Chapter 49 Getting to know someone indirectly (with more at the end...)
Zhu Guo happily carried the braised meat home. It was the weekend, and her father was also resting at home.
When Mr. Zhu saw his son so excited, he put the plastic bag on the table and couldn't wait to open it and start eating.
Zhu's mother reminded her, "Go wash your hands."
"Alright!" Zhu Guo rushed into the kitchen like a gust of wind and ran out in a couple of seconds, looking anxious and like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey.
"Did the sun rise in the west today?" Mr. Zhu asked, both curious and amused. "Your mother actually bought you things from outside."
Zhu Guo exclaimed, "Because it's delicious! It's incredibly delicious! It's the most delicious thing in the world!"
Mr. Zhu chuckled: "Just a few days ago you said that Song Yu's snacks in your class are the most delicious things in the world."
Kids are all greedy, and Mr. Zhu knew that too, but his child exaggerated too much. He would say that it was the most delicious food, that no one could compare to it, and that money couldn't buy it.
"Dad!" Zhu Guo exclaimed in that exaggerated tone again, "These are the snacks Song Yu brought! We bought them from Song Yu's mom!"
Mr. Zhu looked at Mrs. Zhu curiously: "Is Song Yu's mother selling this?"
Zhu's mother nodded: "I ran into her on the street today. Zhu Guo recognized her classmate. That child is very talkative and has a good appearance."
"I originally thought Song Yu's family did something..." Mr. Zhu muttered to himself. Whatever happened in the kindergarten class, the children would definitely tell the adults when they got home. The parents of Class 1 also knew about the new classmate.
However, the parents heard that the new student is attentive in class, helpful, and well-liked by teachers and classmates, so they are relieved.
It turns out that Mr. Zhu had guessed about the new student's family background, since those who could attend Xingmiao Kindergarten all came from well-off families, and he never imagined that the student was self-employed.
He wasn't particularly interested in other people's family affairs, and simply asked, "Your mom bought it just because it was sold by a classmate's parent?"
Mr. Zhu knew his wife's personality very well; she was a bit of a germaphobe.
Mrs. Zhu laughed and said, "You didn't see how your son behaved back then. If I didn't buy it for him, he would have thrown a tantrum on the spot. Just eat whatever you like. Since you're a student's parent, you should be able to keep things hygienic."
Zhu Guo had no interest in talking to his parents; his mind was entirely focused on the braised meat. He deftly untied the packaging with both hands, took out a chicken leg, and took a big, hard bite.
Mr. Zhu joked, "Guoguo might become a poet when she grows up, and she'll be the kind of poet with a bold and exaggerated style."
Mrs. Zhu rolled her eyes, thinking that her husband was just a dreamer. She reminded him, "Guoguo, don't eat too much. You'll have lunch later."
Zhu Guo completely ignored her parents' words, her mind solely focused on the delicious braised chicken leg. Suddenly, she burst into laughter, seemingly lost in thought.
Mr. and Mrs. Zhu looked at each other, wondering what was wrong with their child today.
Zhu Guo held up the chicken leg high, her eyes narrowing into slits as she laughed: "If my classmates knew I ate Song Yu's snacks, they'd be so envious, haha!"
Zhu Guo chewed as he climbed onto the table and bench, starting to count the remaining braised meat in his pocket: "One for Xiao Jia, one for Cong Cong, one for..."
The remaining braised meat is already being allocated to its owners, and those whose names have been called are all his closest friends.
Thinking about it, Zhu Guo burst out laughing again, turned to her parents and said, "I'm going to bring braised meat to class tomorrow so they can all see it, haha, they can only look but not eat it! I'll make them drool!"
Zhu's mother: "Zhu Guo, are you crazy today?"
Mr. Zhu said gently, "Your classmates have eaten plenty of good things. If you take them, who knows who will be tempted? Besides, Teacher An said you can't bring snacks to class."
Zhu Guo cleverly said, "I'll invite them to my house and let them see the braised meat I bought, hahaha!"
Mother Zhu, unable to bear it any longer, raised her hand and said, "You want to eat stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork again, don't you?"
Every time Zhu Guo brings a classmate home, he makes a mess of the house. Zhu's mother gets frustrated cleaning up afterward, but it's not easy for her child to make friends, so she puts up with it. However, only a week has passed since Zhu Guo last brought a friend home!
Zhu Guo shrank back, but he was still a little greedy. It would be such a waste for him to eat such delicious braised meat all by himself and not to make others jealous.
"Can I take it out and show it to them?" Zhu Guo said softly. "I won't give it to them to eat, I'll just let them smell it. We'll eat it ourselves."
Zhu's father laughed helplessly upon hearing this, not knowing that his child was so vain.
But the object of vanity is laughable; what's so special about this casually bought braised meat?
He's vain and stingy, only letting others smell the food while his whole family eats it, acting like it's some priceless treasure.
"Is it really that delicious, Guoguo?" Zhu's father asked.
Zhu Guo's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously: "It's incredibly delicious!"
He ate very rudely, with a greasy rim all over his mouth.
Overwhelmed with excitement, she lunged forward, ran to her father's side, tore off a piece of chicken from the drumstick she had just been gnawing on, and stuffed it into her father's mouth.
Mr. Zhu was completely taken aback. His son's actions were so swift, it was like a sneak attack. Only when the chicken was stuffed into his mouth did Mr. Zhu's pupils dilate in surprise.
I have to tell you so many times, don't give your parents the food you can't finish!
Zhu's father was about to get angry, but before he could, he tasted the braised meat on his tongue.
His slightly furrowed brows froze. Wait, this smell... it's something!
Mr. Zhu has eaten a lot of good food in restaurants, and his wife is also a good cook. He has always felt that he is not demanding when it comes to food. After all, he has eaten good food and also ordinary food, and he feels that there is nothing better or worse.
But today's braised chicken leg tastes really good. The braising sauce has soaked the chicken into a rich and fragrant flavor, and the meat is very tender. Even with just a small amount of meat in your mouth, the aroma of the braising sauce is already very strong, instantly invading your taste buds and making your mouth start to salivate.
Zhu Guo ate with great delight and said proudly, "Dad, isn't it delicious!"
Mr. Zhu realized he had misunderstood his son. Zhu Guo wasn't just giving him his leftovers; he was clearly sharing good things with him.
Mr. Zhu thought his child was quite good, so he stood up and walked to the dining table: "I'll try some too."
Zhu's father is quite steady and doesn't eat like Zhu Guo, who wolfs down his food. However, no matter how refined he is, he can't eat things like braised chicken feet with elegance. In particular, once his tongue comes into contact with delicious food, he always unconsciously speeds up his eating.
When Zhu's mother went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water, she came out to see the father and son sitting side by side at the dining table. Zhu Guo had a chicken leg in one hand and a chicken wing in the other, while Zhu's father had a chicken foot in the other. The two were enjoying their meal.
Zhu's mother was curious. She had just heard Zhu's father scolding the child, so how did they end up eating together in such a short time?
"Honey, come quick!" Zhu's father waved to her excitedly. "This braised meat tastes really good."
Moreover, it gets more and more flavorful the more you eat it, but that flavor isn't built up by salt and seasonings; it just gets more and more fragrant, almost like it's addictive.
Zhu's father could tell at a glance that the food in the big restaurants in the city was different from the ones that used a lot of MSG. Those dishes tasted good, but they left him very thirsty afterwards.
Aunt Zhu looked puzzled: "Is it that delicious?"
"You'll know once you try it."
Despite her doubts, Zhu's mother, under the father and son's strong recommendation, picked up the smallest piece of chicken wing tip and hesitantly put it in her mouth.
After eating just one, Zhu Ma didn't hesitate any longer. Her germaphobia seemed to be defeated in that instant. With her appetite satisfied, she felt as if she were immersed in amniotic fluid, extremely comfortable.
After eating a chicken wing tip, a chicken leg, and two duck feet, Zhu's mother finally exclaimed, "Guoguo's mother's cooking skills are really good. They taste better than those restaurant chefs."
"More than that!" said Zhu's father. "I've eaten at so many restaurants, and I've never had anything that tasted better than this!"
As he sucked on the meat off the bone, he said, "No wonder Guoguo said a few days ago that the snacks Song Yu brought were the most delicious."
At that time, Zhu's father thought that the child was exaggerating and liked to say that everything he encountered was the most amazing thing in the world.
But now that he's tasted it himself, he knows that Zhu Guo wasn't exaggerating at all. Even if they've lived for twenty or thirty years, the taste of this braised meat is still among the top three of everything they've ever eaten.
As for the first and second, who doesn't have memories of the happiest times they've ever eaten? Something similar to the taste of mom's cooking, a bowl of hot porridge when you're starving and freezing—that's a special flavor given by memory, and it can't be measured by just being delicious.
Aunt Zhu nodded, suddenly understanding something: "Guoguo couldn't move when she saw this today, so that's why..."
"Hey!" Zhu's mother suddenly looked at Zhu's father and gently scolded, "Why are you keeping sucking on the bones? There's still braised meat in the bag!"
Zhu's father chuckled awkwardly, threw the bone into the trash can, and then picked up a chicken foot to gnaw on.
Generally speaking, Zhu's father doesn't suck on bones, and his family doesn't lack food, but these duck wings are exceptionally flavorful, even the bones are very fragrant.
After the couple had eaten until they were half full, there wasn't much braised food left in the bag.
Aunt Zhu said, "Luckily, I bought a lot today."
Zhu's father was also curious: "When Guoguo asks for some back home, you just buy a little to try. Why did you buy so much today?"
Zhu Ma couldn't help but laugh when she recalled the scene: "You don't know, Guoguo's classmate Song Yu is a great salesman."
After hearing what Zhu's mother said, Zhu's father was shocked: "Isn't that child only three or four years old?"
"Yes," said Aunt Zhu, "She's so sensible and generous, speaks clearly like an adult, and has such a cute appearance!"
Mr. Zhu nodded thoughtfully and said, "It must be because of the good training. She's been doing business with her mother, so she's met a lot of people and talked a lot. Winter vacation is coming soon, so when we go back to the city, I'll take Guoguo with me to set up a stall and sell some things."
Zhu Guo, who was engrossed in gnawing on a chicken foot, suddenly looked up and said, "Let's set up a stall and sell braised chicken too!"
Mr. Zhu laughed and said, "We don't have the skills of your classmate's mother, so we'll just sell balloons..."
Last year during the Spring Festival, there were many stalls selling balloons in the city square.
Zhu Guo had a sudden inspiration: "We can buy more of Song Yu's mother's braised meat and sell it in the city!"
Zhu's father exclaimed "Oh ho!" and said with a smile, "Guoguo is so smart, she even came up with the idea of purchasing."
He has to think more highly of his son now. He used to think his son was a bit dull and too timid and cowardly outside, the kind of guy who was only good at home. But today, he sees that his son has clearly inherited the family's intelligence.
Zhu Guo urged, "Mom and Dad, hurry up and go buy some more braised meat."
Zhu's father thought about it and agreed. But it wasn't for purchasing and selling; it was for their own consumption. It could be kept in the refrigerator for a few days, and it would definitely taste even better if they steamed it when they wanted to eat it.
"Honey, shall we go buy some more?"
Now there's no need to worry about Aunt Zhu refusing; people's pursuit of delicious food is generally the same.
As expected, Aunt Zhu nodded: "Okay."
Zhu Guo cheered happily, "I want to go with you!"
Zhu's father also specifically said, "When you see Song Yu later, you can play with him for a while."
Mr. Zhu believes that his own child will become smarter by playing with outstanding children.
But Zhu Guo shook her head, her voice lowering slightly: "No..."
"Why? Didn't Guoguo say that all the kids in your class like Song Yu?"
Zhu Guo said, "Because Song Yu already has many good friends, and many people want to hang out with Song Yu, I... I won't go..."
Zhu's father saw right through his son's thoughts. He clearly wanted to play together, but there were too many competitors, and he felt he couldn't compete, so he didn't want to go.
Zhu's father patiently said, "Guoguo, you have to try it first to know. Besides, we're not in kindergarten now. On the street, you and Song Yu are the only classmates. He might want to play with you too."
"Really?" Zhu Guo asked, her voice lowering. "But I broke his flowerpot, and he cried. He definitely doesn't want to play with me anymore."
Aunt Zhu said, "You've already apologized, and Song Yu has forgiven you. This matter is over."
With encouragement from her parents, Zhu Guo became a little bolder: "Okay, I'll ask Song Yu if he wants to play with me."
The family went to the market full of anticipation, but when they arrived, all the stalls were gone, even though it wasn't even 10 o'clock yet.
Zhu's father asked the owner of the shop next door.
The owner said, "You're too late. That braised food stall is very popular; they only sell on market mornings and leave as soon as they're sold out. You'll have to come earlier next time."
"Sold out so quickly?" Aunt Zhu was a little incredulous. There were still quite a few left when she bought them, and less than forty minutes had passed. How could they be sold out so quickly?
Zhu's father said, "Their food tastes good, so there must be a lot of people who want to buy it. They say they come out every market day, so we can come again next time."
Zhu Guo lowered his head in disappointment. He had mustered up a lot of courage to ask Song Yu to play together before leaving home.
Zhu's mother noticed and comforted her, "Mom will bring you again next time. I think Song Yu will also like to play with you."
"Really?" the child asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Aunt Zhu said, "Really, look how much Song Yu talked to you today."
Although they were both promoting their own braised meat, how could those words not stand up to scruple? Perhaps Song Yu wouldn't have even spoken up if it weren't for that person.
Zhu Guo thought about it and realized that was indeed the case. He nodded excitedly, "Come again next time!"
*
After selling all the braised food, Song Xinran and Chen Jingfang pushed their cart home together.
Song Xinran said, "Xiao Yu was amazing today; she even helped her mom sell braised meat."
Song Yu chuckled twice: "Because the kids in our class really love the braised pork my mom makes. During the food sharing session, they wanted more even after they finished eating."
"And my mom's braised pork is really delicious, everyone loves it."
Song Yu was so happy he couldn't stop smiling; he could help his mother with chores now!
In the afternoon, Song Yu, full of enthusiasm and confidence, also went to the stall to sell oden with her mother. Unfortunately, she didn't run into any of her classmates and couldn't make the most of her advantages as a little salesperson.
However, he was not discouraged and decided to wait until the next market day to sell braised food with his mother again.
Unfortunately, the next market day was on Wednesday, and the kindergarten didn't have a winter break for several days, which caused Song Yu to think about this during class.
That day, Huang Yun came to see Song Xinran. As soon as she entered, she said, "Xinran, are you making braised meat again? I could smell the aroma as soon as I got to the door. Your skills are getting better and better."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Tomorrow is market day again, and I have to get up early to set up my stall. Sister Yun, you have time to come today. You've been so busy the other day that I haven't seen you at all."
Huang Yun said, "You've misunderstood me. You're the one who's busy. When you first came to town, we could go out for a stroll every night, but now you're so busy you don't even have time."
Song Xinran smiled sheepishly. She had been selling oden and braised food lately, so she had indeed had much less free time.
She said, "The weather's been cold lately, and I've had a lot on my plate..."
Huang Yun waved her hand: "I understand. It's just you and Xiao Yu in your family. Take advantage of your current ability to save more money. There will be many places to spend money in the future."
Song Xinran said, "That's exactly what I think. You really understand my sister Yun!"
Huang Yun smiled. She had also worked hard to get where she was, but with the help of the elderly in both families, her life was much easier. Song Xinran, on the other hand, had no elderly relatives and could only rely on herself. Her life was much freer, but also much more difficult.
"By the way, I've come to see you today because I have something important to say," Huang Yun said. "I recently met someone who runs a wonton shop in town. She's generous and has a straightforward personality."
Song Xinran was a little puzzled, and joked with a smile: "Sister Yun, are you not here to tell me that when the weather gets warmer, you'll go out with your new friends and won't include me anymore?"
Huang Yun, who had been looking quite serious, couldn't help but laugh when she heard this: "Look at the way you're talking! I can't leave you out of the conversation!"
To be honest, Huang Yun still prefers going for walks with Song Xinran. They can talk to each other, and Huang Yun feels comfortable and at ease talking to Song Xinran. Relationships between people are all about fate, and Huang Yun feels that she and Song Xinran were destined to be together from their very first meeting!
“This wonton shop owner isn’t here to get to know me; she wants to get to know you through me,” Huang Yun said.
Song Xinran exclaimed "Ah!" This time she was genuinely puzzled. She asked herself if her business had anything to do with the wonton shop, and if she could do anything to help them. Why would someone need to go through such a roundabout way to get to know her?
Huang Yun recounted the story in detail.
She had been selling pork in town for many years and knew quite a few people, but she didn't have much of a relationship with Deng Mei from Lao Ma's wonton shop. Until two days ago, Deng Mei approached her, saying that her pork was fresh and of good quality, and asked if she could get meat from her to make wontons, which she could then deliver to the wonton shop every morning.
Huang Yun was extremely surprised. She knew that Deng Mei used to order pork from other pork stalls, so why did she suddenly switch to another stall?
Maybe they felt the quality of the pork head meat from other stalls wasn't good enough...
Huang Yun was very confident in the quality of her pork and immediately agreed. This was a good thing; she could earn more money in the future.
Huang Yun wanted to maintain good relations with this new customer, so she delivered fresh pork to Deng Mei early the next morning. As soon as she entered, Deng Mei was very enthusiastic and asked her, "Boss Huang, have you eaten yet? You're here so early. You're so quick! Please sit down and I'll cook you some wontons!"
Huang Yun immediately sensed something was amiss; this was far too enthusiastic. She quickly declined, offering an excuse: "Mr. Deng, there's no need to trouble yourself. I'll eat at home before coming over."
But Deng Mei was quick, as if the water in the pot was boiling and just waiting for her. Before she could even refuse, Deng Mei had already put the wontons in and said with a smile, "Eat before you go. I've already started cooking them. It would be a waste if you didn't eat them. It's still early, no rush."
Huang Yun couldn't refuse, so she just looked at the shop's signboard, thinking about deducting the bowl of wontons from the bill when she paid.
Deng Mei quickly brought over a large bowl of wontons and smiled as she offered it to her.
Huang Yun was immediately impressed; the dosage was indeed substantial.
She tasted it and it was pretty good. She hadn't eaten breakfast before going out, and she was indeed a little hungry.
Sitting opposite her, Deng Mei smiled and said, "Boss Huang, these wontons are made with pork from your shop. I bought some yesterday, chopped the filling, and started making them. You know what? Different pork makes different wontons, and they taste so good."
Huang Yun said modestly, "Boss Deng, it's because your skills are so good; you've been a long-established shop in town."
Although she was a little confused, she was naturally happy when others praised the products she sold.
I wanted to wait for Deng Mei to reveal her true purpose, but she refused to say anything, and the two of them still had a pleasant chat.
The next day, Huang Yun went to deliver meat to Deng Mei again. This time, Deng Mei not only cooked her a big bowl of wontons, but also insisted on giving her a bag of fresh wontons when she left, saying with a smile, "Since you like them, take some home for your family to try!"
Huang Yun had to refuse this time. She could deduct the cost of a bowl of wontons from the bill, but she couldn't pay for the fresh wontons.
However, Deng Mei was determined to give it to her. After a long struggle, Huang Yun finally said, "Boss Deng, just tell me what you need. I'll help if I can."
She would be truly stupid if she couldn't see through Deng Mei's deliberate actions, but she just couldn't figure out what Deng Mei had to gain from her. Logically speaking, as a pork seller, she should be trying to befriend Deng Mei so that she could sell more pork.
Deng Mei frowned immediately, plopped down on a stool, and sighed with worry: "Boss Huang, I won't lie to you anymore. How's my business doing?"
Huang Yun said, "It's great, so many people come and go every day."
Huang Yun was telling the truth; if business wasn't good, Lao Ma's wonton shop wouldn't have been able to stay open for more than a few years.
Deng Mei looked distressed: "It only looks glamorous on the outside. We still have rent and utilities every month. We used to be able to make a little money every month, but lately we're almost losing money on labor costs."
Huang Yun exclaimed "Ah!" and thought to herself, "This is impossible."
But guessing that this was why Deng Mei was so eager to befriend her, she sighed and said, "Business is tough, everyone's struggling."
"I'm honest with myself, our wontons taste pretty good and the portions are generous. Mr. Huang, you've tried them, what do you think?"
Huang Yun: "Yes."
Deng Mei said, "Our business used to be okay, but ever since the owner across the street brought in a braised meat stall, I've bought their braised meat from them, and the taste is absolutely top-notch!"
Deng Mei gave a thumbs up as she spoke.
Huang Yun then realized that it wasn't for her, but for Song Xinran.
Deng Mei said, "My husband used to study cooking in another city and has eaten a lot of good food. He said that the braised meat tastes even better than the master chef's! It's unique not only in our town, but also in the city."
Huang Yun nodded in agreement. Although she vaguely guessed Deng Mei's purpose, Deng Mei's praise of the braised meat still pleased her.
“Mr. Huang, I heard that you know Mr. Song, who sells braised meat. Do you think it would be possible for Mr. Song to set up a stall in front of our shop?” Deng Mei said. “Our shop has plenty of space in front of it! There’s also a big sun umbrella in the shop. We can put it up and not be afraid of wind or rain. It’s much better than setting up a stall on the street. If Mr. Song is too busy, I can lend a hand when I have time.”
Deng Mei never mentioned the Third Sister's Noodle Shop, only assuming that Song Xinran was setting up a stall on the street. In fact, what she said was not wrong, except that the place was right in front of the Third Sister's Noodle Shop.
Huang Yun was not very clear about Song Xinran's stall selling braised food. Song Xinran told her when she would set up the stall and asked her to come and support her, but did not mention that she had specifically asked Aunt Fang from Sanmei Noodle Shop to come.
Huang Yun thought about it and realized that it was true. If you set up a stall on the street, you can't set up your stall when it's windy or rainy, and it will be too hot when the sun is strong. It's not bad to set up your stall in front of someone else's shop and not have to squeeze onto the street.
This is clearly a good thing, so why didn't Deng Mei go directly to Song Xinran instead of letting her act as the middleman?
Huang Yun laughed and said, "Boss Deng, why make this so complicated? Just talk to Xin Ran directly. I've known her for a long time, and she's the most understanding person."
Deng Mei smiled sheepishly: "I don't know her either. If I suddenly ask her to set up a stall in front of my shop, I'm afraid she won't agree. Mr. Huang, could you please pass on a message for me? Just introduce us, and I'll handle the rest myself."
After thinking it over, Huang Yun realized that she usually didn't get involved in these kinds of things. If any problems arose later, both sides would hate her as the middleman.
However, she understood Song Xinran and knew her personality, and she felt that this was indeed a good thing, so she agreed and that's why she approached Song Xinran.
"I was wondering what I had that made Boss Deng so fond of me. Turns out it's all thanks to you, Xinran! And you know what? Those two bowls of wontons were really delicious!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Sister Yun, I should thank you. If it weren't for you as the middleman, I wouldn't have known about such a good thing. I'll go and get to know Boss Deng and see if we can get along."
She was also thinking of changing places, because Sister Fang was stingy and greedy, and she had eaten so much of her free braised meat!
Huang Yun immediately said, "Okay, okay, Deng Mei said she's waiting for you every day. You two have a good chat. I trust your judgment in people."
Huang Yun took Song Xinran to Lao Ma Wonton Shop. As soon as they arrived, Song Xinran felt like she was in a real bind. It turned out that Sanmei Noodle Shop was right across the street from her, just a few dozen meters away.
However, she didn't mind such things; if Sister Fang could do the first day of the month, she could do the fifteenth.
Upon arriving at the wonton shop, they saw Deng Mei and her husband. As soon as they saw Song Xinran, they put on broad smiles and stood up together: "Boss Song, it is an honor to have you here!"
To be honest, Song Xinran immediately got goosebumps and quickly said, "Mr. Deng, you're too kind!"
Deng Mei immediately launched into a frenzy of praise: "Boss Song, your skills are absolutely amazing! I bought your braised meat once, and I still crave that taste! I wanted to go back to buy some more during the market day, but the shop was too crowded, and by the time I had some free time, you had already sold out and closed up shop, which was such a pity! I thought to myself then, if Boss Song's braised food were paired with our rice noodles and wontons, it would definitely make our wontons taste even better!"
“Mr. Song, I know you have no trouble selling your stuff, but if you’d like to put some braised food in our shop, we’d be very happy to! When customers come in to eat noodles, we’ll ask them if they want to add some braised food. We won’t charge them a penny; we’ll pay you whatever you sell.”
Upon hearing this, Song Xinran realized that all the conditions were favorable to her. As for Huang Yun's suggestion that Boss Deng could lend a hand during his free time, Song Xinran didn't take it to heart at all. She only had to sell for a morning on market days anyway, and she and Chen Jingfang were already enough.
But that parasol still has its uses...
If Deng Mei is just all talk and no action, she probably won't last long, and they'll have to move out sooner or later.
If there is truth in the truth, it means the person has a decent character. However, when doing business, it's inevitable to say one thing to one person and another to another.
Without hesitation, she asked directly, "Where do you think would be a good place to put a parasol outside?"
Upon hearing this, Deng Mei knew that the deal was probably done, so she quickly took Song Xinran outside to see: "Mr. Song, our front yard is spacious. You can see where you want to put it, and I'll have my family put it there for you."
Song Xinran didn't want to block the doorway, so she stood near the street: "This is fine."
Deng Mei smiled and agreed, then quickly asked the men in her family to bring out the parasol and move the stones out to place them.
The two acted quickly, as if afraid that Song Xinran would change her mind.
It was a red parasol that had been sitting there without breaking. The wings were quite large, probably big enough to cover the stroller.
Deng Mei, slightly out of breath from exhaustion, still smiled and said, "Boss Song, how about this? Just tell me if you need anything."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "That's fine, thank you for your help, Boss Deng. But I'm currently setting up a stall at Third Sister's Noodle Shop..."
Before she could finish speaking, Deng Mei interrupted her with feigned surprise: "Third Sister's Noodle Shop? Boss Song, I've seen you always on the street, I thought you just found a place anywhere."
Deng Mei's words were indeed meant to be sarcastic and to relentlessly criticize the noodle shop.
Song Xinran smiled gently: "She's someone I know. I'll tell her that this place is more convenient for you, and she'll be doing this from now on. Although I haven't been setting up my stall for long, I do have some regular customers who can find my spot."
She meant two things: first, she decided where to set up her stall; second, she was creating the impression that she was in high demand, not just someone who could set up a stall in front of your house.
She wasn't really familiar with Deng Mei. She only knew from their first meeting that Deng Mei wasn't the stingy and petty type like Sister Fang. It would be better for her to set up a stall here, but if Deng Mei caused any trouble in the future, she could leave immediately.
Deng Mei naturally understood what Song Xinran meant, and her smile became even brighter. This meant that Song Xinran would be setting up a stall in front of her wonton shop from now on. She quickly said, "Your wontons taste good, so your regular customers will naturally come back. Our stall is also close to where you used to set up, so customers can see it at a glance. From now on, we're doing business for the long term."
Now that she's at her house, she can't possibly play any tricks to let Song Xinran run away.
The two chatted happily, and Song Xinran decided to set up a stall in front of the wonton shop the next day.
But before that, she had to tell Lin Hexiang about it.
In front of Lin Hexiang, Song Xinran didn't say anything bad about Sister Fang. She greeted everyone she met, saying, "Sister Xiang, I'm really sorry, I'm planning to move my stall to a different location. The new place is bigger and more convenient for doing business. I'm afraid I'll have to waste your kindness, and I won't be able to deliver braised food to you every time anymore. But I'm still very grateful to you, Sister Fang. If you want to eat braised food in the future, just tell me and I'll deliver it to you."
Upon hearing this, Lin Hexiang immediately understood the cause and course of events. Although Song Xinran had phrased it euphemistically, Sister Fang had definitely taken something from Song Xinran.
Lin Hexiang cursed inwardly. They originally told Xinran to set up the small flat area in front of the door, but they ended up making her set up the main street.
That street isn't a noodle shop's territory, yet they have the nerve to collect things there.
Lin Hexiang hurriedly said, "Alright, alright, it would be better if you moved there to a better place. You didn't take up any of Fang's space when you were there before, so you don't need to worry about it. I'll talk to Fang."
Lin Hexiang already felt a little guilty. A few days ago, she went to see Song Xinran sell braised food for the first time. After learning what Sister Fang had done, she felt uncomfortable. When she got home and told Lei Hong, Lei Hong said a few words to her, saying that Sister Fang's way of dealing with people was not decent and that she should avoid dealing with such people in the future.
Lin Hexiang regretted it at the time, but she didn't want to ask Song Xinran to move it herself.
She later asked Sister Fang to play cards with her a few times, asking her to take care of Song Xinran. Sister Fang readily agreed, saying that she and Song Xinran got along very well and that she even helped her sell braised food!
Fang's wife treated Lin Hexiang as well as ever, but Lin Hexiang was a little uneasy.
Hearing Song Xinran's words today, Lin Hexiang felt both angry and relieved.
She was angry at herself for misjudging people and failing to see Fang's true nature.
Then he thought to himself that it was good that Song Xinran had run away.
Lin Hexiang felt guilty and said, "Xinran, don't worry, I will explain it to Sister Fang. You can go wherever you feel better. The main thing is that your business can't be delayed!"
Song Xinran smiled and said, "I understand, thank you, Sister Xiang."
She had no good feelings towards Fang's sister-in-law, and Lin Hexiang was probably also deceived.
After Song Xinran finished arranging everything, she was just waiting to set up her stall the next day, but she hadn't told Sister Fang that she was moving away yet.
She also had some wicked intentions; I imagine the expression on Sister Fang's face, who always takes advantage of others, must have been quite interesting.
The next morning, Song Xinran and Chen Jingfang set up their stall together.
Chen Jingfang was in a particularly good mood today: "Finally, I don't have to put up with Sister Fang's attitude anymore. Every time I see her, I think to myself, I wonder what she wants from us this time. But we know each other, and we even have a stall in front of her shop, so it's hard to refuse."
"That Sister Fang is really something else. Every time we set up our stall, she shamelessly comes to ask for things!" Chen Jingfang laughed. "Xinran, it's good that you changed locations. How's the boss this time?"
Song Xinran said, "It was alright the first time we met, but how things go in the future depends on how we get along. But if it doesn't work out, we'll just go somewhere else. There's so much space on the street."
Now that braised meat has gained a reputation, it's not a problem to set up stalls even in remote areas, as many places in Lingde Town allow such stalls.
Chen Jingfang felt as if she could finally catch her breath, and exclaimed with delight, "Okay!"
They set up their stall a little later today. Before they even reached the entrance of the market, they found that Sanmei Noodle Shop and Lao Ma Wonton Shop were already open, and Fang's wife was looking out from the doorway, seemingly observing something.
Sister Fang walked straight towards them with a big smile: "Why are you setting up your stall so late today, girls? It must be hard for the two of you to push such a big cart. Let me help you!"
As she spoke, Sister Fang got to work, sniffing the food and saying with a smile, "Sister, your braised food smells so good! I could smell it even before you took it out. The braised chicken legs you gave me last time were delicious, and my family loved them. They specifically asked me to learn from you!"
Chen Jingfang couldn't help but roll her eyes at these clichéd words. How could anyone act like that? In the past, whenever they set up their stall, Sister Fang would come out and exchange a few pleasantries, first praising their food, then asking how they made it, saying that everyone liked to eat it...
If she hadn't been so blunt and insincere, and had simply said she wanted to buy it, Song Xinran wouldn't have taken her money.
But Sister Fang was extremely stingy. She wouldn't even pretend to buy anything, for fear that Song Xinran would actually make her pay for a glance. She wasn't willing to suffer any loss.
This time it was even more outrageous. Seeing that they hadn't come for a long time, he actually ran out to "help" them. He was about to go up to them before he even reached the door. His actions and words were so fast that he didn't give them a chance to speak at all.
Before he could finish speaking, another voice rang out: "Boss Song, you've finally arrived! Let me help you push the cart!"
Deng Mei strode over, and only when she got closer did she seem to notice Sister Fang, and she was very surprised: "Sister Fang, you went out so early today? You were so kind to help Boss Song push his cart. Boss Song is not only a good cook, but also very popular!"
Deng Mei laughed heartily.
Sister Fang frowned, gripped the handlebars, and glared at them, saying, "What are you doing here?"
Their two families can be described as arch-enemies.
Deng Mei said naturally, "Of course, I'll help Boss Song push his car to our store entrance."
Sister Fang laughed loudly and said sarcastically, "How can you be drunk and talking nonsense so early in the morning? My sister has been at our shop entrance the whole time."
"Oh, you didn't know?" Deng Mei feigned surprise. "Boss Song is going to set up a stall in front of our wonton shop! Look, we've even put up our parasols, just waiting for Boss Song to arrive."
Song Xinran also appropriately showed her embarrassment: "I was too busy yesterday and didn't have time to tell Sister Fang. I was thinking of telling her earlier today."
"Sister Fang, it's more convenient at Sister Deng's place. I'll set up my stall in front of the wonton shop from now on, so I won't bother you."
Author's Note: I've added some content at the end.
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