Chapter 41: Hard to Find

Luo Sujuan had been married into this neighborhood for ten years but had rarely seen Xie Yan. The few times she had, he was always cold and distant—someone no one dared approach. Now, this pretty young girl had only been around for a few days, and Xie Yan hadn’t taken his eyes off his fiancée since entering the room. Just judging by the attitudes of the Xie couple, they were clearly very satisfied with their daughter-in-law-to-be.

This young woman spoke with calm composure, showing more poise than the daughters of many high-ranking officials. Luo Sujuan didn’t dare overstep her bounds and spoke with even more sincerity and gentleness:

“We’re all neighbors. I know it’s a bit rude to show up like this. But that lip balm Comrade Shuying uses really caught our eye. You make such a good product, and we all recognize its quality. We heard you’re apprenticing at Jiren Hall, which once served top officials—it’s a highly respected old pharmacy.

“We all trust you and would love to buy a tube for ourselves. We work most days and only ask to look fresh and healthy. And honestly, we’ve never seen a better lip balm than yours.”

She rubbed her hands together, feeling a bit awkward. According to Guo Feng, the new little daughter-in-law of the Xie family was selfish—hoarding that treasure for her mother-in-law, Zhang Shuying, and not letting anyone else use it.

But now, in person, this girl was nothing like what Guo Feng described. She was warm and easygoing, her almond-shaped eyes smiling, exuding a kind temperament.

Xue Qingdai put on a polite professional smile and asked, “So you ladies all came just for the lip balm?”

There were a lot of them, so to avoid offending anyone, she simply called them all “sisters” regardless of age.

She had over a thousand of those lip balms stored in her space, and they were taking up room. They were factory collaboration versions—not as good as the ones she personally made. Tasteless but not quite useless, it was a shame to waste them. Selling them might actually be a good idea.

“Yes! My lips are cracked and bleeding—I had to ask my husband to pick up the kids today.”

“Comrade Zhang was already beautiful, but after applying that balm, she looks completely different!”

“And the fragrance! I thought it was actual rose—it wasn’t strong or artificial at all.”

The group of women, who had been reserved at first, now openly showered the lip balm with praise.

Xue Qingdai had begun to understand the families living nearby. The Xie family’s neighbors were mostly from dual-income households with decent backgrounds. These women wouldn’t get so excited over something trivial. Her lip balm had been dubbed the “sold-out king” online. Clearly, these ladies had sharp eyes.

But simply selling it to them wasn’t her goal.

For her, making money was easy. What was difficult—but valuable—was building a powerful social network. She remembered how, back in the village, whenever someone came to her father, village secretary Xue Chengyi, asking for help, he would always politely decline a few times, highlighting the difficulties, and then quietly get the job done beautifully. In the end, people were so grateful they came to thank him in person, and his authority as village secretary was solidified.

Making people feel guilty was a masterful way to control hearts.

With a slightly troubled expression, Xue Qingdai said, “Sisters, your words really touched me. But making this balm isn’t easy at all.”

Luo Sujuan was taken aback, “Huh? But we heard you had more than you could use?”

Everyone’s expressions shifted a bit. Some shuffled around, clearly skeptical. They had expected to get their hands on the balm today. They were already emotionally fired up—especially seeing how much better Zhang Shuying’s complexion looked than yesterday. It had to be the lip balm!

To appease them, Xue Qingdai revealed a brand-new lip balm in her palm—just enough to give them a taste. Make them crave it first.

She took a few sips of the hot tea Xie Yan had brought her—gotta moisten your throat before telling a tall tale.

“Let’s not rush.”

“I originally created this to help my mother, Yang Shumin, better serve the people. It took me a long time to perfect. I distilled rosebuds picked in spring, used honey collected in autumn when its medicinal properties were best, and combined them with over ten precious herbs. It took over six months to make a single batch.”

“I’m a detail-oriented person, and when I saw Auntie Shuying’s lips cracking, I just couldn’t bear it.”

“You ladies are like my elder sisters—how could I not want you to have it too? I really wish I could give you more, but I simply don’t have enough.”

She even tried to blink back fake tears but realized she’d been too happy lately to even squeeze out any sadness. Her rosy lips pressed together in an awkward little smile to cover her embarrassment.

“I’m so sorry. We shouldn’t have believed those rumors and caused you trouble,” Luo Sujuan quickly apologized. Just hearing the balm’s production process made it clear why it was so effective—and why it was hard to get. Even if they couldn’t have it now, what a pity.

Another woman spoke up, “Don’t say that. Such a sweet girl—you’re so well-mannered. We’re reasonable people. We won’t force you.”

“That blabbermouth Guo Feng really is annoying. Such a pretty and filial girl, and she spread nonsense about her.”

“Shuying, we’re so jealous. Your daughter-in-law treats you this well before even marrying in. My own kid argues with me every day—he got mad at me for washing a couple of extra shirts today. Forget about caring for me!”

Zhang Shuying straightened her back proudly and pushed her husband Xie Songshan aside. “Daidai really is that good. That’s my daughter-in-law.”

Xue Qingdai’s face warmed. In Pengyang Village, she was the girl everyone disliked—now suddenly surrounded by warmth and admiration, her mood lifted quite a bit.

Seeing that the crowd was disappointed and about to leave, she couldn’t help but speak up.

“Wait—don’t go just yet. I only have two lip balms left. If you don’t mind sharing…”

In the public bathhouses, the same bar of soap got used by hundreds—sharing a lip balm was no big deal. She wouldn’t sell it right away—gotta keep them hooked, make them want it more.

“Please don’t mind the small amount. I’ll squeeze out some from mine and share it with all of you.”

Some of the women were tempted. But free things carry weight—what they really wanted was to buy it outright and pay for it fair and square. Accepting a freebie like this would create a huge favor debt.

Luo Sujuan smiled politely but didn’t refuse outright. Her ambiguous attitude said enough.

Xue Qingdai paused for a moment, remembering how villagers often brought radishes and cabbages to her family. Every time those people left, her eldest brother, Xue Shiyou, would always have a meaningful look on his face. A favor that feels too obvious becomes fake—especially when you’re dealing with smart women like the ones here.

She changed her tone and said, “Sisters, I’m not giving these away for free. This stuff is expensive to make. I’m being honest—I’ll trade for some vegetables instead. I’ve been eyeing those greens in your little gardens for a while now, hehe.”

“In a little while, I’ll try to make sure each of you gets a lip balm.”

Luo Sujuan was still hesitant, but the women behind her all stepped forward eagerly. Lip balm was rare, and so were vegetables in the winter. Xue Qingdai’s request wasn’t too much—everyone could manage it. The key point was: she wasn’t afraid of trouble and was willing to make one for each of them individually. What a good girl!

“My little garden still has some baby bok choy left from the last snow.”

“I’ve got some homemade tomato sauce stored under the bed in glucose bottles—absolutely fresh! Just boil some noodles and add a spoonful—sweet and sour perfection.”

“My family doesn’t have anything fancy, just some big white radishes and cabbages. Perfect for dumplings!”

“My mom’s pickles—I’ll have my kid bring you a jar to try!”

Xue Qingdai hadn’t expected much at first. After all, it was winter—greenhouses weren’t popular yet, and there weren’t many vegetables around. She hadn’t had much to eat and had been spending too long in the bathroom, chilled by the cold wind and questioning her life choices.

“Sisters, you’re all so kind. I’ll make sure to craft each of your lip balms with care.”

Grains, oil, salt, vinegar, tea—this is real life. As soon as they started talking about food, she and the neighborhood women were chatting enthusiastically. The polite, distant atmosphere melted away completely.

Word quickly spread throughout the Xie household.

The little daughter-in-law of the Xie family was kind, warm, and genuinely sincere.

Zhang Shuying was even more impressed by her future daughter-in-law. She knew all too well what these women had said about her behind her back. Now, watching them bond with Daidai like old friends, her heart swelled with pride.

After everyone left, Xue Qingdai quietly placed five lip balms into Zhang Shuying’s hands.

“Auntie Shuying, don’t tell anyone. These are for you to use in secret.”

Zhang Shuying: “???”
Didn’t she say they were hard to get—one per person?

Xie Yan’s phoenix eyes gleamed with amusement. “Mom, that’s just how Daidai is—clever and mischievous.”

Xue Qingdai’s watery eyes sparkled playfully.

Zhang Shuying and her old man exchanged knowing glances and laughed together.

Xie Yan? He was doomed.