Song Tan's Notes

That's why they say there's strength in numbers.

With twenty or thirty people working together, Chef Zhou hadn't done much preparation work at all; all the vegetables and meat to be skewered and all the other materials were already prepared neatly.

When Xin Jun brought over a large basin of skewers, he instructed, "Master Zhou, please grill them slowly. Otherwise, some people will have food while others won't, and that would be unbearable."

Looking at everyone busily working, Chef Zhou chuckled: "Don't worry, I'll eat the first batch of meat you grill—as a chef, I have to taste it, right?"

If we're all drooling, then we should all drool together, wouldn't that solve everything?
And there is——

"Look at your efficiency! You even brought two cutting boards from home, plus this one that Boss Zhao prepared. Grilled meat isn't something that just sits on the grill and cooks; you'll definitely be able to supply it."

What's more, this is a special grill for barbecue stalls, it's so long! With skewers piled up, everyone will definitely get one.

After chatting with many people, the owner of the plumbing shop already knew that they had come from all over the country to visit friends, and now he couldn't help but feel envious:

"You two are really loyal friends!"

So many people eating and drinking, not to mention the money, they put in a lot of effort.

"That is!"

Qin Yun never backed down when it came to giving face to his brothers: "If we weren't close enough, we wouldn't have brought our families to bother us..."

The men, regardless of age, started praising each other again, and just then, the boss's phone rang.

He looked and quickly pulled off his gloves: "Hey, honey... I didn't drink outside, and I didn't smoke outside either... I'm really not afraid to go back! Look!"

He held up his phone, the camera flashing across the crowd—a huge group of people, with Yun's father still holding a bowl of beef and shouting excitedly:

"Look at these snowflakes! Look at these snowflakes!"

Qin's mother was filming a short video on her phone: "Old man, what a huge cow tongue!"

Someone over there was shouting, "How do you roast this leg of lamb? Do you roast it whole while slicing it as you go, or what?"

And then there was his brother, Old Zhao, yelling, "Don't roast it! Don't roast it! That lamb leg is mine!"

"It's not yours! Yours was packed in a styrofoam box and hasn't been thawed yet..."

Everyone was having a great time. Although they didn't set up stalls, it already looked like a good business opportunity.

Just then, a young man turned out from the side gate of the nearby residential area and rushed into the barbecue street.

As I passed by, I saw this group of people tidying up in a very organized manner, and I hesitated for a moment.

Is this... yet another barbecue stand?

But there's no sign, so I guess it's just residents testing the waters... Oh well, never mind!
Trying new flavors carelessly can easily lead to disaster. Besides, the charcoal fire has only just been lit; they haven't even started grilling properly yet!
He turned around and walked towards the barbecue street without hesitation.

"look!"

The plumbing contractor just finished his rounds and the reporting process is complete.

"My buddy's having a BBQ party tonight, and I'm helping out here—hey, you over there, we're selling water chestnuts here, three for one yuan, wanna buy one yuan's worth?"

The owner was just used to greeting people. His plumbing and electrical business wasn't a chain brand, so some people would hesitate for a moment at the door. That's when he would enthusiastically invite them in to take a look.

There they were, two older children and three younger children, arranged like a semicircle, low in the middle and high on both sides, sitting obediently on stools guarding the two and a half baskets of water chestnuts, not causing any trouble.

How wonderful!

Let's buy the one-dollar one!

He looked at the person with that honest and simple expression, his eyes almost overflowing with unspoken words.

Young people are easily embarrassed, and even though they complained in their hearts for a while about the price of 3 for 1 yuan, they still obediently came over.

There's nothing else to it, even if I didn't want to talk to them, but when I saw three well-behaved children sitting there, all staring at me expectantly...

Forget it!

You can easily spend tens of dollars on two lamb kidneys at a barbecue stall, so what's wrong with spending a dollar to appease a child?
He looked down at the tender water chestnuts in the basket: "They're so small!"

The one I bought from the market is about half the length of my palm!

Chen Chi's face flushed instantly, and he stammered, unsure of what to say.

Qin Beibei, however, was not intimidated and said in a clear voice, "Big brother, these are tender water chestnuts. The long ones you mentioned, Brother Qiaoqiao said they're too big and a bit old, and not tasty—ours are really delicious!"

Yun Danqing, with the demeanor of a composed little adult, called out in a soft voice: "Fresh water chestnuts, 3 for one yuan, crisp, tender and sweet little water chestnuts!"

Qiaoqiao added, "We fished them out and washed them clean, several times!"

young people:……

"Then, I'll have a dollar's worth!"

He then seemed a little embarrassed: "I really only bought one yuan's worth!"
But his lips moved, and looking at the water chestnut, which was not much bigger than a finger, he didn't say anything.

But Chen Chi, standing next to him, had already obediently raised the QR code hanging around his neck, his eyes sparkling: "Brother, pay here!"

young people:……

He glanced at the three children, then at Qiaoqiao and Chen Chi, who were sitting obediently, and met their pure, innocent, and expectant eyes. In his mind, he mentally slapped himself twice.
I'm such a jerk! They're clearly a disabled adult taking care of a child, and I'm worried the kid will overcharge them...

"That, that..."

He hesitated and struggled, wondering if buying more at this point would seem pitiful, but his phone had already scanned the code.

[1 RMB received via Alipay]

Qiaoqiao's phone gave a notification, and He Tuoluo's warm little hands quickly grabbed three small water chestnuts from the basket and placed them steadily in the young man's palm:

"Thank you for your patronage, brother!"

After saying that, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly: Wow! He can say "Thank you for your patronage," how mature!

He Tuoluo became complacent and self-satisfied.

Looking at the children, both the older and younger ones were all beaming with joy, clearly very satisfied with their one yuan income.

Young man: ...That's it?

He looked at the three small diamonds in his palm, hesitated for a moment, then clenched his fist, turned around, and left.

After walking a few steps, I felt uneasy, so I bent down and bit into the water chestnut shell, easily removing the tender shell.

The tiny water chestnut kernel was only the size of a broad bean, and when I put it in my mouth, I didn't have any hope of getting it.

To my surprise, it really was just as the child described—crisp, tender, and sweet!

The slightly green, unripe scent of immature plants was completely imperceptible, and it wasn't the bland, tasteless aroma of old water chestnuts from the market—

It's so delicious!

The young man took a few more steps forward, and the three small water chestnuts in his hand were now just broken shells.

He stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, then turned around and rushed back: "Hey, can you give me a discount if I buy another ten yuan—no, twenty yuan?"

The two kids were momentarily stunned, then looked at the customers rushing over. They hadn't even thought about this, so they quickly started discussing it on the spot.

Fortunately, Qiaoqiao had experience in setting up a stall. She cleared her throat and said solemnly, "Then, brother, if you buy 20 yuan worth, I'll give you three for free."

It's a source of amusement for young people.

He was just casually trying to bargain; he'd be happy to get even one discount. He deftly pulled out his phone: "I'll scan the code!"

……

But now there's a problem: they didn't bring plastic bags.

In the end, the plumber delivered one: "This is the bag I used to buy eggplants this morning, you'll have to make do with it!"

Looking at the baskets of water chestnuts, he worried, "What am I going to do without packaging bags?"

It's so late at night, and the supermarkets and grocery stores are all closed.

and many more!

The shop owner had a sudden inspiration: "I live in this neighborhood. Wait a few minutes while I go back and get a roll of plastic bags."

"That's great!" Song Tan quickly came over: "If there really weren't any bags, I was even planning to limit their purchases—here, big brother, this is a piece of newspaper that we used to line the basket earlier, I can wrap it up for you, take it back and appease your family."

As she spoke, she deftly rolled the newspaper into a tube, and Qiaoqiao stuffed handfuls of newspaper into it.

Before the plumbing shop owner could refuse, he said, "Three for one yuan, that's quite a good deal!"

Although the price is a bit outrageous, that's how they sold it; and this bag contains quite a lot of stuff...

In any case, everyone gave and received gifts, and he was particularly eager to return.

Halfway there, I suddenly remembered: "What if we don't have bags, will we have to limit purchases?" How will we limit purchases? Will each person only be allowed to buy 1 yuan's worth, and then walk around holding it in their hands?
This family! He shook his head: "Spending several hundred yuan just to experience a self-service barbecue, their thinking is quite strange. Out-of-towners really have ideas."

……

The boss went home to get something, and Chef Zhou had already marinated the first batch of skewers in the marinade for the required time before officially placing them on the grill.

Everyone worked quickly, and by then there weren't many ingredients left, so they finished processing them all in one go.

After washing my hands and getting ready, I'll be there just in time to eat some barbecue skewers.

As everyone busied themselves, they exclaimed, "Pickups are so much better! We can bring so much stuff, and even take the barbecue grill with us when we leave."

Small folding stools and camping tables, everything is included.

Old Zhao quickly said, "No rush for the barbecue grill! You guys rest after you finish eating tonight. I'm entrusting this stall to my brother. He'll let it air out for a bit and clean it up for us. When you go to pick up vegetables tomorrow, I'll ask my nephew to take it with him on his way."

And on the barbecue street.

The young people finally managed to buy the lamb kidneys, roasted pork belly, chicken feet, roasted lamb fat, roasted cabbage and corn, and other dishes they wanted to eat.

The barbecue stalls are too busy, so they can't grill properly in a short time.

He wasn't in a hurry, sitting there slowly peeling the water chestnuts one by one. The water chestnut kernels tasted like stress-relieving beans, one after another.

There are more than 60 water chestnuts, but because they are small, they don't seem like many. However, eating them actually takes quite a bit of effort.

The people sitting next to him waiting for their food watched him eat and eat, until he stopped using his phone and just kept eating—

If you can eat so much, why don't you just do mukbang?
The man at the next table, who was slowly sipping his drink, smelled something and said, "Brother, where did you buy your water chestnuts? They look really tender."

The young man pointed to the end of the alley with great enthusiasm: "There's a newly opened barbecue stall over there. There are three kids and two older kids who might have intellectual disabilities selling there."

"It's not cheap, three for one yuan!"

But while he was talking, his hands kept picking and picking at the tender shell of the water chestnut.

Those who were listening intently initially had strong objections to the price, but upon hearing about the intellectual disability, they let it go.

Then look at how people are eating nonstop, and those overpriced fruit platters being sold all over the night market—

Buy a bag for 20 yuan, and everyone at the table can try a few. That should be fine!
Someone held a skewer in their hand: "I'm just too full from drinking, I'll go buy some to try."

Qiao Qiao was unaware that someone was soliciting business for him. He tried several locations before finally getting the live stream camera on:

"Kids, we're setting up our stall again today."

This is prime time for live streaming, with even more people available than during the day. Moreover, as a top streamer on this relatively small platform, Qiaoqiao is automatically matched to the traffic pool as soon as she starts broadcasting.

As soon as the live stream started, a large number of people joined in. There were both new and old friends.

Just looking at the dim light in front of me, and the three large baskets on the ground—

[What? Where is everyone? Where is my big Joe Joe?]

[What's the point of this livestream if it doesn't even have a name?]

[Qiao Qiao? Qiao Qiao?]

[Guys, be careful! Going live so late at night, they might be planning to get a midnight snack!]

[Impossible! I've been following her live stream for over a year, and Qiaoqiao has a regular sleep schedule and never eats late-night snacks.]

What's in the basket? It looks like water chestnuts, but they're so small.

Everyone was chatting and laughing amongst themselves. The new fans watched for a while and realized that none of the streamers were saying anything, and only the viewers in the live stream seemed to be having a good time.

As a result, many people impatiently left.

—This tiny, run-down platform is now pushing all sorts of content.

Qiaoqiao took the roll of plastic bag handed to her by the plumber and obediently said, "Thank you, Uncle! Did you eat the water chestnuts earlier? Were they good?"

The plumbing shop owner quickly replied, "I haven't had time to deal with it yet."

He rushed home, carrying a large bag of water chestnuts. The contents were ordinary, but they made his wife trust him even more.

If I weren't helping my brother, where would I get this stuff?! I even had to grab some plastic bags from home...

In short, he wouldn't go back, and his wife wouldn't sleep either. The water chestnuts were perfect for her in the TV series; they looked beautiful.

Just as we were about to chat for a bit more, we saw another person turn around at the intersection ahead, walking and looking this way with a very clear purpose.

"Oh my," the plumbing shop owner exclaimed in surprise, "Someone actually came all this way? Could it be that young man from earlier was advertising for us?"

He said that, but Qiaoqiao and the others were already prepared again.

Sure enough, the man approached hesitantly after a short while. But instead of buying water chestnuts, he lingered around the barbecue stall for a while.

"You've prepared such a large quantity of vegetables on your very first day setting up your stall?"

He often eats barbecue, and at first glance, there are bowls, buckets, and plates of food. This amount is enough to feed this group of people for two meals—he's quite confident!
but……

He sniffed again, inhaling the enticing aroma before him.

For some reason, even though it's the same kind of barbecue with lots of oil and spices, this place smells exceptionally good. The glistening fat dripping onto the charcoal fire, sizzling with a sound, seems to smell better than other places.

He only said a couple of sentences, and I could feel my saliva starting to drip down.

Otherwise, how about buying two to try?

Just as I was hesitating, I heard Xin Jun, who was also waiting for skewers, say:
"We don't sell our barbecue here; it's a self-service barbecue run by our friends. Water chestnuts over there are 3 for 1 yuan; you can buy them there if you want."

"Yes!" the man realized. "I came here to buy water chestnuts. When I was eating barbecue, a guy next to me kept eating and asked for directions before I came here—why didn't you have the kids set up a stall over there on the barbecue street? There are more people there, and they'll sell faster."

As he spoke, he turned his head toward the water chestnut basket.

After taking two steps, he turned back and asked, "Really not selling?"

"Not for sale."

Xin Jun shook his head.

The other person opened their mouth as if to say something, but then turned their head away again. Then suddenly turned back and took two steps: "Your barbecue smells really good. I feel like you have the ability to do it. Why don't you set up a stall and give it a try? I can support your business."

"Thank you." Xin Jun was extremely polite: "Really, it's not necessary. We'll just eat whatever we like."

"It's not safe for kids to set up stalls in the barbecue street without anyone watching them."

He glanced at Song Tan, who was snickering, and Lu Chuan, who was also trying to suppress his laughter, and thought to himself, "These two dragged people into the city late at night to have this barbecue, isn't it all because they're so hungry?"
People’s hearts are not the same as they used to be. People’s hearts are not the same as they used to be!

But don't say—

He also secretly glanced at the man who reluctantly turned and left, and a subtle sense of satisfaction arose in his heart as well.

Meanwhile, the man who hadn't gotten his desired barbecue looked at the water chestnuts with less energy than before.

But since he was already there, he readily took out his phone and said, "Kid, give me 20 yuan."

After speaking, he quickly scanned the QR code.

However, he saw the little boy in front of him holding the bags for the girls while looking at him, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

"What's wrong?" the man asked curiously.

He Tuoluo hesitated for a moment: "We're doing business now, we're bosses. You can call us Kid Brother, Kid Sister, or you can call me Boss Brother."

man:……

He chuckled and said, "Hey boss, are you giving me a free gift?"

He Tuoluo grumbled, "Even if you don't call me Boss Brother, I'll still give you 3 free if you buy 20 yuan worth."

The man finally laughed.

As they carefully counted each one, she addressed them one by one, saying, "They're quite honest—Boss Sister, Boss Sister, and the two Boss Brothers, don't miscount!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Beibei looked aggrieved: "I forgot where I was counting..."

Fortunately, Yun Danqing was a quick-witted child. He immediately emptied the water chestnuts out of the bag: "Five, five, five... 12 sets, that's enough!"

"Three more free gifts, please!"

She deftly handed the plastic bag forward: "Uncle, here are your water chestnuts! Come back if you like them!"

He then poked Chen Chi's waist, who had been sitting there quietly, and said, "Now it's your turn to shout!"

Chen Chi immediately perked up, sat upright on the stool, and then opened his mouth wide:

"Fresh water chestnuts, 3 for one yuan, tender, crisp, and sweet little water chestnuts—" (End of Chapter)