"Xie Sui, you're asking for it!"
Lin Wanwan roared, so angry she grabbed a broom to hit him. How could he teach children like that? They didn't learn the good things, but they learned the bad ones instantly!
"Haha, the moon is like a baked flatbread!"
"Aowu, take a bite, half the flatbread is gone!"
The two little ones clapped their hands, remembering it clearly. Lin Wanwan truly felt like killing Xie Sui.
The morning started with chaos and noise, yet it was filled with a lively warmth. It was a cozy and heartwarming life Xie Sui could never have dreamed of in his previous life. Teasing Lin Wanwan and playing with the children, he felt his life was instantly complete.
"Alright, recite the poem properly, listen to Mama. Papa believes my son is so smart, reciting a poem is a piece of cake."
"Dad, when are you buying the comic books you promised?"
"I'll buy them today, I definitely will, but only after Mama calms down!"
Xie Sui slipped into the kitchen to make peach pudding.
It was actually simple. Sweet potatoes were abundant in the village, and everyone had sweet potato starch at home. If they couldn't finish it, they made noodles, which were almost a staple for northerners.
He boiled peaches with hot water, adding a little salt to prevent oxidation, which made the color look better. He simmered them to make syrup, added diced peaches, and finally stirred in starch. Pouring the mixture into molds while hot, the pudding was ready.
Of course, it wasn't as visually appealing as in his previous life, being slightly cloudy. Using cornstarch or edible gum would have been better, but this was just an initial attempt, and he could improve it slowly later.
Xie Sui also had a trump card: dried peaches. He planned to package them in small portions for children, selling each pack for five or eight fen, which should yield a considerable profit.
"Come, taste if it's good!"
Xie Sui waited for the pudding to cool, then cut it into small pieces for Lin Wanwan and the children to try. Women and children couldn't resist such chewy snacks, and they fell in love with it immediately.
"It's delicious, sweet, chewy, and smooth. Dad, I want more."
Lin Wanwan also said, "It's indeed good, but the color isn't very attractive. If you sell it, its appearance isn't good enough."
"But it's healthy. This appearance needs improvement. Wife, do you have any good ideas?"
Lin Wanwan looked at what Xie Sui had made and thought, "Could you make the sweet potato starch purer? For example, by sifting it and grinding it finer. Would that make it better?"
"Wife, you're so smart. Then this task is for you. I need to go to the county to get some packaging materials. I'll do it right away."
If it were his past life, with a plethora of snacks constantly emerging, it would be difficult to stand out by excelling in appearance, taste, and health simultaneously.
But in this era, snacks were a luxury. People were just concerned about filling their stomachs, and many, holding onto their "iron rice bowls," were content with their current lives. It was still the era of the planned economy.
They could never have imagined that their so-called iron rice bowls would eventually be eliminated, and that within five years, the first wave of layoffs would arrive, and the market economy would begin to flourish.
Xie Sui's pudding was a rare delicacy and was bound to be popular.
On this trip to the county, he first delivered twenty bottles of preserves to Hu Lan'er outside the school. Then Xie Sui went to the county's cotton mill. There were many female workers there, who had money and significant purchasing power.
As the female workers from the cotton mill got off work and pushed their bicycles, their vibrant energy radiated, forming a beautiful scenery.
Zhang Wenfeng was stunned. So many beautiful women! He never saw so many in the village.
"Don't you want your eyeballs? These women are tough. Be careful you don't get scolded!"
Just as Xie Sui finished speaking, a middle-aged woman noticed him. She glared and said, "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen women before? Your eyes are staring and leering. Are you a hooligan?"
Zhang Wenfeng was terrified. How could he, such an honest person, be associated with a hooligan?
In those days, hooligans could be shot. He wouldn't dare have such thoughts even if he were beaten to death.
"Oh, Big Sister, you have such a strong sense of justice. Our factory needs warm-hearted elder sisters like you to protect so many pretty sisters!"
"We're here to sell preserves. My brother is not married and has never seen so many beautiful sisters before. He's dazzled. Even if he had the courage of a lion, he wouldn't dare offend you ladies?"
"We brought some preserves from home. Please have some, sisters, as an apology."
Xie Sui plastered a smile on his face, and with a few words, the middle-aged woman's expression softened. She looked at the preserves they brought and ate a piece, asking, "Are you selling these preserves?"
"Yes, Sister. You're clearly an intelligent person. They're two yuan a bottle, five mao cheaper than the supply and marketing cooperative. They're made from our own peaches, very fresh."
The middle-aged woman was experienced and not easily fooled like people in the village. She said, "It's cheaper, but the shelf life is short, and they spoil easily. Canned goods are more suitable."
"Sister, you're the smartest person I've ever met. Indeed. Buy them and eat them when you get home. I'll give you another two mao discount, one yuan and eight mao. You can treat your children and elders at home."
The female workers were tempted. One yuan and eight mao was a lot, but it was acceptable for an occasional treat.
However, no one spoke, waiting for the middle-aged sister to make the decision. She seemed like a leader, and the female workers trusted her implicitly.
"It's still too expensive. How about this: one yuan and five mao. With so many of us, we can buy them all."
Zhang Wenfeng couldn't help but say, "We don't sell them like this. Our minimum is one yuan and eight mao. We've never sold them at this price. We're losing money. Brother Xie, we can't sell them."
Xie Sui said, "Indeed, we've never sold them like this before. But after this batch, I don't plan to make preserves anymore. I'll consider this a clearance. One yuan and five mao, let's be friends, Sister."
"My name is Xie Sui. In the future, if you need any local products from my home, I'll give you a discount. Looking at you, Sister, I feel like I'm seeing my own elder sister."
"Haha... Young man, you really know how to talk. I'm the Women's Director at the factory, my surname is Gu."
"Hello, Sister Gu."
Xie Sui built rapport with Director Gu, and Zhang Wenfeng reluctantly began selling the preserves, unknowingly cooperating with Xie Sui. The female workers instantly felt they had struck a great deal and were afraid of missing out.
A familiar scene unfolded. Zhang Wenfeng saw hands holding money everywhere, and they were instantly surrounded.
In half an hour, the remaining preserves were sold out. Many who couldn't get any looked regretful.
"Will you be back tomorrow at this time? They're all sold out today."
"Leave two jars for me tomorrow, please. I'm planning to visit relatives."
Xie Sui said regretfully, "It's not suitable for visiting relatives. The shelf life is only three days. Sisters, please eat them quickly when you get home. They can't last for three days. Don't say I didn't remind you. If they spoil, please don't eat them. We won't be responsible if you get a stomach ache."
No business is without its tricks, but to conduct business long-term, integrity is paramount. Xie Sui's honesty earned Director Gu more favor.
"Brother Xie, aren't we losing money? One yuan and five mao is too cheap."
Zhang Wenfeng was still reluctant. Losing three mao per bottle, and with so many, how much money was lost?