Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Lin Chunyan went to the dock and just saw a ship that had just docked, with a lot of goods being unloaded. A person who looked like a supervisor was directing the operation.

Upon walking closer, she discovered that the goods were mostly dried goods.

Nowadays, dried goods are the most convenient items to transport by ship.

Wealthy families who could afford ice would use it to transport perishable goods between the north and south, whether it was fruit or seafood, it remained fresh when eaten. With these dried goods, Lin Chunyan was quite satisfied, as many of these items were rare in the area.

Seeing that Lin Chunyan was young and a woman, the supervisor waved her off, saying, "This isn’t a place for a young lady like you. Have an adult from your family come."

The nearby boatman, Yu, chuckled, "Sir, weren’t you just asking me about the shop with delicious food? This young lady here is the owner of that place."

The supervisor looked over with suspicion, "Is she a young lady? She doesn’t look old enough to handle a wok, does she? Don’t try to fool me just because I’m from out of town."

Lin Chunyan wasn’t offended. Even in later societies where information exploded, many still looked down on women. These people thought they were superior but didn’t know their own worth.

She was just here to buy goods, so there was no need to get angry.

Boatman Yu continued to chat with the supervisor, while Lin Chunyan had already started rummaging through the goods. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the dried scallops.

These were dried from fresh scallops, and because they had been exposed to the wind and sun for a long time, they had lost much of their fishy smell.

At that moment, chefs from several local restaurants hurried over.

Lin Chunyan saw Chef Zheng and nodded at him, continuing her selection.

Besides the dried scallops, what excited Lin Chunyan the most was seeing silver ear fungus. For some reason, they had never seen silver ear fungus on the mountains here.

Of course, the supervisor also brought wood ear mushrooms, but Lin Chunyan already had some at home. She had picked plenty a few days ago.

Still, the wood ear mushrooms the supervisor brought were thicker, and after asking the price, she decided not to buy them.

She picked quite a lot. One of the chefs feigned sophistication and said, "The quality of this batch isn’t as good as the last. I’m afraid the boss will be dissatisfied when we take it back."

Chef Zheng added in agreement, "Yes, I think the price could still be a little lower."

The supervisor, used to bargaining with them, engaged in some back-and-forth. After some haggling, the price did indeed drop a little.

Chef Zheng winked at Lin Chunyan and whispered, "These items are for reimbursement, so the cheaper, the better."

One of the chefs, seeing how familiar Chef Zheng was with Lin Chunyan, took a few more glances in their direction.

After selecting the goods, Lin Chunyan took out the money and was about to leave when the hesitant chef approached her.

"Chef Lin," his tone was respectful, "I’m from Hehua Restaurant. I was wondering if you are looking for any chefs?"

Lin Chunyan realized what he had been hinting at—this chef wanted to jump ship.

Afraid that Lin Chunyan would refuse, he quickly added, "Or perhaps you are hiring apprentices?"

Even if he had to start from scratch, being able to learn from Lin Chunyan would secure his future.

"You sly old Qi," Chef Zheng overheard and walked up quickly, "Be careful or your boss will find out and deduct your monthly pay."

Chef Qi made a face even more miserable than when he cries. "I don't know how much less I've earned this month. My boss even wants me to learn how to stir-fry Yu Xiang Shredded Pork. I've told him several times that the flavor wasn't right. It’s really been bothering me."

Unlike Chef Zheng, who at least had a few specialty dishes, all he knew were common dishes. Judging from the boss's attitude, it seemed he wanted to hire a better chef. If that happened, there wouldn’t be a place for him anymore.

Lin Chunyan could only offer a smile of apology. "Our kitchen is fully staffed, so we likely don’t need anyone."

Chef Qi sighed and walked back with his head down.

When Lin Chunyan returned, Zhang Xiaojiu hurriedly asked about the tofu and tofu skin. "Last time you mentioned turning them into dried goods, can it be done?"

Lin Chunyan nodded and took out the dried tofu and tofu skin from the yard. "Uncle, take a look, how does the drying look?"

Zhang Xiaojiu examined them carefully. "It’s somewhat similar to fried bean curd sticks. How long can it be preserved?"

"Currently, it can be preserved for several months."

Zhang Xiaojiu's eyes lit up with joy. He was currently limited to the nearby towns around the county seat. If he wanted to go further, storage would be a big issue. This solves the problem. Besides preserved bean curd and fried bean curd sticks, there were at least two more items. After finishing his meal, he didn't stay long and hurried home.

Li Youfu, however, didn't leave. He helped clean the street in front of the shop. Zhao Liu and Hu Daqiang saw this and quickly came over to grab the broom. "We clean this every day, so there’s no need to trouble you."

Zhao Liu, though not talkative, took his job very seriously. In his eyes, Li Youfu was trying to take over his work. His words were somewhat unkind.

Li Youfu, now better at reading the room, put down the tools and stood in the shop for a long while before heading home.

As she rummaged through the things Lin Chunyan bought, Mrs. Zhang didn’t recognize some of them. When she heard it cost several hundred coins, she felt distressed.

"Why is it so expensive? I don’t see anything special about these items."

"Though these items are small, they expand significantly when soaked. Plus, they taste really good. If you miss this opportunity, who knows when we'll come across such quality again? That’s why I bought more."

Mrs. Zhang pouted, thinking about how much effort it took her to save those hundreds of coins by knitting. She only reminded, "Use them carefully."

Lin Chunyan found it strange. "How come you've really changed lately? You've been knitting that woolen pants for several days, which isn’t like the old you."

"Hmph, isn't it good that I've changed, or else you'd all call me lazy behind my back."

However, it wasn't long before Zhang Xiaojiu came back again. Mrs. Zhang found it strange. "Did you have a fight with your wife? You just got back, why aren't you staying at home for a bit longer?"

Zhang Xiaojiu didn't know how to explain and felt quite embarrassed. He sat there in silence, asking Lin Chunyan when she would go to the next place.

Lin Chunyan smiled. "You need to rest enough before going again. It's been many days out there with poor food and sleep. Even if you had a fight, don't run out. Second Aunt must be feeling quite upset."

Zhang Xiaojiu didn't want to say anything, but seeing everyone siding with Ma Shi, he couldn't help but snorted. "She truly doesn't listen to reason. Dabao is already at this age, but she's still spoiling him nonstop. When I went back, I saw her ordering her daughter to work for both of them. How could I not be angry?"

Mrs. Zhang knew Ma Shi's temperament and told Lin Chunyan not to get involved. "Second Aunt is a bit overboard. When I stayed there during the Qingming Festival, I really couldn't stand how she treated Dabao, so I said a few words. She wasn't happy and gave me a cold look."

If it were in the past, Ma Shi would have argued with Mrs. Zhang directly. But now, since Mrs. Zhang was the one earning the most money and relied on for work, Ma Shi only coldly remained silent.

Not knowing about this, Zhang Xiaojiu became even more upset. "She needs to learn her lesson and understand what's important."

Lin Chunyan didn't want to get involved anymore, so she went to the kitchen to wash the chickweed.

At this time of the year, the chickweed had just grown, fresh and green with wide leaves, making it very easy to pick.

She also soaked the wood ear mushrooms and explained to Lin Cuixiang how to cook them.

In the front room, Mrs. Zhang and Zhang Xiaojiu continued to talk enthusiastically and eventually decided to have Zhang Xiaojiu stay at the shop for two days. "She needs to understand that spoiling Dabao like this is wrong. This child will be ruined."

They say spoiling a child is akin to killing them, but Ma Shi didn't understand this principle. She doted on Dabao so much that she wanted to give him all the good things and didn't want him to do even the slightest farm work. When questioned, she would say Dabao was still young and deserved a few more years of ease.

However, children around Dabao's age in the village had already started helping in the fields. Hardly anyone was like him, doing nothing to help.

Even Hu Shi, although she had some minor flaws, ensured her three children did their fair share of work. Among them, Zhang Niuli did the most, which cultivated his hardworking nature.

The more Zhang Xiaojiu spoke, the more agitated he became. "When I tried to advise her, she told me to mind my own business, saying that Dabao was her son and I had no right to interfere! Does that mean I don't need to care about him anymore?"

Zhang Xiaojiu continued to vent, "I know it's hard for her to take care of the children on her own, but she shouldn't just favor Dabao like this. Our two daughters are already at the age where they should be getting married. I thought she had changed, but when I brought it up, there was no response, so I gave up."

Feeling wronged, Ma Shi carried Dabao to Hu Shi's place to complain.

Ma Shi had no one else to turn to. Whenever Zhang Xiaojiu went out on errands, she would come to his family for help. Over time, they became more familiar with each other.

Hu Shi was annoyed by Ma Shi’s tearful display. Their business of selling tofu pudding was thriving, and many people came to buy tofu. It was unseemly for Ma Shi to cry there.

Many customers who bought tofu lingered to watch the scene.

Zhang Xiaomei gave Hu Shi a meaningful look, urging her to go inside and offer a few words of comfort. "We don't want people to gossip and think we are bullying her."

Reluctantly, Hu Shi went inside to say a few words. "I think Second Brother is right this time. You've been a bit too indulgent with Dabao."

Every time Ma Shi visited, Hu Shi had to keep an eye on Dabao. Even now, while Ma Shi was crying, Dabao was off chasing chickens and dogs or sneaking into the kitchen to grab something to eat, completely oblivious to the situation. He had no manners at all.

Hu Shi couldn’t hide her disdain and dissatisfaction. Ma Shi's face burned with embarrassment.

She had noticed this before but hadn’t given it much thought. At that time, she believed Dabao was still young and, as her only son, born with great difficulty, it was only natural to spoil him a little more.

But now, hearing everyone talk about Dabao, and seeing him sneak into the kitchen again, being chased out by Zhang Xiaomei without any shame, Ma Shi was speechless.

"If he keeps this up, in ten years when it’s time to marry, do you think anyone in the village will want to live with him?"

Taking the opportunity, Hu Shi expressed all her dissatisfaction with Ma Shi and Dabao. Ma Shi had come seeking comfort but ended up being scolded. She stopped listening and left with Dabao, not even caring for her two daughters at home.

After venting, Zhang Xiaojiu felt much relieved. He wiped his face and decided to head back. "I need to go check on them. I can't leave it like this."

After washing the chickweed, Lin Chunyan blanched it in a pot, drained the water, and finely chopped it.

She mixed it in a basin and added chopped wood ear mushrooms, shrimp skin, dried tofu, and eggs, then cooked them with hot oil.

She wrapped some in dough and fried them in oil until the dough turned golden. These were called "oil pastries."

The rest, filled with meat, were simply pinched into dumplings.

At that moment, Sun Anyuan came in from outside, followed by Hu Zi and Da Zhuang. The two men bought tickets and went to get food.

Sun Anyuan wasn’t in a rush for food. He greeted Zhang Niang and Tutor Duan and then went to find Lin Chunyan.

This was about Shuangjie's matter, which had finally seen some progress. Lin Chunyan quickly washed her hands and came out from the backyard. "Did you find out about that traveling merchant?"

Sun Anyuan nodded. "It was quite a coincidence. The merchant is quite well-known locally and has connections with the brothers from other escort agencies. Once we asked around, we found out."

It was fortunate they found out so soon. What Lin Chunyan cared most about was Shuangjie's situation. "Do you know how she is now? What did the merchant say?"

Sun Anyuan had relayed their message to the merchant. Shuangjie was beautiful and knew how to flatter, making the merchant feel quite pleased.

"From what he said, he seems to be somewhat interested. If her family goes to talk to him again, there might be hope."

Hearing this, Lin Chunyan was genuinely happy. Regardless, if Shuangjie becomes the main wife of that merchant, it would be a good match. It would be better than being sold around or losing favor when she grew old, which would ruin her entire life.

She sincerely thanked Sun Anyuan, "We agreed that I would bring you wine, and tomorrow I'll send it over."

Da Zhuang, hearing this, immediately said, "No need for such trouble. Later, when you return to the village, we'll go with you, and each of us will carry a jar of wine."

Hu Zi, upon hearing this, said, "But there are only three of us here today, so we can only carry three jars, which means we won't get to drink much."

There were quite a few people at the escort agency who loved drinking. With everyone taking sips, there wouldn't be much to go around.

Sun Anyuan chuckled. "Being able to taste it is already good enough. How much more do you expect to drink? Do you want to get completely drunk?"

He went to the front to pick out his favorite food, and seeing the bamboo tube zongzi, he realized that the Dragon Boat Festival was almost here. Time really flies, from the cold of winter to the heat of summer in the blink of an eye.

He took two zongzi and also asked for the tofu skin sesame pancakes, smiling at Lin Chunyan. "Since we've been back, others at the escort agency have told us that your tofu skin sesame pancakes are in high demand here."

"It was only because many people wanted them when they were fresh out of the oven, all eager for something new. It's not that crazy now."

Remembering there were extra dumplings and oil-fried pastries, she asked if they would like to try some.

Sun Anyuan grinned and said, "I still remember the taste of those dumplings from Winter Solstice."

Lin Chunyan brought them over just as the steward who had sold dried goods came in. Initially skeptical, he doubted whether the establishment was as good as people said, but upon smelling the aroma, he knew it was the real deal.

"Young wife, we meet again!" The steward said, rubbing his belly and completely losing the condescending attitude he had earlier.

Lin Chunyan forced a smile and directed him to Zhao Liu to pick out his vegetables.

The steward wasn't in a hurry and pointed to the oil-fried pastries, asking, "What filling is in these? Are there any extras?"

Lin Chunyan shook her head. "There are only a few, no extras."

For others, she might have given some, but for him, who looked down on people, she was unwilling to give any.

The steward clicked his tongue, seeing no one to help him, and had no choice but to buy a ticket to get his food.

These customers found it quite novel, eating with great relish, having already tried several dishes. But seeing Sun Anyuan eating the oil-fried pastry on his left and old man Qin eating on his right, he felt even more disheartened.

"Why am I the only one without any? Is this place bullying newcomers?"

His loud voice drew quite a bit of attention. Sun Anyuan put down his chopsticks and said, "There aren't many oil-fried pastries to begin with. Can't you see that many people don't have any? It's all about luck."

Old man Qin nodded. "I arrived just in time; any later, and they'd be gone! Better to arrive early than late."

Old man Qin was very satisfied, not only because it was delicious but also because he finally got a turn for something good.

The steward had nothing more to say, feeling a bit guilty, knowing he had been wrong earlier.

The remaining oil-fried pastries and dumplings were kept for the people at their establishment to eat. Lin Chunyan first tasted the oil-fried pastry, biting into the fresh and tender chickweed, which complemented the wood ear mushrooms and eggs inside.

The bystanders outside found the tofu skin sesame pancakes very convenient to carry. Each food box could hold quite a few, and they were taken to the academy entrance, where the scholars were very fond of them.

Unlike dishes with broth that needed to be taken to the dining hall, these pancakes only needed to be wrapped in oiled paper and could be eaten even after returning to the dormitory.

Moreover, the price of these tofu skin sesame pancakes was much cheaper than meat buns. At two wen each, even scholars from poor families could afford them.

Previously, the steward of the academy's dining hall had sent his wife to discuss the fish sauce business with Lin Chunyan, but the woman spoke rudely, and the deal fell through.

After returning, the steward threw a fit but had to go to the establishment himself.

This time, his attitude was much more humble. If the deal fell through again, the headmaster certainly wouldn't give him as much money for procurement, and he would lose his perks. He might as well set up a street stall outside the academy.

Tutor Duan had seen the steward before when visiting the academy. When the steward arrived, Tutor Duan merely nodded slightly. The steward was indeed very respectful, bowing again and again and greeting him, explaining his purpose, "My wife was at fault, so I’ve come personally to apologize."

Though he claimed to be apologizing, he hadn’t brought anything with him; it was just empty words.

Tutor Duan, who had some understanding of the situation, knew that the academy tutors didn’t think highly of him. With a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, he said, "That’s easy to say. For such important procurement matters, the person in charge should come in person. Since your wife didn’t bring money, there’s no point in her coming."

This implied that the steward’s apology was insincere, causing his face to turn red as he kept bowing.

Seeing that it was enough, Tutor Duan got up to call Lin Chunyan and whispered, "Don’t go easy on him. This man is very stingy and has been pocketing the money."

Lin Chunyan nodded slightly in response. When she negotiated with the steward, she didn’t lower the price much. The steward was gritting his teeth but had no choice but to accept the price, purchasing some fish sauce and pickled vegetables to take back.

Once back, his wife steamed a lot of buns and flower rolls to serve with the fish sauce and pickled vegetables, which attracted quite a few impoverished students.

The dining hall was bustling for a few days, and the steward breathed a sigh of relief, using this achievement to seek recognition from the mountain master.

Now, with the tofu skin sesame pancakes available at two wen each, many people who had tasted them found them delicious and went to the dining hall steward to request he procure some.

The meals in the dining hall were paid for monthly, and whether they ate or not, the price remained the same. The students thought that since fish sauce and pickled vegetables could be procured, it would save them money. If they could also get these tofu skin sesame pancakes, they wouldn’t need to spend extra money on food.

The steward was in distress and went to report the matter to the mountain master.

"The tofu skin sesame pancakes cost only two wen each, but these students can eat four or five in one meal. How can we afford to supply that?"

The mountain master had personally tasted the tofu skin sesame pancakes and even kept some in his room. Besides the desserts, he occasionally used them for a midnight snack.

After listening to the steward's concerns, the mountain master said, "The students have a point. If the dining hall had these tofu skin sesame pancakes, the students wouldn’t need to ask random people to bring food, and they could focus more on their studies."

He didn’t mention giving the steward more money, implying that he should figure out a solution on his own.

With no other choice, the steward had to take out the money he had previously pocketed and use it to make another trip.

"Here comes another one," Hu Daqiang grinned upon hearing the steward’s report. Ever since the tofu skin sesame pancakes were available, they had to supply not only their side but also quite a few to the two peddlers and Sanlang.

The two peddlers visited the villages every seven or eight days, selling snacks and malt candy, and also collected embroidery pieces. Many people saved their items, waiting specifically for the peddlers.

This time, the peddlers mentioned the tofu skin sesame pancakes, two wen each, especially delicious.

The children who used to clamor for malt candy now saw the golden tofu skin sesame pancakes and couldn’t help swallowing their saliva.

Those with a bit more money bought one to taste, which could be split into several portions, allowing the whole family to try it.

The tofu skin sesame pancakes were naturally delicious, and many people gave them a thumbs up, saying, "These are even better than the malt candy."

The children ate the tofu skin sesame pancakes slowly, reluctant to swallow, even savoring the crumbs. They didn’t quite agree with the adults' opinions.

The tofu skin sesame pancakes were delicious, but the malt candy was still good too.

When the steward came for procurement, Hu Daqiang remarked, "I wonder if we can keep up with the demand, making so many pancakes."

Lin Chunyan took a look and said, "They bought a cartload and probably spent a lot of money. I asked them, and they said it shouldn’t be a problem. The three of them can handle it now."

If not, they would have to ask Fang Niangzi for help.

They would be willing, and according to Erlang, Fang Xiaotian wanted to come learn from Lin Chunyan to make stuffed pancakes.

Initially, Lin Chunyan had thought the same. But the two of them, mother and daughter, were already helping to make the meat-filled flatbreads for them. If they were to make stuffed flatbreads as well, they simply wouldn't have the time.

"When the time comes, we'll discuss exactly how many they need."

Lin Chunyan had Mr. Duan take note of it. Since the sheets and covers at home hadn't been washed for some time, she informed Lin Cuixiang and Zhao Zilan before heading home early.

Sun Anyuan and Da Zhuang followed behind them, marveling at the trees planted along the way.

"Planting these trees here must have been quite difficult."

Lin Chunyan nodded. "It's been a long time since they were planted. Many villagers came to help out. We're almost done planting now."

Even though they had fetched water to irrigate them, some trees still didn't survive, so they would have to replant them in the fall.

"In the future, when we go to town, we won't have to worry about the heat. The people in your village are really great."

Lin Chunyan also felt that the people in the village were honest and sincere. Even when there were some unpleasant incidents, everyone was willing to help, which was one of the reasons why she was happy to live in the village.

When they arrived home, she brought out several jars of wine from the cellar and had Sun Anyuan speak to Second Aunt Lin again. Upon hearing this, Second Aunt Lin expressed her gratitude, saying, "I'll go find my second brother. One way or another, I'll secure a good future for Shuangjie."

The gloom of the past few days vanished instantly, and Second Aunt Lin's smile didn't fade.

She also told Erlang the news later, advising him not to worry anymore.

Recently, Erlang had been going out at night, which initially worried Second Aunt Lin. Later, she found out that he had gone to see the adopted son of Madam Song. It was said that someone had beaten the troublemaker severely and left him bedridden. With this information, Second Aunt Lin felt relieved and stopped worrying.

After seeing them off, Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong changed all the sheets and covers in the house, even those in Mrs. Zhang's room.

Lin Taohong said, "Sister, guess if Mother has hidden any more dirty clothes under the bed?"

These sheets and covers had to be washed regularly, and the clothes they wore each day were washed and changed daily. Previously, Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong had been lazy, hiding dirty clothes under the bed or in a corner, and only washed them when they ran out of clean ones.

Now, Lin Taohong didn't dare do that anymore. With Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang watching her, she couldn't find a place to hide the dirty clothes. She had to follow Lin Chunyan and wash the clothes, hanging them up to dry in the yard. Over time, she developed the habit.

Lin Chunyan thought for a moment and said, "I haven't noticed if Mother's clothes have been washed recently. Have you seen it?"

Lin Taohong shook her head. "No! She's wearing the same clothes as yesterday. She said it's cool and she didn't sweat, so she didn't wash them. There must be some unwashed clothes."

Excited, Lin Taohong searched and found two of Mrs. Zhang's small garments, which she dangled in front of Mrs. Zhang's bed. "When Mother comes back, we must have a good talk with her."

Neither of them planned to help Mrs. Zhang wash her clothes, so they took the sheets and covers from the two rooms to the river.

Washing such large items at home in the yard was inconvenient. It was impractical to fetch water, and it made the ground muddy. It was better to wash them by the river, where they could finish quickly.

Many trees had been planted by the river, offering cool shade. In the distance, a large expanse of lush, green reeds spread out. After putting down the items, they saw someone already washing clothes.

Ju Miao greeted them and then continued washing, keeping her head down.

She wasn't very sociable and wanted to talk to them but didn't dare to. Her mother had told her many times to get closer to Lin Chunyan. Each time, she would walk to their door but didn't dare to approach.

The tree shadows entirely blocked the sun, and occasional breezes made it feel pleasantly cool. It was a rare moment of relaxation, and Lin Chunyan sighed contentedly.

For a while, all that could be heard was Lin Taohong's chattering.

The river flowed gently, but the sound of bubbling water was still audible. When the sheets were put into the water, they floated with the current. They used a paddle and some pig soap to scrub the sheets, and the bubbles floated away with the current.

Lin Chunyan was looking upstream, wondering if the water came from the mountain spring. After observing for a while, she couldn't be sure, only seeing Dan the Kid and Heizi ahead, feeling for snails and small shrimp.

After collecting these snails and crabs, they would need to soak them in clean water for a few days before handing them over to Lin Chunyan’s family, who would prepare some delicious dishes.

Some people took the snails and crabs to exchange for money, but Dog Egg and Blackie were the exception. These two had collected the snails and crabs just to trade for some delicious food.

Seeing them washing clothes by the river, Dog Egg and Blackie waved and waded through the water to come over, their pant legs drenched.

They came over and asked Lin Chunyan, "Sister Yan Niang, do you have any of those walnut buns from before?"

Dog Egg and Blackie had shared the walnut buns that day but didn't get their fill. They hoped there would be more at home, but when they returned, the buns had been put away, and they hadn't been able to eat more, craving them ever since.

Lin Chunyan shook her head, "The walnuts were gathered by your father, and there weren't many. If you want to eat them, you’ll have to wait until the walnuts are ripe."

Dog Egg was disappointed. "He didn't bring back more walnuts, I don't know why," he complained.

Lin Taohong looked at Dog Egg and finally found something she appreciated about him—they both liked walnuts.

She gave a light cough and said, "Later, when we make amber walnuts, I'll give you some to try. Those candied walnuts are really delicious."

Dog Egg nodded eagerly, and just hearing the name almost made his mouth water.

After a while, Zhao Muyang came over, fish trap in hand. He was going to catch some small fish. Seeing Lin Chunyan, he ran over to chat for a bit, ignoring Dog Egg and the others. "My uncle went up the mountain to hunt again, and this time he's aiming to hunt something big."

Lin Chunyan flipped the bed sheet over and asked, "Is it for the engagement?"

Zhao Muyang's eyes lit up as he nodded, "Yes, if we can hunt a wild boar, we can keep half to make a new outfit for my new aunt."

At that time, not everyone could wear new clothes for a wedding. Many had to borrow clothes. If a family had red or green cloth, it was considered a valuable item, not easily shared.

Lin Taohong was curious, "So, have you been staying at home by yourself these days?"

When hunting a large animal, Zhao Huaizi usually stayed on the mountain for several days, bringing enough food and water, and wouldn't come down until he made a catch.

Zhao Muyang puffed up his little chest proudly, "Yes, but I'm not scared anymore. Later, I'll catch some small fish and exchange them for food at your place."

Zhao Huaizi had left him some money so he could buy food at Lin Chunyan's house when he was hungry.

The tofu skin, dried tofu, tofu pudding, and meat buns at their home were all for sale, so Zhao Muyang wouldn't go hungry. Zhao Huaizi was very reassured.

"When my new aunt comes into our home, there will be someone to cook for me," Zhao Muyang said with a grin, then hurriedly ran upstream to place his fish trap, putting in some bait.

Dog Egg and Blackie were using their hands to feel for snails and throwing them into a small round winnowing basket. Seeing Zhao Muyang's actions, Dog Egg was a little unhappy, "You're scaring the fish away. Can't you go somewhere else?"

Zhao Muyang argued, "I come here every day to set my fish traps. How did this become your spot first?"

They were about to start arguing, but neither would actually fight, just glaring at each other without backing down.

Ju Miao glanced at both of them but remained silent. Seeing that the pig pancreas soap in Lin Chunyan's hand was effective, she looked envious.

She had heard that Lin Chunyan's family made excellent pig pancreas soap, which could clean clothes very well, but she had always wondered what it looked like. It was probably that small square piece, she thought.

It was amazing that such a thing could clean dirt from clothes so well, even better than soapberries.

Her mother always said she was a bit slow—such a good opportunity, and she didn't try to take advantage of it. But even when she encountered Lin Chunyan, Ju Miao didn't want to go over and say something, afraid of seeming too eager to please.

She was also afraid that Lin Chunyan wouldn't respond to her.

Now, Lin Chunyan was someone who could open an establishment and even rescue Lihua from Mr. Wang's family. She was incredibly capable. Ju Miao, just an ordinary young wife, didn't dare to start a conversation, thinking all sorts of things. As she hesitated, she saw that Lin Chunyan had already finished washing the bed sheet. When Lin Chunyan noticed her looking over, she smiled and handed the pig pancreas soap to her.

"Try this, it cleans really well."

Ju Miao's face turned red, feeling a bit shy as she accepted it. She had been pounding the clothes with a mallet for a long time, but the dirt wouldn't come out easily, and she wasn't as fast as Lin Chunyan and the others. She whispered a thank you and, imitating what Lin Chunyan had just done, rubbed the soap on the stubborn dirt and washed it with her hands. The dirt came right out.

Ju Miao's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at it, turning it over in her hands and sniffing it. But she couldn't smell any special fragrance.

From across the way, Lin Taohong spoke up, "This one doesn't have any added fragrance. We also have a jasmine-scented one at home, which is especially nice for handwashing, and one with bamboo leaves that cleans particularly well."

Ju Miao was careful not to use much of it. After washing off the particularly stubborn dirt, she returned the soap to Lin Chunyan and offered her thanks again.

Lin Chunyan noticed how she always spoke timidly, with a somewhat shy expression like a little rabbit, and was quite fond of her for it. She told Ju Miao to just use it, saying, "In a little while, we're going to make this pancreatic soap again. If you want to learn, you can come and join us."

Ju Miao's eyes widened in surprise, her wide, innocent eyes showing her amazement. "Can I really come and learn?"

Lin Chunyan nodded. "Yes, and when it's time, Sister Lihua will also come over. Just get some fresh pig pancreas."

Ju Miao was stunned for a moment before nodding vigorously, her face beaming with joy. "I'll definitely buy some and come right away."

Upon hearing this news, she forgot about her clothes and ran home, wanting to tell her mother right away. It wasn't until Lin Chunyan called after her that she realized she had forgotten her washed clothes and basket. Feeling a bit embarrassed again, she put the clothes in the basket and hurried off, her steps light and happy.

Dan and Zhao Muyang were no longer fighting. Each chose a spot and ignored the other, while Dan and Heizi said, "I found another snail."

"There's a small crab here too, this can be exchanged for a lot of things."

Zhao Muyang wasn't catching anything with his fish trap and was getting frustrated. He finally gave up, leaving his fish trap where it was and followed Lin Chunyan back.

Seeing Zhao Muyang leave, Dan and Heizi laughed, and they also took the small round sieve used for the snails and followed Lin Chunyan back.

There were two long ropes hanging in the yard, usually used for drying clothes. Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong worked together to wring out the last bit of water from the bedsheet before hanging it on the drying rack.

As the wind blew, it brought a few droplets of water and a faint scent of the pancreatic soap.

In this short time, Lin Chunyan felt that she had accomplished quite a lot. She took out the previously washed chickweed, planning to make chickweed-filled dumplings.

This filling, when prepared well, was just as good as shepherd's purse and could help reduce internal heat.

Wang Yingniang asked, "Should we make meat-filled or vegetarian dumplings?"

Lin Chunyan thought for a moment and said, "Let's make both."

As she spoke, she went to check the chicken coop in the backyard, hoping to find some eggs.

After a round of searching, she found two missed eggs and returned to tell Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang, "These chickens aren't laying properly in their nests anymore. They always lay outside, and I'm afraid someone might step on them by accident."

Madam Sun heard this and said, "This morning, I heard Sister Wei Rou say that your ducks have also started laying eggs. They probably didn't know you were back yet, but they'll likely bring them over soon."

Lin Chunyan calculated the time in her head. They had been raising the ducks for nearly three or four months, and it was finally time for them to lay eggs. The thought of collecting both chicken and duck eggs daily made her smile uncontrollably.

Madam Sun also smiled. "Our ducks started a bit later than yours, but they should be laying eggs soon too. And the pigs have grown quite fat."

The pigs had been raised for almost a year, and they planned to slaughter them in the autumn, preserving all the meat.

However, Lin Chunyan wanted to wait until the Lunar New Year. "I think they can still grow a bit more."

Madam Sun's mother-in-law cared for their pigs exceptionally well, and they had grown larger than Lin Chunyan's pigs. They were planning to slaughter them in the autumn. However, one of Lin Chunyan’s pigs fell ill during a recent cold spell, losing a lot of weight, which had broken their hearts.

These animals were like savings accounts. Watching them grow daily brought hope, but if they got sick, it felt like a personal loss.

Sure enough, just as they finished preparing the filling, Sister Wei Rou arrived with a basket containing over a dozen eggs.

"There are actually quite a lot of them."

Wei Roujie smiled, "Our two families have raised many ducks, and together there are almost thirty of them already, and there are still a few ducks that haven't started laying yet. We'll check on them later, and if they all start laying, we'll get even more."

Mrs. Zhang and Liu Niangzi had been bickering endlessly over which ducks one wanted this duck, and the other wanted that one. To resolve the issue, Wei Roujie decided not to let them examine the ducks anymore. She simply said that no matter how many eggs were laid, they would be divided equally between the two families, which finally silenced them.

Along with the eggs, she also brought a jar of pine pollen, "This is something Mother has prepared recently. I noticed that the pine flowers on the mountain can't be eaten anymore; they have already formed buds. If you want to eat it, you'll have to wait until next year."

Lin Chunyan received it with great care, "This jar must have taken a lot of effort."

Wei Roujie replied, "Mother has nothing much to do and doesn't need to go to the fields. Even the acorns are gone by now. She still goes out every day to chat with people and do this, so nothing gets delayed.

People still gather under the big tree at the village entrance every day, holding the clothes or shoe soles they are working on. It’s a good place to stay cool and get things done, achieving two goals at once.

Liu Niangzi has moved to the eastern side of the village, making it inconvenient for her to visit, but she doesn’t want to stay at home every day. Each time she goes, she brings the pine pollen with her and has slowly been making progress."

After putting these things down, Wei Roujie was about to leave. She still needed to help out in the fields. Although most of the fields were planted with melons, vegetables, and fruits, the remaining part of their land was still planted with wheat, so she had been busy with that lately.