Chapter 50

Chapter 50

"Rub my back, and I'll give you money."

Lin Taohong looked over excitedly but her expression fell when she saw only two copper coins.

"Heh, now you're so spoiled that you can't even be bothered by these two copper coins!"

Lin Taohong pouted; with the tofu business under her management, she made quite a bit each day, so those two copper coins were indeed insignificant.

"How about I give you two copper coins, and you massage my arms?"

As soon as Mrs. Zhang heard this, she jumped up from the bed. Lin Taohong thought she had agreed and extended her arm.

But Mrs. Zhang went to find a feather duster to hit her.

Hearing the bickering inside, Lin Chunyan could only shake her head helplessly and, along with Wang Yingniang, put the soy pulp into the pot.

This soy pulp was different from the one used for acorn tofu; it was edible and, when stir-fried with oil and vegetables, tasted quite good.

By the time they sat down to eat, Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong were still glaring at each other, insisting that Lin Chunyan mediate.

Wang Yingniang quietly smiled, thinking that she had never been like this with Aunt He. The frequent bickering between Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong actually showed their close bond.

Lin Chunyan added a serving of food to Wang Yingniang's plate, telling her not to envy them, "Some people have a shallow mother-daughter relationship, but that's not our fault. Heaven will compensate us in other ways."

Wang Yingniang nodded heavily and started eating.

Dozens of miles away in Zhang's Village, Hu Shi listened to the news brought by someone, finding it hard to believe.

"You really saw my sister-in-law? Are you sure you didn't mistake her for someone else? You know how lazy she is, not even doing field work."

Hu Shi wasn't exaggerating; everyone in Zhang's Village knew Mrs. Zhang's character.

"At first, I thought it was just someone who looked similar, but then I couldn't resist buying some of her delicious goods. Her accent confirmed it was your sister-in-law!"

Hu Shi took this to heart, frowning deeply, her high cheekbones drooping, showing a hint of displeasure.

Previously, they had visited Mrs. Zhang's home, where her brother insisted on bringing two bags of grain. Seeing how poorly his sister and niece were living, he wanted Lin Chunyan to marry into their family upon returning.

Naturally, Hu Shi disagreed. Even if Lin Chunyan had such skills, she feared she would inherit Mrs. Zhang's temperament.

Whether it was her temperament or her inability to bear a son, Hu Shi could not tolerate either.

However, Lin Chunyan was quite attractive. If their family's situation worsened, as an aunt, she could not ignore her.

Their village was unlike Mrs. Zhang's area, which was closer to town, allowing them to do odd jobs at the docks to supplement their income.

In their village, life was harder, and many girls ended up as maids.

Those with good fortune could live comfortably and receive rewards from their masters.

Those with bad luck could only blame their fate.

Hu Shi had such plans, but hearing no news from Mrs. Zhang's side made her suspicious.

However, she had more pressing matters at hand, so she casually mentioned it and forgot about it.

The next morning, the bean skins had dried, becoming crispy.

The tofu was also well-pressed, revealing its white, smooth texture when the weights were removed, much to everyone's delight.

Lin Chunyan immediately prepared to cook, using the bean skins for hotpot, which was perfect.

Lin Taohong planned to turn the tofu into tofu sticks, a task she had become adept at and found easy.

Mrs. Zhang went to the backyard garden, picking all the ripe fruits and vegetables, mentioning the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Remember the chestnut cakes you mentioned last time? We should make some."

Lin Chunyan had the same idea. The chestnut cakes would be expensive, but since she had developed a good relationship with Mr. Huang from Clear Breeze Building, she could sell them to the teahouse if necessary.

"We need more chestnuts."

Just as she said this, Erlang appeared with a basket, followed by Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan, both carrying plenty of chestnuts.

Lin Chunyan was delighted, spreading them out in the courtyard to dry.

Zhao Zilan, curious about the items drying on the rack, asked, "Yan Niang, what new delicacy is this?"

Lin Chunyan explained, "Why don't you stay and try it?"

The sisters tried to decline, but Lin Chunyan pointed to the chestnuts on the ground, "These are exactly what I need. With the Mid-Autumn Festival coming up, I plan to make chestnut cakes. You've really helped me a lot."

Hearing this, the sisters blushed, feeling both happy and excited, glad to be of help to Lin Chunyan.

"I'll go look for more on the mountain. My father said there are many chestnuts on the eastern hill."

"I saw some hawthorns too, I'll pick them for you as well."

Lin Chunyan's eyes lit up, "That would be great. I won't take these chestnuts and hawthorns without paying. I'll settle the cost with you later."

The sisters chatted with Lin Taohong for a while. They weren't very familiar with Wang Yingniang, but the village gossip had spread that her family could afford to buy a maid.

Lin Chunyan, fearing they might look down on her, explained, "Yingniang is like a sister to us. We'll be seeing each other often, so don't feel constrained."

Zhao Zilan nodded and approached Wang Yingniang to chat.

Wang Yingniang's eyes sparkled, engaging in lively conversation, making the gathering quite lively.

The pot in the courtyard was already bubbling, and the aroma inside wafted through the air with the wind.

Erlang, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but twitch his nose. He had eaten at home, but the smell still made him hungry.

Lin Chunyan no longer treated Erlang as an outsider. She asked him to fetch bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen and put everything into the pot.

She also broke off some crispy bean skin and tossed it in; the bean skin seemed to transform, becoming soft and tender.

Lin Taohong hadn't finished making the tofu, stretching her neck to watch and shouting for them to save some for her.

"Got it, we'll keep some for you."

Lin Chunyan picked out some mushrooms, bean skin, and vegetables, then went to check on the kitchen again.

Mrs. Zhang was still upset about yesterday's incident, muttering, "Ignore her. She won't suffer any loss. Let's eat quickly. If she comes, we won't be able to eat properly."

Lin Taohong snorted in the kitchen, complaining to Lin Chunyan, "Where have you seen such a mother?"

Lin Chunyan helped her finish up, then pulled her and Wang Yingniang to sit in the courtyard. Seeing that everyone except Mrs. Zhang hadn't started eating, she hurriedly urged them.

The bean skin in the bowls had cooled down, and Lin Taohong ate it directly, enjoying it with the oil sauce Lin Chunyan had prepared, exclaiming how delicious it was.

The Zhao sisters, Zhao Linglan and Zhao Linglan, also stopped being polite. They looked at the oil sauce on the table, which contained plenty of garlic and Sichuan pepper. After dipping the cooked bean skin in it, it instantly became coated with garlic and fragrant oil.

Even without eating, just looking at all the oil made it seem incredibly aromatic.

Mrs. Zhang had already taken several bites but now paused, feeling somewhat unhappy.

She thought Lin Chunyan was too generous. It was fine with Erlang since he was family, but why did she have to invite the Zhao girls to stay?

Seeing Mrs. Zhang's expression, Lin Chunyan knew what she was thinking and gave her a glare while serving the food.

It was just a meal, and the Zhao sisters had never tried to take advantage of them.

The shoes and socks on their feet, the ribbons in their clothes, and the chestnuts in the yard—all were made by the Zhao sisters.

Erlang didn't understand the tension at the table, only knowing that the vegetable and bean skin were delicious, and the fish meat was fragrantly tasty. He didn't care if it was hot and kept putting it in his mouth.

This was exactly like Lin Taohong, both of them eating and sipping loudly.

Lin Chunyan got up to bring out some chilled soy milk, "We can enjoy this a few more times. Once it gets cold, we'll have to drink hot soy milk."

The soy milk had some sugar added, and its icy coolness instantly quenched the heat from the pot.

The Zhao sisters had just heard about Hongniang's actions. Seeing that they had really made tofu, they all showed surprised expressions.

"We'll come to your place to buy tofu. What Hongniang did is too much; the villagers will surely be disheartened."

"That would be great. If you come to buy, I'll serve you soy milk."

After eating comfortably, they all set off for town.

Erlang insisted on washing the dishes and filling his basket with things, not letting the three women do anything.

Wang Yingniang was also excited. Before leaving, Lin Chunyan told her to try making acorn tofu at home today, even if it turned out bad, there was nothing to fear.

In just a few days, she had been well-fed and well-clothed, with no one scolding or hitting her. She felt like she had undergone a transformation, no longer timid and fearful as before.

She had always enjoyed cooking, and with Lin Chunyan's guidance, she felt like a fish in water, eager to spend all day in the kitchen.

Mrs. Zhang, stepping out the door, remarked casually, "Erlang is really nice, even knows how to wash dishes. Whoever marries him will be very lucky."

Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong both turned around and spat at her.

"We've always judged actions, not people. Yet, when a boy does what girls usually do, he's praised to the skies."

"Exactly, as if we sisters haven't washed dishes before."

The more Mrs. Zhang talked, the more embarrassed she became, not knowing how to make amends. She could only pull out five coins from her pocket.

"Once we get to town, if you want to eat or drink something, go ahead and buy it."

Lin Taohong snorted, not wanting the money, but Lin Chunyan had already taken it.

Why refuse free money?

Especially when Mrs. Zhang offered it willingly; such opportunities were rare.

Mrs. Zhang sighed in relief, feeling a bit pained about the five coins but reminding herself not to speak rashly in the future.

Everyone at home was capable and wouldn't tolerate such talk. Even when she thought about it later, she found it meaningless.

Meanwhile, Hongniang was at home, feeling triumphant, calculating how much more money she could earn from Lin Chunyan's family by raising prices.

Unlike other villagers who stayed within their own village, her family often went to town, so they had a good idea of how much Lin Chunyan's family earned.

Could they afford to buy a maid without money?

Seeing how much they earned, she couldn't help but feel jealous, thinking that the tofu must have been transformed into tofu skin using some method.

Her family had tried before, thinking that if they could turn tofu into tofu skin, they could make a fortune.

But they failed, and in frustration, Hongniang resorted to this tactic.

However, she waited and waited, and Lin Chunyan's family didn't show up, wondering if they had given up on the tofu skin business.

She thought it unlikely, as losing a day's work meant losing a significant amount of money!

Lin's second aunt, seeing her three children working under Mrs. Zhang, knew that although they didn't earn much, they had a steady income, which was better than most in the village.

After hearing Erlang's words, she went back and scolded in the courtyard, still not feeling satisfied. When they all went to town, Aunt Lin took her hoe and headed for Hong Niangzi’s house.

She was straightforward by nature, with three or four brothers at home, and had never been one to take a loss. She immediately stood at Hong Niangzi’s door and scolded loudly.

The women working under the big tree, unaware of what had happened, all came over to persuade Aunt Lin. Aunt Lin then told them about Hong Niangzi raising prices.

"Just because she envies the few copper coins my sister-in-law earns, she doesn’t consider how hard it is for them. They run to town every day, and those two young ladies have blisters on their hands and bodies..."

When the others heard that Hong Niangzi dared to raise prices, they were all shocked.

Aunt Lin knew what they were thinking and said first, "If she raises the price for us today, and sees everyone remain silent, who knows if she won’t raise the price for all the tofu tomorrow? Even though we don’t do business, we know this isn’t right!"

Qian Niangzi and Aunt Lin got along well. Upon hearing this, she echoed, "Yes, we’ve been buying tofu from her family for years. If no one speaks up when she raises the price, I’m sure Hong Niangzi will definitely raise it."

Tofu is already expensive; if it gets more expensive, how many people in the village can still afford it?

The two of them chimed in, and the others also pointed fingers. Hong Niangzi, hiding inside, could no longer sit still.

She pushed the door open and smiled apologetically, "It’s all a misunderstanding. How could I raise the price? It’s just that using money to exchange for tofu is inconvenient..."

"Phew." Aunt Lin wasn’t fooled, "Do you think we’re all fools? You said it yourself yesterday, and many people heard it!"

Hong Niangzi didn’t dare deny it anymore, only saying that her heart was clouded by greed and that the price wouldn’t be raised.

If things ended here, Aunt Lin should have backed down, Hong Niangzi thought. After all, they were in the same village, and she had already made many concessions.

But Aunt Lin wouldn’t let it go, "Whether you raise the price or not has nothing to do with us. We won’t buy tofu from your place anymore. Who knows when you’ll raise the price again?"

Hong Niangzi panicked, "There’s only one tofu shop in the village. If you don’t buy from me, are you going to walk ten miles to town to buy it?"

Thinking of how Lin Chunyan’s family could make some kind of jelly tofu, she sneered, "Don’t tell me you’re thinking of buying that jelly tofu! That black thing, who knows what it’s made of, how can it compare to tofu?"

The others were also skeptical. Qian Niangzi nudged Aunt Lin, urging her to stop while she was ahead. They couldn’t really offend Hong Niangzi.

Aunt Lin ignored her. She had tasted the jelly tofu herself, especially the children at home, who enjoyed it immensely with various sauces.

"Why can’t it compare to your tofu! You haven’t even tried it, but the taste is excellent."

Hong Niangzi wanted to say more, but Aunt Lin didn’t back down, "Also, Yan Niang can make tofu too! And bean curd sheets and tofu skin. We only come to your place to save effort, and you can earn some money."

Hong Niangzi was stunned, looking at Aunt Lin in disbelief, her head buzzing.

What did she just hear? Yan Niang could make tofu?

The skill of making tofu was never passed on outside the family. Ordinary families could live comfortably just by selling tofu.

In their village, only Hong Niangzi’s family could make tofu, which was why she dared to raise the price. But she never imagined that Lin Chunyan could make tofu.

The others didn’t believe it either, and someone told Aunt Lin not to boast, "Talk to Hong Niangzi nicely. This isn’t the time to argue."

Aunt Lin rolled her eyes, "Believe it or not, how can I lie? You know Yan Niang’s skills!"

Song Niangzi and Meizi were also thinking the same thing. The two of them, holding the fish soup Mrs. Zhang handed over, took a shallow sip and remained silent.

Especially Song Niangzi, her heart felt like a overturned spice bottle, filled with all sorts of emotions.

This fish soup was indeed different from fish meat soup. She didn’t know how the fishy smell was completely removed, making the soup taste better, more fragrant, and smoother.

How could she not feel upset?

Meizi couldn’t speak, her head drooping, gently biting her lower lip, unsure of what to do.

Mrs. Zhang snorted coldly. When she learned that Song Niangzi wanted Lin Chunyan to make the fish soup, she wanted to stop it.

Why should these two people get to drink it? If she had been there, she would have spat in their faces.

"This is something my Yan Niang developed herself, it has nothing to do with any recipe from your family. Now that you’ve tasted it, don’t come looking for trouble with my Yan Niang again."

Mrs. Zhang mocked, feeling somewhat relieved. She had originally planned to sell this fish soup, but after being rejected, she was heartbroken for a long time.

Song Niangzi’s face turned from white to red and back to white, but she didn’t say anything else. She only asked Little Mei to watch the stall and went to town to find Lin Chunyan.

Lin Taohong was having a spat with Lin Chunyan. After making the tofu, Lin Taohong wanted to bring it to sell, regardless of the amount, as an extra income.

But Lin Chunyan didn’t agree. Their stall already had too many items, and tofu was easily crushed, making it difficult to transport.

Lin Taohong, unsuccessful, pouted all day, not as enthusiastic as usual when selling things.

Lin Chunyan didn’t know how to console her, so she let her cool off quietly and planned to talk to her later.

The two of them were so focused on making money that they didn’t care whether they could carry it, only thinking about exchanging it for money.

Fang Xiaotian noticed the strange atmosphere between the sisters and tried to intervene a few times, but couldn’t ease the tension.

It wasn’t until Song Niangzi arrived that Lin Taohong, like a cat with its fur on end, suddenly jumped up, throwing the knife on the cutting board with a loud thud.

"What are you here for?"

Although she was arguing with Lin Chunyan, it was a private matter between sisters. She wouldn’t stand by and let her be bullied by Song Niangzi.

Song Niangzi was startled by the sound and, seeing Lin Taohong’s misunderstanding, quickly explained, "Little lady, I’m not here to cause trouble... I just want to talk to Yan Niang."

"Don’t you see my elder sister is busy? If anyone could just come and talk to her, how could we do business?"

Lin Chunyan gave Song Niangzi an apologetic smile, "It’s very busy now. If Song Niangzi doesn’t have urgent matters, can you wait until I finish selling these things and meet you at the dock?"

Seeing the crowd around her stall, Song Niangzi had no choice but to agree.

Once she left, Fang Niangzi and the sugar water granny asked, worried that Song Niangzi might have come to cause trouble.

"Who knows what she wants to do." Lin Taohong picked up the knife again and started making roujiamo for people, "She came to us two yesterday, insisting that my elder sister’s fish soup recipe was copied from theirs. Heaven and earth, my elder sister knows so many things, why would she copy theirs?"

The others also chimed in, "If their recipe were that easy to reveal, everyone at the wharf would be selling fish soup, and anyone who has tasted it would know they’re completely different."

Lin Chunyan tugged at Lin Taohong's sleeve, "Not angry anymore?"

Lin Taohong huffed and pulled her sleeve back, "Still angry."

Lin Chunyan couldn't help but laugh out loud. After selling most of the items, she bought some drinks to soothe her.

Mrs. Zhang didn't help at all today, leaving all the work to Lin Erlang while she sat there chatting idly.

She always felt that if she helped, the twenty coins a day allowance would be wasted.

Even though this person was her nephew, she couldn’t break her own rule.

Jin Niangzi's business was always the same, and the two of them talked about all the vendors at the wharf.

Who sold well, which mother-in-law always bullied her daughter-in-law, which man kept a mistress outside—Jin Niangzi knew everything.

When Lin Chunyan and the others arrived, Mrs. Zhang was still talking enthusiastically. She turned around and saw Lin Chunyan, and was so scared she almost lost her soul.

Only then did she realize the sun had already moved to the west, and they needed to head back.

"This day passed rather quickly."

Mrs. Zhang pretended to be busy, glancing at Lin Chunyan's face. Seeing that she was only putting the money from the box away, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"That Song Niangzi..." Mrs. Zhang started, having just learned about Song Niangzi's family situation, which was truly heart-wrenching.

Song Niangzi had been waiting for a long time, selling fish soup with a distracted mind, even Meizi wasn’t as quick-witted as usual.

As soon as she saw Lin Chunyan and her sister, Song Niangzi hurried over.

"Lin Xiaoniang," Song Niangzi had repeated this in her mind many times, but when she spoke, she still felt shy, "I wonder what secret recipe you used for your fish soup. Why does it taste so fresh?"

Fortunately, Lin Taohong didn’t come along; otherwise, she would have spat in Song Niangzi’s face, accusing her of coveting the secret recipe.

But Lin Chunyan didn’t intend to give it away. She just smiled at Song Niangzi, who also felt it was too presumptuous and quickly explained, "My family has been making fish soup for generations. I thought mine was good enough, but now I see how arrogant I was."

After talking for a while, Lin Chunyan realized that Song Niangzi was also passionate about cooking. Their family’s fish soup wasn’t as good before, but after multiple improvements, it finally tasted as it does now.

But one taste of Lin Chunyan’s, and she knew there was always someone better, someone more skilled. She was so eager to learn that she wanted to master it right away.

"Lin Xiaoniang, could you teach me that method? I won’t take it for granted."

This was a clear attempt to buy it. Lin Chunyan thought for a moment. She didn’t plan to sell the fish soup anymore. With Song Niangzi’s fish soup already established, her family had a long-standing brand, and many people loved it.

If she were to compete, it would require a lot of effort.

Moreover, making the fish soup was very troublesome. Last night, she had woken up several times to check the fire, afraid it would burn.

"Song Niangzi, how much are you willing to pay?"

Seeing Lin Chunyan’s straightforwardness, Song Niangzi felt a surge of joy, "Two taels, how about that?"

At the current market rate, one tael of silver was roughly equivalent to one guan (string of cash).

In the past, two taels of silver would have made Lin Chunyan ecstatic, but now, through her own efforts, she had earned quite a bit of copper coins.

Seeing Lin Chunyan hesitate, Song Niangzi, fearing she might refuse, quickly added, "I’ll add another tael, three taels of silver. Just tell me how you make it."

She was sincere in her desire to buy it. Lin Chunyan asked, "Did you discuss this with your family? Can you really take out three taels of silver?"

Song Niangzi smiled, "You should have heard, I am a widow living near my parents. I have a son and a daughter to raise, and Meizi is my goddaughter. Most of the money is in my hands."

The rest she gave to her grandmother to keep her brothers quiet.

She set up her stall every day, and many people came to buy her fish soup, which was priced high, so she naturally had a good amount of money.

But her brother and sister-in-law were never satisfied. They took a lot of money but still came around from time to time, demanding more as a sign of respect.

Lin Chunyan, unaware of the details, felt a bit envious, "Why do I only see Meizi? What about your godson?"

Song Niangzi scoffed, "My godson was adopted by my husband’s family. There’s no need to talk about him. If we speak of loyalty, it’s the little lady who stands out."

She knew about Lin Chunyan’s family situation and admired them greatly. She never spoke of such matters to outsiders, but today she wanted to vent.

"Raising a son means finding a wife for him. Without mentioning other things, my adopted son is already grown up and only thinks of his biological parents, not me at all. He’s just after the money."

"But the little lady is different. Since I treat them well, they will remember me whether they marry or achieve something else. As long as they visit often and I find a couple of maids to serve me, life won’t be hard."

She thought a lot about it. Even if she gave money to her brother and sister-in-law, it was just to live near them. If anyone tried to take her money, they would think twice.

Lin Chunyan was even more curious, "If so, why do you still keep the godson?"

"This is a troublesome matter. His biological parents are very difficult to deal with. I went to the Village Headman twice but couldn’t resolve it. And his family doesn’t allow it either. I’m still planning."

When Song Niangzi said this, she didn’t seem particularly angry, "You are the youngest, but I feel a connection with you, so I’ve told you more. Don’t tell anyone else, or my plans will be ruined."

Lin Chunyan quickly assured her and explained how she made the fish soup, emphasizing some key details.

Song Niangzi, being experienced, understood even without trying it herself. Her eyes lit up as she listened.

"No wonder your soup tastes so good. I’ve never thought about it this way." Song Niangzi was genuinely impressed and immediately took out some silver pieces from her sleeve.

This was the first time Lin Chunyan had seen silver pieces, and she lightly bit one to test it before putting it away.

"If you have any more questions, feel free to seek me out."

This was the first woman she had encountered in this world who truly understood her, and she liked her from the bottom of her heart.

Lady Song smiled, "My brother and sister-in-law always say I'm foolish and will regret it sooner or later. No one in the village understands me, and they come to my door every day trying to arrange marriages for me. I never thought you would understand me."

Lin Taohong, who had been talking with Mrs. Zhang, only then realized that Lin Chunyan had been gone for quite some time with Lady Song. She hurriedly tiptoed to look down the alley, not bothering to explain to Mrs. Zhang as she rushed over.

Lady Song saw her and said with a smile, "Your little sister is quite protective of you."

Lin Chunyan glanced at Meizi, "Your goddaughter is also very nice."

The two women couldn't help but exchange a smile.

Lin Taohong, confused, grabbed Lin Chunyan's hand and walked away, "Sister, did she bewitch you? Have you lost your mind?"

But Lin Chunyan shook her head and waved goodbye to Lady Song.

Lady Song was also about to leave; her brothers usually came to pick her up when they had the time, fearing she might encounter danger on the way. Today, however, it was her godson who came, looking to be around ten years old, with bright eyes darting around, calling out to Lady Song as soon as he saw her.

Lady Song was displeased, "Why are you here? Where are my brothers?"

"The uncles are all busy, so I, as a son, thought I should come to show my filial piety."

Lady Song ignored him, a hint of a mocking smile on her lips. He claimed to want to show filial piety, yet his eyes were fixed on the money box. His parents were lurking nearby; what were they up to, thinking everyone was a fool?

Lin Chunyan couldn't wait to get home to hide the three taels of silver. Mrs. Zhang followed slowly behind, wondering what had gotten into Lin Chunyan today. She tried to catch up several times but failed, so she just walked at her own pace.

When they reached the house, they found a crowd gathered outside, which startled both Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong.

Seeing Lin Chunyan return, the people quickly approached, "Yan Niang, we heard you made tofu. Are you selling it?"

"And that jelly tofu, Silang said it's delicious. My son Dog Egg is at home pestering me for it!"

Wang Yingniang, seeing them return, felt a great relief. The crowd had really frightened her!

Lin Chunyan finally realized that these people had come because of Aunt Lin's words, to buy tofu.

Aunt Lin stood at their doorstep, looking somewhat uncomfortable. She had only intended to scold Hong Niang, but somehow everyone misunderstood and ended up waiting at Lin Chunyan's door to buy tofu.

Lin Chunyan confirmed they had tofu, opened the door, put down the items, and went to the kitchen with Wang Yingniang to fetch the jelly tofu and regular tofu.

Looking back, she saw the acorn tofu and soybean tofu already prepared in the kitchen. She pressed them, tasted them, and gave a big thumbs up.

Wang Yingniang smiled, her steps becoming lighter as she helped bring the tofu out.

Seeing Lin Chunyan actually produce the tofu, the crowd's faces were filled with amazement, standing on tiptoe to see.

Aunt Lin, seeing their reactions, felt quite proud, "I told you, my niece is very capable. You didn't believe me until you saw it with your own eyes!"

Qian Niangzi, quick to speak, said, "Oh, stop embarrassing us. We know Yan Niang is good at cooking, but making tofu isn't that easy."

"Who says it isn't? I think the tofu is fine, after all, we've seen it before. But what is this jelly tofu?"

Lin Taohong, having washed her hands, came out, "This jelly tofu is made with jelly, which we don't have here."

Everyone knew she was lying, but they didn't know what it was and wanted to taste it. They took out a few copper coins.

By the time Mrs. Zhang arrived home, the tray of jelly tofu was already sold out.

"Oh!" Mrs. Zhang slapped her thigh, "All gone! What will we sell in town tomorrow?"

Lin Erlang was also worried. This item sold particularly well at the dock. The man named Hu Daqiang and another family with a pregnant woman had promised to come back and buy more, asking them to save some for them.

Zhao Niangzi, whose house was closest, hadn't left. Hearing this, she couldn't help but sound sour, "Others worry about not selling their goods, but you, you've sold everything and still complain about selling too much."

Mrs. Zhang, already upset, felt even angrier seeing Zhao Niangzi. Remembering how her dog had bitten her, she sent Little Hei to bite Zhao Niangzi.

Zhao Niangzi: …

"You old thing, how shameless can you be? Little Hei is from my house, sired by my dog Big Yellow. If you let her bite me, Big Yellow will deal with her."

"Just go away. My dog is black, unlike your dirty yellow one." Mrs. Zhang refused to acknowledge any blood relation between Little Hei and Big Yellow.

Lin Chunyan quickly intervened, pulling her inside to check the kitchen.

When she came out, her face looked much better, and her gaze towards Wang Yingniang was kinder.

After everyone left, Lin Chunyan discussed with them, "If the villagers keep coming to buy, we'll need to make more. We should go up the mountain again to collect more acorns, otherwise, we won't have enough."

"Alright, we'll make more trips up the mountain. In the next month, we'll collect more acorns."

They set off immediately, and Wang Yingniang followed to learn the route.

The mountains here were similar to those in their village. Along the way, they found many acorns and also saw some wild grapes.

These wild grapes were the same ones Lin Chunyan had picked before. Wang Yingniang, remembering that Mrs. Zhang needed them for dyeing, picked quite a few.

Lin Chunyan, taking advantage of the free time, planned to make raisins.

Back home, she first soaked the grapes in alkaline water, strung them together, and laid them out to dry in the yard.

Seeing this, Lin Taohong asked, "How long will it take to dry?"

"About ten days or so."

This is only when the weather is good; if it's bad, the time to dry them into raisins will be even longer.

But once dried, these raisins can be stored for a long time and taste great in all sorts of pastries.

"Can't we use that bread kiln to dry them?"

Wang Yingniang now loves that bread kiln the most, though she doesn't know why it's called that, it's very convenient to use.

"Of course, we can."

Lin Chunyan smiled, "Let's go home and make two kinds of raisins, and see which one tastes better."

"There are still some wild pears left. Tomorrow, I'll buy some sugar, and we can make them into preserves."

Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang exchanged glances, both seeing smiles in each other's eyes.

But Lin Taohong quickly turned her face away, letting out a light hum.

Mrs. Zhang wasn't at home, and with this rare free moment, she took the piece of cloth and went to find Li Shi.

Uncle Lin, feeling guilty for not being able to help last time, lowered his head slightly when he saw her.

Mrs. Zhang didn't mind at all, just looking around their courtyard, "Is your wife at home?"

Uncle Lin nodded quickly, and at that moment, there was movement inside the house, as two of Mrs. Zhang's daughters came out.

Seeing Mrs. Zhang, the younger daughter quickly pulled her sister away, afraid of being stopped by Mrs. Zhang.

Li Shi had heard the commotion from inside and didn't want to come out, since they had already fallen out. What was there to joke about?

But Uncle Lin had already lifted the curtain and called her out, so she had to put down what she was doing and gave Uncle Lin a sharp look.

"Big Sister, did you come to find me for something?"

Seeing Li Shi's lukewarm attitude, Mrs. Zhang didn't hesitate, taking out the piece of cloth directly, "This is the color dyed by my Yan Niang. I want you to help me cut it."

Li Shi had been listening lazily, but upon seeing the light purple fabric, her eyelids shot up, staring straight at Mrs. Zhang.

"You said what? This fabric was actually dyed by your Yan Niang?"

It's no wonder she was so surprised; purple was now considered precious. Whether in clothing stores or fabric shops, purple fabric always cost more.

In the countryside, no one was willing to spend extra money on such things.

Li Shi touched the fabric, her voice filled with doubt, "This color will definitely fade, right? Even if made into clothes, it might not look good."

Mrs. Zhang was unhappy, "How could it fade? If you don't want to help, then forget it."

Mrs. Zhang regretted coming to Li Shi, and was about to leave with the fabric.

But Li Shi grabbed the fabric, "Put it down, I'll make it for you when I have time."

Mrs. Zhang perked up, pointing to her own clothes, "These were bought by my two daughters. Just follow this style; it looks good."

Even after Mrs. Zhang left, Li Shi was still thinking about how the color was dyed.

She wasn't in a hurry to start, first asking Lin Fengdie to bring water and soak the fabric.

She would wait until tomorrow to see if it faded, not just relying on Mrs. Zhang's word.

When Mrs. Zhang got home, she smelled something fragrant. She closed the door first, and Little Hei, the dog, was circling around her feet, excitedly jumping around.

"What are you cooking that smells so good?"

Lin Chunyan came out of the kitchen, telling her to wash her hands and bringing out the freshly baked fish.

The baked fish was done in the bread kiln. First, the fish was cut open from the back, marinated with scallions, ginger, and garlic for ten minutes, then prepared with some bean curd skin, wild onions, mushrooms, and Sichuan pepper.

Then, it was lightly fried in oil until slightly golden on both sides, placed on a plate, and put directly into the bread kiln to bake.

"If only we had lotus roots."

If there were lotus roots, they could add them to the baked fish, making it even more delicious.

The baked fish was incredibly satisfying, fresh and fragrant, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The fish skin, especially, was particularly aromatic, with a slight numbing sensation when eaten.

When it was first taken out of the oven, Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang had already tasted a few bites and were now eagerly waiting for more.

Lin Chunyan also brought out some spicy bean curd skin, which she had prepared the day before.

Lin Taohong was even hungrier, having swallowed saliva continuously while Lin Chunyan was making it yesterday.

The bean curd skin was coated with many seasonings. Seeing Lin Taohong so eager, Lin Chunyan picked up a chopstickful for her.

Lin Taohong ate it while sucking in air, having been spiced by the bean curd skin.

"Delicious, so satisfying!"

After sucking in air, Lin Taohong wanted to eat more, but Mrs. Zhang, who had just washed her hands, stopped her.

"Why are you so greedy? Your elder sister made this new thing to sell. If you eat it all, what will we sell tomorrow?"

Lin Taohong ignored her, eating another piece and muttering, "It's just because she can't handle the spiciness. If Mother could eat it, she would probably eat more than me."

Mrs. Zhang raised her chopsticks to tap her head, but changed direction halfway, only scaring her without actually hitting her, and instead put a chopstickful of baked fish meat in her mouth.

She loved cilantro, and the flavor of the baked fish combined with the cilantro made her speechless, only picking up chopsticks one after another to eat.

She began to look forward to the fish pond being drained, hoping every household could get some fish and lotus roots.

Hearing Lin Chunyan say that the lotus roots alone could be made into quite a few delicious dishes.

During the meal, she brought up the topic of visiting the Li family again, her tone somewhat boastful.

"Why did you go to Third Aunt? The two of you don't get along." Lin Chunyan was puzzled and worried that Mrs. Zhang would go looking for trouble again.

Mrs. Zhang took a bite of the roasted fish, "You wouldn't understand. Why should she have looked down on us all the time before? Now that we've dyed this cloth, I bet she's the one who feels the worst about it."