The process of buying the shop went smoothly, taking just over half an hour from entering the town to returning home.

With dinner still a while off, and some chores to attend to, Dad Chen sat under the eaves with Cao ger, lost in thought.

Chen Yuping led the ox into the shed, took off the harness, fed it some grass, and tidied up his clothes. “Dad, what are you thinking about?”

“Thinking about your shop.”

“Dad, you don’t trust my skills?” Chen Yuping chuckled, pulling a chair closer. “We can set up a stall at home and do well. The shop’s location isn’t great, and it’s small, but I have skills. What are you worried about?”

Dad Chen glanced at his third son. “I’m not worried about your shop.” He felt a bit embarrassed, looking down at the sleeping Cao ger in his arms and gently touching his soft face. “I just feel it’s a bit unreal.”

“You’ll have to get used to it.” Chen Yuping patted his dad’s shoulder, boasting a bit. “The Chen family is destined to prosper under my leadership and become the best in our village!”

His son’s sudden bravado almost made Dad Chen laugh out loud.

Buying a shop is a big deal, and a joyous occasion so dinner needs to be properly prepared.

On such a happy day, a bit of wine is a must.

“Dad, I’ll go to Shen Village and get some wine.”

“Buy less, we’ve been drinking often lately. Can’t drink too much or else it can become a problem.”

Chen Yuping smiled and replied, “I’ll just get two jars, enough for everyone to have a taste.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

The dinner featured dishes like spicy kelp strips, tiger skin peppers, and braised pork with radish, all flavorful. The soup looked light but was aromatic, and was hard to describe. They set out a small dish for dipping the pork and radish, which was delicious. The last dish, stir-fried eggplant, was truly addictive, people kept piling rice on their plates.

There was also a necessary stir-fried vegetable dish, simply made with pork lard since there was soup tonight.

“Even though I’ve made braised pork with radish before, I can’t match this flavor. This soup is fresh and fragrant!” In the afternoon, Dad Chen came over, told them not to fuss over dinner, and that they should all eat together at the old house, and Liu Guixiang responded happily.

Her greatest anticipation each day was probably to have meals at the old house, filled with surprises and happiness!

As Dad Chen enjoyed the soup, he also found it quite tasty: “I made a large pot. I’ve added plenty of pork and radish, so eat less rice and more vegetables.”

“The pork is tender and flavorful even without sauce. With sauce, it’s even better!”

“I think dipping it in red oil chicken is even more delicious.”

Chen Yuandong picked up some dishes, finally feeling satisfied enough to speak. “Is there something to celebrate today?” They even prepared the wine.

“What good thing is there?” Father Chen pondered.

Dad Chen glanced at his third son, smiled, and lifted his bowl to drink the soup.

“This is something that needs to be said by Ping ger himself.” Liu Guixiang laughed, a bit embarrassed, as the stir-fried eggplant was too good. She was cautious not to eat too much, afraid of gaining weight and missing out on other dishes.

With his mouth all greasy, Chen Yuanqiu looked around and then focused back on his spicy kelp strips, enjoying the crunch and tangy flavor.

“There is something to celebrate.” Chen Yuping didn’t keep them in suspense, detailing the shop purchase and especially thanking his second sister-in-law and her parents.

This made Liu Guixiang a bit shy. “We’re family, Ping ger doesn’t need to be so formal.”

“You really bought the shop?” Father Chen shook his head, wondering if he was getting muddled after a couple of drinks.

“Yes, it’s been bought.” Dad Chen served his husband a bowl of soup. “You didn’t hear wrong, and you’re not drunk. Drink the soup while it’s hot, it’s very tasty.”

Chen Yuandong was a bit dazed and spoke slowly. “Third brother, you really bought a shop?” Just like that?

“Yes. After the autumn harvest, I’m preparing to open for business.”

Chen Yuping looked at his father. “Father, after the harvest, can you handle the little chores in the fields alone?”

“Do you need youngest to help you?”

“Yes, we’ll definitely need two people in the shop.”

“Isn’t that fine? I’ll help.” Chen Yuandong added, “Just take youngest with you, don’t worry about things at home.”

“Will the home stall still be open?” Dad Chen asked.

Without thinking, Chen Yuping replied, “Of course! The business at the stall is good, and we can’t let it go.” His elder and second brothers’ families could still earn some money from this stall.

“If you need any help, just let me know,” Liu Guixiang quickly added.

“Going forward, I’ll handle the shop in town with youngest, while Dad and second sister-in-law manage the stall at home.”

Chen Yuanqiu eagerly asked, “Third brother, what do you plan to sell at the shop?”

“I need to think about that. The shop is too small for complicated dishes.” In fact, Chen Yuping already had an idea. He planned to sell Roujiamo (meat sandwich) since they boiled pork hocks daily. He could prepare some extra meat to stuff in the Roujiamo, drizzling on some sauce. Taking a bite would be full of rich meat flavor and very satisfying!

For five wen each, it’s worth that price!

The next morning, Chen Yuping made some Roujiamo.

“Everyone come try my new dish, one for each to taste.”

Liu Guixiang held a Roujiamo, and was nearly overwhelmed by the rich aroma. “So big? One is enough for me.”

“One is enough for me too.” Dad Chen didn’t need to work in the fields, and this portion was sufficient. “How much do you plan to sell them for?”

Chen Yuping held up a hand. “Five wen each.”

“That price is good.” Father Chen nodded.

“Third brother, I want more!” While everyone talked, Chen Yuanqiu had already finished one. “It’s so delicious! How can pork and bun be this good? The bun is flaky and the meat fragrant which makes it truly satisfying! Third brother, this business will definitely be bustling after we open. I’ll sell in front while you keep making buns in the back, and the money will come rolling in.”

Dad Chen said, “Ping ger, you’ll need a baking oven, and the buns are too thick to cook through in just one pot.”

“Right. Can we get a pot and an oven in the shop?” Father Chen asked.

“That’s possible, though it might be a bit cramped. It’s fine in autumn and winter, but it’ll be too hot in spring and summer. If it gets hot, I’ll switch to different dishes.”

“Don’t find someone yourself. Whenever you need help, I’ll send someone. They’re experienced.”

Chen Yuping smiled, “This is something I’ll leave to you, Father. I trust you.”

Hearing this, Father Chen felt at ease, his face full of smiles.

After the autumn harvest, the weather turned cool.

The shop’s decoration and setup were complete. They were just waiting for a good day to open.

There was no rush to open just yet.

There were too many tasks at home, and the manpower was tight. They had to sort out everything before planning the opening.

First up was tofu.

Having just finished the farm work, the next morning, Father Chen took his youngest son to start making tofu.

They bought ten large jars and fifty small jars. They needed a lot of tofu, which would take several days to prepare.

With late autumn approaching, the temperature dropped quickly.

Chen Yuping had the youngest buy plenty of shrimp to make several jars of shrimp paste to store.

They also replenished spices needed for marinated dishes.

Vegetables in the field that could be dried were dried. If not harvested soon, they’d spoil, and only a small amount of seeds was needed.

For long-storing items like radishes, winter melons, and potatoes, they piled them in the cellar.

Next was turning the soil and fertilizing to prepare for winter crops.

The crops had been harvested, but the fields wouldn’t remain empty. They would plant a wave of wheat, ready to be harvested in spring. Though winter is generally slack for farming, there were still some chores to attend to.

While Father Chen and Chen Yuanqiu were busy with tofu, it was actually Chen Yuandong taking care of the other tasks. Since the winter wheat wasn’t too urgent, and with an ox at home, plowing and planting wasn’t hard, and he could manage alone.

There were still a few scattered plots of land in the mountains that needed tending. Chen’s father and son didn’t have time, so Dad Chen took care of them. He also had to manage chores inside and outside the house, and the second son’s family was the same.

The Chen family wasn’t only focused on tofu, they had plenty of tasks. Winter firewood had to be gathered. With the stall at home and the shop in town, a lot of firewood was needed for all the cooking. If they didn’t prepare now, once winter came and the mountains were snowed in, it would be too difficult. They had to carefully check roofs, doors, windows, pigsties, and cow sheds, fixing anything that needed attention while the weather was still fair.

As Cao ger gets older, he becomes more and more lively. He can’t live without anyone around him and has to keep him under his nose at all times.

The stall at home is booming with business, and Chen Yuping has to take care of the stall and Cao ger while taking care of the complicated chores in the kitchen. Fortunately, his second sister-in-law can lend a hand and help share the burden.

Busy is really busy, everyone is busy, too busy to even touch the ground.

 The days have entered November, and this circle of complicated and trivial matters has almost been sorted out.

 The busy Chen family can also take a breather.

 “When do you plan to open a shop in the town?” Father Chen asked his third son.

 Chen Yuping was thinking about it: “How about just these few days? Let’s see which day is better. Set a date and say a few words when others come to buy food.”

 “The sixth day of the lunar month is an excellent day.” Father Chen has been thinking about the opening of his third son’s shop. He always keeps in mind which day is good. He can tell his third son exactly when he wants it.

 “Then it will be the sixth day of this month.”

 Liu Guixiang came over with Qiaoniu in her arms and put her on the bamboo couch. Cao ger, who was playing with the cloth tiger, crawled to her side, grinned brightly, and handed the cloth tiger to Qiaoniu. The two children were happily playing together.

 “So it’s been decided on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year?”

   “Yes.”

 Chen Yuping was talking to his second sister-in-law, and from time to time he glanced at the two children playing on the bamboo couch.

 Outside, Dad Chen was doing business. The villagers who came to buy braised pig intestines were a little surprised when they heard about the opening of the shop on the sixth day: “Is it true? People were saying a while ago that your business is booming. You’ve spent a lot of money and bought a shop in the town. I didn’t see you come out and say anything, so I thought it was fake. I didn’t realize that if this was really the case, what would happen to this shop?”

 “The stall will naturally continue to be set up. Thanks to the folks and neighbors, even if the shop in the town is closed, the stall at home will still be set up.” This is what the third son said, and Dad Chen didn’t ask much.

 The Chen family bought a shop at the end of South Street and officially opened it on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

 In less than a day, people from all over the country knew about this.