Unlike the wasteland behind the wooden door, outside the rolling shutter was a clean street with lanes and many storefronts lining the road.
They were already opening for business one after another.
The meat and vegetable market was already packed with people.
Bathed in the morning sun, the sounds of bargaining drifted over intermittently.
So this was the main entrance.
Jiang Ling quickly washed up and cooked a packet of instant noodles using the wild vegetables the old man gave her yesterday.
There was still plenty of rice in the store, but cooking for just one person was too much trouble. Making noodles was easier.
After finishing the noodles, she started wondering again about how to handle this pile of mushrooms.
They looked colorful; she was afraid to eat them, worried they might not cook through properly. What if she started seeing things?
Just as Jiang Ling was fretting, an auntie walked into the shop.
“What fresh mushrooms! It hasn’t rained for half a month, how come there are mushrooms already? Are you selling these? How much?”
Selling them? That could work!
“I just picked these for fun while hiking. Can’t finish them all. Just give whatever you think is fair, auntie.”
The auntie was overjoyed. “Will fifty work? This amount is just right for one meal, not too much, not too little. I’ve really been craving them. Yours are the only fresh ones on the whole street.”
Seemed like she ate them often, which put Jiang Ling’s mind at ease.
“Sure, fifty it is.”
As Jiang Ling bagged the mushrooms for her, the auntie glanced around the shop.
“Are you planning to sell general goods here? That’s a shame. A big supermarket just opened at the street corner before the New Year. Your shop is small; you probably won’t get many customers.”
Jiang Ling smiled and handed her the mushrooms.
“These are all leftover stock from before. I’m not planning to sell anything just yet.”
After seeing the auntie off, Jiang Ling took a quick stroll around the market.
Not bad. All the daily necessities were available. Food, drink, entertainment—everything you could want.
Now Jiang Ling was troubled. She was shouldering tens of millions in debt, and now she only had this hundred-square-meter shop.
What business could she do to make money?
Back at the grocery store, Jiang Ling looked at the three copper coins on the table.
That little brat, really thought he was an ancient person!
But these three copper coins felt quite substantial to the touch, not like toys.
She didn’t dwell on it, just put the three coins into the counter drawer.
After sitting quietly for a while, she finally mustered the courage to turn her phone on…
There were 99+ missed calls, all from creditors.
WeChat messages were also 99+. Jiang Ling scanned them; they were all the usual messages. She didn’t open them to read in detail.
After more than ten days, the top trending search was finally no longer about her family.
Just then, another call came in. Jiang Ling looked at the number, hung up directly, and turned the phone off again…
Before Jiang Ling could finish thinking about what to do next, the sun began to set.
She had bought some eggs and meatballs today, and there were still some wild vegetables left at home. Jiang Ling also picked a packet of seafood-flavored instant noodles from the near-expiry foods section.
The near-expiry instant noodles were almost finished, but there were still quite a few near-expiry biscuits, bread, and some candy left.
Jiang Ling thought these were too sweet and never liked eating them.
While waiting for the noodles to cook, Jiang Ling felt a bit stuffy and thought about opening the wooden door at the back to get some cross-ventilation.
But the wooden door seemed to be stuck on something. No matter how hard she pushed, it wouldn’t open!
How strange. She seemed to have experienced this yesterday too.
Jiang Ling thought for a moment. A strange idea flashed through her mind.
She walked over to the rolling shutter door, pulled hard, and closed it.
Then she went back to the wooden door and gave it a tentative pull…
It opened?!
Was there some kind of mechanism with these two doors? Why couldn’t they be open at the same time?
The aroma of the noodles interrupted her thoughts.
Jiang Ling walked to the kitchen, added the meatballs and eggs she bought today to the noodles while they cooked, and washed a couple of wild vegetables to throw in as well.
A bowl of instant noodles, rich in color, aroma, and flavor, and nutritious, was now ready.
Thinking about how she used to pester her grandfather for instant noodles as a child made her smile. Now she could eat her fill.
Just as she was about to bring the noodles out, a voice came from the door again.
“Shopkeeper? Is the shopkeeper here?”
Again with “shopkeeper”?
Jiang Ling was puzzled.
Jiang Ling went out to look and saw another man in ancient-style clothing with long hair.
He wore coarse linen clothes and had a carrying case on his back, resembling the attire of a scholar from ancient times.
Jiang Ling was almost certain this scholar was playing the same game as the little kid from yesterday.
“What can I do for you, young master?”
The scholar was immediately struck by Jiang Ling’s beauty upon seeing her. Although her hairstyle and clothing were peculiar, her fair skin didn’t look like someone who did rough work. How had she ended up running a shop in this remote wilderness?
One should not look at what is contrary to propriety. He hurriedly lowered his head. “Shopkeeper, I have traveled a long distance and am quite hungry. I wonder what food you have here?”
Earlier, he had passed by and smelled the aroma wafting from here. It was simply too enticing.
He had originally planned to travel another ten li to reach the town before seeking food, but this fragrance seemed to completely captivate him, making him unable to move.
Jiang Ling glanced at the few old tables and chairs placed near the door. They did give the feeling of a small restaurant.
But she really wasn’t running a restaurant!
Yet, this person was already inside. How could she refuse?
“Only instant noodles left. Do you want some, young master?”
What were instant noodles? Was that a special local name? Since it was called noodles, it must be edible.
The scholar cupped his hands respectfully. “Then I must trouble you, shopkeeper.”
With that, he found a nearby table and sat down.
Was he serious? Treating her place like a real restaurant?
Jiang Ling sighed helplessly!
She had no choice but to pick another packet of instant noodles and walk into the kitchen.
Following the same method as before: add water, put in the noodles, pour the seasoning, add the meatballs. Once the meatballs were cooked, crack in an egg, add two wild vegetables.
Another bowl of instant noodles, rich in color, aroma, and flavor, and nutritious, was ready.
The scholar, smelling this continuous stream of aroma, grew even hungrier.
Eagerly anticipating, he finally saw the shopkeeper walk out carrying a bowl of noodles.
“Young master, your noodles are ready.”
The scholar stared at the bowl of fragrant, finely made noodles, the five meatballs each as big as half a fist, and the perfectly poached egg.
His first thought wasn’t about how delicious it looked, but rather—how much would this bowl of noodles cost?!
He hesitated. “…Shopkeeper, I failed to clarify earlier. I only wanted a simple bowl of plain noodles. I am rather strapped for cash and cannot afford such fine noodles…”
He hadn’t asked the price beforehand and never imagined this seemingly ordinary little shop would use such exquisite ingredients.
This was probably not something a poor scholar like him could afford.
You’re really getting into character, huh. This entire bowl of noodles only cost about five or six yuan in total.
“How much does the young master usually pay for a bowl of plain noodles?”
The scholar answered earnestly. “…Ten wen.”
“What a coincidence. Our shop’s noodles also sell for ten wen. Now you can eat in peace, young master.”
Ten wen was probably ten yuan. Deducting the cost, the rest could count as her labor fee.
After saying this, Jiang Ling ignored him and walked straight back to the kitchen.
Her own noodles would get soggy if she didn’t eat them soon.
Only upon hearing this did the scholar dare pick up his chopsticks.
By the time Jiang Ling finished her noodles and came out, the scholar’s bowl was empty, not a drop of broth left.
He respectfully took out ten wen and handed them to Jiang Ling with both hands.
“Thank you for your hospitality, shopkeeper. This bowl of noodles is the most delicious I have ever eaten in my life.”
He was certain this bowl of noodles was definitely worth more than ten wen, but since the shopkeeper had said so, and he himself wasn’t well-off, he took it as the shopkeeper’s kindness toward a poor scholar. Once he passed the imperial examinations and achieved fame, he would definitely return to repay her.
Jiang Ling didn’t take it immediately. Instead, she stared at his hair, trying to find any traces of a wig or extensions.
While in the kitchen, she had thought of many impossible scenarios until she couldn’t even eat her noodles!
“Be honest. Are you guys playing some ancient costume role-playing game? Is there some club that imitates ancient speech and behavior? And you’re specifically out here pranking people?”