Final Episode
The cold wind blew past, and Hu Yufeng shrank inward again and again, using the backrest of the tricycle to block the wind.
The image of the old man selling chopping boards in my mind gradually overlapped with the person in my dream.
Yes, she went to the nursing home to see Hu Deyang and heard him talk about Lao Zheng. They said he had no children and his wife had cancer, so he was sent to a nursing home by his nephews. They said he was a fool who had stayed with his old wife all his life and was unwilling to move out of the old yard even after her death. Later, the two of them got together and became habitual escapees from the nursing home.
Later, during another quarrel, Lao Zheng blocked a stick for Hu Deyang, and he became ill and died soon after.
Thinking of this, Hu Yufeng felt a little upset.
She had already planned to send her eldest brother to a nursing home, but in her dreams, the nursing home was the place he had desperately escaped from countless times. Was this decision really the right one?
She was a little confused for a moment.
But work is the most exhausting thing. Once you are busy, you don’t have time to think about anything else. You can only get by as it comes.
On the twenty-fourth, I sweep the house; on the twenty-fifth, I grind tofu…
Tian was very active these past two days. Under the scorching sun, Hu Yufeng, Yang Xiu and the old lady all worked together. After two whole days of burning, washing and sweeping, I finally managed to clean the house inside and out until it was spotless.
Qin Wenli and his old father were busy grinding tofu. First, we need to prepare for sale at the 25th or 26th market. Second, we need to keep some at home in case people from the village come to buy. Third, we also need to make some for relatives and father-in-law. The two of them were so busy that they even made the donkey at home dizzy from pulling the mill.
The ones who have the most free time are these two innocent kids. My family told me not to go to my third uncle's house, and my sister at my eldest uncle's house was busy with work. Qin Zhu was free, but he was a bad guy. This year he came up with a lot of bad ideas that caused Qin Yu to be scolded. Unable to beat others, the two had to stay at home and count the days until the New Year.
*
In a blink of an eye, it's already the 26th. This is the last market of the year. No matter if the family is rich or poor, everyone will go to the market to buy some things.
The Qin family also attaches great importance to it. Yang Xiu has been frying twisted dough sticks whenever he can these past two days, and yesterday he even made four bowls of noodles, preparing to fight the last battle before the New Year and then close the stall and move on.
Having learned from the lesson in the previous episode, the three of them went out without having breakfast today. There’s no way. It’s not easy to set up a stall during the New Year. You say that they have spent a lot of effort to set up the place, and you have to give way as soon as you come. It may be okay once or twice, but you can't always rely on your reputation as a tough guy to force them to give way. If you have the time, you might as well go early and eliminate the trouble of having to give way to others at the source.
When I got to the market, I thought it was early enough, but it turned out that both sides of the street were almost full of goods.
There were very few people visiting the market at this moment, and the stall owners were all gathered together with their arms folded, chatting. Some even built a bonfire. Looking at the ashes all over the ground, it was obvious that it had been burning for a long time.
After setting up her stall, Hu Yufeng started chatting with people around her: "When did you come?"
"About seven o'clock."
"You're early then..."
"What's so early? Some people come here in the middle of the night..." He pointed to the campfire.
"Did you see it? It is said that those people came in the middle of the night and waited by the fire until now..."
Yang Xiu was shocked: "So early?"
"No, they are mobile. If they don't move, how can they occupy space..."
Hu Yufeng suddenly felt respect: Compared with others, the little cold I endured is nothing.
At nine o'clock in the morning, Hu Yufeng went to the next door to order three bowls of dumplings, and said to her son and daughter-in-law: "Eat quickly while no one is around. You have to stand all day today..."
Yang Xiu was feeling a little ashamed at first for eating before the restaurant even opened, but after hearing what her mother-in-law said, she picked up her bowl and started eating.
There are four bowls of noodles, and I’m afraid I won’t even have time to go to the toilet. I can’t eat without strength.
*
After ten o'clock, the market gradually became lively, and groups of female compatriots stopped in front of the various stalls, chatting and laughing.
Hu Yufeng also welcomed the opening of the business:
"Big sister, your fried dough twist looks delicious, how much do you sell it for?"
Hu Yufeng quoted the price promptly and tore off half a stick for a few people: "Try it, and buy it if you like it."
Several people put the fried dough twist into their mouths at the same time. Some people's eyes lit up, while others frowned and smacked their lips.
"Give me two pounds, sister..." The man spoke happily with his eyes lighting up.
The woman next to her pulled her aside and whispered, "I think it's similar to the one in front. It's cheaper there. Why don't we go there to buy it?"
Hu Yufeng pretended not to hear and filled a pound of soup and handed it over. The woman paid, walked a few steps, and said to the woman who advised her, "Sister, everyone has different tastes. I like this one, if you like that one, I'll go with you..."
"Okay... I just think this one is expensive."
"It's expensive for a reason. The material used is so solid..."
Hu Yufeng raised the corner of her mouth and watched the two people walk away. She felt reassured in her heart that her response strategy was indeed correct.
While I was thinking, I saw the big customer, Aunt Gu, also came and asked for five kilograms each. Hu Yufeng couldn't help but remind:
"Auntie, we will open the stall on the 16th day of the first lunar month. Can you finish all the food?"
"I can finish it. I'm entertaining guests during the first month of the year..." Aunt Gu laughed, and then she joked, "People are eager to sell as much as possible, but you are worried that I can't finish it."
"How can it be the same? You are a real relative in my heart. Seeing you let go, I have to persuade you..." Hu Yufeng said with a smile.
"You kid..." Aunt Gu looked at her with a kind look as if she was looking at her own younger generation, and warned: "There are many people here today, you two must be careful with your money..."
The old child Hu Yufeng thanked her with a smile, and Aunt Gu left with satisfaction.
It is said that Aunt Gu is a lucky star. The two big bags in her hands are the most eye-catching in the whole market.
Then some people came up to ask the price. People tend to follow the trend and want to go where there are more people. Soon, there were several layers of people in front of the stall.
Yang Xiu felt so stressed looking at the huge crowd that sparks were almost coming out of his hands.
Hu Yufeng greeted every customer with a smile:
"You want two pounds? Okay..."
"You want to pick up three pounds later? Okay, I'll pack it for you."
"The weight is fine. I guarantee it'll be enough. If you don't believe me, take some from other stalls..."
…
She talked until her mouth was dry and then she sent the people who were surrounding her away. When he turned around, he saw Yang Xiu looking at him with shining eyes:
"Mom, I've bought a bowl of noodles!"
Wow, it only took more than an hour in total, and one pot was finished? You know, it takes half a day to buy that pot on weekdays.
Hu Yufeng was extremely surprised, and her voice was so gentle that it could drip water: "There is no one here at the moment, so you should sit down and have a rest." There are still three basins to go, and the pillar of the family cannot be exhausted.
"Sister, give me two bowls of noodle soup." She turned and said to the dumpling stall owner.
The stall owner was busy, and without even looking up, he said, "It's in the pot, serve yourself, if it's not enough, bring more..."
Hu Yufeng agreed with a smile, scooped up two bowls of noodle soup and brought them over, giving one to Yang Xiu and taking small sips of the other bowl herself.
Before they had even finished their bowl, another customer arrived, so the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quickly got up and got busy.
It was past twelve o'clock and we had bought all the two bowls of noodles. Yang Xiu wiped the sweat off his forehead and picked up the noodle soup that had already gone cold with trembling hands.
"Xiu'er, go to the bathroom, I'll watch..."
Hu Yufeng took the time to remind her daughter-in-law that no matter how busy she was, she should not hold her urine. Yang Xiu stood up upon hearing this.
She came back, washed her hands, and then took over as mother-in-law's turn.
Then there was another round of busy work, and by around three o'clock, all four bowls of noodles were sold out. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sat on the stools and gasped. What stall are you closing? Let's catch our breath first.
From time to time, someone would come to ask, and Hu Yufeng would force a smile and say:
“No more, sold out…”
The visitor was disappointed: "Are you still selling it for 29?"
Hu Yufeng shook her head: "No, the Chinese New Year is coming on the 29th, I can't leave." She suddenly had an idea: "But my family may make it in the next few days. If you don't live far away, you can buy it at home..."
The man's eyes lit up: "Where are you from?"
Hu Yufeng reported Qinjiawan in Xiaogou Village, and the man smiled and said:
"It's not far. I'll come to your house tomorrow to buy it..."
Seeing how persistent he was, Hu Yufeng asked out of curiosity, "Are the other fried dough twisters sold out at the market?"
The man pointed at the sign and said with a smile, "'Yufeng Mahua', I heard that yours is delicious, so I came here just for you."
Hu Yufeng was instantly overjoyed. Emma, the brand has finally been established.
"How much do you want? I'll fry them tomorrow and leave some for you..."
"About 20 kilograms..." He explained, "We have many brothers, so there won't be much left if we divide it among the families."
"Okay, then come over after 11 o'clock tomorrow..." Hu Yufeng agreed readily.
*
After they recovered and packed up their things, Hu Yufeng said to Yang Xiu, "I'll watch the stalls, you and Wenli go shopping and buy what you need..."
In previous years, Yang Xiu would have been delighted to hear this. Every year, her mother-in-law controlled the shopping during the New Year, and she didn't even have a chance to go out.
But today she sat on the stool and couldn't get up: "Mom, you go, I'll look after the stall..."
Seeing that Yang Xiu really didn't want to go, Hu Yufeng stopped forcing him and got up to find Qin Wenli.
He finished early and had already bought some New Year's goods. Seeing their mother coming, the two of them went for another walk and bought some New Year's goods.
"Let's buy some beef?" Hu Yufeng suggested.
Qin Wenli was surprised for a moment, then quickly agreed.
"Let's buy some fish?" Hu Yufeng suggested.
Qin Wenli was embarrassed: "We don't know how to do it?"
Hu Yufeng suddenly realized that Yang Xiu had never done it before, and she was just eating a ready-made meal, so forget it...
"Buy a bag of apples?" Hu Yufeng suggested.
Qin Wenli scratched his head: "Don't we have one at home?"
"This is different from ours, this is Huang Yuanshuai, it tastes better than our old Guoguang!"
Qin Wenli: He finally realized that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are both shopping addicts! ! !
Hu Yufeng had a smile on her face, while Qin Wenli behind her had a numb look on his face, returning to the stall with bags in his hands.
Yang Xiu struggled to get up and asked, "Have you finished shopping? Are you going home?"
"Are you coming back..." Hu Yufeng spoke.
Qin Wenli, as if he had heard of an amnesty, quickly put down his things and went to look for a car.
Yang Xiu pointed at the jar on the table and said, "Mom, the uncle who sells chopping boards gave it to me. I don't want it, so he just left it there and walked away..."
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