Chapter 4 Getting Ready for the Street Stand – Yao Yao’s Dad’s Cool Three-Wheeler Food Cart
At 7 a.m., Lu Qin woke up, got himself ready, and went to wake up his daughter, Lu Xiyao.
“Yao Yao, it’s time to get up for school, little lazy pig,” he called softly.
Thanks to a well-set bedtime routine, Lu Xiyao usually slept by 9:30 p.m. and woke up around 7 a.m., getting just the right amount of rest. But this morning, she struggled a bit.
“Daddy, I’m still sleepy~!” she murmured, rolling over and wrapping herself tightly in the blankets like a little dumpling.
Lu Qin chuckled, gently patting her.
“Come on, sweetie, today’s a school day.”
The little girl tried her luck, peeking out from the covers.
“Daddy, can I skip school and stay with you?”
“Nope, Daddy’s got to go make some money.”
Her eyes lit up, and she sat up straight, suddenly excited.
“I’ll help Daddy make money!”
Lu Qin playfully flicked her forehead.
“Ow, ow~!”
“Nice try. Your job is to go to kindergarten and be a good student,” he reminded her.
“Okay~! Daddy, are you going to the office today?”
“Nope, Daddy’s going to set up a food stall.”
“A food stall? That sounds fun!” She exclaimed, full of curiosity.
As she got dressed, she continued peppering him with questions. Moving to a new place hadn’t changed much of their morning routine, and soon, Lu Xiyao was standing on a little stool in the bathroom, brushing her teeth and washing her face, all by herself. Meanwhile, Lu Qin prepared breakfast.
Breakfast was simple—fried eggs, toast, and milk.
“Wow~! Daddy~! The eggs taste amazing today!” she shouted with joy, taking a big bite.
Lu Qin smiled, wiping her mouth gently. After breakfast, he dropped her off at kindergarten, and his day truly began. He was preparing to set up his food stall to sell stir-fried noodles. Setting up the stall didn’t require a large investment, with his biggest expense being an electric tricycle. These three-wheelers had become popular overseas, but the local prices remained affordable.
A good-quality, durable tricycle cost about 3,000 yuan, and Lu Qin opted for a well-known Zongshen brand for its reputation. When purchasing, the shop owner offered him an option to register the tricycle for an extra 50 yuan and even customize it as a food cart with signage for an additional 600 yuan.
“I’ll take a ready-made one,” Lu Qin decided, knowing he couldn’t wait for a custom job. For 3,600 yuan, he bought a yellow-and-white food cart, and the registration was included.
With the purchase complete, Lu Qin hopped on a bus to gather his supplies. He visited food markets, supermarkets, and farmers’ markets, looking for the best-quality ingredients—-fresh rice noodles, eggs, oil, salt, vinegar, and other essentials. His system-enhanced cooking skills ensured he knew how to source top-tier ingredients. For example, high-quality rice noodles could elevate a dish far beyond what average noodles could achieve. After some searching, he found authentic handmade rice noodles from Anyang County at a small stall.
“How much for the rice noodles?” he asked the vendor.
“Four and a half yuan per jin,” the vendor replied.
“If I buy a lot, can I get a discount? I’ll take 50 jin.”
“For 50 jin? I can give them to you for 4 yuan per jin.”
The noodles were perfect—white as crystal, smooth as silk, and elastic like rubber bands. They wouldn’t get mushy after cooking, nor would they become too greasy or dry when stir-fried. Lu Qin paid 200 yuan for the noodles and added 10 jin of fresh eggs, 3 jin of lean meat, 3 jin of ham, along with oil, salt, and vinegar, spending a total of 364.8 yuan.
As he left the market, he noticed a shop selling disposable tableware nearby. Sure enough, it was exactly what he needed to complete his setup.
A thousand pairs of disposable chopsticks cost 30 yuan, and a box of 240 medium-sized disposable plastic takeout containers was 75 yuan. Lu Qin also picked up a box of napkins, ten rags, a wok, and a few aprons.
“Young man, buying all this—are you setting up a stall?” The shop owner asked.
“Yes, boss,” Lu Qin replied.
“It looks like a lot to carry. If your place is nearby, I can help you with the delivery. Come by my shop anytime,” The owner offered.
“Thank you, boss. The address is Futian Garden.”
“Futian Garden? That’s quite close, only about two and a half kilometers. Jump into my delivery truck.”
The small truck wove through the streets and alleys. Boss Zhao, who sold disposable tableware, was well-acquainted with the old neighborhood, having lived there for over thirty years.
“Boss, do you know a good spot to set up a stall around here?” Lu Qin asked.
“You’re asking the right person,” Boss Zhao said. “My wife used to run a stall selling cold noodles. She worked from early morning until late at night, and I got worried about her health, so I advised her to stop.”
“For breakfast, try the entrance of Sunshine Elementary School. There’s a lot of foot traffic and only a couple of breakfast shops. Most others are stalls. If you pack up by 8:30, you won’t have to worry about city inspectors.”
“For dinner and late-night snacks, head to University Town. Avoid setting up on the main road, they charge a high stall fee there. Instead, go to the small alley next to La Meizi Hot Pot Restaurant. All the stalls are there, and they don’t charge fees. Get there early to secure a good spot, and you’ll have a busy night.”
Boss Zhao was a warm-hearted man, generously sharing his knowledge with Lu Qin. He was grateful for the valuable tips and established a long-term partnership with him.
After completing his morning shopping, Lu Qin took a 45-minute nap before starting the stall setup. He soaked the rice noodles until they were soft, portioned them out, sliced the lean meat, and diced the ham. Thanks to his system’s maxed-out skills, the preparations were handled swiftly and efficiently.
By 4:30 p.m., Lu Qin had finished his preparations, picked up the food cart from the shop, and loaded everything onto it. He then went to pick up Lu Xiyao from school.
As the eye-catching electric tricycle pulled up to the school gate, it drew the attention of teachers, parents, and students alike.
Lu Xiyao’s face lit up with excitement at the sight of the new ride.
“Daddy, this cart is so cool~!”
“Lu Xiyao, what kind of vehicle is your dad driving? It’s so flashy~!”
“Wow~! It’s an electric tricycle~! And there’s a little house in the back, you can even go inside!”
“Dad, can you pick me up in a tricycle like Lu Xiyao’s dad? I don’t want to ride in a car anymore~!”
In Jiangcheng, where luxury cars were common, Lu Qin’s three-wheeled cart stood out as a unique and intriguing sight in front of Starlight Kindergarten. Lu Xiyao beamed with pride, eagerly hopping into the cart and sitting next to her dad. With a triumphant fist raised, she announced to her friends, “Daddy, let’s go~!”
Starlight Kindergarten was known for its emphasis on values and discipline, and Lu Qin’s food cart drew more curiosity than disdain. Teachers and parents were simply surprised and impressed by Lu Xiyao’s dad starting a new venture.