Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Zhao Xinghua didn't come in; she just gave them the things and left the way she came. Lin Taohong, however, mimicked her manner of speaking behind her back.

Lin Chunyan frowned. "Why do you always do that?"

Lin Taohong snorted coldly. "I just can't stand how she acts so flirtatiously."

Lin Chunyan recalled Zhao Xinghua's demeanor but didn't find her particularly flirtatious. She simply had a face and voice that evoked sympathy.

Thinking back to what she had heard before, she knew this girl was someone with backbone. No matter what her mother said, she refused to become a maid for others.

"Her mother was crying under the big tree the other day, saying she wouldn't go be a maid. How is that good?" Lin Taohong thought it was disrespectful.

Lin Chunyan narrowed her eyes. "Are you jealous because she's prettier than you?"

Struck by the truth, Lin Taohong jumped up, her face flushed red. "Who thinks like that? Besides, being pretty doesn't mean anything. She hasn't even found a match yet!"

So it was still about Zhao Xinghua's looks. Lin Chunyan looked at the flowers haphazardly pinned in Lin Taohong's hair, set down the things, and adjusted their positions.

Lin Taohong wasn't unattractive; she had a different charm from Zhao Xinghua, like a sunny chili pepper, full of vitality.

Lin Taohong was usually scolded by Lin Chunyan, so this was the first time she saw Lin Chunyan being gentle. She no longer acted as boisterously and instead felt a bit embarrassed.

Seeing her still wearing old clothes, despite her love for dressing up, she never demanded new clothes, only wanting to buy a few flowers to wear.

Lin Chunyan's heart softened. She tidied up Lin Taohong's hair and planned to take her and Mrs. Zhang to buy some nice clothes once they got a cart.

Excited by this, Lin Taohong kept asking questions and said she wanted to buy a willow-yellow dress, just like Zhao Xinghua's.

"Still saying you don't think she's pretty."

This time, Lin Taohong didn't argue. "It's not just me who thinks she's pretty; everyone in the village does. Otherwise, her mother wouldn't keep going to see Mrs. Zhao next door."

But Mrs. Zhao seemed bewitched, having taken a liking to both of them. If it weren't for her conflict with Mrs. Zhang, she would have already approached them.

Because of her beauty, many people had come to propose marriage to Zhao Xinghua, but her mother was ambitious and looked down on the villagers, hoping to marry her off to someone in town.

If she became a maid, Zhao Xinghua's beauty would surely make her a concubine.

Then their family's good days would come.

Lin Chunyan didn't know these details and turned to ask Lin Taohong, "Then why doesn't she want to go, and why doesn't Mrs. Zhao help?"

"Of course she won't help!" Lin Taohong looked at Lin Chunyan as if she were foolish. "Lihua also wants to be a concubine, and she's not as pretty as Zhao Xinghua. Why would she genuinely help?"

That look made Lin Chunyan feel choked, neither up nor down.

She had tried to be gentler, but it only took a moment to regret it.

Lihua always said Zhao Xinghua lacked ambition, always talking about taking her along, but it was just talk to appear considerate.

"The villagers say that Xinghua is close to her cousin and wants to marry him," Lin Taohong whispered mysteriously, unaware of any impropriety.

Lin Chunyan hadn't heard this before and wondered where Lin Taohong got her information.

After a while, she realized, "So Xinghua wants to marry Lihua's brother?"

"Yes, both families know, but Mrs. Zhao disagrees."

Lin Chunyan continued working, rinsing the acorns several times before grinding them on the stone mill. "Xinghua seems like a decent person. Why does she disagree?"

"Who knows? Maybe she thinks Xinghua isn't fit for childbearing because she's too thin."

Lin Chunyan sighed, finished making the acorn tofu, mixed the leftover pulp with some wilted vegetable leaves for the chickens, and then placed some sour jujubes on the stone mill.

Lin Taohong glanced over curiously and asked Lin Chunyan, "Elder Sister, what are you doing?"

"Making some sour jujube flour to drink, sweet and sour."

Lin Taohong came closer, not in a hurry to make the acorn tofu, watching Lin Chunyan grind the sour jujubes into powder and hand it to her.

"Taste it."

Lin Taohong put some in her mouth. The sweet and sour taste was distinct, enhanced by the powder form.

"Really delicious."

Lin Taohong couldn't stop eating it and took more. Lin Chunyan brought hot water from the kitchen and made her a cup of sour jujube juice.

The juice was brownish-red, and with water added, it lost its dryness and bitterness. The sweet and sour taste refreshed her.

Mrs. Zhang, half-asleep in the room, heard the commotion and thought Lin Chunyan had made something tasty. She sat up and looked out the window.

"What's the good stuff? Bring some for me to try."

Lin Taohong couldn't help muttering softly, "Mother, your ears are sharp. You hear everything when there's something tasty."

Mrs. Zhang was about to scold her. "You're the one with a mouth. Why don't you hear Yan Niang speak? It's not like you made it, afraid I'll eat too much and leave less for you."

Lin Taohong rolled her eyes and tugged at Lin Chunyan's sleeve, asking her to judge. "I said one thing, and Mother says eight hundred."

Lin Chunyan ignored them and brought the sour jujube juice into the room. "This helps cool you down. Mother, drink some."

Mrs. Zhang saw the color resembled plum juice and drank it eagerly. Her eyes widened after the first sip.

"What is this made of? It's so good, almost better than plum juice."

Seeing Mrs. Zhang's wandering eyes, Lin Chunyan knew what she was thinking and quickly dissuaded her. "This requires grinding and sieving, which is very troublesome. We don't have the time."

The truth is the truth, but Mrs. Zhang is now obsessed with making money and wants to take everything to the wharf.

She wishes she could even bring the eggs laid by the hens to town.

Lin Taohong still has to make acorn tofu and bean curd. Seeing that Mrs. Zhang has nothing much to do and can still bicker with her, Lin Taohong feels relieved and heads to the kitchen.

Lin Chunyan needs to dry the small shrimp, process the crabs and snails. The two sisters are so busy they barely have time to rest.

Because people from the village keep coming to buy things, fearing someone might see the acorn tofu, Lin Chunyan decides to move the acorns to the backyard.

The backyard is spacious and has some vegetables planted. After working for a while, Lin Taohong comes to complain to Lin Chunyan, saying the backyard is too sunny.

"Even though it's almost dark, the sun is still scorching. Look at my face; it's gotten so tanned."

There's no shade in the backyard, unlike the front yard which has trees. Lin Chunyan takes note of this and thinks about building a shelter.

"We need to buy more large basins, or we won't be able to soak all the acorns."

"I think we should dig a pit and soak the acorns there. We can't buy that many basins right away, and it would take up space."

This idea sounds good, so the two sisters start digging a pit. When Lin Cuixiang arrives, she doesn't see anyone until Lin Chunyan comes out from the backyard to get a hoe.

"Big Sister, are you going to plant vegetables?" Lin Cuixiang puts down the small shrimp, crabs, and snails. Sanlang went to his uncle's place, so she brought these over.

With their income, the siblings can save a few coins every day. In just a short time, they've accumulated quite a bit.

Aunt Lin, seeing the extra copper coins every day, starts thinking about finding a match for Erlang.

Lin Cuixiang has nothing much to do today, so she helps Lin Chunyan work. They both get tired digging the shallow pit.

After washing their hands and resting for a bit, each of them drinks a cup of jujube juice, feeling refreshed. Lin Chunyan then plans to teach Lin Cuixiang how to make fried river shrimp.

Lin Cuixiang looks at Lin Chunyan in disbelief, her mouth wide open. It takes her a while to understand what Lin Chunyan is saying.

"Big Sister, that won't do." Lin Cuixiang quickly waves her hands, her face turning red as she backs away. "That's your business at the stall. How can you teach me?"

Lin Chunyan smiles. "To be honest, we're too busy. Now that we've added new dishes, we need help. Otherwise, the three of us will be exhausted."

Even a donkey in a landlord's house isn't worked this hard!

Mrs. Zhang hears this from inside the house and, thinking only the river shrimp will be given to Lin Cuixiang, lies back down.

Many vendors in town sell fried river shrimp, but none taste as good as Lin Chunyan's. However, theirs are cheaper, making the business less profitable than before.

But every little bit counts, and she doesn't want to give up.

Lin Cuixiang tries to refuse, but Lin Chunyan already takes her to the kitchen. "I'll show you how to dry shrimp later."

This way, taking care of the small shrimp can be entirely entrusted to Lin Cuixiang.

Lin Taohong is unhappy. She doesn't think as much as Mrs. Zhang and doesn't want to share the shrimp business with Lin Cuixiang. Her face falls, and she refuses to eat the melon Lin Cuixiang brought.

Seeing her pouting, Lin Chunyan finds it amusing and pinches her cheek. "Don't be angry. There's so much work; we can't handle it all. Besides, we'll still be selling the fried river shrimp. Xiang Niang will just earn a bit more, and we'll save ourselves a lot of effort."

Lin Cuixiang cautiously looks at Lin Taohong, who understands the logic but still feels uncomfortable. She huffs, "Now I'm the bad one, and you two are close sisters."

Jealousy sets in again.

"How can that be? We three are good sisters!" Lin Chunyan teases her, ruffling her hair, and Lin Taohong bursts into laughter.

Lin Cuixiang learns quickly. She doesn't stay for dinner as she needs to cook at home. But after learning how to make fried river shrimp, she walks home in a daze, not even realizing how she got there.

Once she leaves, Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong put the acorns into the pit they dug and soak them. By the time they grind the soaked acorns into powder and make tofu, it's already dark.

Even Lin Taohong, despite being exhausted, feels worn out during dinner, as if her bones aren't her own.

Tomorrow morning, they need to go up the mountain to collect acorns, walk to town to set up their stall, make roujiamo, and in the afternoon, return to make tofu and marinate bean curd, and prepare pot fish.

They had an argument today, leaving them mentally drained. Lin Chunyan decides to take a day off tomorrow.

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong disagree.

"If we skip a day, we'll lose a lot of money!"

"We still need to buy a cart, and we're far from having enough money."

Both look at her as if she's not the same Lin Chunyan who always makes them work.

Lin Chunyan laughs. "You two are obsessed with money. There's no end to earning! Mother is sick, and Red is tired. If we don't rest, we'll all collapse. Not only will we need medicine, but we won't be able to go to the stall either."

Initially, they try to argue, but when they hear about getting sick and needing medicine, they stop talking.

Lin Chunyan reassures them. "We're doing this for strategic marketing. People who want our products will wait."

Mrs. Zhang reluctantly agrees, thinking that since they don't have to go tomorrow, she can sleep in and chat under the tree.

Worried Lin Chunyan might disagree, she specifically asks if there's any work to do tomorrow.

Lin Taohong is surprised to see her mother asking for work and looks around, wondering if the sun is rising from the west.

Mrs. Zhang realizes what she's thinking and gives her a light slap on the back.

Lin Chunyan finds it amusing and says, "Tomorrow is for resting. There's no work planned."

Mrs. Zhang is pleased and sleeps until noon the next day. Upon waking up, she sees chrysanthemums and mugwort drying in the courtyard, along with sheets hanging there, filling the air with the scent of soapberry, making her feel comfortable.

Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong are not at home. Mrs. Zhang finds something to eat in the kitchen and heads to the big tree.

Lin Chunyan sleeps in, while Lin Taohong, exhausted from digging the pit, keeps kicking off her blanket last night, getting angry when it's covered again, leading to a poor night's sleep.

Lin Taohong wouldn't admit it, insisting that she couldn't have kicked off the blanket and that Lin Chunyan must be falsely accusing her.

As the sisters were talking, they saw Zhao Linglan approaching.

Last time, when Zhao Linglan brought shoes, Lin Chunyan wore them every day, making Lin Taohong envious. She pestered Mrs. Zhang to make her a pair too.

Mrs. Zhang teased her, asking why she didn't want embroidered shoes anymore.

Lin Taohong didn't understand, her eyes bright as she asked Mrs. Zhang to embroider flowers for her, which made Mrs. Zhang feel a bit embarrassed.

This time, Zhao Linglan brought two pairs of shoes. Last time, she only made one pair for Lin Chunyan, causing some unease between the sisters afterward. This time, she had made both pairs.

Holding the shoes, Lin Chunyan didn't know how to express her gratitude. She took out a lot of food from the kitchen, but Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan refused to take it.

Lin Chunyan insisted on giving it to them. As they spoke, their hands didn't stop working, stitching the shoe soles quickly and skillfully.

Lin Chunyan watched in awe, and Zhao Linglan felt a bit embarrassed, saying, "It's nothing; everyone in the village can do this."

Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong shook their heads together, admitting they couldn't do it.

Stitching shoe soles required strength, as the soles were thick and hard. Without enough strength, one couldn't even pierce through them.

Looking at Zhao Linglan's hands, which were calloused from years of making shoes, Lin Chunyan noticed the thick calluses.

Seeing Lin Chunyan's gaze, Zhao Linglan withdrew her hand, feeling embarrassed, "They look terrible."

Lin Chunyan shook her head, "Not at all. These are the marks of our labor, something we should be proud of."

She held out her own hand, which was rough and larger than other young women's due to constant cooking.

But she never thought her hands were ugly.

She had long passed the stage where she would feel anxious about physical imperfections or unattractive features.

Everyone gathered around, and Lin Taohong and Zhao Zilan also held out their hands. They compared who had more calluses, speaking softly in the courtyard.

Both Zhao Zilan and Zhao Linglan found their calloused hands ugly, but hearing Lin Chunyan's words, they felt a sense of pride for the first time.

The sisters exchanged glances, seeing amusement in each other's eyes.

Goudan waited outside Lin Chunyan's door. When Zhao Linglan and the others arrived, Goudan insisted on following them but didn't dare enter the house.

Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan weren't in a hurry to leave. They had told Goudan's mother, so there was no worry about being scolded for playing outside.

Lin Chunyan needed to wash the sheets, and Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan helped. The four of them fetched well water and washed the sheets quickly.

Lin Chunyan found these sisters very clever and enjoyed talking with them. They also asked Lin Chunyan about kitchen matters.

"Take those freshwater snails; we used to catch them too, but the taste was always a bit fishy, and no one wanted to eat them."

"That's true. We can't make them taste as good."

Lin Chunyan shared everything she could, and the sisters listened attentively. They then talked about picking chestnuts from the mountain, which they usually just boiled.

Though sweet and starchy, they wanted a change in flavor.

Lin Chunyan became interested and asked where they found the chestnuts.

"I go up the mountain every day but haven't seen any chestnuts."

Zhao Linglan laughed, "You go to the other side of the mountain. We live in the east of the village and usually go to that side."

Lin Chunyan slapped her forehead, realizing she had forgotten about that.

Lin Taohong also became interested and quickly finished washing the sheets, insisting on going to pick chestnuts.

"Let's go together."

After hanging the sheets, Lin Chunyan found two baskets, closed the door, and they walked toward the eastern part of the village, chatting along the way.

Goudan followed behind, jumping anxiously, wanting what Zhao Linglan was holding.

Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan teased him, remembering how he used to bully them. They only gave him the snails and crabs once they reached home.

Goudan eagerly accepted them, and Zhao Linglan warned him, "I told Yan Niang that if you bully us again, we won't sell you these things."

Lin Chunyan nodded with a smile, and Goudan promised earnestly, "I won't bully the sisters anymore."

Zhao Zilan huffed, "You better keep your word. Clean the yard and wash the dishes in the kitchen when you get home."

Goudan lost his excitement upon hearing about the chores and walked back dejectedly.

The four of them laughed together.

The mountain to the east wasn't high. Lin Chunyan not only found several chestnut trees but also wild pear trees.

Many chestnuts had already been picked, and birds were eating some, but they still found plenty. They got a long bamboo pole, and Zhao Zilan climbed the tree to knock down many chestnuts.

The others picked up the fallen chestnuts, filling a basket quickly.

Before peeling the chestnuts, they had to be careful of the spines. Despite this, they all got pricked several times.

However, thinking about the delicious chestnuts they would soon enjoy, the pain was worth it.

After collecting many chestnuts, they returned to Lin Chunyan's home.

Mrs. Zhang was out, presumably wandering around. Lin Chunyan didn't mind and poured the chestnuts into the courtyard, taking out gloves and scissors.

They decided to have chestnuts for lunch.

Peeling chestnuts isn't easy, but with everyone chatting and laughing, the basket filled up quickly, making the task less tedious.

Lin Chunyan cut slits in the chestnuts, placed them in cold water, and put them on a rack in the pot to make peeling easier later.

Zhao Linglan volunteered to help with the fire, looking almost enviously at everything in the kitchen—from the small crabs and snails to the little river fish, all of which lifted her spirits.

"My kitchen is much smaller."

Lin Chunyan's kitchen was quite spacious, but even so, she still felt it wasn't enough given the amount of food she prepared.

For the chestnuts left unpeeled, after draining them, she added a bowl of water and a handful of sugar to the pot. Once the sugar dissolved, she soaked the chestnuts for a while.

After the sweetness had seeped into the chestnuts, she stir-fried them over low heat for half an hour until they were done.

The peeled chestnuts were first steamed, then mashed. While this was happening, she kneaded the dough with warm water.

Seeing Lin Chunyan take out white flour, Zhao Linglan was surprised.

"What kind of delicate pastry are you making?"

They usually ate coarser flour that was somewhat dark.

Lin Chunyan nodded, "I'm planning to make some chestnut cakes."

Initially, Lin Chunyan hadn't thought of making chestnut cakes, but once she peeled the chestnuts, their aroma enticed her.

She formed the mashed chestnuts into small balls, rolled the dough into long strips, divided it into equal portions, and wrapped the chestnut filling inside.

Lin Chunyan found a bamboo tube to press the filled cakes into round shapes.

"This looks fun; let me try too." Zhao Zilan, who also knew her way around the kitchen, came over to help.

Lin Chunyan went to heat oil in a pan and slowly fried the prepared cakes until golden brown on both sides.

The scent of the chestnut cakes wafted through the air, attracting Lin Taohong, who was outside sorting hawthorns.

The hawthorns were found on the eastern mountain, where they picked chestnuts and snacked along the way. However, the hawthorns were slightly astringent and could make your teeth ache if eaten too many.

Lin Chunyan mentioned wanting to make jam and dried fruit from the hawthorns, so they brought back a good amount.

Lin Taohong, used to sneaking snacks, grabbed a freshly fried chestnut cake and popped it into her mouth without hesitation.

Her fearless approach to the hot cake startled Zhao Linglan.

"How can you be like our dog, not knowing what your tongue is made of."

Lin Taohong smiled sheepishly, breathing in and out while eating, praising the cake's deliciousness.

Worried about her burning her mouth, Lin Chunyan gave her a few stern looks and fetched mint leaves to steep in water for her.

"I've told you countless times, but you never learn. When you really burn your tongue, you'll cry in pain."

Lin Taohong smiled apologetically, sipped the mint drink, and exclaimed, "These chestnut cakes are truly delicious!"

Lin Chunyan collected the chestnut cakes from the pan and offered one each to Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan.

The two hesitated to accept, with Zhao Zilan swallowing hard and saying, "These are made with white flour; I know they must taste great."

Despite the enticing aroma, they didn't want to try them because they were made with white flour.

Lin Chunyan insisted, "You've helped us a lot and even made shoes for us. Eating a few cakes is nothing."

Seeing Lin Chunyan's sincerity, Zhao Zilan glanced at Zhao Linglan and couldn't resist taking one.

Lin Taohong was already on her second cake, enjoying it with the mint drink. Seeing Zhao Zilan take a small bite, her eyes lit up, causing Lin Taohong to smile inwardly, feeling a sense of satisfaction she had never experienced before.

Thankfully, Lin Chunyan was her elder sister.

"Too delicious!" Zhao Zilan couldn't find words to describe how soft and sweet the chestnut filling was.

Seeing her enjoyment, Zhao Linglan eventually gave in, though her mind was already racing with thoughts of what to bring Lin Chunyan as a thank-you.

Eating these chestnut cakes was indeed a treat for the sisters.

But soon, her thoughts were consumed only by the aroma of the chestnut cakes, leaving no room for anything else.

At that moment, the sugar-coated chestnuts were also ready.

The air was filled with a sweet fragrance, making everyone's mouths water.

Unlike the chestnut cakes, the sugar-coated chestnuts contained sugar, which was precious, but they were more acceptable, and the sisters ate quite a few.

After finishing her share, Lin Chunyan began processing the hawthorns they had brought back.

Preparing the hawthorns was a tedious process, requiring the removal of the seeds and cutting them into small pieces.

Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan ate a few more chestnut cakes, finding them irresistible. They stayed to help with the hawthorns.

When Mrs. Zhang returned from chatting under the big tree, she saw the courtyard filled with drying hawthorns and a small fire with a pot slowly simmering something.

The sisters had already left, so she asked where the hawthorns and chestnuts came from.

Tasting the sugar-coated chestnuts and chestnut cakes, Mrs. Zhang closed her eyes in contentment.

"If we sold these, they would surely be popular."

"The cost is too high," Lin Chunyan explained, accustomed to analyzing, "The cakes require a lot of white flour, sugar, oil, and chestnuts aren't easy to find."

Mrs. Zhang felt a bit regretful, "We should have planted some chestnuts. I didn't know these things were so delicious."

Lin Taohong was too full to eat anymore and contentedly burped before going back into the room to lay out a mat on the ground, lying down to bask in the sun.

Seeing her so comfortable, Lin Chunyan also lay down beside her. The slightly cool breeze blowing over them made it particularly pleasant.

Mrs. Zhang stirred the small pot while listening to Lin Chunyan's chatter about how the kitchen was a bit small and that they needed to build a larger one.

Mrs. Zhang almost dropped her spatula.

"Is our kitchen small?" She had put all her effort into building this house, making the kitchen much bigger than others.

"It's not small, but we make so many things now; we need a couple more stoves."

Mrs. Zhang thought for a moment, "If we're going to build a new kitchen, we'll need to find a new spot."

Lin Chunyan pointed casually, "I think this place would be good."

They could build a shelter here or a mud-and-thatch hut, set up a large table, install two stoves, and build a bread oven, making it very convenient for cooking.

Lin Chunyan had long wanted a big table with a vase of flowers on it, regardless of what kind of flowers, just for the joy of it.

Lin Taohong turned over to look and agreed that building a shelter in this spot wasn't a bad idea, turning her gaze toward Mrs. Zhang.

Mrs. Zhang thought for a moment, "If that's the case, let's find someone to build a new stove."

Lin Chunyan was surprised by how agreeable Mrs. Zhang was and looked at her in astonishment.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Mrs. Zhang mumbled something and started planning who to ask for help.

The people from the second household would definitely come, and the third household might as well, though they would miss their time selling in town and would have to provide meals for the helpers.

But if they hired someone, those two strings of cash might come out of Lin Chunyan's hands.

Lin Cuixiang learned how to fry small shrimp and excitedly tried it out when she got home.

She didn't dare use much oil, but even so, the shrimp came out wonderfully fragrant and crispy.

When Lin's Second Aunt and Erlang returned, they smelled the aroma of shrimp in the air.

"Oh, these are the shrimp Yan Niang gave us?" After walking such a long distance, Sanlang was starving and grabbed a shrimp to eat.

Erlang, however, had no appetite and went straight to his room, shutting the door.

Lin's Second Aunt's face was grim, and Lin Cuixiang nudged Sanlang, "What's wrong with Mother and Second Brother?"

Sanlang ate while speaking, "Mother wanted Second Brother to marry Cousin from Uncle's family, but when he went there, Cousin refused to marry him, and Aunt said some unpleasant things."

Lin Cuixiang became worried about Erlang as Lin's Second Aunt began complaining.

"If they didn't want to, they should have said so earlier instead of humiliating us when we arrived."

After talking for a while, she couldn't resist taking a shrimp to eat. Though she enjoyed it, she still felt uneasy.

Now that Lin Cuixiang and Sanlang brought in daily earnings, the family had some coins, and Lin's Second Aunt felt more confident. However, her sister-in-law didn't believe them, thinking they were just trying to deceive her.

Seeing Lin's Second Aunt so upset, Lin Cuixiang quickly tried to cheer her up by mentioning the fried river shrimp business Lin Chunyan had given her.

"Eldest Sister said I can do this business and deliver the finished product to her."

Lin's Second Aunt was astonished, exclaiming despite her sore throat, "Are you serious? You're given this responsibility directly?"

Sanlang was equally surprised, looking at the half-eaten shrimp and then at Lin Cuixiang, "Did you make all these?"

Lin Cuixiang smiled, "Yes, I did. I used our pig fat, but not much. It doesn't taste as good as Eldest Sister's."

Lin's Second Aunt was already calculating the potential earnings, becoming increasingly amazed.

"Does your eldest aunt know about this?"

Lin Cuixiang hadn't thought deeply about it and turned pale upon hearing Lin's Second Aunt's words.

Would she cause trouble for Lin Chunyan?

Lin's Second Aunt remembered Mrs. Zhang's character and hurried to find her.

Mrs. Zhang knew why she had come and explained Lin Chunyan's intentions.

"My Yan Niang told me about it. I've watched Xiang Niang grow up and know her character well, so I'm very reassured."

Lin Chunyan had said more, emphasizing that they still relied on the second household, and the people there were nice and easy to get along with.

Understanding this, Mrs. Zhang didn't object.

"But..." Lin's Second Aunt still felt embarrassed, choking back tears and crying out, "Elder Sister, you're too kind. I don't know how to thank you. You don't know, today when I took Erlang to my natal family, my sister-in-law gave me a hard time."

Mrs. Zhang loved gossip and leaned in, "Your sister-in-law didn't like Erlang? He's tall and strong, and very reliable."

Finding a sympathetic ear, Lin's Second Aunt talked to Mrs. Zhang for a long time until her throat was parched.

Meanwhile, since Lin Chunyan didn't come to sell today, many people waited, frequently asking about her whereabouts.

Even the sugar painting old man was eagerly waiting, having taken the jelly tofu home yesterday and following Lin Chunyan's instructions to prepare it. It tasted exceptionally good, a rare treat for someone without teeth.

Seeing the old man still asking, a waiting servant couldn't help but say, "Give it a rest, at least you got to try it. We came late yesterday, and Wang Chuizi's family destroyed the stall, leaving nothing behind."

As soon as this was mentioned, the people around started talking about Wang Chuizi and Aunt He, saying, "I've never seen such ruffians."

"I heard they were beaten and locked up yesterday. It just shows how wise the officials are."

Fang Xiaotian and Fang Xiaotian's mother were also waiting for Lin Chunyan. They stretched their necks to look for a long time but didn't see anyone coming. Fang Xiaotian couldn’t sit still and ran back to the dock.

If Lin Chunyan didn’t come, they would lose quite a few copper coins in a day!

When Fang Xiaotian arrived at the dock, she saw that Mrs. Zhang hadn’t come either, and there were many people waiting around.

Upon asking, she found out they all wanted to buy something.

"I bought that jelly tofu yesterday, and it was really delicious. The key is that it’s cheap. I wanted to buy some more, but why isn’t anyone here?"

"I was hoping to buy another roujiamo to take home. My wife has been vomiting everything she eats except for that roujiamo."

Fang Xiaotian had visited Mrs. Zhang yesterday, and Jin Niangzi recognized her immediately, pulling on her sleeve and asking, "Has Yan Niang set up her stall in town yet?"

Fang Xiaotian shook her head, "She hasn’t come. Many people are waiting."

"Looks like she won’t be coming." Jin Niangzi looked at the sun, "It’s already this late. I guess they were scared by what happened yesterday."

The people at the dock didn’t know what had happened yesterday, so they asked Jin Niangzi about it.

Jin Niangzi recounted what Aunt He and Wang Chuizi had done.

"How could they be so despicable!"

Jin Niangzi told the story skillfully, making everyone furious. Those who knew Wang Chuizi or lived in Wangjia Village said that the family wasn’t good for anything.

"No one in the village wants to marry into their family. Only the young lady is capable, but she gets beaten and scolded every day."

"I didn’t expect Chef Wang to be like that. I was thinking of inviting him to cook for us, but now I think I’ll pass."

"Exactly, who would dare invite Chef Wang anymore."

"And Hu Erqiang, such a ruffian, deserves to be locked up!"

Hu Erqiang was much more notorious than Wang Chuizi. He had caused trouble before and was very despicable.

They looked around and saw Hu Daqiang, Hu Erqiang’s brother.

Hu Daqiang had no expression on his face. Unlike Hu Erqiang, he was very honest.

With no money, he had to work as a laborer at the dock, giving all his earnings to his wife.

When his mother was alive, she often caused trouble, saying that Hu Daqiang had been bewitched by his wife and didn’t respect her.

After several incidents, Hu Daqiang moved out of the house.

Who knew that after his mother died, Hu Erqiang started causing trouble for them again, making life difficult.

The laborers at the dock still brought steamed buns or cornmeal cakes with them. Those who were better off brought flatbreads, hoping to buy some of Mrs. Zhang’s braised bean curd as usual.

Some even bought the braised meat broth for a copper coin, which came with two big spoonfuls and some shredded meat, perfect with the flatbread.

But upon hearing that Mrs. Zhang hadn’t come, the men all showed disappointed looks.

Hu Daqiang had been buying snails to eat these past few days. At first, he thought snails had no meat, but after seeing his fellow villagers eat them, he found them quite tasty. He always took the leftovers home.

In the evenings, he could add another dish to their meals.

Sometimes, if there was extra broth, he would add some vegetables, making them even more flavorful.

The children at home loved it and ate a lot more.

Today, since Mrs. Zhang didn’t come, he couldn’t bring anything back, and the children would likely be disappointed.

Hu Daqiang seemed oblivious to others’ strange looks and didn’t think about Hu Erqiang. Like the others, he squatted down and ate his cornmeal cake.

This was the first time Aunt He had been beaten and locked up. Regardless of the pain, she felt her entire life’s dignity was gone.

And it didn’t end there. Because they had destroyed Lin Chunyan’s stall, Officer Sun said that unless they paid compensation, they would remain locked up, and their valuable possessions would be seized.

This terrified Aunt He, and she quickly promised to pay.

Officer Sun released her, but her two sons and Wang Yingniang remained locked up.

Aunt He returned home, looking at everything with reluctance. Finally, she slapped her thigh and decided to target Wang Yingniang.