After looking at them all, Xiao Wei frowned and said, "None of them have black spots. Are they all male eggs?"

Bai Lu nodded: "That's correct in theory."

"They can't even hatch chicks?" Xiao Wei looked unhappy and didn't quite believe it.

Although Bai Lu's speech in the morning was very much like a teacher standing on a podium, she possessed a convincing ability.

"Knock knock knock—"

There was a sudden knock on the door.

Bai Lu instructed Xiao Wei to look at it several times, as the small black dots might not be very noticeable, before going to open the front door.

Aunt Wen Xiuyun, carrying a basket of fresh fruit, said with a smile, "Have you eaten yet? I have some freshly picked fruit here. Take it home and try it."

The news of the police searching the house this morning has spread throughout the streets and alleys, so Bai Lu was not surprised by her fifth aunt's visit.

"Fifth Aunt, you're too kind. Please come in and sit down. I roasted some chestnuts a couple of days ago; please have a taste."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two went to the main house and sat down, with a fruit basket placed on the octagonal table.

On the day I arrived, Bai Lu had taken a few enamel water cups from Li Shuixian's shop. Now I can take them out to entertain the guests. After washing them, I will pour in some water that I will boil after lunch.

Wen Xiuyun accepted the gift with both hands, her gaze towards Bai Lu growing more and more satisfied. It was a real pity she wasn't her daughter-in-law.

Not only is she beautiful, but she also has a gentle personality, a good temper, and is very courteous in her interactions with others. How could such a wonderful girl have been snatched away by Xiao Cheng?

Holding her enamel mug, Wen Xiuyun chatted for a few moments before softly asking Bai Lu, "Is your Xiao Cheng alright?"

She heard about what happened in the morning from Old Li, who sells sweet soup next door, so she came over to check on it after closing up shop at noon.

Xiao Cheng is a good leader; his team is efficient, hardworking, and no one tries to shirk their duties.

If nothing's wrong, that's fine. But if Xiao Chengzhen is really involved in those things, she'll have to find a new construction team as soon as possible.

To avoid the construction being interrupted every now and then, and not knowing when the new house would be completed, she wanted to move to the town so that her two children, who were still in high school in the city, could live closer to her home.

Bai Lu was well aware of her anxiety, and said with a relaxed smile, "Thank you for your concern, Aunt Wu. Acheng is fine."

"It was all a misunderstanding. The police received a report that we had hidden contraband such as a large knife in our house. After searching, they found nothing and left. When they came out, they ran into Liu Guanggun. After a confrontation, they realized that he had made a mistake."

Bai Lu explained the ins and outs of the matter clearly in just a few words, cutting out the beginning and the end and leaving only the key points.

The version of events spread like wildfire, inevitably embellished and exaggerated. Hearing Bai Lu's simple and clear explanation, Wen Xiuyun finally put her doubts aside.

"It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright. There are all sorts of rumors going around outside, everyone has a different story. I didn't know what really happened either. I was thinking, wasn't Xiao Cheng helping my family build a house? How could he get into something like this? Turns out it was a mistake. I knew it! Xiao Cheng may not be very talkative, but he's capable when it comes to getting things done..."

The misunderstanding was cleared up, and everyone treated each other with honesty. Wen Xiuyun was relieved, and Bai Lu was also relieved.

Building a good house for his neighbors will be an important step in changing Xiao Cheng's bad impression on them and will lay a solid foundation for what he will do in the future.

After all, words will fade away with time.

The houses that stand firm are like landmarks of memory, repeatedly taking root in the minds of every passerby.

"Is this a chestnut?"

Wen Xiuyun picked up a golden, shiny, and fragrant chestnut, her face full of surprise.

She was about to leave after finishing her business when she remembered that Bailu had asked her to try some freshly roasted chestnuts when she came in.

Chestnut trees cover the hillsides in the countryside, and her family has quite a few on the mountain. Apart from adding some to dishes for braising, stewing, or boiling, they are not considered any special or rare fruit.

I tried one as a return gift, but I didn't expect it to be so fragrant after peeling it open. It was soft, chewy and sweet.

It tastes much better than the braising and stewing methods I've eaten countless times; it's so delicious that you can't stop eating it once you start.

Wen Xiuyun brought over some fruit, and in return, Bailu told her to eat as much as she liked, so she didn't stand on ceremony and ate two more, leaving a lingering fragrance in her mouth.

"These chestnuts are like roasted chestnuts, or stir-fried chestnuts. They have a soft, sweet, and slightly crunchy texture. It's a novel way of eating them that I've never seen before. If I sold them on the street, they would definitely be very popular." Business people are always quick to spot opportunities.

Wen Xiuyun and her husband have been selling fruit for over ten years, relying on their honest business practices and their reputation for never shortchanging customers.

It certainly won't be those unscrupulous merchants who try every means to steal the secret recipe; they'll say whatever they want.

Moreover, Xiao Cheng even built a house in her yard. He dared to cheat Bai Lu, so he's definitely going to get what's coming to him.

Bai Lu likes to associate with smart people. "I just added a little sugar when I was frying it. Maybe it just suits Aunt Wu's taste. Will it really make money if I put it on the street?"

Despite her calm demeanor and humble tone, a small flame of excitement was already burning within her.

"Of course it's true. There are plenty of chestnuts in the countryside, but people are tired of the old ways of eating them, which are only for filling their stomachs and don't care about the taste. Your sugar-roasted method is novel; no one has ever seen it before, so it will definitely make money."

Wen Xiuyun is a straightforward person and quite likes Bai Lu's personality, so she doesn't hide anything from her.

She said what she meant: "My husband and I have been selling fruit for so many years, and we have never seen chestnuts cooked with sugar in any town or city."

"Roasted chestnuts," Bai Lu said.

Wen Xiuyun nodded: "Roasted chestnuts are a novel way to eat them. I took a look when I was peeling them just now. It's not something you can just fry casually. If you put them on the street to sell, the business will definitely be good. It won't be copied by others in just a few days."

Roasted chestnuts may seem simple, but making them look good, with a perfect balance of sweetness and aroma that appeals to a wide range of tastes, is not easy. If you're not careful, they'll burn and taste bitter.

Wen Xiuyun doesn't believe that simply adding some sugar to the pot and stir-frying chestnuts is enough.

You never know what you might have to add along the way, and the order in which you stir-fry it also matters. Just because the White Dew solar term doesn't mention it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

She was sensible enough not to ask any further questions.

But if there's a possibility of business cooperation, she still hopes that Bailu will think of her first.

Of course Bai Lu wants to make money!

But the big boss wouldn't give it to me...

I need to come up with a way tonight to win over the big boss so I can discuss the specific money-making plan with Aunt Wu.

When Wen Xiuyun was being seen off, Bai Lu specially tore off a few pages of an old calendar, folded them into a large funnel, filled it with roasted chestnuts, and put them in the empty fruit basket for her to take back.

They didn't tell her to give customers a taste of the fruit when she was selling it, or to test the market; they just said it was for her to eat.

She's incredibly good at handling people.

She's older than Bailu, so she can't be inferior to her. Some things don't need much explanation; just do them.

Xiao Wei only showed himself after the two finished talking, after Wen Xiuyun left, and after Bai Lu closed the door and came back.

"The eggs have been examined many times, but there are no small black spots. Are they all male eggs that can't hatch into chicks?"