Chapter 123 Receiving Money, Celebrating with a Hot Pot Feast
The sisters washed their feet together and put on the newly made cloth shoes.
Since they transmigrated here, it's been the sweltering summer again, and Lin Chuntao and the others have been wearing straw sandals as sandals. Although they are straw sandals, they are not too hard.
Nowadays, the soles of these cloth shoes are made by sewing layers of cloth together, making them very soft to step on and much more comfortable than straw sandals.
Lin Duo'er put on her shoes and wandered around the yard. After walking for a while, she would lift up her trouser legs to take a look. The shoes were pink and embroidered with flowers and birds. The embroiderer was very skilled; the flowers and birds were embroidered so lifelike and beautiful.
After a moment of excitement, the sisters washed the straw sandals and hung them to dry in the corner. In a few days, they would be going to the fields to harvest corn, and if the weather was sunny, they would definitely wear these straw sandals to the fields again.
Tomorrow morning, not long after dark, everyone will go back to their rooms to sleep.
The next day at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), as soon as Lin Chuntao opened her eyes, the rooster in the yard crowed. A moment later, Lin Chuntao heard Lin Chunxing and the others talking.
When she finished getting ready, she saw Lin Duo'er and the others washing up in the yard.
After washing up, they packed the things they needed to take to the county town into their baskets, and then set off with the baskets on their backs.
As agreed yesterday, the owner of the leather goods shop opened the door early.
Lin Chuntao waited for Pei Ying and the others to finish their work before they went to the fur shop together.
The female owner of the leather goods shop personally measured the feet, including the length, width, and instep height.
Lin Chuntao and the others' foot sizes are already set. Make an extra pair of insoles according to the measurements. Lin Duo'er's feet are relatively small, so the shopkeeper suggests making them a little bigger. After adding two pairs of insoles, she can wear them for a while longer.
Lin Chuntao asked Lin Duo'er, and she nodded.
The female shopkeeper smiled and said, "Don't worry, madam. Even if the boots we make are a little big, they will still be very comfortable to wear."
Lin Chuntao nodded, took the measurements, paid, and Lin Chunxing led them back to the shop. Lin Chuntao went directly to the sauce shop.
Today's reconciliation: the accounts were actually settled after closing yesterday. All that's left is for Lin Chuntao to confirm the data is correct, sign off, and make payment.
When Lin Chuntao arrived at the shop, Chai Xingyu and the others were preparing to eat breakfast. On the table was a half-basin of meat buns, as well as soy milk, rice porridge, and pickles.
Upon seeing Lin Chuntao, Chai Xingyu quickly got up and walked over.
"I thought my sister would be coming later."
Lin Chuntao said, "Chunxing and I came together. We need to finish our work at home as soon as possible."
Hearing Lin Chuntao's words, Chai Xingyu said, "Let's have breakfast first, and then we'll start."
Lin Chuntao made a bowl of soy milk and ate a steamed bun. The dough for the bun was a little sour, but the meat filling was pretty good.
After everyone quickly finished breakfast, Chai Xingyu led Lin Chuntao to the accounting room.
Each time the sauce is delivered, a receipt is signed after weighing it. Both sides checked it, and apart from yesterday's delivery, all the previous deliveries have been sold out.
After checking the quantity and finding it correct, the accountant calculated that Chai Xingyu was to pay her 24 strings of cash and 880 copper coins. This month's settlement included a prepayment for next month, which was still 50 taels. The accountant took 74 taels and counted out 880 copper coins.
After settling the accounts, Chai Xingyu said to Lin Chuntao, "Sister, there's something I need to discuss with you."
Seeing Chai Xingyu's serious expression, Lin Chuntao smiled and asked, "What's the matter? Why are you so serious?"
"Our sauce has spread by word of mouth to other counties, and shopkeepers from other counties are coming to buy it. Our shop can't open there for the time being. I discussed with them that we would get it from us for eighteen coins a pound, but they would also need to make some costs to transport it. Could we raise the price of the sauce a little?"
Lin Chuntao frowned slightly upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "How much do you think would be appropriate?"
Chai Xingyu smiled and said, "Sister, you have to set the price."
Lin Chuntao said, "The price is relatively easy to discuss."
"Are they taking them to sell?" Lin Chuntao asked.
Chai Xingyu nodded. "Some of the shopkeepers took them to sell alongside other items in their shops, while others used them for their own purposes."
After saying that, Lin Chuntao thought for a moment and said, "How about twenty coins?"
Chai Xingyu did not agree immediately, and negotiated with Lin Chuntao for one more coin. Lin Chuntao said, "Then it will not exceed twenty-one coins."
"Can."
Chai Xingyu said, "A few days ago, some people came to ask about selling it at a stall in town. I feel that they won't sell much; they'll just make enough to make a living."
Lin Chuntao nodded thoughtfully, "The price is a bit high in town, I feel that fewer people will buy it."
Chai Xingyu said, "Or should I introduce them to you? Sister, you can just give them a price, and they can make as much or as little as they want."
Hearing Chai Xingyu's words, Lin Chuntao smiled and agreed.
“That works too. You can let the shopkeepers take it from you.” Lin Chuntao agreed, and Chai Xingyu breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Chuntao asked, “The shop assistants will be paid soon, right? Will your income and expenses break even this month?”
Chai Xingyu said, "It should be a little off, but it's not a big problem."
"Doing business is all about making money. If you have any ideas, feel free to tell me anytime."
Chai Xingyu understood Lin Chuntao's meaning and nodded.
After settling the bill and settling the matter, Lin Chuntao left the sauce shop with the money. After coming out, she went to the mutton and rice noodle shop and bought four catties of mutton, asking Feng Guan to help deliver it to the sauce shop.
There were seven people in the shop, including the accountant and Chai Xingyu. They had four catties of meat, and He Guizhu also sent some mutton offal to Lin Chuntao. Soup and mint were also sent over. They would prepare some other dishes, and the group could have lunch together.
Seeing Lin Chuntao return with meat, Sanbao and the others were overjoyed. Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "You've all worked hard this month. I bought some mutton for you to cook for lunch. Sanbao, Qingqing, please make arrangements when it's time to eat."
The two nodded and thanked him. Chai Xingyu came out of the house when he heard the noise and joked with Lin Chuntao, "I just said I would treat them to dinner tonight, but you beat me to it, sister."
Lin Chuntao said, "I've already paid the bill today, so I'll treat you first. See when you're free recently, and tell me what you'd like to eat. I'll cook it for you, and you can come to my house to eat."
Chai Xingyu laughed and said, "Then I'll definitely have to set aside a day for myself recently."
"Come anytime, I'll make it for you."
Speaking of food, Chai Xingyu asked with a smile, "Sister, how do you make the pickled cabbage in your noodle soup? Do you want to make some to sell at the shop?"
Lin Chuntao laughed upon hearing this, "That won't work, we don't have that many dishes to make, but I can make a new sauce in a while, and I'll invite you over to try it then."
"Then I'll wait for my sister's good news."
After leaving the sauce shop, Lin Chuntao followed He Guizhu to the mutton shop.
"Sis, do you still have cooked meat?"
Lin Chuntao asked, and He Guizhu smiled and said, "Also, the sheep we just slaughtered yesterday and the meat we cooked last night are still very fresh today. Would you like some more?"
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "Cut a few more pounds for me, and save some soup for me too."
"Okay, it's not good to soak the meat in the soup after cutting it out. Otherwise, I can find you a piece and put the soup and meat together in an earthenware pot so you can take it back. It'll just be a hassle for you to cut it yourself when you get back."
Lin Chuntao didn't have any objections. Since she didn't have a clay pot yet, she used one from He Guizhu's family. She picked out a piece of leg meat where the skin and lean meat were still attached. He Guizhu gave her two lamb trotters and cut some lamb offal for her. They had already given her some, so Lin Chuntao quickly refused. He Guizhu smiled and said, "It's not much money, sister, don't be so polite with us."
“We made a dipping sauce, and many people said it was good. I’ll pack some for you to try when you get home. If you have any opinions, just tell me.”
Seeing that they had even prepared matching mint dipping sauces, Lin Chuntao smiled and asked, "Has the mutton business been good lately?"
He Guizhu smiled and said, "Thanks to you, your brother Feng said he would learn from you to make a delicious sauce that everyone will like."
Lin Chuntao said, "That's because you guys are good at cooking."
He Guizhu was genuinely grateful to Lin Chuntao. It was her idea that led them to improve the dipping sauce after the mint. The dipping sauce was a huge success. Originally, there were many people eating rice noodles, but now there are even more repeat customers buying meat. Selling meat is also more profitable than selling rice noodles.
When Lin Chuntao returned to the stall with the earthenware pot, the sisters were busy. Lin Chunxing was busy cooking rice noodles, Lin Duo'er was busy selling braised eggs, and Lin Chunhe was serving rice noodles to customers while helping Lin Chunxing with odd jobs. She was very good at everything.
The earthenware pot was covered with a lid. Lin Chuntao carried it over and put it down. As soon as she put it down, Lin Duo'er asked, "Sister, did you buy a new earthenware pot?"
"Um."
There were many people. Lin Chuntao casually responded and helped out for a while. Then, she went to the market, bought two pieces of konjac tofu and two pieces of firm tofu, and carried them back home.
The stall wasn't so busy at the moment. Lin Chuntao put the earthenware pot into her basket and turned to Lin Chunxing, saying, "Come back early after you sell out. I bought some mutton to cook in a pot for lunch."
Lin Chunxing's eyes lit up, and she asked with a smile, "What day is it today?"
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "A good day."
Hearing that there was mutton, Lin Duo'er's eyes widened. Lin Chuntao had just lied to her. Lin Chuntao explained, "The mutton has a strong smell. There were many customers at the time, so I didn't reveal it to you."
"I'll pack up and head back."
Hearing Lin Chuntao's words, Lin Chunhe quickly packed all the meat and vegetables into baskets on her back. The two sisters each carried one basket and headed home.
When they got home, Aunt Guizhi and the others were already waiting for them.
Actually, Lin Chuntao could give a key to someone so that if they needed to go into the city, they wouldn't have to wait for her. But Lin Chuntao hadn't thought it through. She felt that giving the key away would be easy, but getting it back would be difficult, so it wasn't quite right.
Although the people working for her are all trustworthy, Lin Chuntao is worried that they might be unguarded. If someone were to try to harm them, all that sauce she has, which is ingested, would be too dangerous. So she has to leave it at that for now and see how to arrange things later.
With everyone present, Lin Chuntao said, "Grandma, Aunt, please have lunch here today."
Sun was still a little confused, so Aunt Guizhi asked, "Whose birthday is it today?"
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "It's not a birthday. We started selling sauce on this day last month, and today marks exactly one month, so let's celebrate."
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