Chi Sihai had only just thought of this problem.

Aunt Chi, wiping away her tears, said, "Don't worry. Tangtang thought of this a long time ago, which is why the third son only set off now that it's dark. And he won't start from Qingshui Town; he'll take a detour through other villages, making a big loop..."

"That's good."

Chi Sihai breathed a sigh of relief.

As dusk settled, the pedestrians had already gone far away.

Standing by the fence, Aunt Li suddenly said, "I wonder how Rong'er and the others are doing now."

When the money was stolen and when the old lady died, she did indeed resent her youngest son.

But after half a year, the resentment faded, and time revealed its original gentle and longing nature.

The mother misses her son.

Old Li glanced at his wife but didn't scold her; he simply turned and went back into the house.

Looking at his back, he seemed to blend into the night, his back slightly hunched.

Li Mingfan's wife said somewhat stiffly, "Mother, you should mention him less, so as not to make Father sad when he thinks of Grandma."

Then he patted his two sons and told them to go back inside quickly.

Sister-in-law Chi took in everything, sighed, and gently hugged her mother without saying a word.

What else is there to say?

Everyone's emotions are understandable, yet they are also contradictory and conflicting.

Aunt Li wiped away her tears, swallowed her sorrow, and staggered back into the house.

——

The City Lord's Mansion.

"My lord, I have already inquired. It was the Chi family that produced the charcoal and had originally signed an agreement with a merchant. However, the Wang family intervened, and the merchant had no choice but to break the contract. Then the Wang family bought the hills surrounding the Chi family's property. It seems that they want to do this business themselves."

Li Mingru was in his early forties, with a slightly protruding belly, regular facial features, and a short stature.

This unassuming, short, and chubby man was actually the prefect of Beiyang City!

Li Mingru stroked his goatee and smiled kindly: "Charcoal business? That's a good business. The Wang family is too domineering; they want to snatch other people's businesses and do it themselves?"

Whether it can be accomplished or not depends on your decision, sir.

"That Chi family, is it the same Chi family from last time?"

"right."

Li Mingru closed his eyes and began to ponder carefully.

He thought about the situation in the capital and felt that it was better not to make some things too obvious.

“Okay, you go…” Li Mingru carefully instructed him.

After his subordinates understood the instructions, Li Mingru secretly took out a jar of candied fruit from behind the bookshelf, crossed his legs, and ate while thinking.

If the Beiyang government had started the charcoal business first...

Wow, you've gained both fame and fortune!

Not bad, not bad.

——

A few days later, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Aunt Chi went to town early in the morning to buy a lot of rice in preparation for making Laba porridge.

The market was bustling with activity.

Aunt Chi brought her grandson, Si Lang, with her. For breakfast, the two of them had mutton wontons. Si Lang ate with great satisfaction, his eyes even squinting.

"Sweetie, eat slowly."

"Grandma, these wontons are so delicious! Let's buy some for my older brother and the others. I'm sure my aunt will love them too."

Silang said in a childish voice.

The little one sat on the bench, his face barely higher than the table, looking adorable and making people laugh.

"It's not convenient today, but Grandma will bring your older brother and the others later, okay?" Aunt Chi affectionately patted her grandson's head.

"Auntie, is that a burn scar on your grandson's face? It looks much lighter than before. What kind of medicine are you using? My daughter got burned a while ago too..."

Suddenly, a young woman, who seemed to know her well, sat down opposite Aunt Chi and kept staring at Si Lang.

Even Silang was frightened by it!

Shiro held the wonton bowl with both hands, watching the person opposite him warily and secretly.

Should I try to steal his wontons?

Aunt Chi patted Silang on the back, trying to help her grandson relax, and replied with a smile, "This medicine was given to me by a kind person I met by chance, and it's just enough for my grandson. As for where it was bought, I really don't know."

Do you believe it's a gift from the gods?

"Auntie, I didn't mean any harm, really. I just wanted to buy some for my daughter. You know it's not good for a young woman to have scars..."

The young woman was almost in tears.

Even if she cried herself to death today, Aunt Chi would not agree to cause trouble for her daughter.

"I'm so sorry, we just happened to meet on the street..."

"Could you tell me where we met?"

The young woman pressed for details.

Aunt Chi made up a couple of excuses before hurriedly leaving with Si Lang.

My mood is somewhat heavy.

If she didn't have a daughter, she would be the one crying and searching for medicine everywhere right now!

Because of this incident, Aunt Chi lost her mood for shopping. After buying what she needed, she bought a few candied hawthorn skewers for her grandson and went home.

After arriving home, Silang took the candied hawthorns and distributed them to his older and younger brothers.

Of course, the biggest string of skewers should be given to Auntie!

Who knew that my aunt would look down on candied hawthorn skewers?

Tilting her head, she asked, "I want cherry tomatoes, or strawberries are fine too."

"What?"

"Strawberry candied hawthorn?"

"I've never eaten strawberries before."

What are cherry tomatoes?

"Auntie, were all those gifts given to you by the gods?"

A group of little kids were staring longingly at Chi Tang.

Suddenly, the hawthorn candied hawthorn in my hand didn't taste so good anymore.

Chi Tang blinked: "Huh?"

This is where the business opportunity comes from, isn't it?

Chi Tang immediately started making a fuss and called her mother over, saying she wanted to make candied hawthorns.

"Tangtang, we don't have any strawberries or grapes at home," Aunt Chi said.

Chi Tang was stunned for a moment.

If the refrigerator had unlimited refills, she could take it out, but now...

Should we just give up this business opportunity?

"Then let's sell sugar snowballs," Chi Tang smacked her lips.

Even though they're both made from hawthorn, she loves sugar-coated hawthorn balls but doesn't like candied hawthorn skewers, and she doesn't know why.

Remembering the plum blossom cakes from before, everyone immediately sharpened their knives and got ready to dig in!

Actually, making sugar snowballs is very simple, but you must master the heat control.

After trying twice, Sister-in-law Chi found that the sugar snowballs wouldn't frost. Then, with Chi Tang's guidance, she tried twice more and finally succeeded.

The plump, bright red hawthorns, coated with a thick layer of sugar frost, look incredibly tempting.

The children shared it, and they all said it tasted better than candied hawthorn.

"It's almost Chinese New Year, there are a lot of people in town, we can sell for quite a while."

"However, I reckon that once others try it a few times, they'll be able to make this sugar snowball."

"Well, let's sell for as long as we can. Otherwise, we're just sitting here anyway."

Everyone was eagerly anticipating making a pot of food to sell in town when, a distinguished guest arrived in the courtyard.