Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Taking advantage of this moment, Lin Chunyan went to the newly built kitchen and lit the bread oven.

This bread oven was specially built by Uncle Lin Erlang a few days ago when they were constructing the house. The others had never seen such an oven before and asked her about it several times.

They circled around it, marveling at its novelty. Once the temperature was right, Lin Chunyan brought over the soaked kiwi fruit slices.

"Are you going to roast these kiwis?"

Not only was Lin Taohong surprised; the others had never heard of eating kiwis this way either.

"This stove is quite good. It would be useful for roasting pies in the future," Wang Yingniang observed, thinking she might try it out someday.

First, she placed one side of the kiwi slices into the oven and roasted them for about fifteen minutes. Then, Lin Chunyan took them out, flipped them over, and sprinkled some sugar on top. These wild kiwis were quite sour, so without the sugar, the taste wouldn't be as pleasant.

The roasted kiwi slices shrank considerably and became wrinkled, but their texture was crispy and crunchy, with a sweet and tangy flavor.

Seeing Lin Chunyan savor one with a contented squint, the others also reached out to grab one each.

"Delicious."

Wang Yingniang had watched the entire process and, seeing that there were still many kiwis left, planned to roast all of them during the day.

Roasted kiwi slices could be stored for a long time and could be enjoyed even in winter.

Mrs. Zhang saw that it was almost time and asked Lin Erlang to pack up the items. They then headed towards the town.

Lin Erlang, with his great strength, not only carried Mrs. Zhang's basket effortlessly but also managed to carry Lin Chunyan's and Lin Taohong's baskets.

This way, they didn't need to take Zhao Huaizi's cart and saved six copper coins every day.

Mrs. Zhang felt much more relieved.

Upon arriving at the dock, Jin Niangzi noticed Lin Erlang following behind Mrs. Zhang, her eyes flickering.

She thought they had found help so quickly.

"Whose young man is this?"

"He's my nephew," Mrs. Zhang replied just as someone squeezed through the crowd, speaking with great urgency.

"Oh, Mrs. Zhang, I've been waiting for you!"

Mrs. Zhang found this person unfamiliar, as he hadn't visited often. Nevertheless, he continued, "Could I buy more of those bean curd and crabs..."

He listed everything available on Mrs. Zhang's stall and spotted the jelly tofu, a new delicacy. Seeing the various condiments nearby, he thought it must be delicious.

"I'll have a bowl to try."

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang cut a piece of oak seed tofu and prepared a bowl according to his taste. Seeing his eagerness, she guessed he had come early and probably hadn't eaten much.

Mrs. Zhang then recommended the meat sandwich.

"It's a bit more expensive, five copper coins."

Five copper coins might make ordinary people hesitate, but for those serving their masters, it wasn't much.

Seeing the appearance of the meat sandwiches, the attendant ordered two directly.

Mrs. Zhang got to work immediately. Her movements were swift and efficient. Moreover, Lin Chunyan had instructed her to dress neatly, wash her clothes daily, and wear an apron.

After the sound of chopping meat, the aroma of the meat sandwiches wafted through the air.

Those who frequented the dock were no longer surprised by the smell, but they still couldn't help taking a deep breath.

The attendant was captivated by the scent, and even Lin Erlang was mesmerized.

Earlier, Lin Erlang had been focused on learning how to prepare the jelly tofu and hadn't paid attention to its taste.

But the meat sandwiches were different; the aroma was truly irresistible!

On the way to the dock, Mrs. Zhang had told Lin Erlang the prices of the items, and he learned quickly, remembering them all.

Once the meat sandwiches were ready, the bean curd and small crabs were already packed.

The attendant sat down with the jelly tofu and meat sandwiches and gobbled them up hungrily, as if he hadn't eaten in days.

After learning that Lin Chunyan could make fish soup, Lady Song had told her grandmother, who didn't believe it.

That fish soup was a family secret passed down for generations. "Don't listen to their nonsense. Someone tried to imitate our fish soup years ago but was exposed within days."

Lady Song felt slightly reassured but couldn't help paying extra attention to Mrs. Zhang today.

Meizi, who sold fish soup alongside her, kept glancing over, despite disliking Mrs. Zhang. Still, she couldn't resist drooling at the sight of their offerings.

It looked so appetizing.

Lady Song was no better, especially as noon approached and more people came to buy things. All she could see were those meat sandwiches.

No, they looked too good to resist; she had to taste them.

Regardless of whether their fish soup was as good as theirs, they had never tried the meat sandwiches.

Lady Song took out ten copper coins and asked Meizi to buy two sandwiches.

Without hesitation, Meizi rushed over, fearing Lady Song might change her mind.

At the dock, many people were envious of what Mrs. Zhang was selling. Some had already bought and tasted her goods, and they were used to Song's methods.

A traveling merchant came to buy fish soup and saw Meizi purchasing roujiamo. He shook his roujiamo.

"This thing looks ordinary, but it's really delicious. Pair it with your fish soup, and it's perfect! It makes running around doing business every day worth it."

If she had heard this in the past, Song would have been overjoyed.

For those who make food, the greatest joy is hearing others say they love their creations. The highest praise is when someone feels happiness after eating them.

Although she was a widow, she never felt that life was hard. Meizi's family was poor, and they were going to sell her. She paid for Meizi, calling her a servant but recognizing her as a goddaughter, treating her like a daughter.

Every day, coming to the dock to do business gave her a sense of purpose.

But now, she felt uneasy, as if something was blocking her heart.

It was all because of the roujiamo she hadn't tasted yet. If the roujiamo was truly that good, Lin Chunyan might be able to replicate their fish soup just as well.

Mrs. Zhang saw that Lin Erlang learned quickly and let him handle the roujiamo himself. When Meizi arrived, Lin Erlang made the roujiamo for her.

Meizi had never seen Lin Erlang before and guessed he was new. She felt displeased and showed it on her face.

Why should a newcomer be making roujiamo for her when Mrs. Zhang usually did it? Was this a sign of disrespect?

Lin Erlang noticed Meizi's expression and became even more careful. Not only did Mrs. Zhang offer guidance, but Meizi also watched him closely.

"Add two more spoonfuls of sauce." Seeing Lin Erlang finish smoothly, Meizi didn't say anything else but mimicked the previous customers' requests.

Lin Erlang responded and handed over the roujiamo, feeling a surge of pride.

He could do it too.

Seeing that he did well, Mrs. Zhang happily offered to make a roujiamo for him. "Taste it; we'll have this for lunch."

Lin Erlang dared not accept, knowing one roujiamo cost five coins and was too precious to waste.

"Auntie, I'll eat something else."

Mrs. Zhang liked straightforward people and frowned at Lin Erlang's refusal.

Lin Erlang had no choice but to smile awkwardly and take the roujiamo.

Taking a bite, the fragrant taste spread in his mouth, comforting both body and soul.

Seeing him close his eyes in enjoyment, Mrs. Zhang also took a bite, her eyes narrowing in pleasure.

Eating delicious food indeed lifted one's spirits.

Song's mood was complex when Meizi brought back the roujiamo. She didn't eat it right away, waiting until there were no customers before picking it up.

Fortunately, it wasn't cold yet, and Meizi had been salivating. Seeing Song pick it up, Meizi eagerly took a bite.

The rich meat aroma filled her mouth, making her want another bite immediately.

Song felt the same way, but after the first bite, her expression turned grim.

Her worst fears had come true. This roujiamo was indeed delicious, and the bean curd crabs must be equally tasty.

As soon as Lin Chunyan set up her stall, she saw many people, most dressed plainly and unfamiliar faces.

They quickly set up their stall and learned that these people were from nearby Hongjia Village.

The sugar painting elder slowly waved at them. "These are all villagers from our village. The temple fair is coming up soon."

The temple fair was the most important event in the village. The sugar painting elder was wealthy, and the village headman was his nephew, so they discussed it together.

Unfortunately, the sugar painting elder was making jelly tofu for the elderly couple, whose teeth weren't strong. The jelly tofu tasted quite good.

Most importantly, the jelly tofu was cheap.

Ordinary tofu cost two coins per pound, while jelly tofu cost only one coin per pound.

For wealthy families, saving one coin per pound was minor, but for villagers, every coin mattered.

Jelly tofu was tasty and affordable, making it popular among the common folk.

After making the jelly tofu, Hong Elder didn't keep it secret and let his nephew taste it.

Initially, the village headman thought the jelly tofu wouldn't taste good due to its low price, but after one bite, his eyes widened.

The taste was different from regular tofu but certainly not bad.

Hearing about various ways to prepare jelly tofu, the village headman stood up excitedly to share the news with the villagers.

"There are several very poor households in the village. If they knew about this, they wouldn't have to worry during the temple fair."

The temple fair meant relatives from neighboring villages would visit. Even if you were frugal, you couldn't skimp during this time.

Watching the village headman hurry off, Hong Elder suddenly remembered something and slapped his thigh.

"Oh!"

His wife, unaware of his concern, glared at him. "What's wrong? Isn't this a good thing?"

"It is, but I forgot to give Lin Chunyan a heads-up. Everyone will be buying it; how can we manage?"

His wife also sat up, but both were old and only knew Lin Chunyan lived in a nearby village, unsure which one.

In the past, they had delivered malt sugar to Lin Chunyan in town.

"Never mind, I might not go to buy it tomorrow either. I'll talk to Yan Niang about it then."

After all, the temple fair still has several days to go.

But he didn't expect that the villagers couldn't even wait a few days and came early this morning to buy the jelly tofu.

When Lin Taohong and Lin Chunyan saw so many people, they were also taken aback. The two of them didn't dare to delay and quickly started cutting the tofu.

Those waiting in line behind were afraid that everything would be bought up by those in front, so they stood on tiptoe to look. When they saw there was still plenty of tofu left, they finally relaxed.

Even with so much acorn tofu, some wanting one piece and others another, it still wasn't enough to meet the demand.

The last old man who arrived saw that the jelly tofu was gone and shook his head in disappointment, blaming his wife for not coming earlier.

His wife hadn't expected the item to sell so well; she had only stayed home a bit longer to feed a few more chickens, and now the tofu was gone.

They looked dejected, but Lin Chunyan felt sorry for them and said to the old man who was still scolding, "If you need it urgently, I can set some aside for you tomorrow."

Relatives had been coming over these past few days, and Lin Chunyan assumed they were in a rush to make something.

Hearing this, the old man's eyes immediately crinkled with a smile, and he stopped scolding his wife. "Madam, you have such a kind heart. Could we perhaps come to your house to get some? We need to prepare a big meal tomorrow, and we might not have time."

Lin Chunyan didn't know if this was true, but her kindness only extended to reserving some tofu for them in advance, not letting them come to her home.

This was different from their fellow villagers, who knew each other's situations intimately. Everyone in the neighborhood was familiar with everyone else's circumstances.

Seeing Lin Chunyan silent, the old man became disappointed and pulled his wife away.

With the acorn tofu selling so well, many people would become envious. The sugar water vendor, fearing they wouldn't understand the gravity of the situation, had given them a warning glance earlier.

Once the old man left, the sugar water vendor said, "You did the right thing just now. You shouldn't tell anyone where you live, and when you go back at night, travel with companions."

Lin Chunyan smiled at her. "Grandma, don't worry. We know."

"Don't trust those so-called relatives either," the sugar water vendor whispered, making sure only the sisters could hear. "I've seen too many cases where families fall out over money."

No matter how good the relationship was before, once money is involved, relationships become secondary.

Lin Taohong pondered this as they sold their goods and headed to Mrs. Zhang's place.

"Sister, I think we should lock the back door of the courtyard too."

She was actually wondering whether Lin Erlang might have seen how they made the jelly tofu.

Would Wang Yingniang have seen it too?

Even if they didn't see it today, with daily interactions, they might find out eventually.

Seeing her worried, Lin Chunyan pinched her cheek gently. "What's there to worry about? Even if they know what it's made of, can they really make jelly tofu?"

She wasn't concerned about Wang Yingniang. For one, the deed was still in her possession, and secondly, Wang Yingniang wasn't an ungrateful person.

If they were always on guard, she wouldn't be able to do any work and would just spend her time watching people.

Just like tofu, everyone knows it's made from soybeans, but very few know exactly how it's done.

Lin Taohong thought about it and put the matter aside, focusing instead on counting the copper coins in her sleeve. She wasn't good at math and always took a long time to count, but she could now manage up to three hundred.

Lin Chunyan, on the other hand, could estimate the amount with just a quick glance.

"How much more do we need to buy the cart?"

Lin Chunyan calculated that the jelly tofu sold well every day, bringing in around one or two hundred cash. In a few more days, they could really afford the cart.

Excited by the prospect, Lin Chunyan couldn't help but drag Lin Taohong to the cart seller to take a look.

It wasn't their first visit, and the cart seller was already used to seeing them. He smiled and asked if they were close to saving enough money.

Lin Chunyan shook her head, not revealing the truth. "We're still far from it."

The seller knew they needed a cart for their food business, complete with a stove, so the wheels had to be sturdy.

Previously, there was an old cart whose owner had maintained it well, which Lin Chunyan found appealing.

While buying new is usually better than buying used, the thought of saving two strings of cash made her consider the old cart.

However, the cart was perfect except for its worn tires, which might require frequent repairs. So Lin Chunyan didn't buy it.

After looking for a while, the sisters left and headed straight for the dock.

After teaching Lin Erlang, Mrs. Zhang sat on a bench nearby, munching on small crabs and bean curd, chatting with Jin Niangzi.

She hadn't gossiped in days and was eager to catch up. If not for the daily earnings, she wouldn't have come.

Jin Niangzi had something to discuss with Mrs. Zhang and pulled her aside to whisper.

"Are you planning to pass your business down to your nephew?"

Mrs. Zhang chewed on the bean curd and shook her head. "How could that be? My daughter set up this business, and whatever happens next is entirely up to her."

Jin Niangzi noticed Mrs. Zhang's new clothes and the rouge on her face and felt a twinge of jealousy.

"In that case, you should keep your daughter around for a few more years. If she marries, won't all her skills end up benefiting someone else?"

Mrs. Zhang had never considered this and began to mull it over.

The sense of satisfaction from watching Lin Erlang work vanished, and she frowned in contemplation.

Not marrying her off was not an option; she feared social disapproval. Taking in a son-in-law seemed risky.

Thinking back and forth, the tofu in her mouth didn't taste good anymore.

When Lin Chunyan arrived, Mrs. Zhang kept looking at her with a strange expression. Lin Chunyan looked back but couldn't figure out what Mrs. Zhang was thinking.

Just as she was about to ask, Mei Zi and Song Niangzi came over. Song Niangzi seemed a bit embarrassed and called Lin Chunyan aside.

Lin Taohong frowned, "What does that Song Niangzi want? My elder sister doesn't even know her."

Mrs. Zhang hummed noncommittally, still preoccupied with earlier thoughts. Lin Taohong couldn't sit still, fearing those two might bully Lin Chunyan, so she followed them.

Lin Chunyan wasn't sure what Song Niangzi wanted either, but she had a good impression of her and admired such an independent woman.

Mei Zi spoke first, "Little Miss Lin, we called you over because we heard something. We can't keep it inside without asking."

Hearing this, Lin Chunyan already guessed half of it and smiled, "Are you talking about the fish soup?"

"You knew!" Mei Zi blurted out, "But how did you learn to make that fish soup? It's our Song Niangzi's secret recipe."

Song Niangzi tugged on Mei Zi from behind, disapproving of her tone.

Lin Chunyan wasn't angry; she just tilted her head and looked at Song Niangzi, explaining how she made the fish soup and then detailed the fish meat soup.

The more Song Niangzi listened, the more shocked she became. Many of the ingredients were their family's secrets, never shared with outsiders.

After Lin Chunyan finished, seeing Song Niangzi's pale face, she added, "Although both of us call it fish soup, our methods are entirely different. The only similarity is the fish meat used."

Song Niangzi's eyes widened in shock, curious about how Lin Chunyan's fish soup tasted.

She had tried improving her fish meat soup many times but never achieved better results than the original recipe, so she gave up.

More shocking to her was that Lin Chunyan could accurately describe the ingredients after tasting it once.

Fortunately, no one else was around, and Mei Zi was someone she trusted not to spread rumors.

Lin Taohong arrived just in time to hear Song Niangzi asking Lin Chunyan to taste her fish soup.

Sure enough, it was about that.

Lin Taohong feared Lin Chunyan would be taken advantage of, so she pulled her behind her and glared at Song Niangzi and Mei Zi, "What do you two want? That fish soup is my elder sister's own creation. She has the skill, why come to her?"

Mei Zi, quick to anger, jumped up, "You say it's your own creation, but who knows if you stole our family's recipe!"

Lin Taohong jumped higher, "Your fish meat soup isn't even as good as my elder sister's fish soup. Why would she need a recipe?"

Seeing them about to fight, Lin Chunyan and Song Niangzi quickly stepped in. They exchanged glances, both feeling a bit helpless, which brought them closer.

Song Niangzi spoke first, "My goddaughter is impulsive, but I also wanted to ask. Please don't take offense, Little Miss Lin."

Lin Chunyan understood and calmed Lin Taohong, telling her not to be so angry.

Lin Taohong huffed at Mei Zi but didn't say anything further.

"The recipe for the fish soup is indeed my own creation. When to add the fish meat, when to add tofu, and the timing all affect the taste. But rest assured, Song Niangzi, we won't sell the fish soup. At most, we'll showcase it at banquets."

Mei Zi didn't believe her, thinking the fish soup was too popular for them to give up easily.

But she couldn't argue, so she said, "You're lying. How could anyone know the ingredients from just one taste?"

If everyone could do that, their family's fish meat soup wouldn't have been passed down for generations.

Lin Taohong saw her jump out and huffed, "Just because you can't doesn't mean my elder sister can't! Her skills are exceptional. Didn't you hear her explain how different timings affect the taste?"

This almost infuriated Mei Zi, and Song Niangzi couldn't stop her.

Lin Taohong dodged while saying, "My elder sister is that good. If you can't do it, what else can you do besides coming to us?"

Lin Chunyan feared Lin Taohong would get beaten, so she stopped her and tried to lead her away.

Before they went far, Song Niangzi called out, hesitantly, "Little Miss Lin, I have a request."

Lin Chunyan guessed what she wanted and asked, "Do you want me to make the fish soup?"

Song Niangzi nodded, "I feel uneasy until I taste it."

Lin Taohong was unhappy, "Why should we make it for you? Ingredients aren't free."

Song Niangzi quickly explained, "I'll pay for your work."

Hearing this, Lin Taohong's expression changed, and she looked at Lin Chunyan, "Elder sister, should we make it for her?"

Mei Zi stopped fussing, pouting angrily. Song Niangzi watched expectantly.

"Since you're willing to pay, I'll make it tonight, and my mother will bring it tomorrow."

Song Niangzi sighed in relief, grateful, and left with Mei Zi.

She needed to taste the fish soup. If it was truly good, she'd decide what to do next.

Mrs. Zhang had packed everything up and asked, "What did Song Niangzi want?"

Jin Niangzi listened intently as Lin Chunyan briefly explained.

Mrs. Zhang spat on the ground, "How audacious! Do they think all good fish soups belong to their family?"

Jin Niangzi, realizing this might have started with her, felt embarrassed and didn't speak.

At home, Lin Chunyan asked Lin Taohong to buy more tofu for the fish soup.

Lin Erlang accompanied Lin Taohong, while Wang Yingniang finished making the kiwi fruit jerky, filling the yard with a faint fruity fragrance.

Mrs. Zhang wasn't tired today and didn't want to go to the back to make acorn tofu. She pulled down the piece of purple-dyed cloth, held it up against herself, rolled her eyes, and had another idea.

She needed to find someone to turn this cloth into clothes. She knew how to cut patterns, but her stitching was poor, and the clothes she sewed always looked a bit odd.

After some thought, among the people she knew, Li's craftsmanship was the best.

But she hesitated to ask for help, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Seeing that Mrs. Zhang was about to leave, Lin Chunyan stopped her. "Mother, where are you going? It's almost time for dinner, and we still need to make tofu; we need your help."

Yesterday, she had talked about starting the dyed cloth business, but Lin Chunyan disagreed. Mrs. Zhang didn't dare to argue directly and sat down, repeating her thoughts again.

"It's not that I don't want to do it, but where do we have the time?"

"Wang Yingniang is at home; let her help dye the cloth. It won't take much effort."

"There's already so much work for her to help with. Besides, I want her to start making acorn tofu; where will she find the time?"

Mrs. Zhang pouted. "Before, you had me digging pits every day. How could you not feel sorry for your old mother, digging such deep pits?"

She felt even more resentful, jumping up. "Every day, I chop bamboo shoots until my wrists ache."

Wang Yingniang stood there, unsure what to do, her fingers twisting together unconsciously.

Lin Chunyan told her to go inside, saying they didn't need to listen to their argument, but Mrs. Zhang wouldn't let her go. "I'll give her money when the cloth is dyed."

Hearing that she would get paid, Wang Yingniang's eyes lit up. Earlier in the day, Lin Cuixiang had come over to keep her company, and they chatted about money.

Wang Yingniang was surprised to learn that despite Lin Cuixiang's young age, she had saved quite a bit of money from helping with shrimp.

Wang Yingniang also wanted to save money. Since Lin Chunyan treated her so well, she wanted to buy her new clothes!

"Yan Niang, don't argue with Auntie. I'm willing to help. Besides, it doesn't seem too difficult."

Mrs. Zhang looked triumphantly at Lin Chunyan. "Then it's settled. I'll have someone make these clothes first, and then we'll show them to the villagers!"

Before she could leave, there was a commotion at the door, and Lin Taohong's angry voice was heard.

Lin Chunyan asked, "What happened?"

"What else? We went to buy tofu, and Hong's wife wanted to raise the price!"

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Zhang was furious. "That wretch! Why raise the price without reason!"

She forgot about the cloth, rolled up her sleeves, and rushed to Hong's wife's place. Lin Chunyan followed, curious about the reason.

Hong's wife had anticipated Mrs. Zhang's arrival and greeted them with a smile.

"Old sister, I was just about to visit you to explain things calmly."

Mrs. Zhang pulled her arm back, snorting. "Don't call me 'old sister'; I can't bear it."

Hong's wife showed no annoyance. "I know raising the price worries you, but I have no choice. This year's beans didn't grow well, and buying beans has become more expensive. Making tofu is also very laborious."

"Are you raising prices for everyone or just us?"

Lin Chunyan's question made Hong's wife's face stiffen. "For those who bring beans, the price remains the same."

She knew they hadn't planted many soybeans and couldn't provide enough for tofu-making.

Mrs. Zhang turned pale, realizing they had no choice but to accept the increase.

After all, they still needed to sell bean curd.

Hong's wife was taking advantage of this fact, acting boldly.

Though she always seemed warm towards Mrs. Zhang, behind her back, she was calculating clearly.

Lin Chunyan disliked such people, preferring straightforward individuals like Lin Erlang's aunt and Goudan's Mother.

Mrs. Zhang was about to agree when Lin Erlang, who had been silent, tugged at her sleeve. "Auntie, we still have some soybeans at home."

If they gathered more from other families, they could manage for now.

Lin Erlang also felt that Hong's wife was being unreasonable. After spending the day at the market, he knew that money wasn't easily earned.

Mrs. Zhang followed Lin Erlang back home, muttering curses under her breath. Seeing them leave, Hong's wife's expression darkened.

She had thought about this for days, planning to take advantage of Mrs. Zhang.

But soon, she reassured herself. Even if they found soybeans for a few days, could they keep borrowing forever?

Lin Chunyan was also thinking about this. After getting soybeans from Lin Erlang's aunt, she didn't send them to Hong's wife.

"If they can raise prices today, they can do it again. Making tofu isn't that difficult."

Mrs. Zhang, Lin Taohong, and Wang Yingniang: ...

Making tofu wasn't too difficult, meaning it wasn't exclusive to a few households.

Thinking about it, since Lin Chunyan could make jelly tofu, making regular tofu shouldn't be hard either.

Lin Chunyan thought making tofu would be good; besides having soy milk, they could also make bean sheets, tofu threads, and other tofu dishes.

Lin Erlang's aunt readily gave them the soybeans and later told several villagers.

"Hong's wife is really excessive. Who will buy tofu from them in the future!"

The villagers had all planted some soybeans, and currently they didn't need to spend money, but over time, once the soybeans ran out, what would they do then?

Going to town to buy them wasn't just about the distance; it was also a concern that the tofu might get damaged during transport.

Mrs. Lin Erlang didn't know that Lin Chunyan could make tofu, and when Lin Erlang returned, she was still worried.

But Lin Erlang first took out the copper coins he had earned, leaving five coins for himself.

Those fifteen coins genuinely excited Mrs. Lin Erlang.

Lin Cuixiang and Lin Sanlang looked on enviously.

A rare smile appeared on Lin Erlang's face, especially when he saw his siblings' admiration, which made him smile even more.

Uncle Lin took the money and, upon hearing Mrs. Lin Erlang talk about the tofu situation, also became concerned.

"Otherwise, I'll go to other villages tomorrow and trade for more soybeans."

But Lin Erlang said, "We need soybeans, but we won't be buying tofu from Lady Hong anymore. Yan Niang said she wants to make it herself."

Making tofu themselves.

Everyone in the family was shocked—wasn't tofu so difficult to make?

If it were that simple, there wouldn't be only one Lady Hong in the village.

However, Mrs. Lin Erlang inexplicably felt that Lin Chunyan could actually do it.

Mrs. Zhang, upon learning that Lin Chunyan wanted to make tofu, closed the courtyard gate tightly, fearing someone might see.

Lin Taohong was also nervous and let Little Hei, the dog, out.

Lin Chunyan couldn't help but laugh at their serious demeanor.

Wang Yingniang wanted to hide in the house; after all, the tofu-making technique was supposed to be passed down through generations, and she couldn't watch!

She was also unsure whether she should agree to Lin Chunyan's earlier suggestion of making alley tofu.

She wanted to help Lin Chunyan but was afraid of taking advantage of her kindness.

Lin Chunyan directly invited her, "Actually, making tofu is quite similar to making that jelly tofu."

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong had some reservations about Wang Yingniang learning, but they didn't say anything, only showing it on their faces.

Seeing Lin Chunyan's determination to keep Wang Yingniang around long-term, they figured it was better to teach her openly than have her sneak around. That way, she could help later.

Mrs. Zhang even thought that if Wang Yingniang dared to share the recipe, she would risk her life to stop her.

But judging by her character, she seemed honest and trustworthy.

After soaking the soybeans, Lin Chunyan placed them in the stone mill. Over the past few days, Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong had taken turns grinding jelly tofu and had gained some experience.

Seeing her take them out again, Lin Taohong rolled up her sleeves, "Let me do it."

Seeing her initiative, Mrs. Zhang naturally didn't compete with her. After getting excited, Wang Yingniang also joined in, watching eagerly as the soybeans turned into milky white juice.

Mrs. Zhang, seeing the process similar to making acorn tofu, asked Lin Chunyan, "Do we need to filter this with cheesecloth?"

Lin Chunyan nodded, placing the filtered residue on a small mill to grind again.

When Lin Taohong got tired, Wang Yingniang took over. With her strength, she quickly finished grinding the beans.

This milky white liquid was soy milk.

"In a bit, we'll drink chilled soy milk."

Even though it wasn't as hot, Lin Chunyan still preferred chilled soy milk.

"If we knew it was this simple, we should have started making tofu earlier."

Lin Taohong even thought she could do it after watching once.

Lin Chunyan snorted, "Back then, it was hard enough to get you out of bed."

Lin Taohong stuck out her tongue in embarrassment. Afraid of getting involved, Mrs. Zhang quickly changed the subject, "Should we put it in the pot to simmer?"

Lin Chunyan nodded, continuously stirring while cooking the soy milk and skimming off the foam.

After about five minutes, Lin Chunyan removed the firewood, letting the soy milk slowly solidify.

"Why did you remove the fire?"

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong watched curiously.

"Wait a moment; we'll make bean skin to eat."

She told Wang Yingniang, "Making jelly tofu is similar, but instead of skimming the foam, you need to stir continuously until it solidifies, then pour it into a basin."

Wang Yingniang nodded slightly, mechanically memorizing the steps.

Neither Mrs. Zhang nor Lin Taohong had eaten bean skin before and wondered if it tasted like dried tofu. They waited eagerly.

Soon, a thin layer formed on the surface of the soy milk. Lin Chunyan quickly used two bamboo sticks to lift it out and laid it in the courtyard to dry.

Repeating this several times, the courtyard soon had many sheets of bean skin drying.

For the remaining soy milk, Lin Chunyan added some white vinegar and placed weights on top, waiting for it to turn into tofu.

Lin Taohong, curious about the white vinegar Lin Chunyan used, sniffed it, "Why is it so sour? Will the tofu taste like this too?"

They had done everything in a rush this time and hadn't bought any brine from the town, but the tofu made with white vinegar wasn't sour at all and tasted quite good.

Next, they just had to wait patiently.

Mrs. Zhang stood for a while, feeling an unbearable pain in her waist, and wanted Lin Taohong to come over and give her a massage.

Lin Taohong refused. "I was grinding beans just now, and my arms are still too tired to lift."

This work really isn't easy, Mrs. Zhang thought, and pulled out two copper coins from her pocket.