Song Xinran grabbed Song Xinwen's arm with one hand while swiftly retrieving from the trash can what the fried skewer vendor had discarded earlier. Dragging Song Xinwen along, she immediately dashed toward the side.
Their figures gradually faded into the thin mist as the sound of a garbage truck approached from behind.
"Sis!" Song Xinran gasped, having pulled Song Xinwen all the way home in one breath. Only after closing the door and confirming through the window that no one was outside did she dare speak, her voice filled with utter astonishment. "Why were you digging through the trash over there?"
Song Xinwen looked equally puzzled. "Xinran, why are you up so early today?"
Song Xinran wanted to explain that she had specifically gotten up early to search for evidence, but the words circled in her mind before she suddenly widened her eyes. "Sis, don't tell me you were also keeping watch on those two at the fried skewer stall?!"
Song Xinwen's pupils trembled with shock.
The two stood frozen, staring at each other for several seconds, mutual understanding and astonishment reflected in their eyes. Finally, Song Xinran couldn't help but laugh. "What an incredible coincidence!"
Song Xinwen also burst into merry laughter. "I went to check last night but found nothing, so I made a special trip again today."
Though Song Xinwen was already convinced in her heart that the fried skewer stall used inferior products, Xinran had insisted that food safety issues required concrete evidence, prompting her to search for proof.
"Open it and see what they threw away!" Song Xinwen urged eagerly. This was the result of her having "stalked" them twice.
The fried skewer vendors had even packed the items in a black garbage bag, tied tightly, yet it felt surprisingly light when picked up.
Wearing gloves, Song Xinran tore open the garbage bag to reveal its contents: flimsy packaging labeled with product names like "Pork Skewers" and "Meat on a Stick," without even an ingredient list.
Song Xinwen lifted one to examine it, her brow furrowing deeply. "This clearly isn't anything good—there's not even a certification mark!"
"Xinran, let's expose this and drive that fried skewer stall away immediately! Selling this stuff to students—they're ruining our reputation!" Song Xinwen fumed. Having always helped Xinran with her stall in town, she considered herself half in the trade and knew how such practices tarnished the industry's image.
Parents and school teachers wouldn't specify which stall used bad meat; they'd simply condemn them all, scolding students not to buy from street vendors near the school.
In all conscience, their Bobo Chicken was as clean as could be—safe enough for their own children to eat freely.
But Song Xinran seemed lost in thought.
Seeing her like this, Song Xinwen calmed down to ponder as well, then suddenly asked, "Are you worried they might deny it? We'll just shove the packaging in their faces—let's see them try to talk their way out of that!"
Song Xinran shook her head. "They'll definitely deny it, but we don't need them to admit anything. Reputation and word-of-mouth are everything for street vendors in this town. If everyone finds out they're using recombined frozen meat, no one will buy from them anymore. Once they can't sell anything, they'll have no choice but to leave."
Upon hearing this and thinking it through carefully, Song Xinwen felt a cold sweat break out on her back. Wasn't this like killing someone without shedding blood?
Once the news spread far and wide, with enough people aware of it, regardless of its truth, the stall wouldn't be able to stay in town for long.
"But what if someone spreads rumors about us in the future?"
Song Xinran smiled: "Sis, we stand straight and fear no crooked shadows. So doing this kind of thing requires evidence. You can't go around saying others use poor ingredients just because you feel like it. We're all in the same business – you need to understand the seriousness of words, otherwise you'll end up harming yourself."
If everyone starts spreading rumors based on hearsay, no one will be able to continue operating.
Only then did Song Xinwen realize – what appeared to be an ordinary street stall actually involved so much knowledge. Looking at Song Xinran again, he had originally thought she started her stall without any preparation, but it turned out she had gathered considerable information.
"I happen to be going to the Haoyoulai Restaurant to pick up chicken frames, so I'll take these packaging bags back with me and ask Boss Lei if he knows where they were purchased," Song Xinran explained. "This way, even if the fried skewer stall owner tries to make excuses, we'll have more information and can gain the upper hand."
Song Xinran knew all too well the power of rumors. It was like the spicy sticks she often ate as a child – later everyone said they were made from shoe soles. Being too young at the time to distinguish truth from falsehood, and with plenty of other snack options available, she simply stopped eating them.
It wasn't until she grew up that she learned it was just a business tactic. Whether it was true or not didn't matter – what mattered was that everyone knew about it and was affected.
The falsely accused company gradually declined, and eventually that product disappeared from the market.
However, Song Xinran wouldn't do such things. Even if she wanted to spread information to drive someone away, it would have to be truthful and reliable.
When Song Xinran arrived at the restaurant, it wasn't even eight o'clock yet, but Lei Hong had already opened. Seeing her, he cheerfully greeted: "You're here so early! The chicken frames aren't completely trimmed yet."
Lei Hong enjoyed making friends, especially capable peers like Song Xinran with whom he could occasionally exchange insights and learn from each other.
After meeting yesterday, they had made an agreement for chicken frames. With more frequent interactions ahead, he might even get to see how Song Xinran cooked her dishes – though he didn't know where she learned her skills or if she had any rules about not letting others watch her cook.
Song Xinran said: "Brother Lei, I have something else I'd like to ask you."
Lei Hong responded warmly: "What is it? Go ahead!"
Song Xinran took out the packaging bag: "I know this kind of frozen meat skewer is sold in town, but I don't know where this particular packaged meat skewer was purchased."
Lei Hong frowned upon seeing it: "That's from the shop at Pannan Bridgehead. Theirs are the cheapest and the poorest quality. How can people still be buying these?!"
"I know it definitely wasn't you who bought these – I can tell the difference just by tasting them. That Bobo Chicken from yesterday was made with fresh, good meat!"
Song Xinran didn't hide the truth: "This was from the garbage bag thrown out by the fried skewer stall next to us. But Brother Lei, please keep this confidential for now. In a couple of days, probably everyone in town will know."
Lei Hong immediately understood that Song Xinran had a plan. He looked her over and thought to himself that despite her young appearance, this girl not only had excellent culinary skills but was also quite clever – no wonder Zhou Zhengming had praised her several times on the phone.
"Alright, I'll wait and see how this plays out!"
There were always plenty of people in Lingde Town's tea house every day. Mahjong players occupied private rooms, card players gathered in the main hall, while elderly men and women sat in the outdoor pavilions, most fond of chatting and sharing gossip here.
The teahouse owner was quite kind, often offering them a complimentary cup of tea. The elderly patrons chatted freely about everything, and any gossip mentioned here would spread to half the town by the next day.
Song Xinran had joined them two days prior. With her exceptional ability to engage in conversation, she quickly blended in with the group. Some knew she ran a stall near the Third Middle School and specifically asked her, "How's business? How much do you sell each day? And why are you always out alone—where's your sister?"
Song Xinran sighed heavily, "Business isn't great. I'm constantly thinking of ways to improve the flavor to attract more customers. My sister is at home taking a nap. As you know, the fried skewer stall next to us has been running promotions, stealing all our customers."
"Yes, I've noticed that too!" a woman in her sixties chimed in. "I don't care for that stuff, but my grandson loves it. He says it's cheap these days and buys some every day. When he brings it home, I see it's covered in chili peppers—tsk, I don't know how he can eat it!"
"Auntie Ma, you should warn your grandson! That stall uses dead rat meat—it's not safe to eat!" another elderly woman immediately advised. "The girl from the Du family in our building ate their skewers and ended up in the clinic for several days, spending nearly a hundred yuan!"
"What?!" Auntie Ma exclaimed, rising from her seat. "They're selling dead rat meat?!"
"Exactly!"
The conversation instantly heated up. The elderly who gathered at the teahouse during their midday break mostly lived in town. With no formal jobs at their age, they helped look after their grandchildren and cook for their families. Having plenty of free time, they loved gathering to gossip about every household in the neighborhood. They relished discussing matters that didn't concern them, let alone something that involved their own descendants.
The chatter grew lively, with everyone adding their two cents, turning speculation into fact.
Suddenly, one of the women remembered Song Xinran and hurriedly asked, "Song, dear, aren't you set up right next to that fried skewer stall? You're so close—have you seen what kind of meat they use?"
Immediately, all eyes turned to Song Xinran, as if waiting for her to deliver the final verdict.
Song Xinran feigned surprise, "I don't know. By the time they arrive, everything's already prepared. But I've glanced over before—their meat comes straight from the freezer, sometimes still partially frozen."
She was telling the truth. They arrived early each day, just as the fried skewer stall was setting up. Though the stallkeepers were secretive, Song Xinran had sharp eyes and occasionally spotted ice crystals clinging to their meat skewers.
One woman clicked her tongue, "Frozen skewers? Can't be good meat!"
Song Xinran replied, "I wouldn't know about that. But our Bobo Chicken uses fresh meat—I buy it at the market every morning!"
Another woman quickly added, "That's right, I often run into Song at the market buying meat and vegetables."
Lowering her voice, Song Xinran said, "But I've heard people say their skewers are made from Lymph Meat that's been frozen for years."
A wave of gasps swept through the group. An old woman asked, "Who said that?"
Song Xinran whispered, "Sister Feng, who sells fried potatoes next to us. Please don't spread this around—she told me out of kindness. We shouldn't make things difficult for others."
"Don't worry, I definitely won't tell anyone!"
"It's just that the couple selling fried skewers are truly wicked, using lymph meat to sell to students. Their conscience has been eaten by dogs!"
"If I see my grandson buying that again today, I'll give him a good talking-to and tell his parents too. How can anyone eat such filthy things!"
…
Listening to these remarks, Song Xinran pretended to console them: "Kids just love eating these things, especially when the fried skewer stall is running promotions."
"What promotions? None of their ingredients are any good!"
Song Xinran felt inwardly amused, recalling from the original host's memories how in her rural childhood, groups of elderly folks would often gather to gossip about others.
The original host and Song Xinwen had lost their mother early, and their father was too busy with work to care for them properly. Families like theirs were most susceptible to malicious rumors.
Whenever they passed by, some ill-intentioned people would ask, "Has your father found you a new mom yet? Two young girls can't manage without a mother at home."
The original host had deeply resented this.
Never did she imagine she'd now join their ranks herself. While the elderly gossiped about other families, she could casually drop a few ambiguous comments, feeling quite pleased. On the other hand, she could spread some truthful information to achieve her own goals.
As the teahouse crowd grew increasingly animated in their discussion, Song Xinran listened cheerfully, occasionally chiming in to add fuel to the fire.
Suddenly, a shrill female voice cut through: "What are you all talking about again?! Our meat skewers are perfectly fine! If you ruin our business, I'll tear your mouths to shreds!"
Xiong Li stormed in furiously. She had been wondering why business was declining day by day—they were still running promotions, yet fewer customers came. Finally, she overheard people claiming they used dead rat meat.
Xiong Li was livid. Who was spreading such rumors? Their skewers were made from properly purchased meat, several pounds per bag!
Having run her stall in town for quite some time, Xiong Li had acquaintances. A quick inquiry revealed the rumors originated from this teahouse. Hearing the lively discussion upon arrival, she erupted.
"Which of your eyes saw us using dead rat meat?" Xiong Li exploded. "It's easy for you to say—have you ever eaten dead rats? All you do is badmouth our business!"
"Whoever started this, I'll drag them to the police station and settle this properly!"
Xiong Li was clearly not one to be trifled with—glaring fiercely, stout-framed, her gaze sweeping over the elderly as if she wanted to devour them.
An old woman retorted, "You're quite the tough one! That young girl ended up in the clinic after eating your fried skewers!"
Xiong Li showed no fear: "Did she only eat our food without even drinking water? Stuffing herself randomly at home, then blaming our stall when she gets sick? I'll take her to the city hospital and have them cut open her stomach to see what's really inside!"
Xiong Li single-handedly battled the crowd. Young and in her prime, she cared nothing about accusations of disrespecting elders. The elderly group began losing ground when someone suddenly said, "Sister Song, didn't you say you saw them using dead rat meat?"
Xiong Li's murderous gaze instantly locked onto Song Xinran. Meeting her eyes unflinchingly, Song Xinran's sharp stare actually made Xiong Li hesitate slightly before countering: "Keep spreading lies and I'll rip your mouth apart!"
Song Xinran smiled, "If you want to tear into someone, you should start with others first."
She spread her hands, "I never said you were selling dead rat meat. I only heard from others that you sell frozen meat skewers."
She feigned an innocent expression, but Xiong Li didn't believe a word of it. "Who else would say such things besides you!"
Song Xinran deliberately evaded, "Never mind who said it. That person is the most honest—how could they possibly spread rumors?"
The elderly folks nearby had long known from Song Xinran that "that person" referred to Sister Feng. They murmured among themselves, "The potato fryer has an honest face—they definitely wouldn’t gossip."
"Exactly! If there were no issues, it’s impossible that everyone would complain!"
Xiong Li overheard every word. If she had heard Sister Feng’s name from Song Xinran, she would have suspected Song Xinran was stirring trouble. But hearing it from the elderly was entirely different.
Especially these past few days, Sister Feng had inexplicably grown close to Song Xinwen, chatting together daily. Xiong Li had long sensed something off, and now it was clear—Sister Feng was trying to harm them!
Xiong Li’s eyes nearly bulged out. She only wanted to deal with Song Xinran first and stormed toward her. Song Xinran nimbly dodged, deliberately provoking her, "It’s a fact that someone’s child got a stomachache after eating at your stall. Back when our business was thriving, such things never happened."
"Even if it’s not dead rat meat, it must be some shady meat."
Xiong Li flew into a rage, "I’ll drag you to the police station and have you locked up!"
Song Xinran showed no fear, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Oh, really? I wonder if the police would arrest you or me."
"Pan Nan Bridge corner store, two yuan a bag—no wonder they say the money is easy to make."
Xiong Li froze on the spot, staring wide-eyed in disbelief at Song Xinran, her heart instantly panicked.
How did Song Xinran know their supply point? Did she have other information? How could someone who’d only been in town for less than a month know such secrets!
Song Xinran smirked provocatively, "Still want to go to the police station?" I happen to know someone who can testify and reveal what kind of meat you’re really using."
In that moment, Xiong Li’s bravado deflated completely. She no longer dared to confront Song Xinran here. If Song Xinran insisted on going to the police and exposing more secrets, she’d be finished for good.
But with so many people in the teahouse watching, she had to pretend to be tough. "I have no idea what you’re talking about!"
Song Xinran put on a triumphant air. "You might not understand, but someone else will."
In Xiong Li’s mind, that "someone" was Sister Feng. She gritted her teeth, wishing she could tear both of them apart. "Just wait—I’ll deal with both of you!"
Song Xinran immediately feigned panic. "Who are you going to deal with? That person only spoke the truth!"
Seeing her reaction, Xiong Li sneered and hurried away, her mind in turmoil, afraid Song Xinran might force her to the police station.
As soon as Xiong Li left, the previously suppressed elderly folks burst into discussion:
"That one’s clearly black-hearted—her goods must be rotten!"
"Exactly, and so ill-tempered, with no respect for elders."
"If I catch my grandson buying her fried skewers, I’ll give him a beating!"
…
As the group chatted, someone suddenly said, "Where's Sister Song? She knows the inside story—let her tell us."
But when everyone looked around, there wasn't even a trace of Song Xinran to be seen.
With her task completed, Song Xinran had naturally returned home.
Song Xinwen could tell from her expression that there was likely good news today.
Song Xinran didn't beat around the bush: "Xiong Li came to the teahouse today, putting on quite a show, but left after just a few words."
Resting her chin in her hand, she seemed to recall something and couldn't stop laughing: "Probably went to find Sister Feng by now."
Song Xinwen slapped the table excitedly: "You did well. They definitely won't dare to use us as pawns anymore."
Song Xinran nodded.
When they first started setting up their stall, being two women with children, their business was quite good. Many people tried to take advantage of them, thinking they were easy targets. Previously, the skewer stall had particularly targeted them, but now it seemed that skewer stall wouldn't last much longer. With Sister Feng's situation serving as a cautionary tale, nobody would likely think they were easy to push around anymore.
If things were as Song Xinran predicted, then when they set up stall in the afternoon, Sister Feng would come storming over, her face full of resentment.
The couple from the neighboring skewer stall stood with arms crossed, watching coldly. Their tricycle was decorated with festive "Big Sale" signs that looked completely out of place.
"What nonsense have you been spreading!" Sister Feng demanded loudly as soon as she reached their stall. "What did I ever tell you that you'd go ruin my reputation? And saying I told you the skewer stall uses rotten ingredients!"
Up close, Song Xinran noticed Sister Feng was quite injured—there were light scratches on her face, and a patch of her scalp was visible where hair had been torn out, the skin beneath red and raw.
Song Xinran put on an aggrieved expression: "Sister Feng, we haven't said anything."
Glancing sideways at the skewer stall, Sister Feng snapped, "You went around forming cliques and gossiping, then claimed I taught you! What exactly did I teach you?"
Still maintaining her wounded expression, Song Xinran said, "Sister Feng, you've misunderstood. I never said you taught me."
"Then why did people come to me saying I have a big mouth and threatening to tear it apart?!" Sister Feng was truly furious now.
She'd been peacefully napping at home when suddenly her door was knocked open. The skewer stall couple had barged in, showering her with abuse. That shrew Xiong Li had even gotten physical, though Sister Feng had given as good as she got with plenty of underhanded moves.
But her revenge wasn't complete—she still needed to have a proper talk with these Bobo Chicken sellers and find out who'd been spreading lies!
She'd never specifically said what kind of meat the skewer stall used or where they bought it.
Song Xinran opened her mouth but lowered her head without speaking.
Song Xinwen stood up, looking like she'd reached her limit: "Sister Feng, I never told anyone else what you said about the skewer stall using rotten meat—only my family."
Sister Feng had anticipated this and retorted immediately: "When did I ever tell you that?"
Song Xinwen remembered clearly: "Tuesday evening when I was drinking water at the teahouse, you came and called me away! There were plenty of witnesses!"As Sister Feng prepared to retort, Song Xinwen cut her off: 'If you hadn't told me these things, how would I have known so much being new here?" If you hadn't told me where Xiong Li lives, how could I have gone directly there? You even told me where to buy those frozen meat skewers and said you'd seen Xiong Li's people going there!"
Sister Feng widened her eyes in disbelief. When had she ever said those words?
Watching Song Xinwen's earnest and confident expression, she almost began to doubt her own memory.
Song Xinwen didn't even wait for her to finish, cutting in directly: "I used to live in the countryside and wasn't familiar with the town at all. How could I possibly know about these places! Sister Feng, I treated you like family, but now you're speaking ill of my sister. I've truly misjudged you!"
Sister Feng was utterly shocked: "I never said those things!"
How could she have told Song Xinwen such things? The vendors at Pannan Bridge weren't easy to deal with, and she wouldn't risk offending them by giving Song Xinwen such detailed information.
Suddenly she realized she had fallen into a trap set by the Song Xinran sisters, but before she could speak, Xiong Li lunged at her.
Everyone could see how close Sister Feng and Song Xinwen had been these past few days. What Song Xinwen said made sense – how could a newcomer learn all this so quickly? Someone must have told her!
Xiong Li roared in fury: "Feng Fang, how dare you scheme against me!"
Sister Feng's pupils contracted as she quickly dodged. Yang Changhai immediately joined the fray. Since Sister Feng's stall was closer to the front, her husband saw the commotion and rushed over. Soon, all four were tangled in a chaotic brawl.
Nearby stall owners hurried over to break up the fight, shouting, "Stop fighting! Do you still want to do business or not?" But their hands remained largely inactive. It wasn't until school was about to let out that they finally managed to separate the four.
However, the fried skewer stall's business plummeted that day. Whether it was because both husband and wife were visibly injured or because the news about rat meat was shocking, despite their loudspeaker continuing to cheerfully promote their goods, not a single customer approached.
Several students who wanted to buy fried skewers were pulled away by their companions before they could get close: "Don't buy from them! Do you want to eat rat meat?"
Xiong Li and Yang Changhai looked like they were barely restraining themselves from cursing, but could only swallow their anger in silence.
That day, business was generally good at the snack stalls outside No. 3 Middle School, but the Bobo Chicken stall attracted the most students. Song Xinran's small stall saw business return to its opening day levels, selling out in less than an hour.
Song Xinwen exclaimed triumphantly: "We've finally dealt with that fried skewer stall! Let's see if they dare mock us again!"
Song Xinran said: "I doubt there will be a next time. The news about their poor quality ingredients has spread throughout the town. No one will buy from them anymore. In small towns, reputation is everything in business."
Song Xinwen beamed: "That's wonderful!"
Song Xinran said: "Let's hurry home. Xiao Yu has been alone at home for two or three hours already."
Because of what happened during the noon break at the teahouse, Song Xinran had anticipated significant trouble during the afternoon stall operation.
Song Yu was still so young – Song Xinran didn't want him witnessing such scenes, and feared he might get caught up in the trouble. So she had let Song Yu play at home alone, promising they would return after selling their goods.
"Xiao Yu is the most obedient child. You don't need to worry about him," Song Xinwen said. "Back in the countryside during busy farming seasons, I was always occupied with field work and had no time to watch the children at home. Cai Yongde had to go to work, so Xiao Yu and Xiao Yang would stay home alone. While Xiao Yang would run wild all over the mountains, Xiao Yu was so well-behaved, just playing quietly at home."
Song Xinran recalled how when she left earlier, she had still been somewhat worried about Song Yu. But the little boy had obediently seen them to the door, saying in his childish voice: "I'll wait at home for Mama and Auntie to return. I won't open the door for anyone."
Song Xinran affectionately ruffled his little head.
As they spoke, the two reached the doorway. Song Xinran opened the door and called out, "Xiao Yu, we're back."
She had expected Song Yu to come running out joyfully, looking at them with his round eyes, helping take the things from their hands, and asking in his childish voice whether Mom and Auntie had sold out so early today.
But there was no sound from inside the house. Song Xinran's heart suddenly raced. She hastily set down what she was carrying and began searching the house: "Xiao Yu!"
The house wasn't large—just two rooms plus a kitchen and bathroom—the kind where you could see everything in just a few steps.
Song Yu wasn't home. Song Xinran grew panicked.
Song Xinwen quickly said, "Let's go look for him! Xiao Yu is an obedient child. He might have just gone out to play. He's been in town for half a month now and knows his way around!"
In her panic, Song Xinran retained some rationality: "No, Sister, you wait here for him. If Xiao Yu comes back, keep an eye on him. I'll go search outside."
Seeing her eyes redden with anxiety, Song Xinwen hurriedly nodded: "Alright, alright, don't worry. Xiao Yu wouldn't wander off."
Song Xinran hummed in acknowledgment and rushed out the door. Her foot accidentally hit the doorstep, causing her to stumble and nearly fall. Fortunately, she caught herself by grabbing the wall. Without pausing, she dashed outside.
At home, Song Xinwen was also restless, pacing and muttering to herself: "He's usually so well-behaved… Even when we take him to the stall, he never runs off. What happened today…"
Song Xinran was very familiar with Lingde Town. In her free time, she often took Song Yu out for walks, though recently she'd been more focused on the fried skewer stall nearby.
She felt a pang of regret. Song Yu was only three years old. No matter how obedient he usually was, she should have paid more attention and taken better care of him. Children his age need adult affection the most.
They had moved from the village to town. As an adult, she had her work and had made new friends, adapting easily to the new environment.
But Song Yu only had her. He didn't have a single friend his age here. In this still-unfamiliar place, being home alone must have felt lonely.
The more Song Xinran thought about it, the worse she felt. She knew she shouldn't let emotions distract her—finding Song Yu was the priority.
But after circling the town without spotting him, her heart sank endlessly. She decided to head back first, in case Song Yu had already returned home.
Pursing her lips tightly, Song Xinran ran home. Before she even got close, she heard Song Xinwen's voice from inside:
Song Xinran quickened her pace.
She pushed the door open with a bang.
Song Yu stood with his back to the door in front of the sofa, head bowed. His small figure looked pitiful, and his clothes were somehow dirty. Song Xinwen was wiping his hands with a damp cloth.
Hearing the door open, the child turned around. His grape-like eyes were filled with tears, which began rolling down the moment he saw her.
"Mom," Song Yu cried as he ran toward her, but in his haste, his left foot tripped over his right, and he fell to the floor with a thud.
His crying was soft, punctuated by sniffles.
Song Xinran's heart ached. She rushed forward in two steps, knelt down, and scooped him up.
Tears kept streaming from the little boy's eyes as he wrapped his reddened arms around her neck. Between delicate sobs, he whimpered, "Mom, don't… don't leave me."
Author's note: Thank you all for the nutrient solutions—so many all at once! Thank you~ [sparkling eyes][sparkling eyes][confetti]