Chapter 10

It was already mid-afternoon when I got home.

Gu Yunchi was picking vegetables in the vegetable garden with his two children. Seeing her carrying a cart full of things, they came over to help. Yueyue and Tiantian also came over with unsteady steps. Jiang Yiyi gave each of them two candies and handed the snack box and cloth to Gu Yunchi, “Bought these for mother and the children. Let them eat as much as they want. Buy more after they finish eating. We will be able to make money soon.”

When he heard about making money, Gu Yunchi’s eyes lit up. He sent his two children and things to Gu’s mother’s house, and couldn’t wait to come to Jiang Yiyi to ask her what good way to make money she had found.

But she saw Jiang Yiyi went into the house and took out a large porcelain plate containing the teapot and teacups, scooped some water and washed it clean. Although she was puzzled, she did not ask any more questions and followed Jiang Yiyi to the kitchen.

Jiang Yiyi poured half a pound of chili powder into a small basin, lit a fire, boiled some hot oil and poured it in. The aroma of the chili was instantly stimulated, and you didn’t need to smell it to know it was delicious. In addition to being delicious, chili oil is also very important for cold noodles. Nowadays, chilies are all natural, and the chili oil made from them is also fragrant.

Then steam the gluten and cut into small pieces for later use.

Bring the noodle water basin over and use a spoon to skim off the yellow water on top. Add baking soda to the remaining noodle water, stir well, then scoop some onto a porcelain plate. Shake the plate to spread the noodle batter evenly on it. Put it into the pot, cover it with a lid and steam for one minute. When bubbles appear, take out the porcelain plate, brush it with a layer of oil, peel off the cold skin and place it on the panel, and continue to make the next one.

Looking at the crystal clear Liangpi, Gu Yunchi couldn’t believe his eyes, “Sister-in-law, is this Liangpi?”

“It’s refreshing and perfect for summer. Go pick some cucumbers, wash them and cut them into shreds.”

Gu Yunchi picked five cucumbers and cut them into a small bowl.

Jiang Yiyi prepared a bowl for her first, and asked her to add the chili herself. “It would taste better if you put some chopped peanuts in it, but unfortunately we don’t have any peanuts now.”

Gu Yunchi couldn’t wait to take a bite, and felt that all the heat in his body had gone away, and he felt refreshed from the inside out.

Her eyes widened.

“A pound of noodles can produce about eight to ten sheets. I plan to sell them for thirty cents each.”

Thirty cents per portion, ten portions are three yuan, and a pound of flour is only thirty cents. Excluding the cucumber and chili oil, you can earn two yuan per pound of flour.

Gu Yunchi was excited, “Sister-in-law…”

“I can’t do it alone, I need your help.”

Gu Yunchi nodded wildly.

“Mix one portion for mom and the two kids, but don’t add chili.”

Gu Yunchi cut and mixed the ingredients according to Jiang Yiyi’s steps, put them in three bowls, and brought them into the house. After a while, Gu’s mother came over excitedly, “Yiyi, mom can help too.”

Even if she sold twenty tickets a day, she could still earn three or four yuan, which is more than a hundred yuan a month, more than her son’s allowance. How could she not be excited?

“It’s enough to have me and my elder sister. Mom just needs to take good care of her health and take good care of the two children.”

Mother Gu wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say, so she walked around the stove several times.

Jiang Yiyi wanted to laugh when she saw it, so she made the last one just for her family. She didn’t make more than ten pieces, which was just right for dinner.

More than ten pieces of cold noodles were eaten up. After finishing, the family was still smacking their lips, praising the food for being delicious. Even the two little ones, Tiantian and Yueyue, followed suit and said in childish voices that the food was delicious.

“I have already ordered the tricycle and frying pan. I will go to pick them up in three days. My eldest sister will go with me. She will make them at home and I will sell them.”

“I’ll go.”

Gu Yunchi said.

Gu Yunyang was still excited when he knew that cold noodles could make money. He nodded repeatedly. As long as Jiang Yiyi was trapped at home, she would not be able to see that man. After a long time, she might forget about that man.

“You are not familiar with the county town. Besides, making cold noodles is very hard work. I can’t bear that hardship. You should do it.”

Jiang Yiyi doesn’t just make and sell cold noodles, she has other plans.

Mother Gu wanted to say that she could do it herself and let both Gu Yunchi and Jiang Yiyi go to sell, but she knew that Gu Yunchi and Jiang Yiyi would not agree, so she got up and went back to the house, took the one thousand yuan that Jiang Yiyi gave her, and said, “It’s useless for mother to keep this money. You can use it first, and then tell me if it’s not enough.”

Jiang Yiyi accepted it. If she refused, Mother Gu might have other ideas in her mind, which would be detrimental to her recovery.

Gu Yunyang watched Jiang Yiyi take the money and had the urge to snatch it back, but he didn’t dare to move. The scene of Jiang Yiyi kicking the Qin family’s door that day was still circling in his mind. If he dared to snatch it, Jiang Yiyi might beat him up. But he was very worried. Who knew whether what Jiang Yiyi said was true or false? What if she said she was going to sell cold noodles just to get the money back?

In the next two days, Gu Yunchi followed Jiang Yiyi to learn how to make cold noodles. On the third day, Jiang Yiyi rode a bicycle to take Gu Yunchi to get the tricycle.

When they arrived, Brother Liu was already waiting, with ten pans packed in bags. Jiang Yiyi checked them and paid for them, then gave him the prepared cold noodles. “This is the cold noodles I made myself, Brother Liu, take it back and try it. I put chili oil in it, so if anyone at home has a poor appetite, eat less.”

The cold noodles were served in an enamel pot, a big pot full of crystal clear noodles. Brother Liu had never seen it before, let alone eaten it. It was very strange and he couldn’t help but said to Cui Yong, “Give me a big bowl and a pair of chopsticks.”

Cui Yong hurried back to the house to get a bowl and chopsticks. Brother Liu poured the cold noodles into the bowl and handed the porcelain jar to Cui Yong. He took the chopsticks and took a bite. The coolness went straight to his heart and refreshed his mind. He ate several more bites before reluctantly putting down his chopsticks. The weather was hot and the family couldn’t afford a fan. He hadn’t had such a good appetite for several days.

“tasty.”

Seeing him praising him, Cui Yong couldn’t help but go back into the house, get a pair of chopsticks and take a bite as well. But before he could take the second bite, he was stopped by Brother Liu.

“I’ll take one more bite, just one more bite.”

Brother Liu simply turned around and walked away. He stopped at the door and said to Jiang Yiyi, “I have some connections in this county. If you need help in the future, just come to me.”

“I’ll have to trouble you, Brother Liu.”

Brother Liu waved his hand and walked away quickly. Cui Yong looked at Jiang Yiyi eagerly. The taste of the cold noodles was still lingering in his mouth. It was so refreshing and delicious that it was hard to describe.

Jiang Yiyi took out what she had prepared for him, and Cui Yong immediately took it and said exactly the same thing as Brother Liu, “I also have some connections in this county, so if you need help in the future, just come to me.”

“Thank you, Brother Cui.”

Jiang Yiyi paid the rest of the money, and Cui Yong pushed the tricycle out. “A tricycle is different from a bicycle. It’s a little hard to get used to riding it at first. Otherwise, I’ll send it to you.”

He helped deliver the tricycle on such a hot day. Jiang Yiyi had to give him a few more portions of cold noodles, so he took them back and let his family try them.

“I’ve ridden it before, so I won’t bother Brother Cui.”

Cui Yong was very disappointed. Seeing Jiang Yiyi riding away on her tricycle, he reluctantly poured out half of the cold noodles in the bowl. After thinking about it, he took some back, left some for himself, and took the rest back for his family to try.