Chapter 52

Chapter 52

After Wang the Merchant bought the tofu back, he ate some on the way and brought the rest home.

The women and children at home all found it delicious, which made Wang the Merchant feel very proud.

That day, when guests came to visit, Mrs. Zhang served them the tofu and small crabs, and they all praised it highly.

He hadn't planned to go to White Cloud Town so soon, but he kept thinking about those delicacies, which made him visit frequently.

Lin Chunyan weighed the items for him and placed the fragrant pan-fried tofu directly in a bowl, "The tables and chairs haven't been made yet, so I'm afraid you'll have to stand while eating."

Wang the Merchant waved his hand, unconcerned, "It's no big deal."

The person who had just been pushed away was quite curious, "Could this be some unknown delicacy I don't know about? Are you trying to promote it?"

Wang the Merchant rolled his eyes and pointed at himself, "Do I look like someone who would do that?"

He was dressed in fine clothes, and it didn't seem like he knew the two young ladies making the food.

This person, half-believing and half-doubting, took out a copper coin as well. Wang the Merchant ate with great relish, making the other person envious.

As Lin Taohong prepared it for him, she said, "We've been selling at the market for quite some time. Haven't you heard of our tofu and small crabs?"

This person had just returned from a trip. When he left, no one was selling these things, but in just over two months, everything seemed unfamiliar to him.

While thinking about this, the fragrant pan-fried tofu was ready. His hand, seemingly of its own accord, picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. The first taste was the aroma of garlic and scallions, followed by the golden-brown tofu, slightly crispy but full of broth, tasting almost as good as meat.

Delicious, truly delicious!

Beside him, Wang the Merchant had already finished the pan-fried tofu and was stretching his neck to look at the noodles being cooked. He asked what kinds there were and asked Lin Taohong to fry two more pieces of tofu for him.

Young Master Lin quickly put the last piece of tofu in his mouth and joined Wang the Merchant in looking at the various noodles.

There were so many varieties that even someone who traveled frequently couldn't help but marvel.

Lin Chunyan smiled and introduced each one to them: there were noodle soups, cold mixed noodles, and braised noodles...

Wang the Merchant rubbed his hands excitedly, "I'll try the small noodles first."

Young Master Lin pointed to the stir-fried noodles, "I want these."

The green beans inside were already soft and flavorful, looking very appetizing.

Lin Chunyan put the rolled noodles into the pot, and soon they started boiling, with steam rising and spreading around.

On the side, Jin Niangzi looked enviously. She had tasted Lin Chunyan's cooking before and knew how delicious it was. She thought that if she could sell two bowls of wontons and earn some copper coins, she would buy a bowl of noodles to try.

After the noodles were cooked, Lin Chunyan scooped them into bowls, opened the lids of various pots, and poured the sauces over them.

These sauces were pre-cooked, with both meat and vegetable options, and the aroma attracted many people's attention.

"Just the variety of noodles alone is enough to eat for several days!" After seeing this, Wang the Merchant was already planning in his mind how to try them all.

Lin Chunyan handed the noodles over, and the two of them didn't feel embarrassed about standing to eat, directly slurping the noodles into their mouths.

"Delicious!" Young Master Lin seemed to only know these two words. After finishing, he licked his lips, feeling warm and comfortable all over.

Their behavior naturally drew many people over, including some who recognized Lin Chunyan and her companion. They asked why they had come to set up a stall at the dock, but their eyes were fixed on the various foods.

"I'll have the jelly tofu with sweet sauce."

"I want to try the pan-fried tofu; it looks incredibly delicious."

They were sitting and waiting for the idle men in town, who got up when they saw Mrs. Zhang coming. They were all sent by their masters to deliver takeout.

Hearing that Lin Chunyan and her companions had gone to the dock to sell noodles, not only were the idle men surprised, but even the sugar water old lady and Fang Niangzi were shocked.

"How can they sell noodles? Everyone knows how to make noodles, so it must be hard to sell."

The sugar water old lady was worried, unlike the tofu and jelly tofu, which were new and not expensive, attracting many willing buyers.

But noodles, everyone could make at home, so why spend money outside?

Even though many people now hired idle men to deliver takeout, the thrifty sugar water old lady wouldn't spend the money.

Mrs. Zhang was also worried, but she didn't show it on her face. She just let Erlang take some baked buns from Fang Niangzi and sat aside, looking like a landlord with her legs crossed, looking around.

After chatting with Fang Niangzi for a while, she found her too dull and not as talkative as Jin Niangzi.

Feeling regretful, she suddenly remembered that Lin Chunyan had asked her to find the innkeeper of Clear Breeze Building to sell the chestnut cakes.

On the way, Mrs. Zhang had argued with Lin Chunyan over this. Mrs. Zhang thought the price offered by Mr. Huang was too low, less by dozens of copper coins, and it would be better to sell them herself.

Lin Chunyan, however, said that the chestnut cakes were expensive and might not sell, ending up unsold.

Neither of them could convince the other, and they parted unhappily.

Thinking about this now, Mrs. Zhang took out the chestnut cakes and called out a few times.

She would try selling them this way, and if they didn't sell by afternoon, she would go to Mr. Huang.

Hu Xiaolang's appetite had recovered recently, and he was sent straight to the academy by the beautiful woman, unable to leave easily.

He and Wang Xiaolang had always lived in luxury and found the food at the academy hard to swallow, suffering every day.

Today was the Mid-Autumn holiday, and the two of them, without their servants, headed straight for the restaurant.

Hu Xiaolang still thought about the meat bun, the delicious food made by the young lady from the Lin family, which really suited his taste and made him think of it often.

Speaking of the Roujiamo, many taverns tried to replicate its success but always fell short of Lin Chunyan's version.

Young Master Wang entered the tavern and immediately ordered the Zhajiangmian, not minding if Young Master Hu would tease him.

"I had my kitchen maid learn from Li Dainiang’s daughter, whom you’ve tasted her dishes before. She does well with other dishes, but the Zhajiangmian just doesn’t taste the same, it’s really quite tempting."

Young Master Hu laughed, "I told you long ago, if you want that Zhajiangmian, just invite Lin Chunyan to your place. Why go through all this trouble?"

Young Master Wang shook his head, "Last time I boasted, and I don’t mind you laughing at me, but inviting Lin Chunyan makes me feel inferior. I don’t believe our kitchen maid can’t make it, she’s been trying hard too."

The tavern waiter naturally recognized them. Though they were only in this small town, they could return to the Imperial City at any moment and become unreachable nobles.

He bowed low and said, "My apologies, Young Masters, we don’t have Zhajiangmian here. How about calling for Wang Xianhan?"

Young Master Wang didn’t respond, casually ordering something else, ignoring Young Master Hu’s silly smile.

After laughing enough, Young Master Hu eagerly ate the Roujiamo that Wang Xianhan had brought over.

Wang Xianhan didn’t rush to leave, and indeed, Young Master Hu gave him a tip and asked if the stall was busy.

Though young, he spoke formally, clearly educated, showing a childlike side only when it came to food. Wang Xianhan responded even more respectfully.

"Today, it wasn’t Lin Chunyan, but her mother who came. She sells the same things, plus some chestnut cakes."

Hearing about the chestnut cakes, Young Master Hu’s eyes lit up, and he took out a few copper coins, "Go buy some for me, and be quick about it."

He feared that if he waited too long, they might run out.

Wang Xianhan, who had bought many things from Lin Chunyan’s stall, knew this well and hurried off.

Sure enough, there were already many people gathered around. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t for the chestnut cakes; Mrs. Zhang was arguing with someone.

Seeing the chestnut cakes still available, he didn’t rush to buy them but stood listening for a while.

It turned out that after Mrs. Zhang put out the chestnut cakes, a man with a child passed by and noticed them. Finding their unique shape appealing, he wanted to buy some.

Upon learning that each cake cost three copper coins, he thought it too expensive and told the child that these were just wild chestnuts from the mountains, not very tasty.

He then accused Mrs. Zhang of being greedy, saying that wild things from the mountains shouldn’t be sold so expensively.

Mrs. Zhang, unwilling to take this, placed her hands on her hips and argued, "If you can’t afford it, say it’s too expensive. Do you know how much work goes into picking the chestnuts, shelling them, and cooking them? The dough is made from white flour and uses a lot of oil!"

The man ignored her and spat on the ground, "What a swindler!"

Mrs. Zhang, furious, tried to push away the man who was holding her back and lunged at him.

The commotion drew a crowd.

The other vendors naturally sided with Mrs. Zhang, but the cakes were indeed expensive, and they didn’t know how to intervene.

Hearing the man call Mrs. Zhang old, the sugar syrup vendor was displeased, "Business is business. If you want to buy, buy; no need to argue. Why can’t an old woman sell things?"

Fearing the noise would attract the authorities, the man grumbled and left, pulling his crying child along.

Mrs. Zhang spat at him, sat down, still angry, and decided to pack up the chestnut cakes.

Seeing this, Wang Xianhan quickly stepped forward to buy four chestnut cakes.

Mrs. Zhang waved her hand, "Not selling these cakes anymore. We’ll just deliver them to Clear Breeze Building; it’s easier and less trouble."

She regretted not listening to Lin Chunyan and enduring such humiliation.

After much persuasion, Wang Xianhan managed to take four cakes back and recounted the incident to Young Master Hu.

Young Master Hu, not short of money, didn’t understand why they argued, but found the story amusing. He simply took a bite of the chestnut cake.

The outer layer was crispy, and the chestnut flavor was rich and dense, making him exclaim how delicious it was.

Seeing Young Master Hu enjoy it, Young Master Wang also took one, intending to just taste it, but finished it in a few bites and reached for another.

Young Master Hu watched as he took the cake, swallowed what was in his mouth, and grabbed the last one on the table.

"Wang, how can you be like this? If you wanted more, why didn’t you ask someone to buy more earlier?"

Young Master Wang didn’t speak, finished the cake, and said he had to leave early due to family matters, as if something was chasing him.

With the last cake remaining, Young Master Hu didn’t want to eat it right away and planned to take it home for his mother.

But he hadn’t had enough, so he went to the stall again and found that the chestnuts were gone, all sent to Clear Breeze Building. He headed there.

To his surprise, upon entering Clear Breeze Building, he saw Young Master Wang inside.

They both felt awkward, especially Young Master Wang, who wished he could cover his face with his sleeve.

Manager Huang was delighted; these items had just arrived, and he was worried about selling them. In just a short time, Young Master Wang had come to buy all the chestnut cakes.

Manager Huang had already packed them, and Young Master Hu approached with a half-smile, "Are there any chestnut cakes left?"

Manager Huang naturally shook his head, and Young Master Hu looked at Young Master Wang, "Wang, can you spare half for me?"

Young Master Wang inwardly groaned; he didn’t want to, but since he had already lost face, losing the cakes wouldn’t make it worse.

After all, he had eaten two pieces from Hu Xiaolangjun, so Wang Xiaolangjun waved his hand, reluctantly giving up half of what he had.

Back home, Wang Xiaolangjun lost the composure he displayed outside, proudly presenting the items to his grandmother.

He had grown up by his grandmother's side since childhood. Although there were naturally people from the Wang family holding high offices in the Imperial City, the old residence was here, and he never thought of moving there.

Grandmother was old and particularly fond of soft foods. Despite the simple packaging, Old Lady Wang still took one to eat.

It was to save face for Wang Xiaolangjun.

But who knew that after taking a bite, the chestnut cake turned out to be quite good. She immediately praised it and finished the remaining piece.

Wang Xiaolangjun, feeling proud, told her about the incident with Hu Xiaolangjun over the chestnut cakes, "I don’t know how he will talk about me behind my back. I’ll have to stay at home for a few days until the fuss dies down before going out again."

Old Lady Wang pointed at him and laughed heartily, then hugged him and kissed him for a while before letting go.

"You love eating the most. Next time, just use my name. This young lady’s cooking isn’t much worse than our Li Niangzi! But loving food is nothing to be ashamed of. We’re not like the Hus, who have strict rules. They plan to return to the Imperial City, so they manage Hu Xiaolangjun even more tightly, criticizing every bite he takes."

There was more to this story. Old Lady Wang, having lived a lifetime as a shrewd person, knew the ins and outs of the Imperial City despite living in the old residence.

Other things aside, both Hu Xiaolangjun and his mother were worth associating with. It was just his father, who came from an obscure background, married into a high-ranking family, and now acted as if he had flown up to the treetops, putting on airs and graces.

When they came to this town, his wife didn’t show any disdain, but he put on a show every day, as if afraid that others wouldn’t know he had become an official.

And after completing his mourning period, he would certainly try to advance further, though it was unknown what methods he would use.

The praise for Lin Chunyan was overheard by a servant in the house, and one of the chatty ones relayed it to Li Niangzi in the kitchen.

Li Niangzi was known for her excellent culinary skills, and many guests who visited their home would praise her dishes.

Li Niangzi’s teacher, Li Dainiang, was originally a cook for a prominent family in the Imperial City, famous for her cooking skills far and wide.

Later, for reasons unknown, she offended someone and sought refuge with the Wangs, adopting Li Niangzi as a goddaughter and passing on all her skills.

Upon hearing Old Lady Wang’s words, Li Niangzi’s first reaction was that the person who could make such delicious food must be that young lady from the Lin family.

She learned about this young lady from the Lin family because Wang Xiaolangjun had gone to visit the Hus and came back demanding fried sauce noodles.

Old Lady Wang, doting on him, naturally asked Li Niangzi to make them. Though Li Niangzi had never made them before, she didn’t think it would be difficult. Fried sauce noodles, she reasoned, must involve some kind of sauce.

She followed Wang Xiaolangjun’s description, but when he tasted them, he said it wasn’t the right flavor.

"That street vendor, the young lady from the Lin family, puts in finely sliced vegetables and uses a very tasty sauce."

This was the first time Li Niangzi faced a setback. She locked herself in the kitchen for several days, trying different recipes, but none were satisfactory.

Being a competitive person, she kept trying, noting down each attempt.

Before she could perfect the fried sauce noodles, she heard about the chestnut cakes made by the young lady from the Lin family, which left a bitter taste in her mouth.

How could a country girl, without any formal training, make such delicious food?

Li Niangzi took a leave and went to the market where the Lin family’s stall was, intending to buy something to taste.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Zhang was there, and Li Niangzi, not seeing anyone, felt disappointed. Then she heard that they were selling noodles at the dock, and her heart raced.

She wondered if they would sell the fried sauce noodles.

Seeing Lin Erlang already working, Mrs. Zhang, unfamiliar with the others like Auntie Tangshui, decided to go to the dock to see Lin Chunyan.

Lin Erlang also missed Lin Chunyan and wondered how their business was doing, being their first day.

Mrs. Zhang walked a few steps and then returned, worried that Lin Erlang might pocket the money. She sternly reminded him that she kept track of everything, and if any money was missing, she wouldn’t dare use him again.

Her serious expression frightened Lin Erlang, who quickly assured her, finally putting her at ease.

By mid-morning, the fragrant pan-fried tofu made by Lin Taohong attracted many customers, making the stall bustling with activity.

As the temperature rose, more people came to buy chilled tofu for refreshment, some preferring sweet broth and others salty broth, keeping everyone busy.

Before mealtime, few people came to buy noodles, only the morning merchant Mr. Wang and a few others. Lin Taohong, finding a moment, comforted Lin Chunyan, telling her not to worry.

"If it doesn’t work out, we can focus on selling the pan-fried tofu and chilled tofu. Even if the noodles don’t sell, we won’t lose much."

Lin Chunyan chuckled, teasing her, "Alright, then you’ll be the breadwinner from now on."

Lin Taohong, feeling proud, began to imagine how she would spend the money she earned, starting with building a house where only she and Lin Chunyan would sleep, and Wang Yingniang would stay in the old room, preventing her from monopolizing Lin Chunyan.

Lost in her happy thoughts, she wished she could save more copper coins right away. However, at noon, when workers took their break, the number of people buying noodles suddenly increased, one after another.

Lin Taohong: ...

She felt her beautiful dream shatter instantly, feeling like a wilted flower, unable to muster any energy.

Unaware of her thoughts, Lin Chunyan skillfully cooked the noodles, handling the various requests calmly.

Some asked if the noodles were spicy, whether they were wide or thin, and if pickled vegetables were included.

Lin Chunyan answered each question, "A small dish of pickled vegetables is included. If you need more, you can buy two small dishes for an additional coin."

The vegetables in the pickled dish were common, but the salt used for pickling was expensive. If given away freely, these people could eat the pickled vegetables until they were full.

Hu Daqiang, having moved a lot of goods and earned more copper coins today, decided to treat himself to a bowl of noodles.

Looking at the various noodle options, unsure of their flavors, he randomly chose the stewed noodles.

The noodles for the stewed noodles were a bit wider, and the broth was made by stir-frying lamb bones in hot oil until they turned white, with blanched bean sprouts, green vegetables, and tofu threads added.

The steaming noodles, as soon as they were served, drew everyone nearby with their aroma.

Hu Dalang hadn't expected the bowl of noodles to be so fragrant; he couldn't help but sniff deeply as soon as it was handed to him. One didn't even need to taste them to know how delicious they would be.

In winter, a bowl of hot noodles would be even more delightful, and just thinking about it made Hu Dalang's mouth water.

When he finally tasted them, the broth was fresh and rich, the noodles chewy, and even the vegetables and bean sprouts inside were infused with a strong fragrance, making him wish he could keep eating this bowl forever.

A few people squatting nearby, munching on their own flatbreads and cornbread, couldn't resist drooling at the smell.

Some were bold enough to bring their bowls over and ask if they could buy just the pickles.

"I think they're better than what my wife pickles, probably not much worse than those crabs and snails."

Lin Chunyan naturally sold them, while Lin Taohong, who had nothing else to do, packed a portion of pickles for them.

The pickles that Lin Chunyan started making after she arrived included cucumbers, green beans, eggplants, radishes, and mustard greens, with the most being pickled bamboo shoots.

Recently, Lin Chunyan asked Lin Erlang to help her gather some peanuts, which, after being roasted, added an extra layer of flavor to the mix.

This person took a bit of everything, and for one coin, he got a large bowl, which he enjoyed with his bread, creating a whole new taste.

"Just as good as those crabs and snails for a meal!"

More importantly, these pickles were cheaper than those other items.

Besides, he couldn't finish it all in one sitting, so he could take the leftovers home.

Zhao Xiaoliu saw this and also bought a bowl of pickles.

This was Zhao Xiaoliu's first time buying something. When Mrs. Zhang was around, he had heard about it but never spent money on it.

His family was different from others; his elderly mother had been seriously ill for a long time, and all the money he earned went to medicine, leaving no room for food or clothing.

Seeing that he didn't have a bowl, Lin Taohong gave him one from her stall and reminded him to return it.

Even a rough bowl cost one coin.

"Definitely," Zhao Xiaoliu carefully held the bowl, surprised that Lin Taohong had added a bit of everything, making one coin worth a large bowl.

Without tables and chairs, many people squatted, and Lin Chunyan noticed several traveling merchants hesitating because there was no place to sit.

They needed to get the tables and chairs ready quickly.

When Mrs. Zhang arrived, she was startled to see so many people squatting, but then her face lit up with a smile.

She washed her hands under Lin Chunyan's urging and wanted to help make the fried tofu, but Lin Taohong refused.

"Mother, don't you see all those bowls still need washing? Wash those first."

"Why don't you wash them yourself and tell me to do it?" Mrs. Zhang was unhappy, glancing at the money box.

Lin Chunyan snapped the box shut, preventing her from seeing inside.

Mrs. Zhang looked embarrassed and mentioned the chestnut cake sales earlier.

"That man couldn't afford it and said our prices were too high, truly despicable."

Thinking about it now, Mrs. Zhang was still angry.

Lin Chunyan glanced at her, "I told you before to deliver the goods directly to Clear Breeze Building. Why go through this trouble?"

"But I thought we could sell them ourselves."

"Is Erlang Brother there, can he handle it?" Lin Chunyan asked Mrs. Zhang, worried.

"He can do anything, why worry? We can't let him take the money for nothing." Mrs. Zhang waved her hand, sounding somewhat proud, "I told him, if he keeps the money, he won't be allowed to come back."

Lin Chunyan could only comply and asked Mrs. Zhang to help wash the dishes.

Finally, in the late afternoon, they had sold almost everything they brought, but Lin Erlang hadn't shown up, so they had to push the cart to look for him.

Lin Erlang hadn't finished selling and didn't want to leave, hoping to stay a bit longer to sell more.

"Erlang Brother, let's go home."

Lin Chunyan greeted the sugar syrup old lady, "We still have a lot of work to do at home."

Only then did Lin Erlang start packing up and pushing the cart away.

The sugar syrup old lady, upon seeing her, examined the cart carefully and praised, "Not bad, selling just noodles would be fine too."

She asked how the noodle sales were going, and when she heard they had sold quite a bit, she was amazed.

"I thought these noodles wouldn't sell well, but anything you touch turns out better than others."

Even far away, the sugar syrup old lady kept talking about the noodle sales, praising Lin Chunyan's skills.

"Clearly, she has a bright future ahead. No matter what, she won't starve."

Someone chimed in, "If someone marries her, it's like getting a gold brick."

The words passed by, but the sugar syrup old man took them to heart.

Thinking about his grandson, who was about the same age as Lin Chunyan and a scholar, he believed he had a bright future.

But born into such a family, relying solely on selling drinks, it was uncertain whether he could support his grandson to become a scholar.

Although Lin Chunyan setting up a stall to support his studies was commendable, once his grandson passed the exams, she would become a scholar's wife, a step up that many dreamed of.

The old sugar water vendor pondered for a while and concluded that there was no better solution. However, he didn't mention it to anyone, deciding to consult his son and daughter-in-law first.

Uncle Zhang was a simple and honest man. Ever since he had brought two bags of grain to visit Aunt Zhang, he had been worried about them starving again.

But he also knew that with so many children at home, Hu Shi would never agree to give more grain to help them.

Last time, when he brought two bags of flour, Hu Shi had a fight with him on the spot. He felt guilty and couldn't even defend himself.

Those bloody marks took a long time to fade away.

One day, after returning from the fields, Hu Shi brought up Aunt Zhang's situation on her own initiative.

"I heard your eldest sister is running a stall at the wharf, and it’s doing quite well." Her tone was sour as she spoke.

Uncle Zhang didn’t believe it. He and Aunt Zhang had grown up together; they were only a year apart. From a young age, Aunt Zhang had always been lazy and gluttonous, making her work seemed like a fairy tale.

"Don’t tell me you’ve mistaken someone. You know what kind of person my eldest sister is."

At first, Hu Shi didn’t believe it either. Someone had come to her before, but she had sent them away.

Today, another person came and spoke convincingly, making Hu Shi half-believe it.

Lin Chunyan’s cooking was truly delicious. She had only eaten one meal there, but she still remembered it fondly.

"Why don’t we go and take a look someday?"

This made Uncle Zhang forget about eating. He looked at Hu Shi in disbelief, "Are you serious?"

"What’s not true about it?" Hu Shi was unhappy, "Let’s get this straight: if we go this time, don’t bring any grain. Last time, your sister-in-law went without anything, even bringing Dabao along."

Uncle Zhang disagreed, "That’s different. I’m the eldest, and they are still young."

Hu Shi got angry and pinched Uncle Zhang’s waist, "You stubborn ox!"

Since they had decided to go, Uncle Zhang asked Uncle Zhang Xiaojie and the others. Ma Shi wasn’t keen on going, remembering how Aunt Zhang had spoken about Dabao last time.

Uncle Zhang didn’t force them. If they didn’t want to go, he would take his own children instead, borrowing a cart and arriving before noon.

On the way, Hu Shi’s three children kept asking questions. They rarely came to Aunt Zhang’s place, but they remembered her as a carefree and irresponsible person.

Zhang Xiaomei didn’t want to come, but Uncle Zhang insisted, saying Lin Chunyan’s cooking skills were excellent and that she should learn from her.

Hu Shi didn’t argue with this, but Zhang Xiaomei huffed and muttered under her breath, "Who doesn’t know a bit about cooking? Why does she have to show off, making it seem like a special skill."

Before even seeing Lin Chunyan, she felt that her cousin was just trying to attract attention, just like Aunt Zhang, and was not very likable.

Zhang Niuli, who doted on his sister, also developed a negative opinion of Lin Chunyan when he saw Zhang Xiaomei’s dislike.

When they arrived at Green Mountain Village, they headed straight for Lin Chunyan’s house. There were few people in the village who could afford a cart, so their arrival attracted a lot of attention. People gathered and whispered, wondering who the visitors were.

Some children ran behind the cart, with Dog Egg and Blacky leading the way. When the cart stopped in front of Lin Chunyan’s house and several people got out, the children scattered.

Wang Yingniang heard the commotion and came out from the kitchen to open the door. Thinking it might be someone from the village buying food, she was taken aback by Uncle Zhang’s dark face, which was unfamiliar to her.

Uncle Zhang and Hu Shi were both startled, unsure who this woman was. But Zhang Xiaomei quickly asked, "Who are you? Where are my aunt and uncle?"

Wang Yingniang didn’t let them in, "I’m here to help with the work. Are you looking for Yan Niang?"

Hu Shi explained their identity, exchanging a glance with Uncle Zhang, confirming her suspicion.

Neighboring Aunt Zhao, hearing the noise, came over to see what was happening. Recognizing Uncle Zhang, Wang Yingniang finally let them in.

Once in the courtyard, Uncle Zhang noticed that it had changed significantly since his last visit.

A new kitchen had been built on one side, and an unknown fragrance wafted from it. The back door was locked, and he wondered what was inside.

Wang Yingniang didn’t know how to entertain them, fumbling around before fetching some stools from the house and picking some snails and crabs.

"I heard my eldest sister has a stall at the wharf. Is that true?" Hu Shi pulled Wang Yingniang to sit down, eager to find out more.

Wang Yingniang, unsure of their intentions, remained silent like a sawn-off gourd.

After Dog Egg and Blacky dispersed, they exchanged glances and ran to the second branch of the Lin family, informing them.

When Aunt Lin Er and Uncle Lin Er heard the news, they dropped their hoes and hurried over.

"Just heard a cart came to the village, wondering who the distinguished guests were. It turns out it’s you, elder brother. We’re sorry for not knowing earlier."

Aunt Lin Er was a smooth talker, and even Hu Shi had to force a polite smile.

"We’re just worried about our eldest sister and came to check on her."

"You should have," Uncle Lin Er sat down with Uncle Zhang, chatting about the fields before Hu Shi asked about the stall again.

"It’s true," Aunt Lin Er knew she couldn’t hide it, "Otherwise, the three of them wouldn’t have a way to survive. They have to go to the wharf every day to earn a living."

Hearing this, Uncle Zhang felt a pang of regret for not coming sooner.

But Hu Shi didn’t believe it. Looking at the new additions to the courtyard and the maid helping in the kitchen, she doubted they were just earning a hard-earned living.

They must have struck it rich!

Hu Shi was quick-witted. Observing her three children, who had initially resisted the trip but now hadn’t lifted their heads from the snails and crabs, she realized something.

Even Zhang Xiaomei, who had been skeptical of Lin Chunyan’s claims, couldn’t say anything after tasting the food.

In her heart, she grumbled that these dishes didn’t seem too difficult to make and that she might be able to sell them too.

After a while, Hu Shi nudged Uncle Zhang, "Why don’t we go to the wharf and find our eldest sister? If she needs help, we can lend a hand."

"You’ve come from so far away; how could I let you make another trip? My Erlang is helping out nearby, and he can take care of things."

Uncle Lin only realized he had let the cat out of the bag after a moment, noticing Hu Shi and Uncle Zhang exchanging glances, and Aunt Lin pinching his waist. He could only awkwardly shut his mouth.

Uncle Zhang didn’t think much of it, only feeling that the people in Uncle Lin’s family were quite nice, knowing to help their niece.

"Erlang is a steady boy, and it’s good to have him around."

But when he saw Hu Shi’s expression change, he belatedly realized something and kept quiet.

The two men lowered their heads and stopped talking, while Aunt Lin and Hu Shi exchanged pleasantries half-heartedly, each with their own thoughts.

Zhang Manliang, with his lively personality, finished the snails and crabs and started looking around the kitchen.

"Miss, do you happen to have any more of these snacks?"

Seeing Wang Yingniang working inside, he took an empty plate and walked to the kitchen window, not entering but standing on tiptoe to ask.

Wang Yingniang was startled and quickly stood up. Knowing who these people were—relatives of Lin Chunyan—she dared not be rude and hurriedly said she had more, then brought out some bean curd and even mixed a few bowls of jelly tofu.

"This child." Hu Shi gently scolded, her face turning red as more dishes were brought out.

Apart from the bean curd and tofu skin, which they had never tasted before, there were also the jelly tofu with its savory sauce, both visually appealing and delicious.

Aunt Lin and Uncle Lin also tried a few bites and invited them to have lunch at their place.

"Just some simple home-cooked dishes, ah, my cooking isn’t very good, so don’t mind if it tastes bad."

Uncle Zhang couldn’t refuse and was half-pulled, half-dragged to their house by Uncle Lin.

Hu Shi lagged behind, whispering to Zhang Xiaomei, "I told you, your sister’s cooking is amazing."

Zhang Xiaomei, though inwardly convinced, still wouldn’t admit it, huffing, "Anyone can make that."

After finishing her stall, Lin Chunyan learned that Uncle Zhang and the others had arrived.

Mrs. Zhang’s heart leaped with joy, and her steps quickened.

Now, apart from the copper coins, the only thing that gave her a sense of security was her relatives from her hometown.

Wang Yingniang breathed a sigh of relief when they returned, first telling them about serving the snails and crabs, then mentioning they had gone to Aunt Lin’s for lunch.

Without waiting for her to finish, Mrs. Zhang hurried off, while Lin Chunyan reassured Wang Yingniang not to be so nervous and checked the food she had prepared.

"Don’t tell me you stayed in the kitchen all day?" Lin Chunyan asked.

Whenever Wang Yingniang got into the kitchen to experiment with recipes, she would stay there all day, despite being reminded several times.

Wang Yingniang stuck out her tongue sheepishly and quickly changed the subject, smiling as she showed Lin Chunyan her work.

"I tried it, and it tastes pretty good."

Lin Chunyan leaned in to look; the tofu was already shredded and smelled slightly pungent.

"How can this be eaten?"

Lin Taohong covered her nose, "If you really make this, no one will buy my pan-fried tofu."

Wang Yingniang had her doubts but trusted Lin Chunyan completely, doing whatever she suggested.

"We’ll see."

Lin Chunyan rolled up her sleeves. The idea of eating stinky tofu had come up a few days ago, and she had mentioned it to Wang Yingniang. They began to experiment, and today they could finally taste it.

The best state for stinky tofu is when it has developed a light yellow color with a slight sticky coating.

Neither Lin Taohong nor Wang Yingniang left, watching as Lin Chunyan cut the moldy tofu into small pieces, heated the oil, and fried it. The tofu, for some reason, developed bubbles when fried and turned golden brown in no time.

The air still carried a faint odor, causing Mrs. Zhang, who had just brought Uncle Zhang and the others over, to frown.

"What is this? Is it spoiled? Or did someone fry a cesspool?" Zhang Xiaomei covered her nose, her brows furrowed tightly. She had eaten a lot at noon and now felt like vomiting from the smell.

Didn’t they say Lin Chunyan could cook? How could such a smell come from her kitchen?

Mrs. Zhang, who valued her reputation, felt embarrassed by the comment, "She might be trying out a new dish."

Even she didn’t fully believe what she said, let alone the others. Zhang Xiaomei, blunt as ever, remarked, "Is this new dish supposed to smell like a latrine? Who would buy it?"

Zhang Niuli and Zhang Manliang looked equally shocked, quickly finding a spot out of the wind to catch their breath.

Mrs. Zhang didn’t argue further with Zhang Xiaomei, walking a few steps to the kitchen door, intending to ask Lin Chunyan to remove the item.

Peering inside, Mrs. Zhang was stunned. The three young women were enjoying the stinky tofu, passing pieces back and forth, laughing and chatting.

After the fried stinky tofu was drained, it was drizzled with a pre-prepared sauce, sprinkled with green onions and cilantro, and ready to eat.

At first, Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang hesitated, but Lin Chunyan picked up a piece with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.

It was slightly pungent at first, but soon a wonderful aroma filled her mouth. The tofu, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, had a slight chewiness and a smooth texture, enhanced by the well-seasoned sauce, creating layers of flavors.

Seeing her enjoy it so much, Lin Taohong couldn’t resist, "Sister, don’t trick us."

"Trick you with what?" Lin Chunyan picked up another piece and ate it.

Seeing her do this, Lin Taohong no longer hesitated, taking a piece and eating it with a determined expression.