“Oh, it’s you! I didn’t expect to see you here.” Qiao Yuwei’s tone was calm, with a slight hint of awkwardness.
Lin Sen and Lin Weisheng both wore glasses and looked gentle and refined. Interesting she finally understood why the original owner had stubbornly clung to Dr. Lin. So this was the “white moonlight” she could never have.
“I work over here,” Lin Weisheng said cautiously, not daring to say too much, afraid that saying more would make things seem ambiguous.
“That’s good,” she replied, seemingly not bothered at all. Instead, she was still thinking about the bone soup that had almost been knocked over. “Thanks just now. If you hadn’t stepped in time, my pot of bone soup would’ve been ruined.”
Her eyes were bright and lively, her expression gentle and polite completely different from the loud, fiery girl in his memory.
“It’s what I should do,” Lin Weisheng said, regaining his composure. “Don’t worry. If he comes to cause trouble again, just go directly to the market management office and find me.”
“Then thank you so much. This stall isn’t mine it belongs to my sister Qiao Zhaodi. You know her too, actually. When she comes back to run the stall, she’ll probably trouble you again. I’m about to cook the dumplings anyway why don’t you stay and have a bowl? Consider it my thanks.”
Her eyes held only sincere gratitude, without the slightest trace of complicated emotion.
“No, no need. I still have work to do, I won’t disturb you.”
Qiao Yuwei didn’t insist. She simply smiled calmly. “Alright then. I’ll thank you properly next time.”
Her straightforwardness surprised Lin Weisheng. He had expected her to cling to him like before, but she had been so decisive instead. Somehow, he felt a bit disappointed.
Qiao Yuwei… really seemed different now.
Lin Weisheng stood there for a few seconds, then finally said nothing more and turned to leave.
Qiao Yuwei lowered her head and patted Sweetie’s head gently. “Sweetie, don’t be afraid. The bad guy is gone. Let’s get ready to open again, okay?”
Sweetie nodded, wiped her tears, and crouched down to help pick up the clean vegetables from the ground.
Seeing Qiao Yuwei’s calm and steady demeanor, Zhao Guihua silently admired her: this girl was becoming harder and harder to understand.
The two of them quickly cleaned up the stall, rearranged the tables and stools, and the bone soup on the coal stove had turned a rich milky white, its aroma growing stronger.
A middle-aged woman carrying a vegetable basket was drawn in by the smell. Seeing the wooden sign that had been changed from 30 cents to 50 cents, she became even more confused.
“Isn’t this Sweetie’s dumpling stall? Did it change owners?”
Sweetie peeked out from the corner of the table. Recognizing her, she sweetly greeted, “Auntie hello! My dad is sick and my mom is staying at the hospital with him. This is my aunt, and the one in the kitchen is Aunt Zhao.”
The woman sighed heavily. She had witnessed the incident where Tang Jiahe was beaten that day he must be badly injured.
Looking at the young woman who had boldly raised the price from 30 cents to 50, she shook her head helplessly. She thought this was reckless across the street, the newly opened Li Ji Dumpling Shop had a fancy renovation and a state-run chef, and they only charged 50 cents too…
Sigh.
Feeling sorry for Sweetie and thinking of their old customer relationship, and with Tang still in the hospital, she decided to accept it.
“One bowl, then.”
Inside the kitchen, Zhao Guihua quickly responded and was about to start cooking when Qiao Yuwei stopped her. “Sister-in-law, watch how I do it first.”
She prepared a dipping sauce with vinegar and minced garlic. Soon, a steaming bowl of dumplings was served thin-skinned, generously filled, with juices dripping from the wrappers and a rich aroma filling the air.
The woman hadn’t expected much, but after taking a bite, her eyes lit up instantly. The wrapper was thin and chewy, the filling firm and juicy, with a faint scallion fragrance completely not greasy, even better than the state-run restaurant. She didn’t even stop to speak, just kept eating until the bowl was empty, even drinking the soup.
“So good! This is amazing!” she said, wiping her mouth and boldly handing over one yuan. “Pack me another bowl.”
Qiao Yuwei pressed her hand back. “Would you like to try our membership?”
“Membership?” both the woman and Zhao Guihua asked in confusion.
Qiao Yuwei pointed to the wooden sign. Besides the 50 cents per bowl, there were small words below: “Recharge 5 yuan to become a member. First bowl free. Every 20 bowls, get one free.”
She briefly explained the system.
The woman slapped her thigh and immediately pulled out five yuan. “With dumplings this good first bowl free, and one free after twenty bowls I’m definitely getting this membership!”
“Alright.” Qiao Yuwei accepted the money and handed it to Zhao Guihua, then pulled out a notebook from somewhere. “Auntie, please tell me your name and address so I can register you.”
“I live at…”
Zhao Guihua stared at the five yuan in her hand, completely stunned. Just like that they made five yuan already?
After signing, the woman shouted to passersby, “Everyone come try! These dumplings are way better than the Li Ji across the street! First bowl free if you join the membership super worth it!”
With her shout, more people gathered quickly. Some were curious, others attracted by the membership deal.
“I’ll have a bowl!”
“I want to sign up!”
“Can you cook more? I want to take some home for my kid!”
“Don’t push, don’t push, everyone gets some…” Qiao Yuwei smiled.
Modern marketing methods were surprisingly effective even in this era, and the upgraded dumplings were extremely well received.
“Auntie, your two bowls are ready extra garlic in the dipping sauce!” Qiao Yuwei called out, writing rapidly in her ledger.
In stark contrast, the Li Ji Dumpling Shop across the street…
Originally crowded with customers, it now had only two or three tables left. Most people had been drawn away by the “first bowl free” promotion.
Some others left due to dissatisfaction with the arrogant service attitude of Li Ji staff, who relied on the “state-run chef” reputation and treated customers rudely.
But customers weren’t fools they weren’t going to spend money just to be mistreated, and so they quickly left.