Hearing the familiar voice, Zhu Zi turned around and only realized he had run to the wrong place after a moment of confusion. He glanced back a couple more times at the man who had taken Wen Ranran’s spot and clicked his tongue twice: “Rat-faced and shifty-eyed—doesn’t look like a decent fellow at all! How dare he steal a young lady’s spot!”
Dong Shu and the others also realized they had come to the wrong place and hurried over to Wen Ranran’s stall.
They had just noticed that the new jianbing had no meat in it! The vegetables were bland and watery, without even a hint of oil. Most importantly, the stall owner was filthy—not only was his cart covered in dust, but the grime under his fingernails could feed a mouse for several meals!
Seeing customers approach, Wen Yiliang’s drooping brows relaxed noticeably.
“What are these Sour Cowpeas and Pickled Peppers?”
As Dong Shu asked, he suddenly spotted the Meatball Noodles in the vegetable bucket—glossy red and glistening with oil, the savory steam wafting right into his face. It made him swallow several mouthfuls of saliva on the spot.
“They’re side dishes, sour and spicy to whet the appetite. Shall I roll one up for you to try, Dong Shu?”
Dong Shu quickly nodded. “Roll it up, roll it up!”
“Roll one up for me too!”
“And me!”
Wen Ranran smiled gently, her hands moving with practiced ease. “Alright! Don’t worry, there’s enough for everyone!”
Dong Shu took the piping-hot jianbing from Wen Ranran and couldn’t wait to take a bite. The first thing he tasted was the chewy, fragrant pancake, with the shredded potatoes crisp and delicious. The Meatball Noodles were springy and flavorful, wrapped in a rich meaty aroma, and the oily satisfaction as they went down was simply unbeatable!
With the next bite, the Sour Cowpeas were crunchy and juicy, bursting with a tangy, spicy flavor. And then there were the Pickled Peppers—with a single bite, their spicy juice flooded his mouth, adding layers of flavor to the jianbing, appetizing, refreshing, and cutting through any greasiness!
Dong Shu kept taking bite after bite, unable to stop for even a moment. It was so delicious he couldn’t help but exclaim in his heart: “Mother! If I could eat such delicious jianbing every day, it’d be a heavenly life!”
The laborer meal squad ate with such relish nearby that they attracted quite a crowd. The customers gathered around the opposite stall watched longingly, their mouths unconsciously opening as if the jianbing were right in front of them. The tantalizing sour aroma was so irresistible that many forgot about the one-coin bargain and defected to line up at Wen Ranran’s stall.
For a moment, the contrast between the two jianbing stalls was stark.
One side was crowded and lively, with customers wearing expressions of pure enjoyment; the other had few patrons and dismal business, with the only seven or eight customers shaking their heads as they ate.
Some thrifty workers and passersby went to check out the other stall, but the customers already eating jianbing there, being kind-hearted, quickly waved them off. “Don’t go for that cheap stuff—even dogs wouldn’t eat it!”
To be fair, it wasn’t exactly terrible—just ordinary. If they hadn’t tasted Miss Wen’s jianbing, they might have been able to stomach it. But now that their palates had been spoiled, they found it nearly inedible.
Those who had been tempted to try the other stall, hearing how bad it was, hurried back to Wen Ranran’s stall.
Seeing Wen Ranran’s business still booming, the stall owner across the way angrily slammed his rag down with a loud smack: “It’s the same stuff! Why can’t I sell any?”
He glared fiercely at the charming young lady bustling about and sneered dismissively twice: “Relying on looks to attract customers—she definitely won’t last long!”
The nearby customers, seeing him fling dirty water from his rag everywhere, frowned and backed away, their hearts aching at the thought of the four coins they had spent.
With the new stall across the way diverting some customers, Wen Ranran sold her goods a bit slower than usual today, but the impact wasn’t significant—no one could resist the deliciousness of Sour Cowpeas and Pickled Peppers!
Dong Shu, still savoring the flavors, didn’t even leave behind the vermicelli dangling outside the oiled paper: “Miss Wen, how was that child from last night? Did you find her parents?”
Wen Ranran tidied up her stall while replying, “We found them.” She smiled, looking up at Dong Shu and Zhu Zi. “Thanks to you both, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to rescue the child so quickly.”
It was the first time Zhu Zi had been praised by such a pretty young lady, and he shyly scratched his head: “It was the right thing to do, it was the right thing to do. Those child traffickers are wicked, heartless scum—they don’t deserve to live!”
“Exactly!” Wen Ranran nodded in agreement.
Child traffickers are utterly immoral!
After Wen Yiliang helped pack up the stall, Wen Ranran bid farewell to Dong Shu and the others, then turned to him and said, “Dad, let’s buy some spices and meat before heading back!”
The midday sun was blazing, and Wen Ranran was so hot that beads of sweat covered her forehead, her inner clothes damp and sticky with perspiration. Yet she didn’t feel uncomfortable; instead, a sweet smile graced her face, and her strength in pushing the cart didn’t wane in the slightest.
Wen Ranran had invested heavily today, buying a large quantity of spices at a fair and reasonable price, all of excellent quality. On their way home, passing by Li’s Meat Shop where she had previously gotten chicken frames, the shopkeeper, Aunt Li, saw her and gave her some more chicken and duck frames.
Several plump ducks were laid out on the shop’s cutting board. After a moment’s thought, Wen Ranran splurged and bought one. After all the hard work these past days, it was time to eat something good to replenish their energy!
Before leaving, she even painted a grand picture for Aunt Li, promising that if she ever started a business requiring poultry like chickens or ducks, she would buy from her shop. Aunt Li was so delighted she couldn’t stop smiling, assuring her she’d give her a discount when the time came.
Filled with motivation, Wen Ranran couldn’t wait to get home, tidy up, and start braising the duck with dried tofu and bamboo shoots to satisfy her cravings!
She and Wen Yiliang pushed the fully loaded cart with great effort until they finally reached home. Before they could even push the door open, they heard a sharp, shrill voice, accompanied by pushing, crying, and commotion, startling several sparrows perched on the courtyard wall:
“What’s the situation at home now? And you still want to take this fighting cock to gamble?”
“Men’s affairs are none of a woman’s business! This family isn’t yours to tell me what to do!”
“Oh no…” Wen Yiliang frowned upon hearing this, looking down at Wen Ranran. “It must be your Third Uncle going off to gamble again!”