After Meng Zhao returned to her stall, Madam Gu approached and asked, "Zhao Zhao, why have you been talking for so long? Is something the matter?"
"That man is the manager of Chunfeng Tower. He came to ask me for a collaboration."
"Chunfenglou." Madam Gu was very surprised. That was the largest restaurant in Qingshi County. She had heard that even the cheapest dish there cost several tens of coins.
The boss of the place where she used to work had been there once, and it was said that just one table cost almost two taels of silver, enough for his family to eat for two or three months.
"Zhao Zhao, how do you plan to cooperate?"
"It's not decided yet. We'll have to go to Chunfeng Tower tomorrow to make a decision."
Before the matter was settled, and without her prior notice, the group packed their things and prepared to go to Meng's butcher shop.
Seeing Meng Zhao and his group approaching from afar, the young man in front of the butcher shop tried to call for help from the backyard.
"Xiaoping, Xiaoping, stop calling. I'll go find them. You help my mother cut the meat she wants."
Xu Ping is twelve years old this year. He is Meng Zhao's cousin. His aunt died early, and he grew up with his father. Two years ago, his uncle also passed away, leaving him alone to farm with his grandparents.
Seeing that Meng Zhao was getting older, his parents wanted to take him with them so he could learn a trade and be someone they could rely on in the future.
Holding the finished clothes, Meng Zhao walked towards the backyard.
Meng Dashan was butchering a pig. He lifted the pig's hind leg, found the joint, and cut directly off the hind leg with a slight twist of his wrist.
Noticing someone behind him, Meng Dashan turned around and saw his daughter standing beside him. "Zhaozhao, why didn't you call out when you came? What do you want today? Dad will cut it for you."
"No need, Dad. Xiaoping is cutting them right now. The clothes I was going to make for you are finished. Mom, come and try them on."
"Your mother is asleep, I'll go wake her."
Before Meng Dashan could call for help, Xu Yunrong came out with a teapot. "No need to call, I'm awake. Zhaozhao, you must be tired after a long day. Come and have some water to rest."
Meng Zhao smiled and took the cup, taking a big gulp. "Mom, I'm not tired. Come and try on the new clothes. If they don't fit, we can alter them."
Her parents weren't the type to refuse; they knew their daughter was going to make them clothes as soon as Meng Zhao took their measurements.
I've been waiting for this for days, and when I saw the clothes were brought over, I was overjoyed and rushed inside to try them on.
"Zhaozhao, these clothes are wonderful! They fit Dad perfectly."
"Mine too, the fabric is so comfortable and breathable, and the stitching is so tight. My daughter has such good taste."
Meng Zhao chose blue fabrics for them, making them look like they were wearing matching outfits. Xu Yunrong was already beautiful, and she was so happy that she looked several years younger in her new clothes.
A long robe was made for Meng Dashan. He used to slaughter pigs a lot, so he inevitably carried a fierce aura. Some of the children in the neighborhood would cry when they saw him. Now, wearing this robe, his temperament became much gentler.
"Wow, Mother, you look so beautiful! This color makes your skin look even whiter. If a stranger were to guess, they would probably think you are only in your early twenties."
Then she looked at her father and said, "Dad looks great in his new clothes, and he looks even better matched with Mom."
Xu Yunrong burst into laughter at Meng Zhao's antics, while Meng Dashan chuckled beside her, wishing he could immediately put on his clothes and go out to show off, letting those who had gossiped about how he had spoiled his daughter see for themselves.
His daughter is capable and eloquent. Every time they see the food she cooks, their mouths water. He never lets them taste a bite. If they crave it, they can buy it themselves.
Before leaving, they gave Meng Zhao a few large bones to make soup when she got home. Since the clothes were made by Gu Shi, Xu Yunrong also held Gu Shi's hand to thank her.
When I returned to the village, I saw many men, women and children sitting under a big tree at the entrance of Shenjia Village, chatting and enjoying the cool air.
"Hey, the Gu family is back from packing up. They're here so early today. I heard their business at the dock is booming, with people lining up to buy from them every day."
"I heard that the mother and daughter make a lot of money, and they don't know how much they've made just from harvesting vegetables in the village."
"That's right. But it's their turn to make money. Every time I pass by the Shen family's house, I can smell the aroma. Luckily, my family didn't build our house near theirs, otherwise, I would be drooling with envy every day."
“I ate their boxed lunches when I went to the county before. You know what, they taste really good. If they weren’t so expensive, I would eat them every day.”
As they walked into the village, they happened to meet the village head, who was returning home.
"Qing'an's wife, how was today? Did you get any more of those heartless things from him?"
Meng Zhao smiled and said, "No, the villagers gave me some really good stuff, much fresher than what I buy in the county. I have to thank you for that. If it weren't for your help, our business wouldn't be doing so well."
"Hey, it's nothing. We're all neighbors. Your family has had a tough time too. If you ever run into any trouble, just come to me. I'm an old man, but my word still carries weight."
Yesterday I ate the spinach pancakes Meng Zhao gave me, and they were so delicious! This morning I asked my wife to make them too, and she used plenty of eggs and oil, but they just didn't taste the same.
Meng Zhao smiled and thanked him again, but what he was thinking about was the business with Chunfenglou.
The collaboration she wanted to discuss with Chunfenglou was about starch. After observing for a while, she concluded that perhaps because potatoes are not yet widely cultivated, starch had never actually appeared here before.
Although starch is not as indispensable as oil and salt, it can greatly enhance the flavor of dishes. Many dishes really just don't taste the same without starch.
Especially for the restaurant business, what matters is that the food is different from what you eat at home. Without something special, how can you attract customers to come in and spend money?
But in this age without mechanization, just making enough for their own use already leaves them exhausted. If they were to sell starch, they certainly couldn't rely solely on their own resources.
The first person she thought of was the villagers.
In the village, people often sit under trees or in front of their courtyards chatting idly. It's not that these people have plenty of food and drink and nothing to do, but rather that most of them can't find a place to work.
The men were better off; they could go out and do odd jobs or carry heavy loads. But it was much harder for the women. There were few jobs they could do, and even washing clothes for a landlord required connections.
Most people can only stay at home to grow vegetables and raise chickens, hoping to exchange them for a meager amount of money in the county to supplement their household income.
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