Unexpected Motherhood: Marked by the Elite Alpha - Chapter 5

The lights in the Li family kitchen flickered on before dawn.

Li Ningjun reheated the leftover steamed buns from the previous night. She also took out some local eggs gathered by the grandmother from the refrigerator to make a large bowl of egg drop soup. She added nothing but a bit of salt and sesame oil pressed by the villagers. It was incredibly fragrant; Xiaoyue had loved this specific soup since she was a child.

Tuanjie and Lin Yin also woke up. Together with Li Sangyue, they moved several large baskets of cherries from the yard into the vehicle.

In addition to the small cherries, there were apricots and peaches grown sporadically by the villagers. They did not look as polished as the fruit in large supermarkets, but they were very sweet. However, due to the heavy rain this year, many of the peaches had split open.

Someone had previously suggested that Li Sangyue sell these split peaches as “Explosion Peaches,” claiming that many city merchants did so by tricking urbanites who did not know better into thinking it was a new variety. This practice often allowed sellers to double or triple the price and sell out instantly. Li Sangyue, however, could not bring herself to do it and rejected the suggestion.

Her grandmother had taught her from a young age that one must act with a clear conscience and not compromise one’s integrity for petty gains.

“I will go with you today,” Li Ningjun said, filling a large thermos with chrysanthemum tea.

When the video was posted last night, Li Sangyue had pinned a comment about selling small cherries in the city today at the usual spot known to old customers.

They planned to sell offline while simultaneously livestreaming to attract new customers. Long hours of shouting during a livestream can easily make a voice go hoarse, so drinking chrysanthemum tea helped soothe the throat.

“Grandmother promised Taiyang yesterday that she would take her to see the fishing today. I am not comfortable leaving the elderly and the child alone, so Mom, you should stay home.”

Being in a rush, Li Sangyue did not sit down to eat. She took a large bite of a bun while busy organizing other items.

“Can the three of you handle it?” Li Ningjun still wanted to help.

“We can manage. It is no big deal. Mom, we are leaving now.”

Seeing that it was already six o’clock, she grew anxious. It would take over two hours to reach the city. She slung her large water bottle over her shoulder, grabbed the bag of steamed buns, and hurried out before Taiyang even woke up.

She felt a bit guilty about this, as she could not spend much time at home during the weekends. Fortunately, Taiyang never blamed her mother for it.

The family owned two vehicles. One was a standard sedan purchased when Taiyang started kindergarten for less than 70,000 yuan, used for daily trips and school runs.

The other was a Wuling Rongguang mini truck, a second-hand vehicle bought from an acquaintance. Though cheap, it was very versatile and served as the primary transport for hauling goods to the city.

Li Sangyue drove today while Tuanjie and Lin Yin ate breakfast in their seats.

By the time they entered the city, it was after eight o’clock. They hit the morning rush hour, but luckily the traffic on their route was not too heavy. After a brief delay, they arrived at the temporary stall area near the market.

They came almost every weekend, so the local residents recognized them. Knowing they were helping villagers sell fruit, people would proactively make space for them.

The city management officers would only remind them not to block the path but otherwise did not interfere. Life is not easy for anyone these days, and law enforcement has become more compassionate.

“No local eggs today?” an old customer asked immediately upon arriving.

They had sold local eggs, peanut oil, sesame oil, and sesame paste before, and regular customers frequently inquired about them.

These items were not available every day, and Li Sangyue could not guarantee stock. She sold whatever was available and did not accept pre-orders.

She had just finished moving the cherries from the truck and was still catching her breath. “No local eggs today. We only have small cherries, apricots, and peaches. I am sorry; we will bring some next time we have them.”

The customer was disappointed but understanding. Many people preferred authentic local eggs over the ones in supermarkets, which they found fishy and bland. Local eggs, especially when fried in traditionally pressed peanut oil, had bright yellow yolks and a wonderful aroma.

Though the customer did not get eggs, they still picked out some cherries and, after tasting the apricots and peaches, bought ten pounds of each.

The peaches were large, weighing over half a pound each, so a few of them easily made up ten pounds. Aside from their appearance, these home-grown peaches were sweet, crunchy, juicy, and fresh.

Just as Lin Yin started the livestream, Li Sangyue had already sold many peaches.

Tuanjie, who was quick-witted and articulate, took charge of greeting customers and interacting with the fans in the livestream. Li Sangyue and Lin Yin focused on weighing fruit and collecting money. The three of them were so busy they hardly had time for a sip of water. Fortunately, they had eaten breakfast, or the exhaustion of shouting on an empty stomach would have been much worse.

“Freshly picked cherries, apricots, and peaches! Guaranteed fresh, grown by our own villagers.”

“Whether you buy or not, feel free to have a taste.”

“They are guaranteed sweet. If they are not sweet, they are free.”

Li Sangyue used a small knife to slice a crunchy peach and handed pieces to passersby.

She was beautiful and soft-spoken, greeting everyone with a bright smile. People who had only intended to watch often found themselves buying a few items because of her enthusiasm. After tasting the cherries and apricots, they found them sweet as well and bought more. A large bag was not expensive and was much cheaper than at the supermarket.

One elderly woman spent a long time picking through the fruit, complaining about the appearance or the uneven sizes. In reality, she just wanted a lower price, hoping to buy two pounds of peaches and get half a bag of cherries and apricots for free.

Li Sangyue was used to this behavior, which happened both online and offline. She did not rush the woman and remained polite.

Finally, the woman selected five or six peaches and said while paying, “These peaches do not look good; they are all split. These are probably the ones no one wants in the fields. You young people sure know how to do business, taking what others discard and selling it in the city to make a lot of money.”

Li Sangyue explained with a smile, “It rained a lot this year, which caused many peaches to split. However, we guarantee they are not rotten. You can taste them right here. If you think they are good, then buy them.”

“They are just okay,” the woman said with a dissatisfied expression. “And you are not selling them cheap. I went to the market the day before yesterday, and they were selling a big bag of twenty for ten yuan. Those were better than yours. I am losing money buying these.”

Hearing this, Lin Yin grew angry and did not want to sell to her.

Because they were livestreaming, Li Sangyue did not want to argue. She placed a dozen small cherries into the bag and said politely, “We are selling at cost price, and our peaches are very sweet. Here are some complimentary cherries grown by our villagers. Please try them at home. If you like them, you can search for our account online. There is a store link on our profile with the same great prices, and any quality issues can be handled by our after-sales team.”

Having gained a small advantage, the woman stopped complaining and left with her goods.

Fans in the livestream were already criticizing her. Fortunately, the camera was not pointed at the customers, or the woman might have been identified and harassed online.

A small incident did not ruin Li Sangyue’s mood, and she continued to greet other customers with a smile.

Some local fans came to buy in person, while those further away called for delivery services. Tuanjie thanked them all individually during the stream.

With the support of their fans, they had nearly sold out by noon. They had only earned back their costs with very little profit.

Li Sangyue did not mind. They packed up the truck and went to a nearby small restaurant to eat Anhui board noodles.

She preferred wide noodles, while Tuanjie and Lin Yin liked thin ones. They ordered both, all served in a spicy red oil broth.

Whether wide or thin, the noodles were chewy and came with many side dishes: dried tofu, braised mushrooms, diced beef, kelp knots, and green vegetables. The portions were large and affordable, making the restaurant a long-standing local favorite.

After a busy morning, the buns they ate for breakfast had long been digested. All three were starving. When the noodles arrived, they ate in silence, focusing on filling their stomachs. To ensure they were full, Li Sangyue added a braised chicken leg for everyone.

“I was starving to death,” Tuanjie finally said after finishing half her bowl.

Li Sangyue had already finished and patted her stomach with satisfaction. “I will take a detour in a bit to buy some seaweed cake for Taiyang.”

That was Taiyang’s favorite, and Li Sangyue bought it every time she came to the city. She also planned to buy pineapple buns for her mother.

There were not many places in Taining that sold pineapple buns, but that specific shop had them. A detour did not matter as long as her family enjoyed the food.

That morning, Taiyang slept in and did not get out of bed until after nine.

Li Ningjun steamed an egg custard for her. It was tender with a few drops of sesame oil and tasted delicious. After finishing, Taiyang even licked the bottom of the bowl and the corners of her mouth. Then, she grabbed a large bun and ran into the yard to play with Bajiao.

There were about ten pots of osmanthus planted in the yard, which were the pride and joy of the two elderly women. They loved tending to them in their spare time.

Bajiao, a significantly overweight cat, crouched behind a flower pot, staring intently at one of the osmanthus trees.

A bird’s nest had appeared in the branches this year, and the chicks had already hatched. Bajiao loved to ambush the birds from the corner, often scaring them so much they would fly around in a panic and not return to the nest for days.

Li Sangyue had scolded Bajiao many times, but the cat never listened. At most, it would flick its tail and walk away, only to return with a leisurely pace once no one was watching.

Taiyang, biting into her bun, approached the tree with the nest. She carefully parted the thick leaves to look inside and turned back with delight. “Great-Grandmother! The birds laid eggs again. There are five eggs this time, and they have spots on them. What kind of birds are these? Are they little sparrows?”

Li Shuang sat in a shaded area of the yard, pulling the cores out of Job’s tears. These seeds, also known as herbal corn or grass beads, had many names and uses. The unpeeled seeds could be dried and strung into bracelets or door curtains to repel mosquitoes. Those with the cores removed could be used for tea, soup, porridge, or medicine. Most people who grew up in the countryside in the 1980s or 90s had picked them to play with.

Removing the core made them easier to string together, though it was tedious work. Li Shuang only did it when she was idle. She was old and could no longer handle heavy labor. Li Ningjun and Li Sangyue did not want the two elderly women to overwork themselves. While Yang Hehua liked to visit neighbors and chat, Li Shuang was shy and preferred staying at home to do light tasks.

She narrowed her eyes as she pulled the cores and answered her great-granddaughter with a smile. “They are little sparrows. You recognize them now; that is very clever. Later, I will take you up the mountain. There are wild pheasants there, and they are very beautiful.”

Taiyang’s eyes widened, and she stopped eating her bun. She ran over to snuggle in her great-grandmother’s arms. “Great-Grandmother, I want to see the wild pheasants! Take me now. I have never seen one before. Let’s go now, let’s go now!”

The chubby cat, Bajiao, also grew interested. Its tail stood high as it walked over to rub against their legs.

Li Shuang held her great-granddaughter with one hand and stroked Bajiao’s soft fur with the other, laughing. “Oh, alright, alright. I will take you.”

The elderly often cannot resist the charms of their grandchildren. With both Taiyang and Bajiao pleading, she could not refuse.

Li Ningjun, who was tidying up inside, heard them and came out with a quilt. The weather was good, perfect for airing out the bedding.

“Mom, you cannot go up the mountain. The paths are difficult and far. Besides, there are no wild pheasants left.”

Ever since fruit trees were planted on the mountain, people had been there every day. Any wild pheasants would have been scared away long ago. Taking Taiyang up there would result in seeing nothing but tall weeds. There had been pheasants when they first returned to Yangtoubu from the south, but that was over twenty years ago.

The old woman patted Taiyang’s head. “Your grandmother won’t let us go.”

Taiyang then ran to Li Ningjun and hugged her waist, swaying back and forth. “Grandmother!”

She was named Taiyang, meaning “Sun,” because her face was round, and her smile was as bright as the morning sun.

Li Ningjun was swayed so much she felt dizzy and surrendered. “Fine, fine, stop swaying. Once I finish airing the quilts, I will take you up the mountain for a bit, okay? Yesterday you told Great-Grandmother you wanted me to take you to see the fishing, and now you want to go to the mountain.”

She mentioned the fishing on purpose, suspecting Taiyang had forgotten.

“Ah!” Taiyang had indeed forgotten. She became conflicted about whether to see the fishing or go to the mountain to look for pheasants.

Li Ningjun chuckled and took the quilts to the roof to dry, leaving Taiyang to her dilemma.

In the end, they went nowhere because the family of the Great-Aunt returned to the village.

They were rare visitors. In the past, they would only deign to return for holidays after being invited multiple times.

Today, they arrived unannounced. Li Ningjun was astonished, wondering if the sun had risen in the west.