Dinner was noodle soup. Yuan Zhao made the noodles himself—they were chewy and flavorful, and with rich broth poured over them, the bowl warmed the body completely.
The stove fire was still burning, and soup remained in the pot for Shi Wuxiang’s return.
But as time passed and the sky grew darker, Shi Wuxiang still had not returned. The entire family grew anxious.
“I’ll go to the village entrance with Ah Yue to meet him,” Yuan Zhao said. “Mother, please stay home and watch over Ranran and Yuan Yuan.”
“Alright, be careful.”
Carrying torches, Yuan Zhao and Shi Qingyue headed toward the village entrance. After waiting for a while without seeing him, they continued along the road.
It was too late to shout loudly, so they simply followed the path with light.
Only when they reached the neighboring village road did they finally see a faint figure.
“Ah Xiang!”
“Big brother!”
“I’m here,” Shi Wuxiang answered immediately.
Yuan Zhao rushed over, holding up the torch and checking him over. Seeing his tired expression and mud-stained clothes, his heart sank.
“What happened? Why didn’t you take a cart?”
“It rained today. I waited a long time for a cart, but it didn’t go all the way to the village, so I walked the rest,” Shi Wuxiang explained, patting Shi Qingyue’s shoulder. “Sorry for making you worry.”
Yuan Zhao rubbed his eyes. “You could’ve paid extra for a ride! What if you collapsed on the road and no one knew? What then?”
“Didn’t you find me?” Shi Wuxiang touched his head. “You’re so young yet you worry so much. Go home.”
Shi Qingyue smiled and said casually, “Sister-in-law was afraid of seeing the village doctor. Mother even told me to fetch the doctor, but Sister-in-law stopped me.”
Yuan Zhao immediately turned and bared his teeth at him. What nonsense are you talking about?
Shi Wuxiang frowned. “What’s going on? Are you sick?”
“I’m not—”
“Sister-in-law has a lot of bumps, red ones, all over her skin!” Shi Qingyue quickly spilled everything without hesitation, reporting all the details to Shi Wuxiang.
Sister-in-law could stop Mother, but he couldn’t stop Big Brother!
“Go find the village doctor first thing after we get back to the village.”
“Alright!”
Yuan Zhao still tried to explain. “I’m really not sick. Those bumps go away very quickly and leave no trace. Didn’t you even bathe me before? There were no bumps at all!”
“It doesn’t matter what you say. I only listen to the doctor,” Shi Wuxiang said coldly and firmly.
The night air was damp, and the moisture inevitably caused bumps to appear on Yuan Zhao’s skin. When Shi Wuxiang came into the room and lit a candle, he immediately saw the redness on his face—and there were likely more on his body.
Shi Qingyue moved quickly and soon brought the village doctor over. After a careful examination and pulse check, the doctor slowly reached a conclusion.
“It’s not anything serious. It’s just caused by a weak constitution. This condition cannot be fully cured; it can only be managed through nourishing food and gradually strengthening the body over time. We’ll see how it improves in a few years.”
He didn’t even prescribe medicine.
Shi Wuxiang understood immediately. In simple terms, it was low immunity. Yuan Zhao had grown up in extremely harsh conditions—just surviving had been difficult enough, let alone eating well.
“I understand. Thank you for making the trip,” Shi Wuxiang said.
“It’s nothing, just a small matter,” the village doctor replied, leaving without even taking payment.
Yuan Zhao, hearing it was nothing serious, became smug. “See? I told you it wasn’t a big deal. You still made them come all the way. You never listen.”
“You’ve got no sense of respect,” Shi Wuxiang lightly clicked his tongue. “If you’re fine, go cook.”
“You’re the one who’s impossible to talk to!” Yuan Zhao huffed and got up to cook noodles, then turned to Madam Shi. “Mother, please take them all to rest. I’ll handle things here.”
Madam Shi led the children back to their rooms.
Shi Wuxiang let out a soft sigh. The household conditions were still too tight. They needed to earn more silver and improve things as soon as possible.
If someone truly fell ill one day, they might not even be able to afford treatment.
Soon, Shi Wuxiang’s rest day arrived.
He took Yuan Zhao to the town and went to the end of a small alley to find the craftsman. The pot was already finished, including a reinforced base for holding firewood so it wouldn’t fall out.
“Take a look. Is this what you wanted?”
“The fire control mechanism underneath can adjust the heat. You don’t need to keep adding or removing firewood. Just use this lever here—slide it left and right. Try it and you’ll understand.”
Yuan Zhao immediately leaned in to look. Beneath the stove was a visible sliding mechanism; when pushed, a small stone plate moved side to side, controlling airflow and blocking heat from below.
Human ingenuity truly was limitless—even in later generations, such mechanisms still existed.
“Very good,” Shi Wuxiang said. “Do you offer repairs? If it breaks in the short term…”
“Come find me anytime!” the craftsman patted his chest. “Anything I make won’t break easily!”
Shi Wuxiang smiled. “Thank you, master.”
Yuan Zhao couldn’t put it down, but—
“Ah Xiang, why is the pan completely flat? The kind of flatbread you mentioned is cooked by spreading it out, right?”
“Yes. I’ll teach you once we get home,” Shi Wuxiang said.
The pot was a bit heavy, inconvenient to carry while shopping, so they left it temporarily and bought rice, flour, and seasonings before heading home with it.
Yuan Zhao remained fixated on the seasoning purchase, grumbling inwardly. He could make sauces too, and pickled vegetables too… even if it wasn’t worth mentioning, it was still skill!
When they placed the heavy pot in the courtyard, it immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Shi Qingyue circled it. “Big brother, this really came from what you read in books? How do you use it? Do you cook the flatbread on this surface?”
“Yes.”
Shi Wuxiang explained how the stove worked, how to control the heat, and how to prepare the flatbread.
Following his instructions, Yuan Zhao mixed a batter. He didn’t dare make too much at once, afraid he would ruin it all.
After preheating the pan, once the surface was hot, he scooped a ladle of batter and spread it out—but his movements were clumsy, and the thin sheet tore immediately.
He then had to add egg, brush sauce, sprinkle pickles, and finally roll it up like a small bundle.
“We’ll try fried dough sticks next time,” Shi Wuxiang said, then gestured for him to hand one to Shi Qingyue. “Try it.”
“…Big brother, did you really need to phrase it like I’m a test subject?” Shi Qingyue muttered, but still took it eagerly. “Let me taste it…”
The wrapper was soft yet chewy, filled with egg and fragrant fillings. The sauce was rich, and the pickled vegetables added brightness. One bite delivered a full burst of flavor.
“It’s good, but something feels missing…” Shi Qingyue said.
“It’s missing crispness and some leafy vegetables, but that’s easy to fix. You can add more fillings later,” Shi Wuxiang said. “Make a few more. It’s just family eating—consider it practice. We can’t serve customers ugly rolls.”
Yuan Zhao nodded heavily. “Got it!”
He continued practicing, trying to make the batter smoother and rounder, scraping the edges evenly until it formed a thin, neat circle.
He practiced until sweat soaked him.
“So many eggs… do we need eggs every time?” Yuan Zhao asked, a little pained.
“Yes. The cost of eggs is included in the price. This is for making money,” Shi Wuxiang said. “If we don’t have enough, we’ll buy more.”
Yuan Zhao nodded. “Then teach me the crispy part too. What else can go inside? I’ll practice at home, then we’ll set up a cart in town!”
The earlier we sell it, the sooner we earn money!
“You can add cooked meats, fresh greens—anything that improves texture,” Shi Wuxiang said.
It was a simple dish, otherwise he might have suggested something like a hamburger.
Yuan Zhao learned quickly, and with his cooking experience, he gradually mastered it.
Madam Shi smiled. “Let’s just eat rolled pancakes today. I’ll make egg drop soup.”
“Alright!”
The children of the Shi family were well raised and not picky; Yuan Yuan especially loved it.
Soon, Yuan Zhao became skilled, and his pancakes improved rapidly.
Eating pancakes with soup turned out to be unexpectedly satisfying.
Yuan Zhao’s attention soon drifted. He kept glancing at Shi Wuxiang, who was calmly drinking soup, clearly trying to say something but holding back.
“Alright, alright,” Shi Wuxiang sighed. “If you’re done eating, go wash your hands and wait in the room.”
“Okay!” Yuan Zhao immediately put down his bowl and rushed off.
Inside the room, he stared at the dark marks on the mud wall, counting them and repeatedly pointing at the two characters of his name. He couldn’t quite read them yet—but he would learn soon.
When Shi Wuxiang entered, he saw him pointing at the wall and couldn’t help teasing him. “You’re about to bore a hole through it.”
“You’re laughing at me!” Yuan Zhao said happily anyway.
“I’ll write your name on paper. You trace it with your finger,” Shi Wuxiang said.
He wasn’t trying to make him pursue scholarly exams—just to prevent him from being deceived by others.
He wrote the characters “Yuan Zhao” clearly and firmly.
Once the ink dried, Yuan Zhao eagerly began tracing. He followed the strokes carefully at first—but when he reached the character “Zhao,” he hesitated.
“You start with the left side. Characters have structure—top, bottom, left, right. Don’t begin with the four-dot radical,” Shi Wuxiang instructed.
“But the dots are easier. Why can’t I do them first and then do the hard part? Isn’t it all writing anyway?” Yuan Zhao asked innocently. “Who even cares about order?”
Shi Wuxiang patiently explained that structure affected readability and appearance.
“I don’t get it. Stop lecturing me,” Yuan Zhao said, his smile fading.
He focused intensely, but—
“You wrote it in the wrong order again,” Shi Wuxiang reminded gently. “Don’t get angry.”
A student making mistakes, and he still had to coax him.
What kind of situation was this?
“Also, for the hooked stroke in the character ‘Yuan,’ you start with a vertical line, then curve the hook upward—you’re not supposed to just drag it straight down!”
“I think you’re just asking for a beating. Do you want to get hit that badly?”
Shi Wuxiang’s voice grew more and more unrestrained… but whenever he saw Yuan Zhao’s wronged, pitiful expression, his tone would soften slightly. Yet the moment he noticed Yuan Zhao subconsciously using the four-dot water radical again, that suppressed irritation flared right back up.
Yuan Zhao scratched the side of his nose. But he really thought the four-dot water radical was easy to write—it looked like four little tails swaying around. And in his name, there was actually the sun, water, and little tails!
Wasn’t that something worth being happy about?
“I won’t write anymore.” Yuan Zhao quietly pulled his hand back.
He sat there with slumped shoulders, looking utterly dejected, as if he were carrying a faint aura of misery. Shi Wuxiang immediately felt a twinge of guilt and began to wonder if he had been too harsh.
It was a good thing that the child wanted to learn how to write. He could write it however he liked. It wasn’t as if he was going to take the imperial examinations anyway. As long as he could recognize his own name, that would be enough…
Shi Wuxiang mentally comforted himself until he had fully convinced himself, then turned to comfort Yuan Zhao.
“I spoke too harshly just now. I just want you to write your name well. After all, a person is reflected in their name. If you write your name nicely, people will know you are a good person.” Shi Wuxiang said patiently, lowering his tone into something simple and easy to understand.
This really was like raising a little ancestor.
Yuan Zhao was someone who responded better to soft persuasion than pressure. Once Shi Wuxiang softened his tone, Yuan Zhao immediately realized his own mistake as well.
This was Shi Wuxiang’s day off, meant for resting, yet he still had to teach him new recipes and patiently guide him in writing.
“I understand. I’ll write properly.” Yuan Zhao took up his brush again and carefully began tracing the strokes, forcing himself to stay restrained each time he wrote.
With their joint effort, Yuan Zhao finally became familiar with the strokes of his name.
Shi Wuxiang immediately placed a clean sheet of paper on the table. “Now try practicing on this. Hold the brush properly and use your wrist strength.”
“Can I just trace it with my finger instead? Writing directly on paper feels like a waste. Don’t—don’t use it…” Yuan Zhao looked at the clean paper and hesitated.
He had bought good-quality paper for Shi Wuxiang. If Hu Lu said it was good paper, then it must be expensive. How could he waste it like this?
Shi Wuxiang fell silent for a moment. If he had known Yuan Zhao would be so careful with paper, he should have brought it out earlier for practice. That would have saved them both a lot of frustration.
“Just write. We can always buy more.” Shi Wuxiang said lightly.
At the moment, he didn’t really have a use for this paper anyway. Letting Yuan Zhao practice on it wasn’t a problem.
Besides, A Yue and Ran Ran should also start practicing their writing. They had probably forgotten about it while farming all day.
Yuan Zhao took a deep breath and gripped the brush tightly. Just as he hesitated, a drop of ink fell and stained the paper. He instinctively reached out to wipe it, but Shi Wuxiang quickly stopped him.
“Don’t touch it. Just move to another spot and keep writing. Hurry up—if you keep hesitating, this sheet will be ruined by ink drops.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll write!” Yuan Zhao said, immediately drawing the first stroke.
“Good. Strong and steady.”
“Mm, the second stroke is good too. It would be even better if it were a bit longer.”
“This hooked stroke is well done. Go ahead boldly—swing that hook upward!”
Shi Wuxiang understood child psychology well. He knew that encouragement like this was the fastest way to satisfy a child’s sense of achievement and motivate progress.
Yuan Zhao was the perfect example.
Yuan Zhao happily continued writing stroke by stroke, quickly memorizing the order without hesitation.
Because he didn’t want to waste paper, he made each character smaller. Soon, the sheet was filled entirely with his name.
“Just practice these two things for now. The crispy part of the rolled pancake is deep-fried in oil—it’s very easy for you.” Shi Wuxiang said, going over everything he could think of. He often ate street snacks himself, so he had a rough idea of how they were made.
Yuan Zhao was clever and already good at cooking, so with a bit more practice—especially making the pancake skin round and smooth—he would be more than capable.
Yuan Zhao nodded obediently. His originally thin, dark face had gradually become a bit fuller. He was still a little dark, but no longer as gaunt as before.
It really did seem that children looked better when they were a bit plumper.
Over the next few days, Yuan Zhao would water the fields in the early morning, come home at noon to make rolled pancakes, and in the evening move the table under the eaves to practice writing.
Whenever he had free time, he even cut wood to make a small pushcart. With the pot placed on it, everything became much more convenient—he could push it wherever he needed.
In just a few days, his pancake skins never tore again. Every one was perfectly round and smooth. With sauce, crispy bits, and pickled vegetables wrapped inside, each rolled pancake was a complete success.
Even his handwriting had become smooth and practiced. It was finally time to start selling.
Early morning.
Since they were setting up a stall, Shi Wuxiang naturally helped prepare everything. At dawn, they were already ready. They borrowed the ox cart from Village Chief Niu and loaded everything onto it, along with Yuan Wan, then set off.
By the time they reached the town, many stalls had not yet been set up, and some shops were still closed.
Yuan Zhao chose a spot, set down the pot, arranged the ingredients, and began heating the griddle.
He was still a bit worried his rolled pancakes wouldn’t sell. Next to him was a small basin of minced pork he had braised the night before. If it didn’t sell…
Forget it. If it didn’t sell, he would take it home for A Yue to eat!
“I didn’t get to eat breakfast since we came early. I’ll make one for you first!” Yuan Zhao said.
Once the griddle was hot, he immediately poured the batter.
When it came to family, there was nothing to be stingy about. He made the pancake thick and generously topped it with minced meat. One bite would definitely be incredibly satisfying.
Shi Wuxiang sighed helplessly. “If I eat this, I won’t even need lunch.”
“That won’t do!” Yuan Zhao said sternly. “It’s your meal, so you still have to eat properly at noon. If you faint later, people will laugh at you!”
Shi Wuxiang could only smile helplessly. Before leaving, he even saved half of the pancake for Yuan Wan, and reminded Yuan Zhao to let him know when he returned from the restaurant.
Yuan Zhao was annoyed at being treated like a child, but since it would reassure Shi Wuxiang, he still agreed.
“What’s that smell?”
“I smell it too! Who’s eating meat this early in the morning? It’s driving me crazy!”
“What are you selling? Why isn’t anything even displayed? Is that smell coming from here?”
People, drawn by the aroma, began gathering around. It was clearly a familiar meat fragrance, but it wasn’t the smell of buns, steamed bread, or noodles.
Yuan Zhao saw the men crowding his stall in an instant and felt a moment of nervousness, but quickly put on a smile.
“We’re selling rolled pancakes—meat, vegetables, and eggs all inside!”
“Then make me one. I want all of that!” a man said.
“Ten copper coins,” Yuan Zhao replied as he started making it.
The man paid without hesitation.
Yuan Wan carefully counted the coins before placing them into the box.
On the hot griddle, he spread a ladle of batter, quickly smoothing it into a round pancake. He cracked an egg over it and spread it evenly, brushed on sauce, sprinkled pickled vegetables and minced meat, added crispy bits and greens, then rolled it up tightly.
Soon, a fully stuffed rolled pancake was finished.
The man looked surprised. “It’s this big?”
“Try it quickly!”
“Is it good? It smells amazing—definitely that braised meat!”
The man took a big bite. The chewy pancake, crispy texture, savory minced meat, pickled vegetables, and fresh greens blended together perfectly. One bite was unbelievably satisfying.
His mouth was so full he couldn’t even respond.
“Is it good or not? Say something!”
“You’re eating like that—how could it not be good?! Boss, I want one too, everything included!”
“Hey, you’re cutting in line! Boss, make me one too—I don’t want meat though, so it should be cheaper, right?”
The crowd surged forward instantly, all craning their necks and shouting, then quickly recoiling from the rising heat.
Yuan Zhao’s hands moved faster and faster as he cooked, reassuring everyone as he went. Soon, a whole basin of minced meat was gone.
“No more meat—eight copper coins each!”
More customers arrived. Yuan Zhao quickly scanned them and recognized most as laborers—men doing hard physical work who needed a hearty breakfast for energy.
After buying their pancakes, they would also go next door for a bowl of mutton soup. None of it was cheap.
No wonder Shi Wuxiang had suggested bringing green bean soup later. In the summer, it would cool and refresh people, and even when the pancakes sold out, someone might still want a sweet drink.
Soon the crowd dispersed, leaving only a few scattered customers. Yuan Zhao finally had a moment to breathe, though his back was already soaked with sweat. Yuan Wan fanned him, but it was still uncomfortable.
When the last customer finally left, Yuan Zhao slumped down completely. The water in the bamboo flask had been finished. He handed Yuan Wan two coins and told him to fetch another bamboo flask of tea.
“Seriously… they actually sold everything…”
Yuan Zhao looked at his small stall. The meat and vegetables were all gone—only a bit of batter was left. After all, some customers had even added money just to get extra meat. “Even the eggs aren’t enough anymore. We’ll need to buy more.”
“We made so much money!” Yuan Wan’s eyes darted toward the wooden box under the cart. He had been helping collect payments the entire time, and the box was now completely full—packed with copper coins.
Yuan Zhao wiped the sweat off him with a smile. “Then when we get back, we’ll count it all. We should be able to start building a house soon. Once that happens, you won’t have to squeeze into a room with A Yue anymore.”
“A Yue is really nice though. He even tells me storybooks at night.” Yuan Wan said happily. He loved hearing those strange and fascinating tales. If he could write, he’d want to write storybooks too.
Yuan Zhao hadn’t known that Shi Qingyue could tell stories. After all, once night fell, everyone went back to their own rooms, and no one paid attention to what was happening in other houses.
Still, as long as Yuan Wan was happy staying at the Shi household, that was enough. Even if it was just the two of them in the future, they would not forget this period of time.
“Boss, can you still make rolled pancakes?” a customer asked.
Yuan Zhao stood up awkwardly. “Sorry, we can’t make any more today. The meat, vegetables, and eggs are all sold out. There’s only some batter left.”
“Then I’ll come tomorrow. Bring more tomorrow, alright?”
“Alright!”
After seeing the customer off, Yuan Zhao decided not to stay any longer. He needed to pack up quickly. If he stayed, more people would keep coming to ask, and it would only wear down his mood.
He also needed to buy more eggs—otherwise they would not be enough for tomorrow.
He had forgotten to ask where the egg seller usually came from. If he couldn’t find him in town, he might have to go back to the village to buy them.
Just as Yuan Zhao pushed the cart, he unexpectedly spotted the chicken seller after turning a corner near Fragrant Fragrance Restaurant’s back entrance.
He hurried over with the cart and Yuan Wan. “Busy? I want to buy some eggs.”
“Oh! It’s you!” Zhao San’er smiled when he saw him. “How many eggs do you need? The more you take, the cheaper I can make them.”
“I’ll need them regularly, but today I’ll take two hundred eggs. Can you give me a better price? I’ll keep buying from you in the future.” As he spoke, Yuan Zhao casually touched the chicks in the cage. “The chickens I bought from you before are growing well. They should start laying eggs by winter.”
Zhao San’er immediately understood.
This was going to be a long-term customer.
No matter what, he had to secure this business relationship.
“Three coins for one cent’s worth—three eggs for one copper coin. I’ll round it off for you afterward!” Zhao San’er said straightforwardly.
He had been doing street business for a long time and knew what was going on in town. A new stall selling rolled pancakes had appeared, and it used eggs. Seeing Yuan Zhao buying so many eggs, he immediately realized who the seller was.
There would be plenty of demand for eggs in the future, so there was no need to be stingy. Business required generosity.
“Alright!” Yuan Zhao agreed just as quickly.
When Zhao San’er finished counting, Yuan Zhao paid immediately. These two hundred eggs still earned him more than a hundred copper coins.
“Do you set up here every day?” Yuan Zhao asked.
Zhao San’er understood he was trying to arrange a regular supply.
“I usually travel around selling. I only sit down when I find a good spot. How about this—every three days at this time, I’ll wait at this street corner. If you want to buy, come here. If not, just send someone to tell me.”
“Good. It’s settled.”
After agreeing, they headed toward Fragrant Fragrance Restaurant.
Yuan Wan had never been to such a place before. Even entering through the back door made him nervous. He clutched his brother’s clothes tightly, his fingers turning pale.
“Don’t be afraid.” Yuan Zhao pulled him into his arms. “Wait here. I’ll bring the ox cart over.”
A worker at the back yard noticed them and came over. Seeing Yuan Zhao, he forced a casual smile.
“It’s you again?”
“I came to get the cart. Could you help me call for Master Shi? I need to speak with him.” Yuan Zhao felt a bit awkward. He was not blind—he could clearly sense the faint hostility from the man.
It was the kind of hostility directed at him simply because he was a “ge’er.”
The worker looked at him with faint contempt, clearly displeased at being asked around by someone like him. But since he had been instructed beforehand, he said nothing and went to call for someone.
Shi Wuxiang came down quickly. Seeing Yuan Zhao drenched in sweat, he frowned immediately.
“Come inside and rest. The sun is too strong right now—you’ll overheat on the road.”
“My mother is still at home and might not be able to manage everything alone. There’s still batter left that needs handling. I can’t stay long.” Yuan Zhao fanned him gently. “I just came to tell you we’re heading back. Go upstairs. It’s cooler inside.”
“You haven’t eaten yet. You and Yuan Wan should eat at the restaurant before leaving.”
Yuan Zhao widened his eyes slightly. “Ah, but our family can’t really afford—no, no, I want to go back and rest.”
He had almost said that their family could not afford to eat here, but seeing the worker still nearby, he swallowed the words. He did not want Shi Wuxiang to lose face.
Shi Wuxiang always dressed neatly outside, and although their home was poor, Yuan Zhao did not want others to look down on him.
Shi Wuxiang understood immediately.
“I misspoke. Just remember to drink cooling herbal tea when you get back. I’ll buy some mint and cooling herbs later. If you feel unwell, go see the village doctor. Don’t hide it from me.”
“Alright, alright—you talk too much!” Yuan Zhao puffed his cheeks.
Even Yuan Wan mirrored his expression exactly, making it obvious they were brothers.
“Alright, I won’t say more. Be careful on the way back.”
“Got it.”
“Goodbye, big brother.”
Shi Wuxiang watched them leave. Just as he turned to go upstairs, the worker glanced at him hesitantly.
“…Master Shi, is that person your wife?”
“Yes.” Shi Wuxiang answered without hesitation. “He’ll be coming here often in the future. Please take care of him.”
The worker was startled and quickly agreed, wiping his sweat.
He had completely misjudged things.
On the way back, the journey was as difficult as expected. The sun was directly overhead, the heat sticky and suffocating. Yuan Zhao’s face turned red from the sun, and his clothes were soaked through.
“Yuan Wan, move to the back a bit. Once we get home, we’ll have sweet water. Your auntie must have already chilled it.” Yuan Zhao kept talking to him.
“Brother… don’t talk anymore…” Yuan Wan whispered. “I’m fine.”
They finally returned home with great difficulty.
People in the house rushed out to help unload the cart and move the stove down. Someone led the ox to the shade to feed it. They would later repay Village Chief Niu with copper coins.
Yuan Wan hugged the wooden box tightly. It felt heavy, pressing into his arms painfully, but he was extremely happy.
More money meant they could build a house sooner.
“Ah Zhao, how was the first day of business?” Madam Shi asked softly.
“Pretty good! A lot of people bought it, and some even paid extra for more meat!” Yuan Zhao said excitedly. “Ten copper coins each and people still bought them! If we hadn’t run out of batter, I would’ve sold everything before coming back!”
“That’s wonderful.” Madam Shi smiled warmly. “You worked hard. There’s sweet water on the table—drink first. I’ll bring you cold noodles.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
These days it was getting hotter and hotter; they barely wanted to leave the house, let alone water the fields. Pushing themselves too hard would only backfire.
Shi Qingyue and Shi Qingran chatted with little Yuan Wan, and when they heard how everyone praised the pancakes and fought to buy them, both of them looked proud, as if they themselves had been complimented.
“Why don’t Second Brother and Miss go help in town too?” Yuan Wan asked innocently. “It’s just very hot and tiring, so you shouldn’t go.”
He understood that they were different from him and his brother. They had lived comfortably before and had likely never suffered hardship. But he and his brother were used to it, so they should handle it.
Shi Qingyue clicked his tongue and pinched his cheek.
“Who are you calling out like that?”
Yuan Wan froze. “I didn’t scold anyone… scolding is bad. It makes your mouth stink.”
“It’s not only curse words that count as scolding. Anything that makes someone uncomfortable counts. If someone says something that makes you uncomfortable, then they’re bad people.”
Madam Shi walked in with noodles and lightly smacked Shi Qingyue on the back of his head.
“Stop talking nonsense and corrupting the child. Do you want your brother to deal with you?”
“I didn’t say anything wrong…” Shi Qingyue said lazily, brushing it off with a smile.
“If Sister-in-law is too busy, we can also go help in town.”
Even as the words left his mouth, he himself felt a little dazed.
The others watched his expression too. No one said anything out loud, but they all knew—he had once lived in town, then after his family fell on hard times, he returned to the village in embarrassment, only to now consider going back to the town to make a living again. It was something that hurt a person’s pride.
So they all tacitly avoided bringing it up. If they did not want to go to town, then they would not go—it all depended on their mood.
They just had not expected Shi Qingyue to be the first to say it. At that age, young men cared the most about saving face. If he ran into old acquaintances from before, there was no telling whether he would be mocked.
“You’re just going to ignore the fields at home?” Madam Shi snapped him out of it. “Even if the land up in the hills does not need you to water it, the cucumbers and yardlong beans behind the house still depend on you!”
Shi Qingyue clicked his tongue lightly, clearly having forgotten about that.
“Brother Yuan and I can manage for now. We will ask A-Xiang when he gets back and decide then,” Yuan Zhao said.
They had to listen to the head of the household. When he returned, they would also need to count the money.
Heh heh!
Author’s Note:
Time to start making money!!!