Because there weren't enough jars, the peaches delivered by the An family weighed about 130 jin (approximately 65 kg) and were washed and cut, just enough for about 40 jars. The plums were cut and prepared later. Yang Cui and Wen Shi were both efficient workers, and by about 1:15 pm, they had finished cutting and pickling all the plums, and they could be jarred and sealed in the afternoon.
Yang Cui returned the knife to the village chief's house and then started killing chickens and cooking.
"Xiao Cui, just make something to eat." An Dafu felt a little sorry for Yang Cui killing the chicken. Who would be willing to kill a chicken unless it was a festival?
"Uncle, it's rare for you to have a meal here. You've worked for me all day, so let's kill a chicken and have a treat."
After slaughtering and cleaning a rooster weighing over four pounds, Yang Cui made braised chicken with winter melon.
Stir-fried chicken giblets with pickled cabbage are incredibly fragrant.
The aroma wafted far and wide, making the whole family, young and old, salivate.
The neighbors next door were also tempted.
Lin Shih-kang's younger brother, Lin Feng-tien, lived next door.
"Mom, I want to eat meat, I want to eat meat!" Lin Fengtian's son, Lin Xinbao, cried with craving.
"Eat, eat, eat! What are you going to eat? Where's the meat?" Lin Fengtian's wife, Lin Wangshi, scolded him, and four-year-old Lin Xinbao burst into tears.
Mrs. Wang was furious, cursing, "That bitch, killing a chicken is one thing, but making it smell so good, deliberately making us suffer! Making our home uneasy! Why didn't she drown when she jumped into the river!"
"Why are you cursing at people for no reason?" Lin Fengtian couldn't understand his wife's thought process.
“You feel sorry for her when I scold her? Even if Lin Shikang divorced her, she can't possibly marry you again.”
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Lin Fengtian was getting angry. "It's getting more and more absurd."
With a "smack," Madam Wang slammed down her chopsticks and said angrily, "Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Let me tell you, Lin Fengtian, if I find out that you and she are having an affair, or what's happened between you, I'll chop off your manhood and make sure you can't be a man anymore!"
"You woman, I can't reason with you." Lin Fengtian angrily finished his porridge in a few gulps, then grabbed his wood-chopping knife and went outside.
Wang Yuhe was still uneasy, thinking that she would have to keep a closer eye on her husband in the future. After all, her husband had once been in love with Yang Cui, and had even proposed marriage to the Yang family before Yang Cui got married. Now that Yang Cui was single, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't go back to her ex.
Yang Cui had no idea that simply cooking a slightly decent meal had provoked Wang Yuhe to throw a tantrum.
"Sister, your cooking skills are truly amazing," An Xiaohu praised, her mouth full of rice.
The other boys from the An family nodded repeatedly, "Delicious, delicious!"
"Eat more if you like it. Thank you all for helping out today."
An Dafu felt a pang of heartache: "Xiao Cui, even if you've earned a few copper coins now, you have to be frugal. There's still a long road ahead."
An Dafu knew perfectly well that the food was delicious, but it was expensive! Not to mention the chicken, Yang Cui also used a lot of oil and salt, which are very expensive! The amount of oil and salt used in this meal was enough for the An family for half a month.
Yang Cui knew that An Dafu meant well, so she smiled and said, "Uncle, I know what you're saying. Don't worry, I'll be careful. You rarely come all this way, so we can't just let everyone eat green beans and eggplants again."
After saying that, Yang Cui used serving chopsticks to put a piece of chicken on An Dafu's plate, and also used a spoon to pour a spoonful of broth over his rice. "It tastes even better when the broth is mixed with the rice. Uncle, give it a try."
"Then I'll give it a try."
The An family boys, along with Er Ya and San Ya, immediately rushed to scoop up the soup and mix it with the rice.
"Mmm, it's delicious."
"So delicious!"
"Sister, your cooking is so delicious. Mom, we should cook our chickens like this from now on."
Wen rolled her eyes at her youngest son: "Where would we get chickens for you to eat? You're dreaming!"
“Good days will come eventually,” Yang Cui said. “If the peaches and ginger sell well, we can all make some money this year. When that time comes, Xiao Hu and the others can come and help me. I’ll cook you all delicious food.”
"Even if business is good, we can't eat like that," An Dafu said. "But if business is good, we won't have to worry about peaches this year, and we can save some money to find a wife for Xiaohai."
An Xiaohai's face flushed red instantly.
The perilla, peaches, and ginger are not only related to Yang Cui's future, but also directly related to An Jia's life.
After the meal, Yang Cui led them to can the products and seal them.
The An family members were very serious and hardworking, and they were also praying that the business would be booming!
Before An Dafu left, Yang Cui took him to Zhou Daniu's house in the village. Zhou Daniu's family had a mule cart and earned a little money every day by carrying passengers and goods to supplement their income. An Dafu made an agreement with him that he would use his mule cart to deliver goods to the Star Gazing Tower the next morning, with a round-trip fare of eighteen copper coins.
It took Zhou Daniu a long time to react, and he still felt that something was not real until An Dafu gave him a five-copper coin advance payment, at which point he finally believed it.
“My niece will give you the rest of the fare,” An Dafu said.
“Alright, alright, we’re all from the same village, we can trust you.” Zhou Daniu chuckled.
The next morning, Zhou Daniu drove his mule cart and parked it in Yang Cui's yard. He helped Yang Cui load the jars onto the cart. Zhou Daniu was sensible and didn't ask any questions.
"Er Ya, San Ya, take out the dried plums and spread them out in the winnowing basket to dry. I'll be back at noon."
"Yes, Mother."
——
When the mule cart arrived at the village entrance, several villagers were already waiting there; they were all people waiting to take the mule bus into the city.
Zhou Daniu stopped the car: "We can take one more person. Who's going?"
Everyone was surprised to see Yang Cui sitting on the mule cart, with thirty jars on it and Yang Cui holding one in her arms.
"Xiao Cui, why are you bringing so many jars into the city? What's inside them?"
Yang Cui said indifferently, "Food."
At this moment, Lin Niu quickly climbed onto the cart. No one else could get on; there was nowhere to sit, and the mule cart couldn't bear the weight. Zhou Daniu hadn't originally wanted to take another person, but considering that Yang Cui was the only woman on the cart, and he was a man, he feared it would cause controversy, so he decided to take one more.
Zhou Daniu drove away, leaving the rest of the people to walk.
"What do you think Yang Cui and the An family are up to? What's in all those jars?"
"They must be peaches from yesterday. Who washes peaches with salt for no reason? Who can eat that many peaches and plums?"
"They must have found a way to make money!"
"We'll ask Zhou Daniu when he gets back."
...
On the oxcart, Lin Niu looked at the pile of beautiful jars and was very curious. There were rumors in the village that the An family had found a way to make money and was helping Yang Cui earn money. She thought it was just a rumor, but now it seemed that it might be true.
"Xiao Cui, what's in this jar? It looks really nice."
Yang Cui was surprised that Lin Niu Shi would speak to her. Lin Niu Shi was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Lin clan chief and one of the people who forced Yang Cui to leave the Lin family that day.
"What's it to you?" Yang Cui's tone was not very good. Her relationship with the Lin family was already like this, so there was no need to pretend.
Lin Niu choked.
He cursed Yang Cui in his heart.
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