When it gets dark, the night market next to Yishan County Station slowly becomes lively.
Some small businessmen and hawkers set up stalls along the street, selling spicy hotpot, mutton noodles, cross-bridge rice noodles...
There are several larger restaurants that, in addition to selling these snacks, also sell seasonal stir-fries, ready-made cold dishes, Changwang noodles, bean curd noodles, glutinous rice...
The largest restaurant among them is called "Yishan Xiang", and its sign, yellowed by fireworks, says "Open all night."
Yishan Xiangli mainly sells Changwang Noodles and Douhua Noodles, both of which are the cheapest rice.
In the window at the door, there are ready-made cold dishes, such as pickled bamboo shoots, pickled radishes, pickled cucumbers... and they are not expensive.
It's already dark, it's dinner time, "Yishan Xiang" is full of customers, and customers keep pouring into the store...
A young daughter-in-law with heavy makeup was buying tickets and collecting money at the bar at the door. When she saw another man and two women walking into the restaurant, she shouted to the back hall: "Aunt Xing, what are you doing? Come here quickly.
Clear the table, there is no room for the guests to sit!"
"Coming, coming!"
A gray-haired aunt hurriedly came out of the back hall, lowered her head to put the dirty bowls on a table into a tray, wiped the table neatly with a rag, and then timidly raised her head to glance at the man and two women who came in.
The guest smiled and said, "What are you eating?"
"Three bowls of Changwang noodles, and three cold dishes as you like."
Niu Shuangshuang said while covering his face with a meal order.
"Then I'll give you three portions of pickled bamboo shoots, pickled radish, and pickled cucumber. Each portion is six pieces, okay?"
The middle-aged aunt looks like she is in her early fifties, but her hair is gray, her face is wrinkled, she is thin, and her eyes are full of red threads...
Obviously, she works hard in restaurants all year round and lacks rest.
However, from her facial features and body shape, we can still vaguely see that this middle-aged aunt had a handsome appearance and a slim figure when she was young...
It was just the vicissitudes of time and the ravages of suffering that made her lose her former glory early...
"Well, mixed with pickled bamboo shoots, pickled radish, pickled cucumber...I'll see what else..."
Niu Shuangshuang pretended to look at the cold dishes on the menu, but actually peeked at the middle-aged aunt behind the menu...
The corners of her eyes gradually became moist...
Obviously, this middle-aged aunt is her mother Ku Xing.
After not seeing each other for more than ten years, Niu Shuangshuang seems to not recognize his mother anymore...
"Aunt Xing, what are you doing? Why don't you come over quickly and serve the guests food?"
Suddenly, a fierce scream came from the dining room in the back hall.
A young man placed several bowls of Changwang noodles at the rice outlet.
"Coming, coming!"
Buxing quickly carried the tray over, put down the dirty bowl, and picked up the Changwang Noodles from the food outlet...
"I'm talking about Buxing, what's going on with you today? Be smarter and don't make us rush you!"
In the back hall, a bald middle-aged man scolded Kuxing with a dark face.
"I..." Kuxing frowned, wiped her hands with her apron and said, "There were a lot of guests last night, so I didn't go to bed until after three o'clock. I got up at six o'clock this morning..."
"Okay, hurry up and deliver the food. The guests have been waiting for a long time!" The bald man waved his hand impatiently.
"yes..."
Buxing bowed her head in humiliation, picked up the tray and went to deliver the noodles to the guests.
"Humph!" Niu Shuangshuang slammed the table and was about to stand up and get angry, but Niu Xixi held him down.
Buxing brought several bowls of Changwang Noodles to the guests, without bothering to ask Jiang Zhonglou and the others again, and directly brought three small plates of cold dishes.
The sour bamboo shoots are refreshing and delicious, the pickled radish is crispy and sweet, and the pickled cucumber has a unique taste...
Jiang Zhonglou and the other two were eating cold dishes while looking at the situation in the restaurant.
Buxing's husband and son cook in the back hall and occasionally take a break...
The young daughter-in-law at the cash register at the door must be the daughter-in-law of Kuxing's husband. She was even more at ease, but she stood at the bar looking at her mobile phone and did not help Kuxing at all...
The busiest thing in the restaurant is Bitter Apricot.
Not only does she have to greet customers to order food, she also has to clear the table and serve food to them, running around without a moment's rest...
Moreover, I heard what she just said, she is still on duty every night. She goes to bed until two or three o'clock, but has to get up at six o'clock in the morning...
No wonder she is thin, her face is wrinkled, and her eyes are bloodshot...
The key point is that Ku Xing’s husband’s son and daughter-in-law do not call her mom, but Aunt Xing...
Obviously, they didn't regard Buxing as their stepmother at all.
However, Ku Xing's husband didn't care at all. Like his son and daughter-in-law, he kept fussing over Ku Xing...
Obviously, he didn't regard Buxing as his wife at all...
Not to mention Niu Shuangshuang, both Jiang Zhonglou and Niu Qianqian were very angry.
After a while, Buxing took a tray and brought three bowls of Changwang Noodles to the three people in Jiang Zhonglou...
Niu Shuangshuang suddenly raised his head and looked at Buxing with burning eyes.
"you..."
Buxing was stunned as if struck by lightning. She looked at Niu Shuangshuang blankly and said with trembling lips: "You...are you...are you Miaomiao?"
"Mother..." Niu Shuang choked, tears bursting into tears.
"You are really Miaomiao! My miserable baby!"
Ku Xing hugged Niu Shuangshuang and cried heartbreakingly.
"mother!"
Niu Shuangshuang also threw herself into Kuxing's thin arms, crying freely, as if she had let go of all the burdens she was carrying, and returned to her carefree childhood...
"Aunt Xing, what are you doing? Why are you howling in mourning in the store?"
The daughter-in-law at the bar saw Ku Xing and Niu hugging each other and crying, attracting the attention of all the guests. She immediately got furious and ran out, pointing at Ku Xing and scolding them.
"That's right, how can it be appropriate to have dinner with so many guests?" Kuxing's husband's son also came out of the back hall and said angrily.
"What's going on?" Buxing's husband also came out with a spoon and asked with a frown.
"Old Chen, this is the girl I... lost more than ten years ago! She... has grown so big and handsome!"
Buxing stroked Niu Shuangshuang's delicate face with her calloused hands.
"What? She...she is the one who kills..."
Bitter Xing's husband, Lao Chen, said half a sentence in astonishment. Bitter Xing quickly interrupted him and shouted: "Old Chen, Miaomiao is not a bad child, it's me who feels sorry for her!"
"This..." Lao Chen was stunned.
"Okay, no matter what, we can't delay the business of the store. What do you think when so many customers are watching?"
Old Chen's son said angrily: "Aunt Xing, let them sit aside to eat first, and wait until the guests have passed!"
"Yes, yes!"
Kuxing laughed apologetically, let go of Niu Shuangshuang in her arms and said, "Miaomiao, you eat first, I... have to be busy for a while, and I won't talk to you until the guests leave."
"Okay..." Niu Shuangshuang wiped away his tears and regained his coolness.
"Eat quickly, I'll bring you some more meat and vegetables!"
As Buxing said, she went to the display window and brought several plates of pig skins, duck necks, chicken gizzards...
"Aunt Xing, can the three of them eat so much? It would be a waste not to finish them all...these meats and dishes are not cheap!"
Lao Chen's daughter-in-law at the bar, when she saw Ku Xing serving meat and vegetables to Niu Shuangshuang and the others, her face stretched out and she complained.
Obviously, she knew that Niu Shuangshuang was Kuxing's long-lost daughter, so she was embarrassed to accept the money for today's meal, so she felt very sad...
"Don't worry, our meal money will not be less for you!" Niu Shuangshuang turned around and said angrily.
"I...hum!"
Buxing's daughter-in-law was suddenly speechless, snorted coldly, and ignored Niu Shuangshuang.