The three returned home with a full load, and although they were exhausted, they set off on their journey full of anticipation. Even though they were exhausted when they got home, the next day, they were still full of energy and carried this batch of carefully selected goods to start a new day of stall life.
Xu Mengyao even made a special plan to set up a stall. She instructed Huang Wenbin and Huang Wenrong, "Brother, sister, when you two set up a stall on the street, don't carry too many items. Just choose affordable goods. You all know the purchase price. Remember, multiply it by 8 and that's the selling price. No bargaining. But if someone buys something over 30, you can give them a bag of colorful rubber bands as a token of appreciation."
Huang Wenbin and Huang Wenjuan listened attentively, nodding frequently to show they understood. She and Wenxia then walked into the workers' village, carrying the more expensive goods.
She brought only a dark cloth, spread it on the floor, and arranged the exquisite merchandise one by one. She wasn't in a rush to display all the goods at once, knowing that the more variety, the longer it would take to close a deal. But just the novelty of the fake vases and exquisite mirrors was enough to attract attention. For a moment, the families of employees who had rushed over after hearing the news crowded the stall, chattering and vying to buy.
In just one day, the four siblings sold over 6,000 yuan, a figure that astonished the entire family. The next day, Xu Mengyao returned to the cinema entrance with scarves, earrings, and a small tank. On the third day, with few items left, the four siblings met up in front of a large store and continued their stall.
After three days, they had earned a total of over 15,000 yuan. Xu Mengyao had instantly become a 10,000 yuan household. Adding her remaining savings and Brother Hu's daily income from selling popcorn, her bankroll was now approaching 20,000 yuan.
Xu Mengyao generously gave them each 200 yuan in wages, but the small iron box could no longer hold her small stash of money. So, accompanied by Huang's mother, they went to the bank to complete the deposit procedures.
By this time, the cart Huang's father had custom-made was finished. On the first day of bringing it home, Huang's mother delightedly touched and examined it, eagerly cleaning it. Aunt Feng, who lived across the street, heard the news and came over. Her eyes lingered over the cart, curious yet tinged with envy. "Sister-in-law, do you have a new idea? Wow, who can keep up with this money-making mindset?"
Huang's mother smiled and didn't respond, but Xu Mengyao was on guard because she had recently noticed some burnt corn kernels scattered in the garbage dump outside the yard. She realized that Aunt Feng had seen their popcorn business doing well and was secretly imitating it at home.
Fortunately, she always bought butter in a container with a lid, and she never made the caramel in the yard. The most important thing was that the corn was a different type, so no matter how many times Aunt Feng tried, she would always fail.
She turned to Huang's mother and said, "Mom, let's push the cart directly to Brother Hu's house. There are only a few days left before school starts. Let's practice making new dishes there first, so we don't have to worry about others learning from us."
Huang's mother followed her gaze, understood her intention, and immediately agreed. The two began to get busy. Xu Mengyao bought tofu from the street. In Hu's yard, she used a small spatula to stir the tofu on the iron plate, sprinkled it with chili powder and salt, and soon, the fragrant iron plate tofu was out of the pot. Everyone tasted it and praised it highly.
But Xu Mengyao felt that something was missing. She frowned and said, "We're still short of pepper and cumin. I need to go to the big store to buy some."
Next, she asked Huang's mother to prepare a vermicelli and chive filling, then wrapped it with unleavened dough. She gently placed the wrapped pie on a greased iron plate and pressed it directly with a round iron pan. A perfect pie formed itself on the plate. When both sides were golden brown and fragrant, it was ready to be served.
Xu Mengyao pointed at the busy iron plate and excitedly said to Huang's mother, "Mom, look, this iron plate can make six or seven pancakes at a time! Students are always in a hurry before school, so this method can quickly get them out of the pan, which is more suitable for them than selling them in boxes. What's more, pancakes fried in oil taste more fragrant. For those students from wealthy families, we can even add a fried egg to them. They will definitely be popular."
Huang's mother smiled and nodded, then asked doubtfully, "Do we have to make the tofu and the pie together?"
Xu Mengyao thought for a moment and replied, "Mom, we'll split up. In the mornings before school, you sell pies and Brother Hu sells popcorn. The rest of the time, we'll sell grilled tofu. My older sister and I will come over every afternoon after school to help make popcorn. That way, Brother Hu can go to the cinema in the evening and sell it without disrupting your morning business."
Huang's mother praised her while making pies: "Juan'er, you must have been a boy under the Kitchen God in your previous life. How come you can cook all kinds of food?"
The whole family sat together, eating with gusto and nodding in agreement.
Huang Wenbin smiled and said, "I think it might be the God of Wealth's boy!"
Huang Wenrong also echoed: "Or he is the boy of Wenquxing, who always ranks first in the grade."
Xu Mengyao laughed so hard she couldn't stop and said playfully, "It doesn't matter what kind of boy it is, they're all from the immortal world. We have someone above us."
The whole family was amused by her, and Hu Zi and his grandfather couldn't help laughing.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Huang's father came home from get off work and brought good news - the site for their unit's staff building had been determined and construction had begun.
The family excitedly followed Huang's father to look at the site. There were fish ponds formed by collapsed areas in front and on the left of this wasteland. Huang's mother was a little worried: "Will it be very cold here in the winter?"
Xu Mengyao said confidently, "Mom, water brings wealth. It's great to live here. Our family will definitely make a fortune in the future."
After hearing her words, everyone's confidence suddenly increased and their faces were filled with happy smiles.
That evening, Huang's mother made sesame oil noodle lanterns and also molded dough into shapes of hedgehogs, bunnies, snakes, and other animals, steaming them together. After dinner, the children of the village played and visited each other in the village, holding lanterns made by each family or the paper lanterns Xu Mengyao had sold two days earlier.
The four siblings also walked down the street, their lanterns in hand. Seeing the streets filled with lanterns similar to theirs, Xu Mengyao felt incredibly proud. She secretly resolved, "I must expand my business throughout the mining area. This is where I'll make my fortune!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
