Chapter 13: New Year's (Part One)

  Zhao Juan and Li Shu's admiration for Uncle De Zhu was endless.

  After everyone's unanimous discussion, it was decided to raise prices, after all, goods are precious when scarce, and in the future, they will definitely not be able to sell for a good price.

  The final agreed price was one yuan and five cents, slightly more expensive than last time but cheaper than pork, so it won't lead to comparisons. If the price is the same as pork, I'm afraid a large number of customers will be lost.

  As New Year's Eve is approaching, more and more people are buying food, the stalls in front of them are crowded with people who can't even take a step.

  Some people even think the bean sprouts are too expensive and try to haggle. But there are too many customers, who has the time to bother with them? Now there's no such thing as smiley service, thinking of customers as gods.

  If you want to buy, just buy it. If not, someone will soon push you to the back. The aunties who tried to haggle saw this situation and thought, "This is going to be a rush sale!" Hurry up and buy, or else you'll get nothing in the end.

  There are too many people, and the three of them are all very busy, wishing they had eight arms to cope. Some people even bought some back and then bought more, preparing to give them to relatives. The bean sprouts were slowly decreasing bit by bit.

  The sun was getting hotter and everyone was busy until after lunch, when people gradually became fewer. In order to rush this deal, even mealtime was missed.

  The bean sprouts were almost sold out, but the three of them refused to give up and insisted on waiting until they were all gone before leaving. Zhao Juan went to another stall and bought a few meat buns, which they ate with cold water.

  Then, a few people came one after another, and the bean sprouts were finally sold out. Looking at the bulging wallet, everyone was excited. They didn't even bother to count the money, and hastily took the bus back home.

  They poured the money onto the kang, divided it into three piles and counted it. After counting, they had a total of 381 yuan and 60 cents. This... this was almost 400 yuan.

  Could it be a mistake? Everyone exchanged and recounted again, no mistake, not even one cent different!

  Everyone was shocked, no wonder so many people wanted to speculate and make a fortune, it's really a huge profit. Fortunately, I only sold it once, otherwise my heart would not be at peace.

  Although two houses cost only 190 yuan, it's equivalent to a year's income. Besides, it didn't take any effort at all, just like picking up free stuff.

  When they were busy with the fair, many fellow villagers and neighboring villagers saw them doing business. Sure enough, someone came to inquire, and the three of them had already unified their words.

  If someone asks how much money you made, just say it's not a lot. If they ask for the secret recipe of the bean sprouts, tell them, anyway, I won't be doing this again, so why not gain some personal favors?

  Some even told the secret recipe, thought it was too simple, and said behind their backs that they were deceived. Anyway, it's very troublesome. However, the year-end is approaching, no one has the leisure to spread rumors, and this matter is gradually forgotten by people. It also allowed these two families to breathe a sigh of relief.

  All the busy things about bean sprouts haven't been done in time for sweeping, cooking, buying couplets and so on. There are only three days left, it's a bit tight, gotta hurry up and get things done.

  Zhao Juan happily tidied up the entire house, and her good mood from earning money lingered on. She even hummed a couple of tunes when she felt like it. Song Jie was also affected by her and became cheerful too.

  Song Jie couldn't help with anything, so she just followed along and had fun, following behind Zhao Juan's butt like a little tail, sticking close to her every step of the way.

  After busy for a whole day, the sanitation has finally been swept clean.

  The next morning, Zhao Juan went to the market to buy New Year's goods. Yesterday, Song Jie strongly requested to go to the fair together, and she used every trick in the book to persuade her, but Zhao Juan was not moved at all and left early in the morning. When Song Jie woke up from her sleep, she found that Zhao Juan had already gone.

  Song Jie had lunch at Li Shu's house, and the meal was still made by Zhang Dezhou, because Li Shu also went to the market...

  It wasn't until late in the afternoon that the two of them returned home, loaded with shopping bags, Zhao Juan carrying a small bag with a pouting mouth.

  Returning home and taking a look, all sorts of things were piled up on the kang, Song Jie was stunned, how did they manage to carry it all back?

  Zhao Juan rummaged through the pile of things and pulled out a bag of persimmon cakes. Song Jie's eyes lit up, she loved eating persimmon cakes the most, especially the pure and uncontaminated ones, they must be delicious! However... thinking about her mother leaving her alone to go to the market, she turned her small head and continued to pout, pretending not to care.

  Zhao Juan still doesn't know what Xiao Chui Mao is thinking? The bright and shiny eyes just now are comparable to a 500-watt light bulb, really greedy duck mouth hard, little guy! Can't cure you!!

  Zhao Juan picked up a persimmon cake and was about to put it in her mouth, saying: "The vendor said that this persimmon cake tastes particularly good, sweet and chewy, let me try the first one to see if she's lying. I'm eating, really eating." Her eyes were still slanted at Song Jie, looking at her reaction.

  "Hmph! Does she think I'm a three-year-old kid?" Song Jie was extremely disdainful in her heart, however... the persimmon cake was really delicious! Otherwise, should she forgive her for the sake of the persimmon cake?

  Song Jie turned around with a rustling sound, tiptoeing and tugging at Zhao Juan's clothes to reach the persimmon cake in her hand, but being too short, she jumped up a few times.

  Zhao Juan teased her, intentionally holding it high and not letting her reach it. Song Jie was anxious and jumped up and down, muttering: "I want to eat first, I have to eat first."

  "No, no, just won't give." Zhao Juan teased her again.

  The mother and daughter laughed and joked for a while, and Song Jie finally got to eat the persimmon cake, which was indeed very delicious.

  Seeing her daughter eating with a mouthful of white frost, her cheeks bulging like a little hamster stealing oil. Zhao Juan held her daughter's small face and gave it a fierce kiss, truly loving her to death, while Song Jie, who still had a piece of persimmon cake in her mouth, struggled and whined "Woo woo". The warm room was filled with thick warmth.

  Everything has been bought, and it's only natural to get everything set up as soon as possible. This year is really passing by in a hurry, and many delicious dishes didn't have time to be made, but nothing that was supposed to be bought was left out.

  According to custom, Spring Festival couplets must be posted on New Year's Eve, so there is no hurry.

  Zhao Juan made a large pot of steamed buns using white flour, among which she also used molds to make many fish and peaches. These were all used to press against the windowsill, symbolizing a surplus year after year.

  There is also a must-do every year: making jujube cakes.

  To make a big jujube cake, you need to knead the dough and shape it first. This step is very important, and you must first make a round and full big cake. After rounding it up, you also need to pinch the "nose". The big jujube cake needs to have six cross-shaped "noses" on its surface, and red dates need to be inserted into the "nostrils". This requires patience, as too little force won't allow insertion, while too much force will break the "nasal bridge", which is very tedious.

  Zhao Juan made a total of six large red date cakes, which also implies "everything goes smoothly".

  Skilled Zhao Juan also made a sacred insect, which is also one of the indispensable highlights. Roll an ellipse, cut several long and thin triangular tips on its back with scissors, cut several rows, and then use scissors to cut a mouth at one end. Use red beans as eyes and cut a knife at the back of the eyes to form an angle. The sacred insect's mouth also holds a steel needle and a large date, which means that there will be leftover food next year in Song Jie's opinion, it is just a hedgehog, symbolizing that there will be surplus grain next year.