The short-haired woman turned to Liang Zhenhua. “Sister-in-law, this is the little girl who saved our mother.”
Jiang Lianyue looked closely and realized she was a familiar face.
“Director Mo, I’m here to buy a bicycle.”
The permed-haired clerk, Xiao Huang, muttered under her breath in protest, “You said you weren’t buying today.”
Jiang Lianyue’s expression turned serious. “I was planning to buy it, but you told me not to touch it when I only touched the handlebar. I felt offended, so I decided not to buy it today.”
Xiao Huang was left speechless.
The middle-aged man scolded her, “A customer just touching something won’t break it. Xiao Huang, your attitude is a problem. Your self-criticism report must be at least two thousand characters.”
Two thousand characters!
Xiao Huang’s eyes widened, her lips quivering. She wanted to protest, but seeing the man’s stern expression, she dared not. She lowered her head and weakly agreed.
The middle-aged man then smiled brightly at Jiang Lianyue. “Comrade, please look around and try whatever you like. Our work still has many shortcomings; please forgive any inconvenience.”
Jiang Lianyue nodded. “Customers are like gods. Your service attitude is indeed poor. If it continues like this, in a few years, no customer will want to come here.”
Indeed, after a few years when the market opens, state-run stores would decline due to poor service and limited products.
The man nodded. “You’re right, young comrade. We will pay attention in the future.”
Liang Zhenhua said, “The people are the foundation of our work. We cannot place ourselves above them.”
Mo Xiuli added, “Everyone is equal. Having a little power doesn’t give anyone the right to look down on others.”
The two leaders scolded the middle-aged man and Xiao Huang in turn, leaving the man drenched in sweat and the clerk blushing furiously.
Seeing that was enough, Jiang Lianyue checked her watch. It was nearly five o’clock. If she didn’t go buy vegetables now, she’d be too late. She said to Mo Xiuli and Liang Zhenhua, “Director Mo, County Head Liang, thank you. I have something to do, so I’ll leave first.”
Mo Xiuli said, “We’re leaving too. Let’s go together.”
Liang Zhenhua nodded and walked with Mo Xiuli, accompanying Jiang Lianyue.
The middle-aged man respectfully escorted them to the door.
Outside, Mo Xiuli asked Jiang Lianyue, “Sister Jiang, don’t you have industrial coupons? If you need them, I have a few at home. You can take them.”
Liang Zhenhua said, “If the price seems high, I can ask Gao Weiguo to give you a discount.”
Jiang Lianyue couldn’t help laughing. “I have both the coupon and the money. I just didn’t like that person’s attitude, so I didn’t buy it.”
“Where are you headed?” Mo Xiuli asked.
“I’m going to the market to buy some vegetables,” Jiang Lianyue replied.
Mo Xiuli said to Liang Zhenhua, “Sister-in-law, you go home to check on mother. I’ll go to the market to buy vegetables too.”
Liang Zhenhua said, “I’ll go to the market as well, just to check how it’s running.”
The three agreed and walked to the market together.
On the way, Mo Xiuli asked if Jiang Lianyue had encountered any problems at work or in life.
“No, everything’s fine,” Jiang Lianyue said.
At the market, Jiang Lianyue went to buy pork. Li Jun immediately praised her, “Sister, your rolled rice noodles are amazing. I’ll have someone come buy them tomorrow.”
Jiang Lianyue smiled, showing her two white teeth. “Since you’re taking care of me, I can’t take your money. Let the people coming give your name, and I’ll give it to them for free.”
Li Jun protested, “Business is business. I should be paid. Otherwise, how would I accept your money later?”
Jiang Lianyue laughed heartily. “Okay, I’ll give you a discount.”
“That works!” Li Jun said with a smile.
Liang Zhenhua saw that Li Jun’s pork was indeed good and bought two ribs to make soup for his mother.
Finally, Li Jun brought out a pig’s tail, which hadn’t been sold. Jiang Lianyue bought it cheaply for one yuan.
After leaving the pork stall, Mo Xiuli asked if she was running a business.
“Yes, I have a breakfast stall and make rolled rice noodles at home,” Jiang Lianyue said.
Mo Xiuli and Liang Zhenhua exchanged glances. “If you want a job, I can help keep an eye out for opportunities,” Mo Xiuli offered.
“Selling breakfast is fine,” Jiang Lianyue said. “Few people run stalls, and business is good.”
Liang Zhenhua said, “Being self-employed isn’t bad. The authorities are studying market liberalization. Soon, the streets will be full of individual vendors.”
Mo Xiuli, hearing this, didn’t insist on finding her a job, but said, “If you run into difficulties, remember to come to the Women’s Federation.”
Jiang Lianyue smiled in thanks.
Mo Xiuli waved her hand. “No need for formalities. We’ve been busy taking care of the elderly and haven’t properly thanked you. Come to my home tomorrow for dinner, and bring Xiao Zhou. My mother has always wanted to thank you in person.”
“I’ll visit then,” Jiang Lianyue said. “But I’m not sure if Zhou Jiajing is available.”
“If he can’t make it, come on your own. I’ll pick you up from the factory dorm,” Mo Xiuli said.
“All right.”
…
After buying the vegetables, Jiang Lianyue parted from Mo Xiuli and Liang Zhenhua and returned home.
She washed the pig’s tail with ginger slices, blanched it, and pulled peanuts from the original owner’s dowry to cook pig-tail peanut soup.
As the aroma spread, Jiang Lianyue prepared the fillings for the rolled rice noodles she would sell the next day.
At dinner, noticing she’d made a large batch, she served a bowl to Zhou Jiajing.
She would wake early tomorrow to grind rice pulp, so after dinner, she washed up and went to bed.
…
Zhou Jiajing was working overtime on paperwork. If nothing unexpected happened, his promotion order would be announced next week, so he was giving a final push.
Engrossed in writing, he looked up when he finished and saw the clock reading nine o’clock.
Patting his growling stomach, he thought, “Damn, where can I find food this late?”
The cafeteria was already closed, and state-run restaurants would also be shut.
He packed up his papers and considered cooking some noodles at home.
Opening the door, he saw the house dark and silent.
Had she gone out again?
Turning on the light, he saw a covered dish on the dining table. Lifting the cover, he found a bowl of pig-tail peanut soup, with a note:
“Director Mo invited us for dinner tomorrow evening. If you’re busy, you don’t need to go.”
Zhou Jiajing held the note, staring at the steaming soup. A strange, complex feeling washed over him, calming the irritability that hunger had caused.
He carried the bowl to the kitchen. The coal stove still had a flame. He boiled water, cooked noodles to 70% done, cooled them, then reheated the soup and added the noodles until fully cooked. A bowl of pig-tail peanut noodle soup was ready.
He placed the noodles on the table, glancing at the clock, it was nearly ten. She still hadn’t returned.
Just as he debated whether to go out to find her, a thump came from the bedroom, someone kicked the bed.
Zhou Jiajing froze, then realized it was a startle in her sleep; Jiang Lianyue was asleep in the room.
He relaxed and began eating.
The soup was rich, coating the noodles smoothly; with one slurp, they went down his throat. As he ate, he recalled the thump and silently laughed.
Aside from seeing her with red eyes the day after their wedding, she usually seemed composed and untouchable. Though always smiling, she felt distant. That thump made her seem more approachable, more real.
After finishing the noodles, Zhou Jiajing wrote a few words on the note, washed up, and went to bed.
At 4 a.m. the next day, Jiang Lianyue woke, washed quickly, and ground soaked rice and soybeans.
Filtering the soy milk, she cooked it with sugar and returned it to the container.
Then she picked beans, stir-fried with minced meat, followed by stir-fried cabbage and wood ear mushrooms.
By six o’clock, the clock struck six as Jiang Lianyue finished preparing everything, tidied herself, and carried the goods to her stall.
She arranged her stall as usual, adding “Soy Milk, 0.07 yuan per bowl” on her small blackboard.
Soon, customers began arriving.
Many were regulars. Seeing the new item, they hesitated. Seeing the price, they balked.
“Boss, others sell soy milk for 0.05 yuan. Why 0.07 here? That’s half more expensive!”
Jiang Lianyue smiled. “My soy milk has little water added, uses real sugar, filtered smooth, not artificial sweeteners. Rich and creamy, not your usual soy milk.”
An elderly man peeked at the steaming soy milk. It looked thick and creamy, but paying the price of a rolled rice noodle for one bowl, he hesitated.
Most other customers felt the same; Jiang Lianyue had sold a dozen rolls but no soy milk.
Thinking quickly, she added to her blackboard: “Buy two rolls, get half a bowl of soy milk free.”
Though giving only half a bowl seemed stingy, the bowls were large, half was enough to drink.
The promotion worked. After two customers, she finally sold the first bowl of soy milk.
It went to a little girl who had come with her grandmother for rolled rice noodles. The grandmother initially wanted only noodles, but seeing the promotion, she bought two portions. The girl tasted it and said, “Sweet, better than malted milk.”
Seeing this, the grandmother, smelling the rich bean aroma, decided to be generous. “One bowl of soy milk, please.”
And so Jiang Lianyue sold her first bowl.
Once the first was sold, the second followed. Other customers, seeing the grandmother savor the soy milk as if tasting nectar, felt the price was worth it. Though rolls were slightly more expensive than elsewhere, they were far tastier. Soy milk, though slightly pricier, was obviously better. Trying half a bowl first reassured them.
By eleven o’clock, both the rice porridge and soy milk containers were empty.
Jiang Lianyue patted her heavier-than-usual money pouch, feeling she was one step closer to becoming a rich woman.