Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 1066 - 520: Beggar (Part 6)_2

"Like me."

"Although when I first got off the boat, I had no extra money because I was unfamiliar with the area and couldn't find a job to make ends meet in a short period of time. I was too proud to beg and ended up fainting on the street corner, and you, boss, picked me up."

"But as long as the opportunity arises, I can still find a good job at Fu Ji with a monthly salary of three silver coins, three meals included, two sets of clothes for spring and winter, and I can even take some leftover ingredients from Fu Ji back home every day."

"During the festive season, if Fu Ji does good business, there might be bonuses and food. It's not about getting rich, at least it's stable and I won't starve."

"With your intelligence and talent, boss, you can definitely find a better job than Fu Ji. Isn't begging inferior to that?" Jiang Weiguo tried to persuade An Youyou to find a job, even using the words "intelligence and talent."

An Youyou was tempted for a moment but quickly reaffirmed her beliefs, not swayed by Jiang Weiguo's sugar-coated persuasion.

"Nonsense." An Youyou couldn't offer any logical reasoning and could only emphasize the word "nonsense." "Begging is the best job. I've researched it for many years. You don't understand!"

"Let me think about how I should put this..."

"Our family has been begging for generations. Begging is very stable!"

Jiang Weiguo: ?

Qin Huai: ...

Jiang Weiguo didn't understand what An Youyou was saying, but Qin Huai did. The Plant Spirits' transcending tribulation strategy is to learn nothing and be reckless in the human world, while the Three Legged Golden Toad's strategy is pure begging; when in the human world, it's all about the begging.

No wonder when Qin Huai first saw An Youyou's memories, they felt she had a talent for begging, her skills were far ahead of her peers—it turned out to be practiced.

Just like Zhao Cheng'an's skills in stealing, both were fervently practiced before transcending their tribulations.

At the moment, Qin Huai found it difficult to judge whether the Mayfly or the Three Legged Golden Toad was more ridiculous; one steals, the other begs. Once An Youyou wakes up, she and Zhao Cheng'an should have plenty to talk about.

"What do you have in your bag?" An Youyou wasn't concerned about whether Jiang Weiguo could understand, her eyes were glued to the bundle. She's been curious for a few minutes now about what leftovers Jiang Weiguo managed to grab today, which would be crucial for her dinner tonight.

"Last winter around this time, I slept in a broken temple. If I weren't waiting for you, I wouldn't be starving until now without eating. Your job is stable, but does it compare to my freedom? I rest whenever I want!"

Jiang Weiguo said blandly, "Today a guest ordered a whole fish feast, and I grabbed quite a bit of fish scraps and celery leaves, along with some radish chunks. Master Ding knows I have a lot of people here, so he purposely left me some minced meat, and gave me a few slices of ginger and some chopped green onions."

"Fish scrap porridge, stir-fried minced meat with radish chunks, and there's cabbage from Sister in law Chen in the kitchen. I'll cook a clear cabbage broth with a few drops of sesame oil, equally delicious."

Just hearing Jiang Weiguo talk made An Youyou involuntarily swallow a mouthful of saliva.

"Okay...alright, your job is quite good." For the sake of a bountiful dinner, An Youyou temporarily conceded that Jiang Weiguo's job was pretty decent, "Hurry up, Thirteen, why are you walking so slowly?"

"Do you even know what time it is? When we get back, I still have to wait for you to cook the porridge. I want to drink porridge, and tomorrow, I have to get up early to beg in the city. Today, I watched the young master of the Feng Family enter the ballroom, according to his habits, definitely staying there all night, and leaving the ballroom drunk around dawn. That's the best time to ask for money; with some luck, I can score two or three silver coins, then my New Year's pork knuckle will be secured."

"Walk faster, don't delay my pork knuckle."

Under An Youyou's urging, Jiang Weiguo had no choice but to pick up his pace.

"Thirteen, are you going to Fu Ji on New Year's Eve?"

"Yes, Fu Ji won't be serving in-house that day, all deliveries, supposedly busier than usual. Not sure if I can get off work by 7 p.m."

"Ah, I might have to wait until midnight to eat the pork knuckle? I heard it takes a long time to stew."

"I'll get up earlier to stew it in advance."

"That's good. It's a pity you have to work on New Year's Eve; you have no idea how good the food is for begging that day. I've thought about it already; come New Year's Eve, everyone must join in begging in the city, especially Xiao Si."

"Just smear some mud on the body, not too dirty, or you'll offend the rich people's joy. Last year you weren't begging in Shanghai; you wouldn't know, all rich families there, every one of them is distributing porridge and vegetables, loads of non-beggars pretend to be beggars to ask for food."

"Among us beggars, there's a saying: even if you must die, do it after New Year's Eve, die before having a full meal, and it's a meaningless death."

"The first day of New Year is even grander, not just porridge and vegetables, but money too. Normally difficult shopkeepers, at this time, spout a few flattering words, bow diligently, anyone can earn a few copper coins."

"Only the grain store is shameless, prices hike at this time, even squeezing money from us beggars."

"...grain store isn't blatantly raising prices for beggars only."

An Youyou completely ignored Jiang Weiguo, continuing with her monologue: "It's such a shame you can't beg with me, even though business is good those days, prime locations are hard to grab, several expansive households are surrounded by beggars. If you could join me to subdue all those competitors, claim the best spots, then all 14 of us beggar at each house, I wonder how many good things we could collect."