noffsinger Chapter 62 is risky; let's just use these tables and benches instead.
Chapter 62 is risky; let's just use these tables and benches instead.
The sun shines brightly and the spring breeze is gentle.
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi thus became "machines" for making dumplings.
With so many different kinds of products being sold at home, everyone is incredibly busy.
Gao Mengli originally thought that using 20 earthen slabs in rotation would be enough, but unfortunately, it was not enough at all.
Because you also have to take time to wash the dishes, which are greasy, and then boil the chopsticks and plates to disinfect them. The main focus is on cleanliness and hygiene, so you can't get the "skewered soup" set meal.
Because we haven't bought a table and chairs yet, there's nowhere to sit.
Therefore, many diners bring their own bowls and chopsticks and come directly to "pack up" the food to take home.
The remaining diners sat by the roadside at the city gate, enjoying their dumplings.
Everyone else was eating their own food properly, except for Zhang Biao, who was "cheap and shameless".
He carried a bowl of dumplings and an egg pancake, and while "avoiding the shade" [avoiding the sun] at the city gate, he didn't forget to show off to the soldiers guarding the city gate, making the soldiers "on duty" absent-minded and frequently swallowing their saliva.
Lin Xi, expressionless, wrapped dumplings, glancing at Zhang Biao's "shenanigans," and twitched her lips. "Mengli, is he really not going to get a sack over his head? I have a feeling our food might cause a fatal incident..."
Upon hearing this, Gao Mengli glanced at Zhang Biao, rolled her eyes, and continued making locust flower and egg pancakes.
"It's a good thing this person doesn't have a verified account, otherwise he could show off with nine photos every day. But this is the ancient way of 'showing off.' As for whether he's trying to get likes or beatings, we don't cover that! Putting someone in a sack is an accident insurance policy. Although the cause was our food, this kind of accident is not covered by our insurance."
While collecting money, Da Niu was making dumplings, listening intently to his parents' conversation. He understood every single word, but when put together, he was completely bewildered.
His parents even "encrypted" their conversations, as if they had built-in anti-theft features?
Suddenly a commotion broke out; the soldiers at the city gate could no longer tolerate Zhang Biao.
They all surrounded him, but instead of actually attacking him, they snatched his dumplings and took his egg pancake when he wasn't looking.
Zhang Biao didn't dare to physically confront the "civil servants," so he could only verbally abuse them from the sidelines.
Gao Mengli glanced at it and realized that she still had to go back and discuss with the old house to make some retractable chairs and benches to keep some unruly diners from eating at the stall.
After working until noon, Lin Xi and Gao Mengli packed up their stall and left their goods with their "personal driver" Zhao Chen while they went to the city to buy some oilcloth.
"Father, Mother..." Da Niu blinked his bright eyes when he heard that his parents wanted to buy oilcloth, hesitating to speak.
"Alright, lead the way." Lin Xi rolled his eyes at Da Niu. How could he not know that his "son" was siding with outsiders?
Fortunately, he remembered everything his uncle-in-law sold at his general store.
Da Niu jumped up excitedly, took his parents' hands, and led them through a maze of turns to his uncle's grocery store.
"Brother, sister-in-law, what brings you here?!" Zhang Dongcai was doing accounts at the counter when he looked up and saw Da Niu bringing his parents over.
"Uncle! Buy some oilcloth!" Da Niu was as excited as if he were talking to his "own father" when he saw Zhang Dongcai, his enthusiasm comparable to that of a diner at Gao Mengli's house.
Zhang Dongcai raised an eyebrow, his face lighting up with delight. "Alright! Ten coins a foot, but elder brother and sister-in-law, just give me eight coins a foot. What size do you need? I'll cut it for you!"
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi clicked their tongues twice when they heard the price, but considering that the oilcloth was indeed more elaborate than other fabrics and was also thicker, this price was actually a deep discount that Zhang Dong had given to his "relatives".
"We're going to set up a tent and put up tables and chairs in the spot in front of our stall."
Lin Xi didn't know exactly how big it should be.
However, people back then were quite adept at "visual estimation." He went to the city gate yesterday; he should know.
Sure enough, Zhang Dongcai understood immediately after Lin Xi finished speaking.
He took the scissors and cut 21 feet, which is about five meters long.
I cut two 21-foot pieces, and then sewed them together in the middle before they were ready to use.
"Let's cut another 10 feet, I'll take them back and make small stools." Gao Mengli was thinking of making a collapsible table, and the stools would also be the kind of collapsible small stools used for camping.
This way, it can be stored away when not in use, making it lightweight, convenient, and space-saving.
Zhang Dongcai pulled out another 10 feet of oilcloth, rolled it up, and handed it to Gao Mengli. "Sister-in-law, it's inconvenient to drag the tables and benches back and forth every day. Why don't you rent a shop in the city? That would be more convenient."
Da Niu thought about it seriously and felt that his uncle made sense, but when he turned around, he saw his parents shaking their heads.
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi always felt there was something strange about the city, so they wouldn't come, and they didn't want to come.
It's not as good as the city gate, where the area is flat and open, with a gentle breeze, fresh air, and the fragrance of rapeseed flowers all around.
If they weren't going into town to buy things, they wouldn't want to step into this place at all; it smells awful.
"No."
Zhang Dongcai realized that it was alright that Gao Mengli had rejected his Plan A so ruthlessly; he still had Plan B!
He cleared his throat and looked at Gao Mengli and Lin Xi. "Well, if you don't mind, you can leave the tables and benches at my house. Every day before I go to work, Mengmeng and I will deliver the tables and benches to you at the city gate, and you can return them to my house after you finish your work. That way, you won't have to drag them home, which will be more convenient."
This time, the two did not refuse; in fact, their eyes even lit up slightly!
Lin Xi thanked Zhang Dongcai and immediately took out a copper coin from her pocket and handed it to him, "Thank you, brother-in-law, but I'll have to trouble you. Can we give you 100 coins a month to store the table and benches?"
Just as Zhang Dongcai was about to say that we're family, there's no need for formalities, his hand suddenly felt heavy as his elder brother dropped a handful of copper coins into his hand.
Lin Xi's words, seemingly a question, were in fact a statement that left him no room for argument. "This..."
Seeing Zhang Dongcai hesitate, Da Niu pushed his hand holding the copper coin away, "Uncle, just accept it. Even brothers keep clear accounts!"
Besides, you're not even brothers, at most half brothers. But we're family, so it's not a waste for us to benefit from this!
"Okay, alright, thank you, brother and sister-in-law!"
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi nodded, paid 248 coins for the oilcloth, and turned to leave with the oilcloth.
"Wait, wait a minute!" Zhang Dongcai suddenly remembered the things he had ordered for his nephew and quickly called out to the group of people who were about to leave.
He ran to the counter, took out a small, smooth, red sandalwood abacus, and handed it to Da Niu. "Da Niu, this is for you. You're very good at abacus calculation, so this will be helpful for you to use to help with the family's accounts!"
Da Niu looked at Zhang Dongcai with surprise, then turned to look at his parents, his eyes full of questions.
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi exchanged a glance. This brat was actually quite polite, knowing to ask their opinions before accepting the gift.
Gao Mengli nodded. "Take it. Thank you, Uncle."
This "calculator" is also quite good for Da Niu. Once he has it, he doesn't have to count on his fingers for so long with his mother and son.
In addition, her family now sells a lot of things, and customers buy a lot more, so the number of knuckles on all his hands combined is not enough to count them all.
Seeing that his parents had agreed, Da Niu happily ran to the counter, took the abacus from his uncle, and said, "Thank you, Uncle!"
Zhang Dong patted Da Niu's head and said, "Help your parents work hard!"
"Yes!" Da Niu nodded heavily.
Watching the family of three leave, Zhang Dong returned to the counter to calculate his accounts.
Those two seem different now...