The pungent smell of pork wasn’t masked. The pan-fried dumpling wrapper was too coarse—you could tell just by eating it that the flour was subpar. The meat filling had no juices; instead, it was mixed with Chinese cabbage. Mixing in cabbage would have been fine, but they didn’t use fresh, tender leaves—they used tough, old cabbage stalks.

The oil used for frying was soybean oil, but it clearly wasn’t pressed this year—it had that distinctive stale taste of oil that’s been sitting too long.

It wasn’t exactly terrible, but it certainly wasn’t good either.

“I worried for nothing. I was afraid their pan-fried buns would ruin your reputation. Look how small these are—probably only half the size of yours.” Guan Hongchi said with a couple of coughs.

Though he wasn’t a picky eater, he was still a skilled noodle maker and couldn’t help but look down on these pan-fried buns.

”They’re not as small as Brother Guan says. By the way, Brother Guan, if you’re finding these a bit dry, let me pour you a cup of fruit drink.” As Gu Tangjin spoke, he rose to pour Guan Hongchi a bowl of fruit drink, then picked up six pan-fried buns wrapped in lotus leaves and handed them to him.

“Don’t be so polite. We’re just hanging out in the restaurant. If you hadn’t come over, we wouldn’t even know about this,” Ji Rongxia quickly interjected, seeing him hesitate.

Guan Hongchi accepted without further ado: “Alright then, no need for formalities. I’ll take these pan-fried buns. Next time, I’ll treat you to my chicken noodle soup.”

The noodle shop was also in a hurry to open. Though Guan Hongchi’s younger siblings could help, things wouldn’t run smoothly without him, so he didn’t linger and quickly left.

Ji Rongxia swiftly fried a second batch of pan-fried buns. Hesitantly, he suggested, “Even though their buns aren’t great, they’re cheap. I’m afraid people will still buy them. Should we lower our prices?”

Gu Tangjin chuckled, “We use only the finest meat and flour. Our pan-fried buns deserve this price. Such situations will likely arise often. We can’t lower our prices just because of them. If we start that, there’ll be no end to it.”

Ji Rongxia considered this and agreed, putting the matter out of his mind.

It rained today, so Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin set up a long table outside their eatery. This way, customers buying breakfast could stand under the eaves and stay dry.

___

“Mother, will this really sell well? We made so much today, all that oil and meat. If they don’t sell, we’ll lose money.“ Liang Dafeng felt a twinge of regret over the soybean oil.

A sharp gleam flashed in Liang Laoniang’s cloudy eyes as her bony fingers pointed at their prized pan-fried buns. ”You wouldn’t know, but that deaf fellow has been selling these for days now. People come and go, plenty of folks want to try them. But at three wen each, they’re pricey—not everyone can afford them. Ours are just one wen apiece, and they taste just as good. Plus, our spot’s prime. Shout out loud enough, and they’ll fly off the shelves.“

Liang Dafeng flattered, ”Mother’s the clever one. Making them work for free builds our reputation.”

Liang Laoniang beamed with pride. “You bet.”

That deaf fellow hasn’t eaten half the salt she has. Serves him right to let the Liang family pocket that silver!

“Just now, Guan Dalang bought three pan-fried buns. Probably to deliver news to that cripple. They’ve really gotten cozy together now! I never saw Mr. Guan being so attentive before.” Liang Erfeng carried out freshly steamed buns, muttering under his breath.

“Let him go. We figured this out ourselves. Does he think he can come over and scold me?” Liang Laoniang frowned, utterly unconcerned. That stinking Guan brat was like a dog chasing mice—nosy and meddlesome! A good-for-nothing with a father but no upbringing!

Liang Laoniang bellowed at the top of her lungs: “Steamed buns for one wen each! Fresh and fragrant, and cheap too!”

“Really just one wen each?” Chai Fulang heard the hawker’s call the moment he entered the alley and stopped in his tracks.

He lived near Wuqu Alley and had long wanted to buy a couple of pan-fried buns to try. But two buns cost five wen, and he’d never been able to bring himself to buy them. Instead, he bought two scoops of fruit drink every day to satisfy his children’s cravings.

“That’s right, just one wen each! They’re stuffed with pork and smell delicious,” Liang Laoniang said with a smile.

Hearing there was meat inside, Chai Fulang figured they couldn’t be that bad, no matter how unappetizing they might seem. “Then give me three,” he said.

“Alright, alright.” Liang Laoniang used a clean leaf to wrap three small pan-fried buns for himself.

Chai Fulang’s eyes darted about as he carefully tucked the buns into the corner of his basket. After handing over three wen, he didn’t linger and headed deeper into Wuqu Alley.

The fruit drink was such a bargain; he had to buy some.

When Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia set up their stall, the first customer today was none other than Diao Qiuyun. She said softly, “Eight pan-fried buns with a little extra vinegar, please, and four scoops of fruit drink.”

She handed over a patched porcelain bowl. Upon hearing this, Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia nearly thought they’d misheard.

Liu Dalang, who’d come out for breakfast upon hearing the commotion, remarked in surprise, “Xiao Yun buying so much today?”

When did the Diao family stop being so stingy?

“Could it be your eldest brother is returning?” Liu Dalang suddenly exclaimed with surprise, as if struck by a thought.

In Liu Dalang’s view, among their generation in the alley, Gu Tangjin and Diao Dalang were the most capable.

Gu Tangjin, needless to say, excelled in his studies and had even passed the provincial examination to become a Xiucai.

Diao Dalang, however, traveled far and wide. Each time he returned, he brought back all sorts of novelty items. He was also the only member of the Diao family who wasn’t stingy. When he sold his goods to the neighbors, he even offered them at a discount. No wonder Diao Qiuyun was eagerly awaiting her elder brother’s return—many in the alley were hoping for the same. Much of the Diao family’s reputation in Wuqu Alley was built by this Diao Daliang.

“Not at all,” Diao Qiuyun said with a shy smile. “I always smell these delicious aromas but never get to eat them. My parents love me, so they told me I could buy some today.”

Liu Dalang curled his lip at her words, clearly skeptical.

Ji Rongxia quickly packed eight pan-fried buns for Diao Qiuyun, while Gu Tangjin poured her an extra serving of fruit drink.

Diao Qiuyun counted out twenty-four wen.

“The roads are slippery, Qiuyun. Take your time walking back,” Ji Rongxia couldn’t help but offer an extra reminder, struck by the girl’s sweetness.

“Got it,” Diao Qiuyun obediently replied, opening her umbrella and walking back slowly.

“Ah, come to think of it, Diao Dalang hasn’t been back in a year either,” Liu Dalang muttered. “Oh, right, two pan-fried buns and four scoops of fruit drink.”

Ji Rongxia packed the pan-fried buns for him. With few customers buying food yet, he had time to exchange a few casual words: “I heard from Tangjin that Diao Daliang joined a merchant caravan heading to the Northern Frontier?”

That must be so far away. If it were him, he didn’t know if he could walk that far.

He felt a bit afraid, but also a bit envious.

He hadn’t even been to the provincial capital yet!

Liu Dalang sighed. “Yeah, who knows if he’ll even come back this year.”

“When he returns, he’ll surely bring back all sorts of new things. I’ll take you to see them then,” Gu Tangjin chimed in.

“I’ll remember that,” Ji Rongxia said, looking at Gu Tangjin.

Gu Tangjin nodded with a smile.

Liu Dalang watched with envy: “Well then, you two keep busy. I’ll be off.”

Dropping that line, Liu Dalang grabbed his bowl and pan-fried buns, tossed down a wen, and bolted.

“Three scoops of fruit drink, please.” Chai Fulang secretly pulled his bowl from the basket, afraid Ji Rongxia would notice the pan-fried buns he’d bought from the Liang family.

Ji Rongxia wasn’t blind. Acting so furtively, as if afraid he wouldn’t notice something fishy.

He hadn’t known before, but now? How could he not know!

Gu Tangjin took the bowl and scooped three spoonfuls of fruit drink for Chai Fulang.

Chai Fulang’s eyes fixed intently on Gu Tangjin’s movements, afraid he might shortchange him.

“Tangjin, we’re almost out of sugar for the fruit drink, aren’t we?” Ji Rongxia suddenly spoke up.

This fruit syrup was so good, and it was compensation for enduring all that messy noise for so long. He didn’t want to sell it anymore!

He didn’t even want to sell this money-maker!

Gu Tangjin picked up the thread seamlessly, “It’s running low indeed. A few more days of sales and it’ll be gone.”

This was meant for Xia-ger by that little brat. If Xia-ger didn’t want to sell it, then it wouldn’t be sold!

They’d been selling it at a loss anyway, just to build their reputation. Now that their stall was established, they could afford to stop selling the fruit drink if they wanted.

“Why didn’t you buy more sugar sooner? You’re in the food business—how could you be so unprepared?” Hearing there’d be no more fruit drink, Chai Fulang immediately panicked.

His family was used to drinking that fruit drink—tart and sweet, perfect for beating the heat. At one wen a spoonful, it was cheap too. How could it just disappear?

“Oh, Uncle, what are you saying? This sugar was brought back from the city by my elder brother. I made the fruit drink because it was my first time setting up a stall to sell food. I was afraid I wouldn’t do it well, so I wanted to give the neighbors a good deal. Now that the sugar is gone, of course I won’t sell it anymore.”

“Making this never made a profit to begin with. How much silver does a trip to the city cost? Going all the way to the city for a money-losing venture? Uncle, don’t be ridiculous.”

Ji Rongxia’s smile never faltered, and his words were so reasonable and well-founded that no one could argue.

So this fruit drink was made with sugar brought back from the city!

No wonder it tasted so good.

The thought of never drinking it again made Chai Fulang ache inside, as if Ji Rongxia had just snatched his money from his pocket.

“Then I’ll take five more scoops of fruit drink this time,” Chai Fulang quickly said.

He had to buy more this time.

“Hey, hey, hey! Don’t you see the line behind you? Do you think we’ll let you buy it all up?”

Hearing that the fruit drink was running low, those behind him saw Chai Fulang buying so much, and the impatient ones among them spoke up.

“I’m buying things with my own wen coins! What business is it of yours?!” Chai Fulang rolled his eyes dramatically.

His outburst only stirred up the line.

“Today, each customer may only purchase four scoops of fruit drink. We can’t have our fellow villagers waiting in vain,” Gu Tangjin said gently, halting Chai Fulang’s order.

“You!” Chai Fulang suddenly caught on. Could it be that Scholar Gu and Xia-ger knew he’d bought pan-fried buns from the Liang family and were deliberately targeting him?!

How petty of Scholar Gu and Xia-ger!

No wonder one ended up crippled and the other deaf.

“Hey, if you’re not buying, get out of the way!” An auntie behind him, growing impatient with his daze, shoved him aside with a thud.

Chai Fulang’s words were pushed back along with him.

He wanted to retrieve them, but with a long line forming behind him, he could only slink away, bowl in hand.

Ji Rongxia raised an eyebrow and continued dishing out pan-fried buns to the crowd.

At the entrance of Wuqu Alley, after selling a dozen or so buns, Liang Laoniang felt emboldened. Spotting Lin Dongshan, she raised her voice to hawk her wares.

She recognized him—a generous customer who bought food from the lame vendor’s stall almost daily. If they could win him over, it meant several more wen a day.

“Steamed buns for one wen each! One wen each! Fragrant pork steamed buns!”

Lin Dongshan hurried through the rain, head down, neck tucked in. The rain had cooled the air, but he’d accidentally overslept. His steps were hurried, afraid the pan-fried buns and pastries would sell out. Hearing Liang Laoniang’s shouts, he paused slightly, taking a deep breath.

That smell just didn’t add up!

He strode briskly onward.

Liang Laoniang watched him vanish in a flash!