Chapter 14: A Glimmer of Hope
After the midday meal, Yu Ying said to Luo, "Tomorrow, I need to borrow Aunt He's pottery jar for another day, so I plan to send her some bok choy and four pheasant eggs as thanks."
Luo had no objections to this, so Yu Ying turned to ask Fu An, "What about you? Do you agree?"
Fu An, startled at being consulted, heard her add, "The pheasant eggs were found by you first, so I wanted to ask your opinion first."
Never having been asked for his opinion before, Fu An looked bewildered, then scratched his head and said, "I'll go along with what Grandma says."
With no objections, Yu Ying took the items and asked Fu An to lead the way to Aunt He's house.
Aunt He's home wasn't far, just a short walk away.
By midday, all the workers had returned from the fields.
Lingshui Village had plenty of land for growing crops, but as serfs, they had no rights to lease land for farming, only able to work on the lands of the gentry for meager wages.
Those of higher social status could buy fields with silver, or rent them if they didn't have enough money.
For those without land, the annual taxes were likely a heavy burden.
The He family, like the Fu family, was also among those granted amnesty.
With the general amnesty, Aunt He used her saved silver to rent a plot of land for farming. One son worked in a quarry, another continued to work for a gentry family, while Uncle He and Aunt He took care of the rented land.
The He family was eager to save enough silver to bring back their son from the hard labor in the quarry.
Considering the situation of the farmland, Yu Ying pondered that in a year or two, the world would be even less stable, and it was indeed necessary to stock up on food in advance.
However, given the current situation, rushing to deal with the farmland was not advisable.
The He family's courtyard housed four thatched cottages, and their situation was somewhat better than the Fu family. After all, they had two adult men at home to work, and with the labor force, they could at least have enough to eat.
Outside the courtyard, Fu An called out loudly twice, "Grandma He!"
Soon after, Aunt He came out of the house, and upon seeing Fu An and the new bride of the Fu family, she hurried to open the gate of the fence.
Seeing Yu Ying, she said, "Why, you really came? Come in and sit."
Yu Ying and Fu An entered the courtyard, and Aunt He's eldest grandson, Niu Niu, also ran out of the house, shouted "Fu An," and then the two boys went off to play, arms around each other's shoulders.
Yu Ying gave Aunt He the shepherd's purse and wild pheasant eggs: "These are for Aunt He to make soup."
Aunt He, seeing the wild pheasant eggs, hesitated and then declined, "No, no, you should take them back for your mother-in-law and husband to nourish themselves."
Yu Ying smiled and said softly, "I've already kept enough for them. I brought these as a thank you for the pottery jar you lent me the other day, and also because I want to borrow the jar again from tomorrow evening until the day after."
Hearing this, Aunt He replied straightforwardly, "Just borrow it, no need for such courtesy."
Yu Ying said, "Please accept it, Aunt He, otherwise I would feel uncomfortable borrowing the jar again."
"Why feel uncomfortable? Our Lin family and your Fu family are like one family. Family doesn’t keep score. I've seen how the Fu family struggled recently, and I know it’s because of your help that they're living decently now. You, a frail woman, have had it tough."
Aunt He sighed and added, "We can't help much either. Lending a pottery jar is not like lending food; it’s not like I’d be so stingy as to refuse that."
Aunt He glanced into the bamboo basket, then took out the shepherd's purse, "I’ll accept this, saves me the trouble of picking it myself."
Yu Ying knew Aunt He would not accept the wild pheasant eggs, so she didn't insist further, planning to have Fu An deliver some Liangfen as a thank-you gift after making it in a couple of days.
While sitting in Aunt He's courtyard chatting, Yu Ying looked towards the thatched cottage and asked, “How much silver would it cost to reinforce the thatch or build a smaller thatched hut?”
Aunt He was surprised, “Why, isn’t there enough room to live?”
Then she thought about the Fu family's situation, which she was somewhat aware of.
She knew that Mrs. Yu and Er Lang had not shared a room till now. Indeed, with Er Lang’s leg condition, even if willing, he probably couldn’t.
Yu Ying explained truthfully, “I heard it rains a lot in Lingnan around this time, and there are occasional typhoons. I’m worried the house might not withstand it, so I want to reinforce it. Also, we lack a place to bathe and cook, so I thought of adding a small room.”
Hearing this, Aunt He pondered for a moment before saying, “Wait for a couple of days until your Uncle He and my Er Lang return. We’ll help you reinforce the house and build a small one. It should take about a day to finish most of it, and we can handle the finishing touches.”
Just as Yu Ying was about to say something, Aunt He immediately interjected, “Don’t mention silver. You know some medical skills. If someone in my family falls ill, I hope you won’t refuse to help.”
Yu Ying smiled, “Of course, that's no problem.”
After making arrangements with Aunt He, Yu Ying returned to the Fu household.
The Liangfen work was scheduled for tomorrow, and with nothing else to do today, Yu Ying finally had a chance to rest.
On the day agreed with Manager Chen, Yu Ying got up early to check the Liangfen, then packed the silver leaf and some herbs into her basket, preparing to head to the village entrance.
Fu Ning, the young girl, had been following her around since the morning. After some thought, Yu Ying asked Mrs. Luo if she could take the girl to Yun County with her.
Mrs. Luo trusted her but was concerned about other matters, “It’s fine, but Ning Ning also needs to pay for the ox cart ride. Maybe it's better not to take her and save the money.”
Yu Ying glanced at the little girl who had bonded well with her, the first person in this world to show her unguarded kindness.
The girl, initially beaming with excitement about going out with her little aunt, now, upon hearing she couldn’t go, didn't show any annoyance, just looking dejected.
Yu Ying hesitated for a moment, recalling her own time in the county town, feeling confused and restless when she was alone.
With this in mind, she said, “It’s alright, a couple of coins can be earned back. It’s also nice to have someone to accompany me.”
Having someone by my side at least keeps my mind from wandering.
Hearing she could continue to accompany her, the little girl's eyes immediately brightened.
After all, in this household, Mrs. Yu had the final say. Mrs. Luo did not persuade otherwise, only telling her granddaughter, “Ning Ning, if you're going with your little aunt, you must listen to her, understand?”
The little girl nodded vigorously, then clutched Yu Ying's clothes tightly with her small hand.
Yu Ying left the courtyard with the little girl, while Fu An watched them go, muttering to himself that he wasn't a child anymore and wouldn't fuss about going to the county town.
Although he thought this, his eyes betrayed his true feelings.
After gazing longingly for a while, he turned back and said to his grandmother, “Granny, I’m going to gather some firewood.”
Mrs. Luo nodded, advising, “Be careful.”
Fu An replied affirmatively, then shouldered his task and left.
Yu Ying, holding the little girl’s hand, who was happily swinging her braids as she could accompany her little aunt.
These past few days, the fashion-loving little girl would rush to Yu Ying’s room at dawn, waiting for Yu Ying to braid her hair.
Upon reaching the village entrance and waiting for a moment, the ox cart arrived.
Old Chen, seeing Yu Ying, asked with a smile, “Is the ice cream all prepared?”
Yu Ying nodded, “I promised Manager Chen, so naturally, everything’s ready.”
Old Chen looked at the little girl beside her, curiously asking, “Yours?”
Yu Ying, noticing Old Chen's surprised look, shook her head, “No, she’s my uncle’s daughter. Her uncle and I just got married recently.”
Old Chen nodded, realizing she was a new bride, which explained why her clothes were still fairly new, while the little girl wore an old shirt patched all over.
Yu Ying pretended not to notice Old Chen's scrutinizing gaze and handed over two coins.
After taking the money, Old Chen, seeing no one else on the cart, said, “On the way back, I won’t charge for the little girl. Such a small child won’t take up much space.”
Yu Ying smiled her thanks and then lifted Fu Ning onto the ox cart.
Fu Ning, having never ridden an ox cart before, was fascinated but stayed close to Yu Ying.
After a bumpy ride, the little girl fell asleep leaning on Yu Ying, who then cradled her in her arms.
An hour of jolting later, they finally arrived at Yu County.
The ox cart stopped for a while at the city gate, and the noise woke Fu Ning, who was nestled in Yu Ying's embrace.
Upon opening her eyes, she realized she was lying in her little aunt's arms and snuggled closer.
The little aunt smelled nice, a scent the girl found very pleasing.
Soon, the ox cart resumed its slow journey, and Yu Ying headed straight for Wu's Eatery.
Yu Ying, holding Fu Ning's hand, entered the eatery and took out two jars of Liangfen from her basket.
Upon seeing her, Manager Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said, “You've finally arrived.”
Yu Ying, surprised, heard Manager Chen continue, “The unique taste of the ice cream and its novelty as a new food has spread by word of mouth. People who have tried it have told others, so these past few days, many have been asking about it. I told them it would be available today, and several customers said they would come to try it.”
Hearing this, Yu Ying joyfully said, “Then these two jars of ice cream could be sold out today?”
Manager Chen nodded, “Almost certainly.”
The shop assistant moved the vegetables from the ox cart to the back kitchen, and then brought out two jars of mung bean jelly.
Shopkeeper Chen said to her, "Based on today's sales, if it goes well, I'll discuss with you about making more while the demand is high."
"Good, I'll be waiting."
Shopkeeper Chen, in a great mood, gave a small handful of melon seeds to the little girl accompanying Yu Ying.
Fu Ning, though tempted, did not take them and only looked at Yu Ying.
Yu Ying nodded, and then the girl accepted them with both hands.
After leaving the eatery, the little girl handed the melon seeds to Yu Ying.
Yu Ying, surprised, asked her, "Don't you like them?"
Fu Ning shook her head.
"Are they for me?"
She hesitated for a moment, nodded, but then shook her head again.
Yu Ying pondered and asked tentatively, "Are these for me, for Grandma, brother, and little uncle to share?"
Guessing correctly, Fu Ning nodded several times in quick succession.
Yu Ying smiled and gently patted her head, speaking softly, "This is for Ningning to eat. When we return, I'll buy more for Grandma and the others to try."
The little girl tilted her head in thought, then held a small handful of sunflower seeds in one hand while still offering them to Yu Ying with the other.
Understanding her intention, Yu Ying accepted them and placed them in her palm.
That small handful of seeds warmed Yu Ying's heart.
First, Yu Ying took Fu Ning to the pawnshop, where she pawned the silver leaves. The shopkeeper, not being overly greedy, quickly gave her thirty-nine coins after verifying the silver was genuine.
After selling the silver leaves, Yu Ying took the little girl, who had never been out of Ling Shui Village, to browse the market.
They had only had a sip of water in the morning, so on an empty stomach, Yu Ying bought a steamed bun and shared it with Fu Ning, each eating half.
After the bun, Yu Ying then bought six bamboo tubes of rice, roughly more than two pounds.
Following the rice, she went to a general store and bought sunflower seeds for one coin per teacup, spending four coins in total, packed in two oiled paper bags.
One bag for her own family, and the other to be sent by Mrs. Luo to Aunt He.
Having spent twenty-six coins today, Yu Ying dared not buy anything else.
As for the pottery jar, Yu Ying decided not to purchase one. If the ice cream sold out, she would then buy a bucket and a small stove.
By midday, with the sun high in the sky, Yu Ying decided to check on Wu's Eatery.
Upon arrival, she saw all four tables were full, with half of the customers having ordered a bowl of Liangfen.
Additionally, groups of customers were waiting for a table.
Seeing Yu Ying, Manager Chen asked the waiter to mind the shop and then beckoned her to the backyard for a talk.
In the backyard, Shopkeeper Chen inquired, "Is the method to make this ice cream so easy that others can learn it?"
Yu Ying thought for a moment, then shook her head, "If others try to figure it out on their own, it won't be easy to learn."
After all, only a few people know that bryony fruit can be used to make jelly, and even if they do, they typically use the fruit pulp, not forming it into a creamy texture.
Even if they knew to use the seeds, they wouldn't know how to properly prepare them.
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Chen was relieved, saying, "The novelty attracted more customers than expected. Regulars who usually eat at other places came too. But many just wanted to try the ice cream without ordering a meal. As I run a food business, there's only so much space. If they only order ice cream and not meals, the owner wouldn't be pleased."
Hearing this, Yu Ying felt concerned, "Does that mean we can't sell the ice cream anymore?"
Shopkeeper Chen chuckled, "Of course not. My point is to strike while the iron is hot. We should sell the ice cream along with lunch and dinner. If customers come for meals, a bowl of ice cream costs one coin, but if they only want ice cream, it's two coins per bowl. I've discussed this with the owner, and he agrees."
Yu Ying thought this sounded like a promotional tactic used by modern businesses.
A smile appeared on her face, "That's a good strategy." She then showed a hint of concern, "But what about the future pricing of the ice cream?"
Shopkeeper Chen replied, "Since the business is booming because of the ice cream, we certainly can't shortchange you. Let's do this: we won't count the cost of the sugar water and other ingredients. How about one coin per bowl?"
Not having to peddle through streets or set up a stall herself was definitely a good deal.
"Then, about today's ice cream…"
Shopkeeper Chen laughed heartily, "I can make that decision. Let's settle on one coin per bowl for you."
He pondered and then said, "We might have some leftover today, but not enough for tomorrow. Could you possibly bring double the amount tomorrow?"
Yu Ying shook her head, "We're short on ingredients at home. I can only make about fifteen more bowls. I need to gather new materials early tomorrow, and Uncle Chen's ox cart won't be back for another three days."
Shopkeeper Chen thought for a moment and said, "As for the ox cart, if the eatery does well, I could ask my father to make a trip every two days for vegetables. But we can't afford a break in sales these next couple of days..."
While considering his options, he added, "The novelty of the ice cream won’t last long. In seven or eight days, the excitement will fade, and we won't have as many customers..."
With this in mind, he decided, "How about this? Tomorrow, you bring the ice cream to the village entrance and my father will pick it up. The day after, prepare about forty bowls to last this small eatery for two days."
After all, Jade County isn't a bustling city, and there are few families who dine out.
The most anyone would order is a bowl of plain noodle soup for five coins.
But even if the frozen jelly sells for one coin per bowl without profit, and the cost of the sugar water is a loss, if it attracts more customers who might also order the five-coin soup, the volume of sales can still be profitable.
After finalizing with Shopkeeper Chen, Yu Ying felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
Although these jelly noodles might not earn much, they could certainly alleviate her current financial plight.
Chapter 14: A Glimmer of Hope
After the midday meal, Yu Ying said to Luo, "Tomorrow, I need to borrow Aunt He's pottery jar for another day, so I plan to send her some bok choy and four pheasant eggs as thanks."
Luo had no objections to this, so Yu Ying turned to ask Fu An, "What about you? Do you agree?"
Fu An, startled at being consulted, heard her add, "The pheasant eggs were found by you first, so I wanted to ask your opinion first."
Never having been asked for his opinion before, Fu An looked bewildered, then scratched his head and said, "I'll go along with what Grandma says."
With no objections, Yu Ying took the items and asked Fu An to lead the way to Aunt He's house.
Aunt He's home wasn't far, just a short walk away.
By midday, all the workers had returned from the fields.
Lingshui Village had plenty of land for growing crops, but as serfs, they had no rights to lease land for farming, only able to work on the lands of the gentry for meager wages.
Those of higher social status could buy fields with silver, or rent them if they didn't have enough money.
For those without land, the annual taxes were likely a heavy burden.
The He family, like the Fu family, was also among those granted amnesty.
With the general amnesty, Aunt He used her saved silver to rent a plot of land for farming. One son worked in a quarry, another continued to work for a gentry family, while Uncle He and Aunt He took care of the rented land.
The He family was eager to save enough silver to bring back their son from the hard labor in the quarry.
Considering the situation of the farmland, Yu Ying pondered that in a year or two, the world would be even less stable, and it was indeed necessary to stock up on food in advance.
However, given the current situation, rushing to deal with the farmland was not advisable.
The He family's courtyard housed four thatched cottages, and their situation was somewhat better than the Fu family. After all, they had two adult men at home to work, and with the labor force, they could at least have enough to eat.
Outside the courtyard, Fu An called out loudly twice, "Grandma He!"
Soon after, Aunt He came out of the house, and upon seeing Fu An and the new bride of the Fu family, she hurried to open the gate of the fence.
Seeing Yu Ying, she said, "Why, you really came? Come in and sit."
Yu Ying and Fu An entered the courtyard, and Aunt He's eldest grandson, Niu Niu, also ran out of the house, shouted "Fu An," and then the two boys went off to play, arms around each other's shoulders.
Yu Ying gave Aunt He the shepherd's purse and wild pheasant eggs: "These are for Aunt He to make soup."
Aunt He, seeing the wild pheasant eggs, hesitated and then declined, "No, no, you should take them back for your mother-in-law and husband to nourish themselves."
Yu Ying smiled and said softly, "I've already kept enough for them. I brought these as a thank you for the pottery jar you lent me the other day, and also because I want to borrow the jar again from tomorrow evening until the day after."
Hearing this, Aunt He replied straightforwardly, "Just borrow it, no need for such courtesy."
Yu Ying said, "Please accept it, Aunt He, otherwise I would feel uncomfortable borrowing the jar again."
"Why feel uncomfortable? Our Lin family and your Fu family are like one family. Family doesn’t keep score. I've seen how the Fu family struggled recently, and I know it’s because of your help that they're living decently now. You, a frail woman, have had it tough."
Aunt He sighed and added, "We can't help much either. Lending a pottery jar is not like lending food; it’s not like I’d be so stingy as to refuse that."
Aunt He glanced into the bamboo basket, then took out the shepherd's purse, "I’ll accept this, saves me the trouble of picking it myself."
Yu Ying knew Aunt He would not accept the wild pheasant eggs, so she didn't insist further, planning to have Fu An deliver some Liangfen as a thank-you gift after making it in a couple of days.
While sitting in Aunt He's courtyard chatting, Yu Ying looked towards the thatched cottage and asked, “How much silver would it cost to reinforce the thatch or build a smaller thatched hut?”
Aunt He was surprised, “Why, isn’t there enough room to live?”
Then she thought about the Fu family's situation, which she was somewhat aware of.
She knew that Mrs. Yu and Er Lang had not shared a room till now. Indeed, with Er Lang’s leg condition, even if willing, he probably couldn’t.
Yu Ying explained truthfully, “I heard it rains a lot in Lingnan around this time, and there are occasional typhoons. I’m worried the house might not withstand it, so I want to reinforce it. Also, we lack a place to bathe and cook, so I thought of adding a small room.”
Hearing this, Aunt He pondered for a moment before saying, “Wait for a couple of days until your Uncle He and my Er Lang return. We’ll help you reinforce the house and build a small one. It should take about a day to finish most of it, and we can handle the finishing touches.”
Just as Yu Ying was about to say something, Aunt He immediately interjected, “Don’t mention silver. You know some medical skills. If someone in my family falls ill, I hope you won’t refuse to help.”
Yu Ying smiled, “Of course, that's no problem.”
After making arrangements with Aunt He, Yu Ying returned to the Fu household.
The Liangfen work was scheduled for tomorrow, and with nothing else to do today, Yu Ying finally had a chance to rest.
On the day agreed with Manager Chen, Yu Ying got up early to check the Liangfen, then packed the silver leaf and some herbs into her basket, preparing to head to the village entrance.
Fu Ning, the young girl, had been following her around since the morning. After some thought, Yu Ying asked Mrs. Luo if she could take the girl to Yun County with her.
Mrs. Luo trusted her but was concerned about other matters, “It’s fine, but Ning Ning also needs to pay for the ox cart ride. Maybe it's better not to take her and save the money.”
Yu Ying glanced at the little girl who had bonded well with her, the first person in this world to show her unguarded kindness.
The girl, initially beaming with excitement about going out with her little aunt, now, upon hearing she couldn’t go, didn't show any annoyance, just looking dejected.
Yu Ying hesitated for a moment, recalling her own time in the county town, feeling confused and restless when she was alone.
With this in mind, she said, “It’s alright, a couple of coins can be earned back. It’s also nice to have someone to accompany me.”
Having someone by my side at least keeps my mind from wandering.
Hearing she could continue to accompany her, the little girl's eyes immediately brightened.
After all, in this household, Mrs. Yu had the final say. Mrs. Luo did not persuade otherwise, only telling her granddaughter, “Ning Ning, if you're going with your little aunt, you must listen to her, understand?”
The little girl nodded vigorously, then clutched Yu Ying's clothes tightly with her small hand.
Yu Ying left the courtyard with the little girl, while Fu An watched them go, muttering to himself that he wasn't a child anymore and wouldn't fuss about going to the county town.
Although he thought this, his eyes betrayed his true feelings.
After gazing longingly for a while, he turned back and said to his grandmother, “Granny, I’m going to gather some firewood.”
Mrs. Luo nodded, advising, “Be careful.”
Fu An replied affirmatively, then shouldered his task and left.
Yu Ying, holding the little girl’s hand, who was happily swinging her braids as she could accompany her little aunt.
These past few days, the fashion-loving little girl would rush to Yu Ying’s room at dawn, waiting for Yu Ying to braid her hair.
Upon reaching the village entrance and waiting for a moment, the ox cart arrived.
Old Chen, seeing Yu Ying, asked with a smile, “Is the ice cream all prepared?”
Yu Ying nodded, “I promised Manager Chen, so naturally, everything’s ready.”
Old Chen looked at the little girl beside her, curiously asking, “Yours?”
Yu Ying, noticing Old Chen's surprised look, shook her head, “No, she’s my uncle’s daughter. Her uncle and I just got married recently.”
Old Chen nodded, realizing she was a new bride, which explained why her clothes were still fairly new, while the little girl wore an old shirt patched all over.
Yu Ying pretended not to notice Old Chen's scrutinizing gaze and handed over two coins.
After taking the money, Old Chen, seeing no one else on the cart, said, “On the way back, I won’t charge for the little girl. Such a small child won’t take up much space.”
Yu Ying smiled her thanks and then lifted Fu Ning onto the ox cart.
Fu Ning, having never ridden an ox cart before, was fascinated but stayed close to Yu Ying.
After a bumpy ride, the little girl fell asleep leaning on Yu Ying, who then cradled her in her arms.
An hour of jolting later, they finally arrived at Yu County.
The ox cart stopped for a while at the city gate, and the noise woke Fu Ning, who was nestled in Yu Ying's embrace.
Upon opening her eyes, she realized she was lying in her little aunt's arms and snuggled closer.
The little aunt smelled nice, a scent the girl found very pleasing.
Soon, the ox cart resumed its slow journey, and Yu Ying headed straight for Wu's Eatery.
Yu Ying, holding Fu Ning's hand, entered the eatery and took out two jars of Liangfen from her basket.
Upon seeing her, Manager Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said, “You've finally arrived.”
Yu Ying, surprised, heard Manager Chen continue, “The unique taste of the ice cream and its novelty as a new food has spread by word of mouth. People who have tried it have told others, so these past few days, many have been asking about it. I told them it would be available today, and several customers said they would come to try it.”
Hearing this, Yu Ying joyfully said, “Then these two jars of ice cream could be sold out today?”
Manager Chen nodded, “Almost certainly.”
The shop assistant moved the vegetables from the ox cart to the back kitchen, and then brought out two jars of mung bean jelly.
Shopkeeper Chen said to her, "Based on today's sales, if it goes well, I'll discuss with you about making more while the demand is high."
"Good, I'll be waiting."
Shopkeeper Chen, in a great mood, gave a small handful of melon seeds to the little girl accompanying Yu Ying.
Fu Ning, though tempted, did not take them and only looked at Yu Ying.
Yu Ying nodded, and then the girl accepted them with both hands.
After leaving the eatery, the little girl handed the melon seeds to Yu Ying.
Yu Ying, surprised, asked her, "Don't you like them?"
Fu Ning shook her head.
"Are they for me?"
She hesitated for a moment, nodded, but then shook her head again.
Yu Ying pondered and asked tentatively, "Are these for me, for Grandma, brother, and little uncle to share?"
Guessing correctly, Fu Ning nodded several times in quick succession.
Yu Ying smiled and gently patted her head, speaking softly, "This is for Ningning to eat. When we return, I'll buy more for Grandma and the others to try."
The little girl tilted her head in thought, then held a small handful of sunflower seeds in one hand while still offering them to Yu Ying with the other.
Understanding her intention, Yu Ying accepted them and placed them in her palm.
That small handful of seeds warmed Yu Ying's heart.
First, Yu Ying took Fu Ning to the pawnshop, where she pawned the silver leaves. The shopkeeper, not being overly greedy, quickly gave her thirty-nine coins after verifying the silver was genuine.
After selling the silver leaves, Yu Ying took the little girl, who had never been out of Ling Shui Village, to browse the market.
They had only had a sip of water in the morning, so on an empty stomach, Yu Ying bought a steamed bun and shared it with Fu Ning, each eating half.
After the bun, Yu Ying then bought six bamboo tubes of rice, roughly more than two pounds.
Following the rice, she went to a general store and bought sunflower seeds for one coin per teacup, spending four coins in total, packed in two oiled paper bags.
One bag for her own family, and the other to be sent by Mrs. Luo to Aunt He.
Having spent twenty-six coins today, Yu Ying dared not buy anything else.
As for the pottery jar, Yu Ying decided not to purchase one. If the ice cream sold out, she would then buy a bucket and a small stove.
By midday, with the sun high in the sky, Yu Ying decided to check on Wu's Eatery.
Upon arrival, she saw all four tables were full, with half of the customers having ordered a bowl of Liangfen.
Additionally, groups of customers were waiting for a table.
Seeing Yu Ying, Manager Chen asked the waiter to mind the shop and then beckoned her to the backyard for a talk.
In the backyard, Shopkeeper Chen inquired, "Is the method to make this ice cream so easy that others can learn it?"
Yu Ying thought for a moment, then shook her head, "If others try to figure it out on their own, it won't be easy to learn."
After all, only a few people know that bryony fruit can be used to make jelly, and even if they do, they typically use the fruit pulp, not forming it into a creamy texture.
Even if they knew to use the seeds, they wouldn't know how to properly prepare them.
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Chen was relieved, saying, "The novelty attracted more customers than expected. Regulars who usually eat at other places came too. But many just wanted to try the ice cream without ordering a meal. As I run a food business, there's only so much space. If they only order ice cream and not meals, the owner wouldn't be pleased."
Hearing this, Yu Ying felt concerned, "Does that mean we can't sell the ice cream anymore?"
Shopkeeper Chen chuckled, "Of course not. My point is to strike while the iron is hot. We should sell the ice cream along with lunch and dinner. If customers come for meals, a bowl of ice cream costs one coin, but if they only want ice cream, it's two coins per bowl. I've discussed this with the owner, and he agrees."
Yu Ying thought this sounded like a promotional tactic used by modern businesses.
A smile appeared on her face, "That's a good strategy." She then showed a hint of concern, "But what about the future pricing of the ice cream?"
Shopkeeper Chen replied, "Since the business is booming because of the ice cream, we certainly can't shortchange you. Let's do this: we won't count the cost of the sugar water and other ingredients. How about one coin per bowl?"
Not having to peddle through streets or set up a stall herself was definitely a good deal.
"Then, about today's ice cream…"
Shopkeeper Chen laughed heartily, "I can make that decision. Let's settle on one coin per bowl for you."
He pondered and then said, "We might have some leftover today, but not enough for tomorrow. Could you possibly bring double the amount tomorrow?"
Yu Ying shook her head, "We're short on ingredients at home. I can only make about fifteen more bowls. I need to gather new materials early tomorrow, and Uncle Chen's ox cart won't be back for another three days."
Shopkeeper Chen thought for a moment and said, "As for the ox cart, if the eatery does well, I could ask my father to make a trip every two days for vegetables. But we can't afford a break in sales these next couple of days..."
While considering his options, he added, "The novelty of the ice cream won’t last long. In seven or eight days, the excitement will fade, and we won't have as many customers..."
With this in mind, he decided, "How about this? Tomorrow, you bring the ice cream to the village entrance and my father will pick it up. The day after, prepare about forty bowls to last this small eatery for two days."
After all, Jade County isn't a bustling city, and there are few families who dine out.
The most anyone would order is a bowl of plain noodle soup for five coins.
But even if the frozen jelly sells for one coin per bowl without profit, and the cost of the sugar water is a loss, if it attracts more customers who might also order the five-coin soup, the volume of sales can still be profitable.
After finalizing with Shopkeeper Chen, Yu Ying felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
Although these jelly noodles might not earn much, they could certainly alleviate her current financial plight.
