However, glutinous rice alone is not enough. She wants to make more flavors. This place is also in the north, so she thinks there are more people who like to eat sweet rice dumplings. But there are always exceptions.
For example, she is a native northerner, but she likes to eat savory zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). Besides zongzi, she also likes savory mooncakes, as well as various kinds of rice noodles and rice vermicelli.
So we should make more different flavors, just in case people like them. Even if we can't sell them, we can keep them for our own consumption, so it's not a loss.
After making up her mind, Cheng Yue had Chen An drive the oxcart to the grain shop. Besides the red beans and dates in her space, she wanted to see if there was anything else that could be used as filling.
However, after visiting several shops, the two only managed to buy a small amount of dried lotus seeds.
I'm not even thinking about chestnuts; if I want to buy them, I'll have to wait until autumn.
Cheng Yue thought about it and decided it didn't matter; she only needed to make a few flavors.
Making zongzi isn't urgent; the important thing right now is to decide what kind of pastries to make.
She needs to make one as a thank-you gift for Master Chen in the next couple of days.
Since we're going to send the pastries anyway, we might as well make a few zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and hear what Mrs. Chen and the others think.
After Cheng Yue finished talking to Chen An, she felt like the conversation was getting longer and longer! Finally, she couldn't help but complain, "Making pastries and zongzi at the same time, it's such a headache!"
Chen An said softly, "Ah Yue, you've worked hard. Since there's a lot to do, let's take it one step at a time. It's okay, don't rush."
"We should just buy ready-made gift boxes for Master Chen and the others. As for the braised food gift boxes, I'll make them myself. If you can't wait, you can ask someone else."
Cheng Yue was an impatient person, but Chen An was always very patient and spoke softly, which was just enough to soothe her temper when she was about to explode.
After thinking for a moment, Cheng Yue said, "Hmm... why don't we have someone else make the gift boxes as well? You can take some time to make a large oven for me, which I'll need for making pastries. I'll draw up the design when I get home."
The small oven in this space is the kind you use at home; you can't make a lot at a time, and it definitely won't be enough once the shop opens.
She wanted to build a large clay oven, the kind that's traditionally heated by firewood.
"Okay, then I'll focus on making ovens and postpone finding an apprentice."
Chen An agreed without hesitation, saying he would do anything to help A Yue.
After discussing it, the two went to the carpenter's shop. The gift boxes had many different styles, and the price varied depending on whether they were carved or not.
Putting everything else aside, the county magistrate had given special instructions, so the gift box couldn't be anything shoddy. However, the carvings the carpenter provided were quite intricate, and she preferred something simpler.
Cheng Yue then told the carpenter her idea: to make a hollow double circle in the middle of the lid, symbolizing reunion.
The interior is also divided into six equal compartments by partitions.
Cheng Yue had the carpenter make four, two for the county magistrate, one for braised food, and the other for zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), as complimentary snacks.
When it comes to social interactions, it's best to become a familiar face to others.
The other two are for Master Chen.
The other boxes can be made in the most ordinary way; just stick a red paper on them and write auspicious words on them.
After all, it was still uncertain whether these zongzi would sell well, and she didn't want to invest too much capital.
Finally, Cheng Yue told the carpenter when to pick up the goods, and the latter repeatedly said no problem.
With that, part of the matter was settled, and the two of them went straight home with peace of mind.
The busy farming season was almost over, and people gathered again at the village entrance, chattering about all sorts of gossip.
When everyone saw Chen An and Cheng Yue return, they all greeted them with smiles. Aunt Zhou, though not young, had the sharpest eyes and immediately noticed that Chen An's legs looked different. She couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:
"Nephew Chen An, why was the splint removed from your leg?"
"Yeah! I didn't even notice until you said it, it's healed?"
When Cheng Yue and Zhao Shi took money to find a doctor, they were all present. They asked Chen An several times afterward, and he said that it was possible to recover, but they always felt that the hope was a bit slim, after all, the injury was not light.
Everyone's words were full of concern, which warmed Chen An's heart. He swung his legs and smiled, "I'm all better now, I can get out of bed."
"Oh! That's wonderful!" Aunt Zhou exclaimed with delight, then quietly asked, "Is walking alright...?"
This was out of fear that he might become disabled, but Chen An didn't want to show it to everyone, so he could only twist his ankle and continue to grin, "No, I'm perfectly fine!"
"That's good! Now that you're feeling better, Cheng Yue can save herself some trouble! Speaking of which, we really have to thank your wife for this!"
Your mother and your heartless brother both said you were beyond saving. If it weren't for Cheng Yue forcing them to spend money to hire a doctor, your leg would have really been ruined!
Aunt Zhou continued her steady performance, praising Cheng Yue while also taking a jab at Zhao Shi and Chen Ping.
Those heartless bastards, if they knew Chen An's leg was healed, they'd probably be furious.
Serves them right! They're so inhumane. They broke up the family just because their child injured his leg. Do they think no one knows what's going on?
Standing to the side, Madam Qian nudged Aunt Zhou's arm and whispered, "Mother, the kinship is severed. What 'Mother and elder brother'..."
Aunt Zhou realized what was happening and quickly said, "Look at my mouth, it's Zhao Shi and Chen Ping!"
"It's alright, we've been mother and son, brothers after all."
Chen An no longer cared about what he was called; he now only recognized Cheng Yue and the three children as a family.
Just like Aunt Zhou said, this life was given to her by Yue, and the previous lives were considered as being returned to her mother.
The villagers watching shook their heads in disbelief. They wondered what was wrong with Zhao's brain. Anyone could see that Chen An was the good one, but she treated Chen Ping like a treasure.
Even if she treats him like a treasure, that's fine, after all, he's her own son. But speaking of which, Chen An is also her own child, so why is she being treated differently?
However, there are many biased parents, and who knows why? Perhaps some parents simply don't love their children.
Chen An and Cheng Yue talked with everyone for a while before going home. As soon as they left, there was a chorus of tsk-tsk sounds behind them.
“It’s been days, and the Zhao family is still busy in the fields. In my opinion, all this wheat is going to go to waste!”
"Exactly! This family is lazy. Other people go to the fields early and come back late, but they go out late and come back early. No wonder they can't finish harvesting! They have to pay the grain tax with money. Tsk tsk."
"It's fortunate that Chen Ping can earn money, otherwise he would probably starve to death."
The group sighed for a while, then one of the women suddenly remembered something and exclaimed:
"By the way! Didn't Chen Ping come to your door? He said he was willing to pay thirty coins a day for our head to help."
But we didn't agree. Who knows if you'll even get the money!
Chen Ping's character is truly questionable; it's hard to guarantee he won't break his promise.
As soon as the woman spoke, the others chimed in, "Why didn't they come to our door? They said they'd harvested the wheat and planted the seeds!"
"They have plenty of work to do, they must have no other choice, otherwise why would they be begging us? But we didn't agree!"
The women's voices were quite loud, and Cheng Yue and Chen An, who hadn't gone far, naturally heard them.
This is a great thing, how can we not agree?
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