Before the porridge was fully cooked, Su Anyu returned first, carrying half a basket of bamboo segments.
Su Zhen glanced over and widened her eyes in surprise. “You cut over thirty in such a short time? And even smoothed the edges—how are you so capable?”
It wasn’t that she doubted her brother’s ability, but the time was simply too short. From when he left to when he returned, it had been at most half an hour.
Su Anyu raised his eyebrows proudly. “Of course, it’s because I’m well-liked!”
As it turned out, he had run into several close friends as soon as he stepped out. These boys, all around ten years old, couldn’t afford to go to school due to their families’ poverty and couldn’t do much farm work either, so they mostly wandered around the village after meals.
When they heard Su Anyu was going to cut bamboo segments, the group perked up and followed him in a lively rush.
Su Zhen found this amusing. It was a good method—she could hire these boys for future tasks, paying them or buying them snacks.
Soon, the nutritious porridge was ready. The sweet aroma made A-Qiao drool, her eyes fixed intently on it.
Su Zhen chuckled and first served her a bowl of peanut and red bean porridge. Even though they had just finished breakfast not long ago, the little girl still ate with relish.
The double-handled jars had long been washed, and the baskets were lined with dry grass in advance. Su Zhen ladled the three types of porridge into separate jars, carefully placed them into the baskets, and tucked in the large ladle and small bamboo bowls.
Once everything was ready, Su Zhen and her brother Su Anyu each shouldered a large basket and set off for the city.
Mrs. Song stood at the doorway, watching anxiously as the two children walked farther and farther away. She clenched her fists tightly—her children were working so hard; she, as their mother, couldn’t hold them back!
To reach the city earlier, the Su siblings didn’t hesitate to spend two coins this time and took an ox cart directly.
The market had been open for a while, and the prime spots with more customers were already taken. Su Zhen wasn’t discouraged and finally found an empty space at the entrance of a relatively secluded alley.
The siblings quickly set up, taking out the jars and flipping the two baskets over to serve as tables. For cleanliness, they spread out a floral cloth borrowed from Mother Zhao.
“Sis, what do we do next?” Su Anyu was setting up a stall for the first time, his big, round eyes reflecting innocent cluelessness.
Su Zhen arranged the bamboo segments one by one, filling each small bowl with a bit of porridge. The sweet fragrance of the porridge immediately wafted out, though the small amount meant the aroma didn’t travel far. Still, it caught the attention of the aunt selling pickled vegetables next door, who kept glancing their way.
“What do we do? Watch me!”
Su Zhen grinned at her bewildered brother. The next moment, she raised her ladle and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Nutritious porridge, nutritious porridge! Ten coins a bowl! Taste before you buy, no charge if it’s not delicious!”
Her call was loud and clear, cutting through the crowd and reaching farther away.
Beside her, Su Anyu’s face flushed bright red. He lowered his head, wishing he could dig a hole and hide.
He could handle labor, and he could even fight if needed, but shouting like this—he just couldn’t bring himself to do it!
“Hey, why are you so shy? Don’t worry, it’s like this when you first start setting up a stall. You’ll get used to it.”
Su Zhen didn’t scold or lecture him. Instead, she patted her brother’s shoulder understandingly and continued to shout loudly.
And her shouting really worked!
A woman carrying a small basket was the first to approach, her eyes darting over the small bowls made of bamboo sections. “Young lady, are you selling porridge here? This is the first time I’ve seen someone selling porridge at a market stall!”
Su Zhen smiled sweetly, her words even sweeter: “Auntie, my porridge is the only one of its kind in Ping’an Town! Would you like to try this yam and lotus seed porridge? It helps soothe the nerves and aids digestion!”
As she spoke, she picked up a small emerald-green bamboo bowl and handed it to the woman.
Up close, the aroma of the porridge grew even richer. The woman swallowed and said with a cheerful smile, “Oh my, I just finished eating, but the smell of your porridge makes me hungry again! Should I give it a try?”
“Go ahead, Auntie, it’s delicious!” Su Zhen’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. “Free tasting—if it’s not fragrant, you don’t have to pay!”
The woman had come specifically for the free sample, and hearing Su Zhen repeat the offer put her at ease. She immediately tilted her head back and poured the small bowl of porridge into her mouth.
Mmm!
The yam was smooth, the lotus seeds soft and sweet, and the rice was cooked to a tender, glutinous texture. The three flavors blended together, creating a uniquely delightful sweetness.
“It’s delicious! This porridge is truly delicious!”
The woman’s eyes sparkled as she licked her lips, gazing longingly at the remaining small bamboo bowls.
However, she knew Su Zhen was running a business, and at her age, she felt too embarrassed to keep taking advantage of the young girl. She promptly took out her purse: “Young lady, how much for a bowl? I’ll take one!”
Though Su Zhen had great confidence in her porridge and her Golden Finger, she was still overjoyed to make her first sale. “Auntie, all three types of porridge are ten wen per bowl. Since you’re my first customer today, I’ll give you a twenty percent discount—just eight wen!”
With rice, yam, and lotus seeds in the porridge, ten wen was already a fair price, and with the discount, the woman’s smile deepened the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
However, she hadn’t brought a bowl with her—who would carry a bowl when a basket was enough?
Su Zhen was equally straightforward, fetching a bowl she had prepared in advance. “Auntie, I have a bowl here. You can return it to me tomorrow when you have time!”
She wasn’t foolish. By lending the bowl to the woman today, she knew that if the porridge was good, the woman would surely return the bowl tomorrow and buy another type to try. That’s how repeat customers were made!
Seeing Su Zhen offer both a discount and a bowl, the woman was delighted and naturally willing to help promote the two children’s business.
She enthusiastically told the gathering crowd how fragrant and delicious the yam and lotus seed porridge was, praising Su Zhen for her sweet words and business savvy.
In the blink of an eye, Su Zhen’s small stall was surrounded by people, all eager to try the nutritious porridge. Those who tasted it couldn’t wait to pull out their money and buy a bowl.
Su Zhen busily collected payments, ladled porridge, and attended to customers, thoroughly enjoying the hustle and bustle.
Amid the “onslaught” of customers, Su Anyu followed her sister’s example and began helping to greet people, forgetting her shyness entirely.
Before long, the fifteen bowls Su Zhen had brought were all “lent” out.
She called out loudly, “Aunties and ladies, this is my first day setting up a stall, and I didn’t bring enough bowls. If you live nearby, you can go home and fetch a bowl. I still have half the porridge left to sell, so don’t worry! Even if you can’t buy any today, I’ll be back tomorrow!”
The bowls for the porridge are all gone, how can we take it home?
“Luckily my home is close by, I’ll hurry back!”
“My home is quite close too! Young lady, you must wait for me, I want to buy a bowl of peanut and red bean porridge for my daughter-in-law who just gave birth to try!”
Those who lived nearby rushed home in a flurry, while those who lived far away looked troubled, only able to sigh as they stared at the porridge pot.
Suddenly, someone outside the crowd shouted: “Bowls for sale! One copper coin each! If you have water, you can wash them clean right away!”