Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"What for?" Minghe asked.

"To count. I don’t have enough fingers," Danzi explained.

Understanding, Minghe obligingly extended his little finger.

Now, with both of Danzi’s hands and Minghe’s little finger, they counted up six plus five. After carefully counting each finger, Danzi joyfully ran back to the customer, announcing, "It’s eleven wen in total."

The customer laughed, pulling out eleven wen from his pocket, "Count again."

Danzi recounted, "It’s eleven wen."

"So, can I go now?"

"Take care!" Danzi replied.

"Will do." The customer patted Danzi's head and then walked over to Xiao Yu, recounting the incident briefly but with praise, "Your child is really capable."

"Thank you," Xiao Yu said with a smile.

The customer left.

Danzi came over with eleven wen, "Uncle, this is the money from that uncle just now."

Xiao Yu pointed to the large pocket on his apron.

Standing on tiptoes, Danzi carefully put the eleven wen into it.

Xiao Yu said to Danzi with a smile, "Our Danzi can learn anything quickly as long as he puts his heart into it."

Danzi's cheeks flushed with happiness.

Finding him irresistibly adorable, and with no one else around, Xiao Yu kissed Danzi's cheek, praising, "Well done!"

"Uncle, kiss me too, kiss me," Minghe rushed over, leaving his bowl and spoon behind, running up and tilting his face up for a kiss after seeing his uncle praise Danzi.

Trying to hold back a laugh, Xiao Yu kissed Minghe on the cheek.

Unsatisfied, Minghe implored, "Uncle, praise me too."

Xiao Yu complimented Minghe with a few words.

Both Minghe and Danzi, feeling content and delighted, went back to their tasks cheerfully.

Half an hour later, all of Xiao Yu's buns and spicy soup for the day were sold out. Some customers who couldn’t buy any planned to return the next day. Xiao Yu began cleaning the shop, organizing the kitchen, washing pots and pans, and then closed the shop door to count the earnings in the backyard.

Encouraged by yesterday’s positive response from Song Sanwu and his group, Xiao Yu made sixty buns and twenty bowls of spicy soup today, totaling two hundred and eighty wen in sales.

This was just the second day of business, and already the revenue was nearing the peak earnings at the small dock. Although his customers were mostly locals from Shuiqing Lane, he believed that with dedication, he could overcome the location disadvantage and attract more patrons.

In time, profits would increase, and he, Minghe, and Danzi could live better. He could even afford to send the two children to school. The future looked bright.

Happily pocketing the money, he declared, “Let’s go to the market!”

“To the market!” echoed Minghe and Danzi.

This wasn’t Xiao Yu's first time taking the kids to the market, but previously, with limited funds and anxiety, he had hesitated to buy them anything. However, today, seeing them busily cleaning tables, handling money, and washing dishes tugged at his heartstrings.

He couldn’t resist treating them well and splurged on three bowls of mutton soup, two skewers of candied hawthorns, two packs of sunflower seeds, two packs of peanut candy, and two packs of oranges. Only then did he start purchasing pork bones, dried wood ear mushrooms, dried shiitake mushrooms, vermicelli, kelp, and other ingredients for the spicy soup and buns.

The uncle and nephews trio returned home fully laden.

Minghe frowned slightly, "We spent a lot of money without realizing it!"

“It’s okay, we’ll earn it back!” Xiao Yu reassured.

“Earning money is so hard!” Minghe remarked.

“It’s not hard when we do it together!” Danzi added.

Xiao Yu nodded, "Danzi is right. Minghe, don’t worry, it’s not hard when we work together."

Upon hearing this, thrifty Minghe felt reassured and cheered up instantly, eagerly taking a lick of the candied hawthorn, "Wow, it's so sweet!"

Danzi popped a peanut candy into his mouth, echoing, "So sweet."

"Do you want to eat the sunflower seeds and oranges too?" Xiao Yu asked.

Both children replied in unison, "Yes."

"Then why don’t you eat them in the yard, okay?"

"Okay."

Xiao Yu set up a child-sized seat in the yard, with sunflower seeds, peanut candy, and oranges on it. The two little ones sat there, alternating between licking the candied hawthorn, eating seeds, peanut candy, or oranges, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yu processed the newly bought pork bones and dried wood ear mushrooms, then trimmed the weeds in the backyard and washed their clothes. During this time, Minghe and Danzi had a quarrel for some reason, even getting physical, but soon made up.

He didn't intervene, taking a moment to look around the house. In just two days, he had almost finished tidying up, and the following days wouldn't be as hectic as these had been.

Unexpectedly, business continued to be brisk over the next few days, selling more buns each day and keeping them very busy.

On the seventh day, they sold a hundred buns and forty bowls of spicy soup, earning five hundred wen in just one morning, equivalent to two days' income at the small dock.

Xiao Yu had initially planned to steadily win over the locals of Shuiqing Lane and gradually overcome the location's disadvantages. However, his regular customers had already spread the word about Xiao Hezi Breakfast Shop.

Some praised his delicious buns, others lauded his unique spicy soup, and some complimented his good looks or mentioned the two pretty and adorable children, or how a three-year-old could handle accounts... Regardless of the nature of these endorsements, they all brought more customers to the shop.

After tasting the shop's buns and spicy soup, nine out of ten people praised them, and from the eighth day onward, Xiao Hezi Breakfast Shop was packed every day.

Xiao Yu and his nephews were incredibly busy, on their feet all day.

Since Lady Yue, who was pregnant, couldn't help out, she asked her mother, Mrs. Liu, to lend a hand to Xiao Yu. Mrs. Liu, who adored children, couldn't help but remind Minghe and Danzi as they tirelessly cleaned dishes, spoons, and small baskets, "Minghe, Danzi, slow down a bit."

"Grandma, I know!" Minghe responded.

Danzi echoed, "I know too!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, "Minghe!"

Minghe turned around, joyfully shouting, "Dabao! Tianliu!"

"Minghe! You've gotten fatter!" Jin Dabao rushed towards Minghe excitedly.

"Don't poke my eyes!" Minghe shouted.

This time, Jin Dabao restrained from touching Minghe's chubby cheeks.

Minghe asked, "What brings you here?"

"We came with Grandpa!" said Jin Dabao and Tianliu together. Being children from affluent families and quite young, they couldn't leave the house without an adult accompanying them.

Recently, the temperature had dropped, followed by a day of heavy snowfall, covering everything in a thick layer of snow, making it even more impossible for them to go outside.

Today, finally with clear skies, they persuaded their grandfather to take them out to find Minghe.

To their surprise, they found that Minghe and his uncle were no longer at the small dock.

They had intended to visit them in Jinxiu Village, but the roads there were still muddy after the snow melted. So they decided to return with their grandfather and plan to visit Minghe in a couple of days.

On their way back, they heard about a Xiao Hezi Breakfast Shop, famous for its delicious buns and tasty spicy soup.

What about these buns that are so delicious?

What about this spicy soup that's so good?

Can it compare to the one made by Minghe's uncle?

Their curiosity piqued, they eagerly followed their grandfather to Shuiqing Lane, only to find Minghe busy there. They were overjoyed.

"Where's Grandpa?" Minghe asked.

"I'm right here," answered Master Yuan, entering with Xiao Fang.

"Hello, Grandpa, hello, Auntie Xiao Fang," Minghe greeted them politely.

"Hello, Minghe," Master Yuan replied with a warm smile.

Xiao Fang inquired, "Minghe, what are you doing here?"

"Are you here for breakfast?" asked Tianliu.

"No, this is now my home!" Minghe explained.

"Your home? You own this shop?" Master Yuan asked in surprise.

"It's not just mine. I run it with my uncle and little brother," Minghe clarified.

It's actually Xiao Yu's shop!

Of course!

Having traveled widely and tasted many foods, Master Yuan knew only Xiao Yu's cooking could captivate people's taste buds so intensely, prompting them to spread the word. He asked with a smile, "Where is your uncle?"

Just then, Xiao Yu came out of the kitchen with a tray.

"Xiao Yu!" Master Yuan called out.

Xiao Yu exclaimed with surprise and delight, "Master Yuan!"

Master Yuan and Xiao Fang approached to talk with Xiao Yu.

After Jin Dabao and Tianliu called out to Minghe's uncle, their attention shifted to the "little brother" mentioned by Minghe. Jin Dabao asked, "You have a little brother?"

"Where is he?" Tianliu inquired.

"Over there…" Minghe turned and saw Danzi on tiptoes trying to reach the chopsticks on the table, calling out, "Little brother!"

Danzi turned around, "Big brother!"

"Come here!" Minghe beckoned.

"I'm busy! Earning money!" Danzi replied with a sense of purpose.

Minghe, feeling a sense of responsibility, began helping Jin Dabao and Tianliu clean up the bowls, spoons, and baskets. Once the table was cleared, he introduced Jin Dabao, Tianliu, and Danzi to each other behind the hall.

"How do you have a little brother?" Tianliu looked at Danzi and remarked, "He’s really cute!"

"Minghe, is Danzi your uncle's son?" Jin Dabao asked.

"Silly Dabao, men can't have babies!" Tianliu corrected.

"Then how did Danzi come into the picture?" Jin Dabao wondered.

"He’s, he’s my distant aunt's child," Xiao Yu, worried someone might say Danzi was an unwanted child from a disaster-stricken area, had told people that Danzi was his distant cousin's child, and Minghe repeated the same.

"Where is your aunt?" Jin Dabao asked.

"She passed away. Now my little brother is with me and my uncle," Minghe said, putting his arm around Danzi's shoulder. "We're a family!"

Danzi nodded in agreement, "Yeah!"

"Boss, time to settle the bill!" a customer called out.

"Big brother, I'll collect the money!" Danzi ran over, gathered more than a dozen copper coins, found his uncle, and put them into his uncle's apron pocket, then ran back to Minghe and reported, "Brother, I've collected it."

"Minghe, your little brother can handle money, that's so impressive!" Tianliu said with admiration.

"My little brother can also recite poetry!" Minghe boasted proudly. "Little brother, recite one for them!"

Danzi immediately recited, "When hoeing at noon, sweat drips down to the earth. Knowing the food on your plate, each grain comes from hard work."

Minghe urged, "Recite another one."

Danzi continued in his sweet voice, "After all, West Lake in June is not like the other seasons. The endless green lotus leaves stretch up to the sky, and the lotus flowers bathed in sunlight show a unique red."

"Wow! That's amazing!" Tianliu exclaimed.

Minghe, patting his chubby chest, said, "Uncle taught me, and then I taught him."

"That's wonderful. I wish I had a little brother too," said Tianliu.

"Tianliu, I am your little brother! I can recite poetry too!" Jin Dabao immediately recited two poems impressively.

Tianliu looked between Danzi and Jin Dabao, torn between the two.

"But what?" Jin Dabao asked.

After glancing at Danzi again, Tianliu's gaze settled on Jin Dabao's chubby face and he hesitated, "But, but, you're not as good-looking."