Chapter 366: Reborn in the 1990s: Overbearing Flower, Chapter 367: Simple and Unadorned Business War

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Chai Mi

After Chai Mi and Song Qiushui returned home, they found their mother busy with Chai Youqing, bringing the dried millet from the threshing ground into the house.

Seeing Chai Mi return, she said: "Go to the grain milling place this afternoon and grind the millet into small millet; tonight we'll have a meal of small millet rice. It's been a long time since we've eaten small millet rice grown at home."

Chai Mi agreed: "Mm, I'll go when the time comes. I think my dad's waist should be fine, but he should still pay attention, not strain himself or anything, try doing things lightly."

Chai Youqing slowly unloaded the millet from the handcart to the side, saying: "It's fine, it's fine."

Chai Mi said nothing more, then took the inverted donkey to Song Qiushui's house, and also stopped by the small shop on the way, buying several ice creams back.

Today was the weekend, so Chai Xiu didn't go to school. Besides, National Day was in a few days, and they would have a long holiday.

After buying the ice creams, Chai Mi strolled over to Song Qiushui's place and invited her to come to her house for lunch.

Now Meng Shi's waist had improved somewhat, but it was still inconvenient for her to cook, and Song Qiushui had lost weight recently.

Meng Shi's waist was the kind caused by lumbar muscle strain, and there should also be some problem with the bones, so recovery would be much slower.

Compared to that, Chai Youqing's was just a strained waist that had been pulled, though he later fell a few times, looking serious but without injuring the bones, so resting for ten days or half a month would be about enough.

Chai Mi also specially bought ice cream for Meng Shi; it wasn't worth much, but Meng Shi and Song Qingshan's portions couldn't be left out.

Song Qingshan smiled as he took it: "Your aunt says, in this weather we won't eat ice cream."

"Eating one stick won't hurt; her waist mainly just needs rest, it's not that she can't eat anything." Chai Mi said, and also gave Song Qingshan the two boxes of medicated plasters she had specially bought after setting up her stall: "They say applying this can help, Yunnan Baiyao medicated plaster for treating falls and injuries, should heal faster."

"It's not a big deal now; she can move around and cook, but can't do heavy work, otherwise I'd have her help you shuck corn." Song Qingshan smiled as he accepted it, thanking her politely.

Song Qiushui pursed her lips: "Don't... my mom's waist should just stay put; if she helps Chai Mi and gets injured again, the wages won't even cover it."

Meng Shi also walked out of the room, complaining: "Where is it as serious as you say? Recently walking around is fine, it's just heavy work that seems not allowed."

"Come... Chai Mi bought you ice cream to eat." Song Qiushui handed it over: "You're nimble now, good at cooking. The rice my dad makes is even harder to eat than the poison Pan Jinlian fed Wu Dalong."

Song Qingshan had an awkward expression.

Chai Mi laughed out loud listening.

In this era, indeed many men really couldn't cook.

The kitchen at home and such seemed to be by custom done by women cooking.

Over time, this man would even less know how to cook; if someone suddenly got injured and forced the man to cook, the rice made would be quite hard to eat.

Chai Mi smiled, and Song Qingshan laughed along...

Only to be glared back by Meng Shi directly: "You, as a father, still have the cheek to laugh? Look at our daughter, seeing you cook, she immediately won't eat. Now she's starved thin... How was I blind back then, marrying you? You really can't do anything right, and nothing is left after eating. Good for nothing..."

Song Qingshan was used to Meng Shi being like this, and didn't get angry either.

Song Qiushui said: "Mom, I'm going to Chai Mi's house for lunch."

Meng Shi had a pained expression: "I can cook now, I'll make it for you. You're practically living at Chai Mi's house..."

Eating and drinking for free every day isn't quite right.

Meng Shi wanted to say, but was too embarrassed to speak up.

Chai Mi smiled to comfort Meng Shi: "It's fine, wait until Aunt you're better, I'll also come to your house to mooch meals."

"Fine." Meng Shi again complained at Song Qingshan: "You, all day long, only know how to eat."

Song Qingshan: "..."

Chai Mi and Song Qiushui came back from home, and gave the ice creams to Chai Xiu and Su Wan.

Chai Youqing however said he didn't eat.

Chai Mi frowned: "Don't pull this stunt; later others eat, and you'll say I didn't give you any."

Chai Youqing then took the ice cream and ate.

Chai Xiu was also very happy; this time of year was autumn, mornings and evenings were cool, but noon was terribly hot.

There was a saying around here about the autumn tiger; by noon, the temperature was high.

Eating ice cream, Su Wan asked about today's matter.

"That person you mentioned yesterday, did they come find fault again?"

"Hehe, they came to find fault, but we gave them a good scolding. Satisfying! Really damn satisfying!" Song Qiushui's face still had an excited flush, her voice loud, "You didn't see Wang Da Qing's face, finally like he'd eaten two catties of fly shit! Make him lose to death, that bastard! See if he dares come tomorrow!"

Chai Mi's face didn't show much expression, but she was also sneering in her heart. She weighed the small cloth bundle holding money today; the fried chicken had indeed lost money, but the dumplings earned enough to firmly cover the bottom, with a slight surplus. "He'll definitely come tomorrow. He's said his piece; if he doesn't come, he'll be laughed to death by the student brats."

"Let him come!" Song Qiushui didn't care, "We won't go; let him go lose by himself. His stall, at least needs to prepare forty or fifty chickens' worth? Today's loss is enough to make his flesh hurt for half a month! I see how many days he can hold out!"

"Mm," Chai Mi replied, calculating, "Tomorrow go to the industrial area side. Make more dumpling filling; that's the real income. Wang Da Qing... see what tricks he can still play." She didn't believe Wang Da Qing would sit and wait for death; this person had ill intentions, surely would still cause trouble.

Simple idle chat a few sentences, Chai Mi didn't have much mind to talk about this.

After lunch, Chai Mi specially went to the village to ask around how much a donkey cost per head, preparing to buy a small donkey in a couple of days, better.

Rural roads were bad; donkey carts were more suitable for the actual road conditions of autumn harvest.

In the afternoon she made some dumpling filling and such; waiting until the next day, early morning she set up her stall.

Song Qiushui also came early.

Today they didn't go to County No. 1 Middle School, turning toward the industrial area on the other side of the county town.

That side needed to go even earlier.

"Everything ready?" Chai Mi checked the cutting board, rolling pin, and several large basins of dumpling filling in the cart bed—pickled cabbage, leek and egg, and a small basin of leftover salted meat cubes mixed with cabbage from yesterday.

"All set!" Song Qiushui patted the bulging flour sack, "Today those hungry wolves in the industrial area are just waiting for our hot dumplings. Can eat way more than those student brats at school!" Her face showed some excitement, then she lowered her voice, "You say, that stupid Wang Da Qing, today can he really shamelessly go to No. 1 Middle School gate and keep losing money?"

Chai Mi wiped the dew off the cart handle with a rag, tone flat: "He's said his piece; if he doesn't go, those students waiting to pick up bargains will overturn his stall. Let him lose; see how much money in his pocket can stand this." She lifted her eyes to look at the gray sky, "Let's go, catch the early wave; those workers should be going to work."

"Got it!" Song Qiushui agreed, and the two pushed the cart out of the door together.

Just stepping out the door, she heard Chai Youqing's voice coming from behind, a little hesitant: "Chai Mi..."

The two turned around. Chai Youqing pushed an old bicycle, with Chai Xiu sitting on the back seat with her schoolbag. Chai Youqing's waist still looked stiff, but his walking posture was much more natural.

"Dad, taking Xiu'er?" Chai Mi asked.

"Yeah, on the way... to the mill to grind that bit of grain." Chai Youqing said: "Your mom said she wants to eat new millet stewed rice."

Chai Mi glanced at him, didn't take up the topic, and only said to Chai Xiu: "Go straight home after school, don't run around. I put a piece of peach crisp in your schoolbag, eat it if you're hungry."

Then, getting angrier the more she thought about it, she said: "Xiu'er has class at seven o'clock, and you drag her out at five-thirty? What do you mean? Stop messing around, okay? What's with pretending to be diligent? If you were really diligent... forget it."

Chai Mi really didn't like talking to Chai Youqing when he wasn't in good spirits.

It was truly a waste of brain cells.

"Do whatever you want... I'm bored with nothing to do, I don't care what you do. You don't earn a single cent all day, just keep causing trouble. Nothing proper, just running around under other people's noses keeping busy, acting like you're so busy. With you like this, when you're old you'll suffer, and no one will give a damn about you."

Chai Youqing's face was awkward, not knowing what to say, and wanted to push the bicycle back.

"Sister!" Chai Xiu said crisply, her little face full of smiles: "Teacher Cao said there's early reading today, so those who go early... so I asked Dad to take me, and it's on the way to grind the grain. Teacher said they'll check the recitation of the 'Cao Yuan' lesson, and I memorized it well last night!"

"Mm, memorizing well is good. Learn more lying skills to cover for your dad." Chai Mi nodded, then turned to Chai Youqing, her tone flat: "The road to the mill is slippery, push the bike slowly. Your waist just healed, don't show off and fall again, I don't have time to make you a coffin." After speaking, without waiting for Chai Youqing to react, she called to Song Qiushui: "Qiu Shui, let's go."

Chai Youqing was choked by the word "coffin," his face turning red and white, watching his daughter's unreluctant back as she pushed the cart away, he sighed heavily. Chai Xiu tugged at his sleeve: "Dad, Sister is worried about your waist."

"I know, I know..." Chai Youqing replied sullenly, his heart in turmoil. He slowly got on the bike and rode his daughter to school.

The entrance to the industrial zone was much livelier than No. 1 Middle School, with workers getting off night shifts and rushing to early shifts bustling about. Chai Mi and the others had just set up their dumpling stall when they were surrounded.

"Boss lady! Finally here! As usual, half a catty of pickled cabbage filling!"

"Give me a portion of leek and egg! Extra chili!"

"Got soup? On a day like this, drinking something hot in the morning is so refreshing!"

Chai Mi and Song Qiushui immediately got busy, rolling wrappers, filling dumplings, dropping them in the pot, their movements nimble.

Song Qiushui collected money and packed orders while chatting with regular customers, building relationships.

That said, although Song Qiushui spoke in a nagging way, everyone loved listening to her.

A middle-aged man in work clothes with oil stains on his face squeezed through, his voice loud: "Chai Mi, Qiu Shui! Heard the news? Yesterday at the entrance of No. 1 Middle School it was lively! There's a new fried chicken seller, selling chicken legs for one yuan each just like you, and giving two chicken wings and two feet! My goodness, the queue! Is it true? Didn't you two go?"

Song Qiushui "pfft" laughed, her hand not stopping from wrapping dumplings: "Brother Wang, you're well-informed! It's true, absolutely! That boss surnamed Wang is so generous! Losing money to create buzz, just to let the students eat happily! We went yesterday too, joined the excitement, and sold out our stock. Today he's definitely still there losing money! If you have relatives' children studying at No. 1 Middle School, hurry and tell them to queue, or they won't get any if they're late!"

That Brother Wang listened, dumbfounded: "One yuan? And giving that much? Crazy? Won't he lose his pants?"

Another worker beside him interjected: "Exactly! How much is a chicken now? Chai Mi, you sold them for one yuan yesterday too? Wouldn't that lose a fortune?"

Chai Mi put a lid of dumplings into the boiling pot, steam steaming her face, her voice calm: "It's a loss. But our dumplings are our main business, fried chicken is just a side thing. That Boss Wang doesn't care about that, he just wants to bring happiness to the students, and is willing to lose money. We'll play along with him for a day, to give him a boost. We're not going today, just sell our dumplings properly and make up for yesterday's loss." She scooped out the cooked dumplings and neatly packed them in a box: "Brother Wang, your pickled cabbage filling is ready."

Brother Wang took the dumplings, clicking his tongue in amazement: "Hey, there are still such characters these days... I must have my nephew hurry over! Once this village is passed, there's no such shop!" He paid and left in a hurry.

Song Qiushui leaned close to Chai Mi, holding back her laughter and speaking in a low voice: "Listen, Brother Wang Da Qing's name is now 'loud'."

"Let him be loud." Chai Mi neatly scooped another pot of dumplings into a strainer to drain, "The louder the reputation, the harder it is for him to back down. At No. 1 Middle School today, he'll have something to endure." She seemed to already see Brother Wang Da Qing facing the surging crowd of "bargain hunters" compared to yesterday, that twisted face and bleeding heart.

Business in the industrial zone was abnormally booming. The workers worked hard, had big appetites, and especially liked Chai Mi's delicious dumplings.

The pickled cabbage filling was appetizing, the leek and egg filling was fresh and fragrant, and even that basin of cabbage filling mixed with diced salted meat was snapped up because of its unique salty-fresh flavor.

Song Qiushui collected money and gave change, her hands and feet nimble, her mouth not idle either, joking with the workers, making the stall atmosphere lively, and incidentally spreading the glorious deeds of "Living Lei Feng Wang Da Qing" "unintentionally" for several rounds.

The industrial zone wasn't far from the county town, and many were still people from the county town. Mainly this group of rough folk, earning money wasn't easy, and they didn't spend as generously as students.

Hearing someone selling chicken legs at a loss, even if they had no time, they'd squeeze out some free time to go.

In a short while, several people who had finished night shifts were clamoring to go to the city today.

Song Qiushui was delighted: "Chai Mi, do you think that Wang Da Qing won't have his chicken legs snatched up before school lets out?"

Chai Mi curled her lips: "I estimate, once he sets up his stall, they'll be gone in a while. Then I'll see how he handles it..."

Doing business is indeed like this, you can't say you sell things at No. 1 Middle School, and others won't buy from you.

If it's an ordinary person, then if it's someone who specifically inquired about the news, Wang Da Qing would have to sell even if he didn't want to.

"Stirring the fire for him, losing a little isn't interesting. Let him lose a lot."