Proofread by Claire.KK

  “Little Ye, I can sense something. Maybe the flatbread will sell even better than the cold jelly ’cause they are really delicious. Just we have to get up early in the morning ‘cause most of people eat flatbread as breakfast.” Li Hongmei reminded Ye Xiaoxian.

  Ye Xiaoxian said, “I know, Ma. Let’s go to town in two groups. I’ll go there to sell flatbread first. You, Baozhu and Baoshan can catch up a bit later.”


  Xiao Baoshan asked voluntarily, “Will it be too much hard work for you?”


  “Don’t mention it. The earlier we get them all sold, the earlier we can go home and rest.” Ye smiled, “What’s more, if we don’t work harder, how can we afford to buy new clothes?”


  “Baoshan, little Ye went to a cloth shop to make new clothes for you today. The manager said that it won’t take ten days to get it done. By then, all of us can wear new clothes,” said Li Hongmei excitedly.

  Xiao Baofeng hasn’t known about the new clothes. He ate his flatbread while asking happily, “For real? We will all have new clothes to wear?”


  “Everyone has new clothes! Then they won’t laugh at me back in school.” Xiao Baofeng danced with joy.

  X BZ thought the same thing, ‘Then I won’t be laughed at by Dahua and others in the village.’


  Everyone was immersed in a jubilant mood, and Xiao Baoshan meanwhile cast a profound glance at Ye Xiaoxian……

  Ye Xiaoxian got up early before sunrise in order to knead dough and making stuffing.

  She didn’t wake up anyone else but lit up a candle and got herself busy in the kitchen.

  It resembled to the days when she just got her chef certificate. She was just an assistant with extremely poor wages and the dishes she could cook were limited kinds. In order to be promoted to a proper chef, she always started to work early and knocked off late to study dishes, cuisine and ingredients.

  Of course she was still required to study dishes when she became a chef, she was more of less at leisure while in work.

  Ye Xiaoxian was busy preparing food and meanwhile, a tall and sturdy figure dashed in which fluttered the candle light.

  She raised her head, looked over and found Xiao Baoshan.

  The light was dim in the kitchen which made his expression look feeble.

  “How come you are here?” asked Ye Xiaoxian.

  “I heard some noise so I came over to have a look. Why did you get up so early?” asked him.

  “I’m here to make flatbread. I get to go early in the town to sell them,” said Ye Xiaoxian while kneading the dough.

  “Let me help you.” Xiao Baoshan then walked to Ye Xiaoxian.

  “Do you know how?”


  “I had done something similar in the camp. The flatbread you cooked last night tasted similar to what I had in the military camp so I think I know how.” Xiao Baoshan then started to knead the dough like what Ye Xiaoxian just did.

  His fingers were lithe and his actions were nimble and it took no time before his wide palms kneaded the dough into a ball-size.

  And he stood very close to her which made her wrapped in his breath.

  In such a morning and such a cramped kitchen, there were only them two staying here which looked very much like a couple of early birds.

  But when Ye Xiaoxian recalled the girl who delivered steamed buns for him that day, she forced to stop her imagination.

  “You knead the dough and I’ll make the fire,” said Ye Xiaoxian. She didn’t want to stay with him for so long in case she couldn’t curb her feelings towards him……

  Ye Xiaoxian arrived in town first that day.

  She was here very early and only after she arrived did other stores begin to open.

  As she had been selling cold jelly for days at this same place, all the others know her. Seeing that she began to sell flatbread instead of cold jelly today, they all looked very curious.

  “Young lady, why don’t you sell cold jelly today and why are you here alone? Where is your mother-in-law?” asked by the chubby manager beside.

  “They’ll join me later,” said Ye Xiaoxian, “Manager, how about having some of our flatbread? With meat and sesame in it, it tastes very nice.”