W Chapter 27
by VolareChapter 27 The Bookish Skinny Monkey
Ten catties of cold noodles were made, using five catties of mung beans.
A large pottery basin was completely filled, looking like a lot.
The cold noodles solidified very well. Ling Xing put some seasonings in a pottery jar and also prepared to do a taste test.
By the time Ling Xing finished preparing, Shen Hui had already drunk two large bowls of batter. As Ling Xing sat down, he was pouring the third bowl into his mouth.
Ling Xing glanced at Shen Hui. Shen Hui, who had been eating quickly, suddenly paused and slowed down.
He swallowed the batter in his mouth. Normally, he could swallow it in two gulps, but now he stubbornly swallowed it in five times.
Ling Xing was amused by Shen Hui’s actions. Seeing that Shen Hui’s eating had slowed down, he didn’t say anything more and lowered his head to eat his own meal.
After eating, Shen Hui carried the basket on his back and left home with Ling Xing.
Today there were ten more catties of mung bean cold noodles, and Ling Xing wanted to help carry some, but Shen Hui refused.
“The road is not easy to walk, you will fall if you hold things in your hands.”
Ling Xing thought it was better not to trouble Shen Hui, and when wrapping buns, he would leave a few more buns and steamed buns for Shen Hui so he could eat his fill.
The family eats that kind of unnutritious food all day long and can’t even eat enough. He didn’t know how Shen Hui grew so strong.
The bun stall was set up again, and the buns and steamed buns were steamed before the diners came out to eat.
Ling Xing habitually waved his hand to call Shen Hui to eat something. It had been like this for the past two days, and Shen Hui would always leave some for Ling Xing.
Today, there were more buns and steamed buns given than before. Shen Hui looked at the person kneading the dough with some doubts. Ling Xing noticed Shen Hui’s gaze and said to him, “Eat more, you look thinner than when I first saw you.”
Shen Hui held the soft steamed bun in his hand and retreated a little to eat quietly.
His eyes lingered on Ling Xing, watching his busy back and the occasional glimpses of his profile.
The steamed bun was very soft and sweet, and not too hot, because Ling Xing had intentionally let it cool for a while, knowing that Shen Hui would eat it quickly.
Shen Hui chewed the steamed bun while watching the person, not knowing what he was thinking, but he ate the steamed bun much slower.
Customers came, and Shen Hui also finished eating the steamed bun and stood in front of the steamer.
The bun stall had new items today, which was somewhat different.
There was a large pottery basin on the table, which was turned upside down and stuck on the table. There was also a pottery bowl next to the pottery basin, filled with sauce.
There were no bamboo skewers here for the diners to stick and eat. In order to be cleaner, Ling Xing could only cut open the oil paper.
If anyone wanted to try it, they would cut a piece of cold noodles, wrap the back half with a piece of cut oil paper, and dip it in the seasoning.
People who came to buy buns didn’t have too much curiosity about the pottery basin stuck down. At most, they would take a few glances and didn’t ask too much.
Ling Xing knew that business couldn’t wait for the diners to ask, so he took the initiative to attack.
“This is mung bean cold noodles newly made at home, smooth and delicate, dipped in seasoning, sour and salty. Today is the first day of sale, there is a taste test, those who are interested can come and try it.”
These words, coupled with the young man’s clear and loud voice, attracted diners who had finished buying buns and steamed buns to come over.
Although they hadn’t heard of what cold noodles were, listening to mung beans, it was not difficult to guess that it was a food made from mung beans.
The young man who had bought steamed buns first walked over. He had no beard and no Adam’s apple was visible on his neck.
After Ling Xing’s observation these few days, he found that men with such characteristics, even if there were no deliberate concealment or smearing on the outside, were all ge’er.
Hanzi all have beards or stubble, even if there is no stubble, they all have obvious Adam’s apples without exception.
If some are too young to tell whether they are ge’er or Hanzi, and there is no obvious concealment on their bodies, it doesn’t matter if they call the wrong name, they will be reminded.
When Ling Xing saw someone coming, his face was full of smiles and his attitude was gentle, “Does this customer want to try mung bean cold noodles?”
The opposite ge’er nodded, “Try it.”
Ling Xing opened the pottery basin, revealing the Q-bombing cold noodles. He held the oil paper cut into small pieces in his hand, and used Shen Hui’s dagger to cut a small piece of cold noodles and handed it to the opposite youth.
“Just dip it in the sauce.”
The ge’er took it and nodded slightly, pinching the part of the oil paper and chuckled softly, extremely satisfied in his heart, “It’s comfortable to eat your food, you don’t have to be afraid of being dirty.”
Being recognized by the diners, Ling Xing was naturally happy in his heart.
It also showed that what he did was not useless. Although it was more troublesome, it was more important to have a good impression on the diners than anything else.
The ge’er followed Ling Xing’s instructions to dip in the seasoning in the pottery bowl, and wiped it lightly on the mouth of the bowl for fear that the sauce would drip.
The mung bean cold noodles entered the mouth, it was slightly cool, and then it was sour and salty. Between the chewing of the teeth, the smooth and delicate taste of the cold noodles was really unique.
The ge’er’s eyes lit up, and he was obviously extremely satisfied.
Even his tone was full of surprise and urgency, “How are these mung bean cold noodles sold?”
Ling Xing replied to him cheerfully, “Six copper coins a catty, or you can buy half a catty. If you need the recipe for the seasoning, I can also tell you, and you can add or reduce it according to your taste preferences after you go back.”
The tofu in the town is six copper coins a catty, and the price of grain is very expensive. Soybeans and some coarse grains are already considered very cheap, five copper coins a catty.
Mung beans are six copper coins a catty, which is similar to the selling price of tofu, one coin more expensive than the raw material.
But being able to buy half a catty is like being half cheaper all of a sudden.
The ge’er really liked the taste of the mung bean cold noodles, especially when dipped in the seasoning, a bite left a sour and salty taste in his mouth.
It made him very greedy and wanted to eat more.
Looking at the steamed buns in his hand, he had spent enough money today. The ge’er gritted his teeth and still wanted a catty.
It was also a coincidence that there were guests coming to his house for dinner at noon.
Buying a catty of cold noodles to go back, cutting it up for lunch, was like adding a dish.
He had never seen or eaten this thing before, and it would also increase his face when it was on the table.
“Six coins, please.”
Ling Xing was a little stunned when he took out the small scale, which Shen Chengshan had borrowed from the village chief’s house last night.
It did solve the problem of weighing cold noodles, but Ling Xing couldn’t read this kind of scale.
He turned his head to look for Shen Hui, but when he turned his head, he found that Shen Hui had already walked over and stood beside him, reaching out to take the small scale in his hand, his voice low and soft, “Husband should go over there to sell buns, leave this to me.”
Ling Xing nodded quickly, and ran to the steamer without delay.
The cold noodles were temporarily wrapped in oil paper, and Shen Hui would remind them when selling them, “If you want to buy cold noodles next time, you can bring a pottery bowl to fill it. Wrapped in oil paper, it is easy to be crushed accidentally on the way.”
The ge’er didn’t dare to look at Shen Hui, only feeling that this Hanzi was too tall, and there was no smile on his face. He was handsome, but his aura was also scary, and he didn’t dare to talk to him at all.
After taking the oil paper-wrapped cold noodles, the ge’er dropped the counted six copper coins and ran away.
He didn’t ask Ling Xing how to make the seasoning. He didn’t cook, and he couldn’t taste the soy sauce and vinegar in the seasoning.
Shen Hui didn’t care if others were afraid of him. He didn’t even raise his eyes and asked the people behind him if they wanted to try it.
The cold noodles opened, and more and more people gradually came.
Being able to taste the taste for free first, if the things are delicious enough, you can naturally keep the diners and sell the food.
Most people bought half a catty, which was actually not a small amount.
Cutting it up would make a large pottery bowl, which could completely be used as a cold dish on the table, and the whole family could eat it.
The cold noodles sold unexpectedly well.
It was also because at this time, wild vegetables had just sprouted, and it would take about half a month to eat them.
Everyone’s mouths had been bland for the entire winter, and they were really greedy.
Having something fresh that they had never eaten before, they were willing to spend a few copper coins to buy it back.
This was different from buns and steamed buns. Three copper coins bought the whole family could eat. One or two buns and steamed buns could not be divided among the whole family, and they couldn’t even taste the taste.
The ten catties of cold noodles were sold out in just over two quarters of an hour.
Ling Xing was also a little surprised, he didn’t expect it to sell so well.
Later, when they saw that there were no cold noodles, they asked Ling Xing to make more, thinking that it could be made on the spot like buns and steamed buns.
Ling Xing couldn’t laugh or cry, and had to explain that cold noodles were time-consuming and labor-intensive to make, and there was no way to make them on the spot after they were sold out.
He also promised to make more tomorrow, and then sent the diners away.
On the first day of the cold noodles sale, the momentum was very good, which gave Ling Xing a lot of confidence, and he felt that the future was getting brighter and brighter.
Work hard, and you can still have a good life with rice and meat to eat, and shoes and clothes to wear.
Ling Xing was full of energy, and switched with Shen Hui.
He hummed a little tune and continued to wrap buns, and his whole body was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Shen Hui listened to the strange tune humming from Ling Xing’s mouth, and glanced at him with the corner of his eye as he slightly shook his head, and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
But he scared the woman who bought the buns.
Shen Hui was tall, and the woman’s angle was looking up. She only felt that Shen Hui’s smile was very sinister, and she took the buns and left quickly.
She walked a long way with lingering fear. Everything was good about the bun stall, but the tall guy was really terrifying.
It was also because of Shen Hui’s strong deterrent force on the outside that no one had come to cause trouble since the bun stall was set up.
The bun stall was set up for less than two hours, and everything was sold out and began to close the stall.
Wang Youmai on the opposite side finally came back to life.
He had been thinking about changing places to set up a stall yesterday to avoid the bun stall, so that he could have a few more businesses.
But other stalls with the same price range had already been chosen, so what was his business?
He didn’t dare to go to places that were too bad. If he really went, he would not only not make money, but also be searched for a lot of money.
He couldn’t afford the expensive ones, which was really worrying.
He secretly observed for a while today and found that the bun stall was selling new things again.
He didn’t know where the little guy at the bun stall got so many ideas. It had only been a few days, and he had new things.
The key was to put on one, and the guests liked one.
He also saw Zhao Lao Ge, who usually bought steamed buns from the bun stall, also bought that thing called cold noodles from him.
He held a large piece in his arms like a treasure, and he didn’t even turn to his stall to eat vegetarian noodles today.
Wang Youmai’s heart was very cold, he had to get away from the bun stall quickly, otherwise his noodle stall would not be able to continue.
After packing up, Ling Xing and Shen Hui went to the warehouse to store and register.
Li Huiyuan, who was working as a gatekeeper, already knew the two of them.
This time, Li Huiyuan was still as anxious as the first time, covering something with paper.
As a result, because the movement was too large, he didn’t pay attention and knocked over the inkstone, and black ink soaked the paper. There were also a few pieces of paper with words written on them scattered on the ground.
Li Huiyuan didn’t have time to take care of the ones on the ground, and eagerly rescued the papers on the table that had not been written on, but still stained a few pieces of paper that could no longer be used.
He held the paper with the smell of inferior ink in his hand, annoyed and self-blaming.
Over the past few days, Ling Xing also knew Li Huiyuan’s identity. When selling buns, many diners would chat and ask if they had anything to deposit in the warehouse.
After getting Ling Xing’s nod, the person started talking and became interested, talking about the deeds of Li Huiyuan, the warehouse gatekeeper.
The other party in Yunxia Town was a well-known existence.
Li Huiyuan passed the Tong Sheng examination at the age of fourteen, and was still the first place, stepping into the path of imperial examinations.
It caused a sensation in the small Yunxia Town, and even in the county.
Yunxia Town had Tong Sheng, but Li Huiyuan was the only Tong Sheng at the age of fourteen or the first name.
Therefore, in Yunxia Town, Li Huiyuan also has a nickname, called Li Touming.
He thought he would be able to sing all the way and become prosperous. As a result, this Li Touming was really unlucky, and his grandparents died one after another after winning the first place.
One person guarded filial piety for three years and could not take the imperial examination, adding up to six years.
He is now twenty years old and is still studying hard.
Li’s family is not a wealthy family, and he also needs to come out to make money to earn a living.
Thinking of having more time to study and participate in next year’s court examination.
Finally, with the help of the county magistrate, he came to this warehouse to work as a recording gatekeeper.
When no one came, he could practice calligraphy and read books, and get six hundred coins a month.
This job was easy and paid well. Six hundred coins a month in Yunxia Town was not a small amount.
Li Huiyuan knew that this was the county magistrate being kind and pulling him.
He didn’t want to embarrass the county magistrate by saying that he didn’t work seriously. Reading books and practicing calligraphy were all done secretly, for fear of being seen.
Every time Ling Xing came, he could see Li Huiyuan hiding his calligraphy copybook with a full sense of stealth.
This person still thought he was hiding it very well and hadn’t been discovered.
Ling Xing helped pick up a few pieces of paper with words written on them scattered on the ground. He took a look at the words and thought that the words were really beautiful.
For Ling Xing, who couldn’t write calligraphy, Li Huiyuan’s words were equivalent to the level of a calligrapher.
He smiled and said, “Li Touming, your words are very beautiful, why bother hiding them every time?”
Li Huiyuan glanced at Ling Xing and saw that he was a ge’er, and immediately looked away, not daring to look too much.
But because of Ling Xing’s sentence that the words were beautiful, the previous annoyance and self-blame disappeared, but there was a bit more shyness.
He hadn’t talked to ge’er or women much, and he couldn’t help but stutter when he spoke, “No, not worth your praise, my words are still far away.”
Ling Xing carefully looked at the words again, which were written neatly and had brushstrokes.
He affirmed, “Obviously they look good, you are too humble.”
Li Huiyuan’s face turned redder, and he didn’t dare to look at Ling Xing. How could this ge’er praise people like this!
Thinking about it, did his words really look that good?
It should be good, the ge’er praised very sincerely, it didn’t look like he was lying to him.
“Really…”
“Store things, we are in a hurry.” Shen Hui interrupted what Li Huiyuan was about to say in a cold voice.
Li Huiyuan couldn’t ask the sentence “Really”. After being reminded by Shen Hui, he remembered that there was something important to do.
After receiving the copper coins, he dipped them in the remaining ink and wrote down the name and address, and took out a bamboo sign from the drawer and handed it to Shen Hui.
After coming a few times, there was no need for anyone to lead them in.
Shen Hui put the stove and pottery pot behind the shed marked on the bamboo sign and left. Passing by the door, he glanced at Li Huiyuan, who was cleaning the table.
To be precise, he was looking at the few pieces of paper with words written on them in Li Huiyuan’s hand.
Li Huiyuan thought Shen Hui was looking at him, showed him some smile, and nodded slightly.
Shen Hui looked at him coldly, the bookish skinny monkey.
The cold noodles were popular, and Ling Xing bought ten catties of mung beans from the grain store again today. He planned to make them with the remaining five catties at home tomorrow and bring them to sell.
Twenty catties of flour were also essential, and he still spent 460 coins in the grain store today.
Shen Hui silently put all the things on his back. When leaving the city gate, Shen Hui said to the young clerk in front of the table, “Help me bring a message to Brother Xu, please ask Brother Xu to come to my stall tomorrow.”
The clerk knew that Shen Hui and Xu Qi had a good relationship, and patted his chest to guarantee, “Don’t worry, brother, I will definitely bring the message.”
After leaving the city gate, Ling Xing asked Shen Hui, “What happened? Do you want to find Brother Xu Qi?”
Shen Hui, who had been silent for a few streets, finally opened his mouth, “Please ask Brother Xu Qi to help the noodle stall find a similar place.”
He turned to look at Ling Xing, seemingly joking, but his expression was really serious and steady, “When leaving, Husband saw the noodle stall owner, and didn’t even hum the little tune.”
Ling Xing felt inexplicably embarrassed and embarrassed by Shen Hui’s gaze. The words felt like teasing, but they were said seriously, and he didn’t know what to do.
Forcibly ignoring the slight embarrassment, he said, “Otherwise, we can change places too.”
“Unless Husband changes places and won’t feel guilty for affecting his business, making himself unhappy.”
After Shen Hui said this, he carefully explained to Ling Xing again.
“The bun stall will affect the stall owners who sell food wherever it goes. There are fewer stalls selling food in Tangfang Street, and the noodle stall is the most affected so far. It is the best choice for the other party to go to another place.”
That’s what he said, but what if the noodle stall owner doesn’t want to leave there?
Shen Hui seemed to know what Ling Xing was thinking, and he said, “The noodle stall owner also wants to leave, but can’t find a suitable place. He muttered softly when he was worried, I read his lips.”
Otherwise, Shen Hui wouldn’t want to ask Xu Qi for help.
Ling Xing was a little surprised, “How does Second Brother know what I’m thinking?”
Shen Hui stopped talking again, Ling Xing walked in front of Shen Hui, walked backwards to look at Shen Hui, with a face full of doubt.
Shen Hui turned his head away, avoiding Ling Xing’s gaze, his eyebrows were slightly frowned, and he said in a deep voice, “I guessed.”