Night falls,
Leaning against the stilts, Madam Liang looked distressed. Smelling the stench filling the room, she couldn't help but speak to Liang Fugui beside her.
“Fugui, listen to my advice, let’s stop making brown sugar. If we keep doing this, our family will be begging for food.”
"No, we can't give up. If we give up now, we'll become the laughingstock of the village."
Liang Fugui gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment.
"Wife, you've worked for the Chen family for so long, how do they preserve their beets? Why don't they rot?"
"I am mainly responsible for cutting and washing vegetables, and I don't care about transportation at all. I think I heard Da Longzi mention something about a cellar built against the mountain behind the sugar mill. The cellar is warm in winter and cool in summer, and fruits and vegetables can be stored there for months without spoiling."
“So that’s how it is. No wonder their beets don’t rot.” Liang Fugui lowered his head and pondered for a while, then spoke in a low voice as if he had made a great decision. “We’ll dig a cellar for our family tomorrow, otherwise the beets will rot by the time Zheng Xi sends them over.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Liang immediately became agitated, her eyebrows raised, "Are you even listening to me? Stop this! We're just peasants toiling in the fields; we're completely incapable of doing business."
"Don't boost others' morale and diminish your own," Liang Fugui said, reaching into the bedding to pull out a tattered garment. "Look what this is."
Upon opening it casually, one would find a silver ingot and several pieces of broken silver inside.
Madam Liang stared wide-eyed, looking surprised. "Where did this money come from? Did you sell those brown sugars?"
"Of course, that's why you men have such a good business sense!"
Liang Fugui proudly recounted in detail how he sold candy at the village entrance that day.
"Wow, I'm rich!"
Liang's earlier disappointment vanished, and she eagerly hugged the silver ingot, showering it with compliments.
"Fugui, you're really something. I thought you were just messing around, but I didn't expect you to actually sell those candies."
"That's a must, so we have to keep going. We have to keep the beets. I think we can earn more working for the Chen family than working for them. Let me explain the math to you."
As Liang Fugui spoke, he started counting on his fingers.
“We still have over two thousand catties of beets that haven’t rotted. That should yield at least four hundred catties of sugar, which can easily sell for twenty-eight taels of silver. Adding what we sold today, that’s forty-two taels of silver. After deducting the thirty taels we paid for the goods, we’ll still have more than ten taels left. Don’t you think that’s more than what you would earn working for the Chen family?”
"I do earn a lot, but I just don't feel at ease."
“My good wife, don’t worry, just listen to my arrangements. Besides, we have no way out. Even if you want to work for the Chen family, they won’t hire you anymore.”
After hearing his words, Madam Liang thought it made sense. After what had happened, the Chen family would never hire her again.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Liang Fugui continued, "Manager Hou said that as long as we can make white sugar, he'll take as much as we can. Do you think we can easily give up such a good deal?"
"Give me a break! If making sugar were so easy, would we even have a chance?"
"If the Chen family can make it through, why can't we?" Liang Fugui grinned mischievously, whispering a few words in Liang's ear.
Upon hearing this, Liang glared at him fiercely. "Are you even a man? How can you let your wife do this? If word gets out, how will I ever face anyone again? Besides, how could that stupid bear know the recipe for boiling sugar? Even if you asked, it would be pointless."
“Look at what you’re saying, you’re underestimating people. The Chen family can guard against anyone, but they would never guard against an idiot. Among those who do the work, he is the most likely to know the secret recipe.” Liang Fugui said with great certainty.
The man's words were indeed true; the Chen family never allowed outsiders to enter or leave the house where they boiled sugar.
He only managed to sneak in a few times by taking advantage of his good relationship with the Lin family and helping her with chores. He only glanced at it a few times before realizing that making sugar was actually not difficult.
Erdanzi was different; his job was to carry the ground sugar syrup into the house and pour it into the big pot. He spent half the day wandering around the sugar-making shop.
Even if he's slow-witted, he should have been able to figure it out by now, so he must know the secret recipe for boiling sugar.
A flicker of excitement shone in Liang's eyes; with the recipe, she could make white sugar, and her good days would begin.
But she still had some worries, "Fugui, I'm a little scared. What if Erdanzi takes advantage of me? Will you dislike me afterward?"
"Don't worry, honey, we're just putting on an act. I won't let him succeed. Our goal is to get the sugar-making recipe. Once we have the recipe, we can make a lot of money, send Gou Dan and Gou Sheng to school in town, and you won't have to envy Chen Han anymore..."
“Alright, I’ll do as you say.” Madam Liang nodded in agreement.
Ever since she and her husband came up with a plan, Liang has been keeping a close eye on Erdanzi in the village these past few days.
On the first day, Erdanzi and Dalongzi came out together, so she didn't have a chance to strike up a conversation.
The next day, he, Lao Liu's wife, and the village head's wife passed by their own door chatting and laughing, but she didn't dare to call out to them.
On the third day, Erdanzi came out on his own, but before she could even speak, he rushed over like a gust of wind.
......
Liang was furious. This stupid thing, when did he become so popular? He even has people to keep him company when he goes home. He's really a damn fool.
That evening, she was sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool air when she saw Liang Fugui rushing in from outside the gate in a great hurry.
"Honey, that silly boy came out alone today and is heading this way. You decide what to do; I'll go hide outside for a while."
"Okay, I understand. You can go now!" Madam Liang quickly stood up, straightened her clothes, and smoothed her hair.
Liang Fugui had only run a few steps when he turned back to remind her, "My good wife, our family's good days depend on you, so please don't mess it up."
"I understand. You'd better hurry up and leave, or you won't be able to leave later."
"Okay, I'm off!" Liang Fugui dashed off towards the cornfield not far away...
"Brother Erdan, you just got back?"
Liang leaned against the wall by the gate, her voice so sweet it gave people goosebumps.
Upon hearing the voice, Erdanzi was startled at first. When he saw it was Liang Shi, he immediately looked panicked and subconsciously took two steps back.
"You rich kid, what are you doing?"
"Oh, look at you, so cowardly. I'm not a tigress, why are you afraid of me?" Liang said, moving closer.
Erdanzi quickly raised his hand to stop him, "Don't come any closer, stay away from me."
"Hey my brother, you used to love chatting with your wife, why don't you talk to her anymore?"
"Give me a break! I have a brain, you almost stoned me to death last time!"
......
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