The Heirloom Pickles

Aunt Wang was immersed in her own world, savoring the taste of the fried rice. Only after a long time did she return to reality, realizing she had eaten too intently. Feeling embarrassed, she quickly picked up a tissue to wipe her mouth elegantly, her eyes scanning the surroundings, hoping no one had noticed her lapse in etiquette. Fortunately, after the rice was served, no one at the table was chatting anymore.

Originally, the aunts were chatting with each other, but when they smelled the aroma of the fried rice, everyone became greedy and began to bury their heads in eating, including Aunt Lin, who had already eaten the beef fried rice.

"This white radish is so delicious!"
"These pickles are even better than my mother's. Just a little bit of them, and I can eat two spoonfuls of rice."
"These pickled yardlong beans are so tender, and the color is still green. I don't know how this girl pickled them to make them both delicious and beautiful."

After everyone had eaten their fill, Aunt Wang originally wanted to ask Bai Yinuo how she made these pickles so delicious. But on second thought, now that Yinuo had opened a diner, this must be her heirloom secret to making a living, so she shouldn't ask too much. Therefore, she changed her mind and asked:

"Yinuo, your pickles are both crispy and tender, and they go very well with rice. It's rare for me to eat as much as I did today, all thanks to these pickles. Can you sell me a portion to take home?"

Bai Yinuo shook her head and said, "Aunt Wang, I didn't make many of these pickles. They were originally only meant to serve the customers in the shop. If I sell them to you, the shop won't have enough."

The other aunts also planned to buy some, but hearing Bai Yinuo's answer, they all felt regretful. Bai Yinuo thought for a moment and then continued, "If you want to eat them, just drop by my shop. The shop is open all day, and these pickles are completely free."

Aunt Lin added, "That's right, we are all neighbors. Whenever you want to eat, just take a few steps and you'll be here!"

Seeing that Bai Yinuo really didn't intend to sell them, everyone let it go. Since summer had begun, the hot weather made people restless, and her diner would certainly not lack their presence. Normally, the aunts often ate nourishing dishes, but at this time, they felt comforted by a bowl of ordinary pickles served with fried rice. It truly fit the saying: "A grand house has a thousand rooms, but one only needs six feet to sleep at night; a fortune of millions, yet one only eats three meals a day."

The aunts laughed and talked merrily, and on their way back, many of them surrounded Aunt Lin.

"Yinuo's cooking skills are truly outstanding. Even fried rice can be made like this. It seems opening a diner was the right choice."
"Indeed, I want to eat there every day too. I don't ask for much, just a plate of pickled cabbage is enough."
"If it weren't because the pickles are a business secret, I would really want to ask for the recipe to make them myself. The taste is truly superb. I am also a well-known pickle maker, but I have never made anything so appetizing."

At this moment, Aunt Lin did not forget to promote: "A busy person like you, why waste time on that? If you crave it, just go to Yinuo's place. I guarantee she will feed you well."

In the mahjong room, some aunts who hadn't gone to eat earlier saw Aunt Wang and the others giving such good feedback, so they gathered around to ask about it.

"Is it really as delicious as you say?"

Aunt Wang nodded: "Why would I lie to you? The taste is excellent. These past few days, I couldn't even eat a few spoonfuls of rice, but today at her shop, I ate a whole large bowl. If I weren't afraid of upsetting my stomach, I would have wanted another bowl."

Hearing this, the aunts began to feel curious, as if a little cat was scratching at their hearts: "Xiao Wang, then lead us there tomorrow to try it!"

"Sure!"