As Wang Xiulan spoke, she took out grain coupons and money from her pocket.
The man took the money and pointed to a row of burlap sacks in the corner.
"There are soybeans over there, pick some yourself."
Wang Xiulan led her daughters to the sacks, untied one of the knots, and took out a handful of soybeans, spreading them in her palm.
"Yufen, look, these are good beans."
Su Yufen leaned closer to look; the beans in her mother's palm were plump and golden in color, gleaming with a healthy sheen in the dim light.
"They need to be of uniform size and without any damage."
Wang Xiulan picked up a pill and placed it in her daughter's hand.
"Feel it; it's firm, which means it's fresh."
Su Yufen carefully felt the touch on her fingertips and nodded.
"Then how can we tell if it's Chen Douzi?"
Wang Xiulan grabbed another handful from another sack.
"Look at this one, it's dark in color and has wrinkles on the surface, which means it's been stored for a long time."
She picked up a piece and bit into it.
"Listen, if the sound is dull and not crisp, the yield of pulp will be low."
Su Yuzhen wandered around boredly, then suddenly pointed to a bag on the far side and said...
"Mom, isn't this cheap? It's ripping you off."
Wang Xiulan walked over and took a look, then frowned.
"You absolutely must not eat this moldy food; it will cause poisoning."
She turned to the sales clerk.
"Comrade, are you still selling this bag of beans in such a state?"
The salesperson didn't even look up.
"Selling it cheap, take it or leave it."
Wang Xiulan shook her head and led her daughters back to the bag of beans they had been sitting in.
"We want this kind. It's a bit more expensive, but the tofu made from it is better."
Su Yufen imitated her mother, grabbing a handful of beans to examine them carefully, and then biting open a few to listen to the sound.
"Mom, is that so?"
"Yes, that's it."
Wang Xiulan nodded in satisfaction.
"You learn very quickly."
...
On the other side.
Su Jianguo rode his bicycle out of the city and headed towards Sujiatun along the country dirt road.
Upon arriving at Sujiatun, Su Jianguo stopped in front of a brick and tile house at the east end of the village and patted the door knocker.
"Master Zhao! Are you home?"
The door creaked open, revealing Zhao the stonemason's wrinkled face.
The old man squinted, and immediately smiled after recognizing the person who had come.
"Hey, Jianguo! Come in and have a seat."
Su Jianguo followed Zhao the stonemason into the courtyard.
The courtyard was piled with various stones and semi-finished products, and in the corner a young apprentice was engrossed in chiseling a stone tablet.
The air was filled with the smell of stone powder.
"Master Zhao, I'd like to order a stone mill."
Su Jianguo got straight to the point, taking a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from his pocket and handing it to the old man.
"For my daughter to open a tofu shop."
Zhao the stonemason took the cigarette, sniffed it, and showed a satisfied expression.
"A tofu shop? That's great! Now that the policies have been relaxed, it's perfect for starting a small business."
He led Su Jianguo to the workbench and took out a yellowed picture book from the drawer.
"Which style do you want?"
Su Jianguo flipped through the catalog and pointed to a stone mill with a diameter of about two feet.
"This one is fine, but..."
He hesitated for a moment.
"Large livestock aren't allowed in the city; we have to switch to human labor."
Zhao the stonemason stroked his gray beard, and his eyes lit up.
"I understand! We can make a small hand-operated millstone; a millstone about one and a half feet in diameter is enough, plus a wooden frame and a hand crank."
He picked up a charcoal pencil and quickly sketched on the paper.
"This way, one person can operate it. Although it's a bit slow, it's suitable for use in the city."
Su Jianguo leaned over to look at the design drawings and saw that Zhao the stonemason had drawn an exquisite small stone mill with just a few strokes.
The grinding disc has diagonal grooves marked at the meshing point, which is explained as being to increase grinding efficiency.
"Master Zhao is truly an expert!"
Su Jianguo expressed his sincere admiration.
"This design is perfect."
"Haha, I've been a stonemason for forty years, I know a thing or two."
Zhao the stonemason stroked his beard smugly.
"However, this kind of small millstone needs to be made of high-quality bluestone, which produces a fine slurry and is not easily worn down."
"How is the price calculated?"
Zhao the stonemason pondered for a moment.
"I'll charge you fifteen yuan, including labor and materials. You can pick up the goods in three days."
Su Jianguo readily took out the money.
"Then it's settled! By the way, Master Zhao, could you engrave 'Su's Tofu' on the base?"
"no problem!"
Zhao the stonemason smiled and put away the money.
"I guarantee I'll carve it beautifully for you."
Leaving Zhao the stonemason's house, Su Jianguo felt even more relieved.
He hopped on his bicycle and rode towards the vegetable greenhouses outside the village.
The wheels rolled over the paddy field ridges, and in the distance, four large white greenhouses gleamed in the sunlight.
"elder brother!"
Su Jianjun saw his brother from afar, put down his work, and came to greet him.
He got even darker from the sun, but he was full of energy.
Su Jianguo patted his younger brother on the shoulder.
"How have things been these past few days?"
"I'm fine!"
Su Jianjun excitedly pulled his brother toward the greenhouse.
"Brother, come quick! The cucumbers are already turning yellow; they'll be ready to pick in a couple of days!"
Lifting the plastic curtain of shed number one, a wave of humid heat hits you.
Su Jianguo squinted to adjust to the light for a while, and the scene before him warmed his heart.
The lush green cucumber vines climbed all over the trellis, with tender cucumbers hanging from them, their blossoms and thorns still attached, glistening with an enticing sheen.
"These plants are growing so well..."
Su Jianguo squatted down and gently stroked a cucumber, feeling its firm and plump texture.
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