Qiao Xiaomai didn't stop Qiao Changshun, she also put down her chopsticks and went to help wash a sweet potato.
"Dad, I plan to go to town tomorrow. The sweet potato starch I made tonight won't be ready in time."
"Why the rush? Aren't you waiting to make some more to sell?" Qiao Changshun was surprised.
"No, I plan to sell the recipe directly to the restaurant."
It's now the start of spring, and there isn't much stored sweet potato remaining in each household. If she sets up a stall, it won't last long before she runs out.
Moreover, setting up a stall requires a variety of items. The most common method of making jelly is by frying, which requires a cart, charcoal fire, salt, oil, and other seasonings. Given the Qiao Family's poverty, and the urgent need to pay the Spring Tax, it's better to just sell the recipe to the restaurant.
Qiao Changshun looked at Qiao Xiaomai in shock, "You want to sell the recipe? Do you understand how valuable a recipe can be…"
"I know how valuable a recipe is." Qiao Xiaomai interrupted Qiao Changshun, sharing her thoughts with him, "This is a labor-intensive job which requires money. The three of us can't handle it, and it's not long until we have to pay the Spring Tax."
"But..." Qiao Changshun's face, which had just relaxed, creased again. By holding onto the recipe and slowly accumulating wealth, their family's situation could certainly improve. It's not easy to develop a unique recipe and selling it just like that seemed like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
"It's OK, I have other ways of making money. If I sell this, I won't feel bad about it."
"Huh?" Qiao Changshun was even more perplexed.
"Sweet potatoes can be ground like this, so can beans. Let me try it after I sell the recipe." said Qiao Xiaomai.
There was no such thing as tofu in the previous host's memories. Since it didn't exist, she would have to make it and earn money from it.
Qiao Changshun "..."
He looked at Qiao Xiaomai with astonishment, examining her from head to toe as if he didn't recognize her, "Xiaomai, you and before…"
The previous Qiao Xiaomai only knew how to work quietly, rarely speaking up.
Yet now, she had her own ideas and ways to make money. This was such a big change.
"If I don't stand my ground, the three of us would definitely be picked clean by those people at the Old Yard." As she said this, Qiao Xiaomai kept on cleaning the mud off the surface of the sweet potato.
In this family, the only person who was really shrewd was Zhuang Luhe.
Now that Zhuang Luhe was gone, her off-hand made-up reasons could easily fool both Qiao Changshun and Qiao Dami.
As expected, upon hearing her words, Qiao Changshun instantly felt uncomfortable.
He had always been obedient and filial, but despite that, he had not managed to earn the Sun Family's affection for decades. Even his wife had run away.
How did it come to this?
He had clearly tried his best.
Qiao Xiaomai looked at Qiao Changshun's wrinkled old face, saying nothing more.
Qiao Changshun had been honest for a large part of his life, and was oppressed by the Sun Family and Zhu Cuiying for just as long. Now his wife had run away, his own leg was crippled, and his household was so poor they might need to sell the house any day now.
Feeling upset? He must be. Only when one is upset does one start to think about why things turned out this way.
With thought comes change.
Dinner was still simple millet porridge, still so clear you could use it as a mirror. But now that they had the jelly as well, the three of them had a satisfying meal.
That night, Qiao Xiaomai didn't sneak any extra food. After waking up from a good night's sleep, she cooked Sweet Potato Millet Porridge again, and fried cakes made from wheat bran and sweet potato pulp. She filled her back basket with three jins of starch and a piece of jelly, and then began her journey on foot towards Bailu Town.
Anping Village was a large village, with a population of more than five thousand people. Old man Han in the village owned a donkey cart, which he used to commute to and from the town every day. Each ride only cost one copper coin, but the Qiaos didn't even have a single copper coin, so she had to walk.