Chapter 70: Finding a Bargain
The next morning, Song Xinran entrusted the stall to Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang.
The two were a little apprehensive when they heard the news. Chen Jingfang hesitated, "Can we handle the kitchen?"
Although she had been helping Song Xinran for several months, she had only ever been an assistant.
Song Xinran personally handled everything in the kitchen, from preparing the soup base to simmering the ingredients.
Song Xinran's culinary skills are beyond question. Her hands seem to have magic; whatever dish she makes is exceptionally delicious.
The reason their stall is so popular and famous is because of its unique taste. Even if someone tries to imitate it, they can't capture the essence. Customers love to buy from them.
Chen Jingfang knew that her cooking skills were not up to par. If the taste of her food was slightly off today and customers could tell, it would have a significant impact on their stall.
Song Xinwen thought so too. She kept nodding as Chen Jingfang spoke, feeling that she had spoken to her heart.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Sister, Jingfang, you need to have some confidence in yourselves. The soup base has already been prepared in advance. You've been here with me for so long, so you know when to cook and set up your stall. Just follow the instructions I gave you for how long to cook each item, and the taste will be pretty much the same."
Song Xinran encouraged them for a long time, saying that she might have more and more things to do in the future, and the tasks she would assign to them would also increase, so they should get used to it gradually.
Chen Jingfang felt a surge of indescribable emotion. Even though she had never worked in the catering industry before, she knew that chefs were especially strict about their signature dishes and recipes, and would even hold back some techniques when teaching apprentices.
Song Xinran directly taught them how to make the soup base and even recorded the cooking time for each ingredient in detail. This showed her trust in them. Chen Jingfang said earnestly, "Okay, Xinran, you go to the city. Let's do a good job today, and there definitely won't be any problems!"
Hearing this, Song Xinran felt relieved. Today was not a market day, so there was no need to set up a stall to sell braised meat. Gu Tao and the people from the guesthouse had also come to pick up the braising liquid a couple of days ago. Today's task was only to sell oden, which was relatively easy.
It seemed like a perfect day to snag a bargain, so Song Xinran boarded the bus to the city.
At eleven o'clock, she finally arrived at the restaurant Zhou Zhengming had mentioned. As soon as she got off the tricycle, she saw a large group of people gathered there, mostly middle-aged women in their sixties, picking and choosing food in the restaurant.
Song Xinran walked into the restaurant and found it very lively. A middle-aged man in his forties was holding a basin and shouting: "Anyone want this stainless steel basin? It can hold rice soup for the whole family. The quality is excellent. It's on clearance for only five yuan each!"
Such a stainless steel basin would sell for at least ten or twenty yuan on the market, so the low price this person mentioned was indeed true.
The middle-aged women, who frequent various markets year-round, knew the prices of these household items like the back of their hand and knew they were getting a bargain. Immediately, several of them said, "I want two!"
"Save one for me!"
"Boss, do you have any unwanted bowls? I'd like to buy ten and take them home!"
The scene was almost as lively as an auction. Song Xinran paid attention to the discussion among the middle-aged women and knew that they were all residents of the neighborhood. This restaurant used to serve stir-fries and also catered banquets, but the food was mediocre and the prices were high, so it finally went out of business.
The older women whispered, "These things are really cheap, much cheaper than buying them in stores!"
"I just don't have a rice cooker. If I did, I would buy one."
"That stir-fry restaurant across the street has rice cookers, but I see their business isn't doing too well. I wonder when they'll go out of business."
"Even if it collapses, we can still pick up some things to take back with us."
Song Xinran listened to these hellish jokes in silence, thinking to herself that people's joys and sorrows are indeed very different.
She went straight to the man shouting "Big Sale!" and asked, "Where's your boss? I have a big business deal to discuss with him."
Based on Song Xinran's experience, the men hawking goods were probably hired helpers by the owner to sell household items. Given the size of the restaurant, the owner must have some resources.
Sure enough, the man glanced at her and pointed behind him: "Over there."
Song Xinran walked in the direction the man pointed.
Household items like pots and pans can only be sold off at a clearance sale; secondhand dealers won't buy them, or they'll be sold directly as scrap.
Large items like refrigerated display cases are not commonly used by ordinary households, but secondhand dealers like them. However, they will definitely haggle over the price, so selling them to private individuals is the most suitable option.
Song Xinran walked into the kitchen and saw the restaurant owner, who was on the phone: "Yes, we don't need those freezers, stoves, or refrigeration cabinets anymore. When are you coming to take a look? Don't offer too low a price, or I'll lose too much money!"
The boss was a man in his forties, with a bit of a belly, stubble on his chin, and slightly oily hair. He turned his head and saw Song Xinran. He had just made an appointment with the person on the other end of the phone, so he hung up the phone and said in a rough voice, "What are you doing in the kitchen? The things we sell are all in the dining room."
Song Xinran glanced around the kitchen and saw two large stainless steel soup pots, several large pots, cutting boards and knives, a huge refrigerated display case standing to the side, and a freezer placed symmetrically on the other side.
Song Xinran pointed and said, "I want to buy this refrigerated display case."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper immediately perked up. He looked Song Xinran up and down, noticing her ordinary clothes, jet-black hair, and somewhat elegant demeanor. Knowing she could afford these things, he quickly smiled and said, "Sure, I only bought this refrigerated display case less than two years ago. It was a big brand and cost three thousand five! If you want it, I'll give you a 50% discount, one thousand seven hundred five will do!"
Song Xinran almost laughed in anger when she heard the price. Before she came, she had inquired about the price of second-hand refrigerators. In the second-hand market, a refrigerator in good condition would cost around 1,400 or 1,500 yuan. This owner was really daring to ask for a price, and he strictly adhered to the 50% discount. He wouldn't even ask for 1,700 yuan less than 50 yuan.
Song Xinran guessed why the restaurant had gone out of business: the owner was trying to make an exorbitant profit off anyone he met, and he wouldn't budge on the price.
Song Xinran didn't say anything, but just looked at the boss with a half-smile.
The owner felt a little uneasy under her gaze. He knew his prices were a bit high, but he had already lost so much money running the restaurant, so he was doing his best to recoup his losses by selling things.
The boss asked several secondhand recycling companies, and the prices they offered were all roughly the same. The company he contacted over the phone offered the highest price, 800 yuan, and they even asked the boss to sell all the large items in his shop to them.
Seeing that Song Xinran remained silent, the shopkeeper gritted his teeth and said, "Seventeen thousand is the minimum. I can tell you know your stuff, girl. A secondhand item of this condition would sell for at least two thousand in the market."
Song Xinran walked into the refrigerator and finally spoke. Her voice was calm and unhurried, revealing no emotion: "The refrigerator is covered in grease stains, one of the inner panels is broken, and one of the overhead lights is broken."
She plugged in the power and reached out to test the cooling. The cooling was sufficient, and there was no damage or rust on the inner walls.
Overall it's alright, but it looks a bit dirty. If there's a problem with the machine, she won't look at it again.
However, after walking around the refrigerator, Song Xinran still found the problem: "The compressor is too noisy, which means that the internal parts are aging and the parts are severely worn. It may also be a refrigerant leak. This is a serious problem. The main function of a refrigerator is to refrigerate. If even the most important function is not working, I might as well buy a new one."
Song Xinran shook her head, feigning disappointment, and prepared to leave.
Upon hearing this, the shop owner panicked and hurriedly said, "Don't worry, my machine has absolutely no problem with refrigeration, and its preservation effect is excellent! Vegetables placed inside won't rot for days!"
Song Xinran said, "Now that the weather is cold, ordinary vegetables won't rot if left outside."
The shop owner was both flustered and suspicious when he saw her about to leave. Could this be some secondhand dealer trying to bargain?
Song Xinran glanced around, clicked her tongue, and deliberately said, "Manager Zhou from Xiangmanyuan told me that you're having a big clearance sale here, and the quality is pretty good. I was planning to buy some for myself, but it turns out like this..."
Although she didn't say she was disappointed, her expression clearly showed her dissatisfaction.
Upon hearing Manager Zhou's name, the boss immediately realized that this person was definitely not a secondhand reseller, and quickly said with a smile, "Girl, why didn't you say you were introduced by Manager Zhou? This refrigerated display case is yours for 1,100! This is a fair price; you can't buy such a good thing anywhere else."
Song Xinran turned to look at him seriously: "Boss, there is indeed a problem with this machine. Even a second-hand one would need to be properly repaired. I'm only willing to pay eight or nine hundred at most. I know you want to lose less money, but you still have to have a conscience. You're giving me over a thousand for a second-hand machine, do you think that's fair?"
The shop owner's heart skipped a beat. He wondered how this young woman knew the price of secondhand recycling, and his expression changed instantly.
Seeing his expression, Song Xinran knew she had guessed the price correctly. She gave him a number: "880. You won't lose out at this price, and it sounds good too, like 'prosperity, prosperity, prosperity.' Boss, it'll be easier for you to prosper in your next business venture."
“I don’t just accept refrigerated display cases; I also need a few tables and chairs outside, as well as freezers and soup containers from the kitchen,” Song Xinran said. “Boss, please give me a fair price; I’m not unaware of these things.”
Finally, she emphasized: "If the price you offer is right for me, I'll buy it; if it's too high, I'll leave."
Her tone was not threatening; she spoke calmly and gently, which made her words seem genuine. If the price was not satisfactory, she would really turn away and leave.
The shop owner was sweating profusely; he would definitely prefer to sell to a private individual rather than to someone at a secondhand recycling shop.
Although the recycling shop said they would pay 800 for the refrigerated display case, he was still worried until the money was handed over to the owner. He had never thought the refrigerated display case was noisy before, but today it seemed to be true, and he was quite anxious. He was afraid that the recycling shop might try to bargain later.
However, he wanted to make a big profit by selling it to a private owner, but it was obvious that the person in front of him was not easy to fool, and was related to Manager Zhou of Xiangmanyuan, so he must be very familiar with these kinds of prices...
The shopkeeper mentally considered the prices, and finally settled on a price only slightly higher than that of the recycling center. He spoke with extreme caution: "Freezer: 400; large soup pot: 100; a twelve-person round table: 400; a four-person long table: 100..."
As the boss spoke, he kept observing Song Xinran's expression, trying to discern something from her face, but Song Xinran remained indifferent, and no one could see through her.
The shop owner was anxious, afraid that she wouldn't buy it, so he secretly lowered the price he had in mind, feeling like his heart was bleeding as he spoke.
Song Xinran was certainly satisfied at this moment, as the price was lower than she had expected, but she didn't show it on her face.
She knows this kind of boss all too well; he has an enormous appetite and is frighteningly greedy. Once he senses that she is satisfied with the price, he will raise it.
After the boss finished speaking, he still seemed a little unsure. He looked at Song Xinran and asked cautiously, "Little sister, do you think it's okay?"
Song Xinran stepped out, and the shop owner's eyes widened. "You're not satisfied with this price? What more do you want? I've already lost enough money!"
But the next second, Song Xinran walked to the freezer, plugged it in, and checked its details.
The shop owner breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt even more anxious, fearing that Song Xinran might find something wrong with the freezer and then decide she didn't want it anymore. He kept saying, "My freezer is great, it's 400L, it can hold a lot of things!"
Song Xinran nodded noncommittally: "Boss, can you help me find a delivery truck? I'll take it back to Lingde Town."
The boss's heart skipped a beat again. He thought, "Could they be asking me to pay for the shipping? That's impossible, absolutely impossible. I've already lost so much money!"
Song Xinran slowly said, "I will pay for the freight myself. Boss, you have been running this shop for several years and you are quite familiar with the area. I trust the driver you found, both in terms of price and skill."
The boss breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this girl in front of him looked young, but she always spoke in a breathy manner, making him nervous so many times. She didn't seem like an easy person to get along with.
He quickly replied, "Okay, okay, I'll go find it. Don't worry."
Song Xinran nodded slightly: "I'll pay to have these things taken back once I find a car."
Upon hearing Song Xinran's words, the boss immediately started making phone calls to contact people. He was even prepared to go directly to the driver's house after failing to reach an agreement over the phone. However, when he turned around and saw Song Xinran sitting in the restaurant, he became a little worried that she might not buy anything and run away. He put on a smile and said, "Sister, sit here for a while. I'll have someone pour you a cup of tea."
As he spoke, the boss called over the last remaining employee in the store and told him to keep a close eye on Song Xinran and not let her escape.
Song Xinran sat in a private room at the restaurant, while outside, a massive clearance sale was in full swing, with the middle-aged women wishing they had four hands to grab the goods.
An employee poured her a cup of tea and sat down next to her. Song Xinran pretended the employee didn't exist, thinking that the boss would probably be back soon.
She asked the boss to go find it because she believed he would do his best, and she needed to hurry, since she would feel more at ease if she got the money herself after the product was sold.
The shipping cost can't be too high, otherwise she won't want the goods, and the boss will suffer an even greater loss.
The boss is a real tightwad, so he'll definitely help her negotiate the price. As a local acquaintance, he's naturally more suitable to find a delivery truck than someone as new as Song Xinran.
Sure enough, the boss returned in about ten minutes: "Girl, I found a truck. It'll cost 150 to take it all back, and I'll help with unloading. The price couldn't be cheaper. You won't find this price anywhere else!"
Song Xinran nodded: "Okay."
The boss said, "Then wait a moment, the car will be here soon!"
Song Xinran's face finally broke into a smile after she had loaded all her purchases into the car.
The boss noticed that she had been expressionless and neither happy nor angry, but now she was smiling. His heart skipped a beat, and he wondered if he had sold her too cheaply.
Since the money has already been paid, we can't stop them and ask for more money.
Song Xinran also rode back in the delivery truck. More than two hours later, she finally returned to Lingde Town. It was already 4 p.m. The shop was not yet finished, so these large items had to be temporarily stored at home.
Fortunately, she lived on the first floor, otherwise the driver would have had to charge her a fee to go upstairs. The driver put all his things in the living room, and luckily the living room was big enough to barely fit them all, but it still filled the living room to the brim, leaving only a narrow passage for people to eat and walk.
After paying the driver, Song Xinran sat in the living room, looking at these things as if she were looking at the empire she had built, and a sense of satisfaction welled up in her heart.
In about ten more days, once the shop is renovated and all these things are moved in, she can open for business. She will finally have her own shop.
Song Xinran was excited. She touched the refrigerator. The refrigerator was indeed a bit dirty. It was probably because it had been placed in the kitchen and customers never came to the kitchen, so it had never been cleaned properly.
However, the refrigerator was of good quality. She tested the cooling function, listened carefully to the sound, and touched the outer shell. She roughly determined that it was not a refrigerant leak, but rather a pipe resonance caused by a loose mounting bracket or improper positioning.
She also told the restaurant owner that if it were really a problem with the refrigerant, she wouldn't have wanted the refrigerated display case.
She looked at the freezer again; it was twice the size of the one at home and would fit perfectly in the shop.
Chen Jingfang and Song Xinwen also looked around at these items, their faces beaming with smiles: "We never expected such a great opportunity! We've really struck gold this time!"
Song Xinwen asked, "How much did all these things cost?"
Song Xinran said, "It cost almost three thousand in total."
The two of them clicked their tongues in surprise and exclaimed, "It's really not easy to open a shop!"
Many rural families can't even save 3,000 yuan a year. Opening a shop and buying some second-hand items requires investing all of it, not including the cost of buying the shop and decorating it. If they really work honestly in the fields, they probably won't be able to open their own shop in their entire lives.
The two walked around the living room twice and found that although they spent a lot of money, they bought quite a lot of things. The refrigerator was naturally the biggest item, followed by the long table, freezer, fan, soup pot, pots and pans, and so on.
As Song Xinran watched the two women examining the items and sighing with admiration, a smile crept onto her face. Suddenly, her stomach growled, and she belatedly realized she was hungry.
Song Xinwen turned to look at her: "Xinran, haven't you eaten yet?"
Song Xinran: "I wanted to come back as soon as I bought these things, so I didn't even have time to eat."
A hint of heartache appeared in Song Xinwen's eyes: "I'll cook you a bowl of noodles, and I'll also add some oden. Just eat a little something to tide you over."
Song Xinran glanced at the time. Unloading the goods took half an hour, and it was almost time to set up the stall. She said, "Sister, you and Jingfang go out and set up the stall first. I'll cook noodles for myself. There's a lot of stuff in the house today, so be careful not to bump into anything."
Song Xinwen also knew that things had to be prioritized. Today, she and Chen Jingfang made this oden together. Neither of them felt comfortable making it, so they tasted it after it was cooked and felt that it was almost the same as Song Xinran's before they were somewhat relieved.
Now comes the most important test: the taste isn't up to them to decide; it depends on how the students react to it.
"Okay, we'll head out now. You get some rest."
As soon as the two left, Song Xinran went outside and bought a bag of instant noodles. She only took out the noodles to cook, and after cooking, she poured in a bowl of hot oden that Song Xinwen had left for her in advance.
Stir well, and a delicious aroma keeps wafting out. The noodles are golden and chewy. Song Xinran can't wait to take a big bite. She has always felt that instant noodle cakes are tastier, chewier, and have a better flavor than loose noodles.
*
When Song Yu came home from school, he was so surprised to see the house full of things that he stared wide-eyed. He grabbed his schoolbag straps with both hands, stood at the door for a while, hesitated, took a half step back, looked up at the house number, and finally made sure that he hadn't gone the wrong way. He hadn't gone the wrong way since he came to town.
Song Xinran saw his small figure and waved to him: "Xiao Yu, come in."
Song Yu carefully stepped inside, avoiding the large objects, and walked up to Song Xinran, extremely surprised: "Mom, what are these?"
Song Xinran said, "These are things our shop will need in the future."
She introduced each item to Song Yu one by one: the refrigerated display case was for storing vegetables, the soup pot was for cooking spicy hot pot...
When the fan was mentioned, Song Yu volunteered, "I know, this can fan the air and it's very cool, but..."
He was a little surprised: "It's not hot now, so we don't need a fan."
"Silly boy." Song Xinran ruffled his hair. "You can use it when it gets hot in the summer."
Song Xinran bought four fans. She put three in the shop and kept one at home. Since she didn't have any herself, buying a second-hand one saved her money.
Song Xinran felt that poverty really did toughen her up, and she was becoming better at managing her finances.
After her explanation, Song Yu, who had initially thought there were so many things that filled up the main room of the house, was a little unhappy that he didn't see his mother when he came back.
He now thinks these things look a little better and will be very useful in the future.
Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang returned around 6:00.
Song Xinran was initially a little worried about the two of them, but then she thought that when she went to the city, she would have to leave these things to them. However, by then it might not be a small stall, but a shop, so she refrained from going to check.
Seeing their smiling faces, Song Xinran knew the result was quite good, and said with a smile, "Isn't it true that these things weren't as difficult as you imagined? Business was good today, wasn't it?"
Song Xinwen nodded vigorously, his voice brimming with excitement: "Xinran, you guessed right! Today has been incredibly lucky!"
Chen Jingfang said, "I was a little nervous when Xinwen and I set up our stall. What if the students noticed the difference in taste and asked us what to do? But it's good if they ask. I was afraid they wouldn't come back if they didn't ask. I even asked Sisi and You Tongtong afterwards, asking them to taste today's oden."
Song Xinwen beamed: "They said it's delicious, as delicious as ever!"
Chen Jingfang: "I'm relieved to hear them say that. At least I haven't ruined the reputation of the business."
Song Xinran chuckled as she watched them each say something, as if they were performing a play: "The ingredients and soup base haven't changed, so the taste should be about the same."
"We were checking our watches the whole time we were cooking this afternoon, afraid we'd go too late or miss the deadline." Chen Jingfang chuckled as she recalled the tension and anxiety she felt then, a sense of relief washing over her as if she had already overcome many obstacles.
Song Xinwen was going to sell oden at his stall again that evening, but he had to go home early. As he left, he said to Song Xinran, "I went back to see Aunt Ge. Ge Xia is still studying at vocational high school. Aunt Ge said that Ge Xia hasn't said she doesn't want to study anymore. Xinran, do you want to take Ge Xia as your apprentice?"
Song Xinwen knew that when she went back home for the New Year, Aunt Ge had this idea, but Song Xinran refused at that time.
Song Xinran said, "Let's see if we can ask her to come and help. If so, I'll teach her some dishes too."
She currently runs an oden and braised meat stall, and will soon be opening a mala tang (spicy hot pot) stall. She definitely can't manage all of these by herself, so she needs to find someone to help her. Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang don't have much talent in cooking, but she thought Ge Xia's cooking was pretty good.
Ge Xia had mentioned this to her before, but at that time she didn't have a shop and felt it wasn't convenient to do it from her own home.
Now that we have a shop, we'll need someone to work in the kitchen, so we decided to find someone we know to try it out first.
Song Xinwen said, "I'm not familiar with Ge Xia. She's a bit quiet and reserved, but the Ge family are all honest people, so their children shouldn't be bad. If you have this idea, I'll go back and tell Ge Xia. She'll definitely be happy."
Song Xinran said, "I'll go back and talk to Ge Xia and Aunt Ge myself. She'll feel more at ease if she leaves her daughter with me and I go to see her myself."
Song Xinwen nodded: "You're so thoughtful. Ge Xia only comes back on the weekend."
In a couple of days it will be the weekend, and Song Xinran plans to go back then.
Before the weekend, there was another market day. When Song Xinran arrived at the wonton shop with her braised meat, she first went to find Deng Mei.
Deng Mei was always very kind to her, treating her like a god of wealth, and said warmly, "Boss Song, you're here so early today! I'll cook you a bowl of wontons!"
"Thank you, Mr. Deng, but no need, I've already had breakfast at home," Song Xinran said. "I've come to get a plate to put the braised chicken legs in."
She and Deng Mei have maintained this cooperation. When she sets up her stall, she shares some chicken legs with the wonton shop, and Deng Mei helps her sell them.
Deng Mei's face lit up with a smile: "You could have just called out, there's no need to trouble you to come all the way here!"
At first, Deng Mei thought that bringing chicken legs to her shop was helping out, and she didn't charge her a penny more. But later she realized that it was definitely Song Xinran helping her! Because of the specially supplied chicken legs, the shop's business improved a lot.
The braised meat stalls are always packed with customers queuing up to buy. Some people who don't want to queue up and just want to eat chicken legs will come to the wonton shop to buy a bowl of noodles and a chicken leg, and they still enjoy their meal.
Seeing Deng Mei calling her husband to go get chicken legs, Song Xinran said, "Boss Deng, I have something I want to discuss with you today."
"My own shop is almost finished being renovated, and I estimate that I can move there after another three or four market days."
These words immediately stunned Deng Mei, and her smile instantly froze on her face: "Boss Song, are you planning to open a shop?"
"They definitely can't set up a stall in front of their wonton shop anymore." Deng Mei felt like the sky had fallen. Song Xinran's stall in front of the wonton shop had attracted a lot of customers, and the Three Sisters Noodle Shop across the street had been driven out of business by them. Now there was a "Shop for Sale" sign on the door, but unfortunately no one had taken it over.
Deng Mei knew all too well how attractive the braised meat stall was, but it hadn't even been a few months, and she hadn't even earned enough money yet, so why was she moving away?
Song Xinran nodded: "Yes, I took over the shop myself and plan to sell mala tang. I specially built an extended awning in front, so I can set up a stall outside my own shop from now on, which is more convenient."
Convenience is one aspect, but another is that it allows the braised meat stall to attract some customers to the spicy hot pot stall. Since they are both businesses, it can be considered a case of the old leading the new.
Deng Mei's smile was forced, but she knew in her heart that it was undeniable; having her own shop meant she had to work there.
"This is great news! Congratulations, Mr. Song! You've made a name for yourself at such a young age. With your skills, opening a shop is definitely a good idea."
Deng Mei thought to herself, there was no way to stop them. They had skills and money, and they were moving up the social ladder. All she could do was say some nice things to make a good connection.
"Which street is your shop on? It'll be easier for me to find a place to eat braised meat in the future."
Song Xinran said, "On the street where the rural credit cooperative is located."
Deng Mei exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be the old grocery store?"
Song Xinran said yes.
Deng Mei had heard that Grandpa Zhang's grocery store had been sold, but she was too busy with her business to know who had bought it. She only knew that it was being renovated recently, and the person overseeing the renovation was a stranger, so she didn't pay much attention. She never expected that it was Song Xinran who had bought it.
The shops there aren't cheap. Deng Mei's gaze towards Song Xinran changed, and she forced a smile, saying, "Congratulations."
Song Xinran said, "Boss Deng, thank you so much for taking care of me these past two months. I'll leave the chicken leg for free today. Please don't refuse. Thanks to your help these past two months, I've been able to set up my stall smoothly."
Upon hearing this, Deng Mei felt all her anger dissipate. Although she still had some heart palpitations, she knew that the matter was understandable. Song Xinran's new shop wasn't going to compete with the wonton shop by selling noodles, and besides, she had put it so beautifully.
They didn't help at all, because Song Xinran's braised meat stall was right in front of the shop, and the wonton shop was doing very well. They were too busy taking care of themselves to look after her.
With Mr. Song's character and skills, his business will surely grow even bigger in the future. Deng Mei also considered it a good friend and said with a smile, "Since you say so, Mr. Song, I'll shamelessly accept it. If anyone asks me where you moved to in the future, I'll give them directions so they can buy from your new store."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Deng. I wish you a prosperous business."
When they arrived at the braised meat stall, Chen Jingfang turned her head slightly and lowered her voice to say to her, "I just took forty chicken legs into their shop. Xinran, have you discussed it with Boss Deng yet?"
Song Xinran nodded: "Thanks to Boss Deng and the others for their help, the chicken legs will be free today."
"Okay," Chen Jingfang said, but then she thought about it and felt a little pained. Forty chicken legs cost forty yuan, and the braised meat stall never had to worry about not selling out.
At this moment, Song Xinran felt much more relaxed. Now, all she could do was move there smoothly after the shop was renovated.
Over the weekend, Song Xinran took Song Yu back to her hometown. On the main road, they ran into Cai Yang, who was playing in the dirt. The little chubby boy's eyes lit up when he saw them. He scrambled out of the dirt and raised his hands, cheering, "Auntie, Song Yu, you're back!"
The motorcycle was going very fast, and he was chasing after it with great effort.
Not far from home, Song Xinran stopped the motorcycle and walked back herself. Cai Yang chased after her excitedly, his smile as bright as a flower, his already small eyes narrowing into slits as he laughed: "Auntie, Song Yu, you're finally back!"
Hearing Cai Yang's tone, Song Xinran felt goosebumps rise all over her body. She had never been friendly to Cai Yang, and he had never liked to get close to her before. What was wrong with him today? He was acting like she was a hot commodity.
Cai Yang's hands were dirty, and there was a lot of dirt under his fingernails. He tried to rush towards Song Xinran, but Song Xinran stepped aside.
Cai Yang naturally noticed her disdain, but surprisingly he wasn't angry. Instead, he turned his enthusiasm to Song Yu, affectionately calling him "Brother Xiao Yu."
Song Yu's body trembled slightly when he heard the sticky sound. Although he wanted to be a good older brother, Cai Yang's tone was very abnormal.
Especially when his gaze fell on the dirt on Cai Yang's hands and body, he quickly hid behind his mother, but he still politely called out, "Little Yang, little brother."
Cai Yang stood there watching them, slowly puffing out his cheeks. He had never been so disliked before, and he immediately felt annoyed. He said directly, "I want to eat more strawberries."
Song Xinran chuckled inwardly, finally understanding the reason for Cai Yang's unusual behavior.
However, this is an improvement over the past. He knows to say nice things before asking someone for something, unlike when she first came back, when he wanted to eat her cooking but acted arrogant and didn't care.
Although this outfit wasn't on for very long...
Song Yu shook his head: "There are no more strawberries, we've already eaten them all."
Cai Yang said, "If you don't have it, just go buy some."
This was the first time Song Xinran had ever seen someone so shameless, and she said without any politeness, "Have your dad go buy it."
Cai Yang glanced at her with a hint of disdain: "I called out, and he said he'd never heard of it and couldn't buy it."
When he wanted to eat, his first request was naturally to his parents. But since his parents couldn't get anything, he then asked his aunt, who had food.
Song Xinran almost laughed in exasperation, thinking that Cai Yang's transformation journey still had a long way to go: "I can't buy it either."
“How could that be? The strawberries Mom brought back are from Auntie’s house,” Cai Yang exclaimed.
Compared to his agitated emotions, Song Yu was much calmer and patiently told him, "The strawberries were all eaten a long time ago. This was the first time we had them. Someone gave them to Mom. There weren't any in town."
"If you want to eat it..." Song Yu thought seriously.
Cai Yang looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Song Yu said earnestly, "You can buy it in a big city when you grow up."
Cai Yang: …………
"But I want to eat it now!" he said, almost bursting into tears.
At this moment, Song Xinwen arrived. Upon seeing Cai Yang's appearance, he was immediately furious: "Where have you been gallivanting again? You just changed your clothes today and they're already so dirty. Go back and have your dad wash them for you!"
Cai Yang glanced at her, pursed his lips, and swallowed back his tears.
After eating the strawberries, he wanted more. He begged his parents to buy them, following them everywhere, insisting on having some. As a result, he almost got a beating from his mother. Now he's afraid to mention strawberries in front of his mother.
Song Xinran wanted to laugh at Cai Yang's behavior, but she suppressed it and said to Song Xinwen, "Is Ge Xia home now? I'll go to her house to check first."
Song Xinwen said, "What's the rush? You've finally come back. Come to my house and rest for a while. I've killed a duck, and we'll have roast duck for lunch."
Cai Yang held up one finger: "I want to eat a duck leg."
Song Xinwen said, "Okay, okay, you and Xiao Yu can each have one."
Cai Yang puffed out his cheeks, wanting to say he could eat two, but knowing he would be scolded if he said it, he swallowed it back: "Okay."
Song Yu's eyes widened slightly, surprised that he also had the privilege of enjoying a duck leg all to himself.
He looked at Cai Yang and said, "Thank you, little brother Yang."
Since Cai Yang used to eat all the duck legs, and now that he has them, it's because Cai Yang shared them with him, so naturally he should thank him.
Cai Yang gave a light snort, finally showing some politeness for once: "You're welcome."
Since Song Xinwen said so, Song Xinran decided to have dinner before going to Ge Xia's house.
The duck was a top-quality duck, raised little by little on sweet potatoes and grains from home, and had a very good meaty flavor. Song Xinran didn't want to waste this duck, so she went to the village store to buy a bottle of beer to make beer duck.
Using a whole bottle of beer to roast a duck was still relatively uncommon in rural areas at that time, as a bottle of beer was quite expensive. Usually, a spoonful of white wine was enough to remove the fishy smell when roasting a duck.
However, duck cooked with a whole bottle of beer truly tastes different. It's visually appealing enough, with brownish-red duck pieces coated in glossy sauce, garnished with bright green peppers and tender young ginger slices.
The aroma was incredibly enticing. Song Xinwen felt he had never smelled such fragrant roast duck before. The aroma of malt liquor brought out the full flavor of the duck meat, and there wasn't a trace of fishy smell.
Not to mention how delicious it is! The sauce is savory and salty, the duck meat has a slight chewiness, the broth is slightly spicy, the duck meat is fragrant, and the beer is rich and mellow. Even the side dishes that have soaked up the broth are incredibly flavorful.
While gnawing on a duck leg, Cai Yang said, "I wish my aunt could live with us forever."
A single sentence can cause a huge uproar.
Song Xinran smiled faintly and didn't say anything. She just felt that Cai Yang was indeed someone who didn't learn his lesson. Had he forgotten how many times he had been beaten when she was at home?
Cai Yongde was shocked. He thought to himself that this was not allowed. If Song Xinran continued to live in their house, she would definitely win over Song Xinwen and become the head of the family. He would live a few years less in the end!
Song Yu was the most excited. He put down the fragrant duck leg, grabbed Song Xinran's arm, and said nervously, "No, no, Mom is my mom, she has to live with me!"
Cai Yang said matter-of-factly, "You can come back too. It's not like you haven't stayed at my house before."
Song Yu couldn't make up his mind. He looked up at Song Xinran and felt that he and his mother were better off at their home in town. He could come back occasionally, but he didn't really want to come back and live there permanently.
Song Xinran said, "Thank you, Xiaoyang. You're so kind. But Auntie has her own home, so it's fine for her to stay there."
Song Yu was relieved, nodded, and agreed, "That's exactly right."
Cai Yang finished his duck leg but still felt unsatisfied. His gaze swept over Song Yu's bowl and he pointed at it with his little hand: "If you don't want it, you can give it to me."
Song Yu's eyes widened: "I ate it!"
Cai Yang said, "So what?"
Song Yu was filled with disbelief: "There's my saliva on it."
Cai Yang said, "It's okay, you're not dirty."
He felt that Song Yu was very clean now. His clothes, pants, face, and hair were all clean, and even his hands had turned white.
Song Yu shook his head and quickly grabbed his duck leg: "I don't want it."
He quickly took two bites, thinking that this would make Cai Yang not want it anymore, but Cai Yang's eyes were still on the duck leg in his hand.
Song Yu felt that this was wrong. He had known for a long time that he shouldn't pick up food that other people had eaten, as it was very dirty.
After starting kindergarten, Teacher An emphasized again that eating food that others have eaten contains bacteria and can easily make one sick.
Song Yu looked at Cai Yang with a complicated expression.
I used to think Cai Yang was a bit domineering and liked to take things from me, but he was the older brother, so I could be more tolerant.
However, Song Yu felt he couldn't tolerate the idea of eating something he had already eaten. Even though it wasn't him who ate it, just thinking about it... sigh.
He looked at Song Xinwen and thought that only his aunt could teach his younger brother: "Auntie, tell Xiaoyang that he can't do this. He can't eat things that other people have eaten because they have bacteria and it's easy to get sick if he eats them."
Song Xinwen felt a little embarrassed. She hadn't raised her child well and now she had made a fool of herself, and now the child had to teach her. She sternly said to Cai Yang, "Did you hear that? Eating this will make you sick. Aren't you afraid of getting worms in your stomach? Have you forgotten how you cried and screamed when you got your shot last time?"
Turning to Song Yu, he said, "Xiao Yu, you did the right thing. Cai Yang deserves to be taught a lesson. Just ignore him and eat your own food."
Cai Yang touched his stomach, clearly remembering the trauma of eating the pagoda-shaped candy to treat worms last time. His chubby face turned pale, and he quickly waved his hands, "No more, I won't eat it!"
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