平时在小区附近和写字...

平时在小区附近和写字楼上下班路上，很少能看到卖糖人的小作坊。那些卖糖人的，大多是大伯或者老爷爷。他们推着小车子，车上放着一个小板凳，靠着一张小桌子，上面有个转盘。

转盘上印着各种图案，供人旋转。或者你直接说一个动物、形象，他们就能画出来。还有些人不选择转盘上的图案，而是让手艺人把自己的名字用糖人的形式描出来。

不过在公园里和儿童乐园门口，这种卖糖人的小摊还是能见到的。之前我带儿子去玩，问他想要个什么糖人，他想了半天，一本正经地说：“我要一只霸王龙！”这答案可把我逗乐了，毕竟霸王龙造型复杂，万一画不好，肯定特别搞笑。

只见卖糖人的大爷不紧不慢地将白糖放进一边的锅里，小火慢慢熬煮，直到白糖熔成金黄的液体，再倒入特制的容器中。

接着，大爷在一旁平直的台子上开始创作。他先勾勒出龙的身体轮廓，再添上脑袋，最后细致地画上两只前爪。

出乎意料的是，大爷画得还挺像，虽说带了几分呆萌，却也生动可爱。儿子看得目不转睛，津津有味，旁边还有几个已经付了款的小朋友，也都眼巴巴地等着自己的糖人。

看着这一幕，我不禁想起自己小时候。那时，糖人和麦芽糖都是稀罕物。一个糖人也就一两块钱，小一点的五毛钱就能买到。

至于麦芽糖，我们可以用捡来的易拉罐去和老爷爷老奶奶交换。他们总会仔细挑选一两块麦芽糖，和我们交换这些“宝贝”。

可现在，一个普通糖人竟然要15块钱，要是图案大一些、复杂一点，甚至得20、25块。我心里直犯嘀咕，觉得这钱也太好赚了。

想着想着，我突然冒出个大胆的想法：那些简单的动物、人物形象，以我的美术功底，应该能画得出来。而且材料不过是白糖再加点其他东西，看起来也不难。要不找个晚上，在自家厨房试试做糖人？说不定这能发展成一门手艺，以后当个副业出去摆摊赚钱呢！这么一想，我顿时跃跃欲试！

In the neighborhoods around my home and along the commuting routes near office buildings, it’s rare to spot sugar figurine workshops these days. The sugar craftsmen are usually uncles or grandfathers, pushing carts with a small stool and a table that holds a spinning wheel.

The wheel is decorated with various patterns for customers to spin. Alternatively, you can simply request an animal or figure, and they’ll craft it on the spot. Some even ask to have their names outlined in sugar instead of choosing a pre-set design.

Thankfully, these sugar figurine stalls can still be found at parks and children’s amusement parks. Once when buying a sugar figurine for my son, I asked what he wanted. After thinking for ages, he declared, “I want a Tyrannosaurus rex!” I couldn’t help laughing, imagining how funny a poorly drawn T-rex might look.

I watched as the old man slowly melted sugar in a pot until it turned into a golden liquid, then poured it into a container. On a flat stone slab, he began shaping a dragon—first the outline of the body, then the head, and finally the front claws.

To my surprise, the dragon looked quite lifelike, though with a touch of endearing clumsiness. My son watched entranced, and several other kids who’d already paid stood by, eagerly waiting for their figurines.

This scene transported me back to my childhood, when sugar figurines and malt sugar were common treats. A sugar figurine cost only one or two yuan, and smaller ones were just fifty cents. For malt sugar, we’d trade old aluminum cans we’d collected with elderly vendors, who would pick out a piece or two in exchange.

Nowadays, a simple sugar figurine costs 15 yuan, and larger, more complex designs can go for 20 or 25. It seemed like easy money! A thought struck me: since I can draw simple animals and figures, maybe I could try this too. The materials are just sugar and a few other things—how hard could it be?

I’m tempted to try making sugar figurines in my kitchen one night. Maybe this could become a craft of mine, or even a side business to make some extra money. The more I think about it, the more eager I am to give it a shot.

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