Chapter 61 She wants to buy a house!
Today is the third day of the Lunar New Year, and there are still five days until the eighth day that Wanmei mentioned. It's not particularly difficult to find a place in five days. Song Xinran found this place in just three or four days. Of course, finding a suitable place requires a lot of luck, and luck can often be influenced by human effort.
Song Xinran first took Song Yu to find Huang Yun. Huang Yun had lived in the town for many years and had a much wider network of connections and information than Song Xinran.
Huang Yun was also selling pork at the market today. When she learned of Song Xinran's purpose, Huang Yun was shocked: "How could this be so sudden! She just wants you to move out without giving you any more time. You signed a contract in black and white. Now she says she doesn't want to rent anymore. She has no sense of ethics at all!"
Huang Yun was furious, but also a little embarrassed. She was the one who introduced Song Xinran to this house, and seeing that Song Xinran was living well and her business was booming these past few months, Huang Yun was also happy.
I never expected that this happiness would last for only a few months before Wan Mei would break the contract.
Song Xinran said, "Sister Yun, this is not what Sister Wanmei wanted either. As her daughter, she naturally couldn't stop the old lady from coming. I usually get along well with Sister Wanmei when we rented the house. It's just that things happened so suddenly that neither of us could do anything about it."
"Sister Yun, I can only ask you for a favor. Could you please keep an eye out for landlords who want to rent out their houses? Preferably on the first floor with a separate kitchen. I don't mind if the rent is a little higher."
Upon hearing this, Huang Yun immediately said, "Okay, I'll ask for you. Xinran, don't worry, there are still a few days left. If you haven't found a suitable place by then, you can come and stay at my house temporarily. I have spare rooms."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Thank you, Sister Yun. I'll go to the town's bulletin board now to see if there are any available properties."
Huang Yun nodded hurriedly: "Okay, don't rush. After all, it's your own place to live, so you have to choose carefully."
Watching Song Xinran leave with the child, Huang Yun sighed. How could something like this happen during the New Year? It must have been so hard on Song Xinran. It was fortunate that she remained rational in the face of such a major event and did not take her anger out on others.
She also hurried to the teahouse to ask if there were any suitable rooms available.
When Song Xinran took Song Yu to the vegetable market bulletin board, she remembered when she first came into this world. At that time, she only had a thousand yuan on her. She decided to set up a stall in town and faced the problem of renting a house. She felt that she didn't have enough money even if she carefully counted it.
Several months later, she had more than ten times more money than before. She had her own business and a group of loyal customers, so at least she no longer had to worry about what to eat tomorrow.
Song Yu held her hand and obediently didn't say a word. When she came out, she originally wanted to leave Song Yu alone at home to rest, but Song Yu insisted on coming with her. The child's voice was childish but so firm: "I will follow Mom wherever she goes."
Song Xinran was as soft-hearted as a cotton candy back then.
It was probably during the Chinese New Year period, and there were very few listings on the bulletin board. Song Xinran even saw a house she had looked at a few months ago, and the information was still posted.
This also shows that truly good houses are not posted on the bulletin board for long, or they are rented out by word of mouth among acquaintances before they are even posted.
"Boss Song, what are you doing here?" A familiar voice came from behind.
Deng Mei was holding a bunch of green vegetables, obviously she had just bought some things outside and was on her way home. When she saw Song Xinran, she walked towards her.
Song Xinran said, "I want to look at rental information."
Deng Mei asked in surprise, "Mr. Song, you haven't bought a house yet?"
Seemingly realizing she had said something wrong, Deng Mei quickly said, "Your braised meat skills are so good, and your business is booming. I thought you had been in this business for a long time."
Song Xinran smiled faintly.
Deng Mei quickly tried to smooth things over: "Boss Song, if you want to rent a house, you can't just look at the information here. Good houses aren't posted. I heard that someone in our area wants to rent out a house. I'll go back and ask around for you."
Song Xinran thanked Deng Mei, and Song Yu followed suit, obediently saying, "Thank you, Aunt Deng."
After saying goodbye to Deng Mei, Song Xinran went to see Lei Hong. People in the catering industry like them don't take long breaks during the Spring Festival, and some don't even take a single day off.
Lei Hong indeed opened his shop. As soon as he saw her, he greeted her warmly, saying, "Xinran didn't say she would rest for a few more days. She set up her stall on the third day of the Lunar New Year."
Song Xinran said, "Brother Lei, aren't you the same? You're even more diligent than me."
Lin Hexiang smiled and said, "It's all for our old customers. We only took two days off on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Several people have asked us when we will reopen."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Song Xinran directly stated her purpose. Upon hearing this, Lin Hexiang's expression showed a hint of excitement, and she immediately said, "I'll go out and ask around this afternoon. The main problem is that there aren't many people in the teahouse this morning, so we can't get any information."
"Thank you, Sister Xiang," Song Xinran said sincerely. "I've only been in town for a few months and don't know many people. Fortunately, you've been helping me all this time."
Lin Hexiang waved her hands repeatedly, her smile bright and cheerful: "Don't mention it, I'm happy to help you."
After exchanging a few words, Song Xinran said she had to go back to pack her things. As soon as she left, Lin Hexiang said to Lei Hong, "I thought Xinran wouldn't ask me for help again."
Last time, she introduced Song Xinran to set up a stall in front of Sister Fang's noodle shop, thinking it would be good for both of them. However, Sister Fang was a woman who loved to take advantage of others and cheat people. Later, she even had the nerve to talk bad about Song Xinran in front of her. Although she broke off contact with Sister Fang, Lin Hexiang felt sorry for Song Xinran.
Look how well Song Xinran's business is doing now that she's moved to a different place. She felt like she had led the person she introduced her to into a fire pit, and she was also worried about what Song Xinran thought of her.
Lei Hong comforted her, "I told you long ago that Xinran isn't such a petty and stingy person. You'll know once you've tasted her cooking."
"You can tell what a person is like just by eating them?" Lin Hexiang said, but then changed the subject, "But Xinran's food tastes really good. The braised meat sells so well because it's made with the best ingredients."
"I need to take a good look this time and find a good house for Xinran."
After asking for help, Song Xinran went home and started packing her things. Before she knew it, she had bought quite a few items in the few months she had been in town. A four-piece quilt set was a must, since the weather was cold in winter and there was no heating in Lingde Town, so the quilt needed to be thick so she wouldn't catch a cold.
We bought quite a few clothes as well; neither the original owner nor Song Yu had many winter clothes...
Besides these everyday items, I also bought a lot of large items, such as water heaters and freezers. I'll have to hire someone to move these.
Song Yu was also packing his things in the room. When he came to town with his mother, he had very few things, but now he had a lot of toys and books, enough to fill a big bag.
The two spent the afternoon tidying up, first collecting the small and broken items. In the evening, Song Xinran cooked two bowls of sweet fermented rice with eggs.
The fermented glutinous rice was brought to her by Song Xinwen. It was freshly made at home this year, with plump and distinct grains of rice and clear liquor. The aroma of fermented rice was pure and pure.
The aroma of freshly brewed fermented glutinous rice is even richer, the fragrance of which is not intoxicating but enticing, and the taste is gentle and mellow.
The eggs were laid by hens raised on their own farm. Song Xinran specially cooked them into soft-boiled eggs. If we're talking about doneness, they should be nine-tenths cooked. The egg liquid solidified into a golden color, and it was soft and chewy without being dry. The yolk didn't leak out as liquid, and the egg white was cooked until it was snow-white, glossy, and very tender.
Song Yu took a bite and felt the soup slide into his stomach, making him feel warm all over. He liked to bite into the egg yolk and drink a sip of soup, so that the egg yolk would be sweet and have a faint aroma of wine.
As she ate, Song Xinran felt much calmer. She often ate sweet fermented rice with eggs during the Lunar New Year when she was a child, and it seemed to have the power to warm people's hearts and make them feel at ease.
Before we had finished eating, there was a hurried knock on the door.
When Song Xinran opened the door, she saw Wan Mei. She had a bad feeling. Were Wan Mei's parents coming early?
But she calmly asked, "Sister Wanmei, is there something you need?"
Wan Mei looked somewhat guilty and slightly embarrassed: "Xin Ran, my parents aren't coming."
Song Xinran felt another jolt of shock, similar to when Wan Mei told her the house could no longer be rented out. But this time, she was overjoyed.
Wan Mei apologized profusely and explained, "My parents and sister-in-law had a fight. My parents said they wouldn't live with my brother anymore. My brother mediated for a long time before things calmed down. Xin Ran, I'm really sorry for this sudden change of heart. You can stay in this house without worry. Even if my parents want to come and stay for a few days in the future, I'll let them stay at my place."
"I just got a call and came over to find you. Do you still want to rent this place? If not, I won't charge you rent this month."
Song Xinran's raised eyebrows relaxed, and she immediately said, "It's rented. I haven't seen a suitable house either. Sister Wanmei, you are indeed very comfortable staying here."
Wan Mei breathed a sigh of relief. Song Xinran was a good tenant who always paid her rent on time. She hadn't contacted her about any problems with the house even after several months of renting. Wan Mei resented her parents and brother for being so frivolous and became even more certain that she couldn't trust them too much in the future.
"Okay, then I won't bother you anymore. You can stay here without worry."
Wan Mei left, and Song Xinran closed the door, turning to meet Song Yu's bright eyes: "Mom, do we not have to move anymore?"
Song Xinran smiled and nodded, "Yes."
Song Yu excitedly climbed off the stool, rushed over, and hugged her leg: "That's great!"
Song Xinran touched his hair. Although the little boy didn't say anything today and followed her everywhere, she knew he was very insecure.
At this moment, Song Xinran was absolutely certain that she wanted to buy a house!
Even if Wan Mei tells her to stay here without worry, people still need a place of their own to truly feel at ease.
Upon learning that they didn't need to move, the heavy burden on their hearts instantly dissipated. After finishing their sweet fermented rice and eggs, Song Yu happily hummed a song and asked her in a cheerful voice, "Mom, don't we need to pack those things anymore?"
Song Xinran nodded, and Song Yu jogged back to his room, putting away the things he had packed that afternoon one by one, without finding it troublesome at all.
After washing the dishes, Song Xinran took Song Yu to Huang Yun's house. As soon as they arrived, she said, "Sister Yun, you don't need to look for a place for me for now. The landlady just told me that her parents aren't coming, so I can stay here without worry."
Huang Yun was overjoyed to hear this: "Really? That's great! It's hard to find a place to stay at this time of year. Many people are still in their hometowns celebrating the New Year and haven't come to town yet."
Song Xinran said it was a twist of fate, but her next question was, "Sister Yun, I'd like to ask how much you paid for this house back then?"
Huang Yun's house is very close to her rented apartment, in a similar location. They were probably built in the same batch and are similarly maintained. However, Huang Yun's house has three bedrooms, which is larger than her rented apartment. Song Xinran wanted to estimate how much her current rented apartment would sell for.
Huang Yun immediately guessed what she was thinking and said, "We bought this house seven or eight years ago. We wanted to open a shop in town and it cost us 12,000 yuan. But we were lucky to be able to buy this house. The original owner was doing business in another city and needed money urgently. My family was able to pay in full, so they gave us a discount of 1,000 yuan."
After a pause, Huang Yun said, "The apartment you live in now is a bit smaller than ours, so it won't cost as much, but times have changed, so it's bound to go up in price. But the most important thing is whether the landlord is willing to sell the apartment. Wan Mei isn't someone who's short of money."
Song Xinran nodded and said, "Thank you, Sister Yun. I'll keep an eye out for suitable properties in the future."
Hearing this confirmation, Huang Yun couldn't hide her surprise. Song Xinran had only been in town for a few months and had already earned enough to buy a house.
The housing prices in the town are definitely not as high as those in the city. She heard that in the city, houses are sold by the square meter, but in Lingde Town, houses are basically treated as a large property and are priced as a whole.
The location near the Third Middle School is excellent, situated in the town center. The houses there are new, and even the cheapest one would cost 10,000 to 20,000 yuan. However, if it were an older house near the post office, without a separate toilet and kitchen, and the house were relatively small, it could be bought for 7,000 to 8,000 yuan.
However, being able to save seven or eight thousand yuan by setting up a stall in town for a few months is quite an astonishing sum of money. You have to know that earning and saving are two completely different concepts. Not to mention that Huang Yun personally witnessed Song Xinran buying a lot of large items for the family, none of which were cheap.
Looking at Song Xinran's determined expression, she felt it was only natural. Song Xinran's cooking was delicious, and she was hardworking and capable. It would be strange if someone like her didn't make money.
"I'll keep an eye out for you, and I'll let you know when a suitable house comes along," Huang Yun said at the end.
Song Xinran thanked them and then went to tell Deng Mei and Lin Hexiang about it. Both of them were happy for her when they heard it.
After returning from these two places, Song Xinran also obtained more information. If she wanted to buy the apartment she was currently renting, the price would basically be over 20,000 yuan.
She currently only has 15,000 yuan on her, of which 14,000 yuan is in the bank and 1,000 yuan is kept at home for spending money.
There isn't enough money to buy a house. If she could lower her requirements and buy a house in a more remote or less desirable area, 15,000 yuan would be more than enough. However, Song Xinran is currently setting up a stall near the Third Middle School, so living too far away would be inconvenient, and being too remote would also be relatively unsafe.
We still need to make money!
Now that it's winter break and students aren't here, setting up a food stall at the school gate is out of the question. However, the braised meat business is always very good, with customers lining up to buy it every market day.
Song Xinran decided that from tomorrow until the start of school, she would set up a stall to sell braised meat every day. She could prepare more on market days and less on ordinary days. Even if the profit was only one or two hundred yuan a day, she could earn an extra one or two thousand yuan during this period.
Song Xinran first told Deng Mei about this, and Deng Mei was overjoyed to hear it: "Boss Song, you mean you're going to set up your stall tomorrow morning and continue until the sixteenth of the lunar year, right? That's great! The period around the Lunar New Year is the best time to do business. Everyone has money in their pockets and is willing to spend it. If you set up your stall every day, you'll definitely earn a lot!"
Deng Mei was extremely enthusiastic: "Will Jingfang come to help you tomorrow? I'm free in the morning too, I can help you push the stroller over!"
Song Xinran declined, saying, "I'll call her later and she'll come, so I won't trouble Sister Deng."
Deng Mei said cheerfully, "Okay, just let me know if you need any help."
Turning around, Deng Mei told the man about it, and he was overjoyed: "That's great! Our morning business will definitely be good from now on!"
The couple would do the accounting every few days, and the accounts clearly showed that when Song Xinran was selling braised food here, the wonton shop's business could increase several times or even ten times!
While this certainly has the effect of attracting customers to a market, the most important thing is the popularity that the braised meat stall brings.
The man sighed, "I originally wanted to tell Boss Song that her business is so booming that she should set up her stall every day, but then I thought that she earns a lot just on market days, and what if she wants to take a break?"
Deng Mei said, "Boss Song wants to buy a house."
The man said, "No wonder. I've been keeping an eye on it. With a business as big as Mr. Song's, he must be living in a nice house."
Good houses aren't cheap, so Boss Song will definitely be even more willing to work hard in the future.
Song Xinran called Chen Jingfang again, but there was no phone at her home, so she could only call the small shop at the edge of the village.
A few minutes later, Chen Jingfang called her back. Upon hearing that she would be setting up her stall again the next day, Chen Jingfang immediately agreed.
After hanging up the phone, Chen Jingfang's smile never faded. She had wanted to go back to work for a long time. The expenses during the Spring Festival were high, and her husband and she were also on holiday. This kind of life where she only spent money and didn't earn any was making her a little anxious.
Back when she worked at the glass factory, Chen Jingfang always looked forward to the few days off during the Spring Festival. At that time, she worked every day in three shifts, and only had one day off a month. It was really tiring after a year.
But now that she's helping out with Song Xinran, the work is much easier. It's not like an assembly line, and she even finds it quite interesting. Chen Jingfang thinks she can let her work every day.
*
On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, although it wasn't market day, there were still quite a few people in Lingde Town. Feng Qin was carrying some roasted nuts and snacks, preparing to go home. She had come to town today to buy some things to eat at home.
Feng Qin works away from home year-round, only returning home for a short rest during the Spring Festival. She is young and has a sweet tooth, but the village store doesn't have much food, just things like beef tendon and scallion instant noodles, which she's tired of. So she comes to town to buy some.
As she carried her things, Feng Qin was thinking how wonderful it would be if she went to the market today, so she could buy some delicious braised meats to take home.
She bought twenty yuan worth of braised meat yesterday and thought she could eat it until the next market day. But when she got home, she ran into a relative who brought her child over. Her mother served the braised meat as a dish and said, "It's just chicken feet and chicken wings. My daughter is such a glutton."
The relatives nodded in agreement: "These dishes are the most expensive; the unit price is several times more expensive than meat!"
Upon hearing this, Feng Qin couldn't help but purse her lips. If that's what they're saying, then don't eat it. Just go buy fresh meat instead of the braised meat she specially bought.
The relative said, "I don't like eating these things, but Congcong loves them and wants to buy them every time we go to the market."
As she spoke, she handed a chicken foot to her grandson, who took it and started gnawing on it. He finished it in just a few bites and said, "Grandma, I want more!"
Feng Qin's mother was a kind-hearted person. She directly brought the plate of braised food to the relatives and said, "Eat more if you like it."
Feng Qin's heart was bleeding. She thought to herself, "Mom, I like to eat this too. Please let me eat more!"
The relative's grandson didn't hold back at all; he ate chicken feet, then chicken wings, then duck feet...
Soon a pile of bones was laid out in front of them. The relative was a little embarrassed and held his grandson's hand: "Don't just eat this dish, leave some for Xiaoqin too."
As she spoke, she placed a piece of stir-fried lean meat into the dish for her grandson, but the child didn't even look at the meat slice. Instead, he stretched out his little arm and tried to grab some from the braised food plate: "I want to eat chicken feet!"
Feng Qin's mother said, "If Congcong likes it, let him eat more. Xiaoqin can ride her bicycle to town and buy more soon."
Feng Qin was so heartbroken that she couldn't speak. She wanted to tell her mother that it was impossible to buy it, that it was simply impossible to buy it!
This braised food stall only sets up shop on market days, and there's always a queue; it sells out in less than two hours.
However, there were other people in the house, so she didn't feel comfortable speaking up and just kept eating, wanting to eat as much as possible herself.
The grandson's stomach was like a bottomless pit; he ate endlessly, and in the end, he even picked up a chicken wing and stuffed it into his relative's mouth, saying, "Grandma, try some too, it's delicious."
The relative chuckled, "I don't like gnawing on bones, but Congcong does..."
But before he could finish speaking, he chewed his mouth.
Strangely enough, these braised chicken wings are not hard to eat at all; even elderly people can chew them, and they taste great!
Before the relative knew it, he had finished the chicken wing that his grandson had stuffed into his mouth, and then asked, "Xiaoqin, where did you buy this braised food? It tastes really good."
Feng Qin said, "At the braised meat stall outside the Lingde Town vegetable market."
My relative lives in Tangjia Town and usually goes to the market there, so he has almost never been to Lingde Town: "No braised meat stall in our town can make this taste."
Upon hearing this, Feng Qin's mother also curiously picked up a chicken foot, and after taking a bite, she was speechless.
She used to think her daughter was just greedy, but now she actually understood her daughter.
However, the braised food had already been moved to the front of her relatives, and she had to stand up to pick it up, which didn't look very presentable. So Feng Qin's mother had to suppress her appetite and only managed to eat a little bit.
After the relatives left, the plate of braised food was finished. That evening, Feng Qin's mother said, "Xiao Qin, go and buy some more braised food tonight, and buy this one too."
Feng Qin said, "We can't buy it anymore, Mom."
Aunt Feng asked in surprise, "Have you run out of money? I'll give you some."
Feng Qin shook her head: "It's really impossible to buy them. They only set up their stalls on market days, and they only sell for two hours. Business is booming."
Aunt Feng frowned, utterly astonished: "Even with money, you can't buy anything..."
Feng Qin said, "I'll go buy it early tomorrow morning. When I get back, Mom, please don't be so generous and give it all to others. Keep some for ourselves too."
Aunt Feng muttered to herself, "Such a big bowl! I didn't expect Congcong, who is only five years old, to be able to eat so much. I can't stop him, can I? Besides, I didn't know that this braised food would taste so good and that it would be so hard to buy when I brought it over."
Feng Qin carried snacks and counted down the days. Today is the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, tomorrow is the fifth day, and the day after tomorrow she can buy braised food.
Her way home inevitably passed by the vegetable market. Before she even got close, she saw a familiar place with a few people gathered around. Feng Qin's eyes lit up, and she ran over in a few steps. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a braised meat stall!
Feng Qin couldn't believe it; even though it wasn't market day, the braised meat stall was still open!
She hurried over and saw the owner's familiar face. She immediately took out a fifty-yuan note: "Boss, I want thirty yuan's worth of braised food, a little of everything!"
Song Xinran said, "There are only three braised chicken drumsticks left. Should we pack them up as well?"
Feng Qin nodded quickly: "Yes, yes!"
She glanced at the braised meat stall. She had bought the braised chicken legs and they were all gone. There were also only a few braised duck wings left, but there were still some chicken feet and duck necks. Feng Qin said happily, "I'm pretty lucky, I made it in time."
She glanced at the time; it was already past ten o'clock, and they still hadn't sold out. She had come at nine-thirty yesterday, and the owner was already closing up shop.
"Boss, why are you setting up your stall today? Don't you usually only come out on market days?"
Song Xinran could tell from the sound of it that he was a regular customer, and explained with a smile, "From today until the sixteenth day of the Lunar New Year, I will set up my stall every morning, right here."
"Great!" Feng Qin's eyes lit up. She looked at the snacks in her hand. If she had known the braised meat stall was open today, she wouldn't have bought these.
No other flavor can compare to these braised dishes!
"Boss, you should have done this a long time ago. We can't even buy it when we want to eat it."
Song Xinran said, "Then come and buy more in the future. I'll give you a few chicken wing tips for free. Welcome to come again next time."
Feng Qin took the twenty yuan change, carried the braised meat, and happily went home. Today was truly a good day, full of surprises.
When Feng Qin's mother got home, she was shocked: "Didn't you say that braised meat is only sold on market days? Did you buy it from another store? Those don't taste good. Don't waste your money."
Feng Qin's mother had been to the town many times and bought braised meat several times. The taste was okay, but it was worlds apart from the braised meat that Feng Qin bought yesterday. It was Chinese New Year recently, and there was plenty of food at home, so buying that braised meat was completely unnecessary.
Feng Qin said, "It's the same shop I bought from yesterday. The owner said they'll be setting up their stall every day until the Lantern Festival is over!"
She poured the braised food onto a plate, and the two of them immediately tasted it.
When Feng Qin's mother tasted the braised food, her face relaxed, and she praised, "It tastes just like yesterday!"
*
Since it was her first time setting up a stall on a regular day, Song Xinran only prepared eighty or ninety items of ingredients. If she could sell them all, she could earn more than two hundred yuan.
When she first set up her stall, business was indeed so-so, unlike on market days when some people would specifically wait for her to set up her stall in front of the wonton shop. However, as time went by and more and more people came to the street, business improved.
Her braised meat stall has already made a name for itself, and her regular customers are very familiar with it. When they see Song Xinran, they come directly to buy from her. By 10:40, all the prepared ingredients were sold out. Based on today's business trend, Song Xinran decided to make more tomorrow.
The reason she doesn't make more on market days is that braising 300 yuan worth of ingredients at a time is already Song Xinran's limit.
Back home, counting her money, Song Xinran felt she was one step closer to her dream of buying a house.
In the following two or three days, the customer flow stabilized. On a normal day, she could sell about a hundred items of food, but on market days, Song Xinran would work at full capacity.
One day, a stranger came to the braised meat stall. Business owners see strangers every day, but this person seemed to have dressed up specially. He looked to be in his thirties, wearing a brown cotton coat, his hair was neatly combed with hair gel, and he was wearing a pair of leather shoes.
The man approached the stall and asked, "Boss, how much are these things?"
Song Xinran listed the prices one by one, and the man muttered to himself, "They're not cheap."
Even Chen Jingfang was used to people like that; they weren't her target customers. She just smiled and let it go; her braised food was always selling well. But the man in front of her was dressed so well; he didn't seem like someone who was short of money.
The next second, the man pulled out a hundred-yuan bill from his pocket: "Give me one of each."
Chen Jingfang thought to herself, "What a weirdo!" She put the package on, and Song Xinran gave her change.
The man standing nearby looked at the braised meat on the stall and asked curiously, "Boss, how do you make this braised food? The color looks really nice, and it still smells delicious even after it's cooled down. Do you put some kind of flavor enhancer in it?"
Song Xinran said, "No, the braised meat in my family is all braised with natural seasonings and we have never used any chemical flavor enhancers."
The man's tone was ambiguous, whether it was admiration or doubt: "This smells amazing."
Chen Jingfang felt a little uncomfortable, wondering if this man was here to cause trouble. However, he didn't say much, so she handed the packaged braised meat to him.
The man picked it up and started eating it right there. After taking a bite of the chicken leg, his previously skeptical expression immediately changed, and he hurriedly asked Song Xinran, "Boss, how do you braise chicken legs? They're so flavorful yet not too salty, and the meat is so tender."
Having just swallowed the chicken leg meat, he took a bite of the chicken foot, his tone even more amazed: "How did you braise it so tender? It falls off the bone with just a touch, soft but not mushy."
Not only is the meat perfectly braised, but the flavor is also incredibly savory and irresistible; men can't stop eating it once they take a bite.
Faced with the man's questioning, Song Xinran just smiled faintly and said, "The recipe for braised food is a family heirloom. I learned it little by little. Family rules prohibit me from revealing the recipe, so I'm really sorry."
The man was somewhat disappointed: "I see."
"Your food is really good, no wonder your business is so good." As he spoke, the man took the fifty yuan he had just received and said in a very generous tone, "Give me a little of everything, fifty yuan worth."
Song Xinran was very enthusiastic when it came to business, but when the man asked how she did it, she made excuses about family rules that prevented her from sharing the information, and eventually sent the man away.
Chen Jingfang frowned as she watched the man's figure disappear from sight: "Xinran, is he trying to steal my skills?"
Song Xinran said indifferently, "No matter what he thinks, we bought more than fifty yuan worth of braised meat, so we didn't lose anything."
That's how business works. No matter what customers say, as long as they pay, they're good customers.
Chen Jingfang nodded, agreeing with Song Xinran's words, but she still felt a little uneasy. The competition in doing business in town was too fierce. Their business was too good, and they were being watched by countless people.
People came to give her gifts and subtly inquire about Song Xinran's recipe for braised food.
Chen Jingfang certainly couldn't tell anyone, but on the other hand, she felt that Song Xinran hadn't added any unique ingredients. Peppercorns, star anise, and bay leaves were all ingredients that everyone would add when making braised food, but Song Xinran's was just tastier and looked better. If there was anything unique about it, then Song Xinran was the core of the recipe.
That man today probably had the same idea, but unfortunately, all those who coveted the formula were destined to fail.
In the afternoon, Song Xinran saw the man from the morning again.
Lei Hong brought a man to see her: "Xinran, are you done with your work? Let me introduce you to someone. This is my friend Gu Tao. He wants to discuss doing business with you."
Gu Tao now looked very sincere, with a slight smile on his face: "Boss Song, I've heard so much about you, it's great to finally meet you today. Brother Lei has been praising your braised food to me every day, and I made a special trip here this morning to try it. The taste is indeed amazing!"
Lei Hong laughed heartily: "Before Xinran started selling braised food, I wanted to invite them to try oden, but they came at the wrong time and didn't have the luck."
"Being able to taste braised food is a blessing!" Gu Tao praised, giving a thumbs up.
He looked at Song Xinran, his attitude appearing very sincere: "Boss Song, I'd like to discuss a collaboration with you. My home is in Tangjia Town, and I'd like to bring the flavors from your stall to Tangjia Town so that people there can try them. I know the braised food recipe is a family heirloom that can't be revealed, so how about this: I'll buy my goods from you and sell them, and you decide the price!"
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