01
Yi He wasn’t very bright, in the truest sense of the phrase.
Growing up in an orphanage, he was always slower than the other children, even when it came to getting food. Due to malnutrition during his developmental years, he remained small and thin into adulthood. His perpetually pale complexion only made him appear more pitiful. Fortunately, the orphanage director was kindhearted and often snuck him food while the other children slept. As she watched Yi He grow up, her concerns for him deepened. She worried about how he would survive in society when the time came for him to leave.
No one expected Yi He’s luck to suddenly turn around. Someone who learned of his situation helped him secure a small shop near A University. If nothing went wrong, Yi He could make a living selling snacks for the rest of his life. While it wouldn’t be luxurious, it would be enough to keep him fed and clothed.
The director stroked his head and let out a sigh, half relieved and half worried. “What are you planning to sell?” she asked.
After a long moment of thought, Yi He answered solemnly, “I want to sell jianbing.”
02
After bidding farewell to the director, Yi He arrived at A University’s entrance with his small bundle of belongings. He carefully examined what would be his new home. The ground floor was a cramped space that could barely fit two or three people. At the back, wooden stairs led to a simple second floor divided into a bedroom and bathroom. Yi He neatly arranged his clothes at the foot of the bed and clenched his fists to give himself courage.
As seasons passed from spring to autumn, Yi He’s business gradually improved. He wore a red apron gifted by the owner of the neighboring malatang shop, and the warm yellow lighting gave his cheeks a rare festive glow. Handing two prepared jianbings to his customers, he wiped his hands and said, “Here are your two jianbings with ham.”
“Thanks.” The customer took them and habitually pulled out their phone to open WeChat. “Where’s your payment QR code?”
Yi He fidgeted with his apron and smiled sheepishly. “I don’t use Alipay or WeChat. Do you have cash?”
The customer paused before fishing out a crumpled ten-yuan note from their wallet. “I only have this ten yuan note on me, nothing more,” they said apologetically.
Yi He waved his hand and took the money. “It’s fine. If you like it, come back next time. Consider it my treat.”
The customer felt both embarrassed and slightly annoyed, unable to help but comment, “You really should get a payment code. Nobody carries cash nowadays. Everyone uses digital payments. It would be more convenient for you, too. There is no need to count money every day.”
Yi He touched the secondhand keypad phone in his pocket and gave a somewhat silly smile.
As darkness fell, Yi He turned off the gas stove and began carefully counting the day’s earnings. The malatang shop owner closed her shutters and bid him goodbye. Yi He waved back, but as he turned around, he’d already forgotten where he’d left off counting.
He knocked his head in frustration. Looking at the light drizzle falling from the sky, he struggled to pull his cart inside and started counting again.
“Boss.” Just as Yi He was about to finish counting his coins, a male student suddenly appeared in front of him. The cold air he brought in made Yi He shiver, and he frowned quietly. He forgot his count again.
“Boss, make me a jianbing, please,” the student repeated when he saw no response. Yi He slowly gathered his coins to one side and silently turned on the gas. Only after the griddle heated up did he reluctantly ask, “What would you like in it?”
“Give me one with everything.” The student noticed the boss was young and seemed rather clumsy, so he couldn’t help asking, “Boss, did you just open shop?”
Yi He stirred the batter and shook his head seriously. “I’ve been here for one, two, four… seven months.”
The student watched him count slowly on his fingers but held back his question, choosing to play with his phone while waiting. Soon, he heard the boss say, “Here’s your fully loaded jianbing.”
“Thanks.” The student took it and naturally opened Alipay. “How much?”
Yi He glanced at the large “CASH ONLY” sign on his right. The annoyance from being interrupted while counting money returned, his brows furrowed tightly and his lips drooped as he said, “Cash only.”
The student paused, unable to find a single coin on himself. After thinking, he suggested, “How about you open Alipay or WeChat? I can transfer the money directly.”
Yi He grew more unhappy. He touched his small phone through his pants pocket while cleaning up, responding with a simple, “Don’t have it.”
“Well then,” the student spread his hands and said, “I really don’t have any cash. If you trust me, I’ll come back tomorrow and pay for both today’s and tomorrow’s.”
Although reluctant, Yi He didn’t want to lose money. He pulled out a small notebook from under his cart, pointed at the bottom, and said, “Then write down your name, phone number, and the price…”
Yi He counted on his fingers again before continuing, “Write twelve yuan.”
The student was speechless for a moment but obediently wrote it down. After finishing his flourishing signature, he joked, “Boss, you should practice your handwriting.”
Yi He glared at him, tucked away the notebook, and said curtly, “We’re closed.”
The student chuckled as he watched the small boss lower the shutters with an iron hook. If he wasn’t mistaken, the little boss even made a face at him at the last moment.
He shook his head, thinking: This little boss is quite amusing.
Inside the shuttered shop, Yi He lowered his hands from his ears and opened his account book. The last line was written in notably better handwriting: “Qi Shuitang owes twelve yuan for one box of jianbing. Phone: 17788886666”
He pressed his lips together, reluctantly admitting that the student’s handwriting was indeed better than his own.
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