After the Bun Shop opened, Lin Chuxia became even busier, but thankfully Su Wensong was in charge of procurement, so she no longer had to rush early in the morning to the vegetable market and butcher shop.
She left the handcart to Su Wensong and planned to learn to ride a second-hand bicycle.
All her money had gone into the shop, leaving her purse painfully thin. Moreover, even if she had money, she’d need a bicycle ticket, so she might as well take a shortcut and buy a second-hand one.
After learning about her idea, Granny Sun heartily guaranteed her son could get her a second-hand bicycle. The next day, he actually brought her a Phoenix brand bicycle that was almost new.
The price was attractive too, 40 yuan.
Lin Chuxia knew that Sun Hao had a special status and could sometimes provide conveniences. She hadn’t expected such a big favor from him, so she immediately counted out the money and handed it to Granny Sun.
With the bicycle, commuting back and forth became much easier.
By the time she arrived at the courtyard, Su Wensong had already returned from shopping and was mincing meat in the yard, the two cleavers moving so fast they almost left afterimages.
Over the past while, Su Wensong had always been the one to chop the meat – it was a task requiring strength.
Lin Chuxia had tried the manual meat grinders of that era. A manual meat grinder could only grind a couple of ounces at a time, which was far from ideal.
After one use without depleting it, Su Wensong had disdainfully set it aside.
Granny Su sat on a small stool picking vegetables. Lin Chuxia parked the bike and greeted her with a smile, “Granny Su, you’re up so early again. You really could have left these chores to us.”
Granny Su’s face was full of kindness as she continued to pick chives, chatting with her, “I enjoy doing these things. Lin, you don’t understand, Granny loves the bustle. Watching you all busy every day, I feel as though life has become tastier, even more lively than during the New Year.”
Lin Chuxia responded with a smile, “You’ve given me such cheap rent, and now you help me pick vegetables every day, am I not taking too much advantage?”
Granny Su laughed along, “How are you taking advantage of me? It’s us who are taking advantage of you.”
She glanced at her grandson, chopping the meat. With this job, her grandson visibly changed from before.
Previously, her grandson didn’t talk much to her, but seeing him often silent and sometimes frowning inadvertently, she knew he was carrying concerns inside.
Now, though he was up at the crack of dawn and worked late, he always had a smile on his face, and the energy with which he worked was different.
Lin Chuxia and Granny Su chatted and laughed as they finished picking the vegetables, and Granny Sun arrived.
Once the meat was seasoned, Granny Sun started making buns, with several pots of porridge simmering on the stoves.
Before the first batch of buns was out of the pot, a queue had formed outside the shop. The new day had officially begun with bustling activity.
For breakfast, they mainly served meat buns, vegetable buns, porridge, and pickles.
After the morning rush, Lin Chuxia started preparing cold dishes for lunch.
These were usually seasonal vegetables, blanched with hot water, seasoned, and then mixed with her secret spicy chili oil, which was very popular.
While busy, Granny Sun poked her from behind. Lin Chuxia turned around puzzled, and Granny Sun nodded toward the doorway.
She saw an old man standing outside, hands behind his back, looking up at their Bun Shop’s sign.
The old man was none other than the very gentleman who sat daily by the entrance of the train station, keeping watch.
Lin Chuxia wiped her hands and went to greet him, her mouth not sparing any feelings, “Why have you come here today? Just passing by?”
Old Sir He looked Lin Chuxia up and down as she came out of the shop, then huffed a cold snort and stepped inside.
It wasn’t mealtime yet, and the shop was empty. Old Sir He found an empty spot to sit down.
Lin Chuxia deliberately teased him, “Sorry, our shop is not open at the moment. How about you come back during lunchtime?”
Old Sir He’s beard twitched, and he could no longer hold back.
“Do you girls have no conscience? How many days has it been? Tell me, how many days has it been? I haven’t had a single bun and I’m so hungry I’ve lost weight. And now you’re telling me there’s no food? What’s steaming in your bamboo basket then? Air?”
Lin Chuxia couldn’t contain her laughter, sitting opposite Old Sir He, resting her chin in her hands, and asked, “Old Sir He, who told you this bun shop is owned by me? If I don’t set up a stall, you won’t eat? How come I kindly give you a few buns and you latch on to me like this?”
“What do you mean latch on? You girl are up to no good—first giving meat buns, then vegetarian buns, and in the end, not even a shadow of the vegetarian buns is seen. What’s your intention? I don’t care, your Bun Shop isn’t going anywhere. In the future, I will come to eat my buns…”
Before Old Sir He could finish, Granny Su entered from the back door, “You shameless old man, Lin’s giving you buns out of kindness, why are you blaming her?”
After finishing, she said to Lin Chuxia, “Don’t bother with him, this old thing is never up to any good.”
Old Sir He’s eyes dodged for a moment when he saw Granny Su, then stubbornly retorted, “How am I not up to any good? Clearly, this girl provoked me. You ask her if that’s not the case.”
Lin Chuxia raised her eyebrows; it seemed Granny Su and Old Sir He knew each other.
Seeing Old Sir He looking at her with eager eyes, there seemed to be a hint of pleading in his glance.
Lin Chuxia explained to Granny Su with a smile, “It felt like fate to see Old Sir He there every day, so I thought to let him help test out the taste of the buns.”
Hearing this, Old Sir He proudly lifted his chin, as if to prove he wasn’t lying.
Granny Su snorted coldly, “Little Lin is kind-hearted, seeing you all alone out there looking pitiful, and now you think too highly of yourself.”
Old Sir He’s face showed disdain, “If you don’t think highly of yourself, why are you wandering around here? Who wrote the sign at the door? I, the old man, am also enlightened; to see in my lifetime…”
“Shut your mouth,” Granny Su interrupted him, “You just want to eat buns, is that it? I’ll tell you, Lin’s a good kid. You can’t just freeload and take advantage of her, not on my watch.”
Old Sir He’s beard twitched, his face full of caution, “Then… what do you suggest?”
“Ha, look at that expression on you. Do you think you have boundless wealth, or that you are so desirable? Let’s not talk about it, go wherever you need to go. Lin’s shop doesn’t cater to you, don’t act like we’re after something else.”
“You… what’s your rush? Lin hasn’t kicked me out yet,” Old Sir He quickly begged for mercy, “You tell me.”
Granny Su glanced at Lin Chuxia, “Lin not kicking you out is because of Lin’s kindness. She’s not your junior; why should she let you eat buns for free? If you really want to eat meat buns every day, then take Lin as your apprentice. You don’t need to pass on any trick, just give her a bit of your hidden treasures, and that will cover the cost of the buns.”
Not only Old Sir He, but even Lin Chuxia was surprised by Granny Su’s words.
Granny Su gave her a reassuring look; Lin Chuxia understood then that Granny Su knew Old Master He, and surely Old Sir He’s identity was not simple.
Granny Su was helping her gain some advantages.