Lu Lin listened, touched. “I’ve seen other shop assistants upset customers and get scolded.”
Lu Yang said, “You’re not just my assistant—you’re my Brother Lin, the head clerk of my shop!”
Lu Lin couldn’t hide his smile. His hands moved faster, and in the blink of an eye, he had wrapped three or five small buns, making Lu Yang laugh heartily.
They lived at the shop, eating there as well.
Lu Yang never skimped on food; anything in the shop could be taken freely.
Before, when he cooked, everyone ate well. Now that the family had moved out and Lu Lin was in charge, portions were rationed—no one could overeat. At home, who could eat so freely? Even filling up with dough was a treat.
Lu Yang told him to ease up a little.
“It’s hot, meat and eggs spoil quickly. Better to eat them ourselves than waste them. Selling at a loss isn’t worth it; if we eat them ourselves, I feel comfortable. You work from dawn till dusk. Once Pomegranate and Ginkgo are trained, you’ll rotate shifts: first ten days you rise early, next ten Pomegranate, last ten Ginkgo. For my husband, when physical work is needed, be flexible; when fetching goods at the market, rise early. When buns or longevity rolls are ordered, rise early. Otherwise, no need.”
No need for everyone to wake at dawn if it wasn’t necessary.
Lu Lin nodded and asked, “When are you going to the prefecture?”
“In a few days. All goods are in the county; once the travel permit is ready, we’ll leave. June’s weather can be harsh, especially for kids’ faces. Rain would make travel difficult.”
The goods were dried fungi—exposure to rain would ruin them.
Lu Lin admired him. “Less than a year, and the shop’s thriving. Your fungi business is going well too.”
He also asked about Lu Liu’s household. “He’s trying so many things—small shops, sauces, collecting wild goods, raising rabbits and chickens. Can he manage all that?”
Lu Yang shook his head. “And don’t forget, he’s printing books for profit too. All of these require manpower and resources. He’s also expecting a child—definitely can’t do it all. But early business is about experimentation. Once he succeeds in one, handling money and seeing the world, he’ll know how to prioritize. My silly brother overthinks, yet still careful with his money. He didn’t grow up wealthy, so he doesn’t know the value of conserving effort.”
Lu Lin pondered. “I’ve never been wealthy either…”
Lu Yang laughed. “Do I look like I’ve been rich? It’s just that when I was learning, you weren’t by my side. I hoarded every skill, thinking it would prevent starvation. Now, running my own business, the shop is messy—but the mess is mostly edible, and it’s become a feature.”
His brother needed this experience too, to understand which items belonged together best.
At noon, Lu Lin cooked, letting Pomegranate and Ginkgo try running the front. Lu Yang visited the neighboring shop to chat with Boss Ding, delivering books.
Xie Yan had finished writing the second volume of Examination Answer Manual. Following the plan, he continued from the previous volume’s end, including articles, commentary, analysis, and the next topic, leaving exercises for next time. These were to be given to Boss Ding’s son.
Boss Ding was delighted, congratulating Lu Yang on his growing business.
Lu Yang said, “The book isn’t on sale yet. Don’t show it to others. I’m heading to the prefecture soon and might forget, so I’m giving it to you early.”
Boss Ding understood. During Lu Yang’s trip, he’d help oversee the shop, as before—rarely needing him more than twice a month.
With a smile, Boss Ding asked, “Going to the prefecture to sell books?”
Lu Yang shook his head. “Selling mountain fungi.”
By June, county dried goods shops entered low-stock season. Ordinary people cared mostly about staples; fungi weren’t essential.
Dried fungi business was usually steady, with predictable yearly turnover. Even the mountain gatherers weren’t eager to sell.
Typically, a new batch of fresh fungi would flood the market during rainy season, but this year only a few low-quality ones arrived. Merchants who tried to negotiate at the village failed and had to buy at the quoted price, hoping rain would improve the supply. It didn’t. Premium fungi were scarce.
Recently, Boss Ding had recommended Lu Yang’s shop to other merchants, praising its abundant fungi. He also remembered Lu Yang’s brother had ties with local hunters.
Even then, no one imagined Lu Yang had quietly expanded business to the prefecture.
Lu Yang had visited the prefecture once before, accompanying students for the exams.
Boss Ding was genuinely impressed. “Lu Boss, so generous.”
Lu Yang asked if he needed anything to be brought back. Boss Ding declined, only asking to deliver a letter to Ding’s family’s tavern in the prefecture for business introductions. Lu Yang was touched.
Sometimes, Boss Ding just wanted to chat without discussing profit; Lu Yang appreciated that.
He stayed a bit longer, explaining Xie Yan’s study methods. Not suitable for everyone, but a good reference for a young student starting out, still preparing for county exams.
“A family normally wouldn’t dismantle books—it’s costly. You can make small note cards for him. When reading, he can mark key points on paper. You can organize the table of contents. Later, even if cards get lost, he can find the page.
“Also, he must be willing to write. Reading is not enough—it’s thinking that matters. Thoughts can’t just stay in the mind; write them down. Review them, especially for memorization. At his age, he won’t memorize everything, but he can copy original passages to reinforce learning. Over time, reading the same text multiple times gives new insights. Writing and comparing allows self-correction. True learning requires reading, thinking, and writing.”
Boss Ding stood, clasped his fists, and promised, “Next time, I’ll bring my son to pay respects to Scholar Xie!”
Lu Yang smiled, exchanged polite words, and returned to the shop for lunch.
That afternoon, he visited the Common Knowledge Study Hall again.
After this trip, he decided to collaborate with them on favorable terms.
Previously, Boss Jin and Master Jin offered two options: pay a deposit with profit-sharing, or buy the full set of Examination Answer Manual for 1,000 taels.
Lu Yang chose profit-sharing—less risk and pressure for the study hall, smoother cooperation. He also required that the printing be handled by Elder Lu.
