Seeing the abundance of dishes at the Su family’s table, especially the fragrant boiled fish that seemed to waft straight into their noses, the Dong father and son couldn’t resist. Whether it was due to the warm invitation from the Su family or their own desire to taste the pure white fish slices, they reluctantly sat down on the stools. Both father and son silently agreed to just have a small taste.

Father Gu, with his eloquence, quickly informed everyone that they had sold three hundred bowls of cold skin noodles that morning.

“Then we’ll prepare three hundred bowls for the afternoon. Once they’re sold out, we’ll pack up. In a few days, when we’re more skilled, Second Brother will set up a stall on his own to sell jianbing guozi (savory Chinese crepes).”

Su Shuoci was following his wife’s instructions.

“Sis… hehe… are you saying I can sell Jianbing Guozi?” Second Brother Gu was so excited that he almost called Su Shuoci “brother-in-law.”

Seeing that Second Brother Gu didn’t call him “brother-in-law,” Su Shuoci felt a bit displeased. That day, he had only glanced at Second Brother Gu.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be Gu Jiaojiao’s husband. On the contrary, he desperately wanted the Gu family’s approval.

“Second Brother, you need to have confidence in yourself. Practice making jianbing guozi at home this afternoon.”

“Selling jianbing guozi is a great idea. I had one yesterday, and I still want more today. If Second brother makes them at home, I’ll come over after work to eat.”

Dong Qihua’s voice was filled with excitement and anticipation.

“I’ll be selling cold skin noodles in the afternoon. I’ll practice making jianbing in the evening, or maybe make jianbing guozi for everyone’s breakfast in the morning?”

“That works too. Setting up another stall will take a few more days anyway. Right now, Mom and Dad are still getting the hang of selling cold noodles.”

“Three hundred bowls of cold skin noodles… how much money would that make?” Uncle Dong was doing the math in his head.

Three hundred bowls would be ninety yuan, and his monthly salary was only eighty yuan!

“The gross profit for three hundred bowls is ninety yuan, but after deducting costs and labor, the net profit is only about twenty yuan.”

Gu Jiaojiao said with a smile, not mentioning to Uncle Dong that each person working at the stall got five yuan per shift.

Even though he was her mom’s younger brother, she worried that if Dong Qihua mentioned it back home, the rest of the Dong family might get jealous.

“Twenty yuan in one morning? That’s forty yuan a day! Good heavens! In a month, you make more than I do in a year. Oh my goodness~”

After saying this, Dong Qihua picked up a piece of chicken and stuffed it into his mouth, completely forgetting his earlier intention to just have a small taste.

Uncle Dong was also shocked. The fish in his mouth had distinct layers of flavor, yet it was harmonious and truly delicious.

Even those in high positions are still human and have their cravings. He, too, forgot about eating sparingly.

Besides, the Su family really wasn’t short on food now. He thought about how his sister’s family would have a stable life from now on.

He found the green beans especially delicious, not to mention the boiled fish slices, which he had never tasted before.

He glanced at Su Shuoci again. This young man, twenty years his junior, was only two ranks below him in position.

Moreover, Su Shuoci had climbed up on his own, while the Dong family had been in politics for three generations. He owed his position, to some extent, to his family’s connections.

“You can’t calculate business earnings like that. On rainy days, you can’t set up the stall, and selling food is exhausting. Not to mention, it takes guts to be the first to eat crabs…”

(Being the first to eat crabs” means taking the risk to try something new. It symbolizes courage in pioneering new opportunities.)

Gu Jiaojiao rattled on about the hardships of running a food stall—unsold inventory losses, the physical toll, and more.

In the 1980s, only big cities were beginning to see the rise of street stalls and private businesses. Being the first to take the risk naturally came with many benefits.

“Jiaojiao, what does selling cold skin noodles have to do with being the first to eat crabs? Are we going to sell crabs too?”

“Haha…”

Gu Jingtai’s words made everyone burst into laughter.

Although Grandpa Gu was somewhat exasperated, he still smiled and explained to his second grandson.

This second grandson had been with his parents on the farm since he was old enough to understand. He had developed great physical strength but lacked education.

“Jingtai, studying is still very important. Why don’t you review for a year and try to get into university?

What Jiaojiao meant by ‘the first to eat crabs’ refers to a story from Shaoxing. One year, there was a crab infestation, and people tried many methods to solve it but failed.

Later, a scholar taught everyone a method: they should take a broken jar, fill it with saltwater, and wait for the crabs to crawl in. The saltwater would drown them, and eventually, all the crabs were eliminated.

When people didn’t know how to handle these crabs, it was that scholar who stepped forward first.

He ate the crabs in front of everyone and praised their delicious flavor.

Thus, people began to use ‘the first to eat crabs’ to describe someone who dares to do something first.”

Although Grandpa Gu’s voice lacked strength, when it came to his beloved literary allusions, his speech was quick and clear.

The wrinkles on his face, weathered by time, were rough and loose, resembling waves at this moment.

It was as if a cool breeze had swept across the water, creating ripples and waves.

Seeing her grandfather like this, Gu Jiaojiao’s heart also rippled with admiration for Grandpa Gu and pride in having saved the Gu family.

Hardship is an inevitable part of everyone’s life. Some people kneel down as soon as they encounter it.

There aren’t many people as tenacious as Grandpa Gu. The original book didn’t mention the Gu family.

They were probably cannon fodder who never even made an appearance. Gu Jiaojiao realized that if she had met the Gu family any later,

at least Grandpa Gu and Big Brother Gu wouldn’t have survived, and Father Gu and Mother Gu, unable to withstand the blow, would have collapsed too.

Now, Grandpa Gu could still speak eloquently and laugh heartily, and Big Brother Gu’s emaciated face had gained a bit of vitality.

It was wonderful.

No one could tell if it was the spiciness or the excitement, but a thin layer of sweat had formed on their foreheads.

After the meal, Su Shuoci cut up a watermelon. Dong Qihua, patting his round belly, said, “Su Shuoci, can I join your family for meals from now on?”

“That won’t do, Cousin. Even if you pay for the food and labor, it’s still not possible. My sister works too hard cooking.”

Before Su Shuoci could respond, Second Brother Gu interjected. His sister’s cooking was delicious, but if his uncle and cousin came to eat often, it would be too much work!

“Gu Jingtai, you… you…” Dong Qihua was at a loss for words, stammering for a while without saying anything.

“Uncle, you can come over occasionally for a treat, but if you want to eat here every day, you’ll have to wait until we get our business license and open a restaurant.”

“That’s still uncertain, but it should be soon,” Uncle Dong said thoughtfully.

Gu Jiaojiao was probing Uncle Dong for information. She knew that private restaurants seemed to be allowed in the capital now, but she wasn’t sure when Qingcheng would allow private restaurants. Running a restaurant would mean no more exposure to wind and sun.

However, Gu Jiaojiao wasn’t in a hurry. There were still few people setting up stalls now. When everyone else started following the trend, they would have earned enough by then. They could close the stalls and open a restaurant, then a banquet hall…

Since she was here, the position of Qingcheng’s richest person would undoubtedly be hers. She could even aim for the world’s richest.

Song Zijin could go to hell. She planned to take the path Song Zijin was on. She wouldn’t necessarily leave him with no way out, but at the very least, she wouldn’t let him become the richest.

The original book mentioned that the Song family had been in business for generations. The current head of the Song family was the manager of a department store.