Chapter 20: It’s Difficult

Li Lan, Cui Yong’s wife, looked neat and efficient.

“Okay, but I have rules.”

“Tell me.”

“There are fixed vendors at the textile factory gate. Sister-in-law, if you want to sell, you can’t go there. You can choose any other location, but once you choose, you can only sell there.”

There are many factories in the county, and the textile factory is the largest, naturally having many workers. Other factories are clustered together, and the combined number of workers is still considerable.

“Of course.”

Cui Yong’s wife, not only efficient-looking but also efficient-speaking, said, “Even if you didn’t say it, I would have done the same.”

“I’ve sold at the aluminum factory gate. A few dozen servings in the afternoon is no problem. Sister-in-law, you can try there. I’ll give you 25 cents, you sell for 30 cents, and you can’t lower the price.”

“Okay.”

Cui Yong’s wife readily agreed, “Tomorrow, little sister, wholesale fifty servings to me first, let me try.”

“Good.”

The two reached an agreement. Jiang Yiyi cut three servings of cold noodles. Cui Yong and his wife didn’t stand on ceremony, mainly because Cui Yong had been craving them for days, and Cui Yong’s wife also wanted to try them.

The few of them talked while eating. Halfway through, Wu Gang arrived. He had gone to the rented house first, and hearing that Jiang Yiyi was here, he rushed over on his bicycle.

“The coal matter is settled, 121 tons, delivered tomorrow morning. They still need to discuss the paper bags. I’ll go back at 3 pm, and they’ll give a definite answer.”

Jiang Yiyi cut some cold noodles for him, put them in an enamel mug, added cucumber, gluten, and chili oil for him to add himself.

Wu Gang scooped two small spoons, mixed it, and couldn’t wait to take a bite. It was refreshing and indeed delicious.

He immediately decided to try selling to government offices. Such a delicious and refreshing food would surely appeal to those officials.

Having made up his mind, he asked Jiang Yiyi, “Can I take a few servings to sell tomorrow?”

To sell, of course, people needed to try it. Jiang Yiyi nodded, “I’ll prepare five servings for you every day, regardless of whether you sell them or not, these five servings won’t cost you anything.”

This was unexpected to Wu Gang. He thought Jiang Yiyi would deduct the cost of these cold noodles from his commission.

“Sister Jiang is so generous. Wu Gang, you must sell them well and help Sister Jiang sell more.”

Cui Yong said.

“Don’t worry, Brother Cui, I will.”

“Since I’m so generous, Brother Cui, if you know anyone else, introduce them to me. I need more people.”

Jiang Yiyi said.

Wu Gang’s heart stirred. His wife was still idle at home, but he didn’t say it. He couldn’t let Jiang Yiyi feel that he was taking advantage of her.

“No problem, leave it to Brother Cui. Brother Cui doesn’t have anything, but he has connections.”

Cui Yong patted his chest.

“Then I’ll wait for Brother Cui’s good news.”

After eating, Jiang Yiyi returned to the rented house. Everyone had already started working. They couldn’t boil water here, and there was no water for sale outside. Jiang Yiyi bought popsicles for everyone. After eating, everyone worked even harder.

At 3:30, Wu Gang came and said the paper bag factory wanted Jiang Yiyi to come and talk.

Ten thousand small paper bags sounds like a lot, but they’re not worth much. Even at two cents each, ten thousand only cost two hundred yuan. It’s not worthwhile to change the production line for two hundred yuan, but if she doesn’t take this order, she won’t even earn two hundred yuan.

In the end, Jiang Yiyi ordered thirty thousand, two cents each, with handles added. She didn’t have that much money on hand and agreed to pay tomorrow morning.

She returned to the rented house before five o’clock, and the stoves were all built.

Jiang Yiyi gave everyone two yuan as promised. Although everyone felt embarrassed, they still accepted it.

“Yiyi, if you have any more work, just have your dad call us, and we’ll definitely help you do it well.”

Jiang Yiyi smiled and sent them out.

Jiang’s father and Jiang Jinfeng didn’t leave with them. Jiang Yiyi stayed with them to buy a bed, pots, pans, and other daily necessities.

Yesterday, hearing her eldest son say that her daughter spent money without blinking, Jiang’s father didn’t believe it. Now he completely believed it. In less than an hour, she had spent dozens of yuan.

After tidying up the things and cleaning the house, it was getting dark. Jiang Jinfeng wanted to stay to watch the yard; the newly bought things were worth a lot of money.

Jiang Yiyi couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “You still have to go home to get bedding. Although it’s hot now, sleeping on a bare bed isn’t good either.”

“I’ll make do for one night and go back tomorrow.”

“The coal will be delivered tomorrow morning. Aren’t you worried about leaving?”

Of course, he was worried. Coal is easy to be stolen.

Jiang Jinfeng hesitated for a while and finally decided to carry Jiang’s father home first and come back early tomorrow morning.

Jiang Yiyi bought two watermelons, one to take home with the remaining cold noodles, and one for herself.

When she reached the door, she heard laughter and chatter inside.

Gu Yunyang and Gu Yuncan were playing “chicken” with Tiantian and Yueyue. The two little ones, with their short legs, tugged at Gu Yuncan’s clothes and followed behind him. Seeing Jiang Yiyi enter, they immediately let go and ran towards her.

“Auntie.”

“Auntie.”

Jiang Yiyi put down the tricycle and hugged them both, kissing each of them on the cheek.

“Come down, your aunt is tired for a day, let her rest.”

Gu Yunchi quickly came over.

Tiantian and Yueyue were very obedient and quickly came down from Jiang Yiyi’s arms. Jiang Yiyi rubbed their heads and asked Gu Yunchi to take the watermelon and put it in the well to cool.

Zhou Fen also quickly came forward to push the tricycle into the yard and asked, “How’s the rented house?”

She had eaten the cold noodles at noon and was very surprised that Jiang Yiyi could make such delicious food. Learning that she could sell two to three hundred servings a day, she was even more eager. If she hadn’t just been learning to knead and wash noodles with Gu Yunchi in the afternoon and hadn’t learned to make cold noodles yet, she would have wanted to go to the rented house to start making them now.

“It’s basically all cleaned up. Tomorrow, when the coal is delivered and the stove is dried, we can go there.”

We?

Gu Yunyang, who had been listening intently, was moved. Did his sister-in-law mean that he and his younger sister, his older sister, and his mother could also go? If that was the case, hadn’t he misunderstood his sister-in-law yesterday? He had even spoken harshly to her. He had really gone too far.

Jiang Yiyi did have this plan. The reason why she was so anxious to rent a house in the county was that, based on her research over the past two days, cold noodles did have a market. She wanted to seize the opportunity to expand her scale and earn her first pot of gold. Furthermore, she wanted Gu Yunchi to go to market. The book described Gu Yunchi as very capable. If she only let him make cold noodles at home, it would be a waste of his talent. But Tiantian and Yueyue were still young, and she wouldn’t feel at ease leaving them completely to Gu’s mother’s care, even with Gu Yunchi. It was best for them to go to the county together. If Gu Yunyang and Gu Yuncan weren’t in school, she would have wanted the whole family to move there tomorrow.

“Sister-in-law, can I go and have a look tomorrow?”

Gu Yunchi put the watermelon in the well and fetched a basin of water. He also heard Jiang Yiyi’s words. She was not only making cold noodles every day but also going to nearby villages to buy cucumbers. She was busy from morning till night, but she felt she had endless energy and wished she could work twenty-four hours a day.

When she said this, the two little ones also looked at Jiang Yiyi expectantly, their identical beautiful big eyes blinking, as if saying they wanted to go too.

Jiang Yiyi was smitten and couldn’t help but squat down and kiss the two little ones on their faces again before saying to Gu Yunchi, “Let’s all go. It’s a good chance to take Mother to the hospital for a check-up.”

“Can my younger sister and I go too?”

Gu Yunyang was unusually excited. When his father was alive, he often took him and his younger sister to the county to buy delicious food. After his father died, he had never been there again. No, he had been there a few days ago, secretly following Jiang Yiyi.

“Yes, as long as you pass your exams, I’ll take you whenever you want.”

Gu Yunyang’s shoulders slumped. Sixty points to pass, it’s difficult.

Gu Yuncan covered her mouth and laughed.