"Ideals and Youth" - It turns out I also had a youth (Part 12...)
Ye Xiqing still went to three markets, and sold a cartload at each market.
When there's no market day, we deliver vegetables to nearby restaurants, which has led to each restaurant launching a special promotion: "Chive and Egg Dumplings - Limited Time Offer! Welcome!"
Nowadays, most restaurants are becoming privately owned, and private restaurants are emerging one after another, leading to fierce competition and owners working very hard.
The dumplings in the shop are no cheaper than winter chives. Ye Xiqing is the exclusive supplier, which not only boosts sales but also heats up the market.
By the time leeks were cheap in May and June, Ye Xiqing had already dismantled the shed.
Chives can only be harvested twice. The third harvest will become too spicy and cannot be harvested. They need to be allowed to rest and be harvested again next year.
Cheap leeks harvested in May and June are quickly hitting the market. Greenhouse leeks take advantage of the entire gap in the supply of open-field leeks. By the time the greenhouse leeks are sold out, the open-field leeks haven't even turned green yet.
The harvested chives will sprout new shoots and flowers, so Ye Xiqing doesn't want to continue selling them. She's opening them up to all the villagers to pick, thanking everyone for their continued help.
Chives are a very peculiar crop; their nutritional value is completely disproportionate to their price.
Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, but leeks are a treasure trove of good quality.
Not only can it combine with eggs to create an amazing delicious flavor, but it is also useful from birth to old age.
The tender shoots that grow when it's old can be stir-fried with eggs, while the chive blossoms that have already bloomed can be picked and used to make chive blossom sauce. The chive blossoms from the two greenhouses can make quite a lot of sauce.
The villagers happily picked chive blossoms and tender shoots, filling several bags at a time.
The picked chive blossoms were placed on a millstone, sprinkled with salt, and pressed into a paste. The chive blossoms were pressed for several days in a row, until the millstone turned green and the stain could not be washed off.
Everyone happily harvested the sauce, but of course, their biggest concern was: how much would it cost to build two such greenhouses?
After making money, Ye Xiqing immediately cleared the remaining acre of land, arranged for people to dig a well, and planned to build two more greenhouses next year.
There's no need to hide this from others; I'll just tell the truth: the two greenhouses cost around 800 yuan, not including labor costs.
Although everyone knew the tent wouldn't be cheap, the price of 800 yuan still stopped them from buying it.
Most families in the village are wealthier than Ye Xiqing was before; if she could come up with 800, others certainly could too.
But for ordinary families, investing in such an uncertain business with no room for risk is something they definitely need to think twice about.
He went back silently and pondered deeply.
The villagers got the information from Ye Xiqing, but Wu Guiyun, who was closest to Ye Xiqing, could ask for more firsthand information: How much money did you make this year?
Ye Xiqing didn't hide anything from her, and asked her to lean closer: "The net profit is over three thousand two hundred."
Wu Guiyun had been selling chives with Ye Xiqing and knew that she had made a considerable amount of money.
But upon hearing this information, his eyes widened in surprise: Huh?
...
Wu Guiyun was completely enraged by this incident. When she visited Ye Xiqing's house again, Ye Xiqing didn't serve her instant noodles but instead bought several kilograms of rice and pork ribs.
These days, rice is mostly imported from the south, and it's more expensive than wheat flour, costing five or six mao per jin (500 grams).
Looking at the piles of white rice, Wu Guiyun finally realized that her best friend had truly become rich overnight!
In the days before electric rice cookers, people in rural areas used large iron pots to cook rice.
Cook the rice in a pot until it's half-cooked, then use a strainer to scoop it into a bowl and steam it in the pot.
Not only is the rice cooked through, but the moisture from the rinsed rice is also evaporated, resulting in rice that is neither sticky nor gritty, and has a very soft and refreshing texture.
Xiao Ying used to eat cornbread every day, and occasionally she would eat millet rice to improve her diet. This was the first time she had eaten white rice with each grain distinct and sweet.
"Mom! This rice is so delicious! Can we eat it every day from now on?" she exclaimed excitedly.
Ye Xiqing nodded, "That's fine."
The key point is in the future, but she won't say more later.
Although she would be eating white rice every day from then on, Ye Xiqing still had no doubt about the necessity of having pork ribs with rice.
The aroma of meat is already quite striking, so it needs to be paired with a mild and balanced staple food like rice, just as ink paintings need white paper to complement them.
Ye Xiqing put the ribs into everyone's bowls. Apart from Xiao Ying, everyone at the table was a little reserved.
If we don't serve them this good food, they'll feel embarrassed to even touch it, and they'll always come up with some excuse for not liking it.
Ye Xiqing found this kind of dining atmosphere quite annoying. She originally wanted to eat as much as she wanted, but this made her feel inexplicably guilty.
Each person gets a bowl; the bowls are large enough to hold pork ribs over rice.
Eat up, eat up, eat quickly! If you don't eat, your food will get on your plate, and no one else will want to eat either.
Wu Guiyun was preoccupied and couldn't even sit still on the kang (heated brick bed). Naturally, she kept pressing down on the bowl, saying, "Don't put any more food in my bowl! Don't put any more food in my bowl! I'll put it in myself!"
Ye Xiqing piled a bowl of white rice high, and everyone's bowl was full, but in the end they all ate it honestly.
I was initially filled with mixed emotions and couldn't eat properly, but after the meat entered my mouth, my eyes slowly widened: How can this meat be so delicious!
It's not that I haven't eaten meat in a long time, it's that kind of deliciousness when I first taste meat, it's that kind of real, authentic, deliciousness.
Wu Guiyun had never tasted this flavor before, and she was shocked when she tried it.
Ye Xiqing was very pleased with her reaction.
Otherwise, all that material she prepared would be for nothing.
Ye Xiqing didn't participate in stewing the meat; Wu Guiyun and Old Lady Wang did it all together, but she did add a packet of seasoning to the pot.
She didn't like the presence of peppercorns and star anise in her dishes, so she sewed up a piece of gauze and threw it into the pot.
In addition, a fragrant leaf, which is not commonly seen in this era, was also placed there.
Her mother had told her that you must add bay leaves when stewing meat; just one leaf will make a big difference in the flavor. Of all the seasonings, bay leaves bring out the most flavor.
Grandma Wang was also captivated by the unique meaty flavor brought by this small piece of fragrant leaf, and buried her head in eating. Only when she heard this did she look up: She didn't say that.
Ye Xiqing was quite proudly sharing her culinary expertise with the country bumpkins when Old Lady Wang's words silenced her: "I forgot which mother said it..."
Is Qiu Hui her biological mother?
Qiu Hui is the best cook, but her biological mother seems to be quite good at stewing meat as well.
Forget about the details.
Eat when you're hungry, eat when you're hungry.
Ye Xiqing doesn't usually show off her cooking skills, but when she does, she shocks everyone.
Everyone was so engrossed in eating that they didn't have time to think about anything else. Even Grandma Wang, who said she didn't like meat, ate a lot without saying a word.
Wu Guiyun felt ashamed of herself, but couldn't help finishing a large bowl of rice. After cleaning up the bowl, she finally spoke.
"Can I have a shed just like yours?"
Ye Xiqing replied without hesitation, "Sure, I've already contacted the higher-ups. It'll be even easier than before. I can help you get the materials for the greenhouse."
Wu Guiyun was delighted upon hearing this, but quickly composed herself, as this was not her primary purpose for the day.
Seeing the good profits Ye Xiqing made from greenhouse farming, everyone in the village was tempted, but many were also worried about the risks.
Wu Guiyun tried her best to encourage her family to join in, but her family didn't seem to be in a hurry at all.
Her husband's eyes lit up, and he nudged Wu Guiyun, saying, "Why don't you go borrow some money from your best friend?"
She's made so much money, lending her two things isn't a big deal. If she's willing to lend it, then go for it; if not, then forget it.
Although Wu Guiyun and Ye Xiqing did have a good relationship, they were still outsiders and needed to maintain proper boundaries. Wu Guiyun didn't know what to do, so she came to sound out Ye Xiqing.
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiqing didn't even bother with polite formalities: "Then I can't lend it to you."
Wu Guiyun: ...
You're not even going to act...
Ye Xiqing smiled and said, "Don't rush."
“I won’t lend you money, but if you’re looking to take out a loan like I am, I can guarantee it for you.”
Wu Guiyun: ...
What's the difference? She's a little slow on the uptake; she needs to think about it carefully...
...
Ye Xiqing made money, immediately paid off the loan, and took two hundred yuan and half a bag of rice to go and mend their relationship with her sister-in-law.
Her sister-in-law had been angry with her for a long time, but when she saw the thank-you gift, she finally calmed down and treated her to a good meal, but she didn't forget to teach her a lesson.
Even after she paid back the money, she still felt that it was wrong of her to take such a risk!
Ye Xiqing naturally nodded in agreement, since the money had already been borrowed.
After returning from her hometown, Wu Guiyun had almost made up her mind: she would borrow the money!
The Cheng family kept complaining that loans have interest rates and that building sheds is risky. They said if you insisted on doing it, you would be the one who would suffer losses.
Wu Guiyun had never handled such a big matter before, but seeing Ye Xiqing's business of setting up sheds, she was really tempted.
With a determined look, she decided to take responsibility.
After making the decision, Wu Guiyun also set aside one mu of land to build a greenhouse, and Ye Xiqing gave her the newly cultivated seedlings to plant together.
Although Wu Guiyun worked alongside her, she was also very worried: "People at the market have already seen how fresh the winter leeks are, will they still be so special next year?"
"Yes, off-season chives aren't some kind of artwork; they're food. The demand will only increase as people's lives improve, and it won't shrink back."
"It seems like others are also going to try and hold onto their shares. With others involved, won't it be harder to sell them?"
"Then we should do it even earlier. More and more people will follow suit in the future. Doing it one day earlier means monopolizing the market for one more day."
"By setting up the threshold of the greenhouse, we can live off this single source of income for a long time."
Ye Xiqing's words effectively alleviated Wu Guiyun's anxiety, but she soon developed new anxieties.
"With these two greenhouses, there are four more now. In our small town, will we be able to sell them all?"
Ye Xiqing also had a solution for this: she told her to wait and the answer would be revealed once this batch of chives had finished growing.
Last time, Ye Xiqing made her wait and then brought over a greenhouse. Wu Guiyun wondered what it would be like this time.
The seedlings in the field thrive in the abundant sunshine and rain of summer, live out their only complete life, and then wither and die.
As the autumn harvest was about to begin, Ye Xiqing drove a three-wheeled vehicle with a roof and a bed into the village.
Upon seeing Wu Guiyun, Ye Xiqing poked her head out from the shed and smiled—
If we can't sell them at the local markets, we'll sell them in the county town!
Wu Guiyun happily chased after her and drove the car inside, never expecting that Ye Xiqing would actually bring a car!
As soon as Ye Xiqing parked the car, she found someone to unload it. This time, she not only brought a car, but also the bamboo poles and plastic sheeting needed for covering the shed.
Even between sisters, accounts should be kept clear; she still wanted the money for the bamboo poles and plastic sheeting. The first time she did this, she lacked experience and wasted a lot of money; this time it was even cheaper than last time.
Wu Guiyun had no objections; she had already secured the loan.
This car cost two thousand yuan, almost all of Ye Xiqing's earnings. No wonder she didn't borrow money; after this, she must be broke.
After receiving the money, Ye Xiqing turned around and realized that there was none; the money she had earned was still safely deposited in the bank.
Wu Guiyun: ...
Where did this car come from?
Ye Xiqing smiled: I borrowed another three thousand yuan from the bank.
Wu Guiyun: Huh?
Most people are afraid to borrow money from banks, but surprisingly, there's someone who's addicted to it, borrowing money even when they have it.
Because the previous repayment went smoothly, the loan was borrowed without any trouble this time. The loan officer didn't even bother to thoroughly investigate the guarantor before having her mother sign the form. The poor old lady couldn't even read.
In this day and age, neither saving money nor taking out a loan can keep up with inflation, so of course we should borrow whenever possible.
A car worth two thousand is certainly not the same as a bank account worth two thousand.
Now that Ye Xiqing has a car, she has something new to do.
These days, the hardest part of harvesting corn isn't the harvesting or cutting, but the transportation.
The small carts were used for manual labor, requiring the whole family to work together. It took half a month to transport the goods, which was not only tiring but also exhausting. However, by using a diesel truck, the goods could be returned in less than a day.
Although Ye Xiqing no longer farms, she still participates in the harvest, finally escaping the era of human labor and animal power. Why not harvest?
Ye Xiqing helped the villagers harvest their corn for free, but in return, she helped them cover their sheds; she didn't do it for anyone else.
She borrowed 3,000 yuan to buy a very advanced agricultural tricycle.
Not only does it have a large carrying capacity, but it also has a tipper, so there's no need to unload. Just open the flap and tip it over, saving a lot of trouble. People from outside the village hire her to haul corn, and she gets four yuan per trip.
From delivering grain in kind to paying taxes, not only was Ye Xiqing freed from the land, but many more people also started doing other jobs. They didn't have time to use wheelbarrows to harvest corn, and business was quite good.
Before the greenhouses were set up the following year, Ye Xiqing earned the equivalent of a year's worth of farming money by helping people transport corn.
Sometimes being one step ahead is a matter of being a billion steps ahead.
...
Time flies, and Zhou Wenyan returned from the passionate construction work.
When he left the village, he made a fool of himself, and this time he's back to regain some face.
He was dressed formally, and a stylish city woman was with him, carrying one child and holding another.
His current wife is much more presentable than his previous one, and Zhou Wenyan is eager to show off.
He deliberately led his wife and children past the village intelligence center to attract everyone's attention, and sure enough, everyone's eyes were drawn to the woman he brought back.
Now that the village has a television, the woman Zhou Wenyan brought back is so fashionable, she looks like a movie star, and immediately attracts countless people's admiration.
Zhou Wenyan was pleased with the admiring looks. His wife, who had been very angry because of the bumpy journey, was also in a better mood when she saw the amazed look.
With mixed feelings, Zhou Wenyan looked at the place Ye Xiqing had built when he left, wondering how his ex-wife was doing now.
When he left, Ye Xiqing's house was not yet completed. In his memory, it should have been a dilapidated and low mud-brick house, quietly guarding the lonely smoke from the village's chimneys.
But when he looked around, there was still nothing there, and he was stunned: Huh? Could it be that her house was never built back then?
Zhou Wenyan was puzzled. Just as he was wondering, he heard a series of farm vehicle "thump-thump" sounds behind him.
Upon hearing this, the villagers immediately forgot about Zhou Wenyan's commotion and gathered around the car to look at it, full of admiration.
Ye Xiqing drove his car, the back of which was loaded with a whole truckload of red bricks, and honked the horn furiously—
Make way! Make way! The first household in your village to earn 10,000 yuan is building a house!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
