Chapter 77 Major Clients
Two days later, Song Xinran entrusted Song Xinwen and Ge Xia with the task of buying vegetables for the mala tang shop in the morning. She gave them two hundred yuan, which was the amount of money to buy the vegetables.
But actually, it doesn't cost that much. Song Xinran has signed contracts with professional sellers for most of the ingredients needed in the store. They deliver fresh ingredients directly to the store every day, such as fresh pork and easy-to-store vegetables, like potato and lotus root slices.
This is both economical and convenient. All she needs to do is go to the market every morning to check for fresh leafy greens. These are mostly grown by local farmers, so they are healthy, fresh, and can be changed according to the season.
In addition, let's see if there are any suitable ingredients that can be added to the refrigerated display case. This would increase the variety of hot pot options, giving customers more choices and naturally increasing the frequency of visits.
Normally, Song Xinran would spend less than 100 yuan when she went shopping on her own, but this was the first time she had given the money to Song Xinwen and Ge Xia, so she was more generous with the funds.
Ge Xia and Song Xinwen lived in the same village and always traveled together. Because they had the important task of buying groceries today, Ge Xia got up even earlier. As they sat on the motorcycle, Song Xinwen kept yawning, while Ge Xia seemed to be in surprisingly good spirits.
Song Xinwen asked, "Xiaoxia, what time did you go to sleep last night?"
Ge Xia said, "Nine o'clock."
Song Xinwen thought to himself that they slept for about the same amount of time, so why was there such a big difference in their mental state?
Ge Xia noticed Song Xinwen's drowsiness and said, "Sister Xinwen wants you to rest and take a nap at the shop later. I can go to the market to buy groceries by myself."
"No need," Song Xinwen laughed. "I'm not that tired. How can I leave all the work to you? I get paid too."
Of course, this is just one of Song Xinwen's ideas.
The second reason was that she was worried. Purchasing has always been a lucrative job. When Song Xinran handed the task over to them yesterday, she was still wondering why Song Xinran was so trusting of Ge Xia, who had only been there for a week.
Fortunately, they're doing this together, so she'll have to keep a close eye on things.
Song Xinwen had heard many such stories, such as how a store went bankrupt because its employees colluded with outsiders to harm the owner. This kind of thing was most common on TV.
It wasn't that Song Xinwen didn't trust Ge Xia; it was just that she hadn't known Ge Xia for very long, and she still harbored some suspicions, especially when it came to money.
However, she was more than ten years older than Ge Xia, and she concealed it well so that Ge Xia could not tell.
When the two of them went to the market, they first walked around to see what vegetables were available that day, and finally bought some fresh broad beans, bracken, houttuynia cordata and other seasonal vegetables.
Broad beans are at their freshest and most tender during this season. They grow very green, large and plump, with a fresh and delicate flavor.
However, the price difference between shelled and unshelled broad beans can be three times. After thinking for a moment, Ge Xia said to Song Xinwen, "Sister Xinwen, let's buy the unshelled ones and shell them ourselves at the store."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinwen's eyes widened involuntarily. If it were for their own consumption, it would definitely be more cost-effective to buy shelled shells, since labor is not valuable in the countryside and shelling them is just a matter of hands and feet.
But it's different in the store; there are limited staff, and they have other jobs to do.
Even Song Xinwen, who was used to being frugal, advised, "Xiaoxia, we still need to wash and chop these vegetables when we get back, so we might be a little short on time."
Ge Xia said, "It's okay, I've calculated it, there should be enough time. We just need to be quick. This is the first time Sister Xinran has entrusted me with grocery shopping, so I want to save as much money as possible."
Since that's the case, what else could Song Xinwen say but agree?
At the same time, Song Xinwen also discovered that after Ge Xia paid, she took out a small notebook and pen to write something down, and she did the same thing no matter what she bought after that.
"What are you doing?" Song Xinwen asked.
Ge Xia smiled sheepishly: "I'm keeping accounts."
Song Xinwen also keeps accounts, but she usually only keeps a rough estimate. For example, after going to the market, she recalls the price of each vegetable she bought, then takes out the change she has and counts it to calculate how much she spent that day. She has never tried to buy and record the expenses on the spot.
Song Xinwen glanced at Ge Xia's notebook and joked, "Xia, you're so patient. You don't mind the trouble, even though it's crowded here."
Ge Xia said, "It's clearer to buy one thing at a time and remember it one by one. This is the first time Sister Xinran has entrusted me with grocery shopping, and I want her to feel at ease."
Song Xinwen said, "Xinran isn't such a stingy or particular person, Xiaoxia, relax."
"No matter what kind of person Xinran is, I want to do my job well."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinwen blushed and glanced at Ge Xia out of the corner of her eye, wondering if Ge Xia was referring to her.
When buying pea shoots, she said they were too old and wouldn't buy them; when buying broad beans, she wanted to buy them without the husks so she would have to do less work...
But seeing that Ge Xia was still diligently keeping accounts, it seemed that she didn't have the intention of being a hermaphrodite.
However, this stirred up Song Xinwen's emotions. Her initial thought was to keep an eye on Ge Xia, but now it seemed that Ge Xia didn't need any supervision at all, and it was Song Xinwen herself who was showing her shortcomings.
At this moment, Song Xinwen was determined to buy something of good quality and low price. With her rich life experience, she could easily distinguish between fresh and good quality vegetables and meat. Not only did she choose the good ones, but she also bargained hard on the price.
She and Ge Xia chattered back and forth, which made the old lady selling chicken offal angry: "You two are dressed quite well, so why are you so concerned about a penny or two?"
Ge Xia was still not very good at getting into conflicts with older people. Just as she was about to apologize, Song Xinwen said, "If you don't want to sell it, then don't. You won't lose out at this price. You can buy two lollipops for a dime or two. It would be better to take them home for your kids."
She was equally unyielding, giving the impression that she would leave if they didn't sell to her.
When the old woman saw her like this, she waved her hand and said, "Alright, alright, I'll just do my first sale. You can take it and go."
Song Xinwen picked out some good items from the plastic bag before leaving. The price had dropped by one cent per pound, so buying two or three pounds would save him two or three cents.
Leaving the stall, Ge Xia said, "Xinwen, you're such a good negotiator! I thought that old lady didn't want to sell to us anymore."
Song Xinwen felt relieved: "Even if she doesn't sell something, she can still make money, just a little less."
Ge Xia said, "Sister Xinwen, I want to learn from you!"
Upon hearing these flowery words, Song Xinwen felt a little uncomfortable: "What are you studying? You're a high school student, you're educated."
Vocational high school is still high school, and the education it provides is far better than what Song Xinwen received after graduating from elementary school.
Ge Xia said, "Sister Xinran entrusted me with the task of grocery shopping, and I still have a lot to learn."
As he spoke, he wrote down the cost of the offal in his notebook. The offal at this old lady's stall was washed quite clean; once he took it home, he could cut it up, marinate it, and put it in the refrigerator.
From then on, Ge Xia became more meticulous in her grocery shopping.
Bargaining in the market is almost like arguing; everyone is yelling at the top of their lungs. Although Ge Xia wasn't used to this kind of scene, she tried her best to fit in.
Song Xinwen didn't relax at all, and the two of them started to get into a serious relationship as they shopped for groceries.
When she finally arrived at the store, she found that she had only spent 67 yuan. Ge Xia put down her notebook and pen and quickly started cleaning the vegetables. When she was almost finished cleaning, she saw that it was time to cook the soup base.
She followed Song Xinran's instructions strictly, first pouring in water, then adding fresh chicken bones, ginger slices, scallions, and some seasonings. After bringing it to a boil, she added the preserved broth, turned the heat to low, and simmered it to blend the old and new flavors. Finally, she seasoned it.
As soon as the broth boiled, Song Xinwen could smell the aroma; it was spicy and fragrant, similar to what Song Xinran had cooked.
Song Xinwen felt a sense of crisis. Ge Xia was diligent in buying groceries, kept careful accounts, was willing to learn, and was an excellent cook.
However, she was not good at cooking and could not help much in the kitchen; she only held the title of Song Xinran's older sister.
As he thought about it, Song Xinwen worked even faster. If he couldn't do it in the kitchen, he could do something else to cover it up. Playing to his strengths and avoiding his weaknesses was a principle that even a child knew.
Ge Xia brought the soup to a boil and then kept it on a low heat. When she turned around, she saw that most of the vegetables that needed to be chopped had been chopped. Song Xinwen had actually done so much while she was cooking the soup base!
Ge Xia was secretly amazed. Sister Xinwen really lived up to her reputation as someone who worked hard; she was so quick.
She felt inspired and motivated, and joined in without hesitation.
When the shop finally opened, the two had already prepared the second and third batches of ingredients. Song Xinran was surprised to see this when she arrived and couldn't help but advise, "Don't come too early. Work is done little by little. Your health is the most important thing."
Ge Xia said, "Sister Xinran, I didn't come very early, it's about the same as usual."
Song Xinwen stood up, stretched his arms and legs, and said, "It didn't feel like much at all. I finished it in no time."
Ge Xia took out a small notebook and handed it to Song Xinran: "Sister Xinran, take a look. This is our grocery bill for today. There's still 133 yuan left."
He was about to give the money to Song Xinran, but she refused, saying, "Keep it with you for now; you still need to buy groceries tomorrow."
Song Xinran glanced at the notebook, which was filled with detailed notes and clauses. Ge Xia really did deserve to have studied accounting.
"Thank you for your hard work today," she said.
In the morning, Song Xinran had a rare moment of free time, so she watched Ge Xia cook vegetables in the shop and did some odd jobs along the way.
Seeing Song Xinran made Ge Xia feel much less stressed, and she was able to do her work in the kitchen more easily.
*
This is Deng Yu's fourth time eating mala tang. The store has only been open for a little over a week. Deng Yu even went back to the city for two days on one weekend, so she can be considered a very familiar regular customer.
Once inside the shop, she skillfully walked to the refrigerated display case and placed various of her favorite vegetables into a stainless steel dish.
She ate it for two days in a row recently and didn't experience any heatiness or discomfort. She felt very relaxed, which proves that the ingredients in the hot pot restaurant are extremely fresh.
These vegetables, placed in the refrigerator and illuminated by the lights, look vibrant green and tender, very appealing, while the meat and vegetables have a healthy color, making them truly excellent dishes.
Deng Yu's favorite foods are potato slices, lotus root slices, and lettuce slices, which can withstand long cooking times. Many hot pot restaurants don't pay much attention to the cooking time; they just cook them until they're done. They cook these vegetables for a long time, and when you eat them, they feel like the food has lost its flavor and tastes very bland.
This is why Deng Yu prefers freshly made food to packaged snacks that have a shelf life of several months or even one or two years.
But this "Delicious Mala Tang" shop is different. Every dish is cooked to perfection. The thinly sliced potatoes are translucent, the lotus root slices are crisp, and the lettuce is fragrant, all carrying the original flavor of the ingredients. When cooked in the delicious broth, the flavor is rich and wonderful.
If you prefer it softer, you can tell the owner, and they will cook it for a longer time. Then it will have a different texture, which can be described as crisp and refreshing.
Deng Yu simply prefers the taste of freshly cooked food.
She handed the selected dishes to the waiter and asked, "Could you make it a little lighter?"
"OK."
Upon hearing the news, Deng Yu was quite delighted: "Then make me something with a light flavor."
Actually, Deng Yu herself prefers strong flavors. Just a couple of days ago, she added some small red chilies to her hot pot. However, Deng Yu's parents are older and prefer milder food.
Last weekend, Deng Yu brought some spicy hot pot home with her. At first, her parents didn't think much of it, saying, "Really, don't you find it hard to carry? There are spicy hot pot restaurants everywhere. There's one right downstairs from us. If you like it, we can go and eat freshly cooked ones. Isn't that much better than you bringing it all the way back from so far away?"
Deng Yu's parents didn't dislike the things their daughter brought back; they just felt sorry for her having to drive and take care of the spicy hot pot, making sure the soup didn't spill.
Deng Yu immediately defended the mala tang, saying, "This mala tang is different; it tastes exceptionally good!"
"I also brought back some braised pork." As she spoke, Deng Yu touched the bag containing the braised pork. "It's a bit cold, Mom. Why don't you put it in the pot and steam it to warm it up?"
Knowing that her daughter was a foodie, Deng's mother quickly took the things from her hands and went to the kitchen. As soon as she opened the bag, she smelled a delicious aroma: spicy and fresh, with a rich and lingering savory flavor.
Hmm, this smells pretty good.
Deng's mother steamed the braised pork in a pot and took out the spicy hot pot, then simply heated it up.
The aroma of the food was amplified and released amplified as soon as it was heated. Even Mr. Deng, who was watching TV in the living room, could smell it and couldn't help but look towards the kitchen: "What are you making? It smells so good!"
Deng Yufei, who was packing her things in the room, rushed out: "It's the braised meat and spicy hot pot I brought back!"
Deng's mother placed the two heated dishes on a plate and served them on the table. The family hadn't had lunch yet. Originally, Deng's mother had bought beef and fresh shrimp to make boiled shrimp and stir-fried beef for lunch, but Deng Yu came back very quickly, and they hadn't had time to cook.
The braised meat and spicy hot pot were now heated up, and Deng's parents were already salivating at the smell, not to mention Deng Yu urging them, "Mom and Dad, you should try some! It's really delicious! This braised meat is so hard to find; you have no idea how many places I went to buy it..."
Deng Yu recounted her experience of buying braised meat to her parents, describing it vividly. Her mother was surprised: "There are stalls in a small town with such good business? People are queuing up to buy it?"
“Yes,” Deng Yu said. “I never would have thought of that before. But after tasting it, I know why. It tastes even better than the braised beef I eat in the cafeteria!”
On her drive home, Deng Yu couldn't resist the temptation of the braised chicken wings. She stopped the car on the side of the road and quickly ate a couple of bites before continuing her drive. But she definitely couldn't tell her parents about this, otherwise they would nag her to be careful.
"Stop talking and eat!" Deng Yu picked up a slice of lotus root first. It was a little salty because it was heated twice, but it was still delicious. She ate a bite and then shoveled rice into her mouth, her expression very lively.
Seeing her like this, Deng's mother smiled and ate a piece as well. But after eating it, she couldn't smile anymore. At first, she thought her daughter was exaggerating, or that she hadn't eaten anything good in Lingde Town, so she was happy and excited to taste something slightly better. She also felt a little sad, thinking that Deng Yu had suffered.
But when I tried it myself, I realized it wasn't suffering at all; it was pure bliss.
The reason they have a foodie daughter is probably because they are foodie parents, but as they get older, they are not as obsessed as their daughter.
Now, tasting mala tang (a spicy hot pot dish) feels like rediscovering my youthful passion for good food. I used to know where a restaurant had opened that tasted good, and I would ride my bike for an hour to get there.
Deng's mother didn't say anything or laugh, but silently ate a few more bites of food.
Mr. Deng exclaimed, "This spicy hot pot tastes amazing! It's so much better than the ones we have here!"
"Right!" Deng Yu said happily, "If it didn't taste good, why would I have brought it all this way back for you guys to eat? Don't just eat spicy hot pot, try the braised meat too!"
When Deng's father saw it, he was a little disappointed: "Why are there only snacks? It would be better if there was braised pork head or braised beef."
Older people can't chew bones anymore.
Deng Yu put a chicken foot directly into her father's bowl: "Dad, try it first. It's braised until tender and easy to eat."
Mr. Deng was skeptical, but after putting it in his mouth and taking a bite, he immediately perked up: "It really is like that!"
Mr. Deng preferred braised meat to spicy hot pot. He preferred light-tasting food, but the light-tasting food in Yongyan City was not very good. It was not a flavor that locals liked and often had little taste.
But the braised food that Deng Yu brought back was different. It was rich in braised aroma, and every inch of meat and every fiber of meat was infused with the aroma. It tasted better and better the more you chewed it, and you could still feel the fragrance lingering on your lips and teeth after swallowing it.
Even though Mr. Deng doesn't like gnawing on chicken feet or duck feet and finds it troublesome, he ate quite a lot this time, without feeling like he was wasting time or hurting his teeth.
Deng's mother has a very diverse palate. Whether it's spicy and savory or light and rich, she likes any dish that tastes good. The family of three finished the braised meat and spicy hot pot on the spot and were still a little unsatisfied.
The lunch I had prepared remained untouched; the shrimp were still alive and kicking, and the beef was safely stored in the refrigerator.
Deng's mother said, "I never expected that such a small place would have such delicious food."
Deng Yu said, "I didn't expect it either! But everyone has the same pursuit of delicious food, and that shop was doing very well! And it tastes even better when it's hot and fresh out of the pot, especially the mala tang. The aroma wafts to your nose and onto your face. Taking a bite of the steaming hot meat makes you feel like you've come back to life!"
Deng Yu's description made her mother yearn for it: "I wish we could eat something fresh out of the pot sometime."
Upon hearing this, Deng Yu immediately said, "I'll take you guys back to eat this week!"
Mr. Deng took a sip of water: "The spicy hot pot tastes good, but it's a bit spicy, and..."
Mr. Deng was also a little embarrassed: "At our age, what kind of behavior is it to run around everywhere just for food?"
Deng's mother nodded slightly; she thought so too.
Deng Yu didn't care: "So what? As long as I'm not old at heart, I can eat whatever I want. Besides, in my heart..."
She smiled and hugged her parents' shoulders: "You're not old at all, you're still young girls and boys!"
A smile involuntarily appeared on Deng's mother's face: "You're such a chatterbox."
"Okay, I'll go back this week and ask the hot pot owner if they can make a milder version. If they can, that would be great. If not, I'll take you back with me. You guys have been to my dorm before." When Deng Yu first started working, her parents brought her there. She felt a little embarrassed at the time, since she was almost thirty and still had to be brought to school by her parents.
After thinking for a moment, Deng's father said, "Okay, then go back and ask."
After enjoying the delicious meal, and remembering their trip to Lingde Town next weekend, Mr. and Mrs. Deng were filled with excitement.
It felt like we were young again, when we were newly married and didn't have any children yet. We would travel all over the city and go out for barbecue every night.
Recalling their youth, the two were somewhat sentimental, as food is always the easiest way to bring people back to the past.
After hearing her parents' words, Deng Yu returned to town and, after eating spicy hot pot twice, decided to try the milder version herself.
Ge Xia was a little nervous when she received the news. Although she had been making mala tang on her own for two days, all the customers in the shop ate the spicy flavor. This was the first time someone had asked for a milder flavor.
Ge Xia, who prefers a lighter flavor, can also make it. The first step is the same: blanch the ingredients and put them in a bowl. She just pays more attention to the seasoning, adding a spoonful of chicken broth and other seasonings.
A light flavor requires more skill from a cook than a spicy one.
After the dishes were served, Ge Xia couldn't help but glance at the female customer a couple more times. Then, she accidentally burned her hand, but it wasn't serious; her wrist just touched the pot.
Ge Xia said, "It's okay, Sister Xinran. I get burned when I cook at home too. Just keep doing what you need to do."
Song Xinran said seriously, "No matter how you handle things at home, you have to listen to me here."
She took the strainer from Ge Xia and shooed Ge Xia aside. Ge Xia pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but still started rinsing. She felt that this was a waste of water and that it would be better to just fill a basin with water and put her hands in it. But Song Xinran said that she had to rinse with running water for ten minutes.
While rinsing the hot pot, Ge Xia kept an eye on the female customer. She was slightly relieved when she saw that the woman did not frown or seem unhappy. It seemed that her mild-flavored spicy hot pot was quite good.
After finally making it to ten minutes, Ge Xia immediately walked over to Song Xinran and said, "Sister Xinran, leave this to me!"
Song Xinran said, "Come with me."
Ge Xia was somewhat confused, and then she was led to the female customer.
"Hello, excuse me," Song Xinran said.
Deng Yu looked up at her and immediately recognized her, his expression becoming somewhat excited: "Boss Song?"
Song Xinran smiled and asked sincerely, "Hello, we would like to ask you how you think this bowl of mala tang tastes? Is there any difference in the texture of the ingredients compared to what you usually eat? Since the restaurant rarely makes mild-flavored mala tang, I'm worried that the taste might be different."
Deng Yu said, "No! Absolutely not! In fact, I never thought that a mild-flavored mala tang would taste so good. It's salty and flavorful. It must be made with chicken broth. The soup base is very fresh!"
Song Xinran said yes.
Deng Yu said, "I really like the braised meat you make, Boss Song. I even brought some home for my parents last week, and they both said it was delicious. I'll bring them to the store to eat it in person next week!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Welcome, welcome. Our greatest wish is for our customers to be satisfied with their meals."
Deng Yu thought to herself that Boss Song really cared about the customer experience. She said, "I'm very satisfied, extremely satisfied. I hope you can continue to operate."
That way she can keep eating spicy hot pot, but this service period is only three years. After that, she has to go back to the city.
Song Xinran pulled Ge Xia away. Ge Xia's eyes were bright and her expression was excited. She had almost held her breath when Song Xinran asked her the question.
"Sister Xinran, thank you, thank you so much!" What she was most worried about was the gap between her cooking skills and Song Xinran's, and Song Xinran had just seen through her worries and solved the problem for her directly.
Song Xinran said, "Xiaoxia, you are a very outstanding girl. You should have some confidence, okay? You are doing a good job of cooking the vegetables now. In a couple of days, I will teach you how to make the soup base. If you learn everything, I can entrust the position of chef in this restaurant to you with peace of mind."
Ge Xia's eyes widened in surprise: "Me, can I?"
She asked the same question again.
Song Xinran smiled gently: "You always have been."
*
Mala Tang (a type of spicy hot pot) attracts not only adults but also children. Ever since Wu Yaoxuan treated everyone to meals for four consecutive days, the children who ate Mala Tang have all fallen in love with the dish.
However, she didn't dare to tell her parents that she wanted to eat out, because her parents always said that food outside was unhealthy, especially spicy and numbing food, which sounded very bad for her stomach.
Zhang Xiaoda and Zhang Xiaolang's parents said the same thing, and the two brothers discussed together how they could sneak out to eat some spicy hot pot again.
Zhang Xiaoda said, "We can ask Wu Yaoxuan for help. He's rich, he can treat us to a meal!"
Zhang Xiaolang really wanted to roll his eyes, but he held back and said in a serious tone, "You used to say that you hated Wu Yaoxuan the most."
Zhang Xiaoda blushed and lowered his head, twisting his fingers: "He used to be very annoying, but I don't hate him anymore."
Zhang Xiaolang said, "You also said you would never speak to him again."
Zhang Xiaoda's face instantly turned even redder, almost burning hot: "You're not allowed to say that! You're so annoying! Don't you want to eat spicy hot pot?"
Zhang Xiaolang's eyes lit up: "We can go find Song Yu."
“No!” Zhang Xiaoda said, “Mom said that you have to pay when you eat at a restaurant, and Song Yu’s restaurant is the same.”
Zhang Xiaolang was a little angry and tapped Zhang Xiaoda: "We're not going to beg for food, we're going to work and exchange our labor for food!"
Zhang Xiaoda's eyes lit up instantly. They also did chores at home to earn pocket money, such as tidying up schoolbags for 10 cents or combing their own hair for 5 cents: "Great! I can earn lots and lots of money!"
But when the two brothers went to Song Yu with great enthusiasm, Song Yu refused: "No, you are too young to do the work."
"I can do it! I can wash dishes, vegetables, and wipe the table. I can do it at home too!" Zhang Xiaoda said, his eyes wide as he tried to defend himself.
Zhang Xiaolang nodded as well.
But Song Yu still said, "No, my mom already has enough people helping out at her shop."
He felt that helping others was enough and didn't need to help other children, because they always said, "Song Yu, your mother is so nice," which made Song Yu very worried that his mother would be taken away.
However, he secretly compared the options and realized that since he was good at doing more chores, his mother would definitely not want the other children.
Most importantly, his mother had told him that Xiao Yu was the cutest and best baby in the world, and that she only loved Xiao Yu.
Oh dear, just thinking about those words made Song Yu so happy that her heart was practically bursting with joy, and she couldn't help but wiggle her two little legs.
But he said seriously to Zhang Xiaoda and Zhang Xiaolang, "My mother's shop is not hiring anymore, especially not children."
Zhang Xiaoda and Zhang Xiaolang returned dejectedly, but their love for spicy hot pot remained undiminished. Zhang Xiaoda clenched his fist and said, "I've made up my mind, I'm going to find Wu Yaoxuan!"
Zhang Xiaolang lay on the table without saying a word, still trying to think of other ways. He could save money to eat, but it would take a long time to save every penny.
Zhang Xiaoda, with his exceptional speed and agility, had already reached Wu Yaoxuan's seat. Seeing Wu Yaoxuan sticking his head out of his backpack and doing something, his deskmate squeezed over as well.
Zhang Xiaoda caught sight of something glowing and immediately exclaimed "Ah!"
Wu Yaoxuan and his deskmate looked up together.
But then it suddenly occurred to me: "Wu Yaoxuan, you brought toys to class again."
Wu Yaoxuan's face stiffened, and he stubbornly said, "I didn't."
Zhang Xiaoda: "Okay, you don't."
Wu Yaoxuan: ?
Desk mate: ?
Zhang Xiaoda usually loves to tattle on teachers, has he changed his ways today?
"Wu Yaoxuan, shall we go eat mala tang again today?" Zhang Xiaoda revealed his purpose. He didn't actually intend to use someone's weakness to make them pay anything; he just felt it wouldn't be right to ask someone for a favor and then complain to the teacher.
Let's wait until next time. If Wu Yaoxuan plays with toys again, he will definitely tell Teacher An!
Wu Yaoxuan licked his lips. They hadn't gone to the mala tang restaurant yesterday or the day before because Wu Yaoxuan had run out of money and had stopped going. But now he seemed to want to eat it again.
"Do you really want to eat it?" Wu Yaoxuan asked.
Zhang Xiaoda nodded frantically.
Wu Yaoxuan said, "Okay, I'll go back and ask my grandma. You can come with me. She'll agree. She loves children the most."
In that case, it could be said that it wasn't him who wanted to eat it, but his classmate. Grandma always encouraged him to make friends in class, and she would definitely agree to anything his friends asked for.
Wu Yaoxuan thought he was incredibly smart!
Zhang Xiaoda was also surprised that Wu Yaoxuan agreed so readily, and was extremely excited: "Okay, okay, I'll go back with you!"
Zhang Xiaoda decided that he would never speak ill of Wu Yaoxuan again, as Wu Yaoxuan had become a good student.
Upon hearing Wu Yaoxuan's words, his deskmate immediately said, "I want to go home with you too, and I want to eat spicy hot pot too!"
Wu Yaoxuan agreed, thinking that bringing more people back would increase the chances of his grandmother agreeing.
If only Song Yu could come home with him. Grandma loves Song Yu the most. After Song Yu went to his house to play, Grandma asked, "Xuanxuan, when is your friend Song Yu coming? Grandma made water chestnut cake for him again, and she can make shepherd's purse and egg pancakes in a while."
Wu Yaoxuan was a little troubled. Although Song Yu was his friend, Song Yu had many friends and was very busy, with very little free time.
However, if we go to eat mala tang (a spicy hot pot dish), then we can all play together again.
*
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Song Xinran did not expect that the kindergarten children would come.
They've been here for several days in a row, it's time for them to go home for dinner, otherwise their parents will worry. If Song Yu were always eating out, she would worry too.
So when the two adults and a group of children pushed open the door, Song Xinran's expression was one of shock.
The two adults looked familiar; Song Xinran had seen them when she visited the kindergarten. They were Wu Yaoxuan's grandparents. The two elderly people, who had dressed up in formal attire back then, were now dressed casually and said with smiles, "It's great to see you again, Song Yu's mom. Xuanxuan's friend said he wanted to eat your spicy hot pot, so we brought the child here to eat."
Song Xinran greeted her with a smile: "Welcome, welcome."
However, when she looked behind the two of them, there were at least eleven or twelve children following them, almost like a birthday celebration. She was a little suspicious that it was Wu Yaoxuan's birthday today, but given how much his grandparents doted on him, they probably wouldn't be having a birthday party in a small mala tang restaurant.
Noticing her gaze, Grandpa Wu chuckled and said, "These are all my Xuanxuan's friends!"
Her tone carried a hint of pride. Song Xinran said, "Xuanxuan really has a lot of friends."
The children who came in started to sit around the dining table, filling both tables; they were a very large customer base.
However, when Song Xinran looked around, she couldn't see Song Yu.
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