Chapter 232

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Separated for over two months, although after returning to the Capital, through Cheng Zijian's mouth, the students were made to long for the "Song Ji" stall cart like longing for stars and the moon, so much so that they would love to eat whatever she casually made, in the end not knowing how much of it was embellishment, Song Miao actually felt quite apprehensive in her heart.

She had confidence in her glutinous rice, and was not afraid of being unable to sell it; what she worried about at this moment was the newly launched varieties.

The weather was too hot, shao mai was no longer suitable to make, after all eating it hot made one sweat, eating it cold reduced the flavor, the vegetarian filling lacked bamboo shoots and was all one note, and there was still no suitable replacement ingredient, causing several varieties, even the vegetarian shao mai, to taste a bit greasy when eaten.

But if the newly swapped food could not gain the acceptance and liking of most people, she would have to think of another way.

Right now she had added Da Bing as one person; although following the current convention she only gave a small monthly wage, this lad followed her to work from early to late, was dedicated in every task, and exerted himself at all times — could it be right to truly only let him take this little money?

There was also Er Niangzi; she still had a little one with her, and also longed day and night to earn more money to save up.

Only if the big plate earned more would they be able to give people a surprise at the monthly profit-sharing.

Most importantly, she herself also very much wanted to make money.

Adding half a mouth to feed, it was only right that there should be corresponding additional income, so as not to have bustled about in vain.

Earn more money, repay debts early, quickly get the food shop opened, so that she herself could also stand firm and establish a foothold — setting up a stall was ultimately not a long-term plan — only then would she have confidence.

Song Miao was thinking this in her heart when the cart, pushing along, finally turned another corner and was about to see the corner at the entrance of Food Alley.

It was Da Bing's first time accompanying her to set up a stall; he was both excited and apprehensive, and couldn't help asking: "Young Lady, I heard Cheng Erniangzi say that Song Ji's food is particularly liked by many people; every time you set up a stall, there are many guests lining up in long queues waiting. If I'm too busy to keep up, my hands and feet are slow, will I be looked down upon? What should I do then so the guests won't get angry!"

Song Miao then said: "The guests from the Two Academies are all very polite and reasonable; you just follow your own pace, absolutely do not rush, once you rush it's easy to make mistakes, if you collect too little money we lose out ourselves, if you collect too much the guests feel stifled in their hearts."

She specially emphasized one more sentence, saying: "Especially pay attention to condiments and snacks — there are always those who don't eat scallions, don't eat garlic, don't eat cilantro; if you accidentally toss them in by force of habit, how could the guest not be uncomfortable? Even if the guest is easygoing, you yourself would feel embarrassed, wouldn't you?"

"At this time don't think about waste, and don't fear delaying time; we remake a portion for the guest, and if someone behind actively asks for it, then give it to the person behind, but you must also set it aside and wait until he has queued up to his turn before giving it, absolutely do not skip over the person currently waiting and give to the person behind first, even more do not argue unreasonably, absolutely cannot force the guest to accept it."

"It's already almost done, the person behind wants it, can't we give it to them first?"

"Don't give it first; you think: originally it was us who put the wrong condiments, the guest even if they don't say it with their mouth, in their heart they're uncomfortable; you still skip over them and give to the person behind first, then isn't queuing done in vain, what difference is there from queue-jumping? Moreover clearly having already wronged the person once, you wrong them a second time, making the guest wait again, there is no such reason, is there or not?"

"Yes! Yes! I just now didn't think much, only thought since it's almost done anyway, it wouldn't take long either; Young Lady points it out, think again, indeed it is this principle!"

"If no one actively speaks up wanting it, we also don't go ask, just keep it to eat ourselves — I know you've always been sharp, still have to remind you once, this is a major taboo, don't be afraid of making mistakes, we who do business, the most important thing is harmony brings wealth..."

Song Miao laid out one by one some details of her daily stall-setting; they were all things that seemed harmless, but once explained, every single item was very crucial.

Da Bing nodded incessantly, memorizing desperately in his heart, and finally sighed: "I originally thought setting up a stall just required quick hands and feet to sell things; who would have thought there are so many pits inside, one careless step and you tread on them, making the guest uncomfortable without even knowing it yourself — no wonder Young Lady's stall has so many people liking to come eat, it turns out every single detail is attended to carefully!"

Song Miao smiled and said: "Guests are our providers of food and clothing; although we eat by relying on skill, wanting business to last long, we must do things properly, otherwise in this whole Capital with so many stalls and food shops, why would they come to your house to eat? Right or not?"

She also said: "But also don't be afraid; we've stopped for quite a few days, today suddenly setting up a stall, most people probably still don't know, there won't necessarily be many people coming; you slowly adapt, don't rush, relying on your usual cleverness, it won't take more than a while before you become a seasoned hand..."

As they spoke, the pushcart had already turned the corner.

Da Bing was just about to reply, his head had even nodded, but before the words could come out, he saw several figures flash by in the distance.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

From far away, someone shouted loudly: "Quick, quick! This time it's real! Song Xiaoniangzi set up a stall today!"

"Positions! Are there positions!"

"The past few days we all reserved spots, but you didn't come; today we didn't dare reserve!"

"Ah, could everyone please shift a bit, make a space for Song Xiaoniangzi!"

"Go back quick! Song Ji sells by limit purchase; I alone can't buy that many; go back quick and call people!"

"I'll go, I'll go! She really came! Before you lied so many times, tricked me into waiting dryly, thought it was a deception again! Luckily today I went out early in the morning!" — This was a student so excited he was forced to blurt out coarse language.

Da Bing was just about to reply, hearing this commotion in the alley, he momentarily forgot what he originally wanted to say; when the pushcart entered and he saw the scene inside, he subconsciously shivered, the foot that was about to step forward actually involuntarily retreated half a step.

Whoa!

These people are standing... also too close, right!!

— Right at the alley entrance, only three or two steps' distance from the pushcart, there were actually no less than twenty or thirty people blocked there.

A row of people squeezed standing here, each and every one craning their necks to look over, pairs of eyes all strained wide round.

Too close, too many eyes, staring straight, filled with longing; Da Bing for the first time truly and keenly felt what "eyes shining with light" means.

And the crowd, upon seeing the "Song Ji" signboard on the pushcart, and seeing Song Miao at the back, almost simultaneously started clamoring.

"Stall Owner Song!"

"Song Xiaoniangzi!!"

"You've finally returned!"

"You went to Hua Prefecture for too long, right!"

"Is Hua Prefecture better than the Capital?? Next time don't run outside; there are many mouths here waiting!!"

"Anciently there was 'Husband-Watching Stone', now there is 'Longing for Song Sheng'! Do you know, we waited for you so bitterly!!!"

"Glutinous rice is back! Ah! My glutinous rice is back!!"

"What bitter days I've lived these two months!!! Finally Song Xiaoniangzi is back! Finally I can be a person again!"

Overwhelming, very many chaotic inexplicable words, almost crashing head-on into Da Bing's face, smashing him until he couldn't cope.

And further away, visibly more people running over from behind, while running one could faintly hear someone shouting questions.

"Has Stall Owner Song come?"

"How come no one is seen??"

"Where did she go?!"

"Today doing what, no one gave her a reserved spot!!!"

"Hey, where is she setting up today! Quick, quick, secure a position, I want to queue!!!"

Seeing such a scene, Da Bing even forgot to close his mouth, just gaped, couldn't help turning his head to look at Song Miao, his eyes rarely expressing doubt — Young Lady, this is what you said "most people probably still don't know", "there won't necessarily be many people coming"??

You actually kept your word, giving me the chance and time to "slowly adapt" and "not be in a hurry"!!

It had truly been many days since we last met, and today's students were even more enthusiastic and excited than usual; even Song Miao found herself hard-pressed to cope.

She answered this one but couldn't answer that one, and could only respond haphazardly, thanking this one and acknowledging that one, wishing her parents had given her ten more mouths so she could go "pap pap pap" and answer all their questions at once.

As soon as the cart arrived, the students standing at the front immediately made way, allowing Song Miao to move forward conveniently.

Setting up the stall today was actually quite early, but the spot where "Song Ji" usually set up was a good one; having not come for over two months, someone had long since taken it, and it was a familiar face who had taken it.

Seeing Song Miao arrive with her cart, the stall owner hurriedly said: "I didn't expect Miss Song Xiaoniangzi to actually return today..."

Speaking, he was about to make way.

Song Miao stopped him: "These are all unclaimed stalls, first come first served; Sister-in-law, your stall is already set up, don't trouble yourself anymore!"

Her words had just fallen when someone behind shouted: "Song Stall Owner, set up here with me, I have space here!"

"Mine is also perfect, come here with me! It's closer, and there's space—come here with me!!"

"Mine is also empty, I've saved a spot for you, Song Stall Owner, come here!"

It was several neighboring stall owners calling out invitations.

Song Miao's stall always had the largest flow of people; setting up beside her naturally meant more exposure, and those who couldn't buy from her or couldn't wait and wanted to leave would naturally pick up a few things at the neighboring stalls.

The nearby vendors were all familiar faces from before; after observing for many days, they had long grasped this pattern and were naturally very proactive, wanting to invite Song Miao to their side to "warm the stall."

But the stall owner in front—the one who had taken Song Miao's spot—hurriedly shouted loudly at those nearby: "Go, go go! We've already saved this side, there's no share for you! Don't snatch!"

Then he immediately said to Song Miao: "Song Stall Owner, don't go! This spot was saved for you! We knew you'd be back these past few days, and we two took turns saving a spot for you every day—only when we saw you really weren't coming did we let it go!"

Indeed, the vendor selling soy milk and fried dough sticks nearby also hurriedly called out: "Exactly! Exactly! Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, don't go; didn't our three families used to set up in a row? These past days you haven't come, and I haven't been used to it for two days!"

While speaking, she indeed put away the several wooden buckets and two pots she had set on the ground.

The one who had just taken the spot was the mutton soup seller; at this moment he hurriedly pushed his stall cart to the other side.

One put things away, the other pushed; truly in the blink of an eye, they cleared a large empty space for Song Miao, just right for her cart.

Among the food sold at "Song Ji," the amount of drinks was always small and mostly savory, and the sweet portion wasn't large either, complementing the two families' categories.

They used to get along quite well; now receiving such care from them, Song Miao didn't waste words or delay, hurriedly thanked them, first set up her stall, and was about to raise the signboard when the first customer behind had already impatiently swarmed over, saying: "Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, I want three large portions of glutinous rice—I want drinks too, what drinks are there? What filling is the vegetarian shao mai? Or is it mustard greens, mushroom, and dou fu pi?"

Song Miao hurriedly hung up the signboard, saying: "Drinks have bone clear soup and caigan paiqing tang; there are no shao mai today—the weather is too hot, shao mai is a bit greasy, we have to wait until the weather cools to serve them..."

Hearing there were no shao mai, that student was visibly disappointed and hurriedly said: "Eating meat shao mai in summer is a bit greasy, but that has nothing to do with the vegetarian shao mai, right? The vegetarian shao mai is perfectly fine, who did it offend?? Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, you can't just cut it all with one knife and wipe them all out with one net!"

He also advised: "If there are no shao mai, and glutinous rice can only be bought in three portions, breakfast won't match well—besides, there's no meat or vegetables in the glutinous rice either... You haven't set up your stall for a long time, I... I've been thinking about that vegetarian shao mai in my heart, missing it for over a month! I really like it very much! You really can't make it anymore??"

"I really can't make enough; Young Master, if you want to eat something with meat and vegetables, I've replaced it with a new food called juan Portion..."

Song Miao said while opening the large covered dish in front of her, pointing to the food inside and a large tray, saying: "It's steamed rice skin with filling rolled in; there are several kinds of filling; today I made leek silk stir-fried scrambled eggs, cowpea meat mince, wood ear meat mince, plain stir-fried bean sprouts, and two more flavors with heavier taste, one spicy, which is evodia stir-fried carrot, and one is pickled cowpea meat mince..."

She listed several filling names, and finally asked: "Although it's not shao mai, it also has meat and vegetables, and it's quite refreshing to eat in summer; Young Master, do you want to choose one and try if it suits your taste? Vegetarian is three coins per roll, meat is five coins per roll, all made to order..."

A row of large bowls was in front; Song Miao spoke while already lifting the lids on top.

The bowls contained different fillings, already cooked.

That student immediately set his eyes on the large bowl right in the middle.

The leaves were emerald green, the stems and roots white, the egg crumbs tender yellow, with transparent mung bean vermicelli mixed inside; green, white, yellow, transparent four colors complemented each other, everything wrapped in a layer of extremely moist thin oil, that oil was clearly just for a glazing effect, adding a bit of luster; just by eye one could tell it definitely wasn't greasy; who knew how refreshing and delicious this filling would be—it was leek silk stir-fried scrambled egg filling—he had even already smelled the leek fragrance!!

"The leek one! I want the leek one! Give me two rolls! Wait..."

He had just finished calling out when his eyes shifted, and he saw another large bowl beside it.

Evodia stir-fried carrot!

The carrot was cut into fine silk, already stir-fried to a very full color—between bright orange and golden yellow, the surface had an even heavier oily luster, the ends and even the outside had a bit of "burnt edge" color; one look and it was stir-fried through, with a layer of stir-fried juice accumulated at the bottom of the bowl.

How fragrant and sweet this must be! And it has evodia! Spicy flavor!

Seeing the evodia bits, this student's saliva immediately welled up.

At this moment, he truly saw the new and forgot the old, having long forgotten the "vegetarian shao mai missed for over a month" in his heart; he hurriedly swept his eyes around the various bowls.

Cowpea meat mince, wood ear meat mince, plain stir-fried bean sprouts, pickled cowpea meat mince...

Each was clearly a very ordinary, very common filling; how come once they came to this Song Ji stall, every single one smelled so fragrant and looked so delicious!

How is one supposed to choose!