Ye Daxian frowned, wondering who it could be. He hadn't offended anyone lately, had he?
Looking up, he was somewhat surprised. "What do you want with me, Old Man Liu?"
Ye Daxian subconsciously took half a step back. Was he going to scold him for being noisy again?
In the past, he often carried a cassette recorder to the banks of the River Yong to play music, and this old man had a huge problem with it.
He hadn't even complained about the loud clacking of their chess pieces nearby.
Grandpa Liu had spotted Ye Daxian from afar and, fearing he might move elsewhere, had hurried over at a jog.
He panted for a good while before managed to speak. "I finally caught you. I was searching all over the streets this morning wanting to buy a bowl of Shredded Chicken Congee, but I couldn't find hide nor hair of you anywhere."
Hearing this, Ye Daxian leaned in and whispered into his daughter's ear, "We've only been setting up stall for half a day, and we already have a loyal customer."
"What are you muttering about?" Grandpa Liu was incredibly impatient. "Hurry up and give me a bowl of congee. It's one yuan, right?"
"The congee was for the morning. For lunch, we're selling Lunch Boxes. Do you want one? There's Braised Pork Belly and Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes. It's even more delicious than the Shredded Chicken Congee, and it's only two yuan fifty." Following his daughter's example, Ye Daxian lifted the lid of a box to show Grandpa Liu.
Grandpa Liu had come specifically for the Shredded Chicken Congee and had been thinking about it all morning. Hearing that there wasn't any, his heart sank to his stomach.
But when he saw the appearance of the Lunch Box, his heart skipped back up.
The Braised Pork Belly was a rich reddish-brown, and the Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes were golden and glistening.
It looked quite good and smelled wonderful.
Grandpa Liu glanced at Ye Daxian. "You made this?"
"I don't have that kind of skill. My daughter made it." Ye Daxian patted Ye Congxi's shoulder, his face full of pride. "She followed a book, and I just acted as her assistant."
Grandpa Liu did indeed have a bit of a grudge against Ye Daxian.
Thinking about how that delicious Shredded Chicken Congee had come from Ye Daxian's family made him feel a bit uneasy.
Now that he heard his daughter had made it, he felt much better.
Grandpa Liu pulled out another one yuan fifty. "I'll take one, I'll take one."
Grandpa Liu carried the Lunch Box home. Like a thief, he peeked inside the house; seeing no one, he quickly slipped in.
The moment he opened the Lunch Box, the aroma rushed over him. He almost couldn't help but chuckle as he immediately picked up a piece of Braised Pork Belly and popped it into his mouth.
This piece of Braised Pork Belly was thick; it even jiggled when he picked it up, and it grew more fragrant the more he chewed.
Just as Grandpa Liu was about to go for another piece, the door creaked.
Zhang Apo had returned. The moment she saw the Lunch Box, her temper flared. "Sneaking food again! What did the doctor tell you? You can't eat fatty meat! You're so old, yet you're like a child who can't even control his mouth."
Grandpa Liu had high cholesterol and had to avoid fatty, fried, and high-sugar foods.
Zhang Apo continued to nag, "We have rice and dishes at home; you could just stir-fry something. Yet you go out and buy food. You really have more money than sense!"
Grandpa Liu looked innocent. "I just wanted to buy a bowl of congee from Ye Daxian. Who knew he wasn't selling it at noon? I couldn't exactly come back empty-handed."
Zhang Apo looked at the Lunch Box. "This Lunch Box was bought from Ye Daxian?"
Grandpa Liu nodded. "But he didn't make it. His daughter cooked it. Her skill is actually quite good; it's delicious."
Zhang Apo fetched a bowl from the kitchen.
Grandpa Liu immediately became alert. "You don't want to eat it too, do you? This is only one portion. Look, this bit of rice isn't even enough for me."
Zhang Apo reached out. "You keep the rice. I'm taking the meat. You go eat the Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes."
Grandpa Liu watched helplessly as his meat was picked away, his heart bleeding.
He had only eaten one piece!
Feeling dejected, Grandpa Liu could only shove a mouthful of Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes into his mouth.
As a result, after that one bite, his mood brightened again.
Usually, the shredded potatoes at home were stir-fried with garlic and just a bit of salt. They weren't like these—sour and spicy, and sliced very thinly. The texture was a hundred times better.
Even though it was a vegetarian dish, it wasn't inferior to the Braised Pork Belly at all.
He shoveled in two more mouthfuls of rice; it was also very fragrant.
In the kitchen.
Zhang Apo glanced at the rice in the pot; it probably needed to steam a bit longer.
When she had scooped out the Braised Pork Belly just now, a small clump of rice had stuck to it.
Standing there, she ate that piece of Braised Pork Belly along with the rice.
Once the rice in the pot was ready, Zhang Apo took two bites of her own steamed rice, put down her chopsticks, and walked back to the living room with her bowl. "Why do I feel like our own rice isn't as fragrant as the rice from Ye Daxian's place? Let me have another taste of your rice."
Grandpa Liu immediately turned around, shielding the Lunch Box completely with his back. He sped up his eating, mumbling through a mouthful of food, "Mmm… all gone… finished it…"
Zhang Apo: "…Stingy."
But that Braised Pork Belly was indeed excellent. The skin was soft and springy, the fat and lean layers were distinct, and it was neither greasy nor dry. Even the inside was flavorful. The salty-savory taste carried a hint of sweetness, and the rich soy sauce aroma mixed with the scent of the meat was truly satisfying. It was the best pork belly she had ever tasted.
After Grandpa Liu left, Ye Daxian sold two more Lunch Boxes, both to returning customers from the Shredded Chicken Congee.
Ye Daxian counted a handful of change, grinning from ear to ear. "That's twenty-seven yuan fifty already."
Subtracting the costs, they had earned over ten yuan.
How many yuan did one earn working from dawn to dusk at the factory?
"If I'd known selling food was this profitable, I would've bought a few cookbooks to look at too. But I'm getting old and my brain is slow. I'd probably have to study for a month to reach your level," Ye Daxian said blissfully.
Ye Congxi stifled a laugh. "Dad, are you hungry? How about we eat while we sell?"
"Sure." Ye Daxian's stomach was also rumbling. "Wait a moment."
He ran to the store in front and bought two bottles of Orange soda.
They had just been taken out of the freezer, and the bottles were covered in tiny water droplets.
"We'll drink first, then bring a bottle back for your mother."
Ye Congxi held down the long straw that was trying to float up and took several gulps, feeling chilled to the core.
This kind of glass-bottled soda tasted the best.
The father and daughter sat on the steps, each with a Lunch Box.
Every one of Ye Daxian's bites was massive, and he ate with loud smacks of his lips. "This Braised Pork Belly is incredible. No wonder that fellow just now was eating so heartily."
His manner of eating was quite contagious, directly attracting several nearby workers.
They were all old employees who had worked at the Electronics Factory for several years. They had eaten at all the surrounding restaurants and were even tired of the small stalls.
"Sigh, I don't know what to eat for lunch."
"How about Fried rice noodles? Or Fried rice?"
"I've already had Fried rice noodles two or three times this month. I'm sick of them. Is there anything fresh?"
…
In the end, as the group discussed it, they still prepared to go eat Fried rice noodles because they really couldn't think of anything better.
When they reached the Fried rice noodles stall, they saw Ye Daxian next door eating with great relish.
Just like viewers stumbling upon a mukbang later in time, they were left craving.
Except for one person, the others all bought Lunch Boxes to take back to the dormitory.
When everyone opened their boxes and took a taste, cries of "wow" rose up everywhere.
"This Braised Pork Belly is delicious, it's not fatty at all. The sauce on top is so fragrant! I'm going to mix it with the rice." She mixed it all together; the meat aroma and rice aroma blended perfectly. It was a true delight to eat.
"The Sour and Spicy Shredded Potatoes are good too. I love this kind of sour and spicy flavor; it really opens up the appetite." This girl picked up a bunch with her chopsticks and slurped them into her mouth like noodles. The sour and spicy kick hit her, and it was incredibly fragrant.
The only one who had bought Fried rice noodles was filled with regret. She stared longingly at their Lunch Boxes, her mouth practically watering.
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have bought Fried rice noodles."
The others laughed and generously shared, each picking out a piece of meat for her.
As she chewed, her eyes lit up. "Tomorrow, I'm going to buy a Lunch Box too!"
…
After Ye Congxi and the others finished packing up their stall, they prepared to go home.
Lin Qiujiao arrived. "I came to see how business is going."
Ye Daxian saw through her at once. "Your mother definitely didn't eat her fill and wanted to see if there were any leftovers."
Lin Qiujiao puffed out her cheeks. "Xiang-ge, you're a worm."
Ye Daxian: "What?"
Lin Qiujiao: "The roundworm in my belly."
Ye Daxian: "…"
Ye Congxi burst out laughing. "Mom, we sold out of everything."
"Sold out of everything? Then how much money did you make?" Lin Qiujiao's eyes lit up.
Ye Congxi: "We sold eighty yuan worth. We probably made about forty."
"Forty?" Lin Qiujiao's legs went weak, and she said excitedly, "Then we'll soon save up three hundred yuan!"
Ye Daxian was also very happy; he wouldn't have to go to prison.
"Let's go, Mom, I'll buy you a soda." Ye Congxi returned the two glass bottles to the owner and pushed open the door of the shop's freezer.
Cold air wafted from the freezer. The soda bottles were soaking in water, and thin frost had formed on the glass. There were all sorts of flavors.
"Mom, what flavor do you want?"
"Orange."
Their whole family loved Orange soda.
Ye Congxi handed the soda over and was about to go pay when Lin Qiujiao suddenly grabbed her hand. "What happened to your hand?"
Ye Congxi froze for a moment, then spread her palm. Only then did she realize what Lin Qiujiao was talking about.
It was a callus formed from cooking, and because the skin had broken, there was a trace of blood.
Ye Congxi was very experienced. "It's nothing. Just sliced too many potatoes and rubbed the skin raw. I'll get used to it."
Lin Qiujiao's eyes widened. "It's bleeding, how can it be nothing? You're not allowed to slice tomorrow. Let your father do it."
Ye Daxian: "Right, right, right. I'll do the slicing."
Lin Qiujiao: "And also, don't come out to sell Lunch Boxes tomorrow. Look at you, covered in sweat from the sun. We can't have you getting heatstroke. Just let your father sell them alone."
Ye Daxian: "Right, right, right. I'll sell them."
Lin Qiujiao: "From now on, the house cleaning will also be for your father."
Ye Daxian: "Right, right, right. I'll do… Huh?"
Lin Qiujiao pursed her lips and smiled, and Ye Congxi also shook with laughter.
Before going home, Lin Qiujiao insisted on going to the pharmacy to buy Red medicinal liquid and a Band-aid to treat the bleeding callus on Ye Congxi's hand.
Ye Congxi felt a bit awkward. "It's really no big deal…" She had been used to calluses in the past and never bothered with them. After rubbing them a few more times, once the callus thickened, there would be nothing to fear.
Lin Qiujiao applied the Band-aid for her. "There, all done."
Ye Congxi looked at Lin Qiujiao, then at her own hand, and touched the Band-aid.
A tingling, warm current flowed through her heart.
Her nose also felt a bit stingy.
Was this what it felt like to have a mother?
Ye Congxi felt a bit shy and was afraid she might cry. She lay down on the bed and said in a muffled voice, "Mom, I'm going to sleep."
"Alright, go ahead and sleep." Lin Qiujiao turned on the fan for her daughter and closed the door behind her.
Lying there, Ye Congxi unknowingly drifted off, sleeping all the way until evening.
She had just woken up when she heard a noisy commotion coming from the courtyard, sounding like a battle was being fought.