There were a total of thirty-six people at the construction site, and thirty of them bought ice jelly.

The remaining six were probably too poor to afford it and held back, resisting the temptation.

Cheng Wanwan glanced into the bucket—there were still at least seventy to eighty bowls of ice jelly left.

It was clear that they couldn’t sell any more here; they had to find another location.

She pondered where to go next.

Meanwhile, Zhao Dahan and Zhao Sanniu sat excitedly by the side, counting their earnings.

Zhao Dahan’s eyes widened in shock. “Sixty-four copper coins in total! Mom, how did we earn so much in just one day?!”

Zhao Sanniu was equally astonished. “Carrying heavy loads all day only earns twenty copper coins, but selling ice jelly made sixty-four! Our family is going to be rich!”

Cheng Wanwan: “…”

These two boys—could they stop acting like they had never seen money before?

She rolled her eyes and said, “The brown sugar we used cost forty copper coins, and these porcelain bowls and spoons cost thirty. We haven’t even made back our costs. What are you so happy about?”

Their faces fell instantly.

They started counting on their fingers, trying to figure out how much more they needed to earn before it could be considered a profit.

But no matter how they counted, they couldn’t make sense of it.

Cheng Wanwan packed up their things. “Let’s eat something first, then head to the next location.”

Zhao Dahan and Zhao Sanniu picked up the two carrying poles and followed her onto the street.

The morning market had already dispersed, but many food stalls were still open.

Cheng Wanwan found a noodle stall and sat down.

Zhao Sanniu quickly tugged at her sleeve. “Mom, I’ll just have a steamed bun…”

A plain bun cost only two copper coins, but a bowl of noodles here cost ten. They would have to sell five bowls of ice jelly just to earn that back.

Zhao Dahan shook his head vigorously. “Mom, we can just eat at home. Huiniang must have already made a lot of good food…”

“Just eat what I tell you to eat!” Cheng Wanwan sighed at her two silly sons. “If you don’t eat enough, how will you have the strength to work? We still have to keep selling ice jelly. We’ll go home after we’re done.”

With no choice, Zhao Dahan and Zhao Sanniu sat down.

The shop owner quickly served three steaming bowls of noodles.

The rich aroma wafted over, making Zhao Sanniu’s mouth water.

A drop of drool fell onto the table, and he hurriedly wiped it away with his sleeve, hoping no one saw.

Cheng Wanwan picked up her chopsticks. “Hurry up and eat.”

The two boys dug in ravenously, slurping the noodles down in big gulps.

They even drank every last drop of the broth.

Seeing this scene, Cheng Wanwan couldn’t bear to watch.

She turned away and struck up a conversation with the noodle stall owner. “Sister-in-law, do you know if there’s a school in Ping’an Town?”

“The biggest one here is Dekang Academy, run by an old scholar. But he’s getting on in years and is starting to forget things,” the owner lowered her voice. “Nowadays, many people send their kids to study in Hekou Town instead. A prestigious scholar founded a school there, and studying there offers better prospects.”

Cheng Wanwan vaguely remembered—wasn’t the most successful child in the Cheng family, Cheng Zhao, studying in Hekou Town?

That school was called Nanfu Academy.

With a plan forming in her mind, she asked, “How long does it take to walk to Hekou Town from here?”

“Not far. About half an hour on foot.”

Cheng Wanwan thanked the owner, paid thirty copper coins for the noodles, and then set off with her two sons toward Hekou Town.

It was now noon, and there were no ox carts at the town gate.

The three of them had no choice but to walk. By the time they finally saw the town walls of Hekou, it was already past midday.

At a glance, Cheng Wanwan could tell that Hekou Town was more prosperous than Ping’an Town.

People bustled about, and a large river ran beside the town. In the lower riverbanks, scattered boats floated along, and the docks seemed even livelier.

Ping’an Town became quiet after the morning market, but Hekou Town remained bustling with people.

Zhao Dahan and Zhao Sanniu looked left and right, their eyes darting around in amazement. It was their first time in Hekou, and everything seemed fascinating.

As they walked through the streets, Cheng Wanwan instinctively glanced at the grain stores.

The price of millet had risen to ten copper coins, and white rice and flour weren’t even displayed for sale—probably because common folks couldn’t afford them.

Just as she was about to turn away, she spotted a woman kneeling at the store entrance with a thin, sickly-looking little girl beside her, about four or five years old.

Tears streamed down the woman’s face as she pleaded, “Our family has run out of food. If this goes on, all of my children will starve. I have no choice but to give this girl away. Three hundred copper coins, and you can take her. Please, have mercy…”

The little girl sobbed pitifully. Her big eyes darted between the onlookers, filled with fear and confusion.

A wave of complex emotions surged in Cheng Wanwan’s heart.

If she were in that woman’s shoes, she would rather starve to death herself than sell the child she carried for ten months.

Three hundred copper coins for a child wasn’t expensive at all. But this wasn’t just one case—there were surely countless other children being sold for food.

As the famine worsened, more and more families would be forced to sell their children. Most of them would be girls.

Cheng Wanwan withdrew her gaze, her heart heavy, and continued forward with her sons.

At the end of the street stood the renowned Nanfu Academy of Hekou Town.

This academy was founded through a partnership between the government and a respected scholar. The teachers here were at least scholars themselves.

The brightest students from the surrounding towns would gather here to study.

In other words, the students here were either academically gifted or came from wealthy families.

Near the school entrance, several stalls were set up, mostly selling stationery, books, and paintings, adding to the scholarly atmosphere.

As soon as Cheng Wanwan set up her stall, a kind vendor next to her advised, “Nanfu Academy has a cafeteria. The students here don’t usually buy street food. You’d be better off selling elsewhere.”

“Thanks for the advice,” Cheng Wanwan replied with a smile. “But since we’re already here, we might as well give it a try.”

Zhao Sanniu had already borrowed a table, and the three of them quickly arranged small bowls of ice jelly for tasting.

Just as they finished setting up, a bell rang from inside the academy.

The moment the bell chimed, the street vendors outside straightened their backs, looking eager and ready for business.

Soon, groups of students in white-and-blue academy uniforms streamed out of the gates.

A sea of well-dressed young scholars filled the street, creating an impressive sight.

Cheng Wanwan and her sons called out energetically.

“Refreshing ice jelly for sale!”

“Free samples—limited quantity, first come first served!”

The vendors around them gawked in shock.

This was an academy—a sacred place for studying!

How could this woman be yelling like she was at a marketplace?

They prided themselves on selling refined goods. If someone shouted like this, the students wouldn’t even glance at their stall!

The other vendors mentally lit a candle for Cheng Wanwan. It was their first time seeing this woman—and most likely their last.

But to everyone’s surprise, three to five students actually walked over and stopped right in front of her stall.