It was only six in the morning. She had been busy until midnight, so she had only slept five hours. When she got out of bed, she felt like she was sleepwalking. Only after washing up did she feel a bit more awake.
She had come back too late last night; there were no empty parking spots anywhere, so she had to temporarily park in front of the house. This early morning, she couldn't block the neighbors' way—she had to move the car quickly.
Her morning routine was as fast as a battle. Braving the cold wind, Lin Mo grabbed her camping cart and went out, started the van, and headed straight to the nearby food market. Since she was up, she might as well go grocery shopping. Relying on grocery apps to stock up would take forever.
The early morning wind felt like small knives cutting her face, seeping into her collar. She couldn't help but shiver as she got out of the car. Fortunately, there were two large scarves on the passenger seat, which she had meant to use as an emergency cover for the metal gas tank.
She decisively took a beige scarf, wrapped it once around her neck, and put it over her down jacket.
In the morning, most parking spots were empty. Most people at the market were elderly with cloth bags or small carts. The morning air was mixed with the sweet smell of soil, the splashing of live fish, and a chaotic yet vibrant noise.
At the fish stall, crucian carp and sea bass were splashing lively. Lin Mo enjoyed eating fish, but she couldn't handle or cook them herself: "I could buy some ready-made braised fish to put in the fridge, and later have it with congee."
She had a clear goal: first, go to the vegetable uncle. According to the online knowledge she had looked up last night, for leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, and romaine, you can pack about 100–250 kg per cubic meter. So this morning, she needed to buy at least 200–300 catties, enough to fill one Basic Locker.
Just as the uncle finished weighing some long beans for an elderly woman, he looked up and saw her, greeting, "Yo, miss, you're here again! What fresh items today?"
Lin Mo directly listed what she wanted and asked the uncle to help pick them out. From her last experience, the uncle was very honest and wouldn't cheat her: "Hello, first, 10 catties of lettuce, 10 catties of water spinach, and 10 catties of pea shoots."
She wasn't good at stir-frying, but she could use these for hot pot. In winter, a small hot pot was perfect—warming and didn't require much thought about cooking methods.
The uncle's scale rose and fell, quickly weighing them out.
Lin Mo pointed to the neatly stacked napa cabbages nearby: "Please also get me 10 napa cabbages, the tightly packed ones." Napa cabbages keep well; they can last a long time at room temperature, and it's convenient to just break off a few leaves when needed.
"Alright, these are heavy. I'll use the big scale."
The uncle moved the cabbages onto the large scale: "30 kilograms. Can you finish all this?"
"No problem. Also, add more ginger and garlic." Ginger can dispel cold and dampness, good for making ginger tea. Garlic is a natural antibacterial agent, useful for hot pot seasoning and daily cooking. She could buy plenty.
Even though she wasn't good at stir-frying, she could practice. She could make garlic cabbage.
The uncle brought out bags of old ginger and braids of purple-skinned garlic from under the counter, about to open them to weigh on the scale, but Lin Mo stopped him: "Uncle, no need to open them. Just give me the whole bags."
The uncle was astonished: "Young lady, why buy so much? How will you finish it all?"
Lin Mo added another identity: "To be honest, I manage group buying in the neighborhood. I sell to people who don't want to go out."
The uncle suddenly understood, exclaimed "Oh!" and slapped his thigh, voice booming: "I thought so—you're in business! Alright, I'll give you the whole bags cheaper. Come to me for more next time!"
Thinking that spicy food warms the body in cold weather, Lin Mo also bought some small chili peppers and a big bag of dried chili peppers. In winter, spicy things not only warm you up but also stimulate appetite, better than bland food.
Although her spice tolerance was average, she was that kind of person who loves to play despite being bad at it—she enjoys mild spiciness.
The uncle was generous and even threw in a free leek as long as an arm. Lin Mo's cart wasn't big enough, so the uncle used his own cart to help her carry the several big bags to the car.
Thanking the uncle, she didn't rest. This time, she went to the tofu shop at the other end of the market. She bought 10 catties of fresh tofu, 10 catties of dried tofu skin, 10 catties of bean curd sticks, a big bag of sealed oil gluten, and 20 bags of frozen tofu.
As the owner helped her tie up the bags, he chuckled: "Girl, you know how to live! This amount will last you two months!"
Lin Mo smiled softly, not explaining. Bean curd sticks and frozen tofu absorb flavors and are perfect for hot pot. After paying, she loaded the soy products into the car and returned to the market.
This time, she spotted a leafy green vegetable stall.
Author's Note:
Update tomorrow at 9 AM.