Xiaoxiao could understand everyone's concerns. They must be thinking that with the family's current situation, they couldn't afford the slightest error. If the goods didn't sell, the only money the family had would be gone. Yet, Xiaoxiao really couldn't accept giving up without even trying. With great difficulty she had made her product, and without trying she would definitely not succeed. Now, all she could do was use her "infallible tongue" to wash everyone's brains.
"Although hawthorn is a common fruit in our village, people in the town and the county don't eat it often, so we can use that fact to open up a market."
"Younger sister-in-law, what does 'opening up a market' mean?" the second sister-in-law asked.
"Don't interrupt!" the second brother immediately shouted.
"It means to sell them. Although the item is common, we can attract customers with new and novel ways of making it, pulling a rabbit out of the hat. These candied hawthorns are sweet on the outside and sour inside, appetizing to eat, both adults and children will like them."
"Plus, with a unique method of selling, it will definitely attract people to buy! Believe me."
Xiaoxiao talked non-stop, and everyone listened in silence, all mulling over the feasibility of what Xiaoxiao had proposed.
"But this candied hawthorn is just made of ordinary hawthorn and sugar; others would figure it out just by looking at it!"
Another question was asked, which was a good sign. It meant that people were keen but just scared to act. If no one had asked, it would have been truly awkward.
"That's why we have to be quick. First, we gather all the hawthorn from the mountain to our home. This way, by the time others want to start, there won't be so much hawthorn left. They can only wait until next year."
"If our whole family works together, we can definitely repay our debts!" She added one more strong argument at the end. Everyone wanted to repay the money, so why not give it a try!
"Alright, let's go with what our third daughter-in-law says. Mother, how much silver do we still have at home? Give it all to the third daughter-in-law." The father-in-law finally spoke up.
"Thank you, Dad!"
Great, she had finally gotten the go-ahead; it really hadn't been easy. Xiaoxiao sighed at her own misfortune, thinking back to when she used to run an online store selling underwear, when she would take 20,000 yuan as a fund without consulting anyone and just do it. Now, to do such a small thing, she still needed to use her "infallible tongue"—whom could she blame? Who asked her to spend her "coffin fund" without understanding the situation when she first arrived. She really deserved to slap herself!
But on second thought, it was quite good. It would have been difficult for her to fit into the family with her independent nature. Sigh, thinking about it, she had spent her "coffin fund" well; it was worth it!
"However, third daughter-in-law, this is not a loan, it's our family's business. Borrowing would be out of the question."
"Hmm, you're right, Dad. I was mistaken before. From now on, all the money we make will be managed by Mom! No distinction between you and me."
The following day, the men didn't go hunting but went up the mountain to pick hawthorns instead. They needed to gather them all in the coming days; otherwise, if it got any colder, it would be too late. Xiaoxiao took the last 500 wen the family had to the town and bought ten jin of sugar. It was a great responsibility; having purchased the sugar, she could now make the candied hawthorns.
That evening, the men came back home with three sacks of hawthorns.
"Sister-in-law, there's only so much left on the mountain; we've gathered it all," Yang Dong said dejectedly.
"It's alright. To gather this much at this time of the year is already impressive. Let's sell these first, and after they're sold we can think of other ways to make money! Can a living person really be suffocated by urine?"