Regarding the results of this lottery, Zhang Xiaoman was actually quite satisfied.
Although there was a little unexpected event at the end that deviated from his original thoughts, he reconsidered and felt that it seemed not too bad.
After all, how many people in the world can understand English? And how many can understand animal languages?
Thinking about it that way, he still came out ahead.
However, Zhang Xiaoman didn't have time to dwell on this as it was getting late. If he didn't set off now, he would miss the lunchtime rush.
Riding Sixth Grandpa's modified tricycle, Zhang Xiaoman returned to the spot where he had been setting up his stall these past few days.
At this point, he had gained a foothold here, with repeat customers and new ones gradually increasing his daily earnings.
The other vendors in the vicinity no longer found the sight of this young stall owner strange, and the auntie next door warmed up to him after he gave her a box of sushi.
"Xiao Zhang, you better not come tomorrow. They don't allow setting up stalls here on Mondays when the city management comes patrolling, and you don't want your cart confiscated," she warned.
Zhang Xiaoman smiled and politely replied, "Thanks, Aunt Lu. You take such good care of me. Next time your grandson, little Yong, comes to eat, I'll give you the cost price, no profit."
Aunt Lu laughed even brighter upon hearing this.
Zhang Xiaoman greeted the nearby vendors and began preparing sushi.
To ensure the quality, he made all the sushi fresh, and with noon approaching, he had to finish before the office crowds returned.
As he made the sushi, Zhang Xiaoman occasionally looked up at the passing crowd, calling out greetings to those nearby. He was far more outgoing now compared to when he first started.
"Beautiful, want some sushi? Freshly made for you."
Zhang Xiaoman looked up again and saw a young girl walking past his stall and casually asked.
The girl, hearing his offer, stopped in her tracks and turned her head, looking somewhat puzzled towards Zhang Xiaoman's direction.
She was an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl with a black ponytail and wearing a light yellow bright casual outfit, exuding freshness and docility.
"Are you calling me?" she asked.
Seeing her stop, Zhang Xiaoman knew he had a chance and quickly said, "Yes, beautiful. How about a serving of sushi? It's cheap and filling, all freshly made."
The young girl frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then hesitantly said,
"Then, I'll buy a serving… Oh, right, can you make it fruit-flavored?"
Zhang Xiaoman quickly responded, "No problem, fruit-flavored is $13 a box. Just wait a moment, I'm making it right now; it will be ready soon."
The girl nodded obediently, her eyes fixed on Zhang Xiaoman.
Zhang Xiaoman felt somewhat uneasy under the stare of such a pretty girl, and he unconsciously sped up his actions.
"Out walking your dog, beautiful?"
While making sushi, Zhang Xiaoman suddenly noticed something yellow moving at the corner of his eye. Looking down, he saw that the girl was holding a large golden retriever.
"Ah, yes... Its name is Tutu, and it's already 5 years old this year."
"Tutu..."
Zhang Xiaoman twitched his mouth hearing the name. He looked down at the big dog, noting its bright fur and handsome build. It was indeed beautiful but seemed a bit restless at the moment, circling anxiously around the girl's feet.
The girl, sensing her dog's restlessness, crouched down to pet its head, soothing it with comforting words:
"Tutu, be good, we'll be home soon. I'll make you something delicious when we get back," she said.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
The golden retriever barked twice. Although it seemed somewhat calmer, the anxiety was still apparent.
The girl patted it a couple more times before she stood up and said,
"I'm sorry, it doesn't usually act like this. I don't know what's wrong today; it seems unhappy."
At this time, Zhang Xiaoman furrowed his brows. To others, the two barks of the golden retriever might have seemed like just a couple of meaningless dog barks, but in his mind, he could understand the mental implications.
"My stomach hurts! My stomach hurts!"
These were the words Zhang Xiaoman heard and the message the dog had conveyed through its barking.
"Miss, your dog seems to be feeling quite uncomfortable." Zhang Xiaoman pushed the prepared sushi towards the young girl and then focused his attention on the golden retriever.
"It seems to have a stomachache, and its current expression seems painful. I suggest you take it to a vet," Zhang Xiaoman advised.
The young girl, already holding onto the sushi, looked puzzled at Zhang Xiaoman and asked curiously, "Boss, do you also treat dogs?"
Zhang Xiaoman waved his hand offhandedly, "Not exactly. I studied a bit about this in the past, just dabbling. But your dog really seems to have a problem. I've often seen these symptoms before; I advise you to take it to a pet hospital."
Hearing this, the girl's face showed a contemplative expression. She bit her lip and then said, "Okay, thanks, boss. I'll take it this afternoon."
Having said that, she reached into her clothes pocket, but after a long moment, she pulled out nothing, her face turning a deep red.
"I'm sorry... I, I forgot to bring money..."
The girl kept her head down, unable to meet his gaze, and put the sushi box back on the cart.
Zhang Xiaoman was taken aback. He looked at the girl, who wished she could disappear into the ground, sighed, and said,
"Forget it, I see you live nearby. Take it for now, and you can pay me next time."
The girl stood there twisting the corner of her clothes, too embarrassed to take it.
Zhang Xiaoman simply pushed the box into her hands. She clumsily accepted it, standing there, dazed and unsure of what to do next.
After a long moment, she managed to stammer out a few words.
"Thank you, boss..."
"It's nothing, just a matter of a few dollars. Just give it to me next time you pass by. It's more important for you to get the dog checked out today if you can."
Zhang Xiaoman waved his hand as if it were no big deal.
"Oh, by the way, I might not open tomorrow, so don't make a wasted trip," he added.
"Okay, I will definitely pay you back! Boss, will you still be at this spot in the future? I'm afraid I won't be able to find you..."
Zhang Xiaoman found it odd that she asked this but nonetheless confirmed with an affirmative response.
The girl thanked him several more times before she slowly walked away. Zhang Xiaoman watched her awkward manner of walking and couldn't help shaking his head, silently lamenting how thin-skinned kids are these days.
As he resumed making sushi, Zhang Xiaoman kept busy with his hands but his mind was occupied with the day's events.
"I can understand animal barks. Is there any way I can make money from this?"