Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Seeing him like this, Lin Xiaoniang couldn't help but laugh again, pushing the bowl of stinky tofu forward for him to pick up a few more pieces.

The enthusiastic Liu Merchant found it hard to keep up.

After he finished eating, he asked Lin Taohong to make another serving of stinky tofu, as a way to return the favor to this young lady.

"In the past, I never came to your town, only hearing that the fish soup was delicious, but I didn't expect there to be so many good foods now, and the people are so warm."

Liu Merchant sighed while speaking. Having traveled far and wide, he had seen many human affairs, yet he felt particularly comfortable in this town.

Putting aside these things, Liu Merchant remembered what he wanted to discuss with Lin Chunyan and quickly responded, "It's not just the bean curd, but the bean skin jelly and stinky tofu from your place are also very tasty. If you could sell more to me, it would benefit both of us."

Someone behind was unhappy, "Why mention all those foods, why not talk about the crabs and small snails? Those two are my favorites. No matter how many other good foods there are, they can't surpass the snails."

Someone nearby disagreed, "Oh, you speak first. Didn't you hear that Liu Merchant didn't mention the meat buns? Are meat buns not delicious? Just now, when all those foods were mentioned, why didn't he mention our meat buns?"

Someone agreed with him, "I also think the meat buns are the best, but they're expensive. To eat them, I work much harder than usual."

Liu Merchant was almost sweating profusely from their comments, bowing repeatedly to them.

Seeing him like this, Lin Chunyan chuckled, "There are some things we can cooperate on selling, like the bean curd and bean skin, which can be stored well."

"But things like the jelly tofu are hard to preserve, making it difficult to collaborate on those."

Liu Merchant was a bit disappointed. He had forgotten that he initially came just for the bean curd, but now he wished to take everything back.

He hadn't heard them talk about any food he hadn't tried before.

After discussing the details, several brothers from the escort agency came over, greeted Lin Chunyan and her group, ordered their noodles, and then ran to Sun Anyuan's table.

"Brother Yuan, you're really not being fair, leaving us behind and coming here to eat first."

"Yeah, today you have to treat us, we must feast on you."

Sun Anyuan wasn't angry; he just watched them laugh and play.

Lin Taohong came to help cook the noodles. She had learned for a long time to master the skills, as there were many nuances. Some noodles needed to be cooked longer, others needed to be fished out immediately, and some had to be rinsed with cold water, which was quite troublesome.

Lin Chunyan fished out the noodles, added various sauces and condiments, and served them, along with a few cold dishes.

"Lin Xiaoniang, give me some pickled vegetables, and more seaweed threads."

"I'll have the bamboo shoots, mustard greens, and peanuts. When I leave, pack some for me to enjoy with wine at home."

Lin Chunyan agreed to all their requests. They picked up their chopsticks without fear of the heat and started eating.

Liu Merchant's stomach was already full from the jelly tofu and stinky tofu, and after tasting the bean skin, his eyes lit up again when he saw the pickled vegetables.

This should be easy to store.

He asked Lin Taohong for chopsticks and picked a small plate of each.

Dazhuang, seeing this man lingering around Lin Chunyan, asked Sun Anyuan, "Who is this person, Brother Yuan?"

Sun Anyuan replied, "He's from the city, wanting to buy some goods from Lin Xiaoniang."

Dazhuang nodded, noticing that Sun Anyuan didn't leave after eating, and asked curiously, "There's still a lot to do at the escort agency. You don't need to wait for us. We'll settle the bill later, and you can pay for it."

Sun Anyuan shook his head helplessly, "I'll go settle the bill first."

Lin Chunyan had already calculated the bill. Regular customers knew that besides her excellent cooking skills, she was also very good at accounting.

Unlike other accountants who needed an abacus, she could calculate the bill in her head after a few mental calculations.

Lin Chunyan announced the total, and Sun Anyuan picked up some snacks to take away, paying for everything.

Liu Merchant had already discussed the supply arrangements with Lin Chunyan, agreeing not to take too much at once. Every five or six days, someone would come to pick up the goods, and the price would be slightly cheaper than what they paid.

After settling these matters, Liu Merchant walked back with a full stomach, carrying the pickled vegetables.

Salt was expensive, and these pickled vegetables were valuable. Their taste was better than anything he had tried, especially the ones the unnamed escort man requested, perfect for drinking.

After Lin Taohong and the others left, they asked, "Can we produce enough for what they want?"

They didn't know how well Zhang Dajiu was selling. If his sales were good, they would need to produce more.

Lin Chunyan was also considering this. With business improving and more customers buying, they couldn't afford to lose their income due to insufficient supply.

Winter was approaching, and business at the dock would definitely decline, especially if there was heavy snow, making it uncertain whether they could even come out.

With a cart, she wanted to open a small food shop, at least avoiding the daily hassle of moving things and walking long distances.

However, property prices in town were high. A two-story house was out of the question, and even a shop with a yard near the street was expensive.

If they couldn't set up a stall in winter, she needed to think ahead about how to earn more money. With such a business opportunity, she couldn't let it slip away.

Thinking about this, she returned home to find Mrs. Zhang talking animatedly.

Lin Ercun and Sun Niangzi were nodding and working beside her, while she looked like a wealthy landlord.

Mrs. Zhang was envisioning a better future. With the cart bought and more savings, they could buy a little maid who would listen to her, unlike Wang Yingniang. Then her good days would truly begin.

Lin Ercun and Sun Niangzi knew her well. In the past, she often boasted about how well Lin Laoda treated her, bringing her tea and washing her feet, protecting her body, and not having more children like Yunyun.

But then Lin Laoda ran off with another woman, and Mrs. Zhang was slapping herself in the face.

As they were thinking, Mrs. Zhang suddenly stopped talking, picked up the basin of washed vegetables, and hurried into the kitchen.

Looking again, it turned out to be Lin Chunyan and the others returning.

Lin Chunyan called out to Mrs. Zhang with a half-smile, "Mother, are you tired today? After all that talking, I bet your throat is dry."

Mrs. Zhang chuckled awkwardly, "Not at all, I just rested for a while. I was working hard before. Don't believe me? Ask Aunt Lin."

As she spoke, she gave Aunt Lin a meaningful look, hoping she would help her out.

However, Lin Chunyan didn’t ask Aunt Lin. She simply put down the things and told Mrs. Zhang to hurry up and take out the beans to grind.

"We still have some at home. Didn't you say we should make less?"

"Oh, Mother, you don't know. We made a big deal today. The people came from the provincial city and specifically asked for our bean curd."

She then explained the details, and Mrs. Zhang listened, slapping her thighs in excitement. "I remember that. The maid was particularly pretty and clever, and she bought quite a bit of my bean curd, saying it was for their seasick young lady."

This had happened only a couple of days after they set up the stall, but Mrs. Zhang remembered it clearly.

She never expected to hear news about the young lady and the maid after so long.

"That means we need to make more!"

On their way back, Lin Chunyan and Erlang went to the general store and bought a stone mill.

This stone mill was very useful; nothing could be done without it.

When Aunt Lin heard about the big deal, she was also delighted and helped pick out the soybeans and start grinding them.

Indeed, many hands make light work. Wang Yingniang was making jelly tofu in the backyard, while Lin Taohong was making bean curd and bean skin in the courtyard. These two were handling most of the bean business now.

Lin Chunyan naturally wouldn’t let them down. Besides their daily wages, she promised to give them a share of the profits.

The two worked even harder as a result.

While they were busy, there was suddenly a commotion at the door, and Little Hei kept barking.

Mrs. Zhang hurried out to see who it was and exclaimed, "Why are you here?"

It turned out to be her younger brother, Zhang Xiaojie, who started crying when he saw Mrs. Zhang.

"Big Sister, Big Brother and his family have gone back and started selling tofu. Since I’m your brother, why didn’t you tell me about this?"

In terms of being quick-witted, he was much better than the dull-headed Big Brother, wasn’t he?

Mrs. Zhang felt a bit embarrassed. The reason she let Big Brother do the business was Lin Chunyan’s idea. She wanted to sell the tofu to places farther away, and secondly, she was a bit angry with Zhang Xiaojie.

But Big Brother still came to check on him, while Zhang Xiaojie and his wife never showed their faces, which made her sad.

Zhang Xiaojie guessed what Mrs. Zhang was thinking and, after shedding some tears, explained why he hadn’t come earlier. "I really couldn’t get away. Dabao has been having diarrhea, and he’s our only son. How could we not worry?"

Mrs. Zhang didn’t have a particularly good impression of Dabao. He was spoiled and unruly, and he even urinated in her room.

She didn’t want to say anything bad about Dabao, so she only asked if he was better. "If he’s not better, you should take him to see a doctor. Children shouldn’t get sick these days."

Who could disagree? All the mothers in the courtyard knew how hard it was to raise children, and each one was a challenge.

Lin Chunyan hadn’t returned from Goudan’s house yet, where she was supposed to entrust him with something.

Mrs. Zhang had no choice but to pull Zhang Xiaojie into the courtyard, gave him some food, and told him to eat something to fill his stomach.

How could Zhang Xiaojie eat with his mind full of thoughts about Big Brother’s business? He wanted to do it too!

But as long as his niece wasn’t back, Mrs. Zhang wouldn’t agree. He understood that Lin Chunyan was now in charge of everything, even the once assertive Mrs. Zhang had to step back.

Lin Chunyan went to Goudan’s house to ask them for a favor. She needed a lot of hawthorns for the sweet brine in her jelly tofu.

Hawthorns could be used to make many delicious dishes.

There were only a few wild hawthorn trees on the mountain nearby, and the village children fought over them, leaving very few behind.

When Zhao Linglan and her sister heard Lin Chunyan’s request, their eyes widened. "How can we do that? If you need hawthorns, we’ll go up the mountain and find more. Don’t talk about paying us."

They were now close friends and spoke freely.

Lin Chunyan calmed them down, "I need more than just a few. Hawthorns will be very useful in the future, and they store well. We need to gather as many as possible now."

The sisters exchanged glances, and Zhao Zilan spoke first. "If you need a lot, there won’t be enough on our side of the mountain. My grandmother’s side grows hawthorns, and there are many on the mountain. We might have to go there."

Lin Chunyan nodded with a smile. "That’s exactly what I was thinking. Last time when we picked hawthorns, you two mentioned it, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since."

When Goudan’s parents returned from the fields, Lin Chunyan explained her request again and discussed the price.

Upon hearing this, Goudan’s mother slapped her thigh. "If you need them, I’ll go back to my hometown and collect more. But the price doesn’t need to be so high."

Lin Chunyan shook her head. "I’ve calculated it. Not only is the journey far and time-consuming, but it also takes you away from your farm work, which makes me feel guilty."

Goudan’s parents looked at each other. They weren’t pretentious people and nodded. "We won’t argue with you. Do you have an estimate of how many you need?"

They were worried about collecting too many and not using them all, which would be a waste.

"I don’t have an exact number. We’ll take whatever you can get."

Lin Chunyan’s words were confident, but they were based on careful consideration. Hawthorns could be used to make candied fruit skewers in winter, hawthorn jam, and hawthorn preserves.

There were also hawthorn chips, hawthorn balls, and hawthorn strips, all of which were delicious.

Goudan’s father, understanding the situation, went to the yard to fetch a pole, planning to leave early the next day.

Lin Chunyan left fifty copper coins, not wanting them to spend their own money on gathering hawthorns.

She also mentioned bringing back some fresh food, no matter what kind, "It might come in handy."

Dogdan's father noted everything down, while Dogdan's mother was talking to Lin Chunyan, "I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but I was a bit jealous at first. Your second aunt is your relative, so it's fine, but among the people you invited, there's also Sun Niang."

Dogdan's mother pointed to the two large bruises under her eyes, "I didn't sleep well last night, thinking about this."

Lin Chunyan appreciated her straightforwardness, "I did think of inviting Auntie, but then I remembered you had to find hawthorns, so I put it off."

"I said our families have a good relationship, no worse than yours with Sun Niang. Why did you invite her and not me? It turns out you had something important for me to do."

Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan were giggling nearby, their hands never stopping as they chatted.

Thinking about the tofu she needed to make and how good Zhao Zilan was in the kitchen, she wanted to ask her for help.

Zhao Zilan was naturally delighted, her mouth wide open with joy, "As long as Yan Niang doesn't mind my clumsy hands."

Without consulting Dogdan's mother, Lin Chunyan looked at her, "Do you think it's okay?"

"There's nothing wrong with that. If you trust her, let her help!"

Whether it was ten or twenty coins a day, it was still a significant income!

Zhao Linglan put down the shoe pad, wanting to join in, and pulled Lin Chunyan's hand.

"Why leave me out? My cooking skills may not be as good as yours, but I can still lend a hand."

"I thought it would be better if one or two people stayed home. We can't take everyone from your family to work. It's not that I think your skills are bad; if you want to come, I'd be happy."

This way, only Dogdan's mother and Dogdan would be left idle at home, but there was still plenty of work in the fields and at home.

Zhao Linglan thought for a moment, "That makes sense. I won't go for now. I'll train Dogdan so he can help out."

This time, Dogdan's mother didn't protect him and even offered to help Zhao Linglan discipline him.

"He can't keep avoiding work just because he's a boy."

Zhao Zilan chimed in, "He's the least capable in the family, yet he thinks he can avoid work just because he's a boy. There's no such logic."

Dogdan's mother nodded quickly, "I won't protect him anymore. Whatever you decide to do with him, I'll agree."

Dogdan had no idea his carefree days of chasing chickens and playing with dogs were about to end, and he would soon start working both inside and outside the house.

Uncle Zhang Xiao had been looking around outside. After Aunt Lin Er washed the dried hawthorns and raisins and put them in small jars, today's work was done, and Mrs. Zhang came in to give them the money.

Aunt Lin Er and Sun Niang counted the money again and again, smiling, and walked home with light steps.

Seeing these two women earn so much money in just one day, Uncle Zhang Xiao felt quite conflicted.

The Zhang family really was prospering.

He regretted not coming with Uncle Zhang Da earlier.

After craning his neck for a long time, he finally saw Lin Chunyan return and hurriedly greeted her with a smile, calling her niece.

"Niece." Lin Chunyan wasn't surprised to see him and asked if he had eaten.

See, as long as you cast the line, the fish will bite.

Uncle Zhang Xiao mumbled a few responses and started talking about Uncle Zhang Da selling tofu.

"I can handle this business too."

Thinking of Ma Shi's stern face, Uncle Zhang Xiao steeled himself and said, "Why should only Brother and his family do this?"

Mrs. Zhang listened silently, and Lin Chunyan thought for a moment, her tone calm, "If Uncle wants to do business, I do have an idea."

Uncle Zhang Xiao perked up immediately.

"Big Uncle is already doing this in several villages on your side. It wouldn't be good to have both uncles competing over the same business, which could strain our relationship. However, the town near us hasn't been covered yet."

Before Mr. Liu arrived, she had been thinking about this. Seeing him sell bean curd in the capital city gave her more confidence.

She didn't want to rush into it but planned to start by supplying the nearby towns, hoping to gradually expand.

Uncle Zhang Xiao hesitated, not immediately agreeing.

Mrs. Zhang snorted, "Don't say I don't support you. I've given you an idea, but you're hesitant. You're not as decisive as your brother."

Uncle Zhang Xiao knew Mrs. Zhang's temper; she couldn't stand slowpokes. He bowed, "Sister, Dabao is still young, and I'm worried that running goods back and forth will make life hard for his mother and sisters."

"There's no such thing as a perfect deal where you can take care of your family and make money without any trade-offs."

Mrs. Zhang knew his character; he always listened to his wife and would need to discuss it before making a decision. Since it was late, she decided to let him stay overnight.

There weren't enough rooms, and sleeping on the roof was risky, so he had to sleep on the floor in the kitchen.

Uncle Zhang Xiao didn't sleep well all night, smelling the delicious aromas and realizing Mrs. Zhang was right. If he missed this opportunity, he might lose out completely.

At dawn, Uncle Zhang Xiao rushed home. Ma Shi was eagerly waiting, having heard that Uncle Zhang Da sold the tofu yesterday and went crabbing in the river.

She told the villagers they could exchange crabs for tofu, which attracted more buyers.

Zhang Niuli also set out early with his goods. With Zhang Xiaomei buying tofu the previous day, he felt more confident and called out loudly, offering free samples.

When they reached the neighboring village, the villagers, seeing the peddler with goods, stopped their work and came out of their homes.

Their village was far from the town, so they relied on peddlers for supplies.

"Hey, what are you selling?"

Seeing a young man they didn't recognize, someone stopped Zhang Niuli and asked what he had bought.

Zhang Niuli cut a piece of jelly tofu for them to taste, "This is jelly tofu. You can exchange it for beans or the crabs from the river."

"I've eaten this before."

A man pointed at the jelly tofu, "I went to Hongjia Village a few days ago; they were having a temple fair, and many families made this jelly tofu. Not only does it taste great, but I heard it's also cheap."

These people had already tasted the jelly tofu. Hearing that it was cheap and could be exchanged for soybeans or crabs, they were delighted and quickly swapped all two boards of jelly tofu.

Without needing to go to the next village, Zhang Niuli returned home with a full load, seeing Zhang Xiaomei with a joyful face, he realized that the tofu left at home had also been sold out.

"It sells so well."

"The fermented tofu also sold well, but not as much as the jelly tofu. I think we should bring more jelly tofu next time."

The siblings discussed it, and Zhang Niuli decided to take the crabs and visit Lin Chunyan that day.

It would take half a day to walk there, and he would have to return in the dark, but Zhang Niuli wasn't afraid.

"If we go tomorrow morning, we'll return in the afternoon, losing a day's earnings."

Hu Shi looked at the heavy pile of money in the money box and couldn't bring herself to tell him not to go.

At this rate, within a month, they could earn enough to buy another acre of land.

Then, whether it's for Zhang Niuli's marriage or Zhang Xiaomei's dowry, they could handle it with ease.

Ma Shi finally waited for her brother-in-law to come, ignoring Dabao's cries, she asked first, "What did Elder Sister say?"

Her brother-in-law told Ma Shi about Lin Chunyan's plans. Ma Shi's eyes widened, "She wants you to run goods?"

Her brother-in-law nodded, hesitating to look at Ma Shi, "I thought about it on the way and felt it might not be impossible, but it will be hard on you and Dabao."

Ma Shi couldn't wrap her head around it. She certainly didn't want her brother-in-law to run goods. Men who ran goods would be away for weeks, and no one knew what might happen on the road. They had to endure others' moods, eat poorly, and sleep badly, far from the comfort of home.

Ma Shi held back, but couldn't resist, "Elder Sister is doing this on purpose, thinking only of her eldest brother's family and forgetting we are her relatives too!"

Her brother-in-law didn't dare say anything else, feeling somewhat guilty himself for not even visiting Mrs. Zhang.

After scolding for a while, Ma Shi saw Dabao crying outside and rushed out, not caring what had happened, first telling the children at the gate not to bully Dabao.

Those children usually didn't like playing with Dabao because of his bad temper. He would cry at the slightest provocation, which would always get Ma Shi involved, leading to more scolding for them.

Today, these children were trying to get information from Dabao about the jelly tofu, asking if his family had any.

The villagers were also watching the commotion.

Ma Shi scolded the children, feeling it was pointless, then took Dabao home, telling him to play less with those children.

Dabao squirmed in Ma Shi's arms for a while, then said in a low voice, "Mother, why does Uncle's family have jelly tofu, but we don't? Even Tiezi next door asked me, saying such good things shouldn't be kept from us, fearing we might offend Auntie's family."

Ma Shi was particularly angry when she heard this. She scolded at the door, feeling better, then went inside and pinched Zhang Xiaomei's waist.

"It's all your fault. If not for you, we wouldn't have to suffer like this." Zhang Xiaomei hurriedly bowed and said some flattering words to make Ma Shi happy.

After being angry for a while, Ma Shi thought it through and let Zhang Xiaomei take the job.

Zhang Xiaomei didn't expect her to agree so quickly, feeling both excited and bitter, "It will be hard on you and Dabao."

"That's nothing. We have two women at home who can help with everything."

Zhang Xiaomei didn't rush to Qing Shan Village. He first visited his elder brother, Zhang Da. Seeing him, Zhang Da thought he was there to cause trouble and remained silent with a stern face.

Hu Shi had already warned him not to be soft-hearted and give the business to Zhang Xiaomei.

Just the money earned in one day made Zhang Da count it over and over. His thoughts became more flexible. Even if they were brothers, how could they be closer than their own children?

He understood this logic. Hu Shi, seeing he finally got it, felt relieved.

However, seeing Zhang Xiaomei, Hu Shi's heart still raced, fearing Zhang Da might mess up. She watched closely.

Zhang Xiaomei came to ask Zhang Da to look after the family, "I don't know when I'll be back. Although Ma Shi has a bad temper, she has given birth to my children. If anything happens, please bear with her."

Zhang Da and Hu Shi exchanged glances, surprised by this request.

With this job, Zhang Xiaomei wouldn't keep pestering them. Zhang Da was happy and said many kind words, urging Zhang Xiaomei to work hard for Lin Chunyan.

"Our niece is clearly capable. The things she makes are so delicious that even the most frugal person can't resist buying them."

He was talking about a miser in their village who never spent money on anything. He preferred to store old rice rather than eat it.

But hearing that the jelly tofu was delicious, he tried it and actually spent a copper coin to buy it, surprising everyone.

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaomei laughed and then returned to the main topic, "I understand. I stayed with them yesterday and saw how quickly they improved their life. They built two kitchens and bought a cart."

Even those older than them couldn't do that.

Seeing he wouldn't mess up, Zhang Da was relieved. Hu Shi, however, felt a bit jealous, thinking Zhang Xiaomei might earn more than them running goods.

After Zhang Xiaomei left, Hu Shi started complaining to Zhang Da, "How much will Yan Niang pay them for running goods?"

Living with Hu Shi for so long, Zhang Da could guess what she was thinking. He frowned and said unhappily, "Whatever Yan Niang decides to pay is her decision, not ours. You think they'll earn a lot, but the second family thinks we're lucky not to have to run goods."

Hu Shi thought about it and agreed, losing her jealousy. She then enthusiastically started weaving baskets, which would be used to catch crabs.

Zhang Da helped, "I don't think it will just be crabs. With Yan Niang's skills, anything can be made delicious. Tomorrow, we can also catch some loaches and eels. She also sells small snails, and we have plenty here."

Hearing this, Hu Shi felt the world had changed. What used to be mere children's play now seemed like a source of income.

Just as she had thought, it was the children from the nearby villages.

Hearing from their elders that the delicious jelly tofu could be exchanged for these crabs and loaches, the children were overjoyed. They finished their chores at home and then rushed to the riverbank to catch things.

Fortunately, the water in the nearby streams was not very deep, so the adults were not worried about them falling in. As long as the weather was not too cold, they could still splash around for a while.

When winter came and the river froze, even if they wanted to catch more, it would be impossible to eat them.

Seeing the riverbank crowded with children, leaving almost no room to stand, the village women discussed among themselves and went to ask Hu Shi whether she would accept mountain-picked items like mushrooms, hawthorns, and wild pears, which they usually picked as well.

When they asked this question, they felt somewhat embarrassed. After all, the mountains were full of such things, and whenever someone wanted to eat them, they just went up the mountain to pick some. No one thought of selling them for money, fearing ridicule.

Hu Shi hadn't considered this, but Zhang Xiaomei nodded beside her, "Yes, I've seen Yan Niang with many mushrooms, and the women from their village also bring these down from the mountains to exchange for a few copper coins."

Hearing this, the women's faces lit up with surprise and joy. They nudged each other, passing their items to Zhang Xiaomei, asking her to give them the copper coins.

Zhang Xiaomei didn't rush to pay. Mushrooms and those small loaches and crabs were different; she didn't know the exact pricing yet. She said she would ask for prices when she went to restock next time.

These items weren't worth much, and even if they left them with Zhang Xiaomei, the women didn't feel cheated. They left their items, chatted and laughed a bit more, and then went home.

Walking far away, these women were still talking about it, "If we can really exchange for money, even if it's just one or two copper coins, it's still money. If we save it up, we can buy a lot more things in the future."

They all imagined together, feeling that life was beautiful. They laughed and joked for a while before returning to their homes.

Speaking of Lin Chunyan, when she saw the crabs Zhang Niuli had brought back, her face lit up.

With so many crabs, there were countless dishes she could make. Lin Chunyan first steamed the crabs, planning to make crab roe paste.

She heard that making crab roe paste required carefully removing the meat from the crabs. Mrs. Zhang, standing beside her, exclaimed, "Why go through all that trouble? It will probably be expensive, and who would buy it?"

If no one bought it, wouldn't it just end up in their own hands?

Lin Chunyan smiled, "Even if it ends up in our own hands, don't we still get to eat it?"

Crab roe paste was not only delicious but also highly nutritious. Besides, the crabs were particularly plump during this season.

Missing this season meant waiting another year.

Since coming here, there were no out-of-season vegetables and fruits, so they relied on seasonal produce. Although inconvenient, it had its charm, as if life had returned to its essence.

Lin Taohong had been eager to eat and watched Lin Chunyan intently, urging her to hurry up.

Lin Chunyan pinched her cheek and asked her to help with the fire.

Reluctantly, Lin Taohong came over. Seeing Lin Chunyan first steam the crabs and then carefully separate the meat, roe, and shells, she marveled at the effort involved.

Wang Yingniang, however, didn't mind the work and diligently peeled the crabs. She watched as Lin Chunyan heated lard in a pot, adding ginger and crab shells to make crab oil.

Once the shells became crispy, she fished out the shells, ginger, and other impurities, then added the separated crab roe and stir-fried it.

The fire needed to be reduced to a low flame for slow cooking. She then added the crab meat and continued stirring, adding a bit of salt.

After cooking, she put it in a jar, and the crab roe paste was ready. Whether for noodles or other snacks, it made a perfect seasoning, incredibly fresh and delicious.

There was still some crab meat, roe, and paste left, which Lin Chunyan did not immediately stir-fry. Instead, she planned to make a clear crab soup later.

This dish was very famous at the moment, containing ingredients like shredded shiitake mushrooms and tender bamboo shoots, along with chicken broth to preserve the natural flavor of the crabs. The result was rich and sweet.

Mrs. Zhang had been chatting with Zhang Niuli outside and couldn't resist sniffing deeply, "You must have made something delicious. Stay for dinner and try your sister's cooking."

She forgot her earlier complaint about the effort involved in making crab roe paste and eagerly awaited the meal.

On the other side, Zhang Niuli was in a hurry to leave, wanting to find another village to sell the jelly tofu.

Despite his growling stomach and the tempting smell of crabs, he restrained himself, taking a few steamed buns to eat on the road.

Mrs. Zhang, fond of her nephew, tried to persuade him to stay but eventually let him go. In addition to the buns, she packed him several snacks to eat with the buns.

She also gave him a bamboo cup, "Since you often travel from place to place, you'll need to drink water. This cup is made by Yan Niang and is very practical."

Zhang Niuli examined the bamboo cup and found it quite ingenious, easy to carry without taking up much space.

His cousin was truly skilled.

After packing everything, he left quickly, his pace swift and his energy seemingly endless.

Mrs. Zhang saw him off at the door and hurriedly turned back to the kitchen, afraid that if she arrived late, there would be nothing left for her.

In the kitchen, the three young women first drank the clear crab soup, finding it so fresh they wished they could swallow their tongues. Lin Chunyan regretted not having ham, vowing to make some in the future.

She used the crab roe paste to mix with noodles, a simple method: cook the noodles, add the crab roe paste, and the fragrant crab roe noodles were ready.

Stirred evenly, each noodle was coated with golden crab roe. Picking up a chopstickful and putting it in her mouth, the soft noodles and rich crab roe sauce blended perfectly, creating a smooth and rich texture that lingered on the palate.

Wang Yingniang, while eating, remarked on how quickly Zhang Niuli sold the jelly tofu. She wished she could make more right now due to the high demand.

Mrs. Zhang, fearing they would finish eating, quickly ladled a bowl. Once the rich and smooth texture spread in her mouth, she sighed contentedly.

"Although it's a bit of work, it's really delicious."

"Then later, Mother will take apart the remaining crabs, and I'll make more crab roe paste to sell at the stall."

At the mention of more work, Mrs. Zhang's face fell, and she muttered softly, "That's too much trouble. Next time, let your second aunt and others do it."

Mrs. Zhang didn't want to pay them for nothing and preferred to delegate all the work to them.

Lin Chunyan shot her a look, "Even if we hire people, we can't just sit idle. What kind of people would we be then, like those old landlords?"

After the meal, Wang Yingniang was somewhat anxious. Lin Taohong was still using the stone mill to make tofu, and Wang Yingniang could only stand by helplessly. She decided to go up the mountain to collect acorns.

She was used to hard work and collected acorns with great efficiency, one person's effort matching that of both Lin Taohong and Mrs. Zhang combined.

Not until both baskets were full did she reluctantly come down from the mountain.

Next time, she planned to take another basket; if she couldn't carry it, she would carry it in her hands, which would allow her to gather more.

As soon as she entered the house, she smelled a fresh aroma. Lin Chunyan quickly called out to her, "Come and try the crab roe tofu."

Wang Yingniang poured the acorns into the backyard and washed her hands thoroughly inside and out. She knew how much Lin Chunyan valued cleanliness, and since coming to their home, she had always kept herself neat and tidy.

"Next time, remember to use hot water; there's plenty in the kitchen." Seeing her use cold water again, Lin Chunyan couldn't help but nag a bit, "Don't be so stingy."

Wang Yingniang nodded shyly; this was an old habit from her previous home, where she never dared to use hot water for chores.

Boiling water required firewood, and chopping wood was a laborious and tiring task. This was done by Wang Chuizi, who wouldn't waste a single piece of firewood just to make Wang Yingniang comfortable.

In winter, her hands would swell like radishes, causing pain and itching, often making it difficult for her to sleep at night.

She knew Lin Chunyan meant well, so she smiled and promised to use hot water next time before being led to the kitchen to see the crab roe tofu.

After Lin Taohong made the tofu, Lin Chunyan noticed that Mrs. Zhang had already prepared some crab roe, so she decided to cook this dish.

This dish was different from the crab tofu they had eaten before. The tofu was cut into small pieces, the crab roe was stir-fried in a pot, then the tofu was added along with a mixture of starch and water, and everything was stirred evenly before being served.

The tofu in this dish was very tender, and the crab roe was fresh, making the flavor extremely delicious and the preparation simple.

"I think I should sell this crab roe tofu. It will surely attract customers, just like the pan-fried tofu."

Lin Taohong was delighted and suggested setting a higher price, "We should charge five coins."

Lin Chunyan nodded in agreement, "Let's give it a try tomorrow."

Recently, the village was buzzing about two major events: one was the prosperity of Lin Chunyan's family, who not only bought a maid but also a new cart.

Many people talked about this behind their backs. While the maid was something they had never even dreamed of, the cart was what many desired. They also mentioned that the family had placed two large iron pots in their new kitchen, which left people marveling.

"How much money must they have earned? That young lady is truly capable, living better than when Lin the Elder was around."

Those who knew the truth explained that the money for the cart was borrowed.

"Borrowed? That's quite bold, aren't they afraid they won't be able to pay it back?" Borrowing money without having enough was considered wasteful.

Of course, there were those who didn't believe it. Even if they borrowed money, they must have been confident in their ability to repay it, leading to speculation about their earnings.

Aware that their family had become a target of attention, Lin Chunyan checked the traps around the house every night before bed. She also placed sharpened bamboo sticks on the walls and asked Erlang to help with the setup.

Erlang understood the seriousness of the situation, knowing these measures could be life-saving for the women. He worked diligently and even suggested to Aunt Lin that they move in with them for better protection.

Aunt Lin thought about it seriously but felt it unnecessary, knowing Lin Chunyan would never agree. Living in someone else's home was different from living in their own.

"We'll have to visit more often and remind them to lock their doors and windows. Little Hei has been with us for a while now and should be useful."

With good food, Little Hei had grown larger than his siblings. Whoever passed by their house would call out to him.

That night, Lin Chunyan prepared what she needed for the next day and locked the kitchen door to prevent wild cats from stealing food.

However, thanks to these wild cats, the house had few rats.

She had long thought about getting a cat to catch rats, as their food business might attract them.

Rats were known to be very smart. Lin Chunyan had heard they could understand human speech, though she didn't believe it at first.

But when a child in the village lost half his nose to a rat bite after the adults mentioned exterminating them, she realized how hateful rats could be.

Late at night, Lin Taohong, feeling the need to use the toilet, got up. She always ate a lot before bed, which made her thirsty, and she would drink water.

Lately, she had become picky and refused to drink ordinary boiled well water, preferring instead to drink water made from hawthorn flour.

She wasn't sure if it was a diuretic, but she had been going to the toilet more frequently lately.

Lin Taohong hastily put on a coat and walked to the outhouse, familiar with the path even in the dark. However, as she came out of the outhouse, a sliver of moonlight peeked through the clouds, illuminating the yard.

To her horror, she saw a black shape crawling on the wall, and her legs immediately turned weak.

Remembering the misunderstanding with Mrs. Zhang, she didn't dare to call out immediately. Shaking, she stared at the shape, which seemed increasingly wrong.

No matter how absurd Mrs. Zhang might be, she wouldn't climb the wall in the middle of the night!