Xichun had just gotten up when there was a knock on the door. Seeing that no one answered, Aunt Zhang stood at the door.
"Aunt Zhang, when did you arrive? I just got up. Come in and warm yourself by the fire." Xi Chun was surprised to find Aunt Zhang already waiting outside the door.
"I just arrived too, and I was afraid you weren't awake yet, so I only knocked once."
"Then wait here for me for a while. I'll wash my face and then we'll head out." The two of them carried the pots and pans onto the cart. This time, with Aunt Zhang pulling the cart, the journey to town was much faster.
"Chen girl, are these your relatives? Are they here to help you?" The owner of the steamed bun shop next door asked as she saw the two unloading things.
"Yes, sister-in-law, this is my aunt. She's here to help me set up my stall. I can't manage all the work by myself."
"That's true. Your business has been so good lately, you really can't keep up without a few helpers."
After talking for a while, the two put everything away neatly. Actually, there wasn't much to learn, because Xichun had basically prepared everything. Today, the only thing to do was to cook another pot of clear broth for vegetables. However, to make the clear broth taste outstanding, it would take a lot of effort.
The soup had just been cooked when someone came up to buy something.
"Aunt Li, is it the same flavor as before today? This time we have clear broth, so children can eat it too." Xi Chun lifted the lid of another pot of clear broth.
"Oh, you actually made a clear broth? I'll have to try it first. If it tastes like boiled cabbage, then I'll pass."
“There are definitely differences. Here, let me cook some for you to try first.” Xichun put the vegetables into the clear soup.
"Hmm, it's really good. I'll have one too, the same few dishes as before."
"Okay, please wait a moment." Xichun replied and then began to teach Aunt Zhang how to blanch the vegetables. Aunt Zhang was responsible for the family's meals at home, so she learned quickly in this area.
Now that there are two of us, the task of washing dishes can be shared, which is much better than before when we were all overwhelmed and kept the guests waiting.
"I'll do it, I can handle this. Xichun, you should rest for a bit." When there were fewer guests, Aunt Zhang spontaneously added firewood to the fire and washed the bowls the guests had just used.
"Aunt Zhang, please sit down and rest for a while. You've been busy with me all morning. Take a break while there are fewer people around." Xi Chun was preparing to cook the hot pot for the two of them.
There are no dried noodles in town yet; people here usually eat boiled noodles. But Xichun felt it wasn't worth going out to buy them, so she hadn't started making them yet.
The staple food they were eating was made from millet and sorghum that Xichun had bought earlier.
“These are all meant to be sold for money, so I’ll just make some soup with them. Please keep these vegetables.” Aunt Zhang quickly stopped Xichun when she saw that she was going to cook for her.
"It's alright, we have to eat too. Otherwise, people will think our food is bad and they won't even dare to eat it themselves." Xi Chun's reasoning convinced her, and the two quickly finished their meal.
Before long, the guests arrived, and Aunt Zhang started busying herself again.
"Xichun, go buy some vegetables. I'll watch over these things here," Aunt Zhang said after they had sold everything and packed up their stall.
"Okay, I'll go buy the groceries first. Aunt Zhang, please wait here." Having someone else help made things much easier. Before, Xichun would pull the cart around town until she had bought everything before taking it home.
As soon as they returned to the village, someone spotted the two pulling a cart.
"Hey, Aunt Zhang, where are you going? Are you going to do business?" Someone asked curiously, their eyes wide with surprise.
"Hehe, yes, go and help out." Aunt Zhang naturally didn't say that she was hired by Xichun. After all, Xichun had many relatives in the village. If those people found out, they would probably cause trouble for Xichun again.
"Xichun, your business has really grown big! I heard you sell that spicy hot pot in town, and people actually buy it?"
"It's alright, it's alright. I almost didn't break even. Business is tough." Of course, Xi Chun wouldn't tell these "gossips" the truth.
"Tch, a little girl, already acting all high and mighty after just starting out in business. I don't know if Zhang Sao is pretending to be naive or trying to steal other people's recipes, but she actually followed her to work." They don't have much to do in the dead of winter, so they either stay at home or visit other people's homes.
Several women stayed together, watching them walk away, and some even whispered among themselves.
"Perhaps that girl gave her money. I think Zhang Sao is a shrewd woman. She wouldn't willingly help that girl. It's all about money, isn't it?"
"You know, Chen Xichun is really something else. She doesn't take care of her own relatives, but instead gives the lucrative job to an outsider. Could it be that she has her eye on Zhang Sao's son?"
"Hehe, you guys really know how to talk. I had the same idea. Aunt Zhang has two sons, maybe she's thinking the same thing. They're all neighbors, and that girl owns a house now. If they become family, the house will belong to her. She's really good at scheming."
“Xichun, those people have nothing better to do than gossip about this family today and that family tomorrow. As long as we are upright, we have nothing to fear. If anyone dares to say anything to me, I’ll tear their mouth apart.”
Aunt Zhang could tell what those people were thinking just by looking at their eyes. They had been neighbors for decades, and everyone knew what they were up to.
"Okay, right now I'm only focused on making money, I don't care what they say." Xi Chun naturally guessed that people would talk behind her back, but would she stop doing business just because some people were talking about her? That was impossible.
The two washed and put everything away. Aunt Zhang saw that Xichun was preparing to make soup base, so she went home to avoid suspicion.
This prescription belongs to Xichun. If she were to actually stare at it, it would make her seem inconsiderate. Just think about it, if she had the prescription at home, she certainly wouldn't have given it to anyone else.
The two worked tirelessly for several days, leaving early and returning late. The gossip in the village intensified, and even when the village chief heard about it and came out to warn them, they didn't take it seriously.
Soon, the news reached Xichun's maternal grandmother's house.
"Mother, I heard these past few days that Xichun went to town to set up a stall and made some money. Moreover, she even hired Zhang Sao from our village to help with the work. What do you mean by that silly girl? She doesn't think of our own family when she has such a good thing, but instead gives it to an outsider. What's the meaning of this?"
When Xichun's aunt, Ma, heard this news, she couldn't sit still any longer. She immediately ran over to find Old Mrs. Chen and said things as if it were a big mistake for them not to care about their niece, whom they hadn't shown any concern for in three years, and not thinking about their own family.
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