Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Lin Chunyan stopped and looked over in surprise. Mrs. Zhang seemed rather embarrassed as she spoke. Despite being formidable in the village due to her familiarity with the area, she was like a quail elsewhere.

Mrs. Zhang felt awkward. "Why don't we skip the town today and just go to the dock instead?"

Lin Taohong was the first to disagree. "The business in town has only just picked up. We made fresh food today, and if we don't go, we'll lose out on quite a bit of money!"

Lin Chunyan hesitated. The town already had regular customers, and skipping the day would mean losing a lot of income. However, leaving Mrs. Zhang alone at the dock didn't sit well with her either.

Mrs. Zhang noticed her dilemma and said resolutely, "Forget it, I can manage on my own. I know that place well enough... If I can't sell anything, I'll just bring it back."

She was an adult, yet here she was, feeling less capable than Lin Chunyan and the others.

Having made up her mind, Mrs. Zhang acted quickly. She eventually set off with a pole over her shoulder, carrying fragrant tofu and spicy tofu in front, and crispy fish, snails, and small crabs behind. The load was heavy, but after adjusting for a while, she walked towards the town with her daughters.

Their neighbor, Mrs. Zhao, saw them and sighed. "Oh, you're going out too? I've told you before, with your daughter's skills, she could work in a wealthy household's kitchen, and you'd be able to enjoy life."

On any other day, Mrs. Zhang would have argued with Mrs. Zhao, but today, preoccupied with her thoughts, she ignored her. Upon reaching the town, she parted ways with Lin Chunyan, repeating her concerns several times before heading to the dock.

Lin Chunyan also found Mrs. Zhao annoying, always boasting about her daughter who worked as a maid, without showing much care for her. Instead, she encouraged others, which lowered Lin Chunyan's opinion of her.

Before parting, Lin Chunyan gave Mrs. Zhang more instructions, considering whether to accompany her to the dock but worrying about Lin Taohong being left alone in town, fearing she might be deceived.

Noticing her concern, Mrs. Zhang smiled. "I know this dock better than anywhere else."

However, the change in her role was somewhat embarrassing.

After parting, Mrs. Zhang circled around the dock, worried someone might recognize her. Soon, she realized no one paid her any attention, even when she placed her goods down.

Sighing, she mimicked Lin Chunyan's sales pitch: "Clay pot river fish, fragrant tofu..."

After calling out for a while, Mrs. Zhang's throat grew dry, noticing how people flocked to Mrs. Song's fish porridge stall but not hers.

It was frustrating.

The neighboring stall sold wontons, and Jin Niangzi, its owner, came over since there weren't many customers. She had already smelled the snails and small crabs.

She didn't know what the clay pot river fish was, but the tofu looked appealing, something she hadn't seen before.

After exchanging pleasantries and introducing themselves and their villages, Jin Niangzi asked about the tofu.

Mrs. Zhang thought for a moment and reluctantly handed her a piece.

"It's made by my daughter Yan Niang. She sells at the town market and is quite famous."

Jin Niangzi, who hadn't heard of Yan Niang, assumed Mrs. Zhang was exaggerating.

But after tasting the tofu, she found it exceptionally delicious.

"How is this made? It tastes great."

Finishing the tofu, Jin Niangzi couldn't help but ask.

Mrs. Zhang felt proud; the tofu was indeed delicious. If not for selling it, she could have eaten more herself.

Tired from the journey and smelling the tofu's aroma, she couldn't resist taking a piece.

Under the sun, they both enjoyed the tofu, drawing curious glances from passersby.

A maid-like figure stopped and asked Mrs. Zhang, "Madam, what is that you're eating?"

Seeing potential business, Mrs. Zhang stopped eating and introduced the tofu, remembering Lin Chunyan's advice to offer a small taste.

Though reluctant, she cut a small piece for the maid to try, thinking she could eat the unsold tofu later.

The maid tasted it and found it delicious, especially since she had never seen such tofu before. After asking the price, she bought a pound.

Jin Niangzi watched enviously. "Your tofu tastes great; your business will surely thrive."

With the first sale under her belt, Mrs. Zhang gained confidence and offered samples to those who inquired.

Some loved the spicy tofu, exclaiming its flavor. Mrs. Zhang then recommended the spicy snails and small crabs, both slightly spicy.

After trying them, people pulled out their money, and soon, she sold a significant amount of tofu and snails.

Even the clay pot river fish attracted buyers.

Jin Niangzi watched enviously, knowing her wonton stall wouldn't open until noon.

By noon, the dock workers took a break. Some brought their own bread, while others, more generous, bought ready-made food from stalls.

Exhausted from a morning of hard labor, they were hungry.

Noticing Mrs. Zhang's new stall and its unique offerings, some approached to inquire.

Mrs. Zhang introduced the items, and Hu Daqiang, who recognized the snails from his childhood, opted for the spicy tofu to pair with his bread.

The spicy tofu perfectly balanced the blandness of the steamed bun. For just two coins, he finished the bun that he usually found hard to swallow.

He even felt a bit unsatisfied when it was over.

A fellow villager nearby saw this and came over to try some. Hu Daqiang, being generous, shared a few pieces. After tasting it, they thought it was delicious and started buying spicy tofu to eat as well.

Hu Daqiang thought the snails weren't worth it, but some people enjoyed their flavor. The broth looked incredibly fragrant, and dipping the buns in it made for a satisfying meal.

Mrs. Zhang was also hungry. She had brought some flatbread with her but had forgotten to bring water in her haste. So she went to Jin Niangzi to ask for a bowl of noodle soup and ate her flatbread with the snails and bean curd.

Thinking about bringing some pickles next time, Mrs. Zhang felt particularly happy with her first day's success.

Although the money earned would go into the account, the more she worked, the more she would earn. Lin Chunyan would surely give her a good share.

She savored her food, and at Jin Niangzi's stall, a merchant noticed how deliciously Mrs. Zhang was eating and couldn't help asking, "What is that? I've never seen it before."

Mrs. Zhang, with sharp ears, answered before Jin Niangzi could speak, "This is the tofu we make at home. Only we have it, and it tastes especially good."

Seeing this, the merchant approached and bought some to eat with his wontons. Finding it not quite enough, he bought some baked bread and, imitating Mrs. Zhang, stuffed the tofu inside.

To his surprise, it tasted fantastic.

Mrs. Zhang collected money more efficiently, and her calls for business grew louder. By the time Lin Chunyan found her, she had sold quite a lot.

Mrs. Zhang proudly said, "I see there's nothing difficult about doing business. I'll come again tomorrow."

Seeing her smile more than before, Lin Chunyan felt relieved and asked in detail.

The maid who initially bought the tofu gave it to her mistress. Her young lady used to love eating, but lately, due to seasickness, her appetite had been poor.

When the maid called her to eat, she showed little interest and only wanted to leave such a place quickly.

What was there to visit in such a small dock? She didn't even want to get off the boat.

The maid, being quick-witted, took out the tofu. "Lady, take a look at this. What is it?"

The young lady glanced at it, finding its dark color unappealing, yet its aroma was tempting. She casually picked up a piece and tasted it, her eyes immediately lighting up.

"It's delicious, chewy, and gets better the more you eat. Where did you buy it?"

The maid quickly replied, "If the lady likes it, shall I go buy more?"

"Yes, buy plenty so I can eat it on the way."

As the three were about to head home, they heard someone calling and turned around. They saw a maid running towards them, panting and asking if there was any tofu left.

Their young lady hadn't eaten properly for days, but that morning, she had eaten quite a bit of the tofu. This thrilled the maid.

Mrs. Zhang didn't expect repeat customers and shook her head regretfully, "There's no tofu left, but there are still some snails. If the lady doesn't mind, she can take those to try."

Hearing there was no tofu left, the maid was disappointed but didn't want to return empty-handed, so she bought some snails and small crabs.

Seeing the skill of the person making these, she thought they would likely be good too.