Chapter 15

It was not until a little after nine at night that the people on the street gradually dispersed.

The customers in front of the barbecue stall also slowly became fewer.

Xin Geling had not drunk a single sip of water, focused only on grilling meat nonstop. Sweat seeped down her back and soaked her clothes. Only after closing the stall did she finally have time to drink some water.

She crouched down to check and found that the foam boxes containing the 375 skewers of beef, pork, and lamb had all sold out.

Twenty-five chicken wings had been sold, as well as twenty grilled sausages. All the chicken cartilage was sold out too. The chives and baby cabbage had also sold quite a lot, with barely a few leaves left.

Xin Geling grilled the remaining five chicken wings, then grilled two sausages. She also grilled the leftover chives and baby cabbage, planning to use them as dinner for her and her mother.

After everything was grilled, Xin Geling put them into a bag. “Mom, what do you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you.”

Lin Huailan sensed that she wanted to buy her something to eat and shook her head. “No need. Mom will go back and eat.”

Xin Geling said, “Then how about I buy you a serving [bailiantales.com]of fried rice noodles you used to like? No scallions.”

Seeing that she had already walked toward the fried rice noodle stall, Lin Huailan could only murmur, “Ah, daughter…”

Xin Geling went to the fried rice noodle stall and ordered two servings of fried rice noodles. About ten minutes later, she came back carrying the two packed portions and placed them on the stall cart. Then she went around to one side and pushed the cart back.

“Mom, let’s go home.”

Lin Huailan glanced at the two portions of fried noodles. She was happy in her heart. Her daughter still remembered that she had liked eating fried rice noodles before. She nodded repeatedly. “Okay, let’s go home.”

The mother and daughter pushed the stall cart back downstairs to the residential complex, then carried the barbecue and fried noodles back home.

Lin Huailan picked up the kettle and poured water for Xin Geling.

“Come eat dinner.” Xin Geling opened the packaging for her and also placed the barbecue on the table.

Lin Huailan sat across from her and took the chopsticks her daughter had split apart for her. She picked up the steaming fried rice noodles and, before putting them into her mouth, looked at her daughter with emotion.

Xin Geling picked up her chopsticks and took some from her own portion, smiling. “Eat.”

Lin Huailan had long since been hungry. Now, eating felt especially fragrant. Although she was Xin Geling’s mother, in this moment, she was more like Xin Geling’s child.

Her daughter was holding her hand and leading her to earn money, leading her back into society, helping her catch up with the pace of the times.

Xin Geling handed her the grilled chicken wing and sausage. “Eat some meat.”

Lin Huailan nodded. “…Okay. You eat too.”

Xin Geling said, “Mm.”

A little after ten at night, after the mother and daughter finished eating, Xin Geling went to the bathroom and filled a bucket of water. “Mom, I’m going downstairs to clean the grill. You go shower first.”

Lin Huailan said, “How about Mom goes with you?”

Xin Geling refused her suggestion. “No need. I can do it myself.”

With that, Xin Geling opened the door and went downstairs. She came to the stairwell ​unauthorized copy​and began cleaning the oil stains and barbecue seasoning splattered over the stall cart.

The oil beneath the iron mesh of the grill had built up the most and was difficult to clean. After half an hour of washing, she finally cleaned the stall cart. The surface was now clean, bright stainless steel.

Xin Geling looked at the greasy, dirty bucket and rag, smiled faintly, and carried them back home. Using dish soap, she washed the bucket and cloth clean, then hung them on the balcony to dry.

A little after eleven at night, Xin Geling came out after washing up. Lin Huailan was too excited to sleep as well, so the mother and daughter sat on the living room sofa, calculating that day’s revenue and net profit.

“The beef skewers, lamb skewers, and pork belly skewers all sold out, bringing in 1,000 yuan. Twenty-five chicken wings sold, which is 175 yuan. Only twenty grilled sausages sold, which is 50 yuan. The chives and baby cabbage each sold about forty portions, chicken cartilage sold sixty portions, and potato slices were ordered less often, only fifteen portions. Those add up to 155 yuan too.”

Xin Geling said, “Total operating revenue was 1,330 yuan. Subtracting the 700 yuan ingredient cost, there are still some seasonings left that can be used tomorrow, so I’ll count today’s seasoning cost as 150 yuan. There are also thirty grilled sausages left, with each sausage costing five mao. So today’s net profit was 495 yuan, almost five hundred.”

Lin Huailan could not believe it. “We really earned 500 yuan?!”

Xin Geling nodded and showed her the total amount received. “Of course. This is the result of our day’s labor.”

Lin Huailan swallowed. “You’re not lying to Mom, are you?”

Xin Geling found it funny. “Mom, why would I lie to you?”

Lin Huailan asked, “If barbecue makes that much money, why doesn’t everyone do it?”

Xin Geling knew she would still be doubtful, so she explained, “We’re not the only ones selling barbecue on the snack street. There are several other stalls too. But Mom, did you notice their ingredients? Most of the ingredients they buy are semi-finished products sold online. They can take them out and grill them directly, saving a lot of effort on marinating and skewering meat. Also, their ingredients aren’t fresh enough. Some have a lot of additives and preservatives, so the taste after grilling isn’t as good as ours. Another reason is that our prices are cheaper than theirs. They sell one beef skewer for four or five yuan, and one vegetable skewer for more than one and a half yuan. Naturally, people are more likely to choose us.”

After listening to her analysis, Lin Huailan finally believed that her daughter had earned 500 yuan in one night.

“That’s good. Daughter, we’ll do it again tomorrow. We’ll do it every day. Mom won’t need to pick up cardboard anymore. Picking cardboard for a whole day doesn’t earn much. Barbecue is better. It’s easy and earns big money.”

Xin Geling quite agreed with her words. “Tomorrow is Sunday. There will be even more people on Sunday. Tomorrow, we’ll buy more meat and try to sell even more skewers.”

Lin Huailan nodded happily. “Right, right, right. Tomorrow, we mother and daughter will get up early to buy meat and stock up more.”

Xin Geling closed the notebook. “All right, sleep early, Ms. Lin.”

Lin Huailan said, “Of course. Mom is going to sleep. Daughter, you sleep early too.”

Xin Geling stood up, turned off the living room [stolen content]light, and walked toward her room. “Going to sleep.”

.

After returning to her room, Xin Geling took out her phone and opened her chat with Xie Zhitang, wondering whether she should ask if Xie Zhitang had come by today.

That car had clearly been hers.

It seemed she had even patronized her stall.

Xin Geling decided to message her and ask after all. After all, the barbecue stall had been set up by borrowing her money.

Xin Geling: Are you asleep?

Xie Zhitang replied very quickly, so quickly that Xin Geling almost thought Xie Zhitang had been waiting right by her phone.

Tangtang: Not yet.

Xin Geling: Did you come by today?

Tangtang: Yes. I originally wanted to go see Tangtang, but I realized Sister wasn’t there. Only then did I remember that you were off today. On my way back, I happened to see Sister setting up a stall and selling barbecue.

Xin Geling: So you asked an elementary school student to order?

Tangtang: Sister knew?

Xin Geling: I saw her run toward your car.

Tangtang: I thought Auntie didn’t like me, so I didn’t go over. Sister’s barbecue was really delicious. The meat was juicy and fragrant, better than the place I ate at before.

Xin Geling: You flatter me.

Tangtang: How was Sister’s business tonight?

Xin Geling: Pretty good. Almost all the ingredients sold out.

Tangtang: Sister is amazing.

Xin Geling: It was okay.

Wearing a nightdress, Xie Zhitang poured herself a cup of warm water. Looking at the chat history, she recalled going to Maochong Grooming today and not seeing Xin Geling there. Curious about where she had gone, Xie Zhitang opened her phone to check the location and only then learned she was on the snack street.

She had originally wanted to go over and support the stall, but she had no choice but to take Auntie, who was standing beside her, into consideration. Auntie definitely would not want her to appear there, so she could only ask an elementary school student to help her order a portion.

Auntie…

—Who allowed you to come here?! Get out! You’re not allowed to go near my daughter again!

—She’s the one who caused you to spend seven years in prison!

—Your whole life was ruined by her—

Xie Zhitang’s mood gradually grew heavy. She set down her phone and stared blankly at the glass being filled with water, not noticing even when it overflowed.

Auntie had never liked her…

During three years of university, the living expenses she earned were only enough to cover the fare to Ningchun City. Aside from visiting Xin Geling in prison, whenever she had extra money, she would specifically come to Linzhang Street to see Auntie and buy her some fruit.

But every single time, she was rejected. Left with no other choice, she could only ask Grandma Chen for help and send the things over in Grandma Chen’s name.

In her senior year, she began interning at a 4A advertising company. After she became a little more financially comfortable, she tried buying Auntie more expensive things, hoping to gain her forgiveness.

But the result was still that everything was thrown back out. Auntie was determined not to accept her kindness. When the landlord wanted to raise Auntie’s rent, in order to keep Auntie from discovering it, Xie Zhitang could only secretly pay the increased portion herself.

Now that Sister had been released from prison, she still had not obtained Auntie’s forgiveness. Seeing them set up a stall and sell barbecue while she could only watch from afar, she felt like a lonely traveler, forever unable to squeeze her way in.