Chapter 20: Big Meat Buns
"Okay!" Yue Feng nodded, pushing his bicycle and following along.
Leaving the Ghost Market, the two turned at the intersection and arrived at the street of the Mining Bureau.
It was then that Yue Feng finally got a clear look at the other person's face.
A middle-aged man in his early forties, with a round, chubby face and a double chin.
"My name is Niu Fusheng! I work at the coal mine's Second Canteen, specifically serving the mine's leaders and occasionally handling external receptions! What should I call you, young man?"
"My name is Yue Feng! Hello, Big Brother Niu!"
"Can you provide a stable and large supply of these Sand Grouse and Flying Dragon? If you can supply them steadily, you won't have to rush to the Ghost Market to set up a stall early in the future; I'll take them all!"
"How much quantity do you need per day?" Yue Feng had already roughly guessed the other person's identity before he spoke, but his expression remained calm.
Niu Fusheng said very confidently, "Hongqi Coal Mine has nearly twenty thousand people, and the heads of various departments all have a demand for these mountain delicacies and wild game! As much as you can catch and deliver by yourself, I can take!"
"With just me and one hawk, if I go all out, I can catch maybe twenty or thirty Flying Dragon or Sand Grouse a day at most!" Yue Feng shrugged, saying with a hint of helplessness.
"That's too little; it's not enough to go around! Forget about live Flying Dragon, even the ones caught with snares or killed with traps are hard to find sellers for! Can't you raise a few more hawks and catch more?" Niu Fusheng asked.
Yue Feng's heart stirred upon hearing this: "Dead ones are okay too?"
"We want dead ones too, but the price will be 30% of the live price! I'm a chef, and there's a difference in taste between dead and live ingredients; those big leaders are very picky!" Niu Fusheng said.
"Okay! By the way, do you want other wild game? Wild chickens, wild rabbits, wild boar, Roe Deer, and stuff like that! When the grass on the mountain dries up in a while, these things will be easier to catch!"
"Some people sell these things at the Ghost Market, so they're not too scarce. If you can get them too, I can help you sell them, but the price won't be as high as for the Flying Dragon!"
"Alright! Let's leave it at that for now. I'll go back and make some arrangements, and we can meet again at the Ghost Market when there's progress!"
...
After a brief exchange with Master Niu, the two parted ways.
Today, he sold 13 chicks, getting 13.8 yuan. Adding the money left over from buying meat and flour yesterday, Yue Feng now had a considerable sum of over 15 yuan in hand.
It's worth noting that an ordinary worker in the coal mine's production team would only earn a hard-earned salary of thirty-three yuan and fifty-two cents a month, while Yue Feng, with his hawk, earned a huge sum exceeding half a month's wages for an ordinary worker just by hunting for two days in the mountains.
With the 'Great Unity' banknote in his pocket, Yue Feng felt quite proud of himself.
According to his original plan, he should have ridden his bike home for breakfast and then returned the bicycle to the Secretary, but when he walked to the entrance of the State-Owned Restaurant, Yue Feng was stopped by the enticing aroma of the freshly steamed big meat buns for breakfast.
The big meat buns were almost as large as an adult's palm; they cost twenty-three cents with a ticket and thirty cents without one. With Yue Feng's appetite, two buns would be enough to fill him up, and three would definitely make him full.
Thinking of Yao Mei'er's craving when she ate dumplings yesterday, Yue Feng quickly convinced himself that he could earn and he could spend. Since he earned money, he should first satisfy his family's cravings!
Having made up his mind, Yue Feng decisively took out three yuan and bought a full ten big meat buns, wrapped them in oiled paper, and stuffed them into his satchel, then rode his bike home with all his might.
Although his stomach was clearly rumbling with hunger, Yue Feng managed to resist eating prematurely along the way. What was wrapped in his bag was not just simple big meat buns, but more like his yearning for a better life in the future.
Under the influence of this special emotion, the journey that would normally take about half an hour took Yue Feng only twenty minutes to return to the village.
Upon entering the village, he first went to the Secretary's house to return the bicycle, then walked with his bag towards his home where cooking smoke was rising from the chimney.
By the time Yue Feng entered the house, Mom was sitting in front of the stove cooking corn porridge. On the steamer lid, there was leftover wild chicken stewed with potatoes from last night, as well as the previously steamed mixed grain buns.
"It's really faster riding a bicycle, my son is back! Wash your hands, call your Dad and Jingjing to get up, and then we'll eat!" Mother Meng Yulan called out upon seeing Yue Feng enter.
Yue Feng opened his satchel and took out the still-warm big meat buns.
"Mom, I sold over thirteen yuan today! I bought big meat buns on the way; we're eating meat buns this morning!" Yue Feng said proudly.
Seeing her son take out such a large bag of meat buns, Meng Yulan couldn't help herself.
"How much did this cost! You child, you work so hard to earn a little money, how can you be so reckless? There are many places where the family needs money! If you want to eat meat buns, just buy some meat and I can make them for you at home, wouldn't that be better!"
Seeing his mother's complex expression of both joy and heartache, Yue Feng grinned and said, "Isn't money meant to be spent? If I earn ten yuan a day, that's three hundred yuan a month! Money is earned, not saved!
Even taking a step back, my Dad is injured, and my sister is growing; eating something good will make up for what they lacked before!"
To silence his Mom, Yue Feng decisively took out a still-warm big meat bun and broke it open in the middle.
"Jingjing, hurry up and get up, it's time to eat big meat buns!"
In those years, there was no such thing as 'tech tricks'; the meat buns from the State-Owned Restaurant were absolutely genuine and authentic.
As soon as the bun was broken open, the meat filling was a plump, round ball. The whole room was filled with the rich meaty aroma mixed with oil and green onions, making even Yue Feng swallow.
"Where are the meat buns? Second Brother, did you buy the meat buns from the city?" Hearing about something delicious, Jingjing, that little glutton, scrambled out of the east room without even putting on her socks.
"Go wash your hands, and come eat the buns after you wash them!"
"Okay, okay!" Jingjing's bright eyes stared intently at the bun in Yue Feng's hand, afraid that the bun would disappear if he turned around.
Soon, her little hands were washed, and Yue Feng handed the broken bun to Jingjing.
The little girl eagerly took a bite and immediately narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.
"These buns from the State-Owned Restaurant aren't cheap; did you strike it rich?" Just then, his father Yue Lei also walked out of the room, leaning on a crutch.
"Hehe, Dad, you and Mom eat too. There's enough for all four of us; I bought ten big meat buns! A Flying Dragon costs one yuan and one cent each, so catching one Flying Dragon can buy about four buns!"
"Alright, your Mom and I are benefiting from your success! How can you eat meat buns without garlic? Lan, go to the storage room and get a few heads of garlic!" Dad looked at his son with great satisfaction, then turned around and told his wife to get the garlic.
"I'll go, I'll go, let Mom rest!" Yue Feng responded, turned and left the north room, and quickly went to the storage room to grab a few heads of garlic and came back.
Although the buns Yue Feng bought were enough for four people, after breakfast was finished, the ten buns were not all eaten.
Dad and Mom each only ate one bun to taste, his sister had a small appetite and was completely full after one bun, Yue Feng ate two buns in one go and drank a bowl of corn porridge, and there were still five buns left on the table.
Godfathers who are reading, if you have tickets, please throw a few! It's the new book period, every piece of data is precious and directly affects future recommendations and exposure. If you have them, don't hide them; the growth of a young seedling needs everyone's support! It's not easy for this child to write, please, Godfathers!