Chapter 30
Gu Xinxin took the opportunity to stuff a few eggs into Gu Xiangrong's mouth: "I'm hungry in the afternoon, eat them."
Gu Wenshu had sharp ears and immediately called out, "Big sister, where's mine?"
"What do you mean, did you get up early to work?" Gu Xinxin asked with a frown on her face. Gu Wenshu quickly turned around to look at Gu Chen.
Gu Xinxin went to Gu Daniu and said, "There's something else I want to discuss with Dad. Didn't stepmother say before that cooking should be my responsibility as well? I thought about it and it's fine. I'm the one who buys all the seasonings, flour, eggs, etc. anyway, so I can just buy a few extra. But Dad needs to pay me. I think we need two taels of silver a month for food, right?"
Gu Chen's eyes widened: "Two taels of silver? Do you eat gold and drink silver?"
Gu Xinxin blinked. "Dad can earn nine taels of silver a day, so what's wrong with our family having two taels of silver? What about a month? Let me do the math for you. Two taels of silver a month is seventy copper coins a day. With so many people in our family, doesn't it take three pounds of white flour a day? Does it take three spoons of lard? Firewood is free, but the tinder does. Vegetables are free, but salt does. And what about soy sauce, vinegar, and broad bean paste? Do they cost money? Is seventy copper coins a day a lot?"
She asked Gu Daniu.
Gu Daniu had no idea, so he looked at Chen and asked, "How much did you make a month cooking?"
Gu Chen was about to speak, but Gu Xinxin smiled and said, "Stepmother, you have to think about it carefully. I remember when you asked my father for money before, you also asked for several taels of silver."
Gu Chenshi couldn't say the words that were on the tip of her tongue. After a moment, she steeled herself and said, "Two taels of silver."
It’s better than telling Gu Daniu that I had more before.
"This month's." Gu Xinxin immediately stretched out her hand to Gu Daniu. Gu Daniu looked at her and said, "This month is already halfway through. Give me one or two taels of silver."
Gu Xinxin smiled and said, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll keep accounts for you and make sure you know where every penny of our family's money goes. Besides, these things you have to buy separately for business and they are not counted in the household expenses. Don't confuse the two, Dad."
Gu Chen looked down on Gu Xinxin: "Can you keep accounts?"
"I don't know how to make it, but I can learn." Gu Xinxin quickly called Gu Xiangrong, "When you get to the school, ask the teacher, or find someone whose family is in business and ask for their advice. If they are kind enough to give you some advice, bring them some small fried dough twists as a gift tomorrow."
If you don't want to give me advice, then forget it.
Gu Xiangrong quickly agreed. As for the feeling of embarrassment...how could a poor person feel embarrassed? As long as he could learn something without spending any money, it was a great bargain! What was shame?
He looked at his eldest sister and knew that only those with thick skin could have enough food to eat.
Those who are thin-skinned may starve to death, just like them, the siblings, who almost starved to death.
Gu Xiangrong hurried to school with the eggs, while Gu Daniu went up the mountain to inspect his traps as usual.
Gu Xinxin and Gu Chenshi made small fried dough twists at home.
Old Mrs. Gu also helped out. She wasn't particularly old, but she just didn't want to do it before. But now...if she did, Gu Xinxin would give her the less attractive small twisted dough sticks. After all, twisting them wasn't tiring, so she was fine with a little help.
Gu Xinxin worked for a while, and when she saw it was almost time, she told Gu Chenshi, "Heat up the oil in the wok this afternoon. For now, cover the small twisted dough sticks with the lid to prevent them from drying out. I'm going to go to my aunt's house."
Yesterday I promised to teach people how to make potato chips.
There's actually no technical skill involved in making potato chips. That's not entirely accurate; there are tricks to making them. Otherwise, they won't be soft and fluffy. The key lies in the oil temperature; neither too high nor too low will work. Also, you need to wash off the starch and absorb the water, so they must be dry before cooking.
"Don't throw away this starch. When you have enough, you can make potato flour. Potato flour..." She thought about it carefully. It seemed that the production of potato flour was similar to that of sweet potato flour, but sweet potato flour had more steps. It needed to be frozen and air-dried in order to be stored for a longer time.
As for potato flour, it needs to be eaten right after it’s made and cannot be stored for too long.
She didn't need to explain this. There were many people growing potatoes in their village, and almost every household could make potato flour.
Gu Xinxin fished out the washed potato slices and placed them one by one in the basket while explaining to her cousins, "They must be dry, otherwise they will easily fry in the oil, and the oil will bubble up easily, and then they won't be crispy."
The old lady was also stretching her head, trying to watch Xinxin's movements, trying to make them exactly the same, so that if any step was not done properly, it would ruin the whole pot of potatoes.
Gu Xinxin fried a plate herself first, then handed the wok to her second cousin: "You try it, just come on, I'll tell you in advance if there's anything wrong."
The second cousin's wife pursed her lips, suppressed her nervousness, reached out and threw the potato slices into the oil pan, then quickly turned them over with chopsticks. When both sides were golden brown, she scooped them out with a colander.
As soon as you take it out, sprinkle seasoning on it immediately to prevent it from getting cold and losing its flavor.
Several children circled around the basket: "I want to eat, I want to eat, give me one, Aunt Xinxin, give me one."
Gu Xinxin smiled and handed out four or five slices to each child. The child's eyes lit up as they ate, and they immediately reached out for more. But Gu Xinxin refused to give them any more: "Let your parents try it later. If it tastes good, we can sell it tomorrow to make money so that you can go to school, okay?"
The old man was happy: "Yes, yes, I will exchange the money for you to go to school."
Gu Tiedan's eyes widened, and he immediately lay down on the ground, rolling back and forth: "I don't want to go to school. I want to eat potato chips at home. I won't go to school."
Gu Xinxin immediately stepped back. There was no other way. She was worst at dealing with children who would roll around like that.
The old man immediately took off his shoes and slapped Gu Tiedan on the butt: "Don't you know what's good for you, kid? I let you go to school for your own good, why are you yelling here?"
What Gu Xinxin saw was...both painful and pleasurable.
I feel good because my naughty kid gets a lesson, I feel good secretly. But I feel pain because parents these days really do beat their kids anytime, anywhere, even boys, not to mention girls.
If they were beaten to death, no one would say anything. At most, they would say that their family members didn't know how to control the beating and were too harsh. As for the dead... they would be lucky to have a coffin to be buried in.
Because of this thought, she couldn't help feeling depressed when she left. How did she end up traveling to ancient times?
As I was walking, someone called out from behind, "Gu Xinxin, Gu Xinxin!"
Gu Xinxin turned around and saw a little girl rushing over: "Are you better now? I've been too busy these days and haven't had time to look for you. Why didn't you come to see me?"
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