Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

As the sun gradually set in the west, the neon signs of Dashilan lit up again. After a busy day, the ingredients were almost all used up, but Li Chunsheng was prepared. He had bought extra this morning and put them in a box on his wheelbarrow. The weather in Beiping was better than a refrigerator.

He glanced at the system panel.

Ramen making skill level: 45/100

Today's Reputation Points: +100

[New mission triggered: Sell 10 bowls of ramen at tonight's night market and receive praise from at least five customers for the taste.]

Li Chunsheng twisted his slightly sore neck. Sell 10 bowls of ramen? Isn't this task a piece of cake?

"Manager Li, do you need any help?" Shunzi, who was pulling the cart, didn't have much business at this time, so he took the initiative to help Li Chunsheng clean up the empty bowls. Anyway, he didn't have a wife and children at home, so he was just idling around. Helping out might get him a free bowl of noodles.

"It's alright, Brother Shunzi. If you have any work to do, go ahead and do it. I can manage," Li Chunsheng said.

"Hey, there's hardly any work to be done right now. All the work has to wait until late at night," Shunzi said as she tidied up. "I'll lend you a hand. If you can afford it, just give me a bowl of noodles."

Li Chunsheng found it somewhat amusing, but he didn't refuse. In this world, more people mean more help.

He took out a piece of pork belly and several pounds of flour from the wooden box under the wheelbarrow.

"Thanks for your hard work, Brother Shunzi. Let's keep going tonight!"

Today, the night market in Beiping is roughly divided into three sections.

Dong'an Market mainly sells daily necessities, imported socks, chemical hair clips and other novelties, interspersed with secondhand book stalls and antique stalls.

The area around Tianqiao was a center for public entertainment, with storytelling, acrobatics, and wrestling arenas packed with people.

The area around Qianmen Street and Dapenglan, where Li Chunsheng lives, is mostly filled with food stalls selling fried liver, tripe, candied hawthorn, and other popular snacks.

Most of those who run night market businesses are from the lower classes; otherwise, they wouldn't be setting up stalls outside in the dead of winter to make a living.

At this moment, the night market gradually became more crowded, with workers finishing their shifts, passing merchants, and idlers looking for fun all gathering outside Qianmen.

Li Chunsheng had just put the newly kneaded dough to rest and was about to chop some scallions when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a small figure standing not far from the stall, looking at him.

It's Yaya.

The little girl was still wrapped in that old cotton-padded jacket with the cotton batting showing, looking particularly thin in the cold wind. She tightly clutched a small cloth bag in her hand, standing a few meters away from the stall, not daring to get close. Her big eyes were fixed on the steam rising from Li Chunsheng's pot, and she kept swallowing her saliva.

Li Chunsheng's heart skipped a beat.

He recalled the scene he had witnessed that morning, and the sound of Yunniang crying.

Has this child been starving all day? Yunniang takes naps during the day and works in the sex trade at night, so she probably doesn't have time to take care of the child's food and drink.

Li Chunsheng quickly put down the kitchen knife in his hand, wiped his hands on his apron, and strode over.

"Ya Ya?"

The little girl was startled and gripped the small cloth bag in her hand even tighter. She only relaxed when she saw that the person who came was Li Chunsheng.

"Brother Li... Brother Li..." Ya Ya's voice was very soft, trembling slightly in the wind. "I... I'm not hungry... I just wanted to look..."

Even though her stomach was growling, she was still pretending to be strong.

Li Chunsheng felt a pang of sadness. He crouched down and shielded her from the cold wind.

"Yaya, look how cold you are." He reached out to touch her head, but found that the little girl's hair was messy and her face was covered in dust. Only her eyes were so clear that they made his heart ache.

"Mother...Mother let me out..." Ya Ya lowered her head. "There are...guests have come to the house..."

Li Chunsheng understood: Yunniang had been entertaining guests again, so she had kicked the child out.

A nameless anger surged in his heart, but it was quickly suppressed by a deep sense of helplessness. He couldn't bring himself to blame Yunniang; that was her way of surviving. Without it, she and Yaya probably wouldn't be alive now.

But now that he's seen it, he can't just ignore it.

"Come on, come with me." Li Chunsheng stood up and, without saying a word, took Ya Ya's cold little hand.

Ya Ya was a little resistant and said softly, "Mom said I can't eat other people's food for free. They're beggars... I have money..."

As she spoke, she carefully opened the small cloth bag, inside which lay two somewhat tarnished copper coins.

Ya Ya looked up, a hint of expectation in her eyes. "Brother Li, could... could you sell me half a bowl of soup? No noodles, no meat, just hot soup."

Two copper coins aren't even enough to buy a sesame seed cake.

Li Chunsheng felt a lump in his throat and his eyes welled up with tears.

What a messed up world!

He suppressed his emotions, forced a smile, and did not refuse Ya Ya's money. Instead, he solemnly took the two copper coins from her hand.

"Alright! Two copper coins it is!"

Once the money is received, it becomes a transaction, and that involves dignity.

Li Chunsheng led Ya Ya to the stove behind the stall and let her sit on the warmest little stool.

"Brother Shunzi, could you please keep an eye on things for me?"

"Okay! Don't worry!" Shunzi looked at Ya Ya and sighed. "Girl, warm your hands first."

Li Chunsheng returned to the cutting board, took out a clean porcelain bowl, and put a little bit of lard and a little bit of soy sauce at the bottom of the bowl.

Then, he picked out the softest slice of pork belly from the pot, gently chopped it with the back of his knife, and placed it at the bottom of the bowl.

Finally, I pinched off a small piece of dough, rolled it out as thin as a cicada's wing with a rolling pin, and cut it into thin little noodles. This is called "pian'er tang" (noodle soup), which is very good for the stomach and suitable for children.

Once the water boils, add the noodles and cook until they are soft and tender.

The soup and noodles are poured into a bowl, sprinkled with a few finely chopped scallions, and served piping hot.

A bowl of special chicken broth with minced meat is ready.

"Here you go, Ya Ya, eat it while it's hot." Li Chunsheng placed the bowl in front of Ya Ya.

Ya Ya's eyes lit up when she saw the bowl full of noodles and minced meat at the bottom, but then she became a little uneasy: "Brother Li, this...this is too much. I just want the soup."

"You can buy so much for just two copper coins? You're the hundredth customer today. I'm being honest with you, young and old." Li Chunsheng made up a reason. "Eat up, you won't be cold once you're full. After you finish eating, help your brother watch the stove so the fire doesn't go out. It'll count as work, and I'll pay you five copper coins for your labor. Is that alright?"

Ya Ya nodded vigorously, picked up the bowl, carefully blew on it, and then took a bite.

"It smells so good!"

[Received 1 compliment from a diner]

After drinking the hot soup, a trace of color finally returned to the little girl's pale face.

Watching Ya Ya devour her noodles, Li Chunsheng turned around and stood back in front of the cutting board.

The night grew deeper, and the cold wind howled.

"Freshly cooked chicken ramen! Warming and warming! Money back guarantee if you don't like it!"