After Gu Yin and Old Man Wen finished talking at the door, Mrs Wang and Mrs Xu heard the sound and came out.
Wang Shi asked, "The person is gone?"
Guang Gu Yin nodded, "I don't know why the old man is angry. When I left, I told him to give him a lantern, and he didn't want it either."
"I don't want that, the old man is not normal anyway." Mrs Wang took Gu Yin's hand, said goodbye to Mrs Xu, and urged Gu Yin to rest quickly.
The family washed and rested separately, and they had to set up a stall the next day.
The Wang family still remembered to give the little cotton robe to the child, and Aunt Ge specially sent a pair of small cotton shoes, and asked them to help hand it over.
But the strange thing is that for several days, the child did not come again. It was freezing cold, and no one knew how the child would live after leaving the pier.
Several people were worried, and Mrs. Wang went to the head next door to help.
Guan Caotou paid attention to him during his daily patrols, but after searching for several days, he never saw the child again.
…
By the end of November, the weather became more and more freezing. Although it hasn't snowed yet, the surface of the canal has begun to freeze.
There are fewer and fewer boats on the dock, and fewer and fewer people accordingly.
After a winter rain this day, just like the street vendors in the countryside of the old Liutou family, they simply closed their stalls and hurried home to celebrate the New Year.
Mr. Wang had already prepared a large oil-paper umbrella, which was firmly propped above his stall.
But this umbrella can block the rain and snow, but not the wind, plus there are few people, the cold wind in winter is like a knife blowing at people.
Wang Shi didn't feel anything, but seeing that Gu Yin's face was flushed from the cold every day, her hands were still suffering from frostbite, and her hands were swollen into small steamed buns, so she went to buy cotton and pull cloth, and made them for Gu Yin. A large cotton robe.
That cotton robe was really not good-looking. It was thicker and simpler than the military coats of later generations. It could cover Gu Yin from head to toe. The sleeves were also made very long, and the cuffs were big and round, so they could be gathered together.
This is not enough, perhaps inspired by the old man he met in front of the stage that day, Wang even made her a leather hat.
Of course, it's not as thin and warm as the old man's leather, which is smooth and smooth, more like a big leather case.
Needless to say, other cotton pants, cotton shoes, and cotton gloves will be prepared for her in the winter.
Gu Yin really didn't feel particularly cold - the clothes on her body were made by Wang's own, and the cotton was fully stuffed. Usually, Wang's also pressed her on the small bench and hid behind the stall. The daily chores that require cold water are also rushing to do by Wang. The fact that she has frostbite is purely a physical problem.
But Wang made it especially for her, and she could only wear it from head to toe.
Because Wang's thinking is to be clean and resistant to dirt, all cotton robes and hats are black.
On this day, she got up and dressed herself, mocking herself as "the one in a cover", and Xiao Wu'an came over sleepily.
At that time, it was still in the middle of the night, and the room was pitch-dark. As soon as the little guy came in, he saw her eyes widened suddenly, and then he practiced three leg exercises, and said with a trembling voice: "Mother help! There's a bear in my sister-in-law's house! "
When Wang shi heard the sound, he rushed in with the guy, and when he saw the large dark shadow beside the bed, he jumped, and even called Gu Yin's name, his voice changed.
"Don't shout, it's me!" Gu Yin said helplessly, then dragged her cumbersome body to light the oil lamp on the table.
"You child..." Wang shi was about to nag a few words, and when she saw that she was wearing her own outfit, she stopped abruptly, turned her head and knocked on Xiao Wu'an's head, and continued: " What are you doing in such a shock? Think of your sister-in-law as a big bear, I think you are a bear!"
Xiao Wu'an rubbed his eyes and made sure that the person standing in front of him was his sister-in-law, not some big man-eating bear, so he smiled embarrassingly, "I didn't wake up, I read it wrong."
After speaking, Mrs. Wang sent Xiao Wu'an to wash up, and Gu Yin took off the cotton robe first and went to the kitchen. When she was done going out, she put on the cotton robe again.
Because of this dress, the guests who patronized the stall these days couldn't help but take a second look.
Some more daring regulars approached and said, "The little lady is so beautiful, how can she dress up so funny?"
The person next to him said, "That's right, even with the beauty of the little lady, I can eat an extra bowl of wontons! Isn't it a pity that I can't see it now?"
Hearing this, Mrs. Wang stopped doing it, and immediately stood up and said, "You rough men are screaming bitterness on the dock every day in the wind and the sun? How can my daughter-in-law's thin skin and tender meat stand up to this knife? Wind? We sell wonton bun porridge, not color!"
Being scolded by her like this, the two who were teasing immediately fell silent.
Her reputation as a wicked mother-in-law is getting louder and louder, and I heard that she caught a Dengzi who was trying to molest her daughter-in-law, twisted her arm, and threw it into the river. she goes. If it wasn't for the fact that their food was really delicious, or else they really didn't want to provoke this wicked woman.
When the teasers were gone, the vicious look on Wang's face faded, and she asked Gu Yin with a guilty conscience, "Otherwise, I'll make another one for you, it really doesn't seem to fit well."
This first made Xiao Wu'an a bear, and then made people laugh at it. Wang Shi thought that even if he was so cheeky, he would be embarrassed, not to mention Gu Yin's tender-faced age.
Gu Yin said no.
Although the family is now a little richer than before, they are not rich enough to have enough food and clothing. Now that it's all done, it must be put to good use. And I don't know if I don't compare it, but when I wear this robe, I know that it feels so comfortable from head to toe.
"It's just a little bit worse, but it's really warm. My mother said it herself, we sell wonton buns porridge, and it's not anything else. They can laugh if they want to."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were talking, and Aunt Ge came and steamed the tray. Seeing Gu Yin's dress, she couldn't help curling the corners of her mouth, and then she held back her smile and started talking about business.
"It's really been too cold these two days, and it might snow at night. My old Ge started coughing, so it's better to have a holiday tomorrow."
In the past, because the stalls did not make much money, the Ge family was busy from the beginning to the end of the year. After so many years of hard work, there are many small problems in the body. In the past two months, Aunt Ge and Gu Yin have been working together, and they can earn dozens more a day, although not much, but at least they don't have to work so hard.
Gu Yin took the steamer in her hand and said with a smile, "Then I'll wish my uncle and aunt a happy New Year in advance."
After seeing off Aunt Ge, Mrs. Wang looked at the deserted and empty pier and said, "Then let's rest tomorrow."
He knew that his daughter-in-law attached great importance to Wu An's schooling. Although the business has been getting better and better in the past two months, Gu Yin will report the bill to her every day. In addition to the food and clothing expenses at home, he has saved up to six taels. That fifteen or two is still a long way off.
She was afraid that Gu Yin would not take a break in order to earn a little more.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she said it, Gu Yin nodded and said, "Mother is right. When the snow falls, we won't come, and we will come again when the spring begins."
Wang was overjoyed.
The next few days were gloomy and gloomy days, the snow did not fall, and the pier became more and more deserted after the Ge family closed their stalls, and more and more people chose to rest.
On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, Gu Yin got up as usual, and before she got out of bed, Mrs Wang happily came in and held her down.
Seeing her happy, Gu Yin couldn't help bending her lips, and asked, "What are you happy about?"
Wang Shi smiled and said, "It's snowing! It's still snowing particles, but it's going to be big in a while."
Gu Yin knew that the Wang family was in a hurry to let herself rest, so she was ready to get out of bed to see it.
Wang Shi held her down and helped her to tuck her four corners tightly, "Why am I lying to you about this? It's really snowing! You fall asleep for me, I'll make the morning meal and shout again. you."
She looked at her like a thief, Gu Yin could only close her eyes again, and fell asleep with even breathing after a while.
Wang Shi saw that she was asleep before leaving the house with the oil lamp.
I didn't know it was going to snow yesterday, so I prepared some ingredients at home.
But fortunately, the weather is cold, and the things prepared are not easy to be damaged.
Mrs Wang took out the minced meat prepared by Gu Yin, clumsily wrapped a dozen buns, and put them on the steamer.
Gu Yin took less than a quarter of an hour to do this work, but she spent more than half an hour.
Later, Wu An also got up, and the Wang family let him watch the fire, and took a big broom and went outside to sweep the snow.
After a while, Xu Qingchuan next door also came out with a broom, but before he could sweep twice, Mr. Xu grabbed the broom and dragged him into the house.
Mrs Xu and Mrs Wang had seen a play together once, and now they quarreled when they didn't meet each other.
The two of them had to chat a few words together to sweep the snow together. After chatting and chatting, they made an appointment to buy New Year's goods together in the morning.
When the sky was bright, Mrs Wang was sweating profusely, and the steamed buns were also hot on the pot.
Xiao Wu'an was already hungry and said he wanted to eat morning food.
"It's rare for your sister-in-law to sleep late. If you're hungry, you can go to bed for a while. Let's eat together when your sister-in-law gets up."
The mother and son were talking, and Gu Yin got dressed and came out.
Seeing how well-dressed she was, Mrs. Wang smiled, "You are a prophet, do you know that I have an appointment with your Aunt Xu to buy New Year's goods? But I don't need you. You say what you want, I'll buy it for you. ."
Gu Yin smiled but didn't respond. After eating the food, she said, "I'll go out later and have other business, just make up my mind to buy the New Year's gift. The money is in the small cabinet by my bed, and I'll give the key to me. You. I'm not going."
Wang Shi naturally wanted to ask her what she was doing, but Gu Yin was not going to hide it from her, "In the twelfth lunar month, many restaurants and restaurants have to ask for help. I'll go there and have a look."
"That's so tiring. We can still have a rest for half a day when we set up the stall, but we are busy from early to midnight when we set up the stall. How can we go to be a helper so well?" : "Have you already thought about it?"
This was indeed what Gu Yin had long thought of.
The small stalls on the wharf had to be closed in winter. No matter how talented she was, she couldn't earn enough for Wu'an's beam repair in more than two months.
But fortunately, when the Chinese New Year is approaching, everyone who has certain conditions will choose to go to a restaurant. The business of various restaurants is hot and there is a shortage of people - just like when she opened a restaurant in her previous life, at the end of the year, not only did she have to pay five times the salary to keep it. Employees work overtime and have to pay a lot of money to hire temporary workers.
Afraid of Wang's nagging, Gu Yin was ready to go out.
During this period of time, Wang also knew that she had a big idea and wouldn't change it easily, and she couldn't really lock her at home, so she could only chase out with the umbrella and big robe, put it on her and button it carefully." If you take your umbrella with you, just go out for a walk, and if it snows again, come back immediately."
Gu Yin responded one by one, and the Wang family kept sending her to the mouth of the alley before returning.
Not long after, Mrs. Xu came over to find Mrs. Wang and went out together.
"Why haven't you seen your daughter-in-law? Do you feel sorry for her tiredness and let her rest at home?"
Speaking of this, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but sigh, "I thought so, but she got up and told me to go out to help the cook. I can't say it, but I can't fight. You say raising a girl is just like that. What's the trouble? If this is a kid, either Qingyi or Wu'an, I'd be honest."
Mrs Xu snorted softly: "Don't be in the midst of happiness and not be ignorant of happiness. It's hard to find such a good daughter-in-law with a lantern. How dare you complain? If you don't want it, give it to... "
"Where am I complaining? I feel sorry for her!" Wang said worriedly, "I set up a stall outside and the wind was blowing and the sun was blowing. I didn't hinder anything, but you didn't look at her hands, they were white and clean. It's so beautiful, it's swollen into small steamed buns now. I asked her if it was itchy or painful? She smiled and told me that it wasn't uncomfortable at all, and when I turned my head, I found that she not only had her hands, but also her feet. , it's so itchy that I can't sleep well at night. I finally gained a little weight in the autumn, and recently I've lost weight again... Now I can finally rest, and she... "
Speaking of this, Mrs. Wang slapped her on the mouth hard, "You said that I had this mouth, and I promised her what to do with saving money for the New Year!"
Xu Shi sighed.
In the past, where would the two of them worry about this little money, but now it is really a few taels of silver that beat the hero. If things were good in the past, it wouldn't matter if Xiao Wu'an's beam was completely out of her.
…
Besides, after Gu Yin came out of Jinyi Alley, she asked people about the big restaurants in the town that were recruiting workers - she thought about being a cook, and that must be the starting salary of the bigger restaurants. And by the way, I can learn the operation method of restaurants in this era and prepare for opening my own store in the future.
After asking around, Gu Yin learned that a restaurant called Wangyuelou was recruiting workers.
This restaurant has been open in the town for more than ten years, and its reputation has been very good, and the daily traffic is also very large. Don't talk about it during the holidays.
However, this restaurant has high requirements. The shopkeeper is a master chef of the state restaurant. Even if you ask for a cook, you must have your own skills and get his approval.
When Gu Yin found Wangyuelou, it happened to be the morning market.
It was snowing outside that day, and there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road, but that's it, half of the customers at Mochizuki Tower were on the way, which shows how popular its business is.
As soon as Gu Yin entered the door, Xiao Er immediately greeted him.
Gu Yin went straight to the point and said that she was here to apply.
The little Er didn't change his face, and smiled: "Little lady, wait a moment, I'll go to invite our shopkeeper."
After a while, a middle-aged man wearing a round neck silk robe and a big waist came over.
He looked at Gu Yin first, but he didn't take offense at her strange big cotton robe, but he was a little hesitant about her age.
"I will tell the little lady in advance. Although we are asking for a cook, our requirements are no lower than the requirements of a small shop outside to ask for a chef."
Gu Yin nodded and said that she saved it, and said, "I just want a chance to be assessed. If what I do is not to your liking, I don't need to say more, I will just leave."
The shopkeeper nodded slightly and asked Gu Yin to follow him to the back kitchen.
This Wangyuelou is indeed a large-scale restaurant. There are more than ten light stoves in the back kitchen, and the counters for cutting vegetables and the sinks for washing vegetables are all 10 feet long. And all the places that the eyes can see are clean and spotless, and the light can be seen.
It is Gu Yin's dream kitchen in this era!
The shopkeeper asked Gu Yin and learned that she was good at white cases, so she said, "Laba is still in a few days, so the little lady will make Laba porridge."
Cooking porridge is one of Gu Yin's long-term priorities, so she should naturally follow.
All kinds of materials are ready-made. Red beans, mung beans, kidney beans and other things have been soaked in advance. Gu Yin took off the cotton robe, washed her hands, rolled up her sleeves to her forearms, and started to work.
The cooks in Wangyuelou were all men with big arms and round waists, just like the shopkeeper. When they suddenly saw a young girl, they didn't even notice.
The shopkeeper glared at them one by one, and then he stared at the few men honestly.
The chef in charge of the kitchen helped the shopkeeper beat a few people, and then smiled and whispered with him: "The shopkeeper doesn't have the same knowledge as these bastards. They are usually surrounded by men, and it is rare to see women, and they are still such a beautiful little boy. Madam, it is inevitable to see more."
The chef smiled with a smile. Although the shopkeeper didn't say anything about him, his face turned even darker.
He has long disliked this slick chef, but this person does have some skills. Although he does not have a particularly commendable skill, he has been involved in both red and white cases. Second, the most difficult thing to do is this. The person is a distant relative of the owner's wife.
While they were talking, Gu Yin had already put a few kinds of beans into the pot, squeezed the soda noodles and put them in.
She only put half a pot of water in the pot, and ordered cold water while cooking. After ordering cold water five times, she closed the lid of the pot.
Then she switched to another stove to cook kidney beans.
The chef didn't notice the shopkeeper's disgust, and continued: "Isn't this Laba porridge cooked in one pot? Why does this little lady separate several kinds of beans? The shopkeeper, please don't let her spoil our things."
The shopkeeper suppressed his anger and said, "Kidney beans are the least likely to rot, and need to be cooked separately. Cooking porridge is not something you can just simmer in a random pot. Since you don't understand, don't make a sound."
When the pot boiled, Gu Yin then ordered water, put the chicken head rice, red dates, and quinoa, then covered the pot, then took the chestnuts from the bamboo basket on the table and put them on another pot to cook. When the beans in the pot were all blooming, she poured in peanut rice and sorghum rice.
Covering the pot again, Gu Yin took a bamboo stick to core the lotus seeds.
It's such a delicate job that an ordinary kitchen worker would have to spend a lot of time.
But when the bamboo stick came into her hands, it was as if she was alive, and every stroke could be inserted into the small hole accurately and pushed out the grass-green core.
After removing the lotus cores, the chestnut skins on the pot were also softened. Gu Yin flipped her fingers and quickly peeled off the chestnut kernels.
Then she put the lotus seeds and chestnut kernels into the pot together, and then boiled it, put in the rice, longan, rice, millet, and soft boiled kidney beans, adjusted the fire again, and waited until the porridge in the pot tumbled several times, a pot of Laba porridge It's ready.
She didn't put sugar, but the aroma of the food itself was stimulated by the precise heat, and the whole back kitchen was filled with a sweet and mellow atmosphere.
Since crossing over, Gu Yin has never cooked as happily as she did today, so she didn't feel tired either, wiping the sweat on her forehead while smiling and inviting the shopkeeper to taste it.
The shopkeeper saw that her operation was smooth and smooth, and the time and methods needed to cook various ingredients were even more in his mind. He wanted to say that there was no need to try the taste, and he hired her directly.
Coincidentally, before he spoke, Xiao Er came in to report: "The shopkeeper, the owner's wife is here."
Because of the picky of the shopkeeper, it is better to have people in the back kitchen than to have too many people. It is a big problem to hire people in Mochizuki Tower every New Year's Day.
The owner's wife was quite critical of him, and felt that it was because of his pickiness that the family did not do a lot of business during the holidays.
This time it was mostly for this.
The shopkeeper thought about it, this is not just for the owner's wife to come and try it in person, or to let her know that his persistence is right, isn't this waiting for a little lady who can use it? Moreover, the shopkeeper also cherishes talents, seeing that Gu Yin is quite poor in dressing and dressing, and feels that her craftsmanship should never be like this.
If the owner's wife tasted her craftsmanship, he could directly hire Gu Yin as a chef, and the wages would naturally be doubled.
"Invite the owner's wife to come over and say that I have recruited a new person and ask her to help Zhangzhangyan."
Xiao Er left in response, and after a while, two women, one tall and one short, came over slowly.
The taller woman was younger and supported another older, shorter old woman.
The young woman was anxiously saying, "Mother, the children of the second room are going to study at Mr. Wen's house. We can't be left behind!"
The old woman said angrily: "I can't think of what you think? But some of our children have let Mr. Wen pass the school test several times. What can I do? Do you want me and your father to force others to raise people? Master accepts students?"
"Then Mr. Wen can't do it, isn't there a more powerful Master Wen in our town?!"
The old woman became more and more embarrassed, "That's the eldest master from the Hanlin Academy. Our children can't even enter the door of Master Juren, and they still want to be students of such immortals? You really dare to think!"
The young woman was embarrassed by what she said, "Mr. Wen doesn't care about fame and fortune, but the Wen family is not necessarily like that. Isn't Mr. Wen Er just worried that the Wen family's big house will take away his fortune and is anxious to find another way out? ? We might as well get it from him... "
After speaking, the two entered the back kitchen, worried that there were outsiders, the young woman did not continue to speak.
The shopkeeper was about to recommend Gu Yin and say something nice for her, but she suddenly took off her apron, picked up her big cotton robe, and said, "Sorry, I can't do this job."
Hearing the voice, the two women looked up at her, and their expressions also changed.
"why you?!"