He didn’t waste that couple of dozen bucks, if it weren’t for her mom stopping her, Lin Wan would’ve asked them for more compensation. This illness will stay with her mom. It’ll leave an ailment, and they’ll need to spend plenty of money in the future.
After accompanying her mom for an IV drip, Lin Wan started messing with her dumplings again. She made over fifty today, not intending to head out too early, just make a round before lunch. They should sell pretty well.
Long-time customers who hadn’t seen Lin Wan for several days smiled when they saw her, "You’re back, I’ve gotten addicted to your family’s dumplings, other places just don’t taste as good."
Lin Wan was taken aback, and smilingly asked, "Did someone sell dumplings in the village these past couple of days?"
"Yes, also people from your village, a mother and daughter, tried once, didn’t taste good, too hard, not sure if they didn’t cook them enough, not as soft and sticky as your family’s."
Upon hearing about a mother and daughter, Lin Wan instantly knew who it was. She wasn’t bothered. She smiled and peeled two dumplings for the lady.
Ye Qing and her mom seemed to be coming around too frequently, Lin Wan made a round in the nearby villages, but didn’t sell much.
Lin Wan then strapped up and ran to the further villages. She managed to sell a little over thirty.
Seeing it wasn’t early anymore, Lin Wan hurried home.
With a dozen dumplings left, Lin Wan took ten over to Little Grandmother’s house. The rest, they kept for themselves, steamed some sweet potatoes, and added a touch of spicy sauce, having a simple dinner.
"Why so many left today?" Liang Hongmei asked, puzzled.
"Mom, Ye Qing’s family started this business too these days; they’ve gone all around the nearby villages. Dumplings are just snacks, it’s not like there’s that many people buying. We’re almost out of glutinous rice, once it’s used up, let’s stop making them."
"Ye Weijun’s family?"
Lin Wan nodded, Ye Weijun was Ye Qing’s dad’s name.
"They really kept it under wraps, just days ago Ye Weihong was going around the village saying we were doing shady business, now they’re at it themselves." Liang Hongmei was miffed about losing business, "Back when you were seven, Ye Qing swung a long blade for trimming tree leaves and cut your wrist, they stitched it three or four times, you were hurting all night, Ye Qing’s mom and dad came to see you but didn’t even bring an egg. Your grandma was nice and gave Ye Qing a piece of cake. That cake was bought with the money I saved for half a month for you and your brother, and you cherished it so much you couldn’t bring yourself to eat it. I remember you threw a fit for that cake then, made me scrimp and save to buy you another. People like them always make a fuss over small gains and turn their back on you."
Liang Hongmei’s words brought back the memory, years have passed but her wrist still bears the scar, the stitch marks still evident, a solid three or four-centimeter scar, quite unsightly.
Even though she was upset over Ye Qing eating her cake, it was precisely because of this cake that she and Ye Qing gradually started playing together.
"Mom, why do you care so much about them? Today I asked around, most said their dumplings weren’t tasty. They must’ve used regular rice to cut costs in the glutinous rice."
"In that case, we can keep selling ours."
Lin Wan shook her head, "These snacks don’t make much money in a month and they’re tiring. I want to do something else."
Liang Hongmei sighed, watching her daughter walk so much every day, felt sorry for her, nodded, "You’ve got lots of ideas, Mom will listen to you. But, the college entrance exam is in a few months. You haven’t been to school since returning, why not let mom talk to your teachers, have you revise with them for a few months? We’ve got some savings now, we can support you and your brother."
"No need, mom, I wasn’t planning to take the exam this year, let’s wait. There’s no hurry."