After transmigrating, he supported his family by working at a garbage dump.

By the time of the market day on the ninth day, the wind had subsided somewhat.

With the handcart, the Xu family no longer needed to carry baskets when going to town, making their journey much easier.

But Xu Wenjie and Zhang He were both pushing and pulling, so they didn't have time to hold Xu Zhuzhu's hand. They simply tied a stool to the stroller and put Xu Zhuzhu on it.

As for Xu An, he was older and more sensible, and didn't want to trouble his parents. He insisted on walking by himself. Xu Wenjie praised him for it and then let Xu An walk by himself.

However, he still had to walk in front of them, so he could feel more at ease.

Everything he needed to take to town was placed under the cart's surface. Xu Wenjie also brought several bamboo buckets that looked like cups, which were actually just cups.

Or perhaps he specifically asked Old Man Deng to make the cups, thinking they would be for guests who needed soup. Bowls were too heavy, and since they only had a few, they wouldn't bring any.

Of course, this idea actually came from the milk tea packaging he saw at the garbage station, and he also owes a lot to Xu Zhuzhu's explanation.

The table was also discarded; it was too big and difficult to place. However, Xu Wenjie thought about it and realized that his family used cabbage leaves to wrap dumplings, so they didn't need bowls anymore. Therefore, they didn't need a table this time.

When the cart entered the town, it was just getting light, and there weren't many people on the street. Those who bumped into it cast curious glances at them.

Xu Wenjie felt a surge of pride. He even stuck a small bamboo stick into the cart with their family's signboard written in black and white on it—He Niang Dumplings.

The little cart looks quite professional.

Xu Zhuzhu was secretly happy for her mother.

This is a feudal society, a patriarchal society where men are superior to women. Ordinary people would add their own surname, but Xu Wenjie added his mother's name, which shows that his father's love for his mother was not like that of an ordinary couple.

Her mother was the daughter of a scholar. Apart from not being good at writing poetry and prose, she had no problem with basic literacy and reading, let alone her own name.

Zhang He's first reaction upon seeing the sign was joy, but after the joy came confusion and shyness.

Her grandmother's traditional teachings reminded her that such behavior was not in accordance with the rules. Her husband's family was still alive, and anything she did outside should bear the Xu family name, just like this signboard should be called Xu's Dumplings.

However, Xu Wenjie seemed to have anticipated this and directly rejected Zhang He's proposal.

Zhang He looked at her husband, whose deep eyes reflected her own. She seemed to have an answer in her heart, but she still wanted to ask him why.

Xu Zhuzhu leaned against the armrest of the stroller, her face full of anticipation as she stuffed a boiled egg into her mouth, saying with her mouth bulging, "Of course it's because Mommy makes the dumplings! Daddy loves Mommy!"

In the morning light, Zhang He's fair face suddenly turned a peach-pink hue. Even though there was no sunrise, her mother's face seemed to be covered with a layer of rosy glow.

Zhang He blushed, pretending to be calm, and patted Xu Zhuzhu's head. Then, with a serious expression, she said, "Where did you learn such nonsense? What are you saying? When adults are talking, children shouldn't interrupt."

Xu Zhuzhu stuck out her tongue with a smile.

He pulled Xu An over and asked, "Brother, do you think Father likes Mother?"

"like."

Xu An glanced at Zhang He and Xu Wenjie, pondered for a moment, and then nodded earnestly with a serious expression.

She tugged at Xu Wenjie's sleeve playfully, "Father, tell me yourself, do you like Mother?"

The morning breeze was gentle. Xu Wenjie met Zhang He's gaze quietly, smiled gently, but said nothing.

However, Zhang He lowered her head shyly under Xu Wenjie's smiling gaze.

Xu Zhuzhu kept chuckling.

……

However, because of the novelty of the pushcart, there were more customers buying dumplings.

Xu Wenjie was even happier, feeling that the little cart he had decided to make was indeed useful. At the same time, he was grateful to Laozi for allowing him to see so many novel things.

But this time at the market, Grandma Mi and her husband were late. The tables and chairs at their rice noodle stall were piled up to one side. Zhang He was puzzled and asked Hei Tie, who had come to eat dumplings, and found out the answer.

It turned out that Uncle Mi was sick, and Grandma Mi was busy taking care of him, so she hadn't been able to set up her stall for several days.

Upon hearing this, Zhang He immediately became worried: "What illness do you have? Are you alright?"

"fine."

Hei Tie stuffed the dumpling in his hand into his mouth, his messy black beard at his side twitching with each bite.

He waved his hand dismissively and said with a smile, "Uncle Mi's illness is an old problem; it happens a few days every month."

Zhang Hecai was secretly relieved and wanted to visit her, but suddenly realized that she didn't know where Grandma Mi lived.

Feeling somewhat ashamed, she asked Heitie if she planned to visit Grandma Mi and Grandpa Mi again when there were fewer customers at noon.

Then he asked Xu Wenjie to quickly deliver the dumplings that Mr. Wu had ordered last time.

Before Xu Wenjie could even get up, Mr. Wu arrived with a beaming smile.

"...No need to send anything, I came uninvited just because I smelled this fragrance!"

Xu Wenjie greeted him with clasped hands.

Xu Zhuzhu secretly observed Mr. Wu. She saw that he wore a long robe and a cloth turban, and had elegant features. Although he looked ordinary, his demeanor and speech had the air of a scholar.

When Mr. Wu saw the new stroller that Xu Zhuzhu's family had acquired, his eyes were immediately drawn to it. He exclaimed in surprise, "This stroller is unusual. I've never seen one like it before. It looks more like a cabinet."

"It was made by Uncle Deng, a carpenter in our village. His craftsmanship is excellent."

Xu Wenjie explained with a smile, and couldn't help but praise Old Man Deng.

Mr. Wu's interest grew even stronger after hearing this, and he leaned closer to examine it closely. When he saw the expandable tabletop, he exclaimed in amazement, "It's truly ingenious to have come up with such a thing!"

As he spoke, he patted Xu Wenjie on the shoulder again, "Old Duck Village is indeed a place where hidden talents abound!"

This statement seems to praise Xu Wenjie.

Seeing her father smile slightly, Xu Zhuzhu readily accepted Mr. Wu's praise and handed him the dumplings her mother had prepared earlier.

"Brother Wu, count them, there are eighty of them here."

Mr. Wu's father-in-law was celebrating his 80th birthday.

Although Zhang He only made eighty dumplings, each one was round and festive, and she put in many different fillings, such as peanuts and dates, but peanuts were the most common. Considering that they were for the elderly, she also crushed the peanuts.

While wrapping the food, Xu Zhuzhu asked Zhang He why she didn't put in any copper coins. Zhang He tapped her on the head and said, "An eighty-year-old man would knock out his teeth if he ate a copper coin!"

Xu Zhuzhu scratched her head; she really hadn't expected this, so she laughed it off.

Mr. Wu, who had just received the dumplings, smiled and waved his hand, saying with great trust that there was no need to count them. He even insisted on leaving fifty coins, which Zhang He naturally refused to accept.

"This is too much! Fifty coins last time was enough."

Zhang He frowned. Although their family was short of money, this was not the way to earn it, so she returned all the money.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Wu suddenly exclaimed in surprise behind Zhang He.

"Huh? What brings Grandma Mi here?"

Everyone was concerned about Granny Mi and hurriedly looked over, but there was no one there.

By the time everyone turned around, Mr. Wu had already made his escape.

Zhang He held the copper coin and asked Xu Wenjie what to do. Xu Wenjie smiled and could only say helplessly, "Just send more dumplings to Brother Wu in the future, it doesn't have to be this way."

Zhang He then put the copper coin away with peace of mind, thinking that next time she would make some fresh fillings for Mr. Wu to try. She would chop the corn into smaller pieces and say it was coarse grain, so he probably wouldn't recognize it.

After that, Zhang He focused on cooking dumplings. Because they had a small cart, they could carry more. This time, their family made nearly 800 dumplings, and Xu Wenjie was worried that they wouldn't be able to sell them all.

With her previous two experiences, Zhang He's confidence has doubled.

"Let's just wrap them up for now, and we can always give some to other people if necessary."

Xu Wenjie couldn't bear to discourage Zhang He, so he didn't say anything more, since his wife's words made sense anyway.

Just as the family was busy greeting customers, a hawker's cry suddenly came from the street.

"Dumplings for sale! Freshly baked and piping hot! Delicious and inexpensive dumplings! Two for one penny..."

Xu Wenjie and Zhang He exchanged a glance, both looking at each other with a puzzled expression.

Xu Zhuzhu was munching on an egg, not full from one, and was peeling another when she heard the vendor's call. She looked at Xu An, who was standing next to her, with a puzzled expression. Xu An shook his head, as he was even more clueless.

Besides their family, no one else in town sells dumplings, and very few southerners know how to make them. Could it be that they also fled from the north?

When the man approached, the Xu family looked in the direction of the sound and all gave him strange looks.

Xu Zhuzhu sneered and looked across the street at the steaming bun stall, which was unattended but still emitting heat. She finally understood what was going on.

……

Zhang Xiaolin, holding a steamer basket in his hand, slowly walked from the alley entrance, returned to his original steamed bun stall, exchanged it for another basket, and then went on to sell his buns from street to street.

He even glanced provocatively at Xu Zhuzhu's stall.

Xu Zhuzhu was furious at the sight, and even the egg in her hand lost its appeal.

On the first two trips to the market, Zhang Xiaolin greeted Xu Zhuzhu's family very warmly.

Although they knew this person loved to freeload, her parents always greeted him with smiles. Little did they know that Zhang Xiaolin not only freeloaded food but also secretly learned skills!

"I told you he didn't look like a good person."

Xu Zhuzhu shoved the eggs in her hand into her brother's hands, feeling indignant and stomping her feet in anger.

Xu An took the eggs from her and quickly comforted her in a gentle voice, "Don't be angry, Zhuzhu, Daddy will have a way."

She didn't know if her father had any solutions, but seeing Zhang Xiaolin's arrogant expression, she couldn't suppress her anger.

When everyone heard that two dumplings cost only one coin, which was even cheaper than Xu Zhuzhu's, they all said they didn't want them anymore and went to Zhang Xiaolin's dumplings instead.

Regardless of cost, in a small town like this, the side with the higher price never wins a price war, so it's hard to guarantee that Zhang Xiaolin won't succeed in making small profits but increasing sales volume.

Xu Zhuzhu was even angrier when she saw a customer holding dumplings wrapped in cabbage leaves. "They're even copying how to use cabbage leaves!"

"Father! He needs to be taught a good lesson!"

Xu Zhuzhu clung to Xu Wenjie's arm, pouting as she spoke.

But Xu Wenjie wasn't listening to her; he was lost in thought with his eyes lowered.

In fact, from the moment Zhang Xiaolin appeared, Xu Wenjie's eyes were fixed on him, not missing a single move, until Zhang Xiaolin disappeared from his sight.

Xu Wenjie fell into deep thought.

From the first time they met, Xu Wenjie felt that Zhang Xiaolin looked familiar, but he couldn't remember anyone like him.

Even today, when those narrow eyes cast that smug look in their direction, he suddenly remembered Zhang Laosan from Laoya Village.

Could he be a member of the Zhang family?

There are so many people in the world with the same surname, and they never hide their identity as Laoya Village, but Zhang Xiaolin has never mentioned his Laoya Village.

Just as he was wondering, Xu Wenjie suddenly noticed an old man sitting upright at the previously empty steamed bun stall, which made him even more certain of his idea.