After breakfast the next morning, Xu Mengyao asked her eldest brother Huang Wenbin to go to Hu Zi's house first to inform them that they needed help, and then she took her eldest sister and Wenxia to start making popcorn.
After three pots of popcorn were made, the eldest brother came back and poured the freshly made popcorn into a wooden box, then took the eldest sister and Wenxia to sell them on the street.
Wenxia was the only one who returned home at lunchtime. Seeing her return alone, Huang's mother asked, "Where are your older brother and sister?"
Wenxia gulped down a glass of water before saying, "My eldest sister said a movie is going to start soon, and she and my eldest brother can't leave, so she asked me to come home to eat. After I finish eating, I can bring them two cakes."
Huang's mother sighed after hearing this: "I didn't realize your eldest sister was such a money-grubber."
Although Huang's mother complained, she quickly packed a few cakes for Wenxia and prepared a bottle of water for them to take away.
Xu Mengyao hadn't expected Huang Wenbin and Huang Wenrong to be so dedicated to their work that they wouldn't even go home for lunch. Seeing Huang's mother's actions, she quickly stopped them.
"Mom, I'm going to finish eating right now with Wenxia and take care of my elder brother and sister. It's a good time for them to come home for dinner and rest. Don't worry about it."
After saying that, she quickly finished the rice in her bowl and rushed to the cinema with Wenxia, carrying a tin bucket of popcorn. After arriving, she immediately sent the two of them home for dinner and told Huang Wenbin:
"Brother, after you finish your meal, go find Brother Hu and come over together; sister, don't come back and wait for me at home."
Huang Wenrong was about to say something when she patted his shoulder and pushed him away. In the afternoon, the eldest brother brought Hu Ge along. As soon as they met, Hu Ge greeted Xu Mengyao cheerfully:
"Hey girl, here I come! Your brother said he was short of help and asked me to come over and help. He also said you have to pay me! You are so polite!"
Xu Mengyao smiled sweetly and said, "Brother Hu, don't say that! My elder brother and elder sister also get paid for helping me, so don't be polite. Let me first teach you how to fold this newspaper. Once you learn it, I will take my younger sister back home."
After that, Xu Mengyao patiently demonstrated. After Brother Hu got the hang of it, she left the cinema with Wenxia. In the evening, Huang Wenbin came back to pick up the goods. Xu Mengyao checked the time and told him that once this batch was sold out, it would be over and she could bring Brother Hu back to collect the money.
At eight o'clock in the evening, everyone was sitting in the main hall of the Huang family. Huang's father couldn't help but feel funny when he saw the children sitting upright. He winked at Huang's mother and the couple went out for a walk.
The eldest brother pulled out his day's earnings from his backpack and dumped them all onto the table with a clattering sound. He happily announced, "I counted them. Today we made a little over 42 yuan!"
Xu Mengyao nodded in satisfaction and began to assign tasks: "From now on, we will split into two groups every day. Big Sister and Wenxia will leave at nine in the morning and go home to help me make popcorn when Brother Hu arrives at one. Although the workers work in three shifts, there really aren't many people watching movies in the morning. In the afternoon, Big Brother and Brother Hu will work harder and take over the shift until the movie opens at around seven o'clock before going home. What do you think of this arrangement?"
She asked seriously, and everyone shook their heads to indicate that they had no objection. Seeing that no one objected, Xu Mengyao continued:
"Big sister and Wenxia get one yuan a day, and Big Brother and Tiger, because they are the main force, get one yuan and fifty cents a day. Big brother also has to help Big Sister push the cart to the street during the day."
Brother Hu said hurriedly: "How can you give me so much? I haven't done as much as Binzi. Just give me one dollar."
Xu Mengyao explained with a smile: "Brother Hu, my eldest brother will have to go to the city with me frequently to buy materials in the future, so you will have to work alone. I have considered the wages, so don't worry."
Brother Hu finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay, you guys go about your business, I can handle this job by myself."
For the next two days, Xu Mengyao taught her elder sister how to make popcorn every afternoon. Once Huang Wenrong was able to do it on his own, Xu Mengyao took her elder brother to the city to buy some butter, as they only had a small amount left.
They went straight to the baking ingredient store. Xu Mengyao skillfully selected 50 kilograms of popcorn and 50 kilograms of white sugar, and bought another 30 kilograms of butter. They returned home in a hurry with a full load.
Over the next week, their business boomed, bringing in 50 to 60 yuan a day. The festive atmosphere grew stronger, and people from surrounding villages began to wander the streets daily, baskets in hand, stocking up on New Year's goods. With about ten days left before the Lunar New Year, Xu Mengyao decided to take advantage of the stockpiling season before the Lunar New Year and make a quick buck.
That morning, she left her eldest sister at home to make popcorn. She grabbed a batch of small snakeskin bags and a piece of floral cloth she'd bought in advance, and had her eldest brother and Tiger carry the long table from home to the street in front of the big store to set up their stall. She and Wenxia followed closely behind, carrying three buckets of popcorn. As soon as they reached the street, they caught everyone's attention.
The aunties gathered around and said, "Wow! This popcorn smells so good! The color is beautiful too! How much is it?"
As someone was talking, they couldn't wait to grab a handful and stuff it into their mouth. Huang Wenbin was about to stop them but was stopped by Xu Mengyao. She smiled and said:
"Auntie, this popcorn of mine is made with ingredients and recipes from big cities! I guarantee that it will be a great New Year's gift for your family! Even relatives from the city have never tasted anything like it!" she introduced enthusiastically.
The aunties were even more curious after hearing this: "Really? They don't sell it outside?"
Xu Mengyao nodded heavily. "Of course it's true! Auntie, you've tasted it, how could I lie to you? I guarantee that both children and adults will like it. It took a lot of effort to get the ingredients, but since we're both mine owners during the New Year holiday, I'm just earning some hard-earned money. A teacup only costs 20 cents."
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com