There are many ungrateful people in the world, and Shen Qing couldn’t meddle in others’ family matters—she had enough problems of her own.

She anxiously asked, “Little Brother, do you know which household in Yangliu Alley houses the mistress?”

“Ah, how would we know that?” The young waiter scratched his head and awkwardly replied.

It was common knowledge that the head constable, Sun, often came out of Yangliu Alley early in the morning.

But no one dared to go into his home, as no one wanted to risk offending him.

Besides, “I’ve heard that Constable Sun really dotes on his mistress. He frequently asks shopkeepers to send things to her. But I guess she’s not from a good family, and she’s not well-educated. Our Jiya Zhai was lucky to escape a calamity,” he added.

Shen Qing, however, was thinking about the young lady from the Liu family, who had been sold to a brothel by her parents to make money.

She had managed to escape with the help of a man she befriended, and now her parents were coming back to ask her for help.

Would she help them?

Shen Qing’s idea was that she’d consider herself filial if she didn’t deal with her ungrateful parents more harshly!

But the Liu family girl had grown up in an oppressive environment, so she might have been brainwashed into thinking she must contribute to the family, even if it meant sacrificing herself, and might end up helping her parents.

Sighing, Shen Qing asked, “Little Brother, do you know where Constable Sun lives?”

To avoid arousing suspicion, she smiled and explained, “I might need his help in the future. It’s best to gather some information in advance, so I can find the right way to send him a gift if needed.”

“I understand! I think he lives in Shengping Alley. I’m not sure of the exact place, but you can find out when you go there. But don’t expect it to be easy to see him; you’ll need to prepare yourself,” the young waiter explained.

Shen Qing thanked him and left.

As she walked out of Jiya Zhai, she struggled to come up with a good reason for what she needed to do next.

Carrying her water bucket, she made her way home.

From a distance, she saw Jiang Dabo standing on his tiptoes, craning his neck and looking around.

When he saw her, his eyes lit up, and he happily ran over to her.

“Big Sister-in-law, you’re finally back!” Jiang Dabo was as delighted as if he had found money in the street, looking at Shen Qing as if she were the god of wealth.

Confused, Shen Qing listened to the boy excitedly reporting, “After you left yesterday, my mom had us soak the soybeans, and we got up at the crack of dawn to make tofu. And guess what? We actually made it!

After several attempts, we had only one failure.

The others were pretty good! This morning, we went to Uncle Guan’s to get the wooden tub, and we made a few more batches.

Mom and my sister-in-law say it’s just like the tofu we used to buy in the city. They sent me to ask you to come take a look! I went to your house, and my nephew said you were still out selling yellow eels in the city.

Big Sister-in-law, you’re really working hard! You’re already making silver with your brushes, but you’re still up early selling eels. No wonder my second uncle and my parents want me to learn from you. I now understand that being diligent is important!”

Shen Qing: …This is a misunderstanding. It’s not that she’s diligent, but that only she can sell the yellow eels!

She awkwardly explained, “I’m not hardworking; it’s just that I’m forced by circumstances.”

Jiang Dabo silently added another virtue in his mind: humility!

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Shen Qing arrived at Jiang San Ye’s courtyard, which was now filled with items for making tofu.

The stone mill for grinding soybeans was placed in the most open area for easy grinding.

The large wooden basin held the soaked soybeans, each plump and full.

The used cloth was washed and drying in the sun.

The most eye-catching sight was the large block of white tofu sitting in the wooden tub. It looked exactly like the tofu sold in the city—there was hardly any difference.

Zhao Mingyue and her eldest daughter-in-law, Hong Hehua, heard the noise and quickly ran out from the kitchen.

Upon seeing Shen Qing, Zhao Mingyue loudly greeted her, “Shen Qing, you’re here! Come see how we did!”

Hong Hehua shyly stood aside, nervously waiting for Shen Qing’s opinion.

She was in charge of adding the coagulant and was afraid that if the tofu didn’t turn out well, they’d not only waste money but also wouldn’t be able to make a profit.

Shen Qing scooped a small piece with the wooden spoon and smiled as she praised, “Both the appearance and the taste are great. It’s just like the tofu sold in the city. You’ve improved so quickly, Third Aunt!”

Hong Hehua sighed with relief and genuinely praised, “It’s all thanks to Big Sister-in-law’s guidance. If you hadn’t taught me step by step, I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out even after half a month of trying.”

She couldn’t even begin to understand how to turn soy milk into solid white tofu!

Zhao Mingyue also visibly relaxed.

She lowered her voice and said, “What Hong Hehua said is true. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to do this. To be honest, I’m thinking of making about fifty to sixty pounds of tofu tomorrow to try selling it in the city. What do you think?”

“Sounds good! You never know until you try,” Shen Qing didn’t object. “But how do you plan to sell it?”

From what she knew, market stalls in the city were usually owned by someone, and since Zhao Mingyue and her family were outsiders, especially newcomers, would they be able to compete?

Zhao Mingyue didn’t hesitate and explained, “I’ve thought about it. In the past, when we sold fish, yellow eels, mudfish, and chicken, we would walk through the streets calling out to sell. We can use a cart to transport the tofu and call out just like we did with the fish. It’s really just about walking a little more. It might even sell better than having a fixed stall.”

After all, many people at the market would feel they’ve spent too much and decide to buy less, but if someone walked by with tofu, they might feel they shouldn’t miss out and end up buying some even if they didn’t need it.

She had experienced this when selling fish and eggs, though she couldn’t explain why it worked that way.

Upon hearing about walking the streets, Shen Qing had an idea flash across her mind and seriously considered the feasibility of it.

Zhao Mingyue, waiting for an answer, asked, “What’s on your mind? What are you thinking?”

Shen Qing, seeing there was no one else around, told her about the information she had learned about Constable Sun that morning.

Zhao Mingyue took it to heart and became more serious. “The Liu family isn’t good people. Now that we’ve brought Xiao Yu back, they might come looking for trouble. You’re right to be worried!”

“Yangliu Alley and Shengping Alley, huh? I’ve sold things there before, but back then I didn’t think to inquire about things, so I didn’t pay attention. But it’s a good idea to take the tofu there tomorrow to check things out,” she said.

Shen Qing was surprised that Zhao Mingyue not only didn’t think she was overreacting but was also proactive in helping her investigate.

She sincerely thanked her, “Third Aunt, I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it. We’re family! Besides, tofu can be sold anywhere. It might even sell better in Yangliu Alley and Shengping Alley!” Zhao Mingyue said, feeling a bit embarrassed by the thanks.

She turned to the others in the house and announced, “Big Sister-in-law says our tofu is ready to sell. Let’s make it tomorrow morning!”