The next day, Song Yu woke up very early. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Song Xinran already dressed and ready to go out.
The little one rubbed his sleepy eyes, his childish voice slightly muffled from just waking up: "Where is Mommy going?"
Song Xinran turned to look and saw Song Yu propping himself up on the bed with his arms, slowly sitting up. His soft black hair was slightly messy from sleep, with a small tuft sticking straight up from his crown. His little face was flushed from sleep, and his moist eyes were gazing at her.
The corners of her lips curved upward: "Mommy is going out to buy groceries to make breakfast."
Upon hearing this, Song Yu quickly crawled to the head of the bed and picked up the clothes he had prepared the night before: "I want to go with Mommy."
As he spoke, he began changing his clothes. The weather had turned somewhat cold now, and as soon as he took off his pajamas, goosebumps appeared all over his plump arms. But he was quite skilled—grabbing the long-sleeved undershirt, he shook it out by the hem, slipped his arms into the sleeves, and ducked his head to pull the shirt over his upper body.
However, the neckline of the undershirt was rather small. No matter how hard he wriggled, he couldn't get his head through, squirming like a little earthworm.
Song Xinran chuckled, walked over to him, and helped him put on the undershirt.
Now the little one's already messy hair looked even more like an afro. His face grew redder, though it was unclear whether from struggling or embarrassment.
Song Xinran said, "So this is how Xiao Yu puts on his clothes?"
Song Yu's cheeks felt warm as he piped up in his milky voice, "Xiao Yu's head has grown bigger, but the clothes are too small."
Song Xinran patted his head—it didn't feel much different from before.
"Let Mommy help you get dressed."
Song Yu shook his head vigorously: "I can do it myself!"
He was a very capable little boy. Back at his aunt's house, he had always dressed himself, doing even better than Cai Yang, who needed adults to help him.
Seeing his spirited expression, Song Xinran said, "Alright, Mommy will wait for you outside."
She didn't have to wait long before Song Yu emerged. Aside from his disheveled hair, his clothes were neatly put on.
The little one seemed very happy. As soon as he came out, he ran to her side, tilting his face up to look at her: "Mommy fixed my clothes!"
While leaving the room earlier, he had noticed that the missing button had been sewn back on, and the stained spot on the front had been cleaned. The clothes hung on the hanger, looking as good as new.
"When I grow up, I'll sew and wash clothes for Mommy too!" he declared cheerfully.
Song Xinran smiled and agreed, then picked up a comb, dampened it slightly, and smoothed down his sticking-up hair. Once again, he looked like a well-behaved little boy.
The two went to the market together and bought a piece of pork belly and some shiitake mushrooms.
"What is Mommy making?" Song Yu asked.
Song Xinran replied, "Braised pork noodles. Have you ever had them, Xiao Yu?"
Song Yu exclaimed excitedly, "I've had instant noodles! They have meat in them too, and they're delicious! Mommy, are braised pork noodles like instant noodles?"
"No," Song Xinran said, "but they're even tastier than instant noodles."
Song Yu swallowed. It had been so long since he last ate instant noodles. Initially, Cai Yang had wanted some and threw a tantrum until their aunt bought two packs, saying one was for Cai Yang and one for him.
But Cai Yang pouted and said, "Don't give any to Xiao Yu."
After being slapped by her aunt, Cai Yang pouted and stopped speaking, but while selecting instant noodles, she still picked a brightly colored package based on the wrapper and left a yellow one for Song Yu.
The aunt boiled water and made instant noodles for both of them as breakfast. It was Song Yu's first time eating instant noodles—springy and bouncy, the noodles were like little springs, incredibly delicious. He even drank all the broth.
"Mom, is Xiao Yang coming to eat Lu rou mian?" he asked. Since he'd last eaten instant noodles with Cai Yang, this time having Lu rou mian reminded him of her.
Being young, he simply assumed he would live with his mother from now on, but since Cai Yang was his cousin, she would surely come visit them at home.
Song Xinran said: "Xiao Yang is back in our hometown, far from town. She won't be coming."
"Oh." Still, Song Yu felt it was a pity—Xiao Yang wouldn't get to taste Lu rou mian that was even more delicious than instant noodles.
After leaving the market, Song Xinran went to a store and bought a pound of premium milk candies.
They were called "premium" not because they were particularly rare, but simply because they were the most expensive kind available in Lingde Town, costing ten yuan per pound.
Song Xinran bought a bag, casually took out one piece, removed the wrapper, and popped it into Song Yu's mouth.
Song Yu's cheeks bulged as he chewed, his words slightly muffled: "So yummy, Mom should have one too."
The child imitated her, unwrapping another piece, standing on tiptoe to offer it to her. Song Xinran took it and put it in her mouth. The milk flavor was quite rich, though the texture was somewhat hard—still not as good as what she'd tasted in her previous life.
But perhaps because Song Yu had fed it to her, she found it exceptionally sweet, warming her heart.
Song Xinran had planned to make Lu rou mian last night. These past few days, she'd been more focused on setting up her stall and hadn't paid much attention to her little one.
Lu rou mian was savory and flavorful without being spicy, perfectly suitable for a child to eat.
After returning home, Song Xinran soaked the shiitake mushrooms in water and began preparing the pork belly.
The pork belly needed to be diced into medium-sized pieces—if cut too large, the fat wouldn't render properly, making it greasy; if too small, it would easily burn, becoming tough and bitter.
So for these meticulous preparations, Song Xinran always handled them herself, never delegating to others.
After dicing the pork belly, she moved on to preparing the remaining vegetables: finely chopping the shiitake mushrooms, and mincing the scallions, ginger, and garlic.
Song Yu, watching from the side, wanted to help too. His eyes darted around until he spotted several fresh shiitake mushrooms in the sink. He immediately dashed to the main room, carried back a small stool with both hands, placed it beside the sink in the kitchen, and climbed up so he could reach the water.
Song Yu began washing the mushrooms earnestly.
When Song Xinran finished chopping the vegetables and went to wash the mushrooms, she found Song Yu already at it. The child was washing them meticulously, splitting each mushroom open with both hands, scrubbing every corner, and even rubbing the caps before placing them in the colander nearby. He had already washed more than half.
"Xiao Yu is so capable," Song Xinran never hesitated to praise him. "You've washed so many mushrooms already—you've been a huge help to Mom."
Praise made Song Yu's heart swell with pride. "I've known how to wash vegetables for ages!" he declared, his tone tinged with triumph.
His hands moved faster, his eyes scrutinizing more carefully—he was determined to wash every mushroom spotlessly clean!
But with all his attention focused on his hands, he neglected his footing. One misstep, the stool wobbled, and just as he was about to fall, the little one's face paled with fright.
He would spill the water, break the bowl, and make a mess of the floor—Mom would definitely scold him.
But before his body could hit the ground, Song Xinran caught him.
With a "thud," the small stool fell over, accidentally bumping into the nearby shelf. The shelf wobbled, and all the freshly washed mushrooms tumbled down. The floor was wet, and the mushrooms were now covered in dust.
Song Yu widened his eyes, a trace of panic in them as he clutched Song Xinran's clothes, immediately trying to stand up and pick up the mushrooms.
Song Xinran held the soft little body, her heart still trembling with fear. She hadn’t expected Song Yu to get so excited over a single compliment that he nearly fell. If she hadn’t acted quickly, he would have hit the floor by now. She hurriedly asked, "Did you get hurt?"
Song Yu shook his head, squirming anxiously to get down. Song Xinran was puzzled: "What does Xiao Yu want to do?"
Song Yu replied in a low voice, "I’ll pick up the mushrooms so Mom won’t be angry."
He kept his head down, not daring to look at Song Xinran.
Seeing his cautious demeanor, Song Xinran understood. She set him down on the floor and held his small hand. "Mom won’t be angry. As long as Xiao Yu isn’t hurt, that’s all that matters."
Song Yu lifted his gaze, glanced at her cautiously, then quickly lowered his eyelashes again. "I’m not hurt."
He crouched down, swiftly picked up the plastic vegetable basket, and began putting the mushrooms back in one by one. He kept his head down, not daring to speak, but then noticed that Mom was picking them up with him.
The few mushrooms were quickly gathered.
Song Xinran stood up and walked out, leaving Song Yu feeling a bit lost.
A few seconds later, Song Xinran returned, holding a mop. Seeing the child standing there dumbfounded, still clutching the vegetable basket, she said gently, "Xiao Yu, why don’t you step out first? Mom will mop the floor clean."
Song Yu hurried out, but his shoes were wet, leaving footprints with every step. He glanced back, hesitating, unsure whether to go back in or stay out.
Song Xinran was much more decisive. She set the mop aside, stepped into the kitchen, picked up the child, turned around, and placed him outside the kitchen door.
Song Yu stood at the doorway, his eyes wide and round, his mind in a daze, still holding the vegetable basket, unsure what to do.
Song Xinran quickly mopped the kitchen, then smiled softly at Song Yu. "Xiao Yu doesn’t need to worry anymore. The kitchen is clean now."
Song Yu still seemed uneasy.
Song Xinran bent down, patted his head, and said gently, "Xiao Yu, don’t be afraid. Mom won’t scold you. Mom knows you were trying to help. As long as you didn’t get hurt, that’s all that matters."
Song Yu whispered, "I didn’t get hurt."
His little mind was still a bit muddled as he watched Song Xinran put away the mop, come back, take the vegetable basket from his hands, and place it back in the sink. She turned to him and asked, "Does Xiao Yu still want to help Mom wash the vegetables?"
Of course, he did, but he hesitated slightly, slowly walking back in.
Song Xinran brought a large basin, filled it with water, and set it on the floor so Song Yu could wash the vegetables while crouching instead of standing on the stool.
The child washed with both hands, silent at first. Only after finishing did he whisper, "Mom, I didn’t mean to."
Song Xinran’s lips curved into a gentle smile. "I know Xiao Yu didn’t mean to, so Mom won’t scold you. Mom is very grateful that Xiao Yu is willing to help me with so many things."
Song Yu's tightly pursed lips lifted into a faint curve, and his eyes brightened further. It seemed only now that he truly believed this matter—which would have been considered serious at his aunt's house and earned him harsh scolding—had passed easily with his mother today.
Though he didn't quite understand why there was such a big difference, Song Yu felt delighted in his heart: "Mom, I'm not a stupid child."
"Of course not." Song Xinran looked into the little one's bright eyes and said gently, "Xiao Yu is the smartest baby—you can count, recognize characters, and even draw."
Song Yu felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise. He had rarely been complimented before, but since coming to his mother's side, he received praise daily. Yet being thin-skinned, the child would blush every time.
"I'll go get the chopsticks!" His voice turned noticeably lighter, as if the weight of worry about doing something wrong and being scolded had lifted from his heart.
Watching her child regain his cheerfulness, Song Xinran also felt much more relaxed and began dicing the shiitake mushrooms.
Since installing the liquefied gas tank, Song Xinran found cooking much more effortless. She stir-fried diced pork belly in hot oil until the fat rendered, releasing an instant burst of meaty aroma. When the pork cubes turned golden brown with enticing crispy edges, she added seasonings to intensify the fragrance, then incorporated other vegetables to draw out their freshness.
Under the high heat, all the aromas fully emerged, mingling with the steam and wafting straight to one's nostrils.
Song Xinwen, who had been sleeping, was roused by the irresistible fragrance. She usually woke up with a bitter taste in her mouth, but today, upon opening her eyes, the aroma made her mouth water immediately—the bitterness vanished completely, replaced by growing hunger.
She quickly changed clothes and headed to the kitchen, where she was enveloped by the rich scents: the mellow fat of pork belly, the savory depth of soy sauce, and the piquant aroma of stir-fried spices—all tantalizing enough to make one's throat twitch.
"What delicious thing are you making so early in the morning, Xinran?"
Peering over, she saw the thick master sauce in the pot, glistening with an amber hue that appeared warm and translucent under the light. The sauce enveloped abundant ingredients: translucent pork belly cubes, dotted with shiitake mushrooms, and various seasonings emerging and disappearing with the spatula's movements—layered and mouthwatering.
"Making Lu rou mian," Song Xinran replied.
Song Xinwen gave a thumbs-up: "Just one whiff of this master sauce tells me it's perfect. Your skills are incredible—how do you know how to make everything?"
After simmering the master sauce and setting it aside, Song Xinran prepared to cook the noodles. Strictly speaking, only fresh hand-pulled noodles would do justice to this half-pot of master sauce. But making them required buying flour, kneading, resting, rolling, and cutting—far too troublesome. Plus, people in their area weren't accustomed to eating hand-pulled noodles; every household typically kept dried noodles on hand.
For this master sauce, Song Xinran had specially bought fresh noodles, which was already going above and beyond.
Once the noodles were cooked, Song Yu brought three ceramic bowls to the stove—two large ones for Song Xinran and Song Xinwen, and a small one for himself.
Song Xinran placed noodles in each bowl. Song Yu carried them carefully with both hands, his small face serious, walking cautiously until he successfully set them on the table.
He sat obediently on the stool, chopsticks in hand, waiting for his mother to ladle the master sauce, mix his noodles, and push the bowl toward him. He took a deep breath, his round eyes shining as if glowing.
The chopsticks stirred and lifted the noodles, each strand coated in a thick, glossy master sauce that glistened with oil. The sauce dripped slowly down the noodles, carrying with it trembling cubes of braised pork belly and minced shiitake mushrooms. Before they could fall, Song Yu delivered them into his wide-open mouth, swallowing everything in one big gulp.
The child's cheeks bulged, moving rhythmically as he chewed.
So delicious! Incredibly delicious! A hundred times better than instant noodles!
In Song Yu's understanding, one hundred was the largest number, because one hundred yuan was the most money one could have.
His vocabulary was limited, and he hadn't read many books, so his description of delicious food was confined to the words "so delicious." Mom's braised pork noodles were worth a hundred "so delicious"s!
Slurping until the end, only the broth remained in the bowl. Song Yu lifted the small bowl with both hands, tilted his head back, and gulped it down in one go.
He patted his little belly, which was now round and full. He was completely satisfied, but as he looked at the master sauce still clinging to the enamel bowl's walls, he couldn't bear to just wash it away.
Delicious food was precious. Although he ate well every day since living with his mom, he still remembered the days at his aunt's house.
He glanced at his fingers, slid off the stool, and ran to the kitchen to wash his hands thoroughly. Returning, he picked up the enamel bowl and was about to swipe his clean finger along the inner wall to collect the remaining sauce when Song Xinran grabbed his arm.
Song Xinran's eyes widened in surprise: "Xiao Yu, what are you doing?!"
Song Yu blinked his big eyes, his voice soft and tender: "Mom, I want to finish all the noodle broth."
Song Xinran: "…You don't need to use your finger to lick it clean."
She tried to soften her tone: "Xiao Yu has already finished eating."
Song Yu showed her the bowl: "There's still some left."
The master sauce was thick enough to cling to the enamel bowl, but one small area was now clean, clearly where Song Yu had just wiped his finger.
Song Xinran attempted to reason with him: "We don't need that part. If Xiao Yu still wants to eat, there's more master sauce in the pot."
Song Yu shook his head. He was already full, and though he understood what his mom meant, he felt it was a pity.
Song Xinran always understood him well: "Don't feel sorry about it. I'm just happy that Xiao Yu enjoys eating it. But we don't wipe the bowl with our fingers to eat."
Well… she wanted to say it wasn't very elegant and didn't conform to table manners, but Song Yu was too young to understand.
Doing this at home in private might be considered casual, but if seen by others outside, it could be described as gross or unappealing.
Song Xinran hoped that Song Yu would be liked and treated kindly by others outside, so she needed to teach him the social etiquette expectations. He would understand naturally when he grew up.
Song Yu was very obedient. Though he didn't quite understand why—after all, Cai Yang would eat like that too when he liked something, even licking his entire palm—if Mom said not to, he wouldn't do it.
Hearing Song Xinran's words, Song Xinwen silently put down her bowl as well.
Her thoughts were similar to Song Yu's. How wasteful it would be not to finish such delicious food. At home, it didn't feel embarrassing at all, especially since they grew up in an era of food scarcity. Back then, even having a meal of plain rice was a big event, and no one would leave a single grain uneaten. After finishing the rice, they would even add some water to the bowl, mix it well, and drink every last drop, savoring the taste of rice in the water. It felt so satisfying!
But times have indeed changed now. With improved rice varieties, every household has enough to eat. Though one can't say the food is particularly good, at least no one starves to death anymore.
Some old habits need to change with the times, Song Xinwen thought. Xinran has really changed a lot, becoming more and more like a city person.
After the three of them finished their noodles, they went to the market to buy ingredients needed for their stall today. When they returned, they saw several children standing downstairs calling out one after another: "Song Yu, we came to play with you!"
"Song Yu, come down quickly!"
Song Yu stood not far away. Hearing these calls, his face immediately flushed red as he ran over saying, "Stop shouting, I'm right here."
The four children turned around and all rushed toward him.
Yuanyuan stood at the front, holding a remote-controlled car in her hand, asking clearly: "Why weren't you at home?"
Song Yu glanced back at Song Xinran, somewhat embarrassed: "I went grocery shopping with my mom."
Hearing this, Yuanyuan looked up and accurately ran right up to Song Xinran, asking loudly: "Auntie, can Song Yu come play with us?"
Song Yu was stunned. In his understanding, children were children and adults were adults. Children could only talk to their own parents – how could they speak to other adults like this?
Even bold children like Cai Yang wouldn't speak so loudly when encountering other children's parents in the village.
He ran over, wanting to say something, but heard his mother's gentle voice: "Of course. Are you Xiao Yu's new friends from yesterday? He told me all about you when he came home yesterday."
Yuanyuan was delighted: "Yes! My name is Xu Shuyuan, and my nickname is Yuanyuan!"
The other three children also introduced themselves one by one, though compared to Yuanyuan's boldness, they were somewhat shy and reserved.
Song Xinran waved Song Yu over and scooped all the milk candies from her pocket into his hands: "Go play with your friends, Xiao Yu. Share these candies with everyone."
Song Yu tilted his head, still unfamiliar with such a situation. This was the first time friends had come to his home to ask him out to play, and the first time he'd received gifts to share with other children.
Yuanyuan giggled and grabbed Song Yu's arm: "Bye auntie, we're leaving!"
Before Song Yu could react, still somewhat dazed, he instinctively waved to Song Xinran: "Bye mom."
But several milk candies fell to the ground. Before he could bend down to pick them up, Yuanyuan had already gathered them all and stuffed them into Song Yu's pocket: "Let's go play with the car!"
The children cheered, though Song Yu's voice wasn't among them.
Zhang Xiaoda said: "Song Yu, your mom is really nice. She didn't stop you from going out."
Zhou Xue nodded: "And she gave you milk candies too."
As if remembering something, Song Yu cupped the milk candies in both hands and counted them: "Here, for you to eat."
He gave one to each child, then started distributing them again. In the end, every child had three candies, leaving just one left in Song Yu's hand. After thinking for a moment, he put it in his own pocket, deciding to save it for his mother when he returned home.
Zhang Xiaoda exclaimed: "Song Yu, you're so smart! You can count! We all got the same number of milk candies."
Song Yu glanced at him, feeling this wasn't particularly remarkable: "I can count to twenty."
Yuanyuan said: "You're better than Zhang Xiaoda – he can only count to ten. Count for us quickly!"
Song Yu felt a bit shy, counting aloud on the street in front of so many people. But faced with the expectant gazes of his little friends—his first friends ever—he still whispered softly, "1, 2, 3…"
He wanted to say that he could also read and draw, but he was afraid his friends might ask him to perform on the spot. Being shy, he kept it to himself.
"Xiao Yu has made new friends, that's wonderful," Song Xinwen said. "That little girl is really bold and confident. She dared to call us 'auntie' the first time we met and asked Xiao Yu to go out and play."
Song Xinwen couldn't help but compare her to the children in the village, feeling the difference was truly significant.
Children really should grow up in the city, she thought. They meet more people and become bolder. Song Xinwen also couldn't help but think of Cai Yang.
Song Xinran said, "Environment is one aspect, parental education is another."
Song Xinwen agreed this made sense. She originally thought raising a child was just about feeding and clothing them, believing they would naturally understand things as they grew up. After all, she had grown up that way and turned out fine, hadn't she?
But after living with Xinran for these past two weeks and seeing how she treated Song Yu, Song Xinwen's perspective had quietly begun to change.
The two of them prepared the Bobo Chicken ingredients at home as usual, finished the final preparations, and set up their stall on time in the afternoon.
As soon as they arrived at the entrance of Third Middle School, they heard loud speaker announcements shouting: "Buy fried skewers! Clean fried skewers! Fresh meat fried skewers! Big discounts and special offers!"
The fried skewer couple had set up their stall today too. The banner on their tricycle had been updated with new text emphasizing safety and health.
When Xiong Li saw them, she glared fiercely but didn't say or do anything more.
Song Xinwen scoffed lightly: "Before they mocked us for not being able to sell anything, now the tables have turned."
Song Xinran said: "Don't mind them. They're just grasshoppers after autumn."
Song Xinwen didn't understand: "What?"
Song Xinran whispered: "They won't be able to keep this up for much longer."
Song Xinwen pondered this and laughed: "Xinran, why are you so funny when you talk?"
"But they really won't make a comeback, will they?"
Song Xinran said: "No, just watch today."
The situation unfolded exactly as Song Xinran predicted. Even though the fried skewer stall was shouting more enthusiastically today, not a single student approached them. Students even walked farther away when passing by their stall.
Xiong Li couldn't take it anymore. She directly had Yang Changhai fry several skewers and put them on a plate, then walked to the front of their stall. Whenever a student approached, she would extend the plate: "Classmate, try some! Free samples!"
But the students walked even faster, almost breaking into a run. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't give away the few skewers on the plate.
Song Xinwen almost laughed out loud watching this. Then she heard a student coming to buy Bobo Chicken say: "Auntie Song, why don't you move your stall somewhere else? I'm scared just walking past the fried skewer stall."
Song Xinwen's smile immediately vanished. She hadn't expected the fried skewer stall's influence to be so strong that it could affect them too. This wouldn't do!
But Song Xinran smiled generously: "Thank you, classmate. If I find a suitable place, I'll consider moving."
Hearing this, students from other schools immediately spoke up: "Auntie, move to our school gate!"
"Yes, our area is spacious with only five or six stalls!"
"Auntie, move to my building! I promise to buy every day!"
"Ah, how can you say that? If you can go to your building, you can come to mine too! I'll also buy every day!"
The Third Middle School students weren't happy: "Auntie, just stay here and don't go anywhere! I'll tell my whole class to come buy tomorrow!"
How could they do this – specifically trying to steal their favorite vendor! There was only one delicious Bobo Chicken auntie, and they had to protect her!
"Exactly, auntie, as long as you're here, I'll buy every day!"
The students were chattering noisily when suddenly a woman's startled cry was heard from nearby: "What are you doing?!"
It was unmistakably Xiong Li's voice.
On the ground lay overturned plates and a few pitiful skewers of fried food.
Standing before Xiong Li was a tall, burly middle-aged man—the vendor from the neighboring griddle cake stall—who was roaring at her: "What am I doing? Your shouting here has scared the students away! You've ruined my business!"
Seeing his wife being bullied, Yang Changhai immediately rushed over and shoved the griddle cake vendor with his fist: "We'll shout if we want to! None of your business! Stop meddling!"
But the griddle cake vendor was stout and sturdy. Not only was he unharmed, but with a forceful push, he sent Yang Changhai stumbling backward. He cursed: "Take that damn loudspeaker down now, or I'll make you regret it!"
Xiong Li wouldn't stand for this. She turned and yelled, "Help! He's killing someone!" while grabbing a plate and swinging it at the vendor's head. Although outnumbered, the vendor was nimble. He dodged, causing Xiong Li to lose her balance and nearly crash into the stall, landing hard on the ground. She immediately wailed even louder: "How dare you hit me! I'll make sure you pay for this today!"
The surrounding students, witnessing the commotion, reacted differently: the timid ones fled without even buying anything, while the bolder ones gathered at a distance to watch, whispering to their companions.
Song Xinran's stall attracted the largest crowd—partly because it offered a prime view of the spectacle, and partly because the many customers provided good cover. Onlookers, seeing others enjoy their Bobo Chicken with such relish, couldn't resist buying some themselves. One bite was enough to feel their taste buds come alive, prompting them to buy several more skewers.
Munching on Bobo Chicken while watching the two vendors trade insults and blows—neither backing down—was far more entertaining than any TV show!
Eventually, the police arrived and took both the griddle cake vendor and the fried food couple to the station.
As the class bell rang, the students, having had their fill of excitement, scattered instantly. The other stalls by the gate suffered—they had barely sold anything all day!
Sister Feng stared grimly at the large portion of unsold potatoes on her stall. With this much leftover, even the evening self-study break wouldn't be enough to sell them all. It was a huge loss!
Only Song Xinran's Bobo Chicken sold out completely. Some latecomers hoping to buy more found none left.
With the fried food couple and the griddle cake vendor gone, the area grew noticeably quieter. As Song Xinran packed up to head home, she reflected that she had essentially profited from the fried food stall's misfortune.
Song Xinwen nearly laughed aloud with glee: "Serves that fried food couple right! They got what they deserved!"
After such a scene, they probably wouldn't dare return.
Song Xinran simply smiled without comment, though she had quite enjoyed the day's drama.
Chatting and laughing, the two had just turned the corner and reached their building when they heard a cry:
"Mom!"
Cai Yang shot over like a little cannonball, wrapping his arms tightly around Song Xinwen's leg and sobbing pitifully: "Mom, I missed you so much…"
Song Xinwen looked down. Cai Yang's hair was matted and unkempt, as if it hadn't been washed or cut in ages—almost lice-ridden. His clothes, dug up from who-knows-where, had collars worn pale. His once-chubby frame had noticeably thinned.
Before she could speak, Song Xinwen's heart ached with bitterness. This was how Cai Yongde had treated the child in her absence!
"Xinwen…" An elderly voice suddenly sounded beside him.
Cai's mother stood nearby, her eyes also reddening as she wiped the corner of her eye and said, "Xiaoyang misses you. I brought him to see you."