Yongtou Town was named as such because it sat right at the head of River Yong.
Zhang Apo’s house was located right by the riverbank, flanked by several plantain trees. Whenever the wind blew, the large leaves would rustle loudly.
Both Zhang Apo and her husband received nearly two hundred yuan in monthly pensions. Coupled with the money their daughter sent back from Hong Kong during holidays, they never lacked for funds.
However, she couldn't stand being idle. The open space in front of the plantain trees also belonged to her family, so she had enlisted her husband’s help to clear a small plot of land. They usually grew vegetables and raised chickens, giving away or selling whatever they couldn't eat.
Today, the hens had laid two more eggs. Zhang Apo was planning to make Seaweed Egg Rolling Soup for lunch when she suddenly thought of Ye Congxi.
Zhang Apo had always looked down on Ye Congxi’s parents. She had never seen people so lazy; they had perfectly good limbs but didn't work hard to earn money while they were young. Especially that Ye Daxian—with his hair dyed like a yellow-feathered chicken, he spent all day as a Street Wanderer with a crowd of shady characters.
He had even led his perfectly good daughter astray. A while back, she had been coming to Zhang Apo's stall every day with his lackeys to take vegetables on credit. They claimed they’d pay next time, but she hadn't seen a cent yet.
His wife was just as unreliable. Now that she was locked up and there was no one responsible left in the house, the young girl was quite pitiable.
Zhang Apo sighed but tucked the eggs into her pocket and headed out anyway.
As soon as she reached the Ye family’s door, Zhang Apo spotted Ye Daxian coming out from inside. She immediately stuffed the eggs deeper into her pocket, turned around, and walked away.
"Apo, Apo!" Ye Daxian shouted after her, offering a fawning smile. "Why are you in such a hurry? You’re looking very sharp today—you look twenty years younger!"
"You're out of the Police Station?" Zhang Apo had no choice but to stop, as he was chasing her closely.
"I got out last night. Have you had breakfast yet? Want to buy a bowl of congee from me? It's delicious. Only one yuan for a huge portion of authentic Shredded Chicken Congee."
Zhang Apo waved him off dismissively. "Not buying, not buying."
Ye Daxian pulled a bowl of congee out of the foam box. "If you won't buy it, then don't. Here, it’s my treat. Take it, take it. If you don't take it, you're not giving me face."
A warm bowl of congee was forced into Zhang Apo's hands.
She originally intended to return it immediately, but as she lifted her hand, the fragrance of the Shredded Chicken Congee wafted through the small holes in the lid.
Zhang Apo froze… Oh, this actually smelled quite good.
Ye Daxian grinned cheekily. "Apo, since I've treated you to congee, how about you lend me a yuan?"
Zhang Apo rolled her eyes at him, grumbling even as she eventually pulled a yuan from her pocket and stuffed it into his hand. "Fine, fine, take it." Whatever, the congee smelled decent enough; it wasn't a total loss.
"Take care now!" Ye Daxian happily tucked the money into his pocket. His first sale!
Back at home, Zhang Apo put the eggs back in the cupboard and grabbed a spoon.
She lifted the lid, and as the steam rose, the aroma intensified. The congee base was thick and creamy, a golden-white hue with delicate shreds of chicken visible inside.
"The portion size is actually quite honest," Zhang Apo muttered to herself as she took a spoonful.
The fragrance of the rice congee melded perfectly with the rich, savory freshness of the chicken. The seasoning was spot on. With that one mouthful, she felt a sense of pure comfort.
"I didn't expect this Ye Daxian to actually have some skill. Did he cook this?" Zhang Apo was shocked.
She had had many bowls of congee over the years, and this one could easily rank in her top three.
The more she ate, the more addicted she became. Before she knew it, she had finished over half the bowl.
Suddenly, the sound of chickens fluttering and things clattering to the ground came from outside.
"Those damn chickens are acting up again." Zhang Apo reluctantly put down her spoon and went out to check.
Sure enough, several chickens were flying haphazardly around the courtyard, and the broom and dustpan had been knocked over.
She tidied up quickly, her mind still on the remaining few bites of congee, and hurried back inside.
"Oh! Why are you eating my congee?" Zhang Apo stared wide-eyed at Grandpa Liu, who had just woken up. He was holding the empty bowl and smacking his lips. She stamped her feet in frustration.
If she had known, she would have finished it first.
"Don't be stingy. What's wrong with a few bites? I have to say, this Shredded Chicken Congee is pretty good." Grandpa Liu licked his lips, wanting more.
Those few mouthfuls certainly weren't enough to fill him up; instead, they had only served to whet his appetite. He felt himself craving more.
Seeing that it was a plastic bowl, he knew Zhang Apo must have bought it outside. He grabbed some money and headed for the door. "I'm going to go buy a bowl myself."
There were several breakfast stalls near the house, but only one sold congee.
Grandpa Liu usually ate breakfast at home and had never bought it outside before.
He walked up and said, "Give me a bowl of Shredded Chicken Congee."
The stall owner looked up. "Sir, I don't have Shredded Chicken Congee, only Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee."
Grandpa Liu assumed the Shredded Chicken Congee was sold out. Thinking it was all made by the same person and the taste wouldn't differ much, he said, "Fine, give me a bowl of the century egg one."
"Sure thing. That'll be eighty cents."
Grandpa Liu carried the Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee home, but after two bites, his brow furrowed.
"This owner’s skills aren't up to par. The taste of this is so different from the Shredded Chicken Congee." The portion was fine, but there wasn't much meat, and the chunks of century egg were a bit hard and chewy, almost like plastic.
It was enough to fill him up, but there was no flavor.
"Where did you buy that?" Zhang Apo poked her head out.
"Over by the gazebo." There was a gazebo by the river with some fitness equipment where many people gathered to play chess and chat. Naturally, many vendors set up stalls there.
"It wasn't from them. It was from Ye Daxian's family. I saw him carrying a box of congee to sell this morning."
"He actually knows how to cook congee?" Grandpa Liu was surprised.
True to his virtue of not wasting food, he finished the century egg congee. He was full, but the craving remained. He went out again to find Ye Daxian.
However, after a full lap, he couldn't find him anywhere.
There were a Toy Factory, an Electronics Factory, and a Hardware Factory in the vicinity.
The Electronics Factory had the most foot traffic, and that was exactly where Ye Daxian was currently squatting with his foam box.
He had initially thought that with so many people entering and leaving the Electronics Factory, his thirty bowls of congee would sell out in no time.
But after squatting there for ages, not a single person had come to inquire.
There were two reasons for this.
First, there were several long-term breakfast stalls at the factory entrance. Customers were used to buying from them and rarely paid attention to new stalls.
Second, Ye Daxian was too famous—in a notorious way.
Normal people would rather walk a three-meter detour than get close to a yellow-haired Street Wanderer.
Ye Daxian stood up to stretch his cramped legs. He reached out and pointed at a young man about to enter the factory. "You, come here."
The young man’s face went pale with fright. He instinctively looked left and right.
Ye Daxian barked, "Stop looking around. I’m talking to you. Come here."
The young man’s lips trembled. Steeling himself for the worst, he walked over.
"Had breakfast yet?"
The young man shook his head. "…No."
"Here, give me a yuan."
The young man was stunned. Was he being mugged?
Wu Lin was nineteen years old and had only recently come to Pengcheng to work. He had heard from fellow villagers that there were many hoodlums in this area who specialized in extorting people. He usually went straight back to his dormitory after work, so how had he still run into one? What rotten luck!
He didn't dare refuse for fear of being beaten. He could only fish a yuan out of his pocket and hand it over. Before he could react, a bowl of congee was shoved into his hands.
"I’m selling you some Shredded Chicken Congee. It’s delicious, I guarantee you'll want more once you've tried it. Alright, move along, move along. Don't block my business."
Wu Lin: "…"
For some reason, he felt a sense of absurdity, as if a snail had punched him in the face at five thousand kilometers per hour.
But a bowl of congee for a whole yuan? The factory canteen only charged a few cents!
Wu Lin complained bitterly in his head but didn't dare say a word. He walked into the factory like a coward.
He found a seat in a corner of the canteen, feeling angrier the more he thought about it.
Just then, his fellow villager sat down nearby with his own breakfast. "What's wrong so early in the morning?"
Wu Lin told him what had happened.
The villager almost spat out his food. "These thugs have become civilized now. They don't even rob you directly anymore; they give you a bowl of congee instead."
Wu Lin was fuming. "A yuan for a bowl! How is that different from robbery? These yellow-haired punks are all no good. The police should lock them all up so they stop being a menace to society."
Angrily, he popped the lid. The aroma immediately wafted out. The surface of the congee shimmered with a thin layer of chicken fat, with even, tender shreds of chicken mixed in. This sight somehow drained half of his anger.
The Shredded Chicken Congee had been kept in the foam box and was still lukewarm.
Wu Lin took a scoop. The soft, fragrant, and smooth congee glided down his throat, and the remaining half of the anger in his gut was instantly soothed by it.
After two more spoonfuls, Wu Lin's heart softened. "Brother, I suddenly think that maybe not everyone with dyed yellow hair is a bad person."
The villager: "…You just said you wanted to call the police."
Wu Lin said earnestly, "You haven't tasted this congee. You don't understand."
At this moment, Ye Daxian’s image had done a complete 180-degree turn in Wu Lin’s mind.
Could a bad person give you such delicious congee?
He had just been complaining that one yuan was too expensive, but now he felt it was an absolute bargain!
The congee was perfectly thick, the portion of chicken was generous, and most importantly, the taste was incredible.
He had never tasted such fresh, flavorful congee. It had a gentle fragrance of chicken fat but wasn't greasy at all. Even after finishing the bowl, he was reluctant to put down the spoon, licking it clean before finally stopping.
Even if this congee cost ten yuan a bowl, or a hundred… well, maybe not a hundred. His salary was only three hundred plus; he couldn't afford that.
But if it were priced at ten yuan, Wu Lin seriously suspected he wouldn't be able to resist buying it every day!
On one side, Ye Daxian continued his "forced selling" tactics.
On the other, Ye Congxi was rummaging through the house, pulling out all of the Original Owner's books.
In addition to her Grade 10 books, her middle school books were also there, pristine and unmarked, looking brand new.
Ye Congxi hadn't liked studying in the past either. It wasn't until the orphanage director enticed her with food that she started learning. Gradually, she got into it and became interested.
Later, Ye Congxi’s grades were quite good, but after working for so many years, she had forgotten most of it.
With a month left before the start of Grade 11, she needed to find time to review all the key concepts.
Lin Qiujiao woke up from her nap and was about to ask her daughter if she wanted to go shopping.
When she opened the door, she saw Ye Congxi reading.
She slammed the door shut, rubbed her eyes, and opened it again.
The scene hadn't changed. Lin Qiujiao hissed under her breath; a heartbreak was truly terrifying.
She quietly closed the door again, making sure not to disturb her daughter's studies.
Turning around, she saw Ye Daxian returning from outside.
"Daxian, how did the congee sell?!"
"All sold out. Look, thirty yuan." Ye Daxian pulled out the money.
Lin Qiujiao’s eyes lit up as she took the cash. "Wow, really thirty yuan! Earning thirty yuan in a day… that means in a month, it would be, it would be…"
"Nine hundred yuan," Ye Congxi said as she walked out of her room. "But after subtracting costs, rent, living expenses, and the money we owe Jiang Wenchuan, there won't be much left. So, it's not nearly enough."
Lin Qiujiao let out a nervous hiccup. Her daughter was being so serious.
"Dad, while it’s still early, let's go back to the market to buy some ingredients. We can still make it back for the lunch rush."
"Mom, I made a mess in my room. Help me tidy it up."
Until they earned enough for a Large Flat, no one in this house was allowed to be lazy!
The couple was stunned for a moment, then both instinctively began to move according to their daughter's arrangements.
At the vegetable market, Ye Daxian parked and locked his bicycle.
"Xiao Xi, what are we selling for lunch?"