(Word Count: 2262)
Han Zhaodi saw that her father did not come to pick up grandma in person, and grandma pretended not to care, and she felt particularly disappointed. She realized that he was hard on the outside but soft on the inside, and did not explain to her father when she returned home. Her father said that grandma should rest at the second uncle’s house, so she should rest there.
Her mother needed someone to take care of her during the confinement period, but she didn’t need the care of my grandmother who didn’t treat her as a human being. Her mother gave birth to a girl again, and her grandmother disliked her very much. If she asked her to take care of her mother during the confinement period while she was studying at school, and she would be worried that she would not give her mother food or give her sister away when no one was paying attention.
Without grandma, the whole family ate meat until their mouths were greasy, and no one despised or scolded them. The whole house was filled with the satisfied laughter of the sisters when they ate the meat. Han Zhaodi felt that the air had become fresh and comfortable. She thought that even without the braised pork, she would still feel satisfied. How good would it be if there were no scolding or beatings every day?
“Dad, how long can grandma stay at my second uncle’s house?” Han Zhaodi asked casually.
The little girl’s thoughts were written all over her face, but she pretended to be mature and serious. Han Ze sneered in his heart, but taught her seriously on the surface: “What’s wrong, are you reluctant to leave your grandma? Or don’t you want to help mom take care of your sister?”
Han Zhaodi pursed her lips. Who would be reluctant to leave her? Without grandma, they didn’t know how comfortable they were.
Han Ze smiled and said gently, “Your grandma is old and can’t work hard. I don’t want to let her work hard, but there’s nothing I can do. You sisters have always been sensible and filial. You definitely don’t want to tire grandma out. Dad believes that you can do the housework well even if grandma is not around.”
Han Zhaodi looked at her father for a few times, thought for a while, raised her head and said uncertainly, “So, dad, in order to not overwork grandma, let her live at second uncle’s house for a while. Second uncle’s family runs a sales agency store, and grandma can eat whatever she wants. Living at second uncle’s house is the most comfortable life for her. Who made our family poor?”
Han Ze’s face was filled with guilt, and he sighed, “Dad is incompetent, so your grandma has to suffer with me. Fortunately, your second uncle and third uncle are capable people, and your grandma enjoys more with them than with dad. Well, let your grandma live in your second uncle’s house for a while longer and enjoy the good life with them. Your grandma is a miserable person in this life, you must be filial to her when you grow up.”
Han Zhaodi echoed, “Grandma works so hard, we sisters will definitely be filial to her.”
Han Ze was very pleased. His eldest daughter became more sensible and filial under his education.
……
When Shuangji Town held a market again, people found that there was a noodle stall in the ten-meter-wide alley next to the meat stall. The noodle stall was very simple, with a canopy on top and a stove on the ground. A pot was placed on the stove. The pot was filled with smoke and the strong smell of chicken soup filled the whole street. There were two tables inside and a few benches next to the tables.
What was strange was that such a fragrant noodle stall had no customers except the thin man in an apron sitting next to the stove. The man was obviously not in a hurry. He sat there calmly and leisurely. He didn’t look like he was doing business, but rather playing.
“Han Ze, this is not how business is done.”
Zhang Lei’s business was still not very good today, and he sold a lot of meat sporadically.
He had been very concerned about Han Ze’s noodle stall. After a few days of setting up, he helped to get the documents. Today, when the stall opened, he watched from the side and worried about him. It was almost eight o’clock, and he hadn’t sold a bowl of noodles. What’s more, his noodles were very expensive. Most of the people who came to the market were country people. Who would be willing to spend ten yuan to buy a bowl of noodles that everyone can make? He was afraid that he has too much money and can’t spend it.
“Brother Lei, the noodles I make are worth the price.”
Han Ze’s confidence is not without reason. His original cooking skills were good, and he lit up the skill of the God of Cooking. With this skill, even simple noodles can be made into a mouth-watering delicious taste. A bowl of noodles cooked by the God of Cooking, only ten yuan, and he had to bargain with him, he would feel sorry for himself.
Zhang Lei couldn’t persuade him, and pointed at him helplessly: “You, you have to learn to be flexible in business, not to mention that you think your bowl of noodles is made of gold? It’s ten yuan a bowl, why don’t you sell it for a hundred yuan a bowl?”
Han Ze was silent, and Zhang Lei shook his head. Han Ze wanted to make money with this attitude. He thought it would be better for him to go home and farm, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about starving to death.
“I just don’t understand, who gave you the confidence to sell noodles so expensively?” Zhang Lei didn’t figure it out. Han Ze was honest, but that didn’t mean he was stupid. He shouldn’t do such a brainless thing.
“My cooking skills give me confidence.” Han Ze’s tone was simple and his eyes were shining. He had absolute confidence in his cooking skills.
Zhang Lei choked and said inexplicably: “I want to try this ten-yuan bowl of noodles. What kind of noodles are they?”
“You want to eat noodles?” Han Ze looked at him seriously, Zhang Lei nodded, “Give me a bowl.”
Han Ze stood and said expressionlessly: “Pay first.”
“Han Ze, I’m your cousin.” Zhang Lei was furious. This Han Ze was so bad at dealing with people. He had to run around and work hard to help him get a business license, and this is how he repays him?
Han Ze looked at him and said: “Rules cannot be broken, brothers should settle accounts clearly. Since you helped me with the documents, I will treat you to a meal alone.” In a restaurant, you can only follow the rules of the restaurant.
Zhang Lei held his breath and took out ten yuan from his pocket and handed it to Han Ze. Han Ze took the money and put it in his pocket, washed his hands and cooked noodles.
Zhang Lei looked at it coldly, wanting to see what was different about the ten-yuan bowl of noodles. The more he looked at it, the uglier his face became. The process of rolling and boiling noodles was no different from his mother’s. He snorted, but when he filled the bowl, he put chicken soup and an egg in it. His face lightened up a little. He thought this kid was sensible and didn’t trick him.
Zhang Lei was busy selling meat in the morning and didn’t have time to eat. He was already hungry. When the noodles were served on the table, he couldn’t wait to pick up the noodles with chopsticks and started eating. He thought it was just ordinary noodles, but when it came to his mouth, he couldn’t help squinting his eyes and looked at Han Ze in disbelief. It was really delicious. Is this noodles? Could it be dragon meat?
Han Ze didn’t look at him, but cleaned up the chopping board and stove that were dirty from making noodles. Over there, Zhang Lei gobbled the noodles up in a few mouthfuls, the taste of the noodle soup still lingering in his mouth, but he didn’t get to savor the real taste of the noodles, so he chopped them up with regret.
Zhang Lei opened his mouth, swallowing his saliva and said, “Can you have another bowl?”
Before Han Ze could respond, a ten-yuan bill slapped on the table.
Han Ze put the money in his pocket and quickly made him a bowl of noodles, still with an egg on it.
Zhang Lei looked at the egg and said, “Isn’t that a gift from someone?” If it was a gift from someone, there wouldn’t be eggs in every bowl.
“No. Everyone who comes to eat noodles will have eggs.” Han Ze explained.
Zhang Lei thought to himself, you might as well not explain. But thinking about the taste of the noodles, he decided not to say anything, so as not to annoy him and make the noodles he makes for him taste bad next time. He couldn’t help but sigh, you can’t judge a person by appearance. Han Ze is a farmer in the countryside, who would have thought that his cooking skills are better than the chefs in the big hotels in the provincial capital? He underestimated him!
There are many owners who set up stalls to sell vegetables in the vegetable market. Many of them are too busy selling vegetables to eat breakfast. When they saw Zhang Lei go to the new noodle stall to eat noodles, many people came to inquire. When they learned that the noodles cost ten yuan a bowl, they couldn’t help but curse and retreat.
There was a fishmonger who had a good business and made a lot of money. Seeing that Boss Zhang still looked unsatisfied after eating noodles, he couldn’t help but pay ten yuan to try such expensive noodles. What was so special about them?
But when the noodles were served and eaten, they were so delicious that he didn’t even have time to praise them. He just lowered his head and ate the noodles.
Han Ze prepared a big bowl of noodles. There were at least three taels of noodles in a bowl, with eggs and vegetables on top. It was enough to fill an adult man with a moderate appetite, but after the fishmonger finished eating the noodles, his stomach was almost full, but his appetite was not satisfied. In other words, he wanted to eat another bowl.
Han Ze certainly had no objection to eating another bowl. The chicken soup he cooked was enough to sell thirty bowls of noodles, and he had to go home to cook for Wu Hongmei after selling them.
Han Ze had no objection, but the fishmonger hesitated. He had to sell a lot of fish for ten yuan a bowl of noodles. Should he eat it or not? Thinking about the hot weather, why do we work so hard to make money? Isn’t it for food and drink? Since we want to eat, let’s eat. So he took out ten yuan and put it on the table.
The other vegetable stall owners were not surprised to see the fish boss’s actions. After all, if he dared to sell noodles for ten yuan a serving, would he dare to sell it if it didn’t taste good?
Thinking of this, some people were eager to try it. They wanted to try whether the noodles were worth the price, but they were reluctant to spend money. They looked around and hesitated.
Despite this, there were still seven or eight bosses who were willing to spend money and ran over. They all finished the first bowl and felt unsatisfied and ordered the second bowl. As for the third bowl, no one was willing to eat it yet.
At this time, Han Ze had sold almost two-thirds of the thirty bowls of noodles.
After the group finished eating, they returned to the stall to greet other people’s inquiries.
“Is it delicious?”
“Of course it is.”
“Is it worth the price?”
“If it’s not worth the price, will I have a second bowl?”
They are all businessmen, and no one is stupid. After asking, some bosses who were originally hesitant suddenly made up their minds. They are also doing business. Others can eat the noodles that cost ten yuan a bowl? Why can’t they try it? Do they earn less than others?
So Han Ze sold out the remaining ten bowls of noodles in a short time. For the other customers coming, Han Ze can only say sorry to them and ask them to come earlier next time.
Those who didn’t eat noodles were very regretful and complained that Han Ze didn’t prepare more ingredients.
Han Ze smiled and said, “Next time there is a market, please come earlier. I will sell 45 bowls of noodles that day.” After that, he began to pack up his stall. He heard that crucian carp is good at milk production, so he planned to buy a few pounds to make soup for Wu Hongmei.
When the fish owner saw him buying fish, he thought of the taste of his noodles and charged him a few cents less.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152