Chapter 19: Wild Vegetables for Sale

Wu Lan had only eaten one bowl; she was full, but not completely full.

But judging by the family's appetite, they were definitely all stuffed tonight, so she refused flatly. "Eat the dumplings tomorrow morning. Come, try these wild vegetables from today first!"

She had taken Ma Lantou, purslane, and watercress. To save trouble, and purely to test the texture, she had blanched them and mixed them with the same sauce.

At this moment, the red chili, white sesame seeds, dark brown soy sauce and vinegar, and the green leaves and stems were intertwined, and a sour, spicy, and fresh fragrance wafted toward them.

Song Sancheng didn't hesitate at all, quickly reaching out with his chopsticks to pick some up and put them in his mouth—

"Mmm!"

Delicious, spicy, sour, crisp, and tender... Various textures intertwined. Song Sancheng couldn't stop eating; one chopstick could pick up half a plate of vegetables.

It was just...

"This is too appetizing. If I'd known, I would've cooked a pot of rice." He felt extremely regretful.

Wu Lan looked at his stomach. "Stop eating, stop eating; aren't you afraid of bursting? Let me try!"

Upon tasting it, the whole family fell silent.

After a long while, Wu Lan asked hesitantly, "Is... is ten yuan selling them too cheap?"

Song Tan made a prompt decision. "It's practically giving them away—listen to me, 20 yuan a bundle!" Go sell them in the morning; don't be afraid if they don't sell out. The repeat customers who come back after lunch will definitely come back again!

Now, making money was the priority!

Wu Lan instantly regretted it. "If I'd known, I would've only taken a few stalks of each to taste!"

Early the next morning.

It was truly early; Song Tan was called up at 5:30. Song Sancheng had intended to go along to carry the vegetables, but he found his daughter carrying a basket in each hand, and Qiaoqiao carrying another basket, and seventy or eighty bundles of wild vegetables were already on the car.

"You really don't need me to go with you?"

"No need, Qiaoqiao is here. Qiaoqiao can help, right?" Song Tan refused him.

Qiaoqiao answered loudly from the side: "Yes! Qiaoqiao is enough!"

Song Sancheng stood there blankly, extending his hands, suddenly feeling a pang of "getting old."

Until Wu Lan called him again: "There's a little bit of dumplings left in the pot; are you eating?"

"Eating!" He instantly threw away this sudden sadness.

Uncle Wang, who drove the van, was an acquaintance from the village. He looked at the road while asking curiously, "Tan Tan, are you going to the city to sell vegetables?"

Song Tan nodded. "Yes, it's cold now, so it's nice to eat something fresh. If I don't sell them all, I'll bring them back to eat myself; it's no trouble."

That was true.

Uncle Wang nodded. "That's great. Nowadays, what young person is willing to endure this hardship? Your parents are truly blessed!"

After some mutual flattery, by the time the car stopped by the famous vegetable market in the old city, it wasn't even seven o'clock.

It was called a vegetable market, but it hadn't been properly planned; it was just by the river, accessible from all directions, so everyone tacitly chose to carry poles and push carts here to sell things.

Song Tan didn't even need to pay any stall fees. She arranged the baskets in front of her, took out two small folding stools and a stack of plastic bags, and that was it.

"Sister, I'll sell them!"

Qiaoqiao couldn't wait.

Song Tan quickly gave him the center spot. "Alright, Qiaoqiao, you sell—do you know how much they cost?"

"I know!"

Qiaoqiao rubbed his hands together. "Twenty yuan a bundle, no bargaining!"

Knowing that was enough.

Song Tan thought for a moment and posted the two QR codes she had printed at the village office—one for payment.

And the other: Wild Vegetable New Arrival Announcement Group, scan to join, fresh wild vegetables, advance notice.

She dared to swear on her cultivation career that anyone who ate her family's wild vegetables today would definitely become a repeat customer.

The weather was good today. Although the sun hadn't risen at seven o'clock, the morning glow was vaguely visible on the horizon. The vegetable market was bustling with many housewives wearing coral fleece pajamas or old down jackets.

The siblings sat obediently on the small stools. They looked similar, with bright black pupils and snow-white skin. They were both beautiful and pleasant-looking, the most amiable appearance.

And they were so young, too.

Looking at this vegetable market, let alone stall owners, there were few young people selling vegetables.

Passersby couldn't help but cast their gaze over.

And while they were at it, they took a look at the baskets in front—whoa, what kind of weather is this? There are actually such fresh wild vegetables, and they're cleaned so neatly!

"Girl, how are you selling this shepherd's purse?"

Green vegetables were expensive as hell during the New Year, and with guests coming and going, as soon as everyone saw shepherd's purse, they first thought of fresh, tender dumplings.

This auntie's question seemed to start something, and people around slowly gathered.

"I know, I know! Shepherd's purse, 20 yuan a bundle, one jin!"

Qiaoqiao had already answered impatiently.

He sat on the stool, looking up slightly at the auntie in front of him, obedient and cute, his round-cropped head fuzzy, and no auntie could resist that.

What's more...

The tone of an adult speaking is different from that of a child.

The auntie who asked looked at him in surprise, seeming to notice something. But seeing Qiaoqiao still staring at her persistently, she tentatively frowned:

"This is too expensive. Can you sell it for ten yuan?"

"No, no," Qiaoqiao shook his head like a rattle, emphasizing again: "Shepherd's purse dumplings, I ate three bowls this morning!"

He used his hand to show a "three."

Song Tan also smiled. "That's right, Auntie. These were all dug up fresh by me yesterday. They taste especially fresh and tender; twenty yuan is really not expensive."

"And this bundle is one jin; there's only more, not less. How expensive are greenhouse vegetables now! Spring is here; let's eat a bite of fresh wild vegetables early to refresh ourselves."

She pointed to the QR code next to her: "If you're worried, scan the code to join the group. If it doesn't taste good, find me directly on WeChat, and I'll refund you."

She said this with such confidence that the auntie in front made a decision instantly.

It was just that there were too many choices in the baskets in front of her!

Which one should she buy?

She was conflicted.

However, as soon as the auntie hesitated slightly, Qiaoqiao drooped his eyebrows and looked up at her pitifully:

"Auntie, don't you want to buy any? Qiaoqiao dug these!"

The auntie's heart melted, and everyone present saw the problem, immediately agreeing: "Buy!"

"But Auntie doesn't know which one to buy, what should I do?"

Qiaoqiao blinked blankly. "Then eat a bite of everything!" He sometimes felt this painful when buying snacks.

"Oh my!" A group of people in front of the stall laughed happily. "You child, you're quite greedy. These are twenty yuan a bundle; buying one of each would be one hundred yuan."

Qiaoqiao was unconvinced. "Qiaoqiao has been eating them for two days."

"Shepherd's purse, for dumplings."

"Wild onions, for stewed crucian carp and scrambled eggs!"

"Ma... Ma..." He forgot the name.

Song Tan quickly patted his head. "Qiaoqiao is great!"

Then she deftly picked up the vegetables to show everyone: "Ma Lantou for stir-fried meat or cold salad, watercress is also fresh and tender, and purslane is even better for clearing heat and reducing fire..."

"Our family's wild vegetables are guaranteed to make you want a second helping after the first."

These vegetables were turned over and over by her to show everyone; each stalk was fresh and tender, the leaves emerald green, without any damage.

Plus, everyone around was an expert at buying vegetables; one touch told them this girl wasn't short-changing them—saying twenty yuan a jin for wild vegetables dug fresh in the village really wasn't expensive.

Everyone became more and more tempted, and then looked at the greenhouse vegetables they were holding—

"Come, give me two jin of shepherd's purse; my son loves dumplings!"

"I want two jin too—and give me a bundle of those wild onions. Oh my, they're truly wild; the flavor is strong! I haven't eaten them in over ten years!"

"I want some too! Give me a bundle of purslane; this stuff is anti-inflammatory and diuretic..."

"Ma Lantou is good for reducing fire; I want this, give me two bundles—I want shepherd's purse too!"

"Watercress! Watercress is too tender; I want three bundles, give one to my daughter!" ===== CHAPTER 20 =====