After Chen Gui paid the money, he wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Tao Wanniang, but seeing people buying scallion pancakes one after another, and some even buying five or six at a time, he felt that he had been too hasty in turning his shop around.
"Hey bro, what's up? Getting a little envious?"
Tao Wanniang had just freed up a bit, so she teased Chen Gui, saying, "He's been standing here for a while, how could I not guess what he's thinking?"
"Hey, ma'am, where did you learn your skills? Your dough-rolling technique is... truly amazing!"
"That's right. I've practiced this for many years. Look, I have two sons. The younger one wasn't even born yet when his father was drafted. For so many years, I've raised him all by myself, acting as both father and mother."
Tao Wanniang glanced at Ling Dahu and Ling Dapeng, and sighed.
"Big sister, you've worked hard!" Chen Gui said subconsciously, then wondered, what does this have to do with rolling out wonton wrappers?
"Yes, it's been tough. My son is all grown up, married, and has kids, but our hometown has been hit by disaster. I probably haven't had a single day of peace in my life. Sigh, I can't go on, our guests are here!"
Chen Gui swallowed back the questions he wanted to ask; perhaps it was something he had learned from a life of hardship.
"Sister Tao, I wish you a prosperous business. I'm packing my things and getting ready to go home to farm. My children and their mother are in the countryside."
"Alright, then take care, brother. I won't see you off any further."
Tao Wanniang said politely, waved her hand, and then buried herself in her work.
"Shopkeeper, not bad. I, Yan Sanjin, am full. I'll take two scallion pancakes home."
The middle-aged man, carrying his two ounces of meat, let out a satisfied burp, counted his copper coins, and went up to Tao Wan's mother to say something.
"I'm glad you're satisfied, sir. This is our first day of business, and we're very grateful for your patronage!"
Tao Wanniang smiled politely and said, "Eighteen coins in total, please take them, sir."
"Aunt Tao, your wontons and scallion pancakes are so delicious! I'll bring my friends here next time."
When Xiao Lu left with his supervisor, he had a satisfied look on his face.
After Tao Wanniang saw off this group of customers, the shop became quiet. It was approaching noon, the weather was getting hot, and the market had already closed. Tao Wanniang thought that she should probably skip the lunch session.
"Little Qiao'er, how many wontons and scallion pancakes did you sell?"
Xiao Qiao'er took out the ledger prepared by Tao Wan's mother. Two characters were for wontons, and three characters were for scallion pancakes. She would write down each sale as it was made, and all she had to do was count how many tally marks there were.
There are thirty bowls of wontons and sixty-five scallion pancakes.
"That's two hundred and eighty coins, let me see!" Tao Wan's mother still needed to do the math; it seemed like breaking even was a long way off!
The Ling brothers were stunned. They had earned 280 coins in just one morning, more than they had earned carrying things at the dock!
"Mom, there's so much! If we sell it all in one day, wouldn't that be..." Ling Dahu happily started counting on his fingers, his future days were going to be wonderful!
After glancing at her son, who was beaming with joy, Tao Wanniang did not dampen their enthusiasm.
"Ten copper coins a day, this is your wages for the two of you." Tao Wan's mother counted out twenty copper coins and gave ten to each of her two sons.
"Thank you, Mother. Is there any other work? I'll do it right away." Ling Dahu took the money, his whole body trembling with excitement, and said eagerly.
"Yeah, Mom, the table's been wiped and the dishes' washed. Um... is there anything else? Maybe I can make some wontons." Zhao Dapeng wasn't going to be outdone; money is the motivation to work!
"Turn off one of the stoves. Xiao Qiao and I will be the ones watching over it at noon. You all go home and check on your wives and children. Don't cook lunch for me and Xiao Qiao. Also, take some scallion pancakes back with you. Remember, don't neglect Sister Yu Mei."
As Tao Wanniang spoke, she packed up the freshly made scallion pancakes.
At noon, almost no one came, so Tao Wan's mother cooked wontons for herself and Xiao Qiao'er.
"Little Qiao'er, you're still young, so Grandma Tao won't pay you wages. But you can ask Grandma Tao for anything you want, okay?"
Tao Wan's mother asked tentatively, knowing that although the child was young, she couldn't deceive her. She wanted Xiao Qiao'er to ask what she wanted herself.
Xiao Qiao nodded; having something to do seemed to improve her mood.
"Grandma Tao, I'm fine. These wontons are delicious, much better than the ones we've had before."
"Eat more if you like it. Grandma Tao will make even more delicious food in the future. By the way, Qiao'er, would you like to learn how to cook from Grandma Tao?"
Tao Wanniang asked tentatively.
"Can I?" Xiao Qiao looked at Tao Wanniang uncertainly, then quickly lowered her head. "I... I don't know anything."
"How can you say you can't do anything? Look, didn't you even write tally marks for Grandma Tao?"
Tao Wan's mother patiently comforted her, "It's okay if you don't like it. You can tell Grandma when you find something you like."
"Grandma Tao, why me?" Little Qiao'er looked up and frowned as she asked, "Why don't you teach your skills to your uncle and aunt? They would definitely be willing to learn!"
"Them?" Tao Wanniang couldn't help but show disdain. "They're all grown up now, Gouwa and the others are too young. I wonder who Grandma Tao taught her skills in making wontons and scallion pancakes."
"Then I'll learn, Grandma Tao. I'm not very good at it, so please don't look down on me," Xiao Qiao'er said firmly after thinking for a moment.
"I don't mind, little Qiao'er is very clever!"
A few scattered customers came in, and Tao Wanniang went to take care of them. In the afternoon, the number of customers gradually increased.
At the end of the day, Tao Wanniang calculated that she had sold eighty bowls of wontons and one hundred scallion pancakes, but she hadn't earned a single tael of silver. She had worked from dawn till dusk, and her expectations had certainly not been met.
Tao Wanniang did the math and decided against doing lunchtime business. She would only operate during the morning and evening markets, closing up shop and going home before curfew. With the remaining time, she would focus on developing more snacks to maximize profits.
After three to five days, the wonton shop's business gradually picked up, and the number of customers increased day by day. Tao Wan's mother was also preparing to start a braised food business, and the pig offal she bought the day before yesterday had already been braised.
That evening, Tao Wanniang was busy cooking wontons when she was suddenly called out to by someone.
"If I remember correctly, you are Tao Wan Niang!"
Tao Wanniang suddenly looked up and saw Cheng Feng, the imperial inspector, and the coachman she had seen before!
"My lords, would you please sit down and finish your wontons? It's my treat!" Tao Wanniang quickly composed herself and spoke lightly.
"It's been a while since I've seen her. I didn't expect Aunt Tao to be living such a comfortable life in this Shanhai Prefecture," Cheng Feng joked. "Sir, how about we make do?"
Xiao Yi nodded. They had only entered the city today, and it was by chance that they came across this wonton shop. They didn't expect to run into an acquaintance.
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