CHAPTER 138: CHAPTER 138: TRYING OUT STREET VENDING

Lin Qin encouraged firmly, "Work hard, and you’ll have everything."

She only had a slight understanding of Zhao Xiaohong now, so she didn’t say much, instead teaching her some seafood preparation methods before looking at Ye Wenwen and asking about breakfast.

Ye Wenwen quickly uncovered the basket of almost risen flour, "Xiaohong and I discussed it, and we’ll prepare breakfast like steamed buns and stuffed buns for the kids, paired with soy milk or something like that. It’s easy to make, and the kids love it.

Just right, Xiaohong is particularly good at making pastries, so we started by fermenting the dough, and later we’ll add some scallions to make scallion rolls. There’s no time to grind beans for soy milk this year, so we’ll skip it and make lean pork soup. Breakfast will be scallion rolls with lean pork soup.

Lunch will be the same as yesterday, with seafood noodles, and for an afternoon snack, we’ll have snow ear sweet porridge."

The menu seemed acceptable, and Lin Qin thought for a moment, then made a suggestion, "You can also steam egg custard, make lean pork porridge, oyster thin noodle porridge, flour piece soup, milk with steamed buns, etc. These are all suitable snacks.

As for milk, from what I know, there are plenty of water buffalo farms in the rural suburbs. If there are many buyers, it can be cheaper. A pound of pure milk, we can dilute with some water when cooking at home, and one pound of milk is enough for two or three kids. Actually, it’s not expensive and very nutritious."

Ye Wenwen was indeed persuaded, while Zhao Xiaohong looked at Lin Qin with admiration, without offering any opinions.

In the following days, while Lin Qin continued her classes, she also taught Zhao Xiaohong cooking skills, and Zhao took her as a mentor with great respect.

Her assistance extended all the way to the National Day holiday.

Seeing that the nursery was going on a short vacation, Zhao Xiaohong seemed cheerful and carefree, without any thoughts in mind, so Lin Qin asked, "Are you planning to have fun or earn money during the National Day?"

Zhao Xiaohong’s eyes lit up, "Earn money, I want to earn money!"

Lin Qin smiled and gave her a tip, "You’re good at making pastries. During the National Day, set up a stall at Friendship Square to sell pastries, steamed buns, shrimp patties, oyster patties, vegetable patties, and sweet potato patties. Try selling them all; even if you don’t make money, you won’t lose. Why not give it a bold try?"

After spending some time together, she discovered that Zhao Xiaohong was a diligent and hardworking girl. Even when life was tough, she never wallowed in self-pity and was always thinking about how to make life better.

She admired such a girl and naturally wanted to support her.

And indeed, Zhao Xiaohong was tempted, though a bit hesitant, "Where should I buy those ingredients?"

She had never bought seafood before, as she had no money. She didn’t manage the finances when with her brothers and sisters, and hadn’t even entered a vegetable market.

Lin Qin looked at her amusingly, "Come to me! If my family lacks anything, it’s not seafood. I’ll offer you the same price as I do for the nursery. Go to Wenjun Seafood Wholesale Store and give my name, saying you want river shrimp and oysters, and they’ll have it all ready for you.

For other vegetables, just find an old lady in the market and buy a bit. Start with a trial, it’s just a stove, a pot, and a few basins, isn’t it? If you make some money, won’t you be delighted? If you’re really unsure, I’ll help you on the first day."

Having said this much, Zhao Xiaohong naturally couldn’t refuse.

Returning home, she informed her eldest brother, second brother, and third sister about setting up a stall.

Zhao family’s eldest brother Zhao Weiguo had been working at a construction site, not taking any holidays. Hearing Zhao Xiaohong’s suggestion, he instinctively frowned, "Sister, I don’t object if you want to try, but I can’t help you. If you fall short on capital, I can spare some for you."

Zhao Xiaohong shook her head repeatedly, her face turning red, "I got last month’s salary; that’s enough. I don’t need yours."

Second brother Zhao Weijia borrowed money for a second-hand tricycle to carry passengers when he got to the city.

"Little sister, there are a lot of people going out during the National Day, and I have to carry passengers, so I can’t help you," Zhao Weijia said helplessly. He hadn’t finished repaying his loan, carrying a heavy debt burden.

Third sister Zhao Xiaoqing worked washing dishes at a restaurant, thirty days a month, without any holidays, so she couldn’t help either.

Zhao Xiaohong understood her brothers’ and sister’s situations and didn’t expect help from them; she just notified them so they’d be aware.

On the first day of the National Day holiday.

At the crack of dawn, Zhao Xiaohong headed to Wenjun Seafood Wholesale Store. It was just after five o’clock, and the seafood store was bustling with people, the thriving business astonishing.

She was just a young girl and couldn’t push through the crowd of big men, anxiously looking in from the outside.

A few elderly folks taking a morning walk noticed Zhao Xiaohong standing at the seafood store entrance for quite some time without moving and immediately approached to inquire, "Young girl, what are you doing?"

Zhao Xiaohong shyly explained her purpose.

These seasoned elders immediately discerned whether Zhao Xiaohong was telling the truth or not.

An older lady instantly took her hand, "Come! I’ll take you in."

With the elderly lady’s guidance, Zhao Xiaohong successfully reached Lin Shaojun.

"Shaoyun! This girl said she wants to buy seafood. She’s been pacing outside for quite a while without daring to come in. You should ask her what she needs."

Lin Shaojun nodded quickly, looking at Zhao Xiaohong, "What do you need?"

Zhao Xiaohong’s face flushed, and she hesitated, saying, "Um... Sister Lin Qin asked me to buy river shrimp and oysters here. I’m the cook for the nursery."

Lin Shaojun suddenly understood, "You’re Zhao Xiaohong, right?"

Zhao Xiaohong nodded eagerly.

Lin Shaojun turned back and handed her two bags of oysters and one bag of river shrimp, "Everything is here, four pounds each. I’ve noted it down, and you can settle it with Ah Qin later."

Zhao Xiaohong quickly left the seafood store with her purchases.

She immediately went to the nearby vegetable market and bought carrots, cabbages, scallions, and garlic, as well as ten pounds of sweet potatoes.

Having bought flour and sweet potato flour in advance, the only thing left was to prepare the batter, and she could set up her stall.

Once she was almost ready, Zhao Weijia rode his tricycle to help her transport her stuff to Friendship Square.

This time she brought two small coal stoves, one for steaming buns and mantou, the other for frying food.

Once everything was roughly set up, Zhao Weijia, seeing no people around, was somewhat worried, "Little sister, do you think these things can be sold today?"

Zhao Xiaohong herself wasn’t confident but didn’t dare show it. "Second brother, you go ahead with your work; I’ll try it first. If they don’t sell, we can take them home and eat them ourselves."

Zhao Weijia was full of worry. Seeing the time was getting on, he really couldn’t stay any longer, so he had to leave first.

Not long after Zhao Weijia left, people started coming towards the fragrant aroma.

Seeing freshly made shrimp and oyster patties, they immediately bought one of each.

Zhao Xiaohong quickly packed them up, smiling earnestly, "If you like it, please come again."

The customer quickly finished one oyster patty and unsatisfied, bought four more.

Onlookers joined in, creating a crowd.

Early in the morning, there were also quite a few people buying buns and mantou.

Consequently, Zhao Xiaohong sold more than half of her buns and mantou.

It was almost ten o’clock when Lin Qin arrived at Friendship Square. From afar, she saw Zhao Xiaohong surrounded by customers. A smile involuntarily formed on her face. After parking her bicycle, she squeezed into the crowd, "How’s it going?"