Having set up shop in Lingshui Town for a few days, Cheng Nuo had begun to attract a steady stream of regulars. No sooner had she opened for business that morning than a group of traveling merchants, drawn by the aroma, made a beeline for her stall and purchased over ten pounds of braised meat in one go.
"That comes to eight hundred and fifty wen. Please, take these two pounds of braised vegetables on the house," Cheng Nuo said, tucking the lotus-leaf-wrapped meat, still steaming, into the merchants' packs. With a look of concern, she added, "It must be a difficult journey. Since it's nearly the end of the year and you won't be able to spend the holiday with your families, let me offer you my early wishes for a Happy New Year."
"It's just how we make a living," the man replied, shaking his head. His voice was raspy from the long trek.
Chapter 103