TSWPF – Chapter 37 Hustling

Li Qingling didn’t expect business to be this good. She and Liu Zhimou had just set up their stall when the customers who had missed out yesterday saw them and came over, wanting to buy egg pancakes.

“Uncle, please wait a moment, I’ll fry it for you right away.” Seeing the customers, Li Qingling hurried to set up the stall properly and quickly fried the egg pancakes for them.

Since they were semi-prepared, cooking them was fast.

Li Qingling put the eggs into a small basket and handed it to the customer with both hands. “Uncle, five wen, thank you!” Luckily, they had prepared the semi-finished products at home; otherwise, the customers would have had to wait a long time.

The customer took it, looked at the delicate little basket, and smiled. “Looks interesting.” He handed over five wen to Li Qingling and didn’t go far, just stood nearby carefully holding the egg pancake and started eating.

This was the first time he had eaten this kind of egg pancake, and it tasted quite good. When he finished, still wanting more, he nodded approvingly and asked Li Qingling to fry five more egg pancakes.

Seeing Li Qingling sweating, Liu Zhimou gently wiped her face, letting her rest on the side while he fried the egg pancakes.

Li Qingling nodded and stepped aside for him.

The customer’s eyes lit up as he watched. Smiling, he struck up a conversation with Li Qingling. “Little girl, where are your parents?” He wondered what kind of parents would let two children set up a stall—they must have quite a heart.

Li Qingling wasn’t really a child, of course, and she wouldn’t tell a stranger the truth. She sighed and said, “My parents are sick, so my brother and I came out to sell pancakes to pay for their treatment.” In her mind, she silently repeated a few Amitabha chants, forgiving herself for the small lie.

She also couldn’t reveal her relationship with Liu Zhimou; if outsiders knew, they would gossip.

The customer paused, glanced at Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou, and felt a twinge of sympathy.

He smiled and changed the topic. “These egg pancakes are good. I’ve never tried anything like this before.” The usual pancakes were just eggs mixed with flour and spread into flat rounds. These, however, had a whole egg inside while keeping the yolk soft, plus some cabbage—delicious but not greasy.

These past few days, the master hadn’t had much appetite; taking some home for him to try might be a good idea to see if he liked it.

Li Qingling scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. “It’s a family secret recipe.” She saw Liu Zhimou had finished frying, helped him put the pancakes into the basket, and handed them to the customer. “Uncle, if you like it, come again. Our stall is here every day.” Judging by how well-dressed he was, his family couldn’t be too poor. If he bought every day, it would be a nice steady income.

The customer smiled at Li Qingling, didn’t say if he would return, gave her twenty-five wen, and left with the small basket.

Li Qingling didn’t mind and turned to attend to the other customers.

Business that morning went well. They were busy until noon before it quieted down. Li Qingling let out a breath, asked Liu Zhimou to watch the stall, and went to buy something to eat.

Without waiting for him to speak, she dashed off.

Soon, she returned carrying two bowls of mung bean sweet soup, handing one to Liu Zhimou. “Drink some soup. Two egg pancakes are enough.” She paused. “Brother Zhimou, do you want anything else? If you do, I’ll go buy it.” She realized she had forgotten to ask him and smacked her forehead in frustration.

Liu Zhimou smiled, shook his head, and said, “No need. This is enough.” He wasn’t picky, and saving money was sensible.

Li Qingling chuckled. He took one pancake, she took another, and they slowly ate along with the sweet mung bean soup.

“Little girl, how do you make these pancakes? They smell delicious,” asked the lady selling straw sandals next door, glancing at them.

Li Qingling looked up, rolled her eyes, and handed her an egg pancake. “Just made with eggs, ma’am. Try it.” She knew that as two children running a stall, their good business might make neighboring vendors envious. Befriending them could help if anything came up.

The lady sniffed the aroma, swallowed hard, and wanted to eat it, but realizing it cost five wen, shook her head.

Five wen per pancake? She would have to sell five pairs of straw sandals to make that back—not affordable.

Li Qingling put the pancake in her hand. “No need to pay. My treat. Meeting you here is fate.”

Hearing it was free, the lady eagerly accepted and quickly started eating, chatting happily with Li Qingling.

The lady at one side got a pancake; the gentleman on the other side couldn’t be ignored.

Liu Zhimou smiled and offered one to him as well.

As the saying goes, “One who accepts a gift becomes soft, one who eats becomes short-mouthed.” After tasting Li Qingling’s pancake, the lady felt close to her and shared stories about the street.

From her, Li Qingling learned her name was Zhang, married into the Jia family, from Shanghe Village, with three children. To supplement the household, she came to town daily selling straw sandals.

“Ah… these days, earning money is hard! Without skills, you can only make a bit of hard-earned cash.”

Li Qingling nodded in agreement, sighing deeply with a slightly sorrowful expression. “Exactly. My brother and I are making money to treat our parents, and it’s still not enough. Life’s best without illness or pain…” Her tone and expression were so convincing.

Liu Zhimou lowered his head, holding back a smile, afraid it would show, and slowly drank his sweet soup.

Outsiders thought Liu Zhimou was sad because of her words.

Madam Zhang patted Li Qingling’s hand sympathetically, comforting her.

These days, illness could ruin a family’s finances. If one person is sick, the household is drained; two people, even worse. It was hard for these children to work so diligently.

Li Qingling quickly finished her soup, wiped her mouth, and smiled at Madam Zhang. “It’s okay. My brother and I will work hard to pay for our parents’ treatment. We’ll make sure they recover.” She delivered this kind-hearted lie smoothly, without pause.

Unaware, Madam Zhang praised Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou for their filial piety.

Li Qingling smiled at her and subtly shifted the conversation away from her parents.

A lie often requires another to cover it up. Continuing would require countless lies. Safer to change the topic.

Li Qingling chatted casually with Madam Zhang until a customer arrived, ending the conversation.

Liu Zhimou gave Li Qingling a faint smile, amused by her ability to make lies sound true.

Their eyes met briefly; Li Qingling blushed. Saying so many lies in front of him made her a little embarrassed.

He didn’t see anything wrong with it. If she had innocently told the truth, he would have worried.

He lightly patted her head and asked the customers kindly, “How many pancakes would you like?”

“Are these called egg pancakes? They look different from the ones I usually eat. Are they tasty? How much each?” A woman holding a child asked. If the child hadn’t insisted, she wouldn’t have bothered.

“These are made with my family’s secret recipe. Very different from the usual kind, and delicious,” Liu Zhimou said with a smile. “Just five wen for this big one.”

Hearing Li Qingling’s answer, he realized he could also learn to pitch it this way.

Liu Zhimou chuckled. Indeed, one is influenced by those they are close to; she had ‘spoiled’ him a little.

Hearing five wen each, the woman’s eyes widened. “Five wen for one pancake? Why not rob? That could buy two meat buns or a veggie bun, enough to fill up.” She started to leave, saying she’d buy meat buns instead.

But the child refused, crying and insisting on the egg pancake. He had heard someone say it was delicious, and he wanted to try it.

Li Qingling seized the opportunity. She gently cut an egg pancake into several pieces, giving one to the woman and one to the child to taste.

“Auntie, these pancakes are made with my family’s secret recipe. Lots of effort went into them. Totally worth five wen.”

The woman tasted it and found it quite good. Seeing her child crying, she reluctantly nodded and let Li Qingling pack one for them.

“Alright, just a moment,” Li Qingling responded crisply. She signaled Liu Zhimou with a raised eyebrow. He swiftly fried a pancake, Li Qingling placed it in the basket, and generously gave them a few small extra pieces.

People like free stuff. The woman, seeing extras, beamed a toothy grin and handed Li Qingling five wen before happily leaving with her child.

“You’ve got the mind for business,” Liu Zhimou remarked, smiling as he watched Li Qingling put the money away.

Li Qingling nodded proudly. “Of course!” She could tell at a glance.

Liu Zhimou shook his head, amused, and returned to work.

They had brought fifty pancakes and sold out quickly. Just as they were about to pack up, the uncle who had bought pancakes earlier that morning came rushing back.