Chapter 88 Jiang Meilan earns her own tuition
Jiang Meilan mixed the flour and old dough, then covered it with wet gauze to let it rest.

While waiting for the dough to rise, Jiang Meilan washed the softened beans, added two bowls of water and put them in a pot to boil.

After the beans were cooked, Jiang Meilan scooped them out, drained them and let them cool, then she kneaded the fermented dough.

After the dough was kneaded, Jiang Meilan mashed the drained red beans into bean paste.

She kneaded the dough, pulled it into small balls, wrapped it with red bean paste, kneaded it into shapes, and placed it in a steamer filled with water to let it rise. She covered the pot and waited for a few minutes. After the dough balls had risen into plump white, she lit a fire and steamed them.

The steps are very accurate, but I don't know if it tastes good or not.

Jiang Xiaoxiao stood beside the stove, staring with wide eyes at the steamer that was gradually emitting steam.

Jiang Meilan thought she was greedy, so she said with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll give it to you first when it's cooked."

Jiang Xiaoxiao thought, forget it, she wanted to eat the second one.

It’s actually not difficult to make steamed buns.

But it is not easy to make it look good and taste good.

Fortunately, most of the dim sum, buns and other snacks in the 1980s were not very good-looking. Due to material scarcity, people did not pursue deliciousness. They only cared about whether the portion was large enough and whether they could eat their fill at a suitable price.

Jiang Meilan understands people’s psychology very well, and the buns she makes are a little bigger than those made by other restaurants.

After it was steamed, Jiang Xiaoxiao stood on tiptoe and couldn't wait to see it.

The cooked buns are not only bigger than those from other shops, but also have particularly beautiful shapes, including plum blossom shapes, triangle shapes, and ingot shapes.

There is also a smiley doll shape.

Liu Xihua saw the freshly baked buns and laughed, "Sure enough, they are childish. Meilan, are these buns you sell specially for children to eat?"

Jiang Meihua frowned and said, "Meilan, this is too childish. I'm afraid no one will buy it."

But Jiang Xiaoxiao clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling.

Jiang Meilan snorted, "Xiaoxiao said it was good, which means it's not bad."

She carried the buns to the shelf at the door and placed them there, calling out loudly, "Buns, freshly-made buns, especially the delicious red bean paste buns."

Jiang Xiaoxiao tilted her head and thought for a while, then found a piece of cardboard and wrote on it: 6 cents for a bun, 1 cent for two buns.

The font is that crooked childish font.

She held the sign high and stood next to Jiang Meilan. Whenever someone looked in her direction, she would immediately raise the sign and grin.

Everyone found it interesting to see a little girl selling steamed buns and an even smaller girl holding a sign to attract customers.

Even those who didn't buy anything came to look at their buns.

I found that the buns were bigger than those in other stores, so I decided to buy one for my child to try.

After taking a bite, the child said with a smile, "It's delicious."

So the man bought another one, "One is six cents, so buying two is ten cents, right?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao raised the sign, "Yes."

When Jiang Meilan saw Jiang Xiaoxiao’s brand, she wondered why this kid would give her a penny off.

But the sign said it, so she had to say, "Yes, two for a dime."

This person bought a plum blossom bag and a triangle bag and gave them to his two children.

Other people who were watching the fun also bought two buns each.

Soon, groups of people came, each with two of them.

Jiang Meilan was surprised that it could be sold this way.

Jiang Meihua was helping Liu Xihua sell soy milk. Seeing that they were doing good business, she was also surprised, "You are really capable. You sold out a basket of buns so quickly."

Liu Xihua also praised Jiang Meilan for her ability.

Jiang Meilan was praised by everyone and worked even harder to make the buns.

In addition to red bean paste buns, she also made mung bean paste buns.

There are also sesame and sugar flavored buns. The shapes of the buns are also increasing. In addition to the original plum blossom and triangle shapes, she also made five-pointed star and rabbit shapes.

All of them are buns that attract children.

Some adults find it interesting and buy two to try.

By the end of the summer vacation, Jiang Meilan not only earned her tuition, but also earned enough living expenses for half a year.

She counted the money happily and said to Jiang Daguo, "I will come back to make and sell buns during the holidays. I can earn my tuition and living expenses by myself, so you don't have to worry about me, brother."

Liu Xihua joked, "Just work harder and earn your own dowry."

But Jiang Meilan is not a shy person. "This topic is a bit far-fetched. If anyone wants to get married, it should be my sister who gets married first. Sister, you are going to be engaged on the eleventh. Have you saved up your dowry?"

She turned her head and asked Jiang Meihua who was standing beside her.

Jiang Meihua looked ashamed and said, "I'm saving money now."

She forgot about it.

Liu Xihua saw it and patted her on the shoulder, "I saved it for you."

"Ah? Sister-in-law, how can I ask you to help save up the dowry?" Jiang Meihua felt apologetic.

"You helped me a lot in the shop, I should help you save up your dowry." Liu Xihua said with a smile, then turned back to Jiang Meilan and said, "Meilan, study hard and set a good example for Xiaoxiao, and I will also save up your dowry."

Jiang Meilan scratched her head, "Oh, this might be a bit difficult."

Jiang Xiaoxiao is happy, but Jiang Meilan is scared again, right?
[Does my aunt lack confidence? ]

[I don’t dare to set an example for Xiaoxiao, I’m really too timid.]

Jiang Meilan's eyes widened. "Who said that? You little girl dare to look down on me. I can do it!"

She suddenly said this, which made Liu Xihua laugh.
-
On the first day of Jiang Meilan's school term, Jiang Daguo did not deliver vegetables to the city. He had agreed with the delivery place in advance that he would take a day off on September 1st, saying that he would take his sister to school.

When they heard that his sister, a country girl, was admitted to No. 1 Middle School in City A, many people in the Civil Affairs Bureau were surprised and praised Jiang Meilan.

Jiang Daguo also became proud of himself.

Jiang Xiaoxiao wanted to watch the fun, and Jiang Daguo agreed. He put her on the crossbar of the bicycle and let Jiang Meilan sit on the back seat. Jiang Daguo rode the bicycle to the gate of No. 1 Middle School.

It was Jiang Meilan’s first time to come to City A and see such a magnificent school. She could hardly take it all in.

"Brother, look over there, that flagpole is so high."

"Brother, there are more students in this school than in our entire Forward Brigade."

"Brother, where do we report?"

Jiang Meilan kept asking questions.

Jiang Daguo answered her with the little knowledge he had.

Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn't speak and could only keep her eyes open and look around.

At this time, someone shouted at them coldly, "Where are you going, country people? You bumped into my leg."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Auntie. There are so many people here today and I was busy looking for the reporting office, so I didn't pay attention to the front." Jiang Daguo carefully apologized to an elderly woman with a smile.

"Didn't you notice? Then what do you need eyes for? Country bumpkin!" The elderly woman patted the dust off her trouser legs in disgust and rolled her eyes at Jiang Daguo.

Jiang Meilan opened her eyes wide, "Auntie, it's obviously you who didn't see. My eldest brother's bike was parked here, and he was looking ahead. You were walking forward, but you didn't look ahead, you were looking around, and you bumped into my eldest brother's bike, and you're still scolding my eldest brother? Are you being unreasonable?"

"What grade are you in? You are such a sharp-tongued country bumpkin, you must be a poor student!" the old woman gritted her teeth.

Jiang Meilan said unconvincedly, "Yes, I am from the country, but I also go to No. 1 Middle School in City A. Your child is from the city, why does he have to go to the same school as me, a country person? Isn't this embarrassing for him? Who is so sharp-tongued and unreasonable?"

The elderly woman rolled her eyes in anger and waved her hand to hit Jiang Meilan, "How dare you scold me? I'll beat you to death, you country girl!"

But at this moment, Jiang Xiaoxiao waved the rattle in her hand and hit the woman's hand hard.

Country boy?
Mother Xiang, didn't you still live in the village more than two years ago? Weren't you also a countryman?

This person was none other than the grandmother in this body.

It’s really a narrow road between enemies!
(End of this chapter)