Chapter 13: Finding a brother to Share Life With

Compared to the casualness of their first market stall, Xu Nuo and Wang were now well-prepared. Xu Nuo had realized from their last experience that leaf wraps for braised meat and cold dishes could only contain the ingredients, but not the sauce, which significantly reduced the flavor—without the sauce, the essence of the dish was lost.

At that moment, Xu Nuo thought how wonderful it would be to have a magical tool that could provide her with plastic take-out boxes every day.

While she was lost in thought, she noticed Shangguan chopping bamboo at the corner of the yard and suddenly became curious. “Big Brother? What are you planning to make?”

Shangguan smirked and thought to himself that rather than marrying a wife, he had found a good brother instead. “Aren’t you planning to set up a stall? I noticed you need some cups, so these bamboo tubes can be polished and used as containers.”

“Great, great!” As Xu Nuo looked at the smooth bamboo tubes in Shangguan’s hands, she became even more pleased. This was just like the popular bamboo tube milk tea found everywhere in modern times! If they could engrave their stall’s name on the bamboo tubes, that would be fantastic. However, she realized that this task would require quite a bit of effort.

Moreover, with so many bamboo resources available, and a vast bamboo forest behind their house, it seemed like a great idea. They could make a batch today and try it out tomorrow. Xu Nuo even suggested that if they used bamboo tubes for packing, they could charge an extra three coins per order for their unique packaging. Not to mention, the bamboo tubes could be reused, serving as both drink containers and pen holders—which was a win-win!

Without further ado, Xu Nuo and Wang moved the bamboo from the corner to the middle of the yard, and Shangguan began chopping the bamboo into segments while Wang smoothed out the edges of the tubes. Shangguan was particularly thoughtful, sorting the long, slender tubes into one pile and the short, thick ones into another, so they could easily distinguish which were for holding food and which were for drinking.

Xu Nuo worked up a sweat, her cheeks flushed from the heat. She took the green bean soup she had made in the morning to serve to Shangguan and Wang before rushing inside to find a pair of Shangguan’s pants to change into. With her chosen blue top and paired with the blue trousers, she found the pants too long and dragging on the ground. So, she tied the legs up above her calves, transforming them into capri pants, and gathered her hair into a bun on top of her head, finally feeling a sense of coolness wash over her.

When Xu Nuo appeared in the yard, Wang thought she had gained another son, while Shangguan could only smile in exasperation. Only he knew that his wife had indeed altered his pants, and seeing the knots at the pant legs caused a twitch in the corner of his eye. At least she hadn’t taken a pair of scissors to them.

Xu Nuo knew her current appearance was casual, even a bit shocking, but comfort was essential! After all, squatting in this outfit was so much easier than wearing a dress. She felt more energized as she took a small knife to start carving the logo into the bamboo tubes. It was a simple design—just a small scholar’s cap with a character for “Xu” underneath. She had initially thought to inscribe the character for “Shangguan” as well but feared it might have negative implications later.

After working tirelessly for nearly an entire afternoon, they finally finished processing all the bamboo. Xu Nuo rubbed her sore shoulders, feeling the strain. The finished bamboo tubes were soaked in a basin of water for cleaning, then dried—counting yielded a total of two hundred.

This completed the trio’s work for the afternoon, and with Shangguan heading off to classes the next day, Xu Nuo and Wang would again be responsible for preparing ingredients and cooking meals while trying to finish the bamboo tubes. The amount of work ahead seemed daunting; even splitting the task between them might not be enough to manage it all.

Wang expressed her deep-seated worries, acknowledging Shangguan’s own concerns. The reality of their situation was clear: with their current capabilities, they couldn’t expect to achieve everything at once.

However, some things certainly need to be done in advance. Xu Nuo doesn’t just want to set up a stall; she wants to create a brand effect step by step. So, no matter how difficult it is, she must do it.

“Mom don’t worry! We’ll decide whether to use bamboo tubes for packaging or not. Most of our audience consists of common folks, and it’s not easy for anyone to make money. Not many people will choose this kind of packaging,” Xu Nuo firmly believed in this.

“However, as long as one package gets out there, it might bring us a few more customers and spread the name of our stall further!” Shangguan and Wang both nodded in agreement after hearing this.

The next day, on his way to school, Shangguan carried the fifty bamboo tubes packed in a bamboo basket to the shade beside the academy. As he walked, the students on the road stared at him, whispering and discussing what new trick he had in store for that noon. Some even contemplated whether to challenge the teacher’s authority by sneaking out early to grab a spot.

As soon as Shangguan entered the academy gate, he saw the teacher beaming at him with a kind expression that felt strangely familiar.

“Ziqian, I’ve heard your wife is skilled at cooking. I wonder if I might be lucky enough to taste some today at the academy gate?” The teacher appeared friendly, but inwardly he was cursing; that group of old guys didn’t have the guts to ask him directly and conspired together to ask him instead.

Shangguan thought that the teacher’s expression was quite like Xu Nuo’s when she begged him for help!

“Sir, you’re joking. It would be our honor if you choose to visit our stall!”

The morning classes dragged on like never before; the students below were all restless, while the teacher was rather lackluster, so everyone passed the time without much happening. In fact, Zhang Yan was puzzled as to why the teachers hadn’t called on anyone to answer questions today; that shouldn’t be the case. Usually, they would be calling on students nonstop.

Shangguan was focused, reading without noticing anything unusual about the class. He just wanted to use the time in class to finish the day’s lessons so he could help with chores at home afterward.

Finally, the bell signaling the end of class rang, and the students rushed to the dining hall. Why the dining hall? Because they needed to grab bowls. However, a few students headed straight for the academy gate. These students had discussed it beforehand and decided to use lotus leaves for packaging to take back to the dining hall, saving time compared to going back to grab things.

Xu Nuo and Wang had already pushed their improved snack stall cart back to the old spot and stacked the bamboo tubes Shangguan brought next to it. As before, Xu Nuo began calling out loudly: “Come, come, come! Come and see our freshly made braised dishes and cold dishes! You don’t have to pay if you don’t eat!”

Xu Nuo’s voice was very powerful, and many people who lived nearby and had purchased from her before quickly rushed over.

“Girl, you finally came! I’ve been waiting for you! Last time, I bought some back, and my grandson praised it so much. Today, I want to buy two portions of each! There are many people at home, and it’s not enough!” The old lady lived in the alley next to the academy, and since her family had a lot of members and laborers, they could afford to eat well, never being stingy.

“Hahaha, thank you so much for supporting our business!” Xu Nuo couldn’t believe her first order today was such a big one; she was all smiles.

“Big sister, how do you want it packaged? We still have lotus leaves from last time, and they’re free. We also have bamboo tubes that can keep the food’s juice and taste better,” Xu Nuo said as she lifted the bamboo tube for the old lady to see.