"Xinran, that fried skewer stall owner is really no good! He actually buys these rotten goods to fool students, no wonder students in Sisi's class got sick from eating them. Who knows which remote corner he picked up those meat skewers that cost less than five cents each!" Song Xinwen said indignantly to Song Xinran as soon as they turned home, "With his costs so cheap, who can compete with him!"
"If Sister Feng hadn't told me this today, I would never have figured it out!"
After hearing Song Xinwen's words, Song Xinran immediately asked: "Sis, you haven't told anyone else these things, have you?"
"Of course not!" Song Xinwen said, "I was so angry when I heard it that I rushed home to tell you."
Song Xinran gave her an approving look: "Sis, you did the right thing."
She said: "I've been thinking these past few days – the fried skewer stall has been running promotions continuously, not even making back labor costs, yet they still look so cheerful."
"Today Sisi told me again that some classmates in her class had stomach discomfort after eating the fried skewers. Looking at it this way, their ingredients must have problems." Song Xinran then changed her tone, "But that Sister Feng doesn't have good intentions either."
Song Xinwen listened with a serious expression, frowning.
Song Xinran said slowly: "This is just hearsay. She told you without any evidence, definitely hoping you would spread this around. If everyone knows the fried skewer stall's food is bad, naturally they won't buy it, and business would return to everyone else, right? But the fried skewer stall owner isn't someone to be pushed around either – he would easily find out who spread the rumors, and then you'd be the one facing trouble."
Song Xinran thought to herself, what a clever scheme – solving the problem without getting their own hands dirty. If it were someone more foolish, they might even think Sister Feng was being kind.
Song Xinwen slammed her hand on the table, furious: "I knew she had ulterior motives!"
"I thought it was strange when she approached me. We usually don't talk or interact, so why would she share these intimate thoughts with me, saying she felt we had a connection!"
Song Xinran smiled comfortingly: "Sis, you're smart too. You told me first instead of others, so Sister Feng's plan will fail."
Song Xinwen looked somewhat embarrassed: "I didn't think that much about it, I just felt something wasn't right."
"People in this town have so many twists and turns in their minds, unlike villagers…" Song Xinwen sighed. Villagers would never think of using people as pawns like this. There were plenty of bad people too, but they would either gossip behind others' backs or do despicable things themselves.
"So what should we do now?" Song Xinwen felt troubled after learning the whole story, feeling that whatever they did would be wrong.
Song Xinran smiled: "Sis, don't worry. Everything requires evidence. Currently, we only suspect the fried skewer stall uses bad meat, but we're not sure about the actual facts."
Song Xinwen grew anxious: "They couldn't possibly run promotions at a loss for so many days! There must be something shady going on!"
Song Xinran said seriously: "But randomly claiming that a food stall's ingredients are unsafe is a serious matter. We're in the same business too."
"But… I also think there's something wrong with their family. I'll investigate privately." Having spent nearly two lifetimes in the catering industry, Song Xinran knew food safety was a critical issue in this line of work. If she were to spread this information, she needed to ensure it was accurate and reliable.
Seeing her expression, Song Xinwen immediately knew she had a plan: "What can we do now then?"
Song Xinran thought for a moment: "That Sister Feng really wants you to spread the news, right? During your free time these days, go talk to her openly in front of everyone, so people know you two are close."
When the news eventually spreads, Sister Feng would undoubtedly be credited as the main contributor.
Song Xinwen pondered this and quickly understood, breaking into a wide grin: "Got it! Xinran, you're really clever!"
Song Xinran smiled back: "Sis, it's getting late. Go take a shower and try out the water heater."
Song Xinwen agreed, glancing at the water heater a couple more times as she passed by, thinking she'd finally get to test this nine-hundred-yuan gadget tonight.
Song Xinran showed Song Xinwen how to turn on the showerhead, which direction to turn for hot water, which for cold, and how to adjust the temperature. Just from the explanation, Song Xinwen thought although expensive, it seemed incredibly convenient, though she still had concerns: "It won't suddenly run out of hot water mid-shower, will it?"
"Don't worry, just shower peacefully."
Entering the bathroom, Song Xinwen recalled Xinran's instructions and tentatively turned the knob left. Water immediately sprayed from the showerhead. She reached out to feel it—cold at first, but within moments, it gradually warmed up.
As she showered, the water felt slightly too hot, so she turned the knob right.
"Xinran said not to turn it too much," she murmured to herself. Sure enough, the temperature lowered slightly, feeling just perfect on her skin.
While applying soap, Song Xinwen turned off the water, still wondering how this device worked. How could water heat up instantly? Normally, using gas to heat water took at least ten minutes. Would it turn cold when she turned it back on?
But when she turned it on again, the water heater performed just like the first time—transitioning from cold to warm in mere seconds. The comfortably warm water cascaded over her, feeling cozy and exceptionally pleasant.
Song Xinwen thought this was far better than heating water for baths—no worries about limited hot water or it turning cold later. Now the hot water seemed endless, maintaining the set temperature consistently.
After her shower, Song Xinwen felt warmth spreading through her entire body. Glancing back at the compact water heater, her eyes filled with amazement—this thing was incredibly convenient!
Though it cost nine hundred yuan, Song Xinwen felt it was absolutely worth it.
Not only Song Xinwen felt this way—Song Yu did too, though the child had more questions: "Mom, how does the water heater heat water so quickly?"
Fortunately, Song Xinran had read about this before and explained: "When cold water passes through a certain component inside the water heater, flames heat it immediately. So when you turn it on, the initial cold water in the pipes flows out first, followed by hot water."
Song Yu blinked: "But it must take a really big fire to heat water that fast. Could the water heater get damaged?"
Song Xinran replied: "No, there's a protective layer. Just like when we use a pot to boil water, the pot doesn't get damaged quickly either."
Song Yu asked a few more questions, and Song Xinran answered them all with simple words.
The child's eyes sparkled: "Mom is so amazing, she knows everything!"
Song Xinran chuckled softly. Song Yu then took out his books—he used to have none, but now he had three. He said happily, "I want to study more so I can be as amazing as Mom when I grow up!"
Song Xinran smiled slightly, patted his head, and said in a very certain tone, "Yes, Xiao Yu will be very impressive when he grows up!"
During the afternoon stall setup, Song Xinwen followed Song Xinran's advice and went directly to Sister Feng in front of all the stall owners at the school gate, greeting her warmly: "Sister Feng, how's business?"
When Sister Feng saw Song Xinwen, she felt a bit uneasy. After telling Song Xinwen about the fried skewer stall yesterday, she had specifically inquired today but heard no news. Now, seeing Song Xinwen's beaming face, she smiled back, "Xinwen, want some fried potatoes?"
Before she could finish, Sister Feng grabbed her arm and pulled her aside, interrupting in a low voice, "Don't talk about this carelessly."
Song Xinwen looked serious: "Sister Feng, don't worry, I haven't told anyone!"
Sister Feng: "Huh?"
Song Xinwen laughed: "Didn't you tell me not to tell others? I didn't even tell my sister! But it's been weighing on my mind, so I came to talk to you. After all, only the two of us know about this. Sister Feng, you can trust me—I'm very tight-lipped!"
Seeing Song Xinwen's sincere smile, Sister Feng nearly lost her composure on the spot. She had said those words but actually hoped Song Xinwen would spread the news far and wide. Usually, Song Xinwen loved chatting at the teahouse and seemed like a gossip, but who knew she'd be so honest!
Sister Feng held her arm, sighing in a hushed tone, "I'm feeling uneasy too. That fried skewer stall has been so smug these past couple of days—look, they're even running promotions today. Xinwen, I'm worried about you all. We're farther away, so it's fine, but you're right next to them, and they're sucking away all the customers!"
"Exactly!" Song Xinwen grumbled, "I just don't know how to drive that fried skewer stall away."
Sister Feng noted her angry expression and said casually, "If people found out they're selling spoiled meat, no one would buy from them."
Song Xinwen fumed, "That's exactly what they're selling!"
Seeing Song Xinwen's provoked state, Sister Feng thought this might work. Then she heard Song Xinwen ask, "Sister Feng, do you know where the fried skewer stall owners live?"
Sister Feng almost asked why she wanted to know, but then it occurred to her that Song Xinwen probably intended to confront them. Deciding not to question it, she played ignorant: "They live on Central Street, next to Xingxing Barber Shop. It's the first unit on the second floor of the building beside it."
Song Xinwen said, "Sister, thank you so much."
Sister Feng wanted to leave, but Song Xinwen held her arm and kept talking. Song Xinwen was quite strong, and Sister Feng couldn't break free. As it neared school dismissal time and Song Xinwen showed no sign of leaving, Sister Feng grew anxious.
Bobo Chicken could be sold by one person, but their fried potatoes required two—one to mix and one to handle payments.
No one knew where Song Xinwen found so much to say. Her words actually contained little substance, just the same phrases repeated over and over until listeners' ears nearly grew calluses. It wasn’t until Sister Feng seemed on the verge of asking her to leave that Song Xinwen appeared to have a sudden realization. She slapped her own forehead and said, "No.3 Middle School is about to let out! I need to hurry back. I’ll come chat with you again after class, Sister Feng!"
Song Xinwen strode back toward her own stall. Sister Feng’s face immediately fell, thinking, "Please don’t come back. I can’t be bothered talking with her!"
Song Xinwen walked back right in front of the fried skewer stall owner, smiling cheerfully and deliberately glancing at them.
Xiong Li found it strange: "Since when did our neighbor become so close with Old Feng who sells potatoes?"
Even from far away, she had to go talk to Old Feng, and then she glared at them when returning. Could she have been bad-mouthing them?
Yang Changhai said, "They’re definitely up to no good. Those two are scheming together!"
Xiong Li’s eyes darted around, but she couldn’t figure out how two people with such different personalities could team up.
"We need to be careful. That Old Feng is secretly vicious," she remarked.
Yang Changhai nodded: "You’re right, dear!"
Song Xinwen returned beaming. Song Xinran immediately moved closer and whispered, "Sis, your acting is impeccable. I almost thought you two were really close."
Song Xinwen chuckled heartily: "She approached me exactly like that yesterday, pretending we had some special connection. Today she completely changed her tune."
She had truly seen through Sister Feng’s real nature.
As they were talking, the school bell rang. As usual, they were busy for over an hour until the Bobo Chicken in the three ceramic pots was reduced to just one-third remaining in the last pot.
"Your business is quite good," a man’s voice remarked.
Song Xinran looked up to see a man in his forties standing before the stall, wearing a navy blue padded jacket with very short hair. He was slightly overweight but appeared energetic.
Song Xinran asked, "Would you like to buy something? Feel free to look."
The man said, "This is the first time I’ve seen anyone selling Bobo Chicken in this town. Your idea is quite novel, no wonder business is good…His tone was casual, less like a customer and more like someone who came specifically to chat.
Song Xinran didn’t want to chat much but couldn’t directly ask him to leave, so she remained silent.
The man didn’t mind. He casually glanced at the three ceramic pots, but his expression instantly shifted from indifferent to completely focused in just one second.
"How much for the Bobo Chicken? Give me several skewers!" His tone became noticeably excited.
Staring at the contents of the pots, his eyes seemed to glow. Look at that gleaming red oil, the clear broth! The ingredients had been soaking for so long yet still looked remarkably fresh. He could tell at a glance this was extraordinary!
One hand quickly pulled money from his pocket while the other selected numerous skewers onto a plate.
Song Xinran was momentarily stunned seeing the hundred-yuan bill he handed over. In all her time running the stall, this was the first hundred-yuan note she’d received! Fortunately, she had prepared plenty of change. After giving him 94.6 yuan back, she immediately viewed him more favorably.
The man stuffed the change carelessly into his pocket, picked up a tofu puff skewer and eagerly brought it to his mouth.
The moment the food entered his mouth, his body abruptly stiffened.
The tofu puffs had been soaking for several hours, fully absorbing the broth. With one roll in the mouth and a bite from the teeth, the broth burst forth—the fragrant spiciness of red oil, the numbing aroma of peppercorn oil, the crispy fragrance of sesame… All the seasonings blended perfectly, never feeling too chaotic or too bland. The savory broth slid down the throat, leaving a subtle sweetness lingering in the mouth.
The man quickly picked up a skewer of chicken hearts and swiftly brought it to his mouth.
Just the sight of the chicken hearts soaked in red oil made one’s mouth water. They were plump and coated in a glistening layer of broth, their texture slightly contracted, a clear sign of freshness.
With a bite, the meat was firm and springy, becoming more fragrant with each chew—neither overcooked and dry nor undercooked and overly tender. The tongue detected not a hint of gaminess, while the layered flavors of the broth spread throughout the mouth: spicy without being overpowering, numbing without being harsh, and purely fresh in its essence.
The man finished all the skewers in one go, pulled out a tissue to wipe the corner of his mouth, and stared at the red oil stains on it. His nose twitched, as if he could still catch the aroma of the red oil from just that.
"This Bobo Chicken tastes amazing!"
After his exclamation, the man seemed to remember something and smiled at Song Xinran, asking, "Boss, did you make this Bobo Chicken?"
Song Xinran countered, "Is that important?"
Sensing her wariness, the man hurriedly explained, "I mean no harm. I just heard your Bobo Chicken is delicious, so I came to try it."
"By the way, I’m Lei Hong, a friend of Zhou Zhengming. He recommended I come taste your Bobo Chicken."
Lei Hong had received Zhou Zhengming’s call late last night. Zhou Zhengming said he’d met an expert that day—someone full of ideas for the food industry and quite knowledgeable about cooking.
That person, Song Xinran, was selling Bobo Chicken from a stall in Lingde Town, and Zhou Zhengming asked Lei Hong to check it out, taste her cooking, and offer help if possible.
Lei Hong and Zhou Zhengming were old friends. Back when Zhou Zhengming worked in Lingde Town, they had even worked together at a restaurant. However, Lei Hong wasn’t particularly fond of Zhou Zhengming’s personality—always hustling, saying whatever suited the person or situation.
If they hadn’t known each other for so long, practically growing up together, Lei Hong wouldn’t have kept in touch with him.
Now, Lei Hong ran his own restaurant in town, a family business where he worked as the chef. Business was good, and the family was doing well.
When he first got Zhou Zhengming’s call, Lei Hong’s initial thought was, "What kind of expert has both great ideas and superb cooking skills?" Anyone praised by Zhou Zhengming probably had a similar personality, but since it was a friend’s request, Lei Hong felt obliged to help.
However, it was too late yesterday, so Lei Hong came today. The Bobo Chicken stall’s business was decent but not outstanding—he assumed the taste was just average.
Zhou Zhengming likely wanted him to offer some culinary guidance, so Lei Hong thought, "I’ll just give a few tips."
But as he approached, he immediately noticed something extraordinary about this Bobo Chicken.
And after tasting it, Lei Hong was stunned, bewildered, and utterly amazed—it was a culinary revelation!
As a chef himself, likely ranking among the top three in town, Lei Hong had his own strong insights into cooking.
With one taste, he could discern the craftsmanship: first, the chicken soup used for the base was exceptionally well-made—it remained non-gamy even when cooled and tasted remarkably fresh, with a clear, clean broth.
Second, the chili oil is exceptionally well-made—clear, fragrant, and not greasy at all. It has a balanced spiciness without being overpowering. Achieving this is difficult. Most people preparing spicy dishes simply add excessive chili and seasonings, resulting in strong flavors that are harsh on the palate and prone to causing internal heat.
The chili oil in this pot of Bobo Chicken is entirely different. Anyone with a discerning eye can tell it requires the skill of an experienced master chef.
Lastly, the ingredients are cooked perfectly—neither too firm nor too soft, with an appealing color.
Every aspect of this bowl of Bobo Chicken is expertly handled, which is why Lei Hong couldn’t help but ask, "Did you make this dish?"
It’s no wonder he had such a thought. Song Xinran appeared far too young—at least ten or twenty years his junior—yet her culinary skills were so refined, falling only slightly short of his own master’s.
But his master was a genuine, top-level chef, now serving as the head chef at a high-end hotel in a major city. Getting a taste of his dishes was no easy feat. Lei Hong had simply been fortunate in his youth to study under his master before the latter rose to fame.
Song Xinran replied, "I made it."
She could tell the man wasn’t there to pick a fight. Moreover, he had mentioned Zhou Zhengming’s name, leading her to suspect that Zhou was repaying a favor.
"That shouldn’t be," Lei Hong marveled.
Song Xinran raised an eyebrow slightly. "What shouldn’t be?"
"I didn’t mean it that way!" Lei Hong hurriedly explained. "Your Bobo Chicken is incredibly flavorful—it’s nothing like what someone so young could achieve!"
Song Xinran thought to herself that she had spent over a decade in this line of work in her previous life. Combined, she wasn’t exactly young.
Outwardly, however, she smiled faintly and said, "You flatter me. I just threw it together casually."
Lei Hong was stunned. She could create something like this just by throwing it together?! How extraordinary must her talent be!
"I never thought Zhou Zhengming’s words could be so truthful for once!" Lei Hong exclaimed. He had initially assumed Zhou was merely exaggerating or speaking carelessly, but after tasting the Bobo Chicken, he realized he had been mistaken.
"Miss," Lei Hong asked, "would you consider coming to work at our restaurant?"
"You wouldn’t need to cook daily—just teach me a few dishes from time to time. I’d pay you the usual wages."
Lei Hong was a farsighted restaurant manager and chef. Although his business was thriving with many regular customers, he believed in preparing for potential challenges and sought to improve his skills.
Song Xinwen, overhearing this, thought, Such a great opportunity?!
However, after the incident with Feng Jie, she had become more cautious, aware that nothing good comes without a cost. She observed the man silently, knowing Xinran had likely seen through his intentions and would handle it adeptly.
Song Xinran said, "I don’t have such plans at the moment. I just want to focus on growing my small business."
Lei Hong sighed inwardly, recognizing that everyone has their own aspirations, and didn’t press further. "Zhengming called me specifically last night about you…"
He had even asked Lei Hong to offer more assistance since they were both in Lingde Town and it would be convenient. Initially, Lei Hong thought it meant guiding her in cooking, but now he saw there was nothing to teach—any attempt on his part would be like showing off in front of an expert.
Recalling Zhou Zhengming’s words from the previous night, Lei Hong suddenly said, "Miss, this soup base is made with chicken broth, right?"
"Yes," Song Xinran confirmed.
Song Xinwen chimed in from the side, "We use authentic free-range chicken to brew the soup, with very solid ingredients!"
Lei Hong lowered his voice slightly: "I happen to have opened a restaurant in town, right near the People's Supermarket, called Hao You Lai Restaurant. Our business is quite good, and we go through several racks of chicken bones daily… I can see your ingredients are genuinely substantial, all quality goods, but the cost is too high…"
Song Xinran immediately understood the implication in his words and recognized that the person before her was truly a fellow professional, able to discern her base ingredients and costs at a glance, and understand what she currently lacked.
Song Xinran smiled: "Brother Lei, I've actually been looking for a place to buy fresh chicken bone racks recently. I've asked many places without success—what a coincidence to meet you here."
Lei Hong also laughed, thinking this person was quite articulate. Clearly, he was the one who wanted to get acquainted and took the initiative, yet the other party made him look good in return. He immediately said, "This is fate!"
Song Xinwen watched as Song Xinran chatted happily with the other party in just a few short sentences, feeling quite surprised. Xinran was really good with words!
Song Xinran quickly settled the matter of purchasing chicken frames with the other party. She could pick them up at the restaurant every morning, as the restaurant had at least one set available daily. Lei Hong needed to prepare the ingredients in advance, as the cold shredded chicken at Haoyou Restaurant sold very well.
Song Xinran was overjoyed. When she first started her stall business and calculated the costs, she found them too high, especially the chicken used for making broth. A free-range chicken cost forty to fifty yuan, and even buying half would still set her back over twenty yuan.
If she switched to cheaper options like pork bones, she felt the flavor would be slightly different and was unwilling to compromise.
She had long known that chicken frames could produce a similar broth but had struggled to find a place to buy them. Unexpectedly, Lei Hong offered them himself. Now, the cost of her Bobo Chicken could be significantly reduced.
Song Xinran dug out the business card Zhou Zhengming had given her and specifically went to a store to call and thank him.
After returning home, Song Xinran was calculating expenses again. Her trip to the city a couple of days ago had cost over a thousand yuan, and now, even with the money she had earned in the past two days, she had less than nine hundred left. However, her quality of life had improved noticeably. She no longer had to laboriously boil water for baths or worry about running out of hot water mid-bath.
Moreover, Song Xinran was certain she would earn even more in the future!
Today, she finalized the deal with Lei Hong: chicken frames at two yuan per set. From now on, her daily profit would increase by at least twenty yuan! However, this meant the family couldn't eat boiled chicken every day.
From Song Xinran's observations, although boiled chicken was nutritious and good for health, they had been eating it since arriving in town. After half a month, even a well-behaved child like Xiao Yu was less inclined to reach for the chicken with his chopsticks.
It was time to update and diversify the family's meals.
As the weather grew colder, Song Xinran rested her chin on her hand and thought for a while. She needed to make a winter-appropriate dish that was also convenient.
An idea flashed through her mind, and the corners of her lips curled into a smile. She could make good use of the chicken frames she had just secured.
Song Xinran solemnly wrote down the words "Oden" in her notebook.
After dinner, Song Xinwen said she was going out for a walk.
Song Xinran teased, "Sis, have you made some new friends?"
Song Xinwen replied, "No, you're teaching Xiao Yu to read at home, and I can't help much, so I'm just going out for a stroll."
Song Xinwen had never liked going to school when she was younger. After graduating from elementary school, she stayed home to help with chores. Song Xinran had better grades and finished junior high, but their family's financial situation wasn't enough to support further education, so she didn't continue. Still, Song Xinwen knew her younger sister loved reading.
Now, it was good. By running a stall in town and earning money, she could do things she had wanted to do but couldn't before.
Song Xinwen left the house without telling Song Xinran that she had another matter to attend to today.
Meanwhile, Song Xinran stayed home, using the book "Learning to Read with Pictures" to teach Xiao Yu. For a child his age, the best way to learn characters was to associate them with real-life objects. For example, when seeing the characters for "table," he would think of the dining table at home.
Song Xinran had never taught children before, but she had friends who were teachers who often complained to her: some kids still couldn't write their own names even after starting elementary school. No matter how many times the teachers taught them, they just couldn't get it right—even their attempts at copying looked awkward.
Thinking of this, Song Xinran said: "Does Xiao Yu know how to write his name? Let Mommy teach you."
She wrote the two characters "Song Yu" in standard script on a blank notebook, then handed the pen to Song Yu, intending to let him familiarize himself by tracing the characters first.
Xiao Yu gripped the pen steadily using the method she taught him, sitting upright on the stool with his back straight. His little face serious, he carefully traced the characters on the paper. Though he couldn't remember the proper stroke order, he was quite skilled at imitation—the two characters he produced were surprisingly neat.
Pointing at the characters with his finger, he read out in his childish voice: "Xiao Yu!"
Song Xinran chuckled: "That's your formal name, Song Yu."She wrote two different characters 'Xiao Yu' and said: 'This is Xiao Yu.'""
Xiao Yu's face flushed slightly as he placed his hand over the new characters, his voice tender: "Xiao Yu."
The next day at just seven o'clock, Song Xinran had already gotten up. After a quick wash and changing clothes, she quietly headed out.
Though she had arranged to get the chicken frames from Lei Hong after eight, Song Xinran had other matters to attend to today.
She felt somewhat excited—this being her first time doing something like this felt almost like detective work. The idea had occurred to her yesterday when she learned from Song Xinwen that the fried skewer vendor lived in this area.
She needed to confirm whether the fried skewer stall was using substandard reconstituted meat skewers before she could feel justified in spreading the truth and driving them away.
Song Xinran was quite stubborn about this point, likely due to her commitment to food safety cultivated over two lifetimes in the food industry. In her view, anyone working in this field who compromised food safety would carry that stain for life.
Serious matters required rigorous handling.
Song Xinran had learned that the garbage truck in town typically made its rounds around 7:30. If the fried skewer vendor was indeed using unqualified meat skewers, they would likely dispose of the packaging evidence around this time. If she didn't find anything today, she would return tomorrow and the day after.
As Song Xinran glanced around and seeing no one, she was about to search through the trash bins when she suddenly heard two hushed voices from the nearby stairwell. She quickly ducked into hiding.
Soon after, two familiar figures appeared beside the trash bins.
Xiong Li urged in a low voice: "Hurry up and throw it away. The garbage truck will be here soon."
Yang Changhai replied cheerfully: "This batch will last us several more days. I don't believe we can't squeeze out the shop next to us."
"Enough talk, hurry back home!"
Yang Changhai stuffed a bag into the trash bin before turning and scurrying back into the stairwell.
The moment they disappeared from view, Song Xinran's heart leapt with excitement as she rushed toward the trash bin. But just as she reached it, she bumped into someone who was also reaching into the bin.
Song Xinran thought to herself: So early in the morning, in this chilly weather, the trash pickers are quite diligent.
"Xinran, what are you doing here!" came the person's suppressed exclamation.