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The spring air grew richer, with greenery spreading in vast swathes. The willow trees lining the riverbanks in Riverside Village deepened in hue, their tiny buds transforming into tender leaves. The ice in the river had long since melted, and the water flowed gently, brimming with vitality. Wild vegetables and small wildflowers, purple and white, dotted the riverbanks, their sparse presence nonetheless delightful to the eye.
Today marked the second day after Liu Siniang’s wedding. It was almost noon when Su Zhi, accompanied by Shen Zi’an and their three children, arrived at Li Shi’s home.
Liu Siniang opened the door. During her stay at Su Zhi’s house, Su Zhi had not used the spiritual spring or immortal lotus on her intentionally. Instead, she had ensured Liu Siniang ate and slept well and used rice water to wash her face daily. This routine had managed to restore some color to Liu Siniang’s sallow, dry complexion. Although she was still thin and not overly fair, she looked much better than before. Seeing Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an, a smile graced her face—a blend of shyness and joy that made her features even more lively.
Su Zhi observed Liu Siniang’s smile, thinking that she seemed very happy now.
“Su Zhi, Brother Zi’an, please come in,” Liu Siniang greeted them, reaching out to the three children. During her stay at the Shen family’s home, she had developed a close relationship with the children, often wishing she could have a child like them someday.
Li Shi was chopping firewood in the courtyard. Seeing them enter, he looked up and smiled, saying, “Have a seat. I’ll be done in a moment, and then we can have lunch.”
Li Shi had invited Shen Zi’an and his wife to come over for lunch on the second day after their wedding, to express his gratitude for their care of Liu Siniang and their help with the wedding. Naturally, Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi did not stand on ceremony and arrived with their children.
Shen Zi’an chatted with Li Shi while the three children played around the courtyard. Liu Siniang led Su Zhi into the house.
Li Shi’s house had been built not too long ago, but due to the limited funds and the primary goal of only having a place to live, it was not constructed with high quality. The house was quite low, but Su Zhi noticed that the interior was clean and tidy, a stark contrast to before. She thought that having a woman in the house made a difference, and Liu Siniang was capable while Li Shi was caring. Together, they would only improve their lives.
Su Zhi asked Liu Siniang about her experiences since marrying into the family, but she was not the type to tease. Her questions were thoughtful, and Liu Siniang answered them openly. Su Zhi was pleased to see that Liu Siniang had adapted well. Although marrying Li Shi had been Liu Siniang’s choice, Su Zhi had played a part in it, and she genuinely hoped for their happiness, not for them to discover incompatibility after marriage. Su Zhi mused that she really wasn’t cut out to be a matchmaker.
“Aunt Liu, Aunt Liu, Uncle Shi said you’re going to build a big house. Is it true? I’ll come and help. My mother draws beautiful pictures. I can draw too. I’ll draw a beautiful big house for Aunt Liu.” Yueyue ran in and said to Liu Siniang.
Liu Siniang laughed and picked up Yueyue, saying, “Alright, Yueyue will draw a big house for Aunt Liu.”
Su Zhi had Xiaori and Xinger sit on the edge of the kang and asked Liu Siniang, “Speaking of the house, we also need to fix up our garden. We’ll need to hire people. Why don’t we help you build your house first and then work on ours? I can come and assist you. Building a house is quite tiring.”
“Li Shi said he doesn’t want to provide meals. He wants to pay wages like you did last year, with the meal expenses included. We’ll hire people from the village, and they can either go home for meals or have their food delivered here. It’s quite convenient.”
“That sounds good too. It saves the trouble of cooking, and you don’t have to worry about who eats more or less, or making too much or having leftovers.”
Inside the house, the two women discussed these matters, while outside, Shen Zi’an and Li Shi talked about the house as well. Li Shi mentioned starting construction after the Rain Worship Festival, and Shen Zi’an asked if he had enough money. If not, he could borrow some from him.
“It’s enough. I already had a few taels of silver, and after selling the tiger with you and doing business together, I now have enough money to build a big house,” Li Shi said. “We’ll build it according to the blueprint your wife drew last time. We won’t tear down these rooms; we’ll use them like you do, for raising cattle and pigs.”
Li Shi explained that he hadn’t been particularly keen on building a big house before. Since he hadn’t been interested in marriage, he thought that having a place to live was enough for him. However, now that he had a wife, someone he cared deeply about, he wanted to give her a better life. Especially considering the hardships Liu Siniang had endured, he was even more determined to ensure she could hold her head high in the village. Having wealth and a big house became his top priority.
Shen Zi’an said, “As long as you’ve thought it through, Brother Shitou. When the time comes, have Li Qing and Shugen build your house and furniture. Their craftsmanship has improved even more.”
“I’ve already spoken to them, and they’ve agreed,” Li Shi said. “By the way, the Zhao family also wants to build a house and approached Shugen, but he turned them down.”
Li Shi knew that Shen Shugen had not only declined Zhao Daliang’s request because he had already agreed to help Li Shi but also because he looked down on Zhao Daliang.
Shen Zi’an was aware that Zhao Daliang had become wealthy and was involved with Zhang Qingniang, a fact that had spread throughout the village. People said that Zhang Qingniang had money, which was why Zhao Daliang had abandoned his first wife. However, Shen Zi’an wondered why, if they were so rich, they didn’t move to a town or county to live instead of staying in Riverside Village to build a house. Zhao Daliang had been doing business outside for years, and living in a more prosperous area would likely be more beneficial for his business.
Li Shi put down his axe, stood up, and carried the firewood into the house, saying, “Who knows? I’m puzzled too. If they left, it would save us the annoyance of seeing them. But if they don’t leave, so be it. We’re not afraid of them. Let them watch us live well; that’s the best way to get back at them.”
“You’re right, Brother Shitou. Let them see us live well,” Shen Zi’an agreed, thinking about how his life had improved since marrying his wife. Now, even Li Shi had married and was planning to build a big house, which was quite reassuring.
At noon, Su Zhi took over the kitchen at Li Shi’s house. She cooked while letting Liu Siniang assist her. This wasn’t because she thought her cooking was superior; she just wanted Liu Siniang to rest more. The wedding night could be quite exhausting, and Su Zhi noticed that Liu Siniang seemed a bit unsteady on her feet. When Su Zhi stared at her, Liu Siniang felt embarrassed and refused to rest, so Su Zhi had no choice but to let her assist in the kitchen.
The leftover dishes from yesterday’s banquet had been taken home by guests who were on good terms with the family. Even if Su Zhi and the others weren’t averse to eating leftovers, there was nothing left. They had to prepare new dishes, fortunately, with some ingredients still available.
In the end, they made a small pot of meat stewed with potatoes, a small pot of soybeans braised with pig’s trotters, a plate of stir-fried cabbage, and a plate of bean sprouts. There were also some leftover steamed buns from yesterday, which they reheated. The four adults and three children ate heartily and joyfully.
“It’s a pity we don’t have vermicelli. If we did, the cabbage would taste better. Pork, cabbage, and vermicelli are really delicious together,” Su Zhi remarked.
“Vermicelli? What’s that?” Li Shi asked, aware that his sister-in-law knew how to make many delicious dishes. He wasn’t a greedy eater, but he always wanted more after tasting her cooking. Now that she mentioned vermicelli as something tasty, he was intrigued.
Su Zhi noticed that everyone was looking at her and thought it wouldn’t hurt to explain. After all, she planned to make a fortune from this, and she and Shen Zi’an certainly couldn’t handle it alone. Li Shi and Liu Siniang were both capable and honest, more reliable than Shen Zi’an’s brothers, so it was natural to include them in her plans. Now was a good time to give them a heads-up and let them look forward to a brighter future.
“When I was at the convent, I met a master from whom I learned many things. Vermicelli is one of the things he taught me. It’s made from sweet potatoes or potatoes.”
Su Zhi had started referring to sweet potatoes and potatoes by their original names, finding them more endearing. She claimed that the master called them that, so no one would question it.
“Vermicelli is slightly hard and somewhat transparent, shaped like noodles. It can be stored dry for a long time without spoiling. When you want to eat it, just soak it in water to soften it. It’s delicious in dishes and can make cabbage taste even better when stewed together in the winter.”
“Mom, Mom, I want to eat vermicelli!”
Yueyue was so intrigued that she felt her mouth watering, despite the large piece of meat in her bowl.
Shen Zi’an and the others shared the same thought. They had never seen vermicelli before, and just the idea that it could be stored for a long time without spoiling made it seem like a great product.
“Can it really be made from sweet potatoes and potatoes? Both are coarse grains and not too expensive. If we can make vermicelli, it could be very profitable,” Li Shi said, having spent years outside and immediately thinking about producing and selling vermicelli.
Su Zhi nodded and said, “It can be stored for a long time, and it’s easy to handle and transport, so we can sell it in many places. As long as we have enough manpower, we can even sell it nationwide. Most importantly, if we don’t reveal what it’s made of, no one will be able to guess, let alone figure out how to make it. It would be quite difficult for others to imitate.”
“So, does that mean that only we can make vermicelli in the entire world?”
Liu Siniang’s eyes widened as she said, “How much money can we make?”
Su Zhi smiled and said, “Of course, we’ll make money from all over the world. However, as the saying goes, ‘A tall tree attracts the wind.’ If this becomes profitable, it will certainly draw attention from others. Therefore, we’ll need to find a backer.”
Shen Zi’an held Su Zhi’s hand and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way.”
“Yes, we will find a way. I’m telling you this now so we can all think about who would be a good partner to ensure this profitable venture remains secure. There’s no need to rush; we have time, especially since it’s still a long way until the sweet potatoes and potatoes are ready to harvest.”