Chapter 16: Fang Dad and Fang Mom Arrive (Part 1)

  Half a month has passed like flowing water, and since Fang Mo Nan took control of the kitchen, Grandma's meals have undergone a huge change. For a whole week, every day was different, and Little Auntie patted her belly, exclaiming that she was full every day.

  Mr. Lin, under their enthusiastic invitation, did not go to the cafeteria to eat, and said that this was the best meal he had ever had, but he insisted on paying for his meals, and finally negotiated that Mr. Lin would pay five yuan per month for his meals.

  However, Fang Mo Nan did not dare to make too much of a stir with his cooking, because the standard of living here was still not up to the standards of space, where there were many varieties and complete categories, such as seafood, crabs and other southern specialties that could not be revealed, lest they reveal their true nature.

  。

  Although that's the case, Fang Mo Nan and her friends still get to eat whatever they want in the Space Kitchen. So even though it's just ordinary home cooking every day, there's plenty of variety on the table.

  Grandma sold buns to make money, from time to time going to the market to buy things, her basket was always full of big bones for stewing soup, not only nourishing but mainly covering up for Fang Mernan. In the end, Grandma simply bought a few hens and raised them at home, anyway the yard was big, so eating eggs was also sufficient, and no one came to check how many eggs were laid every day.

  The food level has gone up, the quality of life has improved significantly, Fang Mornan's face is even more round and lovely after eating, and Xiaoyi's complexion is also obviously ruddy and healthy.

  This Fang Mo Nan had made a big table of dishes, just waiting for them to come back, and then took it out from the space.

  It's almost October, and the cool autumn evening air has arrived, but it's still a bit chilly. The sky is gradually darkening, and Grandma and the others haven't returned yet, which is unusual because they're usually home by this time. Fang Mengnan climbed over the threshold and hadn't even walked down the stone steps when he heard Grandma and the others' voices coming from inside, sounding extremely excited and agitated.

  "Mother, this is great! I was worried that as it gets colder, you'd be freezing with the steamed buns stall outside! Now we don't have to suffer from the cold anymore." Little Aunt said excitedly, rubbing her hands together. "The stall is set up at our doorstep, and on this official street, even loafers wouldn't dare come around."

  As they spoke, Grandma and the others walked over, saw her standing outside, and said with concern: "Nan Nan, it's cold, why are you waiting outside?" As she spoke, Grandma took her into the house.

  "What's going on, you two are so happy." Fang Mo Nan asked, looking at the two behind him.

  "Little Nannan, look what this is?" Little Aunt excitedly held up a 10-yuan note and waved it in front of her.

  "Oh, what's going on? You're so excited, tell me quickly." Fang Mo Nan asked with a gentle tone.

  "This is the deposit." said Xiao Yi briefly.

  They went into the house and sat down, and from their aunt's mouth, Fang Mo Nan learned that this afternoon, the principal of the county high school had found them. They were a bit nervous when they entered the principal's office and found Old Man Lin there too. But after hearing what the principal said, they finally put their minds at ease. It turned out that the high school had ordered 240 steamed buns from them every day. Divided into 100 in the morning, 40 at noon, and 100 in the evening, delivered to the high school cafeteria before each meal. The price was four for one yuan, without any grain coupons. Just like Aunt said, "thin profit, many sales". It's a good deal! Thinking about it, the county high school is a combined elementary and middle school with nearly 1,000 people, and half of them are boarders!

  There's a saying that goes, "A half-grown kid can eat away his father." Looking at the past few days, they're selling out faster and faster. Sometimes people queue up for a long time but still can't buy any. No choice, it all depends on Grandma alone, definitely can't keep up with demand.

  Knowing that business is coming to the door, Grandma and others can't even eat, discussing, "However, such a large quantity, can Grandma do it alone?" Fang Mosou said.

  "It doesn't matter, we can discuss it on the way back. There are many women in the neighborhood who sit at home and do nothing. We can ask them to help us with work and pay them a wage. It's enough to supplement our family expenses, I think someone will do it." Xiaoyi said excitedly. "I calculated that if we send 240 steamed buns to school every day, and set up a stall at our own doorstep, we can sell over 100 steamed buns. If we subtract the cost, conservatively speaking, we can earn around 200 yuan per month!" Xiaoyi giggled foolishly, with RMB signs in her eyes.

  。

  Fang Mo nodded, "However, we should still improve our production method. Relying solely on human labor won't work in the long run." Whose hands can withstand kneading dough for an extended period? This needs to be considered later.

  "Also, tell the principal that we're small-time operators and don't want to owe anyone money. It's best if we settle accounts every day." said Fang Mengnan.

  "Hah...hah, I knew it. Our little girl has a talent for business." Old Man Lin said happily, "Your grandma and your aunt are just thrilled."

  "Thank you, Grandpa Lin," Fang Mo Nan smiled and thanked him, guessing that Grandpa Lin had helped them a lot during their conversation.

  "Nothing much, that old fellow agreed to settle accounts every day." Old Lin said with a smile, "If he dares to cheat on the bill, I'll shave off his precious beard."

  "By the way, have you signed a contract? For how many years?" Fang Mo Nan asked again, looking at Grandma and Little Aunt's bewildered faces, she turned to Old Man Lin.

  "For now, I've signed for three years." Old Master Lin said, this girl is really not simple! The more he gets in touch with her, the more interesting life becomes, and every day there are new surprises waiting for him.

  "Right, do we have enough flour at home? Is there enough coal? Do we have a pot that big? Does the stove need to be rebuilt too. When are we going to start delivering?" Fang Mengnan asked a string of questions.

  "Hmm... Big sister, your granddaughter is really thoughtful." Old Man Lin said with a glance at her.

  "Oh dear! I was so excited that I forgot everything." Grandma thought for a moment, "We don't have much coal left, we need to buy a bigger pot for steaming buns, and the stove needs to be rearranged. Fortunately, tomorrow is Sunday, most students will go home, we can just steam the usual amount, on Monday, still the usual amount, and then increase the quantity after two days." She counted on her fingers. "From now on, we won't sell at the school gate anymore, I think it's better to set up a stall at our own door, everyone knows us now, this location is good too."

  That's good, Chinese people have always been following the trend, those who are incapable of following the trend, in this era of food rationing, buying high-priced food will be clearly unprofitable, and those who are capable will not bother to do so. Fang Mengnan and others have a unique advantage, now with high school orders, even if there are followers, business will not be affected.

  "Fang Mo Nan thought for a moment and said, 'In the future, we can also steam buns, fill soup dumplings, steam flower rolls, and steam sugar cakes. With new varieties constantly being introduced, there's no need to worry about not being able to retain customers.'"

  "Hmm! Hmm!" Grandma nodded, "No rush for now, we're not rich yet. If we sell the meat buns, the quantity won't be enough, let's wait a bit."

  The grandma and others were having a heated discussion here, and Auntie was writing it down on paper one by one.

  "Mom, are you all there? I'm back." A clear and crisp woman's voice came from the courtyard outside the door.

  Grandma immediately got up and went out, "Dà Yàn, why are you back so late! It's already dark, isn't the road very unsafe?"

  "Mom, don't worry, Zhengping and I are back together. It's getting cold soon, we brought two carts of coal, flour, and rice. We hitched a ride with someone else's cart, so we're late."

  The old mother held a two-year-old child who was sleeping in her arms.

  Grandma took the little child from her hand, heard her say coal, and brightened up in front of her eyes. Really thinking about what to come. Walking into the house together, she walked into the bedroom, put the little child on the bed, covered him with a quilt, and came out again.

  Fang Mengnan heard a familiar voice and knew that his mother, Mo Yan, had arrived. People often called her Da Yan. Perhaps because she was shy around others, she stopped at the threshold of the door, which she had already reached, and through the light in the room, saw a young woman walk in. She wore a dusty, tattered outfit, a dark green self-woven sweater, a dark red overcoat, black pants, and a pair of black leather shoes, with a smile on her face. So this was what his mother looked like when she was young! He pursed his lips, determined that his mother would always be beautiful, not bent by the weight of wealth.

  "Mom" Fang Mo's footsteps stumbled and staggered across the threshold, pouncing on her. "Long time no see. Really long."

  "This child, still recognizes me." The old mother excitedly hugged her, plump and round, wearing a worn-out thin cotton-padded jacket and pants, with a faded striped vest. With a sour heart, "Nan Nan, Mom brought you new clothes this time."

  "It was made by mom herself." Fang Mo Nan stared at her, his mother had learned to be a tailor on her own, when he was young, all of his clothes, cloth shoes, and cotton shoes were made by her own hands until he went to elementary school.

  "Hmm! I made it myself." The old mother thought it was just grandma nagging the kids and didn't think much of it.

  "Thanks, Mom." Fang Mo Nan kissed his old mother and said.

  "Mom, this child." The old mother looked at her mother-in-law with a questioning expression, as if asking what was going on. In their work unit, there were also people who had left their children with their elderly parents for the sake of work, but when they returned to visit after several months, the children didn't recognize them anymore. Unlike this child, who looked affectionate and attached.

  "Big Yan, don't ask for now, we'll talk later. Have you eaten? Why hasn't Zhengping come in yet?" Grandma knew she had many questions, but this wasn't the time to talk.

  "Oh, unloading coal? Should be soon."

  Just then, Dad came in with a sack of flour on his shoulder. "Mom, where should I put it?"

  "Come with me, put it inside." Grandma kicked open the small stool, making way for him to enter.

  "How's Zhengping? Has he finished unloading?" asked Old Mother Fang as she put down Mo Nan.

  "The coal has been unloaded and piled up at the gate. The flour was also unloaded at the gate, but I had to carry it in myself." Dad said as he walked.

  "Then we'll go out and help too!" Grandma said.

  "No need, not much left, I just have four more trips and I'll be done, you guys sit down!" Old Dad carried the noodles to the storage room and came back smiling at Mo Nan: "Do you still remember me? Little Nan"

  "Remember, Dad," Fang Mo Nan said loudly, as if he had vented out all the emotions of so many years.

  Dad seems to have taken a stimulant or something, and quickly went out to buy noodles.

  Five bags of flour and one bag of rice were quickly moved away.

  Grandma poured warm water for Grandpa and asked him to wash up a bit.

  Fang Mo Nan pulled his grandma to the kitchen, and from the space took out the prepared dishes. Sweet and sour fish, braised pork, spicy potato shreds, and also yam ribs soup.

  "This isn't enough to eat, is it?!" Grandma looked at it and thought that although there was a sufficient amount, it still seemed a bit little.

  "This is simple, Grandma will watch the door, I'll go and come right back." Fang Mo Nan said, then flashed into space and quickly came back, holding four plates of 'Crab Roe Xiaolongbao', "This will definitely fill you up."

  "So fast." Grandma felt like it was just a blink of an eye and she's back. "Little Swallow has come to serve the meal."

  Auntie and Grandma brought dinner in together and put it on the table.

  They all sat down, and Mr. Lin introduced himself to them. My dad and mom took a look at the dishes on the table and were stunned. "When did our family's living standards become so good?" Mom asked in confusion, looking at them. "There's fish and meat again. It's not bad that we can eat well during the New Year."

  "Big Yan, Zhengping don't ask anything for now, let's talk after we finish eating." Grandma spoke up, everything comes after eating.

  "Oh, I'm starving!" Xiaoyi exclaimed happily.

  "Grandma, Grandpa Lin, Dad, Mom, and Auntie are eating." Fang Mo Nan called out to everyone, then picked up a steamed bun with his chopsticks.

  Dad and mom put down their doubts and focused on eating. From the speed at which they picked up dishes, it was clear that they were also conquered by the food.

  "This isn't real crab roe!" Old Lin carefully savored the xiaolongbao in his mouth, remembering that this place didn't have good crabs.

  Fang Mo stood up with his thumb up, "Lin Grandpa's mouth is really sharp, inside is salty egg yolk." This old man is also a foodie, can eat and will eat.

  Dad and mom feel like it's been so long since I came back, they seem to have become people from two different worlds, can't understand each other at all.

  Everyone quickly finished dinner, Old Man Lin left, Aunt went to wash the dishes and clean up the table, Fang Mo Nan and Mom and Dad said goodnight and went to sleep. The days are still long ahead! We'll talk about it later.

  The three of them were left in the living room, where Grandma told them everything that had happened over the past few days.

  The old mother and the other person were stunned, especially since her younger sister had gone back to school. Her daughter was so smart and capable. Was it that the world had changed too quickly or had they fallen behind?

  "Alright, go to bed early! Whatever it is, we can talk about it tomorrow. I'm tired after a long day." Grandma patted her hand and said, "There are still many things to do tomorrow."

  "Mom, the foot washing water is ready." Little Yan carried in a basin.

  "Da Yan, go get some water too. You all wash your faces and feet, then go to the north room to sleep. Tonight these two kids will sleep with me." Grandma followed Little Aunt into the south bedroom to wash up.

  Dad and mom also washed up and went into the house, hastily rushing back, tired for a day, and slept in surprise and doubt.

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