After several hours of busy settling in, the stall was finally in order.
The washbasin had been fixed, the kitchen tidied, countertops wiped clean, and cupboards neatly arranged. Liu Meilan hung the Open sign inside the stall, her hands trembling slightly with excitement.
It was break time.
This hour was the most important—students would be pouring out of school, eager to try something new.
On a wooden board beside the counter, Shen Anran had carefully written:
Opening Offer: 5% Discount on Any Item Purchased
Their menu was simple but appealing—braised pork, deep-fried golden shrimp balls, milk tea, coffee, bottled water, and rice.
Everything was ready.
Mother and daughter stood patiently behind the counter, hearts quietly racing.
Across the street, Li Yichen's stall was also fully set up.
Their menu was similar, though Li Yichen had written his offer differently:
5% Discount on Purchases Above 1 Yuan
It was a compromise forced by their dwindling funds.
Wang Shulan was still amazed by the milk tea drinks Li Yichen had prepared. Even though her husband lived in the city, she had never visited him and had never seen such appliances before. She had once thought they were unnecessary expenses.
But today, watching ingredients being blended and ground effortlessly, her eyes were opened.
Unknowingly, the two stalls had already stepped onto the same battlefield.
A quiet business rivalry had begun.
At ten o'clock, the school bell rang.
Students poured out in groups, curiosity written all over their faces when they noticed the newly opened stalls. Some groups split up—half going to one stall, half to the other—to compare.
After a short while, word spread.
Both stalls were good.
Soon, students crowded both sides, mostly ordering milk tea and bottled water. Those with extra money bought braised pork with rice, eating eagerly under the shade.
Satisfied smiles appeared everywhere.
Many decided they would return the next day.
When the crowd thinned, Shen Anran counted the money and smiled.
They had made over twenty yuan just that morning.
They had served more than fifty students, most ordering milk tea. Shen Anran mentally noted it down.
Tomorrow, we'll add steamed buns with pickles.
Across the street, Li Yichen's stall had been so busy they barely had time to sit.
When they finally counted the money, the total came to twenty-five yuan. Although they had served fewer students, most had ordered golden shrimp balls—higher-priced items.
The discount had worked.
Wang Shulan was thrilled. If business continued like this, things could only improve.
The next wave came from the bank.
During lunch break, bank workers noticed the new stalls and stopped by out of curiosity. Some ordered rice and braised pork, others bought shrimp balls or milk tea before heading elsewhere to eat buns.
The stalls stayed busy all afternoon.
By five o'clock, students and even teachers returned, eager to try the now widely discussed new food.
Liu Meilan worked tirelessly, excitement lighting up her face. Shen Anran's insistence on buying a fan had paid off—passersby stopped just to enjoy the breeze, only to be tempted by the rich aroma drifting from the kitchen.
At Li Yichen's stall, the coins kept clinking.
By the time they finished counting, they had made a full one hundred yuan for the day.
Everyone exhaled in relief.
As they began cleaning up, they suddenly noticed the stall across the street was still open.
A rich, savory aroma drifted over, instantly making their stomachs growl.
Inside, Shen Anran—hair covered, apron tied—poured minced garlic into a bubbling pot. A customer had returned earlier, asking her to prepare more braised pork to take home for his family.
So after closing briefly, Shen Anran had gone out to buy more pork while Liu Meilan prepared the ingredients.
Mother and daughter cooked together, unaware of the hungry eyes outside.
The fan blew the fragrance into the street.
More passersby followed the scent inside.
By the time Shen Anran finished scooping out the last portion, the pot was empty—only sauce clung to the stained pan.
Exhausted but satisfied, Liu Meilan finally hung up the Closed sign.
They resigned themselves to washing and cleaning up, hearts full and hands sore.
The first day had been a success.