The woman continued to sell and was very slow to make change.
"Let's buy some steamed buns. They're home-made and have noodles. They cost 3 yuan and 5 each, so you don't have to change."
Cai Gen continued not to speak, waiting for change.
"My steamed buns are delicious. We eat them every day at home. People around here buy them. Even if we arrive late, we can't buy them."
The woman was still looking for change. It was obvious that there were many one-yuan notes on the front of the money box, but it was difficult to pick out three identical ones.
Is it so difficult to find 3 yuan? Isn’t it obvious that there are three one-yuan notes?
Cai Gen remained stubborn and said nothing, waiting for change.
"You're so old, but you still bargain for a pack of cigarettes or a few steamed buns? Are my steamed buns poisonous?"
Seeing that she couldn't sell it, the woman became angry and quickly took two one-dollar notes and one-yuan coins.
Throwing it towards the window, the coin rolled down the window and fell to the ground because of its greater force.
Cai Gen took the two dollars from the window and began to bend down to pick up the coins on the ground.
Because there is ice on the ground, the coins are at a very high temperature under the influence of room temperature. When they encounter ice, they freeze.
It's still dark and the down jacket is still thick.
After digging for a long time, I picked up the coin.
In the process of picking up coins, the window of the small shop closed with a bang, and the woman deliberately said loudly,
"You are so poor."
Cai Gen picked up the coins, put them into his pocket, and glared at the line on the window,
"Noodles steamed buns, 5 cents each."
People are poor but have short ambitions, and horses are skinny and have long hair, hey.
Turn around and go back to the battery cart, tear open a cigarette, light one, push the cart, and continue walking into the store.
It's too cold outside. My body, which was warmed by exercise just now, is starting to feel cold again.
Due to the low temperature, within three puffs of this cigarette, there was only one filter left and the cigarette butt fell off.
Cai Gen bit the filter, facing the cold wind, alone, proud and messy.
This cigarette is fake.
Cai Gen looked back and saw that he had already walked some distance from the canteen.
Go back? That eldest lady’s mouth is not a vegetarian. It was so early in the morning, forget it.
At this time, a 110 car, siren blaring, passed Cai Gen and rushed behind Cai Gen.
These police officers are really working hard. They are out so early in the morning. Who are they arresting? Looking at the direction of the police car, could they be arresting someone selling counterfeit cigarettes?
But the police car passed by the canteen and did not stop. Cai Gen was a little disappointed.
I continued pushing the cart and walked for another half an hour. Finally, at almost 6 o'clock, I saw the lights of my store.
It didn't seem that dark anymore. I walked into the community, removed the battery, opened the store door, and felt a burst of warmth.
First charge the battery and take off your coat. Your underwear is still a little damp because it got soaked several times.
Without bothering to change clothes, he went to the kitchen, lit a fire, boiled a pot of water, and waited for the water to boil.
I took the time to light up another cigarette, and this time I was sure it was a real cigarette.
The smell of low-quality tobacco is very choking, but it's also very refreshing.
Cai Gen stared at the water in the pot and began to recall what happened last night.
Where did it start? Yes, a quartz clock loses one second every minute.
The bloodstains dragged out by the old man selling bean bags, the young man's near-death experience, the 30-meter-long darkness, the black shadow on the stairwell, and the hanging on the headlight.
Is this all an illusion? Although I am delivering food, I am also highly educated, even if it is a self-study degree.
Cai Gen has always been proud of his rational cognition.
Even if my wife later chose to become a horse fairy, after rational analysis, I felt that this was a matter of faith, not feudal superstition, and I happily changed my mind to support her.
If you don’t understand something, don’t rush to deny it. This is the truth that Cai Gen has summarized after nearly 40 years of life. It seems that he needs to expand the boundaries of his knowledge and needs help from his wife.
When the water boils, put out the cigarette, put a portion of rice in the pot, and start stirring constantly.
Cooking rice porridge seems simple, but to cook every grain of rice like blooming flowers, you need high heat and constant stirring.
The strength and effort of each stirring are what make every grain of rice pop without breaking, and be soft in the mouth without losing the taste.
Cai Gen is very talented and diligent in cooking.
Just like his 200 kilograms of weight, it is not a gain or loss overnight, but an accumulation day after day.
But the rice sold in Cai Gen's restaurant is all ready-made and not cooked by himself. This is also what puzzles his friends.
The reason given by Cai Gen is that cooking is for family, relatives and friends, and is used to sell money, and the food is not delicious.
For a person who opened a restaurant, he gave such a reason, and everyone who heard it felt not only contempt but contempt.
When the heat is up and the rice porridge is ready, take off the rice pot, replace it with a frying pan, and start frying the dumplings.
Put the frozen dumplings into a pan, add oil and a cup of water, cover the pan, and after 10 minutes, a pan of oily fried dumplings will be out of the pan.
Next is the pan-fried yellow croaker, two large yellow croakers with heads on them, which have been marinated in the refrigerator overnight. Only salt is added and no other seasonings are added to ensure the taste of the sea.
Cai Gen was fried very carefully. He didn't dare to stir it too frequently for fear of breaking the fish. He didn't dare to stir it. If it got burnt, it would be a big sin.
Sorry, such good ingredients cost 45 yuan per pound, more than 50 yuan for two fish, Cai Gen muttered while watching the heat carefully.
When the yellow croaker is fried until golden brown on both sides, it is also taken out of the pan.
Finally, I fried 2 poached eggs and put them on a plate. Breakfast was complete.
After leaving the kitchen, I looked at the quartz clock at the door. It was almost 5 minutes and 7 o'clock. The time was just right.
Cai Gen opened the takeout app, lit a cigarette, touched the black spots on the bar, and kept feeling regretful.
This bar counter was found at a junk market when he opened his shop. It is heavy and thick.
When it was first carried into the store, four big men had a hard time carrying it. The bar counter cost 200 yuan and shipping cost 300 yuan. Nowadays, few restaurants use such heavy bar counters.
My wife doesn't like this bar very much. She says the color is bad, it's vermilion, it's so big, and it looks a bit like a coffin.
But Cai Gen likes this bar because it is high enough and Cai Gen feels safe standing in it.
Because the bar is thick and heavy, it adds to the sense of security.
At 2 minutes to 7 o'clock, my wife and son entered the house, and the bell on the door made a pleasant and cheerful sound.
Cai Gen quickly went to the back kitchen to put breakfast on the table by the window, where there was the first sunshine in the morning.
Moreover, the breakfast he made looks beautiful in the sunshine.
The wife and son quickly took their seats and started eating. Cai Gen watched from the bar, smoking a cigarette, feeling very happy.
During my free time after eating, my wife started asking questions about whether I wanted to go with him or not.
"How many jobs did you get last night?"
Cai Gen suddenly fell from happiness into the abyss and said bitterly,
"Only one lives."
My wife was not surprised and started her daily scolding.
"You said it would be great if you could find a job outside. When you are your Mr. Cai, why do you have to guard a shabby shop? You have to lose money and people. Are you not doing enough?"
It’s a cliché. When Cai Gen said he wanted to open a store five years ago, no one agreed. As a result, it’s become a shame now. Cai Gen skillfully used every answer.
"My parents are getting older and my children are young. I don't want to go out of town anymore."