She tried hard to recall, but could only remember that Chen Ji seemed to have said something to her. As for the specifics, she couldn't remember...
Xu Ruantang went downstairs and found porridge, side dishes, and steamed buns in the kitchen. Her godmother and Xiaobao were not in the house.
As she brushed her teeth, she tried hard to recall what Chen Ji had said that morning. Finally, after taking a few sips of porridge, a flash of inspiration struck her.
"Take these, and use them to cover Xiaobao's and the family's expenses."
Xu Ruantang slapped his forehead.
right!
That's it!
Chen Ji had already given her a lot of money; she counted it, and it totaled eight hundred and twelve yuan. As for the bankbook, Xu Ruantang didn't touch it at all, simply putting it back in the study drawer.
Chen Ji is in charge of household expenses and she has no objection. She can also manage the money; she can just keep the accounts.
After Xu Ruantang finished breakfast, she went outside and found her godmother holding Xiaobao, sitting in the neighboring yard sunbathing.
"Ruan Tang, come here."
Aunt Wang waved to Xu Ruantang when she saw her, and introduced her as she walked over: "This is your Aunt Liu, her son is a battalion commander under Xiao Chen!"
"Hello, Aunt Liu!" Xu Ruantang greeted warmly.
Aunt Liu looked to be in her early fifties. She was tall and strong, with a round face that gave her a very prosperous appearance.
"Wow! Your daughter is so pretty!" Aunt Liu said with a smile. "No wonder Commander Chen likes her so much. Who wouldn't like such a beautiful girl!"
Aunt Wang smiled genuinely, "Of course!"
"Girl, did you just get up?" Aunt Liu asked in surprise.
Xu Ruantang knew that the opportunity to create public opinion had arrived!
She exaggeratedly put one hand on her lower back and plopped down on a stool, complaining, "Yes, Auntie, I was so tired last night! Did our unit sound the reveille? I didn't hear it this morning?"
Since we've already decided to help Chen Ji, let's go all the way and help Chen Ji establish a "very powerful" image!
"Hey, you didn't even hear the reveille, it must be exhausting!" Aunt Liu laughed meaningfully. "This Commander Chen is quite handsome, but he doesn't seem to care about his wife at all! You can't treat your wife like you're training soldiers! Here's what we'll do, when he comes back tonight, I'll talk to him for you!"
Aunt Wang patted Aunt Liu on the back, "Why are you, an old woman, meddling in the affairs of young people?!"
"Oh, sister, that's not right of you!" Aunt Liu said earnestly. "Your son-in-law doesn't know how to cherish your daughter, so we must cherish her ourselves! Here, I have a nourishing recipe for you to take home..."
Xu Ruantang sat quietly to one side, exuding a sense of superiority as if she had successfully retired.
She stared at Aunt Wang's smiling face, momentarily lost in thought.
The person who was saying they didn't want to live yesterday has actually recovered so quickly? It feels a bit unreal.
She was always afraid that Aunt Wang was using a smile to mask her deep inner pain. Oh well, she could only observe her more closely.
Fortunately, there was Aunt Liu next door, an older woman, so the two of them kept each other company and seemed to be having a good chat.
Xu Ruantang said something to the two of them and then went back to her own courtyard to busy herself.
She went into the kitchen and made a pot of honey bread rolls and mung bean cakes, then borrowed Aunt Liu's bicycle and a styrofoam box before heading out.
You can't tell if there's a market just by looking at it, so Xu Ruantang decided to try it herself.
With her godmother looking after Xiaobao, she can go out with peace of mind.
Before we left, Aunt Liu said there was a Xifosi Market near the compound, where they sold all sorts of things.
If it weren't for the fact that there were so many pastries that were hard to carry, Xu Ruantang really wouldn't want to ride this old-fashioned bicycle; it's too tall and gets stuck in the crotch!
She asked for directions and rode towards the Xifo Temple Market. Halfway there, Xu Ruantang jumped off her bicycle.
"Sir, could I have a bottle of soda, please?"
Xu Ruantang spoke to the old man in the small house at the entrance of the garment factory.
The girl had fair skin and pretty eyes. She was lively and always had a smile on her face. The old man started chatting with her in no time.
"Girl, where are you going?"
The old man handed out a small stool from the house. Xu Ruantang took it and said with a smile, "Thank you. I just came to Beijing. I used to learn how to make side dishes from a master in my hometown. I plan to sell honey bread rolls and mung bean cakes at the Xifosi Market!"
As they were talking, Xu Ruantang deftly took out a mung bean cake and a small bread roll from the styrofoam box and handed them to the old man. "Could you please taste them and see if they're good? And if they're worth selling?"
People often feel obligated to give sweets, especially older people who enjoy them.
The old man found Xu Ruantang increasingly pleasing to the eye, and with a smile, he accepted the bread. He took a bite of the small bread, and immediately the aroma of honey and sesame filled his mouth. The bread was soft and delicious, and the old man kept giving it a thumbs up.
"Girl, I'm a true Beijing native. To be honest, I've never eaten anything this delicious in Beijing! This is absolutely one of a kind!"
Xu Ruantang pressed her advantage, asking, "What kinds of food did you eat before? What did they taste like?"
What the old man said was basically the same as what Chen Ji said: even in developed cities like Beijing, the market for honey bread is still very large.
Previously in Dahe Village, she made flower cakes. Since there were no fresh flowers in Beijing, Xu Ruantang switched to mung bean cakes.
Xu Hanli brought the mung bean paste as a thank you for the flower cakes she had given him last time. Since she didn't have a refrigerator and was worried about it spoiling, she simply used it.
“Girl, if you believe in this old man, then don’t go to Xifo Temple. They even charge a market management fee there! You only have this much stuff, it’s not worth it.”
That way, the garment factory will shut down immediately, and you can sell here. With this flavor, I guarantee it'll sell out in no time!
Grandpa is still the same grandpa, he knows so much and is so kind-hearted!
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