Chapter 78 Getting on the Right Track
Song Xinran was initially puzzled because Song Yu had always been at the front when the kindergarten children came to eat spicy hot pot together the previous times, so why wasn't she among them this time?
As soon as the children entered the store, they started saying what they wanted to eat. Some of them were regulars and already had their favorite foods, while a few who had never tried mala tang before were also drooling and excitedly shouting their orders.
The shop instantly transformed into a bustling, noisy market. Song Xinran was relieved that there were no other customers, otherwise, the noise from so many children would have been quite off-putting.
Wu Yaoxuan suddenly roared, "Shut up! Or I won't treat you to dinner!"
These words had a remarkable effect; everyone immediately shut up, except for their eyes, which darted around curiously.
Grandpa Wu and Grandma Wu looked slightly shocked but also very gratified. They almost couldn't believe that this was their precious grandson. He used to be the most boisterous and mischievous one, but now he actually had a bit of a leadership demeanor.
Wu Yaoxuan shushed him and said seriously, "You have to be quiet when you eat in the restaurant, so as not to disturb other customers."
This was something Song Yu had told them when they first came to the mala tang restaurant, and Wu Yaoxuan had always remembered it. Today it was his turn to show off.
Zhang Xiaoda glanced around and whispered, "But there are no other customers in the store right now."
Wu Yaoxuan glared at him: "You still dare to talk?!"
Zhang Xiaoda chose to keep quiet in order to eat, but he felt that his question was not wrong.
Wu Yaoxuan walked up to Song Xinran and told her to choose the more expensive dishes as usual, with more meat.
Song Xinran was quite impressed with this child today. From being a little tyrant in the class at the beginning to being a polite oddball when they first met, he actually had the demeanor of a disciplined teacher today. What a versatile child!
Wu Yaoxuan lowered his voice and asked, "Aunt Song, where's Song Yu? Isn't Song Yu here?"
He scanned every corner of the shop, but could not find Song Yu anywhere except the kitchen.
Song Xinran was also a little surprised: "Song Yu hasn't come home yet. I thought you would bring him along when you came to eat mala tang."
“No.” Wu Yaoxuan frowned. “It’s not that I didn’t bring him, it’s that I didn’t see him.”
Wu Yaoxuan came to eat mala tang for two reasons: first, he wanted to eat it, and second, he wanted to hang out with Song Yu.
But as soon as he got out of school, he was surrounded by a group of classmates who all wanted to go home with him to meet his parents. Wu Yaoxuan was stunned. He had only told the Zhang brothers and his deskmate Fang Xiaohao about this. How come everyone knows about it now?
However, it felt really nice to be surrounded by classmates. Since Wu Yaoxuan came to Xingmiao Kindergarten, he has not been very popular in class and has few friends. Many classmates would keep their distance from him for fear of being beaten, which made Wu Yaoxuan very unhappy. He was not the kind of barbarian who liked to hit people.
Although Mr. An said he had changed a lot at the end of last semester and praised him several times, and the students' opinions of him had changed, it was not realistic for them to become friends immediately.
Although Wu Yaoxuan felt that he hadn't made any changes, he really couldn't understand what his teachers and classmates were thinking.
This was the first time he had ever been so popular. The child's heart swelled with indescribable pride. He straightened his back, raised his chin, and led the throng of children back home.
When he got home, his grandparents were also shocked. When they learned that their grandson had become so popular, they immediately agreed!
Eat, eat right now!
Wu Yaoxuan thought Song Yu would be in the store, but when he came over, he didn't see him, and his joy seemed to diminish a bit.
Song Xinran said, "Song Yu might have gone to play with Yuanyuan. Xuanxuan, why don't you go sit down for a while? I'll bring the food up when it's ready."
This seemingly ordinary remark somehow struck a chord with Wu Yaoxuan, who immediately widened his eyes: "He went to play with Yuanyuan?"
Song Xinran nodded: "It should be."
Because Song Yu used to often go to Yuan Yuan's house to play.
Wu Yaoxuan: "But he never comes to my house to play!"
Song Xinran: ...
Seeing the child's accusing expression and the sadness in his slightly lowered eyes, she finally realized that she might have said something wrong and tried to make amends: "Maybe he went to Yuanyuan's house for something. Song Yu often goes to your house to play too."
Wu Yaoxuan shook his head, his voice lowering, "Not often..."
He turned around, quickly adopting a cold expression: "If he doesn't want to play with me, then so be it!"
Then he ran back to his seat and sat down angrily.
Grandpa and Grandma Wu noticed his change in mood and asked with concern, "What's wrong, Xuanxuan?"
Wu Yaoxuan puffed out his cheeks and didn't say anything.
Grandpa and Grandma looked around the shop: "Where's Song Yu? Isn't this Song Yu's mother's shop? Why isn't he here?"
These words were like kicking a cripple's injured leg; Wu Yaoxuan felt his heart break and said fiercely, "I'm not playing with him anymore!"
The grandparents were quite surprised. Usually, when their grandson came home, he would talk about Song Yu this and Song Yu that. Had something happened today?
Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaohao, who was sitting next to him, quickly leaned over and said, "Then you can play with me. Wu Yaoxuan, I want to eat instant noodles. Can you get me one?"
The purpose behind those words couldn't be clearer. Wu Yaoxuan hesitated for a moment, and just as he was about to stand up, two small figures appeared outside the shop door, and a little girl's clear and loud voice immediately rang out:
"Why are you all eating mala tang here?!"
Yuanyuan came running in, and recognizing that they were all her classmates, the little girl was extremely incredulous: "What are you all doing here?"
Zhang Xiaoda said cheerfully, "Wu Yaoxuan treated us to spicy hot pot. Yuanyuan, you're late, haha!"
Song Yu followed Yuan Yuan into the shop. He didn't look at his classmates first, but glanced at the door, then pressed his hands against it and pushed it open wider, making it easier for customers to come in.
After pushing the door open, he clapped his hands, just like the way adults clapped their hands and brushed off dust after doing chores.
Before he could even greet his classmates, Yuanyuan ran over, grabbed his arm, and angrily complained, "They didn't tell us they were eating! Let's go, we're not playing with them anymore!"
Before Song Yu could react, Yuan Yuan pulled him outside. He looked a little bewildered, but quickly realized, "Yuan Yuan, this is my home!"
This is his home; how can he go outside?
Yuanyuan said, "When we go back to my house, I'll ask my mom to cook instant noodles for us!"
Instant noodles are very attractive to children nowadays. Parents think that instant noodles are not very healthy and do not let them eat them often, but children like their chewy texture.
Upon hearing Yuanyuan's words, Zhang Xiaoda even considered going home with her. However, the allure of the spicy hot pot ultimately prevailed, and he remained seated, gazing longingly at the kitchen as if he were waiting with bated breath.
Song Yu wanted to shake his head; he still wanted to eat spicy hot pot more, but Yuan Yuan was too strong, and he was pulled a few steps away without realizing it.
Wu Yaoxuan immediately ran over, blocked their way, glared at them, and accused, "You two went to play secretly, while Song Yu went home with Yuanyuan!"
Yuanyuan shouted, "You guys secretly ate spicy hot pot without telling me and Song Yu!"
Wu Yaoxuan said, "You guys went to play secretly without telling me!"
As she spoke, she glanced at Song Yu, her expression a mixture of reproach and sadness.
Song Yu looked bewildered, unsure of what to say or do.
Yuanyuan and Wu Yaoxuan went back and forth, saying the same things over and over, but both were very aggressive and neither was willing to give in.
Grandma Wu smiled kindly and greeted them, "Oh, there are still some children who fell behind. Come in and eat with us."
“Song Yu is here too. Where did you go? Xuanxuan has been looking for you everywhere since she arrived.”
Song Yu said, "I'm going to Yuanyuan's house..."
"You go to Yuanyuan's house but not mine!" Before she could finish speaking, Wu Yaoxuan interrupted her, his eyes widening in disbelief and sadness.
Song Yu suddenly felt a headache coming on, and not knowing why, he could only helplessly explain, "It's not like that..."
With her round little mouth babbling, she said, "So what? You treated everyone to dinner but didn't invite me and Song Yu! Song Yu is going to my house, so we're not playing with Wu Yaoxuan anymore!"
Song Yu shook his head. Although he was very young, he had almost never said he wouldn't play with anyone anymore in a fit of pique, even though this was a very common phrase among children, and people usually forgot about it the next day.
Wu Yaoxuan couldn't stand such provocation and immediately said, "I'm not playing with you anymore. I can even treat you to instant noodles, Song Yu. I'll go get them right now!"
The energetic child immediately ran to the refrigerator, held up five fingers, indicating that he wanted a lot of instant noodles.
Fang Xiaohao, sitting at the table, blinked: Ah, it's instant noodles. He can eat instant noodles too, right?
The scene became somewhat chaotic. Song Yu frowned, looking bewildered. He looked around, then suddenly broke free from Yuan Yuan's hand, ran into the kitchen, and rushed towards Song Xinran, his voice childish and helpless: "Mommy, what should I do?"
Although Song Xinran was in the kitchen, she could hear some of the noise outside. Moreover, they were arguing quite fiercely. She felt she had learned something new. Four or five-year-old children, so small in stature, yet they had such a strong outburst.
She took Song Yu's hand, patted his head, and led him outside. Looking at the children in the shop, Song Xinran's lips curved slightly, and her voice was gentle and smiling: "Kids, we have special braised meat in the shop today. Would you like to add it to your mala tang?"
Almost all the kindergarten children had tasted her braised pork at the food exchange event last semester. They couldn't forget it after just one bite. Unfortunately, Song Yu's mother never made braised beef again after that.
Everyone's mouths watered at the thought of the taste, and they nodded frantically, shouting in unison, "I want it!"
Yuanyuan stood at the door, still a little hesitant. She thought that adding braised meat to the spicy hot pot would definitely make it even more delicious.
At this moment, Song Xinran greeted her with a smile: "Yuanyuan, when did you arrive? Come in and sit down. Auntie will cook you some extra braised meat later."
The little girl couldn't resist the temptation of the food and sat down on the side, deliberately keeping a distance from Wu Yaoxuan.
Song Xinran then looked at Wu Yaoxuan: "I have a lot of braised meat here, Xuanxuan, would you like to come and see which one you like?"
Wu Yaoxuan couldn't possibly refuse such special treatment, and he ran in with a happy smile on his face: "I want this, this, and this!"
The situation finally calmed down temporarily, and Song Xinran patted Song Yu's head: "Xiao Yu, go out and play with your classmates."
Song Yu nodded; he had also come up with a solution.
Although Yuanyuan and Wu Yaoxuan were sitting at two different tables, the tables were next to each other. Song Yu was sitting in the middle, surrounded by classmates discussing how delicious the braised meat was.
He first said to Wu Yaoxuan, "I told Yuanyuan yesterday that I was going to her house. It was arranged in advance. You can come if you want."
Wu Yaoxuan pouted: "You haven't been to my house in ages."
Song Yu thought for a moment: "It hasn't been long. I went there last time when we played basketball. Yuanyuan was there too."
Wu Yaoxuan also remembered the last time they played together, and his heart became happy again.
Song Yu added, "You didn't invite us to dinner today, and Yuanyuan is unhappy."
Yuanyuan, who was sitting in the back, heard this and nodded emphatically, indicating that she was indeed angry.
Wu Yaoxuan scratched his head: "There were too many people when school ended. I wanted to call you guys, but I didn't see you. You guys walked too fast."
Yuan Yuan gave a soft hum.
Just then, Song Xinran came out carrying a large bowl of spicy hot pot. She and Ge Xia each placed a bowl of hot pot on two separate tables. The strong and irresistible aroma made all the children unable to resist.
Song Yu tried to calm them down in a childish voice: "Don't fight, you're both my good friends. I don't know what to do if you start arguing."
Yuanyuan swallowed hard, her focus now completely on the spicy hot pot. She spotted the braised chicken feet inside and her heart leaped with excitement. Hearing Song Yu's words, she said, "Okay, I won't argue!"
He quickly grabbed the chicken feet into his own bowl, opened his mouth to eat, and couldn't even speak properly because his mind was only on the rice.
Wu Yaoxuan was stunned for several seconds when he heard Song Yu's words. His first reaction was that he had also become Song Yu's "good friend".
He used to be just a friend, but now they've become friends?
"Okay." His mood instantly brightened, and he decided not to argue with Yuanyuan anymore.
The next second, he smelled the aroma of spicy hot pot, which made him even more hungry. He craned his neck to look into the pot and saw that his classmates were pouncing on it like hungry tigers, and they had almost finished eating the braised food in a few bites. He was about to shout and tell everyone to eat slower.
Suddenly, a piece of braised meat appeared in the bowl.
Song Yu flashed him a smile, revealing her pearly white teeth: "Hurry up and eat!"
At the same time, he didn't forget to add some to his own plate and ate with gusto.
Wu Yaoxuan looked at the braised meat in his bowl and was immediately moved. "Waaah, Song Yu is so good to me. She gave me such precious braised meat."
He put the braised meat in his mouth and thought it was the most delicious thing in the world.
Grandpa and Grandma were so busy eating that they didn't serve him any food. Song Yu is the best!
Actually, Wu Yaoxuan really misunderstood Grandpa and Grandma Wu. The two elderly people could smell the aroma of the hot pot while it was still cooking. The spicy and savory flavor was very strong. At first, Grandpa and Grandma Wu were worried that the hot pot would be too spicy for the children to handle. But when it was served, they found that the soup base was chicken broth, which was much lighter, but the aroma was still strong.
Grandpa Wu and Grandma Wu immediately picked up a piece to try, and after just one bite, they understood why their grandson had been eating out so much lately. The taste was indeed incomparable to home-cooked meals.
The braised pork slices were the best. The fatty meat was cooked until it was translucent, and it was very soft and tender when you bit into it, but it wasn't greasy at all. The lean meat was soaked in the braised aroma and the hot pot broth, creating a very rich flavor. It was also easy to eat without getting stuck in your teeth. It felt like this dish was made specifically for the elderly.
Grandma Wu also enjoys cooking. She has never liked fatty meat, as she finds it greasy and uncomfortable after a couple of bites. However, she never expected that the braised meat in the hot pot would have such a unique flavor that she forgot her own preferences while eating it.
The children ate with even greater relish, without needing to be fed by adults. Perhaps because many children ate together, a certain competitive atmosphere was formed, with everyone afraid of eating too little and feeling left out, so they shoveled food and rice into their mouths with gusto.
Grandma Wu, of course, didn't forget her grandson and wanted to help him pick up some food. But when she saw Wu Yaoxuan picking up food so quickly by himself, she thought that with so many classmates there, if she helped her grandson too much, it would make the other classmates think that Wu Yaoxuan was spoiled and special, which would not be conducive to his integration into the class.
Grandma Wu then stopped helping, and also stopped her husband from helping.
In the past, it was a big problem for Wu Yaoxuan to eat at home. He had a short attention span and wanted to watch TV or play with toys, but he didn't want to eat. When he was a child, his grandmother often chased after him to feed him.
Although he has become more independent since starting kindergarten, he seems to automatically become childish again as soon as he gets home. This is the first time that Grandma Wu and Grandpa Wu have seen their grandson eat so independently and earnestly. They can't tell that he is usually a picky eater. He even ate two slices of carrots, which he doesn't particularly like.
Grandma Wu was relieved and began to enjoy the food herself.
Grandma Wu had never eaten mala tang before and thought that cooking it all in one pot was neither hygienic nor nutritious, but since all the children were coming today, she decided to bring it.
Only after tasting it did I realize that the dish was not only clean but also very delicious.
The kitchen has a transparent glass door, so you can see inside even if you sit outside. It's kept very clean.
The chicken broth used as the soup base smelled authentic and had a unique umami aroma. The vegetables in the refrigerator were even more impressive; the leafy greens were tender, the potato and lotus root slices soaking in clear water, and the meat slices had a healthy color.
It's better to choose your own ingredients and cook them yourself; that way, you can eat with peace of mind.
Grandma Wu thought to herself, "No wonder my grandson isn't picky about food anymore; he cooks all the ingredients in the hot pot so well!"
Grandpa Wu also enjoyed the meal very much. After finishing, he said to his wife, "Since Xuanxuan likes it, let's make it like this when we get home."
Grandma Wu knew her husband perfectly well, and teased, "Does Xuanxuan like it more or you?"
Grandpa Wu said in a serious tone, "We, the Wu family, all like it."
Grandma Wu has some knowledge of food. Finally, she slowly tasted a sip of the soup base, shook her head and said, "It's not easy to make it this delicious. I don't have the confidence to make it taste like this."
Upon hearing this, Wu Yaoxuan immediately said, "Grandma, don't cook. If you want to eat, come to Song Yu's place!"
Now that they had eaten and drunk their fill, everyone seemed to have forgotten about the earlier arguments and quarrels. Wu Yaoxuan called out to his classmates, "Let's go play together! I have so many toys at home!"
Upon hearing this, Grandma Wu said, "Xuanxuan, take your friends outside to play."
Although the house is spacious, having so many children go together is like an earthquake, and it will inevitably affect the neighbors.
Wu Yaoxuan agreed. The group of children were quite polite, and after eating, they all thanked Grandpa Wu and Grandma Wu, which made the two elderly people smile.
After the child left, Grandma Wu paid the bill. When she learned that so many people hadn't even spent sixty yuan, she was a little worried: "Song Yu's mother, how can you make a profit at such a low price?"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Yes, I can."
Children don't have big appetites, and even if they eat their fill, it's still less than half the amount an adult would eat.
Grandma Wu laughed and said, "I never expected mala tang to be so delicious. No wonder children love it, and even old people like me love it."
Song Xinran smiled, her eyes crinkling: "You're too kind!"
The kindergarten children ate very quickly. No sooner had they left than other guests arrived. Ge Xia started cooking the vegetables again. Song Xinran said, "Xia, how's the burn on your wrist? You rest for a while, I'll cook the vegetables."
Ge Xia showed her her palm up: "Sister Xinran, it's all fine now. I've been burned before when I was cooking at home, but I never took it to heart."
Ge Xia was never a spoiled person. She was the only daughter in her family. At that time, the one-child policy was strictly enforced, and her father said that having one daughter was enough, so Ge Xia's parents did not have any more children. In fact, at that time, there were very few families in the countryside like hers with only one daughter.
Many relatives have said, openly or secretly, that your family line will end if you don't have a son, and you won't even have anyone to do manual labor.
Ge Xia secretly kept these words in mind. When her family planted rice seedlings, harvested rice and corn, she always worked very hard, wanting her relatives to know that only boys could put in the physical labor.
She often cooks at home, and people who cook often are bound to get splattered with hot oil and burned by the pot. Once, she got a small blister on the back of her hand but didn't care about it. It disappeared on its own after a few days.
Therefore, Ge Xia didn't think her burn was that serious today. In fact, she thought it was a very minor thing, and she wasted so much water rinsing it for so long. Now there's only a red mark, and no blisters have even formed. It just hurts a little when touched.
Song Xinran grasped her arm and said earnestly, "Xiaoxia, you're going to be a chef in the future. Don't think that burns and cuts are minor things. A chef's hands are very precious."
She felt that Ge Xia had sometimes taken a wasteful and reckless approach to her body. Ge Xia might not feel it now because she is young, but when she gets older, her body will give her real feedback on all the abuse she had done to it.
Ge Xia was a little embarrassed: "Sister Xinran, I'm really fine, it's nothing."
Song Xinran said, "We must pay close attention to small things so that we can avoid big things from happening."
Her voice and gaze were very serious and earnest, which made Ge Xia nod and lower her voice: "I understand."
Song Xinran said with a hint of comfort, "You can go outside and greet the guests. Go home early tonight and get some rest so you can be refreshed. I'll teach you how to make the soup base tomorrow."
Ge Xia nodded and silently went out. It was a little easier outside than in the kitchen. She glanced at the red mark on her wrist where she had been burned, and moved her wrist slightly. It only hurt a little, but her expression changed thoughtfully.
The mala tang restaurant closed before 7 p.m. that night, when it was just getting dark. Song Xinran said to Song Xinwen and Ge Xia, "From now on, except in the summer, we'll all get off work at this time. You come so early every day, so you need to make sure you get enough sleep."
She said with a smile, "Mainly because I don't want to make things so tiring for myself."
Since that's what they've said, Song Xinwen and Ge Xia couldn't get involved any further.
The next day, Song Xinran gave Ge Xia detailed instructions on how to make the soup base. She would directly help Ge Xia with things that Ge Xia couldn't do well. In the end, the soup base was placed directly in a deep basin on the kitchen stove and used that day. It tasted very good.
Song Xinran felt that Ge Xia had some talent in cooking, especially since she was willing to put in the effort to study and practice.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Ge Xia woke up that morning feeling a little nervous, her left eyelid twitching and her right eyelid twitching at the same time.
Aunt Ge got up very early and boiled two eggs for her. Uncle Ge also got up very early for the first time ever. The whole family sat together to eat breakfast.
The two elderly people looked preoccupied. Grandpa Ge tried to appear composed, but as Ge Xia was about to leave, he couldn't help but ask, "Xia, Xinran told you that she didn't. Can you stay at the shop and continue working?"
They've noticed a significant change in their daughter over the past two weeks. She's become more outgoing, and her overall energy and spirit have improved considerably. Whenever she comes home, she tells them what happened at the store, and she always laughs about it.
He's completely different from how he used to be when he was in school, never mentioning anything about school when he came home, always keeping a low profile.
The old man also hoped that his daughter would have a better life, and it would be best if she could stay.
Ge Xia was feeling very anxious: "Sister Xinran didn't say, and I... I don't know either. Oh, please don't ask. I'll find out when I get back today!"
Seeing their daughter looking worried and anxious, Aunt Ge and Uncle Ge comforted her, saying, "Xiaoxia, don't worry, just do your best!"
Ge Xia nodded and said, "Mom and Dad, I'm leaving now."
She went to town with Song Xinwen, and now they are getting along better and better. They have a lot to talk about. Song Xinwen is as always, but Ge Xia is a little less talkative.
Seeing that she seemed distracted, Song Xinwen asked, "Xiaoxia, did something happen today?"
Ge Xia was embarrassed to talk about her feelings, after all, Xinwen was Xinran's older sister, and her question seemed to be coercing.
"No, it's nothing. I just didn't sleep well last night."
Song Xinwen laughed and said, "You still have times when you don't get enough sleep? Then go back early later, and you can rest for a while after you finish cleaning up the dishes."
As soon as she arrived at the store, Ge Xia threw herself into her work. She was so busy that she didn't even have time to daydream.
I haven't seen Song Xinran all day. In fact, Song Xinran has almost handed over the mala tang shop to the two of them now. She only comes to help when she's too busy on market days.
During lunch, Ge Xia kept glancing at the shop entrance, wishing Song Xinran would come soon, yet also hoping she wouldn't, fearing Song Xinran wouldn't want her.
They waited and waited until after six o'clock in the afternoon when Song Xinran finally arrived. As soon as she arrived, she handed them a key: "Take this."
Song Xinwen looked at the items and asked in confusion, "What is this? We have the keys to the shop."
Song Xinran said, "This is the key to the attic room."
Ge Xia was silent at first, but upon hearing this, she immediately said, "Sister Xinran, I don't want it. Just lock the attic."
She didn't know where her thoughts were going; her hands were pressed against the seams of her pants, and she looked very anxious and nervous, completely scaring herself.
Song Xinran said, "I'm fine living there now. The attic is just sitting empty anyway. You two can take the key. Sometimes when you don't want to go home, you can stay up there. It's not a waste of space. But there's only one empty bunk bed up there. If you want to stay there, you'll have to bring your own blankets and pillows."
This was something Song Xinran had thought about from the beginning, but she brought it up today.
Ge Xia was stunned by these words, her mind racing, and she couldn't quite grasp the deeper meaning behind Song Xinran's words.
Song Xinwen declined, saying, "No need, no need, our home isn't far away."
Song Xinran said, "It's not far to go home, but it costs five yuan a day, which adds up to 150 yuan a month. That's quite a lot."
Song Xinwen said, "We don't need that much. Sometimes we walk back to save money!"
Song Xinran shoved the key into her hand: "It's a waste not to stay here if it's empty!"
Then, looking at Ge Xia who was still in a daze, he said gently, "Xia, there is only one canopy bed upstairs, but there is plenty of space. There is more than enough room for two beds. The attic is not damp, so you can just put the beds on the floor."
“Sister Xinran…” Ge Xia said slowly, as if each word was being squeezed out, her expression very nervous, “Today, today marks exactly half a month.”
Although Song Xinran's act of giving her the keys already indicated something, Ge Xia was still afraid that she had misunderstood.
Song Xinran smiled slightly and asked directly, "I know, Xiaoxia, would you like to be a chef in a mala tang restaurant in the future?"
These words were like a firework in the darkness, suddenly illuminating Ge Xia's eyes. She nodded rapidly, so excited she could hardly speak: "I'm willing, I'm willing! I... Sister Xinran, I've been thinking about this all day, I was just afraid you wouldn't want me..."
After releasing the things that had been weighing on her mind all day, her voice was choked with emotion.
Song Xinwen suddenly realized: "No wonder Xiaoxia started spacing out when she had free time today. So that's what it was about. You should have said so earlier. I'll take you to ask Xinran."
Ge Xia thought about it, but she didn't dare to ask. She even found it difficult to bring it up with others.
Song Xinran's voice was very gentle: "You've done so well, how could I not want you? You're still so young, I'm worried you'd rather go back to school."
“I’m not young anymore!” Ge Xia said. “I’ll be eighteen in a month. I’m not going back to school. I want to work here forever!”
Song Xinran said, "Okay, you're a grown woman now. You can start doing this for now, and let me know if you have any other ideas later. As for your salary, it will be the same as your sister Xinwen and sister Chen, six hundred a month."
Ge Xia was so excited she almost jumped up: "Thank you, Sister Xinran!"
She never expected such good things to happen today. Not only did she stay, but Sister Xinran also gave them the key to the attic and gave her a raise. Ge Xia couldn't wait to go home and tell her parents the good news.
...
The next day, Ge Xia and Song Xinwen moved some quilts and daily toiletries over, and slept in the attic that night. They slept very well on their first night in the new place, probably because they were already familiar with the shops downstairs and felt very at ease.
As the mala tang restaurant gradually got on track, Song Xinran also put finding employees on the agenda.
It was market day again, and both the braised meat stalls and the spicy hot pot shops at the entrance were doing brisk business.
Song Xinran was taking the braised food out of the cart when she suddenly heard Chen Jingfang exclaim, "Xiao Sha, what brings you here?"
Song Xinran placed the braised food on the cart and looked up to see Xu Sha standing in front of her. Xu Sha looked much the same as before, except that she probably stayed up late last night, as her eyes were a little dark.
Upon seeing the two of them, Xu Sha was also extremely surprised: "Why are you selling braised meat again now? Don't you make oden anymore?"
Xu Sha was very disappointed. She had planned to try oden today, as she hadn't had it in a long time.
Chen Jingfang said, "Yes, we only sell braised meat on market days. On other days, we sell oden at the entrance of No. 3 Middle School every day."
Xu Sha's eyes widened suddenly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "So this braised meat stall is yours too?"
She thought it was for someone else to sell, since it was right in front of the mala tang restaurant, and she figured Chen Jingfang and Song Xinran really didn't have a moment to spare.
Chen Jingfang nodded.
Xu Sha laughed and said, "Give me ten yuan. I heard people on the street say that this braised meat stall tastes really good, so I came here specifically to try it. I didn't expect it to be an acquaintance!"
“These were all made by Xinran; you know her skills,” Chen Jingfang said.
Xu Sha said, "I definitely understand. I've been thinking about oden ever since I ate it. Today I can finally have a feast. Xinran, you're amazing! Is there anything you can't do?"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "If you like it, come often in the future."
Xu Sha sighed, "I'm working in Tonghua Town now, which is very far away. I only get two days off a month, and I'm so busy that I don't have any time to myself."
As they were talking, the aroma of the mala tang shop wafted out on the breeze. Xu Sha smelled it and asked them in a low voice, "Is this shop behind you newly opened? I've never seen it before when I came to town. Have you tried it? Is it good?"
Xu Sha thought that if it was delicious, she would go and eat some too.
Tonghua Town is smaller than Lingde Town, and there are no good restaurants there. Even the food in the factory canteen is much worse than what used to be in the glass factory.
Song Xinran said in a serious tone, "Of course it's delicious. If you like oden and braised meat, you'll definitely like mala tang."
Xu Sha: "Really?"
They actually gave it such a high rating.
Chen Jingfang said, "Of course it's true, because the shop behind it was also opened by Xinran."
Xu Sha froze on the spot, almost thinking she was hallucinating.
I glanced involuntarily at the mala tang sign; it looked impressive from the outside, but the business inside was even better.
Xu Sha couldn't believe it. How could they have opened a shop so soon after their last meeting?
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