such a method. Most importantly, those old ladies acted so well that they fooled her completely, making her think she had gone to the wrong store.
She now understood why Song Xinran's business had been so successful. Not only was she skilled, but she was also intelligent. She had never known that Song Xinran had such an idea before.
*
After making money selling braised food, Song Xinran decided to splurge and bought about ten kilograms of beef.
These days, beef is almost twice as expensive as pork, and people mostly use it for stir-frying. Beef is a type of meat that requires special care in terms of marinating and cooking time; if you're not careful, it can get overcooked and people with weak teeth won't be able to chew it.
Therefore, pork is still the best-selling meat in town, and Song Xinran even got up early to go to the market in order to buy good beef.
She bought five jin of beef shank, two jin of beef brisket, and four jin of hind leg meat, spending a total of one hundred yuan.
I bought beef shank to braise, beef brisket to stew with tomatoes, and hind leg meat to make beef jerky.
The braised beef shank was something Song Yu had promised to let him bring to class as a snack to share, and the beef jerky was something Song Xinran had been craving herself.
Song Xinran specifically chose the foreleg of the beef shank; she arrived early and bought freshly slaughtered meat.
This cut of beef shank is the most suitable for braising. After braising, the meat becomes firm and dry, with a texture that is neither too tough nor too tender.
The braising liquid is a well-preserved, aged liquid with a rich flavor and beautiful color; all you need to do is cook the beef shank properly.
After cleaning and drying the meat, Song Xinran started stir-frying it. Braised beef shank is different from braised chicken feet; it needs to be stir-fried briefly in a pot with coarse salt first, then sprinkled with Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds, and slowly marinated. After marinating, it is washed clean and then braised in soy sauce...
Braised beef shank is a troublesome task, but Song Xinran thought that this was Song Yu's first time participating in a large-scale kindergarten event, so she wanted him to bring the best things.
It took Song Xinran half a day to make the braised beef shank, and another half a day to make the beef jerky.
In her past life, making beef jerky would have been an easy task, but now that she doesn't have an oven, Song Xinran can only use the most primitive method: drying it in a charcoal oven.
She was delighted as she made it, thinking that this was a handmade, high-quality fruitwood-roasted beef jerky, and it would definitely be several times more expensive than regular beef jerky if she were to sell it.
I don't know if it's just psychological, but the beef jerky made this way really tastes extraordinary. It's rich in meaty flavor and has a subtle smoky aroma from being roasted with fruitwood. Just smelling it makes my mouth water.
When you bite into it, you can feel the firm yet tender texture of the beef jerky, and the meat fibers slowly release a deep aroma, making it absolutely irresistible.
Song Yu was munching on beef jerky, her voice muffled as she asked, "Mom, are these all for me to take to kindergarten tomorrow?"
Song Xinran prepared two lunch boxes for him. One lunch box contained neatly arranged braised beef shank, and the other lunch box contained beef shank and beef jerky divided in half.
Braised beef shank is an enticing dark reddish-brown color, with its internal texture soaked in the braising liquid, and the tendons solidified into a beautiful translucent amber color after braising.
The beef jerky is neatly arranged, with a thin layer of oil on the surface, sprinkled with cumin, and decorated with snow-white sesame seeds, giving it a rustic and homey look.
Song Xinran nodded: "There's a food sharing session at the kindergarten tomorrow."
Song Yu frowned slightly, opened the lunchbox, took out a piece of beef jerky, and handed it to Song Xinran, saying, "Mom, eat this."
He's a generous kid who loves to share, but his mom made this braised beef and beef jerky for a long time; it must have been hard work.
“If I take it, Mom won’t have anything to eat.”
Song Xinran chuckled and ruffled his soft hair, which had grown quite a bit. She thought she could get it cut again sometime: "There's still plenty at home, Xiao Yu, don't worry."
Song Yu was relieved: "I'll bring back some delicious food for Mom too."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Okay, Mom will be waiting for you at home."
On Monday morning, Song Yu carried her little schoolbag and two boxes of beef to school.
He went with Yuanyuan because Yuanyuan would come and call him to read together every day.
On the way, Yuanyuan asked curiously, "Songyu, what kind of food did you prepare? I'm a little cookie made by my mom. It's super delicious! It's crispy and crunchy, and I put milk and eggs in it. I ate so many last night!"
Kang Zhilan smiled faintly when she heard her daughter's praise. She was quite good at making desserts, and Yuanyuan was very supportive.
Song Yu gently shook the lunchbox in her hand and said in a childish voice, "My mom's braised beef and beef jerky are also very delicious. I ate a lot last night. The braised beef is fragrant, and the jerky is spicy and numbing. My mouth feels like it's dancing when I eat it."
Yuanyuan's mouth was watering. She wiped her mouth and asked with bright eyes, "Can I have some?"
Generally, it's not allowed; he'd only open it during the sharing session. But since Yuanyuan is his good friend, an exception can be made.
Song Yu took out his lunchbox and opened the lid.
Her round little hands, like a little bird catching its prey, swiftly picked up two pieces of braised beef shank, stuffed them into her mouth, and her eyes widened instantly.
"Mmm, so delicious, so delicious!"
"Meat, dried meat! I want more dried meat!"
Song Yu opened another lunchbox, but at the same time turned around.
Yuanyuan: ?
Then she watched as Song Yu took out a piece of beef jerky and gave it to her, saying in a gentle tone, "You can't eat too much, or the sharing session will be canceled."
Yuanyuan wasn't in the mood to be angry; all she could see was the jerky. She was too lazy to even pick it up, so she just stuck her head out and bit it off Song Yu's hand.
Song Yu was startled and quickly let go, afraid that Yuan Yuan would bite his hand.
Kang Zhilan frowned and disagreed, saying, "Yuanyuan, you should first take it from Song Yu and then eat it yourself."
Yuanyuan didn't care about anything else now. Her mouth was full of the aroma of dried meat. It was roasted by the charcoal fire and became more and more flavorful with each chew, but it wasn't the kind that was hard to chew. The meat fibers spread out in her mouth, numbing and spicy. She seemed to really understand what Song Yu meant when he said that her mouth could dance.
It was so delicious that she couldn't bear to swallow it.
She reached out and touched the lunchbox in Song Yu's hand: "I'll eat a little more!"
Song Yu nimbly dodged, pressed down on her lunchbox, and said seriously, "Yuanyuan, you can't eat anymore, otherwise the other children won't have any."
Yuanyuan thought for a moment and said, "Our sharing can also be considered a sharing session."
Song Yu's voice was clear: "It only counts if everyone shares it together."
Yuanyuan started her sweet-talking offensive: "I'll just eat a little bit more."
Kang Zhilan stopped her and said seriously, "Yuanyuan, if you keep doing this, Mommy will get angry."
Yuanyuan puffed out her cheeks, not daring to upset her mother, but it really tasted delicious. She still had a slice of braised beef shank in her hand. Her eyes darted around, and she said, "Mom, lower your head."
As soon as Kang Zhilan bent down, a piece of braised beef was stuffed into her mouth.
The aroma of the braised food hits your mouth first. Your tongue tastes it, and you unconsciously chew it before swallowing it smoothly. It's all like an unconscious action, giving you no time to react.
Kang Zhilan stopped speaking abruptly.
Yuan Yuan blinked, looking very proud: "Mommy, is it delicious?"
Kang Zhilan: ...Of course it's delicious!
"Even if it tastes good, I'll wait until I get to class and the sharing session starts before I eat it." Kang Zhilan still managed to resist the temptation of the food.
Yuanyuan hummed softly, "I want to be the first to exchange with Song Yu."
As she spoke, she took out her lunchbox and stuffed two cookies into Song Yu's hand: "You can have mine too."
Song Yu smiled, her eyes crinkling, and said as she ate, "It's delicious."
Looking at the lunchbox in Song Yu's hand, Kang Zhilan thought to herself that the students in Class 1 were really lucky.
When the two children arrived at the classroom, it was already quite lively; when they returned, there were hardly any students left.
The students were all discussing what they had brought, boasting about how precious, delicious, and tasty their things were.
Yuanyuan was unmoved by these words. In the past, she looked forward to the food sharing session the most, where she could taste the food brought by all the children in the class. But now, all she could think about was Song Yu's lunchbox.
The braised beef tastes better than the chicken feet, and the beef jerky is hundreds of times better than what my grandpa buys at the supermarket.
Why is Aunt Song's cooking so delicious? I wish Aunt Song lived in my house.
The two children were sitting in their seats when Song Yu suddenly felt something was wrong. He looked down and saw a round hand reaching out to him, its target clear: his lunchbox.
Song Yu quickly moved the lunchbox a little further away, very wary: "You can't eat this."
Yuanyuan puffed out her cheeks: "I don't want to eat it, can't I just touch it?"
Song Yu could touch it if he wanted, but Yuan Yuan definitely wanted more than just touching, so he shook his head: "No."
Yuanyuan was unhappy and turned to tell the other classmates that the food Song Yu brought was the best, but she swallowed her words back.
She cleverly figured that if her classmates knew how delicious the snacks Song Yu brought were, they would all swarm over to eat them, and she wouldn't be able to get any. So she absolutely couldn't tell anyone.
But Yuanyuan is a child who can't keep secrets; once she has a secret, she wants to share it with others.
Yuanyuan said to Zhang Xiaoda, "Song Yu brought braised beef and beef jerky, they're really delicious. Don't tell anyone else, okay?"
She then said to Zhang Xiaolang, "Do you know what snacks Song Yu brought? They were made by Aunt Song, and they're super delicious. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
She concluded by saying to Zhou Xue, "We'll exchange with Song Yu later, because the beef he brought is really delicious, and only the two of us know that."
When the three children heard this, they all nodded seriously: "We understand."
Then he turned around and told others.
I couldn't help it, I just couldn't resist! But everyone was cautious, so after telling the kids, they always added, "Don't tell anyone else."
Today was a snack sharing session, and everyone was already very curious about the snacks that their classmates brought. The news spread like wildfire.
Wu Yaoxuan arrived relatively late, carrying a bulging backpack. His little face was beaming with pride. When he arrived at the classroom, he gave Song Yu a special glance, thinking to himself that he had brought all his favorite snacks from home, all of which were not available in town and had been bought for him by his mother from the big city.
He wouldn't offer Song Yu any food on his own; Song Yu would have to come and talk to him before he would give her a tiny bit.
As Wu Yaoxuan walked to his seat, Fang Xiaohao immediately came over, his eyes shining as he looked at Wu Yaoxuan's backpack: "Wow, Wu Yaoxuan, you brought so much stuff to the classroom!"
Wu Yaoxuan gave a haughty "hmm".
Fang Xiaohao added, "I heard that Song Yu brought some delicious beef. Let's go share it with Song Yu later!"
Wu Yaoxuan shook his head and coldly uttered two words, "No."
Fang Xiaohao thought to himself, he didn't care about anything else, he would rush up and try Song Yu's stuff later.
The school bell rang, and Teacher An entered the classroom. She saw that all the children in Class 1 were sitting properly, their bright eyes looking at her, eagerly anticipating something.
Teacher An didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "Today is a food sharing session. Did everyone bring their favorite foods?"
Teacher An smiled and said, "Then let's all put the tables together to make a big dining table."
The classroom immediately became lively, and the children were full of energy. Although they made mistakes while assembling the pieces, they quickly corrected them under Teacher An's guidance. The classroom was transformed, with a long table pieced together in the center and students standing on both sides.
Teacher An asked everyone to bring out their food and arrange it in order, starting with the first group of seats. This way, each child had their own place to put their food on the table.
When Yuanyuan saw the beef that Song Yu took out next to her, she felt her mouth water.
Teacher An was explaining the rules of the sharing session. One rule was to be polite. If you wanted to try other students' snacks, you should say, "Please try some of mine, shall we share?"
Secondly, chasing and roughhousing are not allowed...
Yuanyuan had no interest in listening to Teacher An's explanation. She had already attended two sharing sessions and was familiar with the rules. Now, her focus was entirely on Song Yu's beef, her eyes fixed on it like a cat catching a mouse.
Song Yu was listening attentively to Teacher An explaining the rules. He kept everything the teacher said in mind and thought the food sharing session was really fun.
Back when I lived at my aunt's house, if I wanted to eat something from my friends, I would just ask for it, and if they wouldn't give it to me, I would grab it.
Of course, this isn't something he does; he's usually the one who gets robbed, but he's fast enough that no one can catch him.
If the other children hadn't snatched his things, and had instead spoken to him politely, saying, "Song Yu, try some of mine, let's eat together."
Song Yu felt that he would agree.
Kindergarten is great. Teacher An and the classmates are all very polite. He will also take the initiative to share with the other children later.
As soon as Teacher An announced, "The food sharing session is now officially starting," the classroom quickly became lively, like a drop of water falling into a pan of oil.
Song Yu was about to go find the other children when a large group of kids surged over and crowded around his table, their eyes full of expectation as they looked at him.
Everyone was talking at once, making a ruckus, as if they had entered a market.
"Song Yu, try some of mine. I brought some pan-fried dumplings, I'll share them with you, they're delicious!"
"Song Yu, mine is instant noodles, let's share!"
"Song Yu..."
"Song Yu, choose me! I'm the most delicious!"
"Mine is the best! Choose me, choose me!"
Looking at the swarm of classmates, Song Yu's eyes widened involuntarily. A little scared, he took a small step back. Why, why did they all have to share with him?
He didn't bring much food; there wasn't enough for so many classmates.
Standing next to him, Yuan Yuan's pupils dilated in shock. What was going on?! Her delicious beef!
Teacher An was also shocked and quickly restored order: "Everyone, please don't crowd around Song Yu's table. Other children can also share!"
This has never happened before at a food sharing event. Teacher An knows that Song Yu is popular in class, but being popular doesn't mean the food is delicious.
What are all these students doing crowding in here?!
Author's note: Students: Teacher, we want to eat! [empty bowl][empty bowl][empty bowl]
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