The sun gradually rose.
Cheng Loanloan's ice jelly stall was open for business.
A table was placed in front for customers to sit and eat.
On another table were five bowls, each containing a small piece of ice jelly, then drizzled with dark brown sugar, and finally, two hawthorn fruits were added to each bowl.
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When she started her business, she personally ran into the market, pulling in customers. Attracting customers was not too difficult for her.
A smile bloomed on her face as she shouted loudly.
"Selling ice jelly, cool and refreshing ice jelly!"
"Free samples, limited quantity, first come, first served!"
Zhao Dashan and Zhao Sanniu followed suit, shouting loudly.
Under the efforts of the mother and her two sons, someone finally stopped in front of the stall. It was a woman in her thirties or forties.
She stared at the contents at the bottom of the bowl, hesitating slightly as she said, "Why have I never seen this before? It looks a bit strange..."
Cheng Loanloan maintained her professional smile: "Hello, Auntie, this is ice jelly, perfect for eating when it's hot. One bite and you'll feel cool and refreshed!"
The woman questioned suspiciously: "You don't have any ice here, so how can it feel cool and refreshing when eaten?"
Cheng Loanloan smiled and said: "You can try it for free. If Auntie doesn't believe it, you can taste a bite. After all, it doesn't cost anything, right?"
Zhao Dashan immediately placed a sample in the woman's hand, along with a spoon.
In the pink plum blossom porcelain bowl, there was clear, pale yellow ice jelly with fragrant brown sugar. Eating this would not be a loss.
The woman brought the spoon to her lips. As the ice jelly neared her mouth, she already felt a cool sensation.
This coolness spread from her lips, tongue, then to her throat, and finally down to her stomach. The sweat from walking to town that morning seemed to vanish at this moment.
She licked the brown sugar syrup from the corner of her mouth and asked, "What did you just say this is called?"
"This is called ice jelly, a large bowl costs two *wen* coins." Cheng Loanloan quickly took out an empty bowl, "If you want one, I'll make you a bowl. Since you're our first customer, I'll give you two extra pieces."
The woman was originally a bit hesitant. Two *wen* coins could buy a large steamed bun, which could be considered a main meal. But Cheng Loanloan said she would give two extra pieces, which made her a little tempted. This dish felt cool when eaten, and walking home later wouldn't be too hot... It would be great if she could bring some back for her children to eat.
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The woman opened her mouth and asked, "Can I take the bowl with me? I'll return it to you tomorrow morning."
Cheng Loanloan forced a smile: "We only have ten bowls, I'm afraid that won't be enough."
In ancient times, production capacity was limited, and there were no disposable tableware, so there was no way to take it away. Thus, they lost their first customer.
Zhao Dashan was disappointed: "This Auntie seemed to like it very much, why didn't she buy it?"
Zhao Sanniu scratched his head: "Is it because she thought it was too expensive, Mother? Should we sell them for one *wen* coin a bowl?"
Cheng Loanloan shook her head; it wasn't a matter of money.
In ancient times, these women always put the men and children in their homes first. When they saw delicious food, they wanted to bring it back for the men and children at home to eat.
Something flashed in her mind, but she couldn't quite grasp it.
She said, "Dashan, Sanniu, you two continue to shout loudly and call people for free samples. I'll sit here and think for a bit."
Zhao Dashan and Zhao Sanniu worried that so much ice jelly wouldn't sell, so they strained their throats, shouting out their wares. Sure enough, a few women gathered around. Many tried it, but only one woman with her child and a sturdy middle-aged man were willing to pay.
After toiling all morning, they had only sold two bowls of ice jelly, earning four copper coins, just enough to cover the table rental fee.