Chapter 52 Selling Braised Pig Trotters
Wang Hai opened a braised meat stall in Lingde Town a few months ago. The location was perfect, in a prime spot in the cooked food section of the market, and business has been good since it opened.
He had been in this line of work for seven or eight years. He used to work in the next town, but the population there was half that of Lingde Town. In order to make more money, he used his connections to get a stall in the vegetable market.
Business has been booming ever since he arrived, especially on market days when it's packed with people who all want to buy. He earned in a few months what he used to earn in a year. Wang Hai's mind started to wander, and these days he's thinking about buying a shop to open a braised food shop.
There isn't a single braised food shop in Lingde Town; most are just street vendors. If he were to open a braised food shop, he would be the first person in the town to do so.
However, opening a braised food shop would require investing most of his savings, and with little to no savings left, Wang Hai was still hesitant.
After hesitating for a few days, Wang Hai finally decided to buy a shop. While searching for a suitable shop, he found that his business seemed to be declining.
It's normal for business revenue to fluctuate, but a continuous decline is not.
Wang Hai sets up his stall whether there's a market day or not. His stall location is fixed, and thanks to his excellent cooking skills, he has already attracted a large number of customers, so his business has always been relatively stable.
After his business declined, Wang Hai stopped looking for a new store and started looking for the reasons. Just then, a regular customer came to buy pig's head meat.
The regular customer is a retired worker who lives in town. He receives a monthly pension and spends his time playing cards. He occasionally comes to buy a pound or two of braised meat. He is generous and easygoing. Even if Wang Hai accidentally cuts an extra pound or two when cutting the meat, the regular customer will accept it with a smile and say it's okay, consider it an extra meal.
After thinking it over carefully, Wang Hai realized that his old customer hadn't come for a while. He used to come to the braised meat stall every two or three days.
A regular customer stood in front of the stall, looked around, frowned slightly, seemingly considering what to buy. After hesitating for a while, he finally said, "Boss, cut eight ounces of walnut kernels, please."
Wang Hai specially selected a good piece of meat for his regular customer: "Grandpa, how about this piece? It's leaner and not greasy."
The old man nodded: "Okay, eight ounces, don't cut too much."
Wang Hai responded, took the knife and steadily cut off a piece. He weighed it and found it was a little over eight ounces. He laughed and said, "Let's just say it's eight ounces."
The old man nodded.
While cutting meat, Wang Hai chatted with the old man: "Grandpa, you must have won at cards today. You look like you're destined for wealth."
The old man smiled more: "I won a little, my luck was pretty good."
These words bridged the gap a bit. Wang Hai said, "Grandpa, I recognize you since you come here to buy all the time. Here's a chicken foot for you."
The old man quickly waved his hand and said, "No need to see me off, I don't like gnawing on bones."
After chatting for a couple more minutes, Wang Hai finally asked his real question: "Grandpa, do you think the taste of our braised dishes has changed at all?"
The old man, puzzled, replied, "No."
Wang Hai sighed: "I don't know why my business has gotten worse lately. I didn't even sell out of the freshly braised meat I made yesterday. I was wondering if my skills have deteriorated and people don't want to come anymore."
The old man hesitated for a moment, then said, "The taste of your food is about the same as before; it's considered good in the market."
Wang Hai laughed and said, "Grandpa, I'm relieved to hear that!"
As he spoke, he put the sliced and cold-dressed pig's head meat into a bag and handed it to the old man: "I haven't seen you for a while, and I was worried about you. I was thinking about whether I should go to your house to see you. Now that I see you, I can finally put my mind at ease."
The old man took the pig's head meat. Perhaps moved by his words, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "A new braised meat shop has opened outside the market. My family loves that kind of food."
But the old man still comforted Wang Hai: "Your food hasn't changed, it's still top-notch in the market."
The old man left with the braised food, and he put it rather tactfully. It wasn't just his family who liked to eat it; it was clearly his favorite. Even someone who didn't like gnawing on bones found the chicken legs and wings from that braised meat stall addictive.
Wang Hai was stunned for a while before he realized that a new braised meat shop had opened outside the vegetable market.
If he opens a shop now, he wouldn't be considered the number one person in town anymore.
It seems that opening a braised meat shop is the only way to ensure business. He regrets it now; he should have opened the shop earlier. Now someone else has beaten him to it.
Wang Hai is very confident in his culinary skills. He learned from a master braised food chef in another city, which cost him a lot of money.
He returned to his hometown and worked there for many years. No matter how his competitors changed, his food was always the best and his business was the most successful.
But how come he didn't notice the newly opened braised meat shop? And he had never heard of it either. Logically speaking, new shops usually have some kind of opening event and firecrackers. He should have known about such a commotion.
The more Wang Hai thought about it, the more it itched in his heart. He wanted to go and see the braised meat shop as soon as possible, so he simply closed his stall temporarily and went to the outside of the vegetable market to take a look.
But after wandering around the neighborhood twice, Wang Hai didn't see any newly opened braised meat shops. The shops were still the same old ones, so he had no choice but to go back to his stall.
Today wasn't market day, so business was much slower. But based on previous customer traffic, he should have been able to sell at least twenty jin of pig's head meat. Wang Hai knew business had been bad lately, so he had reduced the quantity by a few jin, but even so, he still had three or four jin left.
Wang Hai searched the vegetable market area carefully again, but he couldn't find any newly opened braised meat shops. So he went into a teahouse near the market, where information always circulated most freely.
Once inside, several people recognized him and greeted him, saying, "Mr. Wang, you're a rare guest! You're here to play cards today too."
Wang Hai smiled and said, "Please feel free to sit down."
Seeing some people sitting and talking in the courtyard of the teahouse, Wang Hai went over to them. Coincidentally, he overheard them talking about braised meat. Wang Hai immediately sat down and said, "Is it that newly opened braised meat shop?"
An older woman turned her head and glanced at him: "Yeah, I really don't know how the owner did it, I want more of that braised meat after I've eaten it!"
The child the old lady was with, who looked about four or five years old, lit up when he heard the name "braised meat" and said excitedly, "Grandma, are we going to buy braised meat? I want to eat braised chicken wings! And I want to eat braised duck necks too!"
"Sister Zhang, your Pingping has been saying he wants to eat this."
Sister Zhang chuckled: "He's just a glutton! I only bought it once and he's been wanting it ever since. He wants to eat it every day, but that shop is only open on market days. You can't buy it on other days."
"You know, talking about it makes me hungry. I'll buy some braised dishes to eat later."
Upon hearing this, Wang Hai immediately wanted to recommend his own stall. He hadn't sold all of his braised meat yet, so he hoped to sell a little more and lose a little less.
But before she could say anything, she was interrupted by a child named Pingping, whose innocent and clear voice said, "Grandma, don't buy braised food, it's not tasty!"
The child made a vomiting gesture: "I don't want to eat any of the chicken wings Grandma bought. I only want braised chicken wings!"
Before Wang Hai could even speak, he was already being dragged down, which made him a little numb. But he figured the kid must have never tried his family's braised dishes before to say that.
The child's words made everyone burst into laughter. An old lady said, "Pingping has a sharp palate! She can even tell the difference. That braised meat shop's meat tastes much better than the others. I really don't know what they put in it!"
Sister Zhang, holding her child, said, "Kids are the pickiest eaters. Pingping used to only eat two bites of braised food before he would stop. But he can eat a lot of that other brand's food. I didn't buy enough last time, and he finished it all in one meal. I'll have to buy more when we go to the market next time!"
"Sister Zhang, you'd better go early," an old man said. "That place is very popular; there's always a queue! They sell out in less than an hour or two."
Wang Hai thought to himself, "Is it really that exaggerated? There's even a queue?" He had worked in the town for so many years and had never seen a store where you had to queue to buy anything.
“These are old-fashioned people,” Wang Hai said. “Is this fake? What if the braised meat shop owner hired people to put on a show by lining up?”
Wang Hai believed that he had traveled all over the country and done business, and his vision was beyond that of ordinary people in the town.
“How could that be!” an older woman retorted. “Most of the people in line are people I know; they are genuine buyers!”
"You can't say things like that! This young lady is doing business honestly and diligently!" If you slander her like that, she might quit. Where will they buy such delicious braised food then?
"That's right, we shouldn't gossip about these things!"
After being scolded by the older women and men, Wang Hai felt a little uncomfortable, but he felt it was normal for him to have such doubts.
What's abnormal is these older folks. Didn't they used to love gossiping about everyone, spreading all sorts of rumors and stories? Now they're actually doing better?
Wang Hai could only say, "I was just guessing, it doesn't count. But which braised meat shop are you talking about? I haven't seen it around here. If it's only open on market days, wouldn't it be losing money? The shop's utilities and rent have to be calculated every day."
"It's not a braised meat shop," an old man said. "It's a braised food stall run by two women."
Wang Hai was surprised. It was a braised food stall, just like his. How come it was doing so well? Had it stolen all his regular customers?
He asked, "Does that braised food stall only sell pig's head meat, chicken legs, and chicken wings?"
Wang Hai thought to himself, "Could it be that the wide variety of products is what's so appealing?"
He is a reflective and learning person. If others do well by selling more product categories, he can do the same, and even make more rabbit legs and duck legs.
Actually, Wang Hai had tried making these before, but they didn't sell well, so he stopped trying. He thought that times had changed.
But an old man said, "That place doesn't sell pig's head meat, they only have chicken feet, duck feet, chicken wings, chicken legs and the like."
Wang Hai exclaimed in disbelief, "Ah! That's all they sell? It's not even enough for a single dish!"
“Who says it can’t be used as a dish?” Sister Zhang was the first to object. “Pingping ate two bowls of rice for lunch because of that chicken leg! She even cooked a big bowl of noodles with the leftover braising liquid from the bag!”
"Sister Zhang, your family really knows how to live well! I never thought that braising liquid could be used to make noodles! I'll try it next time."
Sister Zhang beamed with joy: "It's no big deal to throw away other people's braising sauce, but we can't throw away that other person's; it hurts to see it go!"
Wang Hai: …………
Unwittingly, they were belittled again. It seems that in the eyes of these elderly folks, there are only two kinds of braised food in the world: one is that newly opened braised food stall, and the other is all the remaining braised food.
At first, Wang Hai thought the newly opened braised food shop was doing well because it was the first braised food shop in town.
Now he knows it's because it tastes so good that everyone from the elderly to four- or five-year-old children loves it.
"The market is tomorrow, I need to go early and buy more."
Pingping clapped her hands excitedly upon hearing this: "Buy more! Buy more! I love to eat!"
Sister Zhang patted his head: "You're such a glutton!"
Pingping was unhappy: "Mom was greedy too. She ate three chicken feet, and I only ate two!"
Sister Zhang said, "Your mother is greedy too, even though she's a grown woman."
Another older woman chuckled and said, "It's normal for anyone to crave delicious food."
As Wang Hai listened to their lively conversation, with their high praise for the braised food stall, he couldn't help but wonder if they were also hired shills by the stall.
But he also sells braised food, so what's the point of asking him to do this?
Wang Hai decided that he was going to check out the newly opened braised food stall!
"Auntie, where does your braised food stall usually operate?" Wang Hai asked.
But no one answered him. Everyone looked him up and down and asked, "What do you want?"
They were just saying the braised food was delicious, and this person could refute it ten times. He doesn't seem like a good person; he might have some bad intentions.
Wang Hai said with a smile, "After hearing what you all said, I also want to buy some. I plan to go to the market tomorrow to take a look."
Oh, so you're also a food lover. But the supply of braised dishes is limited, and you have to queue to buy them. Doesn't one more person mean more competition? What if someone happens to buy their portion? What will they eat?
None of the elderly men and women said it directly.
"You'll see when you come tomorrow." That's what everyone says.
Wang Hai was truly speechless this time. They were just selling braised food, yet they acted like some kind of underground organization, creating quite a stir, but it was probably all just for show.
Wang Hai returned home indignantly. His wife saw that there were still a few pounds of braised meat left over from today and sighed, "How can we keep leaving leftovers every day? We're not making any money anymore."
Wang Hai said, "I found out today that a new braised food stall opened at the entrance of the market and stole our business!"
The daughter-in-law exclaimed in shock, "Ah!": "There's someone who can steal our business?"
After they arrived in Lingde Town, they were always stealing business from others. Because their braised dishes tasted good and their dipping sauce was also good, they attracted a lot of people in less than two months, and they had a lot of regular customers.
Wang Hai vented all the anger he had suffered at the teahouse: "That's right! And that place didn't even sell pig's head meat, it sold chicken feet and duck feet and other snacks!"
Wang Haixin was heartbroken when he said it. He knew what was most profitable in this business, and it was these small items with frighteningly high profit margins.
He had tried to offer more chicken feet and duck feet, but customers simply didn't buy it; everyone still preferred pork head meat.
What happened?
Are we going to ignore his offer and only buy into the newly opened one?
How can this be treated differently!
Upon hearing this, the daughter-in-law said worriedly, "What should we do? Is the food from this shop so good that everyone is going to buy it?"
Taste is the most magical thing, especially now that everyone has some money in their pockets, they are not just looking to fill their stomachs, but to eat well.
My wife thinks their braised food is already very good. They crush other stalls with their taste. Does she think she's going to be cannon fodder now?
Wang Hai said resentfully, "Tomorrow I'm going to see what this braised food tastes like. I don't believe it's as good as they say!"
My wife is very supportive, but...
"What should we do with all this braised meat? We can't finish it all."
Wang Hai said, "Take it to my cousin. We were able to get here thanks to her help."
The wife grumbled, "We're always giving gifts, but people don't appreciate it..."
The next morning, Wang Hai arrived at the entrance of the vegetable market. Since arriving in Lingde Town, he had never strolled around the streets at this time of day.
Market days are always the busiest time. He's busy making money and doesn't have time to go out and shop. Today, he's temporarily handing the stall over to his wife so he can see what this newly opened braised meat stall is all about.
Wang Hai thought it would take a while to find the legendary braised food stall, but he found it without even looking for it; it was very conspicuous.
As soon as he set up his stall, several people crowded around it. Wang Hai watched as a queue formed in less than two minutes. His eyes widened, and he almost doubted whether he was dreaming. Even when his business was at its best, he had never seen such a scene.
Wang Hai quickly moved up and joined the queue at the back.
The line included both regular and new customers. The new customers were just there for the fun of it, saying they came to snag a bargain because of the queue. The regular customers, on the other hand, said it was a real steal, as the braised dishes here were exceptionally delicious and only available on market days.
Wang Hai thought sourly, "What kind of bargain are they trying to get? They're just paying out of their own pockets and they're feeling all smug. They have no idea how high the profit margin is for small items like chicken feet!"
But since they're all in business, Wang Hai wouldn't expose himself and ruin his own business.
As the queue drew closer, Wang Hai heard someone say, "The boss got some new stock today! The braised pig's trotters are so delicious! Everyone should buy more! I've never had such delicious braised pig's trotters before!"
A huge question mark immediately popped into Wang Hai's head. "Anyone making such a stupid ad? Is it really worth going to such lengths for a new product? What's so special about braised pig's trotters?"
Strangely enough, people seemed to buy it, and someone immediately asked, "Boss, how much are the pig's trotters?"
The owner was a young woman with a cheerful voice that was very endearing: "Pig trotters are sold by the piece, two yuan per piece."
Wang Hai thought to himself, "Can it really sell for such a high price?!"
Braised pig's trotters are not a rare commodity; he used to make them before, usually selling them by the piece for three yuan each, but sales were not good.
He stood on tiptoe and took a look. This piece was about half the size of a pig's trotter, which would make about four pieces for a pig's trotter.
"So cheap, give me two!"
Wang Hai: ...?
Is it cheap?
When he was selling pig's trotters, many people would ask about them and then leave, even complaining that they were too expensive!
Wang Hai watched as the shop owner served the customer two pieces of pig's trotters. The customer couldn't wait to eat them as soon as he got them, and his spirits seemed to lift instantly: "These pig's trotters are so delicious! I've never eaten such tender pig's trotters before. I can't even make them taste like this at home!"
The exaggerated tone, the flamboyant expression, and the deliberate actions.
This boss is something else; he actually managed to arrange for so many people to come and support him.
"Is it really that delicious?" someone asked skeptically.
Wang Hai thought to himself, "There are indeed smart people in this world."
The customer was quite blunt: "You'll know once you buy it and eat it. You can't go wrong by trusting me."
The customer bought not only pig's trotters, but also chicken legs and duck feet, spending a total of ten yuan.
Wang Hai was green with envy at the sight of the money; the huge profits were something he wanted too!
This incident prompted the questioning customer to buy a pig's trotter as well, his face filled with a provocative and trouble-making expression.
Wang Hai hates customers like this the most when he's doing business, but if his business rivals encounter such customers, he secretly rejoices.
The customer who was questioning the product picked up a pig's trotter, smelled it, and frowned.
Then he opened his mouth and took a big bite.
At this point, Wang Hai already felt something was wrong. What kind of pig's trotters could be chewed like that? Braised pig's trotters are meant to be gnawed on; the more you gnaw, the more fragrant they become. Braised pig's trotters are usually a bit tough, which is determined by the nature of pig's trotters.
After taking a bite, the customer's jaw moved, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and he felt completely refreshed: "This pig's trotter is delicious! It's fragrant and tender!"
His words whetted the appetites of the customers who hadn't yet bought pig's trotters, and they all crowded forward, eager to see how many were left.
Wang Hai also took a look, and his eyes widened immediately.
The pig's trotters were an incredibly tempting dark reddish-brown color, with an oily sheen. This couldn't be achieved by simply adding soy sauce; it must have been caramelized with sugar, and the caramelization was just right, perfectly blending and permeating the sauce, coating the trotters completely.
The pig's trotters were incredibly tender; even with stainless steel clamps, the thick, oily skin trembled and shook. When the trotters were cut open, you could see the translucent tendons in the middle, and the folds at the trotter's shoulder were filled with rich braising sauce. It's easy to imagine how succulent and delicious a bite would be.
Even Wang Hai, who had ulterior motives and wanted to cause trouble, couldn't help but swallow his saliva when he saw the pig's trotters, but he felt that one should not boost the morale of others and diminish one's own.
These pig trotters only look good; what if they don't taste good?
He's eaten those kinds of dishes that look good on the outside but are rotten inside before!
Finally, it was his turn. Before Wang Hai could even speak, he smelled a strong aroma of braised food. It was obvious that these things were freshly braised, which was why they had such a rich fragrance. The pork trotters were incredibly flavorful and had a deep, rich braised aroma.
"What would you like to order?" Song Xinran asked.
Wang Hai then came to his senses and scanned the stall with a critical eye, but even with his sharp gaze, he couldn't find any fault with the braised dishes.
He snorted and said, "One of each, please. I've heard your food is delicious, I'd like to try it and see how it's good."
Chen Jingfang's expression changed. She had been helping out at the stall for half a month and could already tell the difference between normal customers and difficult customers. She could tell at a glance that this person was going to cause trouble.
Song Xinran gently nudged her, signaling her to pack things for the next customer.
Since they've come to buy things, they're spending money, so Song Xinran naturally had no reason to turn them away. She said, "The duck wings are all sold out, but I'll pack you one of each of the remaining ones."
Wang Hai was extremely surprised: "Sold out? It's only been a short time!"
It's not even eight o'clock yet, and the majority of people going to the market haven't arrived yet!
Song Xinran said, "Duck wings are quite popular, so I didn't prepare many today."
As if he had caught something wrong, Wang Hai immediately said, "Then you should prepare more! How can I not be able to buy any even after queuing up?"
Before Song Xinran could speak, the customer behind her said, "There are plenty of people who lined up but didn't get to buy it. If you're not going to buy it, then leave. Don't block my way!"
Wang Hai, unaware that these customers had such bad tempers, immediately shut up.
Song Xinran asked, "Do you want more?"
Wang Hai glanced at them and said awkwardly, "Yes, one of each, and two pig's trotters."
After paying, Wang Hai started eating, insisting on using his own tongue to taste the shortcomings and imperfections of the pig's trotters!
With one bite, your teeth sink into the incredibly soft and chewy pork skin, the tendons break easily with a gentle bite, and your tongue and teeth can even feel the sticky, rich gelatinous substance that slightly adheres to your mouth.
Just one bite is enough to give you unparalleled satisfaction. The unique sticky texture of the pig's trotters isn't greasy at all, making you want to keep eating.
Wang Hai swallowed the pig's trotter in his mouth, his expression froze, and his movements stopped.
After a moment of stunned silence, he turned his head and glanced at the people in line. The line was incredibly long. Among them, Wang Hai spotted an old acquaintance, the old man who had come to buy his braised meat yesterday.
Wang Hai hid the braised meat he had just bought behind his back, walked over to the old man, and called out, "Grandpa, line up to buy braised meat."
When the old man saw him, he looked a little uncomfortable: "Yes, my family loves this."
Wang Hai had already seen through the old man's words, and said with a smile, "This braised food shop is good, but the chicken feet and duck necks they sell have a lot of bones, which is not suitable for the elderly."
Wang Hai was simply echoing what the old man had said yesterday; the old man had refused the chicken feet he offered him yesterday.
To everyone's surprise, the old man's expression changed this time: "Who said it's not suitable for the elderly? This braised meat is so good that it doesn't get stuck in my teeth when I eat it, and the chicken feet fall off the bone with just a touch. It's perfect for the elderly!"
He's already eaten so much, how can you say it's not suitable? The old man won't allow anyone to speak ill of chicken feet.
At this moment, Wang Hai was inwardly bitter and bleeding, thinking to himself, "Grandpa, do you still remember what you said yesterday?"
You said you don't like gnawing on bones, but it turns out you just don't like gnawing on the bones in my house.
I don't want the free chicken feet; I want to buy them myself.
In that instant, Wang Hai understood; he understood everything.
He forced a smile, his voice hoarse and weak: "Okay, sir, take your time buying."
The old man nodded aloofly; he would naturally buy, and buy a lot more.
Wang Hai slowly turned around, his whole body like a wound-up wooden doll, and he took a difficult step, his limbs stiff, as he walked into the vegetable market.
He felt as if his heart had been shattered into pieces. He had never been so disliked since he started this business, even though his previous customers had all praised his braised meat.
Wang Hai's wife was hawking her braised meat when she sighed inwardly. Business was not as good as before, and she didn't know what else she could do. She just had to wait and see what Wang Hai would say when he came back.
Just as I was thinking, I looked up and saw someone, but the person was completely off. He was holding some braised food and looked lost and dejected, like a walking corpse.
Surprise and worry welled up in the daughter-in-law's heart at once. She rushed to Wang Hai's side and quickly helped him up, asking, "What's wrong? What happened?"
As if waking from a dream, Wang Hai shook the braised food in his hand, sighed heavily, and startled his wife: "Have you seen a ghost so early in the morning?!"
Wang Hai thought to himself, "This is no different from encountering a ghost."
He felt completely drained and lacked any fighting spirit. He took a bite of the pig's trotter and was then accurately criticized by the old man. He knew perfectly well why other people's businesses were so good—it was because their cooking skills were truly superb, something he could never match.
It's only natural that regular customers would be drawn away; if you were a customer, you'd definitely prefer the braised food from that particular shop.
"Wife, let's go," Wang Hai said weakly.
The wife was taken aback: "Where are you going?"
"Back to Shipo Town."
They came from Shipo Town. Although Shipo Town is smaller and has a smaller population than Lingde Town, it has fewer talented people. Their braised food stall is a dominant force there.
With this newly opened braised food stall in Lingde Town, they can no longer be number one; they can only go back to Shipo Town to bully other small stalls.
The daughter-in-law was taken aback: "Didn't you used to not want to go back? What happened to you today?"
Wang Hai waved his hand weakly: "I'm sober now, let's go."
The daughter-in-law readily agreed: "Okay!"
She doesn't want to stay in Lingde Town yet; she finds it exhausting to be around Wang Hai's cousin!
"Sell today's braised food before you leave."
But the braised food wasn't sold out today. By the afternoon, there were still two or three pounds left. Wang Hai said, "We'll give the rest of the braised food to my sister, then go home to pack our things, find a car, and move it over today."
My wife isn't happy. Every time there's something left over, she gives it away. It's like a dog wagging its tail after eating someone else's food. Wang Hai's cousin just thinks they should give it away as if it's their duty.
However, the wife endured it because she thought that she would not see people often after returning to Shipo Town.
Wang Hai sliced and mixed the remaining braised pig's head meat. He kept half for his family to eat that night and gave the other half away. He and his wife then went to his cousin's house with the bag in hand.
Upon seeing them, Wang Ling smiled and said, "You're resting so early today? Come in and have a seat!"
Wang Hai handed over the braised pork: "These are the ones we didn't sell today, Sister Ling, you can take them and have them as a dish."
Wang Ling exclaimed "Oh dear!" and feigned concern, "How come you haven't sold out even though it's market day? Business has been tough lately, so you should sell less each day."
Wang Hai said, "Business has been quite slow lately."
Wang Ling offered a few words of comfort, glancing at the bag of meat a few times.
Wang Hai's wife rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, "It would be better if you didn't put on such a fake show." While asking them to make less, she was smiling so hard at the braised meat that her lips twitched. She probably wished they would have leftovers to give to her for free every day.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Wang Hai explained his intention to leave: "Sister Ling, we are preparing to return to Shipo Town. Thank you for taking care of us during our time in Lingde Town."
Wang Ling exclaimed in surprise, this time genuinely astonished. She quickly asked, "Wasn't business doing very well in Lingde Town? Why are you going back? Dahai, I'm not trying to be mean, but Shipo Town is so much smaller than Lingde Town. You'll have a better future here!"
Wang Hai's wife thought to herself, "They're probably worried that once they leave, no one will come to deliver the free braised meat anymore."
But appearances still need to be maintained. The wife said, "Sister Ling, business is tough. Especially with a new braised food shop opening at the entrance of the market, our business is getting worse every day. Before we lose all our capital, let's go back to Shipo Town."
Fearing that Wang Ling might persuade Wang Hai to stay, the wife turned to her husband and said, "Da Hai has already discussed it with me. We'll go back to Shipo Town tonight. Luckily, my family has a place to stay there, so we'll set up our stall as usual. Sister Ling, you've been in Lingde Town for so many years and know the way well. We'll need your help to find us a car."
These words shut them up completely, and Wang Ling didn't know what to say. She said awkwardly, "Alright then, it's just a pity. Your business was so booming when you first came. If you had stayed a little longer, you definitely could have made it."
After exchanging only a few words, Wang Hai and his wife were about to leave. They wanted to take advantage of the early hour to go home and pack their things. Since they couldn't work in Lingde Town anymore, they didn't want to waste this precious time before the New Year and wanted to hurry back to Shipo Town to earn money.
After seeing the two off, Wang Ling turned her back and her face darkened. She moved her lips and muttered a few curses, but it was unclear who she was cursing.
When her husband came home from work, he saw the dishes on the table and exclaimed, "Dahai didn't sell out of braised food again today. He doesn't know how to do business. How can a business get worse and worse?"
As they talked, he even tried to teach Wang Hai a couple of tricks, speaking with great confidence and appearing to be a teacher.
Wang Ling said irritably, "Eat well, this is the last meal!"
The man, puzzled, asked, "What, has he decided to do less of it in the future?"
Wang Ling: "They're not working in Lingde Town anymore; they're going back to Shipo Town. That relationship is over. You can forget about getting free pig's head meat from now on."
The man was taken aback and pressed, "How can you just quit like that? He came all the way from Shipo Town, how dare he go back? He's the kind of person who does things on a whim, he has no manly perseverance at all!"
Wang Ling grew angrier the more he spoke: "If you had such perseverance, you wouldn't have lent out money and then never gotten it back. Your family is already struggling to make ends meet, and you still have money to lend to others?"
The man immediately got angry: "Why are you yelling at me? I'm the one who's bringing money back to this family. The glass factory hasn't paid our wages for months. You keep saying you have connections here and there, but how come you didn't get your wages back through connections?"
The two started arguing. Wang Ling was furious, thinking that everything had been going wrong for her lately, and nothing seemed to be working against her, not even the free braised meat!
She was going to go to the market to see which new braised food shop had opened and stolen Wang Hai's business, leaving her without free braised meat to eat from now on!
Wang Hai and his wife are impatient people. They can leave at a moment's notice and returned to Shipo Town that very night. The next day, they set up their stall in their usual spot in Shipo Town.
Shipo Town doesn't have as many people as Lingde Town, so there are still empty stalls in the vegetable market, and you can set up your stall directly without queuing.
On the day they returned, a regular customer came up to them: "Old Wang, where have you been? You're finally back! I haven't bought any braised meat while you were gone!"
Wang Hai chuckled and said, "I went back to my hometown."
He then asked his regular customers, "Is it the same as always?"
Regular customer: "Yes, it's still half a pound of pork head meat, half a pound of walnut meat, and two bean stalks! You remember?"
“You come to buy from me so often, how could I forget?” Wang Hai said, cutting a slice off the braised meat and weighing it. “It’s an ounce too much.”
Regular customers are easy to talk to: "An extra ounce or two is fine, just pack it for me."
Wang Hai happily agreed. As he chopped vegetables, he thought that the old place was still the best. Places that he used to find disagreeable now seemed pleasing to him.
*
After closing up shop, Song Xinran calculated her daily revenue. Because she added braised pig's trotters, it was fifty or sixty yuan more than usual.
The popularity of her braised pig's trotters exceeded her expectations. Customers were very enthusiastic, saying that her braised pig's trotters were tender, flavorful, and delicious, and that they had never tasted such delicious braised pig's trotters before.
However, braised pig's trotters are more troublesome to make than braised chicken feet, and Song Xinran didn't prepare much. Strictly speaking, chicken feet and duck necks have a higher profit margin.
But when you're doing business, you also need to offer incentives to attract and reward customers.
She has been selling braised meat at her stall next to the market for about ten days now. Based on her experience, Song Xinran thought that the customer flow would gradually stabilize to a certain level, and the number of people queuing up to buy meat would gradually decrease.
But things didn't go as she expected. More and more customers came, the queues remained the same, and each person even bought more.
Adults are different from students. For an average student, buying five or six yuan worth of oden is already a lot, especially since it's their own dinner money. But for an adult, buying ten or eight yuan worth at the market is nothing unusual.
Many young faces also appeared in the town, wearing cotton-padded clothes and looking energetic; it was clear at a glance that they had returned from other places to celebrate the New Year.
Song Xinran decided to focus on braised food on market days in the future, and make more high-profit braised dishes.
But she didn't neglect her usual oden; when she set up her stall in the afternoon, You Tongtong bought ten yuan worth of oden.
As Song Xinran packed the food for the little girl, she jokingly said with a smile, "Tongtong, you've struck it rich today!"
You Tongtong's face flushed slightly: "It's all my savings. Winter break is coming soon, so I need to spend the money quickly!"
After thinking it over, You Tongtong decided that spending money on food was the most cost-effective option, and that oden was the most suitable choice! So she happily went to spend the money.
Song Xinran asked, "When do you get your holiday?"
You Tongtong said, "Next Wednesday, our whole school will have our break at this time."
"Auntie," the little girl asked pitifully, "Will you still be setting up your stall during the holidays?"
Song Xinran shook her head: "You guys are on holiday, I'll take a break too."
"No!" a student cried out. "Auntie, don't rest! My home is right near the post office. I'll buy it even during the holiday. I got so much lucky money for Chinese New Year!"
"Auntie, please have pity on us! I really can't live without oden! This winter, oden is what kept me alive!"
To be honest, I used to hate going to school in winter. Every morning I would arrive at school before dawn, feeling as heavy-hearted as if I were going to a funeral. Every night I would walk home in the dark, and the weather was cold. When I left the classroom, my face felt like it had been brushed by cold rain. Walking home, I always felt like my life was so miserable.
But this winter seems a little better. After evening self-study, I go to the school gate to buy a bowl of oden. Holding it in both hands, my palms are warm. The oden is steaming hot, with white mist filling the air, and the aroma is tempting. Taking a bite, I feel satisfied both physically and mentally.
This is one of the few things to look forward to in winter. Many day students at No. 3 Middle School feel that they may never forget the taste of oden. It is truly a savior in winter.
"Children, please feel sorry for your auntie. I can only rest during the winter vacation." When the students complain, Song Xinran will also follow suit and complain about her miserable life.
The students from No. 3 Middle School were too young and inexperienced, and ultimately couldn't compete with Song Xinran in playing the victim. In the end, they all said, "Auntie, school starts on the sixteenth of the lunar year. You must come then, don't be late!"
Song Xinran thought to herself, "Winter vacation hasn't even started yet, and they're already thinking about the start of school. That's just childish thinking."
She smiled and agreed to each one: "Okay, I will definitely prepare to set up my stall then."
Perhaps because winter break is approaching, and with the thought of not being able to eat oden for a month, the students were more generous with their money today, buying quite a lot.
Song Xinran happily collected the money and packed the goods, which sold out faster than usual.
"Mother."
Suddenly hearing Song Yu's voice, Song Xinran turned around and asked gently, "Didn't Xiao Yu say he was going to Yuanyuan's house to play today?"
"Auntie, I'm here," Yuanyuan said in a clear voice.
Seeing that there were fewer students buying oden, Song Xinran temporarily handed over her work to Chen Jingfang and turned to the children: "Would you like to play here today?"
Hmm.
Song Xinran suddenly realized something was wrong. She had met Song Yu's good friends Yuanyuan, Zhang Xiaoda, Zhang Xiaolang and Zhou Xue before, but there was an unfamiliar face today.
He was a little boy, the tallest among them, with fair skin, thick black eyebrows, and quite handsome.
"Is this Xiaoyu's new friend?" she asked with a slight smile and a gentle voice.
Song Yu frowned slightly.
The unfamiliar little boy looked up and called out to her in a clear voice, "Aunt Song, your braised meat is so delicious, and you are so beautiful."
Caught off guard by the compliment, Song Xinran's smile became even more genuine: "Thank you, little friend. What's your name?"
Song Yu said, "Mom, his name is Wu Yaoxuan."
Author's note: Meeting the parents!
The other four children were stunned. How could a person have two faces?
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