Chapter 7 The Rival Arrives: She Didn't Intend to Destroy the World

Wang Xiao lifted her foot to walk out, but Chen Yidong quickly called out to her, "What are you doing? Didn't we say we'd sell it again tomorrow? It's so late."

Without turning her head, she said, "I'll go to the street and tell the chicken feet and tofu vendors to stock up more for tomorrow, so I don't run out of stock and have to stop making braised dishes. I forgot to tell them in town earlier."

The braised chicken feet were selling so well, and since it was the first time my aunt and Jingjing had any business experience, she was completely overwhelmed and eventually forgot about them altogether.

The uncle's family member had a headache and quickly got up: "You go and tell them, do you even know which way their front door faces? Okay, okay, I'll go."

He stepped out the door, leaving Qian Xuemei with her daughter and niece, chuckling to themselves. Ha, if he's going to drink and not work at night, he should be out running errands late at night.

As it turns out, stocking up in advance is indeed very necessary.

When the sun rose again, she and her cousin only went to Yangliu Village at noon and sold out all the braised dried tofu.

Now they didn't even have to wait until 2:30. The two sisters got home and started selling right away, pushing their bicycles out to sell at 4:00. After dinner, they continued their business in town.

After five days, the two girls had learned from their experience.

In town, braised chicken feet sell better than braised dried chicken feet, because people buy them not only to try something new, but also to add flavor to their late-night snacks, rather than considering them a proper dish.

In the village, braised dried tofu is more popular than braised chicken feet. It has a strong flavor, goes well with rice, and is cheap. Serving it on the table makes for a satisfying meal that doesn't look out of place.

Haha, with experience, the two of them sold braised food even more enthusiastically.

Especially on Sunday noon, they sold two whole pots of braised tofu in one go, and even sold most of their braised chicken feet in the fields. Customers kept emphasizing, "Are you coming back tonight? I'll order now."

Chen Jingjing was overjoyed and kept assuring everyone, "Come on, come on, I'll definitely come, I'll definitely save some for you."

As evening approached, the two sisters pushed their bicycles back into the village to sell braised food. Before they could even raise their voices, their calls echoed from afar: "Selling braised tofu and spiced tofu!"

Chen Jingjing was startled: "Grandpa Lugan is back."

Indeed, after several days of busy farming, the old man selling braised dried tofu looked a bit darker and thinner than before, but he was in great spirits. His two large buckets were steady and full of braised and spiced dried tofu.

The gate to the small courtyard next door opened immediately. The aunt who had repeatedly emphasized to Wang Xiao and her sister at noon that they must save some braised tofu for them that evening rushed out excitedly with a porcelain basin, shouting to Grandpa Braised Tofu: "Uncle, you've finally come! Give me a dollar's worth of braised tofu, and an extra spoonful of broth."

She took the porcelain basin filled with braised tofu and was about to pay the old man who made the tofu when she turned her head and saw Wang Xiao and her sister. Her face immediately flushed, and she stammered, "Oh, you two are here. Tsk, um, you don't have any spiced tofu. Uncle, give me another 50 cents' worth of spiced tofu."

Wang Xiao pushed the cart away, saying, "It's alright, Auntie, you're busy, we'll be going now."

Chen Jingjing quickly followed, and only after walking about ten meters did she dare to speak with worry: "Sister, Grandpa Lugan is back, what should we do? They've all gone to buy his braised dried tofu."

It wasn't that she was being self-deprecating, but Grandpa Lugan's reputation built over so many years was truly well-deserved. Whenever he raised his voice, countless people would rush out of the yard with bowls in hand. One after another, they came to buy braised dried tofu, stinky dried tofu, and spiced dried tofu.

The fact that no one paid any attention to them while they were pushing their bicycles made them look like two clowns.

People came and went, some were embarrassed, some pretended not to see; in any case, no one came up to buy their braised dishes.

"Let's go!" Wang Xiao made a quick decision, beckoning his cousin to get in the car. "Let's hurry to Chenzhuang."

Chen Jingjing also realized: "Yes, we need to sell before him."

Unfortunately, despite the sisters' quick efforts, their braised food sales suddenly became difficult in Chenzhuang Village, whether due to its small size or some other reason. They went to Yangliu Village and Qianjin Village, but by the time they finished, it was already dark, and they still had a pot of braised tofu left over.

In 1990, there were no streetlights in Zhouzhen Village. Wang Xiao dared not walk in the dark, and besides, people in the village ate early now; some families had already finished eating and were washing dishes.

She quickly rode her bicycle back to Qianjia Village with her cousin.

Qian Xuemei had prepared dinner early in the morning and was waiting for the two of them to return. When she saw them, she couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Why are you so late today? Go wash your hands and eat."

Chen Jingjing was both anxious and angry: "Don't mention it, Mom, Grandpa Lugan is back."

Chen Yidong had just herded all the chickens into the coop when he heard the noise and didn't think much of it: "Oh, they're just busy. It's time for them to come back and do business."

He hadn't really felt it before, but now, seeing his family selling braised food, he understands how much money they make and can really empathize with how much they want to earn without taking a break. After all, stopping for a day means losing at least twenty or thirty yuan in income, and who could bear to do that?

Chen Jingjing was even more frustrated: "Chenzhuang and the others are not doing well either. Today, my sister and I sold to three villages, and we still have braised dried tofu left to sell."

Honestly, we couldn't even sell enough the past two days.

Chen Yidong washed his hands, served the dishes, and casually replied, "Isn't this normal? Everyone's been busy lately, who still buys braised tofu every day?"

The two sisters suddenly realized: the reason the braised food had been selling so well these past few days was a combination of perfect timing, location, and people. The autumn harvest required heavy physical labor, which took a toll on people's bodies, so they were willing to spend money generously.

Normally, I wouldn't be so extravagant.

Qian Xuemei served the two girls rice and comforted them, "It's okay, after we eat we'll go to the street to sell chicken feet, and we can still sell the braised dried tofu."

Thankfully, the number of people eating braised chicken feet at the night market was about the same as usual, with no significant decrease in spending. They also managed to sell half a pot of braised dried tofu along with the food. It just took a little longer than usual. By the time they got home, the night market was practically deserted.

Chen Yidong and Qian Xuemei were quite content with their modest wealth. The aunt even emphasized, "Alright, from now on we'll just sell braised chicken feet. We can earn over ten yuan a day, which is much better than me and your uncle working."

Chen Jingjing couldn't take it anymore: "Mom, that means we've lost at least half the money!"

My heart aches so much.

Qian Xuemei glared at her, annoyed: "If you put this energy into studying, I'd be laughing in my sleep."

See, see, here they come. All parents in the world are the same.

Just as Chen Jingjing was about to secretly roll her eyes, her mother unleashed her ultimate weapon: "I think you've gone mad from playing around. Go to school properly tomorrow! Don't forget which way the school gate faces!"

Chen Jingjing then came to her senses. Oh dear, her busy farming holiday was over. The busy farming holiday in October was nothing like the rush to harvest and plant in June; it was only a pitiful week-long break.

The unfortunate junior high student could only turn her head and look pitifully at her sister: "Sis, if we don't sell braised dried tofu, we'll lose a lot of money."

Wang Xiao was also frustrated. Before transmigrating into the book, her daily wage, while not quite reaching Yi Shuang's standard, was still in the tens of thousands. Now, she looked down on meager businesses; most importantly, she wanted to enter a more efficient money-making mode. She needed to quickly accumulate the largest amount of initial capital in the shortest amount of time so that she could laugh at the changing times in the 1990s.

Hmm, what were some quick ways to make money in 1990?

Reselling treasury bonds?

It was too late; she transmigrated into the book two years too late. It was the world of trendsetters in 1988.

Investing in stocks?

Sorry, her luck with financial investments has always been terrible; before transmigrating into the book, she was stuck with over 100,000 yuan worth of stocks that were barely hanging on. She couldn't understand why Wuliangye was inferior to Moutai, and why their stock prices differed so much.

Moreover, she had no knowledge of the stock market in 1990, only vaguely remembering that the stock market in the 1980s and 90s seemed to rise first and then crash; but now she really had no idea whether it had risen before it crashed or rose before it crashed.

Or, should we ask around?

She tried asking, "Uncle, how's the stock market doing right now? Has anyone made a fortune?"

"What?" Chen Yidong looked completely bewildered. Despite being a sent-down youth from the provincial capital, the stock market had already disappeared by the time he was born. He had never even heard of this trendy thing. He hadn't even redeemed the treasury bonds that had been forcibly assigned to him; they were still sitting at home.

Wang Xiao had no choice but to give up. The head of the supply and marketing department was considered a worldly person in the town; his uncle had even been to the Canton Fair and dealt with foreign businessmen. He didn't know, and probably no one in Zhou Town had studied stocks.

She still had to go back to the city. There was more news there, and the provincial library should have kept newspapers from recent years; she could look them up and gather information. It's said that the stock market turmoil of the 80s and 90s captivated the hearts of millions. So many stories of overnight riches were created through fiction.

Having made up her mind, she announced, "Uncle and Aunt, I'm going back to the provincial capital tomorrow. I need to look up some information."

She's currently avoiding that person surnamed Ruan, but her destination is the library, and the chances of bumping into him on a weekday are slim. After all, Ruan Rui is a high school teacher; she wouldn't usually skip work so casually.

As a result, Chen Yidong and Qian Xuemei turned pale with fright and immediately refused three times: "No, no, your parents said you can't go anywhere until they give the order."

Wang Xiao was speechless. How old was she? These people were still treating her like a child.

Ugh, this gives me a headache. I'm not going to bother with them.

Most importantly, she suddenly realized that transmigrating into a book meant this was a pre-ordained world. Heaven knows if the author created a fictional world or did thorough research; what if, to make things easier for the protagonist, they just randomly drew stock market charts?

Forget it, she transmigrated into a book, not been reborn. She shouldn't easily take advantage of her supposedly superior abilities. Sometimes, taking advantage might cost her her life.

Wang Xiao decided to continue earning her meager living by selling snacks.

When Chen Jingjing's alarm clock rang in the morning, even though it was still dark outside, she got up without a word, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and rode her bicycle to town to buy ingredients for braised dishes. She had arranged with someone yesterday to order extra chicken feet, and if she went late, they might not leave them all for her.

When she returned home with all her luggage, the house was in complete disarray.

When she left, Chen Jingjing went to the toilet, Qian Xuemei cooked breakfast in the kitchen, and Chen Yidong went to the private plot to fetch water to water the vegetables. No one saw her leave.

Based on her statement last night that she wanted to return to the city, the two parents instinctively assumed that Wang Xiao had secretly gone back to see that man again. Even though Chen Jingjing insisted that her sister wasn't that stupid, the adults wouldn't listen.

Now, watching Wang Xiao return laden with his spoils, Chen Jingjing snorted at her parents, "Hmph! See? My sister only cares about making money; she wouldn't do anything stupid. Her clothes and suitcase are all here; how could she possibly run away?"

Chen Yidong and Qian Xuemei both thought to themselves: What's a box? She has money, she can go anywhere. Although we still use grain coupons, it's not like we can't buy grain at a higher price.

Wang Xiao was a shrewd person. Without even listening to the beginning or the end of her words, she already knew what her cousin meant from just that one sentence. She quickly assured her parents, "I'm just afraid that if I go too late, I won't be able to buy it. Hey, Jingjing, help me take the aluminum pot inside."

She had to hold onto the handlebars, otherwise the basket would be unstable and the pot would tip over.

Chen Yidong felt awkward and rubbed his nose, humming and hawing: "Buying groceries? You could have just told me, and I would have gone to buy them. Why are you buying so much tofu? The dried tofu vendor is already open for business again."

Wang Xiao parked his bicycle and smiled, "It's alright. I saw that he came from Jiaozuo Township. He can only carry his load through Qianjia Village, Huangnitang Village, and Chenzhuang Village at most. He won't be able to get to places like Yangliu Village and Qianjin Village before he sells out. I won't compete with him. I'll sell at noon and head towards Yangliu Village, where there are people buying dried fruit."

What she found particularly strange was that the people of Zhouzhen clearly loved braised dried tofu, creating a market demand that was currently insufficient to meet the supply. Why didn't anyone enter this business to fill the market gap?

But upon closer reflection, it makes sense.

After all, Zhouzhen had a thriving township enterprise sector, with most of the young and middle-aged people working in factories. For example, her uncle and aunt, together, earned more than sixty yuan a month. In addition, they grew rice, wheat, and rapeseed in the fields, vegetables in their private plots, and raised chickens, ducks, and pigs. The extra money they had to spend on food and drink throughout the year was considerable.

Nowadays, school selection isn't common in rural areas, and people go directly to village clinics or town hospitals for medical care. Rural residents can improve their housing conditions by building their own houses. In short, there's little financial pressure, so there's no need to rack their brains to earn more money.

Unlike her, she would instinctively feel anxious if she didn't earn money for even a minute.

Qian Xuemei had to remind her niece, "Don't worry if you can't sell them all. I'll take them over to sell in the evening. Most people who work at the factory eat lunch there, and not many people in the village buy braised food."

Wang Xiao smiled and nodded: "Sure, I'll sell as many as I can. Aunt, you should eat and go to work."

However, Chen Yidong dared not leave his niece home alone. As someone who had raised a daughter himself, he knew that some children, no matter how well-behaved they appeared on the surface, were capable of anything when they were secretly plotting something.

He readily agreed: "Frying tofu? Uncle, you can do it. This isn't a gas stove; you can't cook it all by yourself."

That's absolutely true. Cooking on a traditional earthen stove in the countryside is a skill that requires you to juggle three things at the same time: gathering straw bundles, starting a fire, and setting up the stove. If you're not used to it, you'll definitely be overwhelmed.

Wang Xiao only asked one question in confusion: "Uncle, don't you have to go to work?"

"Ah, it's okay, the supply and marketing department isn't a production workshop." Chen Yidong pretended to be nonchalant. "It's fine to go later."

After finishing his breakfast, he washed the pots and dishes, then lit the stove and fried a basketful of tofu in one go.

With the clock already past nine, Wang Xiao had no choice but to urge him, "Uncle, if you don't go to work soon, it won't just be late, it will be absenteeism."

Chen Yidong was also in a dilemma, but he didn't dare leave his niece alone at home. So he had a sudden idea: "Xiaoxiao, why don't you come to the factory with your uncle? There are some production problems that the technicians can't solve. You, a college student, can help take a look."

Wang Xiao almost fell down on the spot.

Are you kidding me? The last time she opened a chemistry book was seven years ago; she hasn't touched chemistry since high school when she chose her major. Send her to a chemical plant as a technical advisor?

Hehe, transmigrating into a book is tragic, but she doesn't intend to destroy the world.