Chapter 11

The tricycle was pedal-powered and rode very slowly, but fortunately the road was dry, so Jiang Yiyi and Gu Yunchi went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought twenty enamel pots, a large enamel basin, a kitchen knife, and a small chopping board.

By the way, I also gave a portion of Liangpi to the salesperson who took me to buy the tricycle, “I made this Liangpi myself. Thank you for buying the tricycle.”

The salesperson had already charged her two yuan, and was embarrassed to charge her for more. But when he looked at the crystal clear cold noodles, he took it without thinking, and said, “I am so embarrassed.”

Seeing three servings of cold noodles being sent out in a row, Gu Yunchi felt a little distressed, but she said nothing. She knew that Jiang Yiyi had her own purpose in doing this.

As soon as the two of them left, the other salespeople immediately surrounded them.

“This is the first time I know there is something edible like this.”

“It looks crystal clear and has a lot of stuff in it. It must be delicious.”

Several people looked at the owner of the cold noodles in unison. The salesperson pretended not to see their expectant gazes and put the enamel pot on her counter. She wanted to take such delicious food back for her family.

Everything was prepared. Gu Yunchi kneaded the dough and washed it in the evening. She made the cold noodles early the next morning. She originally wanted to make twenty sheets, but Jiang Yiyi asked her to make sixty.

I cut a large enamel basin full of cucumbers, and put them into the tricycle together with the cut gluten and chili oil. It was only half past eight when I finished all this.

Jiang Yiyi came out of the house and saw her nervous look, so she teased her deliberately, “It’s just a matter of a few kilograms of noodles. If we can’t sell them all, we can eat them ourselves.”

“Sister-in-law, I’ll go with you.”

She couldn’t feel at ease staying at home, so she decided to go with him. Her mother had been feeling much better in the past few days and no longer coughed day and night. Her two daughters were also obedient, so there should be no problem at home.

“You can make some noodles at home, buy a few pounds of meat, and make steamed meat buns for dinner.”

Jiang Yiyi went to the entrance of the textile factory. The textile factory was a large factory with hundreds of workers. Jiang Yiyi took out the enamel pot that had been brushed, cut ten portions and put them inside, mixed one portion and put it in front. When she saw someone coming out, she shouted, “Liangpi, delicious Liangpi. You will feel refreshed after eating it. It can be used as a staple food or as a side dish.”

Some people came over after hearing the noise, looking at the crystal clear cold noodles in wonder, “Can we eat this?”

“Of course you can eat it. I eat it every day at home.”

Jiang Yiyi handed her a pair of chopsticks and said, “You can try it. It’s free.”

It was a good bargain, so she took it and put some cold noodles into her mouth. Her mouth instantly felt cool. She chewed it a few times and swallowed it, feeling refreshed. “How much?”

“30 cents a portion, this is a full enamel pot. You can pour it into your lunch box after mixing it, or you can pay a deposit and take my enamel pot away. I’ll return the money to you when you bring it back tomorrow.”

“Give me one.”

Someone started the process, and people came forward to try it. After trying it, most of them bought it. A lunch box was full. They could eat it themselves, and add some chili oil to take it back to their families to improve their meals. In less than half an hour, there was only one left. Jiang Yiyi cut and seasoned it, put it in the tricycle, and rode to the No. 1 Middle School in the county. She bought four big buns from the bun shop near the school and gave two of them to the old man who was guarding the door. “Uncle, please help me find Jiang Jinzhong, a senior student.”

The gatekeeper left happily.

Soon, Jiang Jinzhong came out jogging. He was a handsome boy, tall and straight, with a look of surprise on his face. “Sister, why are you here?”

“Bring you food.”

Jiang Yiyi took out the cold noodles and placed them in front of him along with two big meat buns. The crystal clear cold noodles, the emerald green cucumber, the bright red chili oil, and the big buns emitting a fragrant aroma made Jiang Jinzhong almost unable to hold back his saliva. He only drank a bowl of white porridge every morning and went to the canteen to get a steamed corn bread at noon and in the evening. He hadn’t had a full meal for a long time.

“I, I’ve eaten. Please take it back and let my family eat it.”

“This is the cold noodles I made. I sell them in the county every day. After 12:30 noon, you can come out and wait for me to bring them to you.”

Jiang Jinzhong was surprised that such delicious food was made by his sister herself.

“Eat quickly, I’m still waiting to get back.”

Hearing that Jiang Yiyi had to hurry back, Jiang Jinzhong did not hesitate and stood beside the tricycle to eat.

Looking at the boy wolfing down his food, Jiang Yiyi thought about the ending of his book.

In the book, Jiang Jin was admitted to a university in the provincial capital. He started school on the same day as Bai Jun. When he came back from winter vacation, he found out that Jiang Yiyi had run away with all the money of the Gu family. He didn’t believe that Jiang Yiyi would do such a thing and thought she was cheated. He investigated while going to school, but he didn’t find anything after several years. Until a few years later, he accidentally heard Bai Jun’s villagers bragging that Bai Jun didn’t spend a penny of his family’s money on school, he became suspicious, gave up the assigned job and went to Beijing, while working and investigating the years when Bai Jun was in college. After finding out the truth, he went to Bai Jun’s unit to ask him about Jiang Yiyi’s whereabouts.

Bai Jun denied it, so Jiang Jinzhong beat him half to death and went to jail for intentional injury. After he was released, he went to find Bai Jun again and said that he would publicize what Bai Jun had done. Bai Jun was afraid of losing his job, so he could only tell him the whereabouts of Jiang Yiyi. When Jiang Jinzhong went to find him, Jiang Yiyi had been tortured to death. Jiang Jinzhong first killed the old widower, then returned to Jingshi, killed Bai Jun, and then committed suicide.

After Jiang Jinzhong had eaten his fill, Jiang Yiyi gave him another ten yuan, “Go buy some more meal tickets. Only when you are full can you have the energy to study.”

Jiang Jinzhong didn’t want it. Not only did his sister give up the opportunity to go to school for him, she also married herself off to raise money for his schooling. He already felt guilty towards his sister and couldn’t take her money anymore.

Jiang Yiyi forced it into his hand and said, “I still say the same thing. Only when you are full can you have the energy to study. I will wait for you to get into a good university and become my solid support in the future.”

“Don’t worry, I will definitely be admitted to university.”

“Wait, sister.”

Watching the thin figure walking away, Jiang Jinzhong clenched the ten yuan in his hand, turned around and strode towards the school.

“Mom, do you think my sister-in-law can sell all the goods?”

Gu Yunchi asked.

After lunch, Gu Yunyang and Gu Yuncan went to school, and the two children fell asleep after being coaxed by her. Gu Yunchi ran outside to check on them almost every three minutes, and when he came back he couldn’t help asking Gu’s mother, and he didn’t know how many times he had asked.

Mother Gu was also unsure.

The door was pushed open, and the mother and daughter looked out at the same time. Seeing that it was Jiang Yiyi, Gu Yunchi almost instantly shot out, “Sister-in-law, how is it?”

“I sold 58 portions, gave one portion to someone to taste, and gave the remaining portion to my brother.”

Mother Gu was a step slower. Just as she walked into the yard and heard Jiang Yiyi’s words, she felt her legs a little weak. They were sold out so quickly. Could she make more tomorrow?

Gu Yunchi rushed over and hugged Jiang Yiyi, wishing he could kiss her twice, “Sister-in-law, you are so capable!”