Chapter 26: Chapter 026: The Uncle who Drives the Car
Translator: 549690339
“It’s not really a big deal, I just feel like a good thing got messed up by others.” Zhuang Qingsui dropped her head, twisting her sleeves in her hands.
“Hah, 1 was wondering what was the matter, turns out it’s this!” Zhuang Qingning started laughing: “As for selling tofu to the restaurant, it’s still a try. If it works out, great! If not, we have no problem selling our tofu on normal days, right?”
“There’s no such thing as a sure success or failure. Everything has a process, and we have to go through it, try and try again. People always say, if the East doesn’t shine, the West might. There will always be difficulties, but there will also be good times.”
“We have just started selling tofu. Did you already want everything to be smooth sailing? We have a long way ahead of us, so take things step by step.”
While speaking, Zhuang Qingning patted Zhuang Qingsui’s head again: “Your little brain isn’t big, but it’s full of thoughts.”
“In the future, you won’t have to worry about these matters. As long as I am here, just follow me and enjoy your life.”
Hearing Zhuang Qingning’s words, Zhuang Qingsui understood the meaning and only nodded her head, embarrassedly smiling: “I get it.”
“OK, let’s get back to selling our tofu.”
We had spent too much time discussing the incident with the Fushun Tower waiter, and we didn’t actively attract customers. If we don’t call out for tasting, no one will come this way.
Seeing this, Zhuang Qingsui hurriedly began to call out.
“Tofu, one coin per pound, try it before you buy…”
On the street, the sisters’ clear and somewhat immature voices echoed once again.
They’d had a spat midway today, which had delayed them. It was slightly after their usual time when they finished selling the tofu. Still, all the tofu was sold out.
“It’s probably too late to go back and make lunch now. Let’s go to the market and see what we can get to eat,” said Zhuang Qingning as she began to pack up her bamboo basket and cloche.
“OK…” Zhuang Qingsui nodded. “Otherwise, let’s get buns.”
The first day they came to town to sell tofu, Zhuang Qingning took her to eat meat buns. The buns had thin skin and lots of filling, and the juice was very flavorful. Now that her stomach was empty, she craved them.
“OK, let’s have meat buns then.” Zhuang Qingning’s eyes crinkled with laughter.
“Excuse me, make way…”
A bullock cart was rushing down the street. The driver snapped his whip to urge the ox faster and called out warnings to people to avoid them, attracting a slew of looks from passers-by and people at the roadside stalls, who all grumbled in between glances.
“What’s so urgent that they’re driving like this?”
“Who knows? Look at this dust; it’s so high, covering my vegetables. If you drive the cart this fast with so many people coming and going, what if you hit someone?”
“I know, right…”
People around were chattering. Zhuang Qingning and Zhuang Qingsui, who were packing up their basket and cloche, also sped up their movements fearing their things could get dirty.
But before they had finished packing up, the bullock cart came racing by. The driver pulled the rope in his hand, and with a ‘whoosh,’ the cart stopped right in front of them.
“Tofu, do you have any left?” The man who disembarked from the cart was panting, his words coming out in bursts.
“I’m sorry, we’ve sold out of tofu for the day. If you want to buy some, please come early tomorrow…” Zhuang Qingning trailed off, then suddenly realized: “Are you…?”
“The uncle who drove us to the town in the bullock cart a few days ago?”
Seeing that Zhuang Qingning remembered him, Bai San grinned: “You have a good memory. It’s me.”
After gratefully wiping the sweat from his forehead due to the hurried ride, he said, “You gave me a piece of tofu as a fare the other day. I used it to make soup for lunch, and everyone said it was delicious.
“I didn’t pay attention at first, but the next day the cook bought another piece of tofu for making soup, and everyone said it wasn’t as good as yours. They insisted on having your tofu again.”
“So I’ve been bothered for the last two days. Yesterday, I couldn’t take it any longer, so I went out to look for you. 1 came too late, and people said you’d already packed up. So I decided to come early today.”
“This morning 1 was busy and forgot about it. When it was time to start cooking lunch, they reminded me, and I immediately rushed over, but it was too late…”
Bai San scratched his head in annoyance, then added, “What time will you be here tomorrow? I’ll come early.”
“We’ll be here just after breakfast. How much do you want, I’ll set it aside for you,” Zhuang Qingning replied with a smile.
“About seven or eight pounds,” said Bai San. “There are a lot of people for lunch, and we need three or four pounds. The rest can be fried or sliced into silk for a cold salad. It’s getting hot now, and everyone likes to eat some cold dishes. It’s refreshing and goes well with rice.”
“That makes sense. I’ll set it aside for you. Come early to pick it up. If you don’t come by lunchtime, I won’t save it for you,” Zhuang Qingning joked, giggling.
“OK.” Bai San agreed straightforwardly.
Since they are willing to reserve it for you, appreciate their kindness, and certainly don’t want to interfere with their business.
“If I can’t make it, I’ll send someone else. My last name is Bai, and I go by Bai San. When that person comes, they will mention my name. Please remember to sell it to them,” Bai San reminded them.
“OK, I remembered. Don’t worry, Uncle Bai.”
As she spoke, Zhuang Qingning’s eyes flickered: “In the future, if you have more people for meals and need more tofu, just let me know in advance. I’ll grind a bit more. This way, it won’t hold up either side.”
She wanted to gingerly ask what he was doing, and see if she could sell more tofu in the future. But she was afraid that asking too much would be interpreted as prying into his private affairs, so she phrased her words more tactfully.
If he brought it up willingly, that’s good. If he didn’t, she wouldn’t ask. The face was saved.
“That’s great,” Bai San laughed. “When we have more people and need to buy more, I’ll let you know in advance. So you can prepare more.”
“Alright.” Seeing that he didn’t say anything more, Zhuang Qingning stopped thinking about it and just agreed with a pleasant smile.
He couldn’t buy any tofu today. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhuang Qingning, Bai San put down half of the payment as a deposit, three coins, then drove his cart back.
Zhuang Qingning packed up her basket and cloche, then took Zhuang Qingsui off to eat buns..
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