Cai returned home feeling completely confused.

Is it just a small-scale operation?

This is an answer, yet also a non-answer.

Her husband, Jiang Jianxin, complained when he heard this, "Why are you asking these questions?"

Madam Cai sensed the man's impatience and couldn't help but glare at him. "Isn't this all for the sake of the family? If you were more capable, why would I need to ask around for this kind of information?"

"You're blaming me for this?"

Cai was enraged by this tone. "Do you think you can blame me, a woman? Fine, you think I'm not as capable as Xiao Gu, right? Then I'll leave today."

Jiang Jianxin was surprised that his wife would take the opportunity to climb up the social ladder, and he was immediately somewhat helpless. "Don't talk nonsense. How could I dare to look down on you?"

Didn't we just end up talking at the wrong time?

Hearing the man apologize, Madam Cai felt a little relieved. "The Gu family is going to rebuild their courtyard wall. Go and help them out. Try to get closer to Jiang Yong'an and see what kind of business he's doing outside. It's not convenient for me, a woman, to inquire about these things, but if you find out, you'll have another way to get involved, won't you?"

Jiang Jianxin was initially unwilling, but since his wife gave the order, he had no choice but to comply.

Little did he know that when he arrived there, Jiang Yong'an was nowhere to be seen.

I did see Uncle Li and Aunt Li. "Where are Brother Yong'an?"

"They went up the mountain, saying they were going up to get some things to bring back."

There are indeed some prey on the mountain, but they are fast runners.

Jiang Jianxin, who frequently went up the mountain, could occasionally bring back some things.

But Jiang Yong'an has been away for many years and is probably not familiar with the mountain. I hope nothing bad happens to him. "I'll go up the mountain to take a look."

Aunt Li didn't stop him; she and Uncle Li were helping with the cleaning.

When Yong'an mentioned building two more houses, Aunt Li and her husband volunteered to help.

They can't do the work of building walls and beams, but they can clean up without any problem.

Not long after Jiang Jianxin went up the mountain, he heard a commotion not far away. He followed the sound and saw a tree that was so big that one person couldn't even hug it crash down, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yong'an swiftly chopped away the branches and forks with his knife.

Jiang Jianxin immediately understood that they had come up the mountain to cut down trees to make roof beams.

"This tree is too thick. I'll call two more people to help me get it down."

"Need not."

Jiang Yong'an's attempt to stop them was too late; Jiang Jianxin had already gone to call for help.

Just as he was calling for people to come up, he saw Jiang Yong'an carrying the thick tree trunk up and down.

The tree trunk rested steadily on the man's shoulder, as if it were not a huge tree, but a baby less than a year old.

Jiang Jianxin was dumbfounded. He finally understood what kind of business Jiang Yong'an was doing outside.

With such a strong physique, he must have been doing heavy physical labor at the docks.

He really can't do this job.

...

After Gu An'an returned to the county town with the children, she first went to take a look at the shop.

Spring rolls and meatballs are fine, but with the weather getting hot, I'm afraid they won't last until tomorrow.

What a waste!

"I can finish it if I eat a little more, Mom, don't worry."

Gu An'an was both amused and exasperated by Jiang Mingxu's childish words. She gently rubbed Jiang Mingxu's head and said, "You're not a cow with four stomachs, how much can you eat?"

These two large bowls of ingredients...

"How about we shout out at the door and see if we can sell them?"

Otherwise it would be a real waste.

"That works too." Wasting food is shameful, and they need to make their money back, right?

Su Sanniang, who ran the needlework shop next door, was surprised to see Gu's Food Shop making a fuss at its door, and it was one of their girls trying to attract customers. This made her frown, and she thought of the women she had seen earlier in Suzhou who were selling their smiles at the doors of brothels.

Su San Niang was about to step forward and offer a reminder when, unexpectedly, someone actually came over to inquire.

Jiang Mingzhu answered generously, "A serving of meatballs and spring rolls costs ten coins, enough to make soup for two people. It's too hot to keep them out any longer, so we have to eat them tonight."

"We can't sell it now, so how about we lower the price a bit more?"

Jiang Mingzhu remained composed and assertive, saying, "Ten coins really aren't expensive."

Then a middle-aged woman with an excessively full figure came over and said, "Why are you being so inconsiderate, child? If you can't sell this, it will just go bad and go to waste. Why not sell it to us at a lower price? It's just a little less profit, but at least we can maintain good neighborly relations, right?"

Su San Niang didn't expect Li Si Niang to come over; she was known throughout Anping County for always trying to take advantage of others.

It's the kind of thing where you feel like you're losing out if you don't get any advantage.

Gu Niangzi's daughter is probably going to be so angry she'll cry.

The little girl just shook her head when she heard this. "Ten coins is cheap enough. My mother told me to pay ten coins per serving. If I don't do as she says, this aunt won't speak up for me when my mother scolds me."

Li Si Niang chuckled, "How could that be? If your mother scolds you later, just tell her to come find me."

She took out two copper coins and tried to snatch the ingredients from Jiang Mingzhu's hand, but Jiang Mingzhu had anticipated this and stopped Li Siniang's restless hand. "Ten coins."

"Four coins, okay, four coins it is."

This is typical sophistry!

Su San Niang was getting impatient, but Jiang Mingzhu wasn't worried. "Auntie misheard. It's the 10 in seven, eight, nine, ten, not the 4 in one, two, three, four. If you're getting old and can't hear clearly, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. If you delay treatment and end up not hearing at all, you'll only harm yourself in the end."

She's quite quick-witted.

Su San Niang couldn't help but shake her head. "Li Si Niang, when are you going to change this habit? At your age, you're picking on a young girl. Aren't you ashamed?"

Li Si Niang blushed upon hearing this. "It's clearly this girl who's not speaking clearly. It's just a few broken meatballs. Who cares to eat them?"

She said this, letting go of his hand and storming off.

Jiang Mingzhu shook her head helplessly, looking at Su Sanniang with slight respect, "Thank you."

Perhaps the child was thanking her? Su Sanniang looked at the girl who had been busy for a while and said, "A young lady should know some needlework. If you have time, come to my place and I'll teach you some."

Su San Niang liked the child; she was bright and beautiful and very eye-catching.

Not only were the men pleased, but even Su San Niang became more patient.

However, Jiang Mingzhu shook her head and refused, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, but I prefer to be busy at the stove rather than doing needlework and embroidery."

Su Sanniang was stunned when she heard this. "You wash your hands and cook for others, aren't you afraid that the smoke in the kitchen will make you look old and faded, and that you will be disliked by men in the future?"

The girl, who had been patient, looked displeased upon hearing this, but she still patiently explained, "I like men not to please them. If a woman places all her hopes on a man, she has no future."

Su San Niang was dumbfounded.

All that could be heard behind me was someone laughing and cheering, "Well said!"