In the evening, once the food sold out, Feng Man and Dong Xiaojuan chatted and laughed as they left. Along the way, Feng Man smiled with crinkled eyes, while Dong Xiaojuan could not hold back her laughter, bursts of silvery bell-like giggles ringing out.
“That You Jianyuan’s face turned green, hahaha! Still thinking he could act all high and mighty and boss us around! Pfft!” Dong Xiaojuan felt relieved. Did he really think he was the emperor? First he wouldn’t let people buy from our stall, then he deigned to place an order like he was doing charity, and it was some exhausting order that ignored all limits. He was simply off his rocker.
If they had really taken his order, with this man’s petty nitpicking nature, he probably would have stirred up trouble everywhere, and there would have been no peace.
Feng Man felt great seeing You Jianyuan shot down. A man with such a small mind was truly annoying.
After thinking it over, Cheng Lang by her side had a much better temperament. Even when targeted by all sorts of people, he still toughed it out independently and found ways to solve problems. Of course, the one flaw was that his personality was a bit soft.
But she had known that from the start, so it was not hard to accept.
After Feng Man rejected You Jianyuan’s order, the workers in the Liberation Mine District only got an empty promise.
On the second day, the day You Jianyuan had promised to treat everyone to good food, the workers saw only ordinary-tasting sesame flatbread and braised pork. One look showed it was not from Feng’s.
After taking a bite, the flatbread’s crust was soft and chewy, lacking any of Feng’s crispness. The meat filling was worlds apart—short on aroma, lacking oiliness, with dry, stringy lean meat that was not smooth at all. The braised pork even retained a faint gamey smell, its braising flavor nowhere near Feng’s.
Though this meal was already better than the usual cafeteria slop, You Jianyuan had clearly said it would be Feng’s stuff yesterday. Now he fobbed them off with something completely inferior.
The miner Guo Da Hai, already harboring resentment, ate the flatbread and mocked aloud, “Engineer You is quite generous. Who knows where he got this food from? Must have shopped at the wrong place—maybe mistook Ma Ji for Feng’s.”
Everyone in the cafeteria let out stifled laughs. “Looks like Engineer You’s eyesight isn’t great.”
You Jianyuan forced a smile but had to swallow his anger. He had spent a good amount of money, yet got nothing good out of it. How frustrating!
He had no idea what was so great about that Feng’s. Just a street stall vendor, yet these miners obsessed over it. A bunch of country bumpkins who had never seen the world! Especially Feng Man, putting on airs and refusing such a big order from him!
Feng Man had been supplying food to Cheng Lang’s Mine District for quite some days now and indeed planned to take a break soon. She simply went shopping with her cousin’s wife, buying some clothes at the department store. The cool, stylish summer dresses lightened Feng Man’s blue-collar drudgery look quite a bit.
Next week, the rental period at Dong Xiaojuan’s home was up. With all the money earned lately, they simply ordered some furniture. Deposits had been paid for high-quality pear wood cabinets and tables, just waiting for delivery.
“Before, Zhenghua alone earned two or three hundred, and my stall made whatever it could, but we were used to scrimping, so we didn’t like splashing cash. We wanted to save as much as possible, especially thinking of Xiaoshan.” Dong Xiaojuan locked in over three hundred yuan worth of furniture this trip, yet felt no qualms. “But now it’s different. Ever since teaming up with you, we’ve earned way more. I buy things without second-guessing now.”
Feng Man helped pick the styles and laughed upon hearing this. “Then later, when we scale up and earn even more, Cousin-in-law, you’ll have to spend without batting an eye.”
Dong Xiaojuan could not imagine earning even more than now—it was already enough to make her grin in her sleep every night.
But Feng Man’s mention of scaling up reminded her. “Right, Manman, Sister Song from the stall next to ours mentioned a couple days ago that she doesn’t want to do this anymore. She’s returning the lease to find factory work. I’m thinking, should we…”
“Merging it with our current stall would be perfect.” Feng Man was delighted. Two stalls side by side would make vending together convenient. “Cousin-in-law, go ask around. If she’s really giving it up, we’ll rent it.”
“Deal!”
Lately, stalls in nearby mine districts heard that Feng’s occasionally took special orders and came to join in the fun. After all, to motivate workers and boost productivity, it made sense to occasionally spend on good eats.
Thus, Feng Man took orders from several mine districts, supplying plentiful food. With output suddenly surging, she specially hired a miner’s family member from Cheng Lang’s Mine District to help, paying daily wages.
On previous trips delivering meals to the mines, Zhou Yuejin’s wife Yuan Qiumei had helped hand out the food nearby. She had no formal job in the Mine District, just did odd jobs, so Feng Man remembered her then.
Zhou Yuejin smugly introduced his wife. Yuan Qiumei was nimble-handed and methodical in her work. Rumor had it she could earn eight work points back in her rural hometown doing fieldwork, and she was great at chopping veggies, stir-frying, kneading dough.
More importantly, once when Feng Man went along to deliver meals, she tasted Yuan Qiumei’s sweet potato pancakes. Zhou Yuejin had boasted to his coworkers about his wife’s skills, made specially for him, the head of the household, to fill his stomach. The unmarried workers or those whose wives were absent looked on enviously.
Yuan Qiumei’s sweet potato pancakes tasted great—well-kneaded dough with precise proofing, and perfectly controlled browning.
So Feng Man asked about her interest.
Yuan Qiumei, in her early thirties with a round, approachable face, usually kept her eyes down like she avoided looking at people. She was stunned when Feng Man asked if she wanted to help make food.
“Boss, you think your Feng’s could use someone like me?” Yuan Qiumei knew this young, pretty woman was Feng Man, wife of her husband’s Mine District boss, and owner of the most famous stall around.
“I heard other sisters say you’re skilled—kneading dough, making pancakes, chopping, stir-frying, all top-notch. My orders are piling up short-staffed these days. If you’re willing, come try it out. Five yuan a day.”
Feng Man, having worked jobs herself, offered a generous rate.
Yuan Qiumei was floored by five yuan a day for odd work—that matched factory wages! Eyes lit up, she blinked rapidly and nodded vigorously. “Yes, I’m in! I’ll come!”
Facts proved Feng Man’s eye was spot on.
After simple training, Feng Man observed Yuan Qiumei at work. She was quick at washing, picking, and chopping veggies; meticulous at cleaning and boiling meat to remove gamey flavors; and good at timing dough kneading and proofing.
Her only shortcoming was a slightly poor memory, but she worked hard, repeating Feng Man’s steps until she got them right.
Such odd-job chances were rare, so Yuan Qiumei threw herself into the work, saving Feng Man and Dong Xiaojuan a lot of effort.
Lately, with mine district orders, daily revenue hovered around one hundred ten or twelve. After costs for ingredients and Yuan Qiumei’s pay, pure profit was fifty or sixty. Feng Man gave her cousin-in-law thirty percent. With one extra person, it was less tiring than the usual two-person setup, yet they earned much more.
Dong Xiaojuan muttered privately to Feng Man, “See, more hands mean more work and more money. Used to sell dozens a day, now over a hundred every day. Heck, I can barely sleep counting the cash at night.”
Feng Man glanced at Yuan Qiumei working away and had plans in mind. “We can rent the stall next door, hire one or two more to help, boost sales. Later… I saw on TV news that our area might develop a commercial zone, build shops. Elder Huang analyzed it once and thought it had potential. Then we can see about getting a proper shop to open a real eatery.”
“Really? That’d be great!” But opening a shop wasn’t that hard, and Dong Xiaojuan was curious. “There’s rentable spots on the street across too. We could lease there.”
Feng Man shook her head. “It’s called across the street, but not that close. From the prime Mine District foot traffic, it’s a ten-minute walk—not golden location anymore. Business would suffer. Cousin-in-law, think: if you’re hungry, do you leave the Mine District, walk three or four minutes to eat, or ten minutes over there? If anyone’s willing, it’ll still filter out lazy customers who won’t bother.”
Store location was key; sometimes a different exit or a blocking corner slashed foot traffic.
Dong Xiaojuan nodded repeatedly. “Makes sense.”
She had never noticed these things before and learned a ton. Her gaze on Feng Man grew even more admiring—this cousin-in-law was capable!
Stalls near the Mine District changed hands fast; many quit after a stint and vacated.
Next to Dong Xiaojuan’s original stall were vendors of sundries. Left was Fang Hong selling sodas, snacks, and popsicles—similar to Dong Xiaojuan’s old business. Right sold cheap clothes and bags.
But competition was fierce; clothes and bags didn’t sell well. The owner vacated, and Dong Xiaojuan inquired, quickly registering with the manager to take it over.
Expanding from one stall to two meant more items to sell. Two spots cost twenty yuan a month in rent. Feng Man planned to keep Yuan Qiumei as full-time help.
But before offering, Feng Man discussed with Cheng Lang. “Cousin-in-law and I plan to expand. Hiring outsiders is risky—not knowing their background. Better to hire from your Mine District workers’ families. What do you think?”
Cheng Lang knew about the temp hire but not that it would go full-time. “Mine workers are hardworking. When I planned the Mine District refurb, I carved out spots for families—to steady the workers’ hearts and give them side income. But jobs are limited; many family members idle. If you hire them, perfect.”
Feng Man and Cheng Lang aligned. Hiring from his mine was safest—known quantities, mutual support if issues arose. So she went to Yuan Qiumei right away.
“Sister Qiumei, we’re expanding the stall and need full-time help. If you’re good with it, join me and Sister Xiaojuan full-time. One hundred sixty a month, paid last day of the month. Overtime for special cases, bonuses on holidays. Any needs or questions, speak up.”
Feng Man never skimped on wages; the offer rivaled or beat factory work.
One hundred sixty a month? Yuan Qiumei knew young family members in electronics or garment factories earned one hundred thirty or so as base female workers. Feng Man offered one hundred sixty?
Yuan Qiumei could hardly believe her ears.
“What’s wrong, any issues?” Feng Man saw no reply.
“No, no.” Yuan Qiumei hesitated over family matters, but the past days at Feng’s had energized her, and the pay was high—she did not want to miss it. Gritting her teeth, she agreed instantly. “Boss… no, Boss Lady, I’ll do it! Thank you!”
Only a fool would turn down one hundred sixty a month! Way better than back home farming for twenty or thirty.
After settling work details and pay with Yuan Qiumei, Feng Man asked if she had questions or needs.
Yuan Qiumei’s eyes sparkled as she shook her head; she could find no fault. “None! I’ll work hard!”
That evening after closing, Feng Man went to her cousin-in-law’s for dinner. Cheng Lang and Fan Zhenghua had been coming home late lately—something tricky at the new mine, keeping many at the site.
Around eight at night, Feng Man returned home, washed up, and lay in bed flipping through a novel.
A few days prior, she had scoured a street bookstall for novels, buying seven or eight to pass the time.
When Cheng Lang got home late under the stars, he saw the woman in the inner room propped against the headboard reading.
“You Jianyuan hasn’t bothered you lately?” Cheng Lang had heard yesterday how You Jianyuan got shot down by Feng Man and could not help laughing. His wife always surprised him.
But with such a petty guy, trouble might come again.
“No, I sent him packing early.” Feng Man did not even look up as she replied to Cheng Lang. “If he shows up again, watch me not hold back.”
Feng Man did not mind digging into the dirty dealings of the You family at the biggest mine, but the novel’s plot was messy, recalling details gave her a headache, and dealing with such people wasted energy. She stuck to live and let live.
The gentle woman surprisingly uttered harsh words, lightly as if unconcerned, yet carrying a hint of dominance. This made Cheng Lang’s eyes brighten slightly, and the corners of his lips curved up. “Pretty impressive.”
“Of course, I’m pretty impressive.” Feng Man praised herself absentmindedly and continued flipping through the pages, completely engrossed.
The two chatted back and forth, but Feng Man’s gaze never left the novel.
Cheng Lang’s eyes swept over occasionally, then withdrew indifferently, only to sweep over again. Seeing that Feng Man paid him no attention at all, he finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up. “Is this book that good?”
“Yeah!” Feng Man thought Cheng Lang was interested in the novel at hand and eagerly recommended it. “It’s about the rise and fall of a great clan. The story is really exciting. Do you want to read it?”
“Sure.” Cheng Lang took the novel and read it. The pages were densely packed with text. He only looked for a short while before his head began to ache.
Cheng Lang had never liked reading since he was young; books gave him a headache. At that moment, he forced himself to keep going. Just as he was about to return the novel to Feng Man, he suddenly thought of a certain book-loving neighbor. His hand paused mid-motion, and instead, he held the book and tried hard to read…
He read for a long time. Feng Man stared at the man again and again. “Cheng Lang…”
The man looked up, his expression serious, his eyes clear, carrying the earnest effort of someone resembling an intellectual. “What’s wrong? This book is pretty good. I like it too.”
“Really?” Feng Man looked doubtful. “Then why haven’t you turned the page after five minutes?”
Cheng Lang: “…”
He silently lowered his gaze. Cheng Lang calmly turned a page without a word.