That night, Yulan washed and cleaned the two new large baskets of fine bamboo at home, found two clean white cotton cloths and put them in the pot of water to boil, and stayed up late to change the clothes, everything was ready, and after falling asleep, she quickly got up and made noodles, and when the noodles were ready, the steamer on the stove was opened, and then Lu Xiaoyi was called to get up to help.

"There's freshly scooped hot water in the basin, if you want to be too hot, add some cold water, hey! It's hard to wake you up so early! Yulan said while pulling the dough, in fact, she got up early to finish the hard work, and when she saw her daughter get up to help, she still felt uncomfortable, and she was like this when she was a mother!

Lu Xiaoyi's heart was warm, so he quickly washed up and helped put the stuffing into the mold.

The steamer for steaming steamed buns is stacked in four layers, the white dough is evenly placed neatly, then the steamer is covered with a lid, the fire is steamed, the magnolia lights a stick of incense to time, and then lights the other side of the stove and begins to boil the porridge.

At this time, the rooster in the courtyard began to crow, and Lu Zhong quickly got up and went to the well with a bucket to fetch water.

When the steamed buns were steamed, Yulan separated the steamers and let them cool slowly, let Lu Xiaoyi look at the porridge pot, and turned around and began to be busy with the pickles for breakfast.

Lu Xiaoyi added firewood to the stove while looking at the busy Yulan, every morning she was preparing food and drink for her family in front of the stove like this, she was sure to be tired, but she had a smile on her face, love in her actions, and her whole body exuded a kind of heartfelt satisfaction, which made people reluctant to take their eyes away.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Geng also got up afterwards, and the stove room was full of their voices, Xiao Ding ran to Lu Xiaoyi's side to help her light the fire, Xiao Geng stared at Lu Xiaoyi with wide eyes, and said in surprise: "Sister, you got up earlier than me today!" You're amazing! ”

Lu Xiaoyi smiled proudly, "You know how powerful the eldest sister is, I used to let you!" ”

Xiao Geng is very easy to deceive, and immediately looked moved, and repeatedly promised that he would not call her a lazy worm in the future!

Yulan said: "Okay, let's get ready to eat, don't delay your father to pick up passengers!" ”

After the meal, Lu Xiaoyi put on a thick jacket, put on Lu Zhong's old clothes, put on a windproof cotton hat, and brought two large baskets of steamed buns into the city. It has been more than two months since the last basket was sold, and the official road is even more bleak and desolate, there are many fewer pedestrians on the road, and there are only four people sitting in Lu Zhong's car.

But when you enter the city, it's different, it's bustling and busy, and it's still so prosperous.

"Dad, let's go to the street where the baskets are sold, there are many people there, and the place is familiar."

Lu Zhong nodded, put down a few guests, and drove the donkey cart to West Street, and when he arrived at the place, Lu Zhong jumped off the donkey cart, and then hugged the round Xiao Yi out of the car, and said: "You can't lift too many steamed buns, I'll accompany you to sell them for a while." ”

Lu Xiaoyi nodded, looked at the endless streets, couldn't help but feel shocked, straightened the cotton hat on his head, and shouted in a thick voice.

"Eh! Plum blossom steamed buns! Fragrant and sweet plum blossom steamed buns, you can't eat one enough, you can't eat two, and you have to eat three! Plum blossom steamed buns! It's the only one in the city! Don't miss it! ”

Lu Zhong was taken aback, he didn't accompany him the whole process of selling grass baskets the first few times, he only heard Lu Shouzeng say that Xiao Yi was capable, but he didn't expect to be able to do it like this, he just got out of the car and opened his throat and shouted, and the shouting was particularly energetic and smooth, and he had to fight with those small traders who shouted all year round.

Where did Lu Xiaoyi know his father's inner activities, he shouted by himself, with the experience accumulated in selling baskets, now it is effortless to sell steamed buns, he will come as soon as he opens his mouth, and he will dress up as a teenager, and he has no scruples, "Plum blossom steamed buns, freshly out of the pot, the fragrance is unique and sweet, you don't regret buying it, you still want to eat it after eating!" ”

Lu Xiaoyi is very satisfied with the 'plum blossom steamed bun' she temporarily took, the same dough, she relies on the gimmick that looks like plum blossoms to attract customers, and the unique taste of prickly rose sugar filling to attract repeat customers, she dares to pat her chest to ensure that this taste is the only one in the city, and outsiders can't imitate it for the time being.

Sure enough, many people were attracted and asked for the price.

Lu Xiaoyi said enthusiastically: "The coarse noodle steamed bun has one three wen and two five wen, and the thin noodle steamed bun has one six wen and two ten wen." ”

Some women felt that it was expensive, and Lu Xiaoyi explained: "Auntie, what is the price of brown sugar now?" What is the price of flour? If you go to the restaurant, the coarse noodles and steamed buns are sold for two cents, not to mention the thin noodles and steamed buns. Moreover, I also add the most special petals to this steamed bun, and eating it with brown sugar can beautify, whiten and remove freckles. After speaking, he glanced at the woman and praised: "Auntie is so young and beautiful, she should eat some plum blossom steamed buns for maintenance." ”

Thousands of clothes are not worn, this woman's smiling face is like a flower, she raised her hand to touch her face, and said: "This little fart is talking nonsense!" ”

Lu Xiaoyi said secretly: Dizzy, I forgot that I was pretending to be a young man, fortunately, this middle-aged woman didn't mind, if she met a hypocritical young woman, wouldn't she scold her for speaking lightly, and it would be possible to drag her to see the official!

Someone asked, "Can you taste it if it sounds so good?" ”

"Yes!" Lu Xiaoyi asked his father to bring out the pre-cut steamed buns.

Someone immediately took it to taste, and the woman who was too expensive said before: "It tastes good, but it's too cold." ”

Lu Xiaoyi said with a smile: "Auntie, look at what kind of weather this is, no matter how hot the steamed bun is, it will soon be cold when you take it out, I bother you to go home and put it in the steamer, and it will immediately become white and chubby, and you will take a bite of brown sugar and walk away, I have to remind you Oh, I put a lot of brown sugar in this steamed bun, beware of burning your hands!" ”

After some rhetoric, sure enough, someone bought it, and the fastest selling was coarse steamed buns, and the thin noodles were slightly slower.

Lu Zhong simply didn't look for a job, helped collect money and handed over steamed buns, and the father and daughter collaborated and quickly sold out the coarse steamed buns.

When she was busy, she didn't feel that there were fewer customers at this time, Lu Xiaoyi felt cold, her feet were numb from freezing, and her hands were red and stiff from the cold, so she quickly put on her gloves, clapped her hands and stomped her feet to keep warm.

Lu Zhong said distressedly: "Let's not sell it, I see that you can't stand the cold, let's take back the remaining half basket of fine noodles and steamed buns to eat." ”

Lu Xiaoyi sucked the cold nose and smiled happily, "Dad, I'm not cold, but my feet are numb after standing for a long time, just stomp on it!" ”

Lu Zhong sighed, looked around, and said, "You look at the car, Dad will go to the opposite side." ”

Soon, a bowl of hot rice oil tea was brought back, which was boiled with rice flour, thick and white rice cereal, with fried crushed peanuts, steamed dumplings, chives, coriander and chopped winter vegetables, as well as salt and red chili oil.

Lu Zhong stirred the rice oil tea with a spoon, handed it to Lu Xiaoyi and said: "Eat it while it's hot, this is a rice oil tea that is only sold in winter, and the whole body is warm after eating." ”

Lu Xiaoyi took it with a smile, and almost threw the spoon away from the first bite, his lips were as hot as fire, and he desperately inhaled the cold air to cool down the hot feeling.

Lu Zhong was so frightened that he hurriedly said, "Is it hot?" Blame me for not making it clear, come, dad will serve it to you, you eat slowly! ”

The crunchy fried peanuts and steamed dumplings were soaked in rice cereal, becoming a little tough, but chewing was very fragrant, Lu Xiaoyi ate a small half and said that he was full, and the rest was all given to Lu Zhong.

The father and daughter ate a bowl together, and after eating, Lu Zhong went to the opposite shop to deliver the bowl, Lu Xiaoyi looked at his tall back, walked through the crowd of people coming and going, and walked towards the opposite side unswervingly, holding an empty bowl in his hand, there was no sense of disobedience at all, it was full of warmth.

Lu Xiaoyi felt that he was really more and more integrated into this family, not the kind of forced crossing lurking in a strange family, but really accepting them, grateful to them, loving them, remembering the busy figure of Yulan in the stove room in the morning, and then looking at Lu Zhong who walked back after delivering the bowl, Lu Xiaoyi's eyes were red, and the thick cotton gloves instantly dried up the tears in her eyes, and shouted loudly with a smile: "Eh! Don't miss it when you pass by, the fragrant and sweet plum blossom steamed buns, there is only so much left, they are sold cheaply, come and buy them! ”

After selling the remaining fine noodle steamed buns, Lu Zhong didn't stay in the city, and drove his daughter home, picking up three people along the way, and earning seven yuan for the car fare back and forth.

Yulan didn't expect that Lu Zhong's father and daughter would sell out so early, and the Chinese rice was not enough, so she quickly took a few eggs and baked some cakes, and fried a shredded radish with vegetarian dishes.

After eating, Lu Zhongcai took out the money bag, and in front of his wife and children, he counted the money, fifty coarse noodles and thirty thin noodles and steamed buns, and sold a total of 275 Wen.

Yulan had already calculated the amount of money at home, and when she heard Lu Zhongbao's number being different from her calculation, she said, "Didn't you say that there is one for three pieces of thick noodles and one for six pieces of thin noodles?" It's not right. ”

Lu Xiaoyi said with a smile: "Mother, let me tell you, I discussed with my father on the road, our mold is a two-sided mold, according to the original price is a bit expensive, so when I shouted, I said: Coarse noodles steamed bread is a three-text, two-five-text, thin-flour steamed bread is a six-text, two-ten, customers are willing to buy doubles, isn't this selling fast?" ”

Lu Zhong pushed the money to Yulan, and said happily: "The good daughter you gave birth to is as capable as you!" I, who have been running around the city all year round, sigh to myself. Strange, you say, isn't it? On weekdays, I watched those stall vendors shouting, I didn't take it seriously, it was really my turn to shout, and I really couldn't open my mouth! ”

Yulan smiled: "If it were me, I would be embarrassed to open my mouth and shout!" Besides, who doesn't have a first time, those small stall vendors are not born to shout, they don't force themselves, once they open their mouths, they will become accustomed to nature. ”

"I used to have a mess of paste in my head, but now when I heard my mother say it, the paste suddenly became clear, and I understood everything." Lu Xiaoyi listened to what Yulan said, and deliberately gave a thumbs up and praised: "Our mother is the smartest, and she can see everything thoroughly!" Dad, do you think I'm right? ”

Lu Zhong nodded with a smile, Yulan's face turned red, and he blamed Lu Xiaoyi and said: "Nonsense, the good girl's family is getting more and more oily!" ”

Lu Xiaoyi shrugged his shoulders with a bitter face, and said helplessly: "To be honest, I will also be trained!" It's better to count the money! After speaking, he planed the copper coins in front of him and counted them one by one.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Geng also came over, Lu Xiaoyi divided the copper coins into three piles, and the three sisters and brothers each had a pile, counted them three times with a smile, and then strung them into a string and handed them to Yulan to keep.

Yulan said happily: "The remaining thorn rose stuffing is enough to make once, let's strike while the iron is hot and sell it again tomorrow, and the money we earn will be used to buy New Year's goods." ”

Lu Zhong nodded, "A few years ago, let's take some time to sell the pigs, and the roosters in the pen, pick the fat and sell some, I estimate that there are three taels of silver, plus the four taels of silver saved by carrying passengers and goods in the past six months and the previous savings of one or two, let's buy a calf to raise in the new year." ”

Lu Xiaoyi said: "Dad, why don't I use the five taels?" Didn't you say yes a while ago? ”

Lu Zhong said with a smile: "At that time, I wanted to buy a horse before I agreed to borrow the five taels, and then when I looked at the price, our family couldn't afford it at all, so we simply bought a calf to raise it slowly, and your five taels should be kept, and our family will not embezzle it until we have to." ”

Yulan and Lu Zhong have the same meaning, they are both thinking about Xiaoyi in the future, Lu Xiaoyi understands in his heart, and he no longer worries about this problem, and asks Lu Zhongdao: "Dad, do we buy buffalo or scalper?" ”

Lu Zhong smiled: "It must be a scalper!" It is most suitable for us to raise more cattle here, unlike the south where there is more rain and paddy fields, and there are many people who raise buffaloes, and we are too cold in winter here, and the buffalo is not easy to feed! ”

Lu Xiaoyi nodded to show understanding, and then said to Xiao Geng with a smile: "Xiao Geng, let's buy calves in the future, are you responsible for raising them?" ”

Xiao Geng nodded hurriedly and said solemnly: "En!" It's better if you want to make me a flute. ”

This is simple, Lu Xiaoyi agreed to be refreshing, reminiscent of the song 'Shepherd boy riding a ox, singing Lin Yue'. The ancient poem of wanting to catch the cicada and suddenly close his mouth and stand up', coupled with the beautiful picture of Xiao Geng riding a bull and playing the flute, is really lovely!

Xiao Ding smiled and asked, "Xiao Geng, do you know how to play the flute?" ”

Xiao Geng shook his head, saw that his family members were all smiling at him, and pouted, "I can learn!" ”

Lu Xiaoyi looked at Xiao Geng's cute appearance, his hands itched again, pulling his hair bun back and forth, Xiao Geng didn't struggle, his head shook left and right along Lu Xiaoyi's gestures.

Yulan sneered and said: "It's really Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai, one is willing to fight and the other is willing to suffer!" ”