Chapter 22 Bonus Chapter: Requesting Nutrient Solution and Pork Bone Noodle Soup
Just as Qiao Mianmian hung up the signboard, she saw Qingjiu and her servant approaching. Qingjiu, with a bright smile, called out from a distance, "Fifth Miss Qiao, what kind of food do you sell?"
He had a loud voice and made a lot of noise as he came running over, attracting a lot of attention.
It was still dark, and the streets were mostly filled with vendors, with only a few scattered people heading out to work.
As Qiao Mianmian tidied up the stall, she said, "Since we just opened, we didn't dare prepare too much. We mainly have pork bone soup noodles, braised pork noodles, and some simple stir-fries. I've put up the menu signs so you can take a look. But for this early morning, I suggest you get two bowls of pork bone soup noodles. It's only fifteen coins a bowl, twenty coins with braised pork offal, and thirty coins with braised pork."
The street stalls there emphasize value for money. Compared to restaurants like Chunxilou, Qiao Mianmian's dishes are much cheaper, though the portions aren't large either. They're roughly enough for two people, since most people don't have that much money and are just trying something new.
Moreover, smaller portions allow customers to order more dishes.
Qingjiu turned to look at his master, "My lord, what would you like to eat?"
"I'll take Miss Qiao's advice and give you two bowls of pork bone noodle soup." Lu Zhao's appetite was whetted by the aroma of the pork bone soup. After sitting down, he watched the Qiao siblings tidy up in an orderly manner, not at all like it was their first time setting up a stall. He was a little curious about what kind of experiences Miss Qiao had in the past that made her, a young woman, so confident in all kinds of situations.
The noodles were handmade; Lin and Zhang rolled them out at home, and Qiao Mianmian brought a basket of them over first.
Add noodles and broth, and Qiao Mianmian also cut braised pork offal and braised meat for Lu Zhao and the other two. "You are my first customers. This is a gift for you. If you like it, please come again."
"Miss Qiao, you're such a kind person!" Qingjiu looked at the noodles in front of her, the broth milky white with oil floating on top, swallowed her saliva, and couldn't help but take a big bite.
The hand-pulled noodles were chewy and smooth, and with the sweet and savory broth, they were gone in just a few bites. Qingjiu finished all the broth, and when he looked up, he saw that his master had also finished eating. He exclaimed, "My lord, wasn't it delicious?"
Lu Zhao nodded in agreement, this was a million times better than food made with Qingjiu.
"If I had money, I'd pay for my meals here with Miss Qiao Wu and come over for dinner every day." Qingjiu let out a satisfied burp and stood up comfortably. "Miss Qiao Wu, your soup base is so delicious, the best I've ever had. I've never had anything better in Bianjing. Your business is sure to boom!"
Passersby, hearing this, couldn't help but look over curiously. "Young man, is it true?"
"Of course it's true! I've eaten at Fanlou in Bianjing, and I'm not exaggerating!" Qingjiu praised enthusiastically. Qiao Mianmian even opened the lid of the broth pot, and the aroma filled the air above the market, immediately attracting two new customers who ordered two bowls of pork bone noodle soup.
In the morning, everyone was eating noodles. Qiao Mianmian sold more than a dozen bowls of noodles in a row. Seeing that the noodles in the bamboo basket were almost sold out, she told her older brother to hurry home, "Tell Mom and Grandma to make more noodles. In a little while, there will be even more people."
Qiao Jiawang had just finished clearing away the dishes. He hadn't stopped since he arrived at the market, and even though the weather was getting colder, fine beads of sweat were still on his forehead. "Okay, I'll go back now."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Qiao Mancang came over carrying his load. He walked slowly, thinking that the noodles wouldn't sell out so quickly. But before he even got close, his eldest son ran over.
"Dad, what did you bring?" Qiao Jiawang asked.
"The noodles... Your mother was worried business wouldn't be good, so she didn't dare make too many and asked me to bring these over first," Qiao Mancang said.
Qiao Mianmian lifted the gauze covering the bamboo basket. "Dad, you should tell Mom to hurry up. There's only one bowl left. Our business just opened today, and Aunt Wu and the others came to support us. Plus some regular customers, business is booming."
Many people not only eat noodles but also add some braised pork offal, since it only costs five extra coins to try it out. Fewer people add braised meat, but there are a couple who are willing to do so.
Qiao Mancang looked at the almost empty bamboo basket and exclaimed in surprise, "They're almost sold out! I'll go home and tell them to hurry up. Your mother was worried that the noodles wouldn't sell, so she came over later to help you chop vegetables and wash dishes. If she knew how well business was, she would be overjoyed."
In half an hour, the braised food and noodles sold for nearly four hundred coins. If this were to continue for a whole day, the profits would be staggering!
Qiao Mancang ran home quickly, not forgetting to tell his son to be observant while working.
"Miss Qiao, you've switched to selling food now?" Luo Da came to buy braised food today. Seeing that Qiao Mianmian had set up a food stall, and since he hadn't had breakfast yet, he ordered a bowl of pork bone noodle soup with braised meat. "What made you decide to set up a stall?"
He stood in front of the stall, watching Qiao Mianmian cook noodles.
Qiao Mianmian threw the last bowl of noodles into the pot to cook, saying, "We want to earn more money at home. Today is the first day of business, so we have a discount. Please have a seat, and I'll bring it to you when it's ready."
“It’s alright, I’ll stand here and talk to you for a bit. I told you before that it would be great if your family could make more food. Today you’re setting up a stall, so I’ll ask for a few more dishes, but not right now. Can you deliver them to the Luo residence at noon?” Luo Da asked.
Qiao Mianmian immediately agreed, "Of course, you're a regular customer of mine. Just tell me what dishes you'd like, and I'll have my older brother deliver them."
In ancient restaurants, there were also delivery services, but an extra fee was charged. Usually, it was for people from well-off families who had given prior notice, and the restaurant would deliver the food on time. Qiao Mianmian had never been to the Luo family's residence, but her elder brother had told her that the Luo family's gate was very grand, and she imagined that the courtyard inside was even more exquisite and luxurious.
"Okay, then, I'll have a serving of all the braised fish, twice-cooked pork, and braised prawns you have here." Luo Da glanced at the prices; the braised fish was only eighty coins, half the price of what you'd get at a restaurant.
"Okay, do you have any taste preferences? I'll write them down." Qiao Mianmian had already cooked the noodles, ladled them out, poured on some broth, then added slices of braised pig's head meat, and some of Luo Da's favorite vinegar. The steaming hot pork bone soup noodles were ready.
Luo Da said not to make it too spicy, "My young master can't handle too much spice, just cook the rest normally." His young master is in poor health, and the old lady at home won't let him go out, so he has to go out to search for some interesting things.
Qiao Mianmian made a note of it and brought the noodles to the table. Just then, someone who knew Luo Da passed by and saw him eating noodles. They also ordered two servings. "Excuse me, the noodles haven't arrived yet. I estimate it will take another fifteen minutes. How about I serve you two bowls of soup first?"
The customers were new, and Qiao Mianmian was worried they wouldn't have the patience, so she let them try the soup first, since making soup was inexpensive.
The two new customers were familiar with Luo Da. Seeing that Luo Da was enjoying his meal, and thinking that fifteen minutes wouldn't be long, they agreed.
After a while, the market became more crowded. Fortunately, Qiao Mancang arrived quickly, and Qiao Mianmian immediately started boiling noodles.
"Big brother, serve the noodles." Qiao Mianmian was quick and efficient. Seeing her mother carrying the basin, she hurriedly reminded her, "Mom, slow down and watch where you're going."
"It's alright, my eyesight isn't failing me. Your father said business is good, so I thought I'd come over and make noodles so he wouldn't have to come all the way here." The stall wasn't big, and Lin thought there wouldn't be too many people on the first day, so she made noodles at home. But when she heard business was good, she couldn't stay still and quickly grabbed a basin to knead the dough.
"Mancang, help me clear the table. Jiawang, hurry up and wipe the table. Mianmian, we have guests!" Seeing that guests had arrived, Lin Shi became even more energetic.
Qiao Mancang helped clear the table, pressed down on the tabletop a few times to make sure the table legs were level, and then wiped it clean before letting Lin roll out the noodles.
While cleaning up the dishes, Qiao Jiawang also had to fetch water. Even though he was physically strong, he still felt a bit tired.
However, with the whole family working together towards a common goal and everyone having something to do, they managed to make the food stall business thrive.
As the sun grew stronger, the number of people in the market gradually decreased, and fewer people ate noodles. Lin glanced at the noodles in the bamboo basket, stopped to rest, and said, "That's about enough. No one comes to eat at this hour. I can't even count how many bowls of noodles I've sold today."
“Fifty-seven bowls in total.” Qiao Mianmian counted. “Twenty of them have pork offal, six have braised meat, and two have freshly stir-fried minced meat sauce mixed with noodles. Mother, you and Father go back first. Business won’t be so good from now on. My older brother and I will manage.”
“No way, Jiawang has to go deliver the vegetables. I’ll stay and keep you company. Whether there’s business or not, I feel more at ease here than at home. But Mancang, go to the river to help Xiahe wash the pig offal, and carry it home while you’re at it,” Lin Shi arranged.
Qiao Mancang took a sip of tea before leaving.
While no one was around, Qiao Mianmian prepared the side dishes for lunch. She would start cooking when it was almost time.
Luo Da ordered dishes that she was best at and that were relatively simple. The fish and shrimp were caught by her grandfather, who originally planned to eat them himself since they couldn't be sold. But since Luo Da wanted them, she made them.
Braised prawns are even simpler. First, fry the prawns in oil to extract their oil, then add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in the prepared sauce and simmer for a minute or two. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped green onions. The prawn tails curl into beautiful arcs, and the prawn meat, after being split open, is soaked in the broth. It is fresh and fragrant with the aroma of fried oil, making people on the street hungry just from the smell.
Qiao Mianmian packed the three dishes into a food box and instructed her older brother, "Carry it carefully on the way. Tell Luo Da that today is the first day of business and he is a regular customer, so I gave him an extra braised meat platter."
To keep the food warm, the food box has two layers. It takes more than fifteen minutes to walk from the market to the Luo family's house, even if you walk quickly.
Fortunately, Qiao Jiawang had long legs and walked fast. Qiao Mianmian watched her eldest brother leave and thought that it would be good to have more old customers like Luo Da. Fortunately, her eldest and second eldest brothers could help out, so her second eldest brother wouldn't have to go to the dock to carry goods.
She noticed that her second brother often had bruises on the back of his neck. Her mother told her that sometimes a bag of goods weighed over 100 pounds, and only strong young men could carry it.
Thinking there would be no customers, Qiao Mianmian washed the pot and was about to take a break when she saw someone she didn't like.
"I thought it looked familiar from afar. Oh, it's your stall." Chen Honglian walked over with a smile. "Hey girl, how about a braised fish?"
Before Qiao Mianmian could speak, Madam Lin came over with a stern face and said, "There's no fish today."
"Then I'll have a plate of twice-cooked pork."
No, not at all.
"You must have some braised food, right?"
Lin frowned and glared at Chen Honglian. "Are you kidding me? We should never see each other again. You come to my house to buy food, aren't you afraid I'll spit in your bowl?"
She still remembered the time when Yuan Qiang and Chen Honglian knelt in her yard, and the thought made her angry. She wished those two would suffer a terrible fate!
Chen Honglian's face stiffened for a moment, then she apologized, "Auntie, it's right that you blame me. I know I stole your daughter's marriage, but I had no choice. I'm branded as a jinx, and neither my husband's family nor my own family can accept me. I can only cling to Yuan Qiang; he's my only lifeline. But your daughter is different. She's hardworking and beautiful. Even without Yuan Qiang, she can find other good husbands."
She spoke very sincerely, saying, "I didn't mean to make enemies with your family, but I am indeed selfish. You can scold me whatever you want, but right now I just want to do my part to support your business."
Lin was a woman of temper. "I don't need your support. No matter how much you plead or how pitiful you sound, I won't give you a kind look. I said I won't sell to you, and that's final. You can leave now, don't force me to take action."
"Alright then." Chen Honglian sighed with some disappointment. She admitted that her methods were unseemly and was willing to apologize to the Qiao family. But if she had to do it all over again, she would still do it this way.
If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth.
Thinking of Lin Xiahe, she felt a pang of guilt. However, this feeling only surfaced for a fleeting moment when she saw the Qiao family. Oh well, since the Qiao family didn't appreciate it, she didn't need their understanding either. Yuan Qiang would be home early today; she would go buy some meat.
Watching Chen Honglian's retreating figure, Madam Lin gritted her teeth and spat, "Mianmian, now you know why I set up a food stall, right?"
“Mother wants to make money and hold her head high in the alley,” Qiao Mianmian said.
“Yes, Mother must show these people that our lives will be better than theirs!” Madam Lin took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “Your fourth sister has a hard time at home. Although your grandmother and father are good people, well… never mind, I shouldn’t talk to you about these things. Let’s just work hard.”
She could only confide in her mother when she returned to her parents' home. Even with her youngest daughter, she was unwilling to share her feelings, not wanting to burden her with too much emotion.
Qiao Mianmian understood what Lin Shi hadn't finished saying. Fourth Sister and Third Sister weren't Qiao family children. Even though her grandmother and the others were kind, they still secretly favored one over the other. For example, if her grandmother gave her snacks, she would get some, but Fourth Sister wouldn't.
Therefore, the fourth and third sisters were very careful at home, and learned to read people's expressions at a young age.
"I have no other hope for the rest of my life but that you sisters can marry into good families and live a happy and harmonious life." Madam Lin looked at her youngest daughter with affection.
As for herself, she doesn't mind the hardship and fatigue; she's not afraid of hardship, she's just worried about her daughters not doing well.
Qiao Mianmian's parents in her previous life were the complete opposite of the Lin couple. They only valued themselves and treated her as a burden, kicking her around and not wanting her.
She never experienced fatherly or motherly love; her memories were filled with their arguments and shifting blame. Even after she became an adult, before she even started working, they tried to exploit her again, repeatedly using moral blackmail, making her wish she had never been born.
Seeing how much Lin felt sorry for her, Qiao Mianmian hugged her generously. "You're not only our mother, but also your maternal grandmother's daughter. Your maternal grandparents must also be hoping for your happiness and harmony. Don't just think about us; think about yourself too. If you're happy, I'll be even happier. It's so good to have you; I love you the most!"
Lin was embarrassed by what she was being said and awkwardly exclaimed, "Oh dear! How can you say such things in public? Quick... quick, let go! We have guests!"
Upon hearing that guests had arrived, Qiao Mianmian immediately turned around to find someone, "Hello, would you like something to eat? Today is our first day of opening, we have special offers!"
"Your broth smells so good. Give me two bowls of noodles, one with chili and one with chopped green onions."
"Okay, please sit down and wait a moment, I'll make you some noodles right away." Qiao Mianmian deftly added firewood to the stove, and after the water boiled, she added enough noodles for two bowls.
Seeing that the noodles were cooked, she was also a little hungry, so she made two bowls for herself and Lin Shi, and also made a cold pig's ear salad, which was sour and spicy and very appetizing.
Mrs. Lin said she wouldn't eat, "Our family doesn't have the habit of eating lunch."
"It's already cooked, who else is it for if you don't eat it?" Qiao Mianmian took new chopsticks and fed Lin Shi to her mouth. "Come, come, let me feed you, ah..."
"You silly girl, someone's watching over us, I'll eat by myself, okay?" Helpless, Madam Lin had no choice but to start eating by herself.
The previous guest cast an envious glance at her, saying, "You two have such a good relationship."
"Of course, my mother is the best." Qiao Mianmian smiled and leaned closer to Lin Shi, resting her arm against hers. "Mother, don't you agree?"
Lin's cheeks flushed slightly as she ate her noodles with gusto. After a while, her face turned even redder as she made two soft "hmm" sounds.
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