W Chapter 25

There wasn’t much mung bean at home, and there wasn’t enough time because he had to get up before dawn to sell buns.

Ling Xing thought to buy some mung beans back from town tomorrow and make them again, and the day after tomorrow, take a pot to town to sell and see.

After cleaning up, Ling Xing went to the room to do the accounting.

The income was about the same as yesterday, nine more copper coins than yesterday. After deducting the cost of ingredients, renting a stall and a warehouse, the total profit was eighty-one copper coins.

Yesterday, thinking about buying flour, Ling Xing brought some loose silver. The flour was bought with a small piece of the silver nugget. The grain shop’s steelyard weighed it and gave him one hundred and fifty copper coins in change.

The copper coins were strung together with a rope and placed in the wooden cabinet along with the unused loose silver.

From having no money at the beginning to now having some money he can spend freely, Ling Xing felt that life was still full of hope.

If he saved up a bit more, he could eat meat once a month.

The next morning, before dawn, it was still pitch dark.

Ling Xing got out of bed carefully and put on the cloth shoes Shen Hui bought yesterday.

The cloth shoes were surprisingly comfortable. There was soft flannel at the heel to prevent the new shoes from rubbing.

The soles were thick and layered, so there was no feeling of prickliness when walking. They were much more comfortable than straw sandals.

Xu Youfang also got up early to cook for Ling Xing and Shen Hui, and then went back to sleep.

Ling Xing quickly washed up and went to the kitchen. Xu Youfang noticed the shoes on his feet and casually asked, “Ling Xing, did you buy shoes? Do they fit well? If they don’t fit, mother can alter them for you.”

During these two days of running the stall, the Shen family hadn’t asked Ling Xing how much he earned each day.

It had been agreed from the beginning that he didn’t need to hand over any of the profits, no matter how much or how little he earned. It was his own little business.

Because Ling Xing was going to hand over some income for public use, the Shen family elders told the others in the family about it.

Since he gave money, Ling Xing wouldn’t be asked to do the work in the fields. Besides, his physique wasn’t suited for heavy work.

Shen Gui and the others had no objections, so the matter was settled.

Now that Ling Xing could buy a pair of shoes after running the stall for two days, Xu Youfang was happy for Ling Xing, indicating that he was earning money.

Ling Xing subconsciously shrank his feet and glanced secretly at Shen Hui, remembering that Shen Hui said not to tell the family that he bought the shoes.

He had no choice but to lower his head and say, “The shoes fit very well, no need to alter them, mother.”

Xu Youfang thought about it and agreed, if you go to the shop to buy them yourself, you can’t buy shoes that don’t fit.

“Look at my muddled brain, I forgot that you bought them yourself at the shoe shop.”

Ling Xing’s cheeks flushed with lying. He poked the ground with his toes, wondering how Shen Hui knew his shoe size.

Meanwhile, Shen Hui, the other person involved, was eating indifferently. He ate very quickly and wasn’t afraid of burning himself, pouring the porridge into his mouth.

Ling Xing held the ceramic bowl in front of him, listened to the war-like movements beside him, and couldn’t help but whispered to Shen Hui, “Second brother, eat slower, you’ll burn yourself.”

Shen Hui paused, didn’t say anything, but his speed visibly slowed down.

After eating, Shen Hui carried everything on his back. When they reached the small road, Shen Hui wanted to carry Ling Xing on his back, but Ling Xing refused.

“I’m wearing cloth shoes today, they don’t rub my feet, I can walk myself.”

Shen Hui glanced at Ling Xing, his eyebrows slightly raised, “Okay, then Ge’er, keep up.”

The mountain path was much closer than the path between the fields, saving a lot of time.

The only bad thing was that the road was difficult to walk.

From time to time, branches would stick out and hit their heads, and the road under their feet was uneven, with rocks and protruding tree roots.

It was dark, and the road ahead was difficult to make out. Ling Xing couldn’t imagine how Shen Hui had carried him so steadily before.

The cloth shoes were new, and the soles hadn’t softened yet, so walking was a bit stiff.

Walking on the mountain path was even more difficult to keep his balance, and without a lantern to light the way, the faint moonlight didn’t allow Ling Xing to avoid the tree roots that protruded from the ground.

He tripped on a tree root and was about to fall face-first when his arm was suddenly pulled by a strong force, lifting him upwards. Ling Xing only felt the world spinning.

After regaining his balance, he heard Shen Hui’s usual low and cold voice, but there was no surprise in it, as if he had expected this situation.

“Does Ge’er want me to carry you now?”

Ling Xing didn’t want Shen Hui to work too hard, so he shook his head again.

Shen Hui was silent for a moment, then hummed. He didn’t mention it again, and withdrew his hand, “Keep up, watch your step.”

As soon as he turned around, the hem of Shen Hui’s clothes was grabbed.

Turning his head, he saw Ling Xing smiling, his round eyes curving with laughter, “Can I hold on to your clothes while I walk?”

Shen Hui looked at him for a moment in the moonlight, “Okay.”

When they arrived in town, the two began setting up their stall according to the procedure from yesterday.

Customers came to buy buns as soon as they were steamed.

Today, Ling Xing brought twenty catties of flour directly, twice the amount as before.

As word of mouth spread over the past two days, even more people came today, and they sold even faster.

Even the surrounding stall vendors came to buy buns and steamed buns to try. They had been watching for two days, and many people bought them every day, saying they were delicious, so the taste must be good.

The area in front of Wang Youmai’s noodle stall was empty again. Seeing the other stall owners going to the bun stall to buy buns to eat, he felt very uncomfortable.

None of these people had come to patronize his business, not even to eat a bowl of noodles.

His noodles were only five copper coins a bowl, a big bowl full, and he even added lard. How could it be worse than those buns and steamed buns?

Why were they all eating those dry things?

Wang Youmai wiped the table, looked at the crowd lined up across the way, and compared it to the emptiness in front of his stall. He felt more and more uncomfortable.

But no matter how unhappy he was, he could only endure it. He couldn’t afford to offend the big guy at that stall. Besides, this stall sold out quickly and left early, so he could sell later.

Who knew that when it was time for the bun stall to pack up on the previous two days, they were still making buns.

Wang Youmai was dumbfounded, were they extending their hours?

Well, if something was popular, naturally the longer you sold, the more money you made.

No one would pass up money.

But his stall had only sold five bowls of noodles so far today, and the money he earned wasn’t even enough to pay the stall fee.

Wang Youmai was anxious, but he couldn’t tell people to leave, so he sat on the bench with a sad face, staring blankly, not knowing what he was thinking.

Ling Xing also noticed the situation at the noodle stall.

He didn’t really know how to deal with such a situation.

It seemed like anything he did would be wrong.

The twenty catties of flour only took half an hour longer to sell than yesterday. This showed that the bun stall’s business was getting better and better.

When there was only one and a half steamers left, an unexpected person came to the bun stall.

A new stall had come to Tangfang Street, selling buns and steamed buns that no one had heard of. Everyone who had eaten them said they were delicious, and in two days, it had spread through three streets.

Fang Xiuxia was thinking about persuading her mother-in-law to let her and her mother-in-law agree to let the pregnant ge’er outside to the eldest son of Yun.

Because of the fierce commotion earlier, her mother-in-law didn’t give her a good look when she came back yesterday, and didn’t talk to her.

This wasn’t a solution, thinking that her mother-in-law liked to eat, and hearing the sister-in-law next door say that the bun stall on Tangfang Street sold the most delicious buns and steamed buns.

This delicious and unheard-of thing, her mother-in-law, who loved face and loved to show off, definitely couldn’t resist.

So Fang Xiuxia walked two streets and finally arrived at Tangfang Street.

She could find out where the bun stall was with one question. She followed the direction pointed by the stall owner in front and walked all the way, meeting many people holding oiled paper packages on the way.

When she was not far from the stall, Fang Xiuxia thought she was seeing things.

The stall owner who sold novel food was actually from the Shen family?

Looking closely, she realized she wasn’t mistaken.

Fang Xiuxia originally wanted to turn around and leave, but then she thought about the child, and she wouldn’t be able to sleep well until it was resolved.

She couldn’t bear to spend the money to buy snacks for her mother-in-law, so she had to bite the bullet and go forward.

“How are these buns and steamed buns sold?”

Shen Hui had seen Fang Xiuxia a long time ago, and didn’t have much emotion. He only regarded her as an ordinary customer. As long as people didn’t cause trouble, everything was easy to talk about.

“Three copper coins for a bun, four copper coins for a steamed bun, seven copper coins for two. There are only three buns and four steamed buns left.”

As he spoke, he opened the steamer to show Fang Xiuxia the size of the buns and steamed buns. There were samples to try only on the first day. These past two days, he only showed the customers the size.

Many people in front had already eaten them and thought they were delicious. They were living billboards, so there was no need to offer samples anymore.

The main reason was also because the quantity was small, and Ling Xing couldn’t afford to provide samples.

Fang Xiuxia felt timid when she looked at Shen Hui, and her throat was uncomfortable, as if she had been lifted up.

She looked at the size of the buns and steamed buns, and the white color, which seemed to indicate that a lot of flour had been used, and it seemed that the best refined white flour had been added inside.

The price was really worth it, but she didn’t dare to talk to Shen Hui too much, so she directly said she wanted all of them.

“A total of twenty-three copper coins.”

Fang Xiuxia counted the copper coins three times, making sure she didn’t give too much, before handing them over, taking the oiled paper package, and leaving in big strides.

The last buns and steamed buns were all bought, and Ling Xing and Shen Hui began to pack up their stall.

Seeing them leave, Wang Youmai’s face finally looked a little better.

Today he still had to go to the grain shop. In addition to buying flour, he also had to buy mung beans.

Mung beans were much cheaper than flour, six copper coins a catty. Ling Xing first bought ten catties to see how well they sold, and then bought twenty catties of flour.

A trip to the grain shop cost four hundred and sixty copper coins in less than a quarter of an hour.

Shen Hui put the things in the bamboo basket and carried them on his back. The two of them left the town gate.

“Ge’er is unhappy?”

Ling Xing came back to his senses, “Why do you ask?”

“Your emotions are always on your face. Is it because the business is affecting the noodle stall?”

Ling Xing was surprised by Shen Hui’s observation. After being seen through, he nodded directly, “Yes, a little.”

Shen Hui thought about Ling Xing’s guilty apology when he saw his hair sold off earlier. Later, he tried his best to make up for it, helping him cut his hair and sew his clothes.

“Is Ge’er always like this? So concerned about others, putting their emotions in your heart, and being affected by them yourself.”

Ling Xing didn’t expect Shen Hui to say this. He thought about what Shen Hui said, and then shook his head.

“I’m only like this to people who are good to me. Wang, the stall owner, promised to help me find my brother before, but I took his business, so it’s inevitable that I feel a little guilty.”

Shen Hui didn’t say anything more. When they reached the foot of the mountain, he said to Ling Xing, “Ge’er, hold on to my clothes, don’t fall.”

“Okay.”

……

Back home, Ling Xing asked Shen Lai, Xiao Chun, and Xiao Xia to help pick the mung beans, and he prepared the flour he would use tomorrow.

The flour starter soaked in water had fermented very well. After kneading the dough, he left some behind to use as the starter for tomorrow.

To make mung bean jelly, he needed alkali. Ling Xing also prepared the wood ash water to let it settle.

They ate bean rice for lunch, which Shen Hui made.

The soybeans were still a bit hard, with only a trace of saltiness and nothing else. Ling Xing thought that it would be nice if there was some pickles at home, at least there would be some flavor.

But pickles were quite expensive, because salt was expensive, so pickles were naturally expensive.

Especially pickles in the winter. At that time, there were fewer vegetables, and even the top wealthy families without greenhouses couldn’t eat fresh vegetables.

Pickles at that time were still vegetables after all, and they sold for two or three times more than usual. Only rich people could afford to eat them.

Ling Xing had the original owner’s memory and knew how expensive pickles were in the winter. He didn’t expect that things that were cheap as hell in his previous life had become luxurious things here.

The bean rice filled his stomach enough so he wasn’t that hungry. The Shen family didn’t rest much and went to work in the fields again, and Shen Hui still went with them.

When the mung beans were soaked in the afternoon, Shen Hui came back again.

Ling Xing was a little surprised to see him, “Are you done in the fields?”

But he looked behind Shen Hui and didn’t see anyone else.

Shen Hui shook the dust off his clothes and washed his hands, “I came back to help you grind the mung bean milk.”

Ling Xing was stunned for a moment, and didn’t quite agree, “I can grind it myself, won’t you be tired running back and forth like this?”

It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the good intentions, but Ling Xing really felt that Shen Hui was too tired.

He was like a spinning top, constantly spinning without any time to rest.

“Even if it’s because of your eldest brother’s instructions, you don’t need to go to this extent. You’ve helped me so much, it’s already enough.”

Shen Hui looked down at Ling Xing, taking in the concern on the other’s face.

“Mother told me to come back and help.”

There was no leakage of emotions in his dark eyes. Ling Xing couldn’t judge his emotions through Shen Hui’s face.

Ling Xing could only sigh helplessly, brought a stool for Shen Hui and placed it against the wall, telling him to sit down, “I’ll talk to mother later, you rest for a while first.”

Shen Hui sat on the stool, his gaze locked on Ling Xing, watching him take the soaked mung beans in ceramic basins to the small mill several times.

The small mill had been washed clean. Ling Xing didn’t have much strength, so he ground it slowly little by little.

Shen Lai and the three of them were also squatting beside him, helping to add mung beans to the small holes, or changing the ceramic basins filled with soy milk.

Ling Xing didn’t call Shen Hui even after most of the mung beans had been ground.

Shen Hui fell asleep sitting down after watching Ling Xing grind beans for a while.

Getting up so early every day and working so hard, he did all the heavy work. He barely closed his eyes on the day he put down the traps. After so many days in a row, even an iron body couldn’t stand it.

Seeing Shen Hui leaning against the wall and falling asleep, Ling Xing held up his index finger to his lips, signaling Shen Lai and the three of them to be quieter. Then, he got up gently, took a coat from Shen Hui’s room, and put it on him.

He didn’t wake him up to tell him to go to bed.

If he really went to bed, once the sleepiness passed, he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep.

The sound of the small stone mill slowly grinding sounded again, and Shen Hui listened to the sound and slept for a long time.