Tao Wanniang took the meat and asked Ling Dapeng to chop it. The meat was one part fat and nine parts lean. She added salt, rice wine, and eggs. She didn't hold back at all in front of Ling Dapeng.
While Ling Dapeng was chopping meat, she started rolling out the dough. Good wontons should have thin wrappers and lots of filling. The mother and son were busy in the kitchen for half an hour when Ling Dahu woke up.
The ingredients were already placed on the cart. Tao Wan's mother asked Ling Dapeng to neatly arrange the wrapped wontons in a bowl, and also to put the remaining meat filling and dough separately, along with lard, cracklings, a handful of scallions, and bottles and jars of seasonings.
"Mom, this cart is full of stuff!" Ling Dahu exclaimed. It's such a hassle for just a wonton shop!
"Enough with the nonsense, let's go. Dapeng, go back to your room and catch up on some sleep. But it's about time to get up and make breakfast!"
Tao Wanniang looked at the dawn breaking in the east and said with feigned displeasure, "Even if I'm not here, we can't just ignore Xiao Qiao'er and Sister Yu Mei. As for what to do, Da Peng, you should know!"
"Mother, don't worry, Hongyu will come over to make breakfast soon," Ling Dahu said. "Brother, you go back and rest, wait for your elder brother and mother to come back."
"Mom, you and my brother go ahead with your work. I'll come help you when it's almost time," Ling Dapeng immediately said, thinking that he should talk to his wife when he got back to the house. He felt that if his sister-in-law could do it, she should do it too.
"Alright, after we have breakfast, bring Xiao Qiao'er along. You may not know the shop, but Xiao Qiao'er does!"
Tao Wan's mother didn't waste any words. After she finished speaking, she told Ling Dahu to set off!
Once at the shop, Tao Wanniang busied herself again. By the time everything was done, the market was already bustling with people.
"Mother, are we too late?" Ling Dahu wiped his sweat and asked anxiously when he saw that no one had come to his aid.
"No rush, Mom will cook you a bowl of wontons and a pancake. Please sit down first."
Tao Wanniang said calmly that she herself was still hungry.
While cooking the wontons, Tao Wan's mother asked Ling Dahu to light another stove, then put a pot on it, grease it, and place a few scallion pancakes on it. Soon, the unique aroma of scallion oil wafted out.
"Mother, is this...is this really something I can eat?"
Ling Dahu swallowed hard, his eyes welling up with tears. His mother was so good to him. This wonton soup was made with lard and salt, and it was also topped with fried pork cracklings and scallions. It smelled so good that his mouth was watering.
"Eat up!" Two scallion pancakes and a bowl of wontons are enough to barely fill a grown man's stomach.
As Tao Wanniang spoke, she also set out breakfast for herself.
Ling Dahu's eating habits... Tao Wanniang declined to comment, but he undoubtedly became a living advertisement.
"What's this smell? It smells so good! Oh, the wonton shop has changed hands?"
At this hour, some people had already bought groceries from the market and were preparing to go home.
"The person in charge has changed. Today is my first day of business. I'm still making wontons, but I'll also be offering a few other snacks."
As Tao Wanniang spoke, she picked up a scallion pancake, took a bite, and then drank some soup. It was really quite delicious.
"You've already eaten, perfect timing. I haven't eaten yet. Is your wonton still five coins a bowl?" A middle-aged man carrying two ounces of meat strode into the shop.
"A bowl of wontons is five coins, and a scallion pancake is two coins. Sir, would you like wontons or a scallion pancake?"
Tao Wanniang put down her chopsticks, stood up, and asked.
"A bowl of wontons and two pancakes—watching him eat like that makes me hungry!"
The man pointed at Ling Dahu and said with a smile.
Ling Dahu, who was being pointed at, looked up blankly and swallowed the last bite of wonton. The scallion pancake was so delicious that he was reluctant to finish it right away. And the soup was also incredibly good. His mother was simply a culinary goddess descended to earth.
Tao Wanniang didn't urge Ling Dahu; instead, she made wontons and pancakes for the guests herself.
"Sister Tao, I'm here too!" Chen Gui didn't have to set up his stall, so he really got a long nap. As soon as he woke up, he came to visit Tao Wanniang.
"Brother, you're here. Do you want wontons?" Tao Wan's mother asked while working.
"Yes, a bowl of wontons, please. I want to see if your wonton wrappers are really thinner than mine," Chen Gui said directly, then sniffed the air again. "What is this? It smells so good?"
"Scallion pancakes, two coins each."
"Alright, give me one too!" This pancake really looks tempting. Chen Gui has some money now, so he doesn't mind spending a couple more coins.
The hot scallion pancakes were indeed very fragrant, and the aroma attracted passersby, some of whom were Chen Gui's regular customers.
There were only four tables to begin with, but soon three of them were filled with customers.
After finishing his meal, Ling Dahu quickly tidied up the table and helped Tao Wanniang serve the wontons.
"What, are you still one of our own?" the previous guest asked curiously, observing Ling Dahu's actions.
"This shop belongs to my mother, and I'm here to work for her." Ling Dahu grinned sheepishly. "My mother's cooking skills are truly exceptional, no exaggeration. Please, sir, have some first."
"Alright, I'll give it a good try. I haven't had anything truly delicious on West Street yet," the customer declared confidently.
Ling Dahu wasn't good at flattery, so he just smiled foolishly, told the guests to enjoy their meal, and went back to helping Tao Wan's mother serve the wontons.
When Chen Gui saw the wontons, he was genuinely taken aback. Putting everything else aside, the generous amount of scallions sprinkled on top made him feel inferior; this older woman really had some tricks up her sleeve. When he picked up a wonton, his eyes widened even more—the wonton wrapper was indeed incredibly thin! One bite revealed the thin wrapper and tender filling; the taste… was much better than his own. The soup… Chen Gui gasped in amazement, glancing at Tao Wanniang.
"This lady is really willing to spend money!" Chen Gui muttered. "Can she even recoup her costs on five-copper-coin wontons?"
Soon, the hot scallion pancakes arrived, silencing Chen Gui, who was already eager to eat them.
"Aunt Tao, I've come to take care of your wonton shop!" Xiao Lu from the brokerage firm came over cheerfully with the manager.
"Xiao Lu, find a seat. A bowl of wontons and two scallion pancakes are a must for you men."
Tao Wanniang said without ceremony, "I've already started putting wontons into the pot."
"Alright!" Xiao Lu replied with a smile. "Manager Yang, let's sit here."
"Shopkeeper, give me another bowl of wontons!" the first customer shouted. "These wontons are the best I, Yan Bajin, have ever had."
"Alright, please wait a moment, sir!" Tao Wanniang replied loudly.
"Shopkeeper, this pancake smells so good! How much is it?"
Even those who don't eat wontons, upon smelling the aroma of scallion pancakes, would come and ask about them. As soon as they heard that they were only two coins, someone would immediately take out their money to buy some.
When Ling Dapeng and Xiao Qiao'er arrived, they saw that all four tables were occupied. Although they weren't full, the scene still surprised Ling Dapeng.
"Coming! Ling Dapeng, wash the dishes. Qiao'er, come collect the money and put it in the books. Hurry up, don't just stand there!"
Tao Wanniang looked up at the two of them. She was either making wontons or baking pancakes; she was very busy!
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