I Started Street Vending in Elementary School [90s Cuisine]

Zhuang Wanxin transmigrated into a book.

She became a hapless older sister whose parents had died young, leaving her to raise her younger siblings alone.

The original owner worked herself to the bone and gave up her chance to stay in the city, setting up a stall outside the children's schools in all weather so she could look after them.

But her younger brother and sister weren't grateful at all. Spoiled by their sister, they never applied themselves, failed to get into college, and were set on staying home and living off her.

The original owner toiled her whole life, until overwork finally killed her on her thirtieth birthday.

Zhuang Wanxin looked at the food cart she'd just bought and vowed to live a different life.

The early nineties were a time when private businesses were taking off. Before long, the city's factories would have to close because they weren't making money. Start with a street stall, open a shop later, and ride the wave. Even a pig could fly.

A pretty young woman selling all kinds of unusual food joined the long line of vendors outside Wenxiu Primary School.

Today, she had spicy fire chicken noodles. Tomorrow, crispy grilled starch sausages.

In summer, she sold refreshing coconut sago. In winter, piping-hot radish and beef offal soup.

A different treat every day, and every one of them delicious.

Come late and you wouldn't get any. Come back tomorrow and today's special would be gone.

The food was good, and the owner handed out rewards, too. Recite the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng or get a perfect score on an exam, and your meal was free.

Help out with the chores at home, and she'd give you a twenty percent discount.

Earn a little red flower for being a good classmate, and she'd throw in cotton candy with your fire chicken noodles.

As long as you were a good kid, there were plenty of tasty treats to be had.

When Wanting and Wanjing saw their classmates upset about the long lines and missing out on the snacks, they proudly told them, "That's my sister."

"If you want to eat, just come with me."

But when they led their classmates to the stall with their noses in the air, the sister who used to indulge them in everything chased them away.

"I don't serve you two. When you start earning money, then you can have a piece of the pie."

Later, the two hapless siblings helped out at her stall and studied hard to get perfect scores, becoming famous throughout the school as model students.

Theme: Love, family, and good food