Ganli was secretly pleased, but her face remained impassive. She feigned difficulty and said:
"It's not that I'm unwilling to do it, but this ice is so difficult to prepare! I've already done a lot by making these few bowls; I simply don't have any more..."
"Oh? What are we going to do? How can we get through this hot weather without popsicles?" Everyone was disappointed upon hearing this.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Gan Li rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "However..."
"But what? Manager Gan, hurry up and tell us!" Everyone became anxious and urged.
Ganli paused deliberately before speaking:
"However, I've been thinking lately that besides popsicles, there are actually quite a few other things that can cool you down and quench your thirst just like popsicles. Although they also require ice, they use less ice than popsicles, and they taste much better than popsicles!"
Upon hearing this, everyone became interested and eagerly asked, "What is it? It tastes even better than a popsicle?"
Ganli smiled mysteriously, and instead of answering directly, said:
"Since everyone is interested, I'll try making a 'new product' tomorrow. Those who want to try it, please come early tomorrow! But I'll make it clear in advance that because it uses more ingredients, it will definitely be more expensive than popsicles."
She paused, and seeing the hesitant expressions on many faces after hearing that the price was higher than that of popsicles, she added:
"Don't worry, everyone. You can try it before you buy. If you're not satisfied, you don't have to give me face and pay me. Anyway, I guarantee you won't be disappointed!"
Upon hearing this, everyone who was worried that the price might be too high was relieved. Anyway, they could try it, and if it wasn't good, they wouldn't buy it! They wouldn't lose out either way.
So they all happily agreed, and many of them were already planning to come early the next day to try the 'new product' that Gan Li had mentioned.
After the guests left, the Gan brothers couldn't contain their curiosity and asked their sister what new product she was going to make.
As Gan Tian packed her things, she said, "What's the rush? We'll find out when we get back. Anyway, Mother has to make it first so we can try it ourselves. Mother, am I right?"
Seeing her pleading look, Gan Li gave her a thumbs up without hesitation: "Smart!"
She glanced at the sky, realizing it was getting late, so she put down what she was holding and told Gan Mingli to take Gan Tian and tidy up there first. She then took Gan Mingyi to the town market.
Looking at Gan Tian's aggrieved eyes, Gan Li knew that she was upset that she hadn't been taken along. However, there was a reason why she had to bring Gan Mingyi.
She went to the town's pharmacy again. As soon as she entered, the shop assistant greeted her warmly and asked, "Fairy, are you buying saltpeter to refine elixirs again?"
Ganli: "..."
Ever since she casually made up a story about being a rogue cultivator, everyone in the pharmacy, from the manager to the shop assistants, has started calling her Fairy Maiden.
Although she felt a little awkward at first, she quickly adapted to her new role. Looking at the shop assistant's bright eyes, she said mysteriously:
"No, we won't buy saltpeter this time. We're missing one ingredient for alchemy, so I'll buy some myself."
"Oh? What kind of medicine is it?"
"Immortal Grass".
"Fairy Grass?" The waiter's eyes widened upon hearing this. He looked at her as if to confirm, but when he saw the certainty in her eyes, he was... bewildered.
The shop did indeed have fairy grass, and it was indeed a medicine, but this was the first time he had ever heard that fairy grass could be used to make pills.
He looked at Gan Li with surprise and doubt, only to find that she was radiant and seemed to be younger than when he first met her.
Hiss—could it be that she really knows how to cultivate immortality?
The shopkeeper was filled with astonishment. His eyes widened in awe as he looked at Gan Li, and he spoke with even greater respect: "This way, Fairy Maiden. The Fairy Herb is in the storeroom in the backyard. I'll go and fetch it for you right away."
Gan Li nodded slightly, stood with her hands behind her back, and looked unfathomable.
...
Emerging from the pharmacy, Gan Mingyi carried a large bag of fairy herbs on his back. Although he didn't know what his younger sister intended to do with these herbs, he was convinced that she was smarter than him and must have a reason for buying them!
However, he was still full of doubts about Gan Li pretending to be a 'fairy nun' and couldn't help but ask, "Little sister, why did you lie to them and say you were a Taoist nun?"
Ganli winked mischievously: "How could I buy so much saltpeter without making up an excuse? Second Brother, you've probably already guessed it, the reason I was able to make so much ice is related to saltpeter."
Upon hearing this, Gan Mingyi nodded hurriedly.
These days they set up a stall in town, and Ganli always reminds them to carefully save the water in the wooden basin, and then find a way to dry it and extract the saltpeter from it.
After a while, they guessed that the ice was related to the saltpeter, but since the younger sister didn't say much, they didn't ask any more questions.
Now that his younger sister brought it up, Gan Mingyi didn't pretend he didn't know, but nodded honestly.
Gan Li was not surprised at all when she saw this; she had never intended to hide it.
She had already anticipated that her business would soon attract the attention of those with ulterior motives, and a simple investigation would reveal that she had purchased a large amount of saltpeter from the pharmacy.
If the Gan brothers could deduce that the ice was related to this through saltpeter, it's likely that soon other clever people will be able to figure it out as well.
Of course, she didn't expect the lie she told at the pharmacy to fool everyone, but she was too lazy to explain so much, so she just said it offhand.
Hearing her explanation, Gan Mingyi's doubts were resolved, but he became even more worried.
If saltpeter can make ice, then others can too! Then the streets will be full of popsicles, how will they make money?
This was a method my sister painstakingly devised. We were on the verge of a better life, and we couldn't let it be ruined like this!
He slapped his thigh and said anxiously, "If they find out that the ice is made of saltpeter, won't they all start making popsicles? Won't they steal a lot of our business?"
Gan Li was amused by his anxious appearance and burst into laughter, which made Gan Mingyi even more confused. The business was about to be lost, so how could his little sister still be laughing?
Seeing his confused and frustrated look, Gan Li kindly explained:
"Who said it's going to be gone? So what if they know saltpeter is related to ice? Do they know how to use it? Even if they know it needs to be diluted with water, do they know how many kilograms of water to add to one kilogram of saltpeter? They know nothing, and they think they can make ice with saltpeter? They're a long way off!"
Upon hearing this, Gan Mingyi finally understood that making ice from saltpeter was not as simple as just adding water and stirring, and he was relieved.
He didn't press for the real method of making pear ice at all, he was just happy: "That's good, that's good. I knew it. Little sister, you're so smart, you definitely wouldn't let anyone steal it so easily."
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