NOVPUB
Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Big Cousin Sister
Firecrackers were set off for a full 20 minutes, attracting more and more people around.
Lin Chuxia once again acknowledged Jia Liang’s organizational skills.
It was nearing noon, steamed buns were coming out of the steamer, and a small queue had formed at the takeout window. Inside, a few tables were occupied by groups of customers.
Their Bun Shop had just entered the city market, unlike when they opened in An City where they already had a reputation. Having this kind of turnout was already very impressive.
Lin Chuxia rolled up her sleeves and joined in the takeout service.
It had been more than half a year since she last sold buns herself, but it still felt good.
Through the crowd of onlookers, a frail figure was staring at the bun shop, unmoving for a long time.
Beside her, a little girl with a pointed face and large eyes whispered, "Mom, are you going to buy buns for me to eat?"
The woman finally snapped back to reality and gently touched the little girl’s head, "Ningning, behave. We won’t eat meat buns today; I’ll buy you some candy later."
"Then do we need to buy vegetables too? We’ve been standing here for quite a while. Is this a vegetable market? It’s really bustling."
"This isn’t a vegetable market, there’s just a shop opening here. I’ll take Ningning to the vegetable market soon."
Having said that, the woman glanced once more at the distant Bun Shop and then withdrew her gaze, leading the little girl out of the crowd.
Zhang Guilan came out from the kitchen and saw Lin Chuxia personally selling buns at the window; she walked over too.
"This city is really more bustling than our county; it’s my first time seeing so many tall buildings, and the clothes people wear also look nice," no wonder my sister-in-law likes to come here to shop.
As Lin Chuxia handed several meat buns to a customer and waved them off, she turned and said, "Sister-in-law, if you have time, you should visit the Department Store in the city, it’s not far from our Bun Shop. Our staff dormitory is also nearby."
"That’s great; it’s actually my first time in the city, I really should take a good walk here."
Lin Chuxia had already explained when they were coming that she would probably stay for a week.
Although the Bun Shop had just opened and there were many tasks, she was here to supervise, and after three to five days once things were in order, there wouldn’t be much for her to do.
"Juanzi is also in the city, and I don’t know on which street they live. You know, your brother, it’s still unclear even when I ask him. It would be nice if we had time to visit."
Lin Chuxia was also reminded then of Qin Juan and Zhang Wenbin’s family living in the city, but...
"Haven’t they visited your second sister’s house?"
Even if they hadn’t visited, they should at least know the address.
Zhang Guilan smiled embarrassingly, "Despite your brother’s bluster, besides our own tiny plot of land, he doesn’t really go anywhere else. Last time he came to the city to buy a tricycle from you was his first time here, and once back, he boasted to me for a good while. Juanzi and her family haven’t been living in the city for long, and when I previously asked for their address, she couldn’t specify it either, just knew it’s in Wenbin’s residential compound. We met during Spring Festival and forgot to ask again. It’s really something, isn’t it? Not how one acts as a family. It’s only because Juanzi didn’t grow impatient with us due to her good nature."
Lin Chuxia smiled too, indeed it was a lack of concern from their side.
"Our Bun Shop has started up too, after some time when we come here more often, we’ll ask around and definitely meet."
Zhang Guilan nodded, "Yes, even if we can’t find them, our Qin’s Bun Shop sign is here. As the shop stays open longer, even if she lives far, she might eventually hear about it."
"Exactly."
............
"Mom, are you really going to buy me candy?"
On the other side, a little girl followed the woman out of the crowd, asking in a low and gentle voice.
The woman smiled and nodded, "I’ll buy you some when we get to the front."
"That’s so great, mom, you’re really nice."
The little girl’s eyes curved with joy, and the woman also curled her lips into a smile.
When they reached the supply and marketing cooperative up ahead, the woman bought the little girl two pieces of candy.
The little girl clenched them in her hand but couldn’t bring herself to eat them, and the woman didn’t say anything more; instead, she took her to the market up ahead.
The woman first bought two types of vegetables, and looking at the nearby meat stall, she pursed her lips but still went inside.
After a short while, she came out again, followed by the impatient voice of the meat stall-owner.
"Go on, scoot! If you have no money, then don’t think about eating meat. You’re really funny, my prices are clearly marked. I’ve been selling meat for so many years and I’ve never seen anyone buy meat like you do. I can’t serve people like you..."
The little girl shivered, looking nervously at the woman, "Mom..."
The woman gave her a gentle smile and patted her head, "It’s okay, let’s go home, we won’t eat meat today."
The little girl wanted to say that she didn’t like eating meat and could go without it every day, rather than watch her mom get yelled at by that fearsome, angry butcher.
But she didn’t have the courage to say so, and could only tightly clutch her mom’s clothes, following her closely on the way home.
Just as they entered the house, an explosive roar came from inside.
"Where did you vanish to? I asked you to buy some vegetables, and only now you’re back, look at the time! Have you two had your fill outside and don’t care about the family at home anymore? Look around to our neighbors, see if anyone behaves like you?"
"What pretense is this? You’re acting pitiful all day as if someone mistreated you. Just having you do housework and cooking, and you can’t even manage that; what use is it for Wenbin to have married you?"
"What are you standing there for, aren’t you going to cook? If it’s too late, Sister Xu next door will start blabbering again, I can’t afford to lose this face."
"Look at other men’s wives, adept at handling both indoor and outdoor work, and her man just got promoted, it was all because his wife helped him find connections. Then look at you, Wenbin works so hard outside, and you can’t even manage to cook meals without dawdling. I really don’t know why he married you in the first place; our family Wenbin truly has bad luck, ending up with a jinx like you..."
The woman listened to her mother-in-law’s endless abuse as if she was accustomed to it, carrying the vegetables into the kitchen.
The old lady followed her at once into the kitchen, seeing only two types of vegetables in the basket, she was more dissatisfied than ever.
"How could you only buy so little vegetables, where’s the meat? I’m at such an old age, and you want me to eat this every day? Didn’t you secretly send the money meant for vegetables to your parental home?"
"I always said we should find someone of equal social status. What can a country person know, never seen anything good in their life, marrying someone from the village is just inviting a family of vampires in. No one listened to me, see, isn’t this just like inviting vampires, sneaking money back to their home through the gaps between their teeth..."
"Mom, I didn’t send money to my natal home."
The woman couldn’t bear it anymore; the mother-in-law could scold her, but she couldn’t tolerate her talking about her parental home. That was her final bottom line.
