Chapter 31

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Song Miao said: "My family are all gone, only I am left, no one can help."

The scene fell silent at once, and many glared at the questioner.

Another customer beside them suggested: "Why not hire one or two people to help……"

Song Miao said: "Thank you, it is actually a good idea, but I still carry many debts on my back; I must first pay them off on time for a while to put the debt collectors at ease, then see if hiring people works out later."

Think about it: you still owe a buttload of debt, have money but don't pay it back, and still go hire people—even though you know in your heart that sharpening the knife doesn't delay chopping wood, which small debt collector would be willing?

Naturally it's—mind your own business, pay me back the money first before we talk.

These words spoken, the crowd fell silent again, wanting to ask but not daring to, and had no choice but to glare at the one who suggested hiring people.

At this moment, another person asked: "Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, I heard your family was originally the Song Ji Food Shop at the end of Sanzao County Alley, but I don't know if it's true or false?"

Song Miao nodded and replied: "Exactly, this matter is true."

Hearing her answer like this, the questioner immediately perked up and said: "If so, Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, why must you push your cart here every day to set up a stall? Why not run your family's food shop at home? Besides breakfast, lunch and dinner can also be made! We will definitely go often to support you!"

"Exactly, Miss Xiaoniangzi with such skill, even if you pull a few weeds in the wild, you can surely make many delicious things; why limit yourself to selling breakfast at a stall here? You clearly have a ready-made food shop at home—though that Sanzao County Alley end is a bit remote, it's not far from us, just go out the back door and you're there, quite convenient! Hehe!"

After this person finished one "heh," many people beside them nodded together, "hehehe."

At this time, many places in Da Wei still had two meals a day, but the Capital was prosperous, almost every family had three meals a day; this person's suggestion was indeed very reasonable.

But just as his voice fell, several friends were still "hehehe-ing" together, while beside them many people were already scowling and cursing them.

"Hey, those few bastards, from Nan Lu Academy, right? Don't be so ruthless in life! Your academy's back gate is locked; at this time telling Miss Song Xiaoniangzi not to set up a stall, who is she supposed to cook her culinary skills for?! Open the door every day just to swat mosquitoes?!"

Among the crowd, there were not a few people from Nan Lu Academy, and they quickly formed a faction, helping the person from before speak.

"People already have a food shop, a ready-made door; not opening a food shop, pushing this cart here every day, going back and forth, isn't that tiring?"

"Exactly! Exactly! Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, just open your food shop at home; as long as you open the door, I guarantee you won't lack a single customer, you'll be full every day—just us Nan Lu Academy students could fill you up!"

The Imperial Academy students could no longer hold back, fearing Song Miao might really go back to open her family's food shop, and hurriedly objected.

"Full of what? How many people can crawl out of a dog hole? Be careful your learning instructors find out and block all these holes; no matter how loud you talk today, by then you'll still have to honestly eat at the canteen!"

"Exactly, you can eat at the canteen, but what about Miss Song Xiaoniangzi?"

"Miss Song Xiaoniangzi, you must absolutely not listen to these bastards talking nonsense here; this stall must still be set up, Nan Lu is unreliable……"

"Who are you saying is unreliable!"

"I'm talking about you who crawl through dog holes, what about it?!"

Seeing the crowd about to quarrel again, Song Miao hurriedly stopped them, saying: "Thank you all for your kindness; the food shop will not open for now, but the stall will definitely be set up—it's not early, you'd better go back to school early!"

Hearing her answer like this, the Imperial Academy students immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but the Nan Lu Academy students still did not give up, hurriedly asking: "Why not open? Is there some difficulty? Do you want us to help?"

According to Song Miao's earlier plan, she did not intend to reveal her family's situation to everyone so early.

But since she had been asked directly, she naturally would not conceal it, and simply mentioned briefly that her father liked gambling, causing disputes over the family's ancestral property; if things went badly, at most within this one or two months, their family property would have to be handed over to others.

She did not ask everyone for help, nor say more; after mentioning it, she dropped it, only urging them to go back to class.

A young girl of marriageable age, with a beautiful appearance and such culinary skill, naturally easily aroused people's curiosity.

Everyone ate her cooking every day; how could they not harbor some fondness and some curiosity?

Hearing that her family's ancestral property had troubles, yet she did not explain the matter clearly, it was truly like holding an ice-cold watermelon in the midsummer heat, just cracked open, hearing only a light "bang," the melon splitting on its own at the knife, the crack clear, the rind thin, the flesh red, the open flesh pattern extremely beautiful, with hardly any juice flowing out, ripe just right, the melon fragrance very sweet; but just as one was about to eat, with one's mouth close by, the melon was taken away by someone—how could one not feel vexed!

But the melon isn't mine; can't I go seek the melon?

People all say women gathered together love gossip; actually men are no less.

The crowd could not ask face to face, honestly dispersed; as for what happened after returning, how they whispered to each other, you asked him, he asked him, he asked him again, a chaotic mess of inquiries everywhere—that was another matter entirely.

Song Miao persuaded the crowd to leave, but was not in a hurry to return herself, and waited a while longer.

She had sold her goods too quickly today; the time had not yet arrived, and several pre-ordered customers had not come to pick up their orders.

Just as she was slowly packing up the stall, she saw Cheng Zijian's head poke out from the Taixue Rear Gate.

Seeing the Song Ji stall already packed up seven or eight parts full, he was obviously somewhat anxious; at first he jogged all the way, but after a few steps, his pace slowed again, and he walked over honestly.

Song Miao then discovered he was still carrying a big cloth bag in his hand.

The bag looked very heavy at a glance; he first carried it with one hand, then simply hugged it with both hands in front of his belly.

When he walked closer, Cheng Zijian paid no attention to anything else, called out "Miss Song Xiaoniangzi," and placed the cloth bag in his hand beside the pushcart, untied the tightly bound rope, opened the bag mouth, and spread the contents inside for Song Miao to see.

He said happily: "I got quite a few pomelos yesterday; I've already tried them, the flavor is quite good; I specially brought several for Stall Owner Song to eat!"

That pomelo was very large, yellowish; just a few of them stuffed the whole cloth bag full.

Song Miao was startled and said: "So many? How can I be so embarrassed……"

"Not mine; I'm just borrowing flowers to offer Buddha!"

Cheng Zijian hurriedly explained what happened yesterday, and smiled: "If it weren't for you helping me prepare continuously—mutton buns, shaomai—I wouldn't have gotten these pomelos, nor could I have gotten the opportunity to ask you for advice every day!"

He also said: "This pomelo is said to be given to you by me, but actually it's just returning the object to its original owner—clearly you exchanged those shaomai, glutinous rice, and soup drinks with Brother Han!"

Song Miao found it amusing for a moment, and did not argue with him, only making a space on the pushcart to place the pomelos.

Because Cheng Zijian helped move that heavy bag to carry away, twenty or so jin of things, he inevitably broke into a sweat; he hurriedly used his sleeve to wipe, but just as he wiped, for some reason, there was a "hiss" sound, and he made a grimace of pain.