As Li Na left, Chen Li Shu saw a skewer of roasted sausage fly past her. She instinctively reached out to catch it, but she was too slow. The sausage landed on the muddy ground.
Chen Li Shu pursed her lips, put Xiao Bai on a chair beside her, and looked at her sternly. Her voice was low as she said, "Why waste food? Do you know how precious grain is in this era? Have I been spoiling you too much?"
Xiao Bai had never seen such a terrifying Chen Li Shu. She was stunned for a moment, then her lips turned down, and she burst into tears.
Normally, she could indulge Xiao Bai in anything, but when it came to wasting food, Chen Li Shu would not compromise. Although it was a small matter, it reflected their upbringing.
Chen Li Shu squatted down and met Xiao Bai's sharp gaze, repeatedly asking, "Give me a reasonable explanation right now, why did you throw this skewer of sausage away?"
Xiao Bai tried to get Chen Li Shu's attention by crying. But no matter how much she cried, Chen Li Shu's expression didn't change. Knowing the seriousness of the matter, Xiao Bai tried to stop crying, but it didn't help much. So, she choked back a sob and said, "Because Auntie bullied you! And this skewer of sausage smells bad. Didn't Mom say not to eat spoiled things?"
When Chen Li Shu heard that the food was spoiled, she thought Xiao Bai was lying to her. So, she took the skewer from Yi Cheng and sniffed it. Indeed, it had a bad smell, but it was covered by the barbecue sauce, so the smell wasn't very strong. If you didn't smell it carefully, you wouldn't notice it at all.
Strange. Ham sausage wasn't something that easily spoiled. Moreover, judging by how crispy and golden the ham sausage was fried, it clearly wasn't leftover from yesterday. Where was this smell coming from?
Chen Li Shu's brows furrowed. Just as she was wondering if there was something wrong with her nose, she heard Li Na's shouting.
"Roasted sausage, roasted sausage! One skewer for one cent and five. Delicious and not expensive. Come and try, everyone! You'll definitely get your money's worth!"
This novel way of attracting customers immediately caught the attention of many parents. Those who were sending their children to school couldn't help but gather around.
"One cent and five? That's five cents cheaper than the woman who used to set up a stall!"
"Yeah, two cents isn't expensive, but it's just one skewer of ham sausage. You can't get full from eating it. To get full, you'd have to spend a lot of money. Normally, you could buy five skewers for one dollar. Now you can buy one more. At today's price, you can buy a bit more to satisfy your cravings."
"Don't you think the price difference between the two is a bit strange? Maybe the roasted sausage isn't as authentic as the one made by the previous stall owner! Everyone should be careful, don't waste your money."
"I think the seasonings and food are similar for both stalls. Maybe the previous stall owner was too greedy and charged us two cents, and this vendor has some conscience."
"..."
Hearing the crowd's discussion, Chen Li Shu couldn't help but frown. She wasn't a greedy merchant. The price of a ham sausage was eight cents, plus the oil used for frying, which was all high-quality oil.
Because she considered fried food to be unhealthy, using inferior oil would only add a greater burden to the body. These costs, combined, added up to thirteen to fourteen cents. Plus, carrying a large pot around every day, shouldn't she charge for labor and hardship?
Selling a skewer of roasted sausage for two cents wasn't a big profit. She could understand Li Na's desire to attract customers by lowering prices, but she couldn't understand selling a skewer of sausage for only one cent and five. It was still a question whether she could even break even in the end.
Just as Chen Li Shu was pondering this matter, she heard the customers' discussion again: "Look, isn't the oil a bit too dark? Boss, you're not reusing the oil multiple times, are you? Although the woman who used to sell roasted sausage here sold them at a higher price, her oil was crystal clear. It was never as dirty as yours."
When Li Na heard that, she stood with her hands on her hips and retorted to the customer, "How expensive is oil nowadays? It's not like I can change it whenever I want! Usually, people can only eat oil during holidays. Look at this big pot of oil, I'm letting you all indulge yourselves. And you're still being picky."
The customer was clearly startled by Li Na's vulgar demeanor and nervously replied, "No, I just think the color of this oil is too abnormal. It looks a bit scary."
Li Na sneered and said, "Look at you being so picky. Can this oil really kill someone? If someone really gets sick and dies, I'll take responsibility!"
With that said, even if some people still had doubts, they couldn't resist the aroma of the roasted sausage. They figured eating one skewer wouldn't be a big deal, so many people bought one or two to try.
Chen Li Shu heard all these discussions. She picked up Xiao Bai, held Yi Cheng's hand with her other hand, and then unhurriedly squeezed into the crowd. She stopped after reaching the second row.
Looking at the black impurities in the oil and the subtle bad smell, Chen Li Shu had a bold guess. However, there were too many people around now, and it wasn't appropriate to say some things in public. So, she silently took Xiao Bai and Yi Cheng into the school.
After settling the two children, Chen Li Shu left the school. It was time for classes, and most of the customers at the entrance had already left. She could easily walk up to Li Na.
"Why are you here?" Seeing Chen Li Shu appear and staring at the oil pot, Li Na thought she was jealous of her good business. A smug look instantly appeared on her face, and she slowly said, "If you had given me the secret recipe for roasted sausage earlier, I would have earned even more than I am now.
Since we are relatives, and you have your own career and don't lack money, why don't you give me this money-making method as is? Of course, you can choose not to agree, and then we'll compete based on our own abilities."
Li Na's tone was righteous as she said this, but Chen Li Shu didn't take it to heart. Instead, she stared intently at Li Na's smug face and asked, "Tell me honestly, is this oil gutter oil?"
Upon hearing the words "gutter oil," Li Na's expression first stiffened, and then, with a guilty and annoyed tone, she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? You can't just make up these charges to slander me just because I took your business!"
"You know whether it's gutter oil or not. This is not a good thing. If anyone's health is affected by eating it, you'll have to pay compensation and bear the consequences." Chen Li Shu wasn't exaggerating. If someone with poor health were to fall ill, it would be disastrous!