Once the soup was served, everyone started eating.
Ji Wan'er's chopsticks reached for the pancakes first.
She was hungry.
After taking a bite of the pancake soaked in vegetable broth, Ji Wan'er nodded in satisfaction. It tasted good.
Then, she picked up a piece of eggplant and started eating.
It was fragrant and had the flavors of the vegetable broth and a hint of meat.
Perhaps it had been too long since she last ate meat, but she actually found this eggplant tastier than the one she had stewed before.
She continued to eat a few more bites of the eggplant.
As she wondered what others at the table thought of the dish, she noticed something strange.
Not a single person was picking up the meat.
She didn't know if Xiao Qingming wanted to eat it or not, as he rarely showed any reaction to anything other than books. But the two children definitely wanted to eat it.
It was the first time she had seen these two children so eager for a dish.
Clearly, it had been a long time since they had eaten meat.
However, their behavior didn't show it.
That's strange.
Ji Wan'er carefully observed the reactions of the two children and noticed that although they didn't pick up the meat, their eyes were fixed on it.
With the children's experiences in mind, she suddenly understood something.
These two children were truly pitiful and had been through a lot.
Even in the old house, no one cared for them, and after the separation, it was still the same.
Perhaps when they sat at the table, they didn't dare to eat meat.
Having figured this out, Ji Wan'er picked up a piece of meat and served it to Yun Shuang, then another piece to Zi An.
"Eat up," she said.
Seeing them cautiously watching her, Ji Wan'er smiled and said, "We bought a lot of meat today, so eat more. Don't leave any leftovers. Sister-in-law will make something else delicious for you tonight, I promise it will be just as tasty as the meat."
The children finally ate the meat.
The pieces of meat were small, only about two centimeters long, but Zi An only took a bite and left the rest.
He chewed the meat in his mouth and said, "It's really delicious."
After speaking, tears welled up in his eyes.
Seeing Zi An like this broke Ji Wan'er's heart, and she served him another piece of meat.
"Eat up, from now on we'll eat meat every day," Ji Wan'er said.
Zi An wiped away his tears with his sleeve.
Although he knew his sister-in-law was trying to comfort him, he nodded earnestly.
Ji Wan'er then turned and served another piece of meat to Yun Shuang.
Yun Shuang was about to refuse, but Ji Wan'er stopped her.
She knew that Yun Shuang wanted to give it to her brother again.
Even though she was just a child herself, she always thought of her younger brother.
"Brother should eat, and you should eat too. Everyone should eat," Ji Wan'er said.
Yun Shuang pursed her lips, lowered her head, and picked up the meat to savor it slowly.
With a small piece of meat, she chewed for a long time before finishing it.
"This is the most delicious meat I've ever eaten," Yun Shuang said.
She pursed her lips again, savoring the taste from earlier.
"We'll have plenty of meat from now on when we eat," she added.
Ji Wan'er then served each child another piece of meat and took one for herself as well.
Not knowing whether it was influenced by the children or not, Ji Wan'er also found it to be the most delicious meat she had ever eaten.
Seeing her brother, sister, and Ji Wan'er all enjoying the meat, Xiao Qingming finally reached for a piece as well.
It was truly fragrant.
It was incredibly delicious.
This was also the best-tasting meat he had ever had.
However... now that he had actually tasted the meat, he realized that Ji Wan'er's cooked eggplant was not inferior at all.
It seemed that meat was no longer the most flavorful dish.
The pan-fried pancakes were also delicious.
They carried a subtle meaty aroma and the delicate fragrance of eggplant.
The slightly charred side even had a smoky aroma.
Each bite brought immense satisfaction to his mouth.
Zi An happily ate several pieces of meat in a row.
He felt that he had eaten more meat in this one meal than he had in his entire life.
Back in the old house, during the Lunar New Year, they could only have a small amount of meat, and anything beyond that was a luxury they couldn't afford.
Usually, they only had meat dishes during festivals.
With so many people in the old house, there was hardly any chance for him to have a share.
If he could grab a mouthful of meat soup, that was already considered fortunate.
But this time, he not only had the meat soup, but he also got to eat several pieces of meat.
It was truly fragrant and incredibly delicious.
They had only bought two taels of meat in total, and it was divided into two meals, so there wasn't much.
Before long, the meat was finished.
Looking at the satisfied expressions on the children's faces, Ji Wan'er felt a twinge of sadness.
Unfortunately, the family was not financially well-off at the moment, and this meat was already considered a luxury.
Ji Wan'er said, "When we have money in the future, we'll eat meat every day."
She would have to think carefully in the coming days about what kind of food she could make to earn money, so that they could afford meat sooner.
"Okay," Zi An nodded vigorously.
Yun Shuang glanced at Ji Wan'er, picked up a bite of eggplant, and said, "The eggplant you made is just as delicious as the meat."
She was truly a sensible and sensitive child.
Ji Wan'er smiled at her and Zi An nodded from the side, "Yes, the eggplant is delicious too, very fragrant."
"Good, then let's eat more and finish it."
"Yeah!"
The eggplant absorbed the oil well, so Ji Wan'er intentionally added more oil while cooking, resulting in a rich and thick soup.
As for the pancake, it was also highly praised.
Seeing others enjoy their meal can sometimes increase one's own appetite, and Ji Wan'er unknowingly ate a bit too much.
She initially planned to have two bowls of soup but ended up feeling full after just one bowl.
The large plate of braised eggplant with meat was completely finished, not a single piece of eggplant or drop of soup was left. Everything was eaten clean.
After a nap, Ji Wan'er went to deal with the pork skin.
She first processed the pork skin, removing the pig hair and boiling it in a pot.
After taking it out, she used a knife to remove excess fat from the inside.
Then she cut it into small pieces.
She put the pig skin back into the pot and added seasoning.
This time, she simmered it on low heat.
Although she was only cooking the pork skin, not the meat, the distinctive aroma of pork still wafted through the air.
Especially with the generous amount of seasoning she added, the combination of flavors with the pork skin was incredibly fragrant.
After a while, Yun Shuang and Zi An came over.
"Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Why does it smell so good?" Zi An asked curiously.
"I boiled the pork skin we bought this morning."
"Ah? Is it delicious after boiling?" Zi An asked.
There was no meat on it.
He had never eaten something like this before.
Ji Wan'er nodded, "It's delicious."
Although Zi An didn't know exactly how Ji Wan'er prepared the pork skin, the aroma in the pot was so enticing that he couldn't help but salivate.
"But this kind of dish takes a while to cook. We can only eat it at dinner," Ji Wan'er added.
Yun Shuang said, "Sister-in-law, let me do it."
Ji Wan'er refused her offer.
"Never mind, it'll be ready in a little while. You two can go out and play," Ji Wan'er said.
After a while, Zi An went out to play, but Yun Shuang stayed behind.
Ji Wan'er told her she didn't need to tend the fire, but Yun Shuang insisted and silently handed her firewood.
When the pork skin had simmered for a while, Ji Wan'er ladled it out and placed it in an iron basin.
Next, they had to wait for it to solidify.
The weather was still chilly, so it would likely solidify quickly.
After finishing with the pork skin, Ji Wan'er realized that the sky had turned dark without her noticing.
She glanced at her roof and thought to herself, "Oh no."
She had planned to repair the roof when there was less rain in a few days.
But now, it seemed like rain was imminent.
She quickly called Yun Shuang and, with Zi An, they went to look for thatch grass.
Since she didn't know how to do it herself and was afraid of doing a poor job that would result in leaks, they also gathered some large leaves from the mountain to bring back home.
At least these leaves could provide some protection against the rain.
Ever since the day she saw Ji Wan'er cutting bamboo, Sun Xinghua had been observing her neighbors closely these past few days.
The more Sun Xinghua observed, the stranger things seemed.
Ji Wan'er no longer woke up late as she used to, rising before the hour of the Rabbit (around 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.), doing laundry and cooking.
She had also stopped scolding the two children.
Today, Ji Wan'er took the children to the town, and people they met mentioned that the children were wearing new clothes when they returned.
Thinking about Ji Wan'er's formerly sharp and bitter demeanor, Sun Xinghua found it increasingly unsettling.
She remembered vaguely overhearing an argument next door a few days ago.
It seemed to be about a lack of money.
If they didn't have money, how could they afford to stew meat and buy new clothes?
Could one person's change be so drastic?
Perhaps there was some kind of conspiracy going on.
She hoped it wasn't...
In these times, there were many people who sold children.
Not only sisters-in-law but even biological parents often sold their children to wealthy households as maidservants or to those filthy places.
Although she had sworn not to go next door to invite trouble again, she couldn't resist the temptation.
Seeing the three people next door returning with a heap of things, Sun Xinghua carried her youngest son and went to their house.
Ji Wan'er was tidying up the thatched grass they had brought back when she heard a slight commotion at the door.
She turned her head and saw a woman in her early twenties, holding a baby in her arms.
"Sister-in-law."
"Sister-in-law."
Yun Shuang and Zi An quickly greeted the newcomer.
Ji Wan'er's memories of the original owner returned to some extent, and after a moment of daze, she also called out, "Sister-in-law."
When Sun Xinghua came, she was quite decisive, but when she reached the doorstep of the neighboring house and thought of those scenes from before, she hesitated.
Ji Wan'er had scolded her in such a manner last time, so if she shamelessly came back, wouldn't she be inviting more insults?
After Ji Wan'er took the initiative to greet her, Sun Xinghua's anxious heart eased slightly.
However, this also confirmed her recent impressions of Ji Wan'er.
This woman from the Ji family was indeed different from before.
Previously, this woman never bothered to acknowledge her presence, always keeping her eyes fixed ahead.
Now, she knew how to greet her.
"Mm, Qingming's wife, busy indeed," Sun Xinghua entered the room, pushing the door open.
It was the first time someone addressed her like that, and Ji Wan'er felt slightly uncomfortable.
But soon, she accepted it.
She was Xiao Qingming's wife, so what else could others call her?
Turning her head, Ji Wan'er looked at the bench under the eaves and said to Yun Shuang, who was closer to that side, "Yun Shuang, fetch a bench for sister-in-law."
Yun Shuang looked at her own sister-in-law, then at Sun Xinghua, and was extremely delighted.
Normally, the two sisters-in-law would start quarreling as soon as they met, but this time it finally calmed down.
She quickly went to fetch a bench for Sun Xinghua.
What is this woman up to?
She's being way too polite.
Sun Xinghua suppressed her astonishment and sat on the bench with her child in her arms.
Yun Shuang and Zi An were both quiet individuals, and they had been suppressed by the old house and the original owner for so long that they wouldn't take the initiative to speak to anyone.
Although Ji Wan'er wasn't an introverted person, she gradually remembered the previous unpleasantness with Sun Xinghua and felt extremely awkward.
Moreover, she didn't know Sun Xinghua and had no idea what to say.
Since Ji Wan'er didn't know what to say, she continued to lower her head and work on the thatch.
Sun Xinghua came to gather information, and she had a straightforward personality, so she wouldn't let the atmosphere cool down.
She observed Ji Wan'er for a while and asked, "What are you doing?"
Ji Wan'er replied, "The roof of the house is leaking, and I can see that it's about to rain. I'm gathering some thatch and leaves to patch it up."
"Patch the roof?" Sun Xinghua looked at the thatch in their hands and then at Ji Wan'er.
Ji Wan'er nodded, "Yes."
"Is this how you're going to do it?" Sun Xinghua asked again.
Ji Wan'er nodded again.
"Qingming's wife, do you even know how to patch a roof? If you do it this loosely, it won't survive a rainstorm, let alone a gust of wind," Sun Xinghua blurted out without thinking.
Yun Shuang and Zi An were startled by Sun Xinghua's words and stood up, not daring to make a sound.
Xiao Qingming, who was reading a book in the room, closed it with a look of annoyance.
As soon as Xiao Qingming opened the study door, he heard Ji Wan'er's voice.
"Ah? I've never patched a roof before, this is my first time," Ji Wan'er said somewhat embarrassedly.
In her two lifetimes combined, this was the first time she had lived in a thatched house, let alone patched a roof.
After speaking, Sun Xinghua realized that she had acted impulsively.
She never liked Ji Wan'er, and combined with their past conflicts, they would quarrel whenever they met. Naturally, she didn't have a good impression of Ji Wan'er.
But she didn't come here to pick a fight today.
1
Seeing that Ji Wan'er's attitude remained gentle, Sun Xinghua felt that her previous words were a bit harsh and quickly softened her tone.
"Ahem, you're good at weaving fences, so I thought you would know how to patch a roof."
The reason Ji Wan'er knew how to weave fences was that she had made them for the vegetable garden in the courtyard in her previous life.
But patching a roof was a completely new experience for her.
Looking at the rain today, although Ji Wan'er recalled some moments of her interactions with Sun Xinghua and knew that they didn't get along, she still mustered the courage to ask a few more questions. After all, Yun Shuang and Zi An didn't know how to patch a roof, and Xiao Qingming was a bookworm. She didn't know whom to turn to for help.
"Sister-in-law, how do you suggest we do it?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingming silently closed the door and returned to his desk to continue reading.
1
Ji Wan'er is truly different from before.
We've known each other for half a year, but when did she start speaking to me so politely?
This is a first.
As the saying goes, don't bite the hand that feeds you. Sun Xinghua suppressed her inner doubts and began teaching Ji Wan'er how to do it.
As she taught, she found Ji Wan'er's work to be clumsy, so she took the child and handed him over to Yun Shuang, taking matters into her own hands.
"You have to do it like this, not like that."
"Look at your delicate hands, you've never done any work, have you?"
"You're so lucky, not having to work at your parents' home and now at your in-laws'."
...
Sun Xinghua seemed to be venting all the frustrations she had experienced from Ji Wan'er in the past.
1
If it were the original owner, they would have started arguing long ago.
But Ji Wan'er didn't feel the same way.
At this point, Ji Wan'er had already recalled all the incidents related to Sun Xinghua and naturally understood the conflict between them.
In the end, it was indeed the original owner's fault.
If it weren't for her daily mistreatment of the child, Sun Xinghua wouldn't have come to argue with her.
When she and Xiao Qingming first moved here, Sun Xinghua's family helped them a lot.
They helped with moving their belongings, organizing the house, and even cooked for them for a few days when they realized their kitchen was not fully stocked.
She was just a neighbor who was kind-hearted and had no ill intentions.
Now that she and the original owner have merged into one, Sun Xinghua naturally has to listen when others speak about her.
Sun Xinghua initially came to uncover Ji Wan'er's true nature, but instead, she ended up doing a lot of work.
But she was happy about it. She had criticized Ji Wan'er a lot today, but Ji Wan'er didn't retort.
When they were almost done, Sun Xinghua felt satisfied with what she had said.
Looking at Ji Wan'er's calm expression, Sun Xinghua began to reflect on her own thoughts.
She remembered what Yun Shuang had said before and also thought about what Ji Wan'er had done recently.
Before coming here, she thought Ji Wan'er had some malicious intentions and wanted to torment Yun Shuang and Zi An.
However, after spending just a short time with Ji Wan'er, her perception of her suddenly changed.
She couldn't shake the feeling that this girl was not capable of doing such terrible things as selling a child.
It truly was a miracle.
The small woman squatting next to her now is completely different from the one who used to curse at her.
The change is too drastic.
She had only been away from their home for a short two months, and she had turned into this.
It feels strange, almost unbelievable.
Sun Xinghua can't hold her tongue and speaks up, "Qingming's wife, why are you so different from before?"
Ji Wan'er's hands, busy with arranging the thatch, pause for a moment.
Yun Shuang and Zi An also look over.
Not only them, even Xiao Qingming, who was reading inside the house, raises his head and looks out the window.
2
Ji Wan'er thinks that she and the original owner are two different people, naturally different.
At first, she had thought of following the original owner's personality and gradually making changes.
However, the original owner's methods were simply unacceptable to her, and she couldn't do it.
As long as she doesn't admit it herself, no one will ever find any evidence.
So, she just needs to remain calm.
She had already prepared her words in advance, and at this moment, she is not flustered.
Ji Wan'er continues to work on the thatch in her hands and says slowly, "Before, I used to argue with my husband all the time, and I'm sure sister-in-law knows about it. Afterwards, I went back to my parents' home several times, and my mother scolded me every time. Later, my father was at home and also reprimanded me. Then I fell seriously ill not long ago and spent several days in bed, unable to move. Thanks to Yun Shuang taking care of me by my bedside."
At this point, Ji Wan'er glances at Yun Shuang.
Yun Shuang feels somewhat happy and also a bit embarrassed, lowering her head.
"During those days in bed, I kept thinking about the things I had done before and the things my parents had said to me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was in the wrong. My family resented me, and here, people didn't like me either. I was making a mess of a good life. When I woke up, I felt like I had a sudden enlightenment. I decided to live a better life from then on."
Surprisingly, it's like this.
Sun Xinghua has a simple mind and believes it all.
Everyone knows that Ji Wan'er's mother used to work as a nanny for wealthy families in the capital city, so she has a broad understanding of things. That's why she married her daughter to Xiao Qingming, seeing his future prospects.
Ji Wan'er was scolded by her parents and fell seriously ill, awakening to her mistakes.
It's quite normal.
Many people have an awakening after falling ill.
Besides, Ji Wan'er had even taken out her dowry to support the family, which shows that she is not a bad person.
"Qingming's wife, it's good that you think this way. Brother Qingming is a scholar and has a bright future ahead. Yun Shuang and Zi An are both good children. In the future, you can find a good family for Yun Shuang to marry and also support your natal family, right?" Sun Xinghua said.
The conversation is getting further and further away from the original purpose.
Ji Wan'er looked at Yun Shuang, her face turning red, and said, "Yes, sister-in-law is right. If I did anything wrong before, please bear with me, sister-in-law."
"What are you talking about? I got a little impatient too," Sun Xinghua responded. That's the kind of person she is. If the other person wants to argue with her, she can argue back. If the other person admits their mistake, she immediately starts talking about her own faults.
She felt that she shouldn't have doubted Ji Wan'er just now. People can change their nature without becoming bad.
The matter was resolved like this.
Sun Xinghua was more efficient in her work than Ji Wan'er, and she finished tidying up in no time.
Later, Sun Xinghua called her husband over to help lay the thatch on the roof, pressing it down tightly.
Ji Wan'er looked at the tightly sealed roof and felt very happy.
Tonight, they finally wouldn't have to endure the rain.
She still remembered when she first arrived here and lay on the bed. It rained one time, and the room was very cold.
The part of her bed where she slept didn't leak, but there were leaks elsewhere in the room, and the floor was wet.
She vaguely heard someone coming in and out, not knowing what they were doing.
"Thank you, Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law," Ji Wan'er said.
"Don't mention it. It's getting late, and it's time to cook. We'll go back first. If it still leaks tonight, we'll have your Third Brother fix it tomorrow," Sun Xinghua said.
They were close in proximity, and they were also related by blood.
People's warmth and simplicity are truly remarkable.
"Okay, thank you, Third Sister-in-law."
2
After Sun Xinghua left, Ji Wan'er started cooking.
The sky was getting dim, and it was a bit cold, so Ji Wan'er planned to make some warm food.
This kind of weather is perfect for eating noodles.
For someone you love, noodles are a food that you can never get tired of.
She had already made noodles once before, so Ji Wan'er was more skilled this time, knowing everyone's appetite.
In no time, Ji Wan'er finished rolling out the dough for the noodles.
Today, she had just been to the town and bought ingredients. Besides hand-pulled noodles, there was also a dish to go with it.
The pork jelly that had been stewed two hours ago was already set, so Ji Wan'er poured it onto the chopping board and cut it into small pieces.
She drizzled the pieces with seasoning sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic, then mixed them well.
She made quite a lot of pork jelly, more than they could finish in one meal.
Ji Wan'er separated some and put it in a bowl.
"You guys go ahead and eat. I'll go next door for a bit."
Ji Wan'er has always been a person who distinguishes between gratitude and grievances, especially when others are kind to her. She will always remember it and repay them multiple times over.
Sun Xinghua's family had helped her a lot today, so she had to repay them.
Seeing raindrops starting to fall from the sky, Ji Wan'er picked up the large leaves she had collected in the afternoon and used them as an umbrella over her head.
The two families were close to each other, and Ji Wan'er arrived after a few steps.
When Ji Wan'er arrived, Sun Xinghua was still cooking.
They had two meals a day, with the lunch meal being ordinary and the dinner meal being more abundant, so Ji Wan'er wasn't in a hurry to finish cooking.
"Sister-in-law, thank you and Third Brother for helping repair the roof this afternoon. This is a dish I made using pork jelly. Please have a taste. I didn't make a lot, so please don't mind the small portion."
Sun Xinghua was extremely surprised.
The fact that Ji Wan'er didn't scold the two children and could speak to her calmly was already a pleasant surprise for her.
Now, Ji Wan'er even understood the customs of repaying kindness and brought food to her?
Moreover, there was meat!
Although she didn't know how it was made, she instinctively refused.
"This is too precious. Take it back."
They didn't help much, it was just a small favor.
"It's not worth much. I made a lot, and our family of four can't finish it all. You can keep it. It's going to rain heavily soon, so I'll go back now."
Saying that, Ji Wan'er put down the bowl and walked back home with the leaves over her head.
When she arrived home, she saw everyone sitting neatly at the dining table, staring at the food in front of them.
After returning to her room, Ji Wan'er noticed that no one had eaten yet.
"Why isn't anyone eating? Noodles aren't tasty when they're all clumped together," she said.
Yun Shuang glanced at Ji Wan'er and replied, "My younger brother and I were trying to figure out what this is."
"This is pork skin," Ji Wan'er explained.
"Why did it turn into jelly?" Zi An asked curiously. "Did they put something inside?"
"No. The reason it became jelly is because..." Ji Wan'er hesitated.
The reason the meat jelly formed after boiling the pigskin was because it contains abundant collagen protein.
But how should she explain this to Zi An and the others who had never heard of collagen?
After a moment of hesitation, Ji Wan'er said, "It becomes jelly because there's something inside the pigskin that turns into jelly when it cools down. Think about it, if we stew fish at home and there are leftovers, don't they turn into jelly if they're left for a long time?"
Zi An had no recollection of such a thing. In his memory, whenever there was meat dish, there were no leftovers.
Yun Shuang had some recollection though. "Yes, some leftover fish during the Chinese New Year would turn into jelly. But they weren't as solid as this."
"Yes, that's it," Ji Wan'er concluded. "Let's eat the noodles quickly before they get cold and lose their taste."
Ji Wan'er started eating with her chopsticks, and the others began to have their meal as well.
Ji Wan'er's habit of drinking the soup first while eating noodles remained the same.
Although Yun Shuang and Zi An were very curious about the pork jelly, they didn't dare to eat it because their older brother and sister-in-law hadn't touched their chopsticks at the table.
Fortunately, Xiao Qingming reached for the pork jelly with his chopsticks.
Yun Shuang and Zi An finally felt brave enough to try it as well.
The pork jelly was made beautifully, with a crystal-clear appearance and small pieces of white pigskin embedded inside.
It didn't look like a dish but rather like a work of art.
Unfortunately, because it was crystal-clear and had a smooth surface, it was not easy to pick up with chopsticks.
Xiao Qingming tried a few times and finally managed to pick up a piece.
Once it entered his mouth, it was indeed as smooth and tender as it appeared, with a satisfying elasticity. The small piece of pigskin inside was fragrant and chewy. The whole piece of pork jelly was refreshing, cool, and had a hint of garlic flavor. It was different from any food he had eaten before, giving him a unique sensation.
Although he wasn't particularly concerned about food, he could still discern whether something tasted good or not.
Yun Shuang and Zi An also made several attempts to pick up the pork jelly.
Especially Zi An, after failing to pick it up multiple times, he simply used a single chopstick to stab it and brought the pork jelly to his mouth.
"It smells so good, full of meaty flavor!" Zi An said straightforwardly. After chewing for a moment, his eyes lit up. "There's actually meat inside!"
He was referring to the pigskin inside the pork jelly.
The pork jelly is made from boiling pigskin and adding various seasonings, so naturally, it's delicious.
Ji Wan'er smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, that small piece inside is pigskin."
Yun Shuang glanced at the pork jelly on the plate, then turned to Ji Wan'er and said, "It's delicious."
If there was one thing she disliked about pigs, it was the pigskin. In the past, when they were at the old house, Aunt Ji (I figured she must be the wife of the first/eldest uncle) would sometimes bring pork with bits of pigskin. Those pigskins were not properly cleaned and still had pig hair on them, which greatly reduced the appetite. But the pigskin made by her sister-in-law today was completely clean, with nothing on it. Moreover, the pigskin was beautifully done, just looking at it brought joy to one's heart.
Furthermore, the taste was excellent, with a mouthful of meaty flavor.
"If you think it's delicious, next time we can buy some to cook and eat when we go to town."
"Okay."
After eating a piece, Xiao Qingming focused on the noodles in front of him.
If there was one thing he loved to eat the most, it was noodles.
Yun Shuang and Zi An were also hungry. After sampling a few pieces of the fresh food, they started to eat the noodles seriously.
Taking a few bites of hot noodles and then a bite of the pork jelly, they couldn't be more satisfied.
The atmosphere was joyful as everyone enjoyed their meal. Even the neighbors were delighted.
Ji Wan'er said she didn't give them much, but in reality, there was quite a lot, enough to fill a bowl. If they had used a plate to serve it, it would probably cover the entire plate.
This kind of food was truly fresh and something no one had seen before.
Just by smelling it, you couldn't really tell what it was, but it smelled delicious, and there were plenty of seasonings inside. Especially the strong garlic flavor. Of course, there was also sesame oil.
"Mother, it smells so good, did you put sesame oil in it?" Sun Xinghua's seven-year-old daughter, Man'er, asked.
"What is this? Why haven't I seen it before?" Sun Xinghua's husband, Xiao Dajiang, asked curiously.
"I don't know what it is either. It was brought over by the neighbor."
Sun Xinghua had been looking at it for a while but couldn't figure out what it was. She looked at it again now, but still couldn't figure it out.
"They said it's made from pigskin."
"Pigskin? How can it be made into something like this?" Xiao Dajiang was truly puzzled.
Sun Xinghua didn't know how it could be made like this either. That white part inside looked like pigskin, but she couldn't figure out what the other parts were.
"Give it a taste. It has a strange fragrance." Sun Xinghua suggested.
As they spoke, the three of them picked it up and gave it a taste.
"It's really delicious, Mother. It has a meaty flavor." Man'er said excitedly.
She hadn't had meat in a long time. She always looked forward to holidays because that's when the family could have a hint of a meaty flavor. But today wasn't a holiday, yet there was meat.
Xiao Dajiang was an honest man and not much of a talker. Although he thought it was delicious, he didn't say much, just silently nodded in response to his daughter's words.
Sun Xinghua also took a bite.
With just one taste, they were astonished. The moment this thing entered their mouths, it was filled with a meaty flavor. Moreover, the seasonings were just right, and the taste was excellent. It was refreshing and too delicious.
Seeing everyone eating and praising it, Sun Xinghua's one-year-old son, Yuange'er, couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to eat too!
However, he didn't know how to use chopsticks, and the spoon in his hand couldn't pick it up.
After a few failed attempts, Yuange'er started to fuss and cry.
As the first son born after six years since the birth of their eldest daughter, Sun Xinghua naturally doted on him. She quickly broke the meat jelly into small pieces and fed them to her son.
With the delicious food finally in his mouth, Yuange'er smiled happily.
Seeing her son's smile, everyone in the family also smiled.
As they ate, their curiosity grew even stronger about how this thing was made.
"I've lived for over twenty years, and this is the first time I've seen something like this," Sun Xinghua sighed. "How is it made? It's so firm and doesn't break when picked up. Husband, do you think they put something inside?"
Xiao Dajiang shook his head. He rarely cooked, and if his wife didn't know, then it was even more unlikely that he would know.
"Qingming's wife is from the city, right?"
The village they lived in was small, and the town was also small. Everyone in the surrounding area knew that Ji Wan'er's family had come from the capital.
Especially during their arguments, Ji Wan'er liked to bring up this fact.
Sun Xinghua also thought the same way. She nodded and said, "It's different when you're from the city; you know so much."
Although Man'er was young, she also knew about the tension between her mother and their neighbor aunt. She asked, "Mom, how come Auntie sent us something?"
This piqued not only their daughter's curiosity but also Xiao Dajiang's.
1
Sun Xinghua explained, "They said it's a thank you for helping fix their roof. And recently, she has indeed been different from before."
She then shared with her family the explanation Ji Wan'er had given her in the afternoon.
Being simple-hearted people, no one doubted it after hearing the explanation.
Man'er happily exclaimed, "That's great! I can play with my little aunt again."
Her "little aunt" referred to Yun Shuang. Previously, due to the conflicts between the two families, she didn't dare to go next door.
While they were having dinner, it started drizzling outside.
The rain wasn't heavy, just a gentle patter.
Although the roof had just been repaired today, Ji Wan'er still worried.
After finishing her washing, she inspected every room in the house.
Whether it was because the roof was fixed or due to the recent rain, she didn't find any leaks for the time being.
She decided to check again in the morning if there were any leaks.
If there were any, she would fix them promptly.
During her inspection, Ji Wan'er discovered another issue.
Yun Shuang and Zi An's bed was too rudimentary.
If she were to buy a new bed, she definitely wouldn't have enough money.
And she didn't know how to make one herself.
Sigh, money really is a valuable thing.
Well, for now, she would focus on solving the issue of basic needs. Once they were well-fed and had earned some money, she could think about other things.
Finally, Ji Wan'er returned to her own room.
After carefully inspecting, she found that there were no more leaks in the room. She finished her ablutions and lay down on the bed.
Perhaps due to the rain, Xiao Qingming came back a little earlier today, and Ji Wan'er was still awake.
Watching him go in and out of the room, fetching a basin and placing it exactly where the roof had been repaired today, Ji Wan'er understood.
"Husband, I fixed the roof this afternoon. You won't get wet in the rain tonight."
The term "husband" was indeed... Xiao Qingming's face reddened.
Fortunately, the room was dark, and Ji Wan'er couldn't see his expression clearly.
But... she actually repaired the roof for him?
1
He still remembered how she had scolded him for several days when there were leaks before.
"Why... Why didn't you call me?"
Although Xiao Qingming was known for being absorbed in his studies and oblivious to everything else, Ji Wan'er had actually considered asking for his help. After all, she wasn't tall enough to reach certain areas.
As for repairing the roof for Xiao Qingming? That wasn't the case at all. Ji Wan'er simply disliked the damp and muddy conditions caused by the water leaking into the house.
"Sister Xinghua said she didn't want to disturb your studying, and since Brother Dajiang was at home, he came over."
Between Xiao Dajiang and Xiao Qingming... Ji Wan'er naturally chose the former. She was genuinely concerned that Xiao Qingming wouldn't repair the roof properly and it would leak again.
"Oh."
She was indeed different from before.
Ji Wan'er didn't know what Xiao Qingming was thinking. Ever since she had seen Yun Shuang and Zi An's sleeping arrangements earlier, her mind was filled with thoughts of how to earn some money.
Ji Wan'er pondered for a long time that night and came up with many ways to make money.
She had always enjoyed cooking in her previous life and was quite skilled at it. Judging from the reactions of the Xiao family, her cooking skills were considered good even in this era, and perhaps more appealing than in her previous life.
Since she often enjoyed experimenting with food, she decided to start with food to earn money.
For example, she could set up a stall and sell noodles. She believed that with her culinary skills, she could earn some silver coins.
Alternatively, she could make various snacks like cold skin noodles, fried pancake pancake, and meat-stuffed flatbreads.
She could also stir-fry some dishes to sell.
Or perhaps she could make pastries and sweets.
...
However, she dismissed each of these ideas one by one.
If she wanted to sell noodles, she would have to set up a stall outside. That would require a stove, charcoal, and a suitable pot. These items were heavy, and she would need to transport them to the town. It would require a cart.
She didn't plan on touching the two pieces of jewelry that Xiao Qingming had given her. In a few months, Xiao Qingming would be taking the exam and would need money while he was away. All she had in her possession was a little over 600 wen. With such limited startup capital, this idea couldn't come to fruition.
Even if she had enough startup capital, such heavy items would be difficult to transport to the town, even with a cart.
In her previous life, she hadn't done much physical labor. Her physical condition was average, and the original owner was also a pampered individual who, like her, hadn't done much physical work and had limited strength.
Xiao Qingming couldn't accompany her on this venture.
The two children were too young, and it was even more impossible for them to help.
As for "liangpi" (cold skin noodles), cucumbers were quite expensive this season, and she had no place to buy them. Besides, it was cold these days, and there might not be many customers. If she waited until it got hotter, then she could consider it. "Jianbing guozi" (deep-fried dough sticks rolled in a thin pancake) required a stove, and "roujiamo" (meat-stuffed flatbreads) had high costs. The consumption level of the people here was too low.
As for sweets, it was even more impossible. Sugar was truly precious, and even if she made something delicious, there wouldn't be many people who could afford it. If she went to a larger city, she could consider opening a dessert shop. She would definitely make a good amount of money then.
For the current situation, she still needed to find a low-cost and portable food business.
Lost in her thoughts and listening to the gentle rain outside, Ji Wan'er gradually fell asleep.
The sound of rain on the thatched roof, pitter-patter, disturbed Xiao Qingming's thoughts. His eyes couldn't help but glance at the person lying in bed.
A loud thunderclap suddenly startled Xiao Qingming, and he quickly averted his gaze, closed his eyes, and began reviewing the books he had read tonight.
Although she had thought for a long time the previous night without any ideas, the next morning, Ji Wan'er woke up as usual.
By the time she woke up, the rain had stopped, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of rainwater washing away the earth.
Though there was still a chill in the air, it made people feel refreshed.
Ji Wan'er looked around the room, and Xiao Qingming had already gotten up and left. Despite the dampness in the room, there were no leaks.
She felt relieved.
Selling food wasn't urgent for the next day or two; she could take her time to think. If she couldn't come up with anything, she could start by selling the meat jelly she made yesterday to earn some money for a few days. Based on her memory and the reactions of the two children and Sun Xinghua, she knew that no one here knew about this dish for the time being.
Meat jelly had low costs, and selling it for a few days should be able to earn some money.
The large bones she bought yesterday hadn't been processed yet, so she needed to get up and deal with them.
After getting dressed and washing up, Ji Wan'er went to the main room.
As soon as she entered, Yun Shuang woke up.
"Did I wake you up?" Ji Wan'er asked in a low voice.
"Sister-in-law, no, I was already awake," Yun Shuang replied, gently getting out of bed. After getting up, she covered Zi An with the blanket.
After washing up, Yun Shuang squatted next to Ji Wan'er, watching her handle the ingredients.
"Sister-in-law, why are we cooking so early today?" After nearly half a month of getting along, Yun Shuang had gradually gained the courage to talk to Ji Wan'er.
"We're going to simmer some bone soup later. It takes a long time to cook and needs a while to be ready," Ji Wan'er explained.
"Okay." Yun Shuang nodded, propping up her chin with her hand.
Although they woke up early today, it was already past the third hour, and the sky had brightened.
Occasionally, sounds of chickens crowing could be heard in the village.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo."
Watching Ji Wan'er handle the ingredients, Yun Shuang thought of something. After pondering for a while, she finally spoke up, "Sister-in-law, should we raise some...?"
"Raise chickens?" Ji Wan'er looked at Yun Shuang.
Although Ji Wan'er had been different in recent days compared to before, her previous temper had deeply engraved itself in Yun Shuang's heart. Now, seeing Ji Wan'er's gaze, Yun Shuang instinctively felt scared. At the same time, she regretted speaking her mind. How could she blurt out her thoughts? It must be because Sister-in-law had been treating her so well lately, and she had been so happy during this time that she overstepped her bounds. She was just about to apologize when she heard Ji Wan'er speak up.
"Do you want to raise chickens?" Ji Wan'er asked.
Ji Wan'er did consider raising chickens, but she didn't know how to take care of them. She was aware that not all the baby chicks she bought would necessarily survive. However, baby chicks weren't expensive, so if Yun Shuang wanted to raise them, she could buy her a few.
Yun Shuang pursed her lips, nodding and shaking her head at the same time.
Ji Wan'er knew that Yun Shuang was an introverted child who didn't dare express her thoughts easily. So she softened her tone and asked, "Do you know how to raise them?"
She was afraid that Yun Shuang might not be aware of the details involved and that she might feel upset if the chickens didn't survive after she raised them.
Yun Shuang replied, "I used to feed the chickens at our old house."
Hearing this, Ji Wan'er was both surprised and felt a twinge of heartache. Without her birth mother, Yun Shuang's days at the old house were even more difficult than Ji Wan'er had imagined.
"My Yun Shuang is amazing, she even knows how to raise chickens," Ji Wan'er praised.
Hearing Ji Wan'er's words, Yun Shuang felt a bit shy, and her face turned red.
Raising chickens was such a simple matter, and being praised for it made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
Encouraged by the praise, Yun Shuang went on to share her experiences of raising chickens at the old house. She talked about things like when to feed them and what to feed them at different stages, as well as the daily routine of tending to the chickens.
After finishing, she expressed her true thoughts, saying, "... Chickens don't eat much. When they grow up, they can lay one egg a day. One egg is worth half a wen, so it can save a good amount of money."
Ji Wan'er finally understood Yun Shuang's intention.
This child wanted to raise chickens to save money for her.
She was truly thoughtful.
Coincidentally, Ji Wan'er also wanted to go to town and think about what kind of food she could sell.
"Okay, we'll go to town later and buy some baby chicks," Ji Wan'er responded.
Yun Shuang was overjoyed that her suggestion was accepted. However, there were some things she needed to discuss with her sister-in-law first. Ji Wan'er seemed like someone who had never raised chickens before, and she might not be aware of the details involved.
"But, not all the chicks we buy will necessarily grow up," Yun Shuang said nervously, clutching her clothes. She was afraid that if the baby chicks died, Ji Wan'er would be unhappy.
"It's okay, even if we can raise a few, that's enough," Ji Wan'er reassured her.
While they were talking, the bones had been processed.
Ji Wan'er put the bones in a pot, boiled them, removed the blood, and rinsed them clean. Then she added water to the pot, put in the bones, added spring onions and ginger, and simmered them over low heat.
As they looked outside, Ji Wan'er and Yun Shuang started to plan.
"We can keep the chickens in the kitchen area, but we should try not to disturb your older brother while he's studying," Ji Wan'er said. Then she turned her attention to the other side of the land and continued, "We can turn the soil over there and plant some vegetables."
It was early spring, and everything was starting to revive, making it the perfect time for vegetable planting.
Ji Wan'er wasn't good at farming, but she could handle growing some vegetables.
"We can also plant some vegetables behind the house; that way, we can save even more money," Ji Wan'er suggested.
Yun Shuang, who didn't say much, nodded beside her.
As they were talking, a person appeared at the door.
Zi An rubbed his eyes, his voice hoarse, and his gaze fixed on the pot as he asked, "Sister-in-law, what are you stewing in the pot? It smells so good."
Ji Wan'er looked at his disheveled clothes and the shoes he hadn't put on yet, and asked, "Did you wake up just because you smelled the aroma?"
Zi An swallowed and said somewhat sheepishly, "I dreamt about the meat we had yesterday, so it woke me up."
Hearing this, both Ji Wan'er and Yun Shuang laughed.
"It's a stew made from big bones. We still have to wait a bit longer to drink it," Ji Wan'er explained.
Upon hearing this, Zi An's eyes immediately lit up. "Can we really eat meat every day? Sister-in-law, you weren't lying to me yesterday, were you?"
"I didn't lie to you. Hurry up and get dressed, and be careful not to catch a cold."
"Okay!"
Ji Wan'er thought that they could have some bone soup in the morning and reheat some steamed buns. However, the lack of vegetables was a problem.
Since the bone soup needed to simmer for a while, she entrusted it to Yun Shuang.
During this time, she went to make some pickled vegetables.
Ji Wan'er grated the radish into thin shreds, sprinkled salt over it, and let it marinate for half an hour. After that, she squeezed out the excess water.
She heated some oil in a wok, added seasonings such as scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns, and poured the hot oil over the radish shreds. Then she added some white sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.
After tasting it, Ji Wan'er found the pickled radish to be crispy and refreshing.
However, it was a pity that she didn't have enough seasonings; otherwise, the flavor would have been even better.
When the bone soup was almost done simmering, Ji Wan'er heated the steamed buns.
Soon, it was time for the meal.
Not to mention the potential health benefits, the bone soup tasted quite good, at least it had a meaty flavor.
"It's delicious," Yun Shuang remarked.
In the past, Aunt Dou (She is probably the third aunt, wife of Yun Shuang's third/youngest uncle) used the bones only for cooking vegetables and gave Yun Shuang the bones to chew on, which she didn't particularly enjoy. Today, she realized that the soup made from these bones was so flavorful. So, it wasn't that the bones were not tasty, but rather that Aunt Dou didn't prepare them properly.
"There's plenty in the pot, have a few more bowls," Ji Wan'er encouraged.
Yun Shuang and Zi An hadn't tasted the flavor of meat for a long time, and after two days of eating, they were still not tired of it. Their focus during every meal was on the meat.
Xiao Qingming, on the other hand, loved the pickled vegetables made by Ji Wan'er. They were tangy, savory, and refreshing to eat.
With a mouthful of steamed bun, a bite of pickled vegetables, and a sip of soup, they enjoyed a satisfying meal.
After the meal, Ji Wan'er took the two children out with her. Although she wasn't afraid of the village gossip, she didn't want to become the center of attention like last time.
Before going out, she instructed Zian to scout the road conditions. After learning that there weren't too many people in the village, she decided to go out.
Once they arrived in the town, their first task was to buy the baby chicks.
Ji Wan'er entrusted this task entirely to Yun Shuang while she took care of the payment.
Yun Shuang was delighted to see that Ji Wan'er trusted her with this responsibility.
After completing this task, the three of them went to buy vegetable seeds.
Then, they continued to stroll around.
The town wasn't very big, and this time they had a specific purpose for their outing, so they quickly finished exploring.
Ji Wan'er gained some understanding of the popular street food stalls and the best-selling food items in the town.
She already had some ideas in her mind about what she wanted to make.
Just as they were about to leave, suddenly, a young man in his early twenties, fair-skinned, slightly chubby, and with a slight limp in his legs, appeared in front of Ji Wan'er.
Ji Wan'er was genuinely startled.
What was even more frightening were the words that came out of his mouth next.
"Wan'er, I've been waiting for you for a month. Why didn't you just show up? If you hadn't come, I would have gone to your house to find you."
Ji Wan'er: ?
What the heck?
Who is this?
They must have mistaken me for someone else.
The original owner of this body was involved with a wealthy merchant from the capital city, but that merchant won't be here for another two months.
The person in front of her had a strong local accent, so he couldn't possibly be that wealthy merchant.
"Sister-in-law?" Yun Shuang tightly held her younger brother's hand, pursing her lips, and warily watching the two individuals in front of her.
Ji Wan'er snapped back to her senses and quickly said to the man, "I'm sorry, but I think you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not the person you're looking for."
Qian Erfu had never seen a girl more beautiful than Ji Wan'er in all his life.
Moreover, not only was Ji Wan'er beautiful, but her voice was also enchanting.
It had been three months since the last time they saw each other.
During these three months, he had spent the first two months recovering from his leg injury, and in the past month, he couldn't stop thinking about Ji Wan'er.
Ignoring the fact that his leg injury hadn't fully healed, he came here every day, waiting for her.
Even though Ji Wan'er had emphasized to him before that he shouldn't talk to her in public, he disregarded the fact that they were on a busy street and rushed out to find her.
"Are you mad at me for not buying you a bracelet last time? I've saved up ten taels of silver, all for you. Whatever you want, I'll buy it for you." As he spoke, Qian Erfu extended the silver in his hand towards Ji Wan'er.
It really is ten taels of silver.
Not only in the village, even in the town, ten taels of silver is quite valuable and something that ordinary families cannot easily produce.
The reason why Xiao Qingming could afford it was because those silver jewelry pieces were part of his mother's dowry, and his parents had saved money for over ten years.
But this person easily took it out.
Looking at his clothing, a cotton garment embroidered with patterns, it was clear that it wasn't cheap.
This person seemed to be quite wealthy.
Could it be that he mistook her for someone else?
Ji Wan'er furrowed her brows.
She was about to explain when the man's words triggered memories of the man in front of her, slowly surfacing in her mind.
"Qian... Qian Erfu?"
"Wan'er, you finally remember me." Qian Erfu said excitedly.
Seeing the expressions of Yun Shuang and Zi An, Ji Wan'er felt a headache coming on. She wished she could faint on the spot.
This person was probably the vague figure that appeared in her mind when she first transmigrated. It was not mentioned in the book, but the original owner had been involved with another man before the wealthy merchant. However, it didn't quite feel like him, yet it seemed to be him at the same time.
Qian Erfu, the son of the Qian family, was not good at studying and only knew how to indulge in eating and drinking.
He fell in love with Ji Wan'er at first sight.
When he learned that she was already married and her husband was a promising scholar, he didn't dare to overstep his boundaries. However, Ji Wan'er took the initiative to talk to him.
As they interacted more, Qian Erfu became completely devoted to Ji Wan'er. Whatever she wanted, he would buy for her, and whatever she asked him to do, he would do.
Fortunately, the original owner of Ji Wan'er's body had only flirted with him in words and never took advantage of him.
Of course, the main reason was that the original owner found him poor and didn't really have any interest in him.
Having spent about a month with him, the original owner grew tired of him.
"I'm sorry, Master Qian, there seems to be a misunderstanding. I made it clear to you last time that we should not meet again in the future."
Qian Erfu's pupils contracted, and he asked in despair, "Wan'er, what are you saying?"
Ji Wan'er knew Qian Erfu's nature well and always put the original owner's interests first. Although he didn't have many abilities, his thoughts were relatively simple.
Seeing more and more people around them, Ji Wan'er whispered, "If you don't want to harm me, you better leave quickly."
Qian Erfu wanted to hold on to Ji Wan'er, but when he saw her looking over, he didn't dare to and just stood there dumbfounded.
Ji Wan'er quickly pulled Yun Shuang and distanced herself from Qian Erfu.
They didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they walked out of the town.
What was all this? Ji Wan'er thought that by avoiding the person mentioned in the book, there wouldn't be any other troubles. But she didn't expect there would still be distressing matters.
After walking for a while, Ji Wan'er realized that Yun Shuang and Zi An hadn't said a word.
Oh no!
The siblings saw everything just now.
Xiao Qingming's transformation into a villain was probably triggered by two things: Ji Wan'er cheating on him and his brother going missing.
Without the wealthy merchant from the capital, there was still the young master from the town.
Wasn't this the same as cheating on him again?
If this matter reached Xiao Qingming's ears, it would be troublesome.
Ji Wan'er stopped and looked at the siblings by her side.
Seeing her stop, Yun Shuang and Zi An also looked at her.
Zi An was still young, but Yun Shuang, being older, probably already understood what was going on.
"I know that person, sister-in-law," Ji Wan'er couldn't deny it anymore after mentioning the man's name earlier. "But that's all in the past. Now, I just want to live a good life with your brother. I realized that after the illness I had a few days ago."
Yun Shuang breathed a sigh of relief, thinking about her sister-in-law's recent changes.
In fact, Yun Shuang had heard about her sister-in-law's past and had even witnessed it firsthand... but she never said anything to anyone.
Her sister-in-law had indeed changed.
"Sister-in-law, I believe you," Yun Shuang said earnestly.
Ji Wan'er breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can we keep today's incident a secret from your brother?" she asked.
"Don't worry, sister-in-law. Neither my brother nor I will say anything. We won't tell anyone, not even my brother," Yun Shuang assured her.
Ji Wan'er trusted Yun Shuang and nodded. "Okay."
Despite this, Ji Wan'er still felt unsettled in her heart.
When she returned home and saw Xiao Qingming, she inexplicably felt a bit guilty.
During dinner, she would occasionally glance at him.
To her surprise, she noticed that Xiao Qingming's ears slowly turned red.
When he picked up his bowl to eat, he even stole a glance at her through the gap.
But as soon as he noticed her looking at him, he quickly averted his gaze.
Thinking about his innocent expression, Ji Wan'er felt her heart skip a beat. With the events that happened in town earlier that morning, she suddenly felt a sense of guilt, as if she had done something wrong to him.
However, she also had a hint of doubt in her heart.
After spending these days with Xiao Qingming, she had a fairly good understanding of his character.
Xiao Qingming was a very simple-minded person, and in his eyes, there was nothing else but studying.
He had no knowledge of the previous mistreatment of Yun Shuang and Zi An by the original owner, nor did he know about her repairing the roof in the yard yesterday.
At the same time, he was somewhat shy and reserved.
Of course, his dislike for the original owner was also evident.
Could such a person really undergo a transformation and turn dark because of the sudden departure of the original owner?
Looking at the Xiao Qingming in front of her, he didn't resemble the character described in the book.
She couldn't figure out if it was because of the sudden turn of events that he had completely changed himself, or if there was another reason.
However, since the book didn't mention this person named Qian Erfu, he probably wouldn't have much impact on the plot or the outcome of the characters.
Unable to come to a clear conclusion, Ji Wan'er put aside these thoughts for now.
She soaked the soybeans she had just bought in a basin.
They had bought the chicks in town and bought some seeds, so they needed to get things in order.
Ji Wan'er, Yun Shuang, and Zi An marked out a piece of land in the courtyard, then went to the bamboo forest behind to cut some bamboo. They used the bamboo to make a fence and enclosed the area.
To facilitate people going in and out, they also installed a small gate.
Then, they went outside and found some thatch to make a small chicken coop, where they placed the chicks.
Since Yun Shuang had experience, Ji Wan'er entrusted her with taking care of the chickens.
Next, Ji Wan'er started to tidy up the land in the courtyard, preparing to grow some vegetables.
As the courtyard had been unoccupied for a long time, even though they had already cleaned it up before, there were still some weeds on the ground.
Zi An and Ji Wan'er pulled out the weeds together.
In the afternoon, Ji Wan'er continued to tidy up the land in the courtyard with the two children. After removing the weeds, she used a hoe to turn over the soil.
Seeing that it was almost time, Ji Wan'er went to scrub the millstone in the corner.
Almost every household in the Xiaojia Village had a millstone, and there was even a large millstone in the village. People used it to grind flour and rice.
The original owner never used it. When they divided the family, they didn't get any grains, and they always bought them in town.
After cleaning the millstone, Ji Wan'er brought over the soaked soybeans.
"Sister-in-law, are we having soybeans for dinner?" Yun Shuang asked.
Ji Wan'er pondered for a moment and replied, "Yes and no."
Upon hearing this, Yun Shuang appeared conflicted.
"Um, what's wrong?" Ji Wan'er asked.
"Sister-in-law, eating too many soybeans makes my stomach bloated," Yun Shuang replied.
Ji Wan'er raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Although she hadn't fully absorbed the memories of the original owner, she still retained some common knowledge. She remembered that soybean-based products were quite uncommon during the original owner's childhood in the capital city.
No wonder she didn't see many soybean products in the town earlier.
"Let's not eat plain soybeans today. How about we have something delicious made from soybeans, like tofu nao (tofu brain/pudding)? Have you tried it before?" Ji Wan'er tentatively asked.
Since she didn't see tofu nao being sold in town just now, she assumed it wasn't widely available.
As long as there wasn't much competition, they could potentially earn more money.
"tofu nao?" Yun Shuang looked surprised and shook her head. "I've never heard of it."
She only knew that oil could be extracted from soybeans, and that soybeans could be added to porridge or used to make tofu.
But they rarely consumed soybeans in their region, and they seldom ate tofu.
She had never heard of tofu nao as a food option.
Ji Wan'er decided to sell tofu nao.
The reason Ji Wan'er chose to sell tofu nao was twofold. Firstly, it was convenient as it didn't require carrying a stove and pot all the time, making it relatively lightweight. Secondly, she didn't see it being sold in town. Of course, there was also another reason: she had made it herself before.
Although Yun Shuang was unfamiliar with tofu nao, this type of food had been around for a long time.
Perhaps it was due to limited dissemination or the local people's dislike for soy-based products that no one was selling it.
Fortunately, tofu was still available, so Ji Wan'er could find the necessary ingredients to make tofu nao.
Observing Yun Shuang's reaction, Ji Wan'er felt more confident about selling this food item.
Tofu nao can be savory and or sweet.