Xie Sui sold the canned goods, and Lin Wanwan's day-long worry finally subsided. Today, they had also collected over a hundred jin of peaches, and the sight of them was daunting.
"My son is capable, who dares to laugh at us now."
Zhao Xiue was not worried at all. If her son said it could be done, it could be done. A mother had a mysterious confidence in her son.
"Oh, it's not that much meat, it's a waste of money. How can we eat meat every meal? Even landlords didn't eat like this before."
Though she said it was a waste, the smile on her face was undeniable.
"Most of it is fat. We'll render the lard for stir-frying and the rest will be gone in two meals. What do you mean eating meat every meal? Son will let you eat bird's nest and ginseng every meal in the future, Mother. You'll live a life better than any landlord."
Xie Sui's words made Zhao Xiue even happier. Her face bloomed like a trumpet flower. Living a life better than a landlord, what kind of days would that be?
Poverty limited her imagination. Now, having meat to eat was enough to satisfy her.
In a short while, the aroma of lard filled the courtyard. Xie Sui steamed rice, wanting to eat lard residue mixed with rice, with a little soy sauce, so fragrant that his eyebrows would fly off.
In the latter half of his previous life, foods with such high calories like lard residue were forbidden. With endless money, his body still declined. He couldn't eat whatever he wanted, which took away a lot of joy.
Now, in his early twenties, his body was at its peak. He could digest as much as he ate. Xie Sui naturally wanted to savor this delicacy.
His family members were eating it for the first time. They hadn't paid much attention to it before, thinking it wasn't as good as braised pork.
But then... oh, it was truly delicious.
Indeed, no one could escape the law of true fragrance. The two little ones were so engrossed in eating that they forgot to talk and show off to their dear father how much money they had earned today.
At their neighbor, Aunt Wang's house, the aroma made the sweet potatoes in their bowls seem less appealing. "What delicious food is Xie Sui making again? Life is unbearable, with so much meat and fish every day. It's making me so envious."
Aunt Wang put down her bowl and looked at her two sons with some disdain. They were both sons, but why was the other person's son so accomplished?
Her eldest daughter-in-law, Zhang Honglian, said, "Mother, tell sister Wanwan to let us join in making money. We've helped them quite a bit before. They eat meat, so it's fine if we get some soup."
Wang Tiezhu said, "Sister-in-law, that's not how you should say it. If we want to make money, we can catch scorpions, gather mushrooms on the mountain, find wood ear fungus, and sell them to Xie Sui like everyone else. You want Mother to go and say what?
Tell them the secret to their wealth? That would be looking down on us and losing the past favors."
Aunt Wang said, "Tie Zhu is right. We helped Wanwan's mother and them before because we pitied them and didn't seek any reward. Today, all three of you, father and sons, go catch scorpions, and tomorrow I'll go find shiitake mushrooms and wood ear fungus. If you want to make money, don't be afraid of hard work."
Zhang Honglian was unwilling but couldn't refute her mother-in-law. Catching scorpions was too hard, going up the mountain at night. How could it be as easy as Xie Sui running errands?
After happily eating the lard residue mixed with rice, Xie Sui dealt with the two boys and then had time to talk to Lin Wanwan.
"Wife, did you miss me?"
Lin Wanwan gave him a sidelong glance and ignored him.
"Hehe, I wanted to ask if you want to know where I sold my canned goods."
Lin Wanwan's ears twitched. Of course, she was curious, but she wouldn't ask. She'd wait for Xie Sui to tell her.
After all, they had been married for many years, and he was the type who couldn't keep a secret for long. He would definitely tell her.
As expected, Xie Sui was eager to show off to Lin Wanwan.
"No."
Lin Wanwan deliberately didn't give him what he wanted and continued with her needlework. The children's clothes were already made, and this was using the leftover fabric to make shoes.
"Don't tire yourself out. Tomorrow, we'll buy new shoes. You'll go to the county town with me and buy some new clothes."
"No need, someone needs to stay home."
Lin Wanwan refused again. Xie Sui's eyes rolled. "Is that so? I wanted to buy you some books too. Since you don't want to go, then forget it."
Xie Sui made a gesture as if to leave, and Lin Wanwan grabbed him. "Mom can stay home. I can go with you."
Lin Wanwan was an educated youth. In her spare time, she loved reading literary books, and she could also dance and play the piano. However, being sent to the countryside stifled her talent. She could only read books she liked and reminisce about the past.
"Beg me!"
Lin Wanwan twisted him hard with her hand. Xie Sui immediately begged for mercy. "No, it hurts! I beg you, please let go!"
"You know better."
Lin Wanwan playfully released her hand, chiding him. This guy was all talk, but quick to surrender when it came to physical action.
"I sold them at the school gate and even developed a distributor. They can sell at least thirty bottles a day."
Xie Sui excitedly showed off to Lin Wanwan, and also looked forward to his future plans.
"What is a distributor?"
Lin Wanwan had also studied and couldn't quite keep up with Xie Sui's train of thought.
"It means we give them a profit margin, and they help us sell the goods, using their place and manpower. It seems like less profit, but it's less hassle."
"Next will be the commissary in the family courtyard, and then expand throughout the entire county."
"Not just canned goods, we can also make peach pudding. I've already thought of it. I'll try making a little bit every day. It's more profitable than canned goods, and it has a longer shelf life. This business can be done now."
"When we save enough money, we can buy a production line. We can transport fruits like oranges and apples from the south to make real canned goods. That's where the big money is."
Lin Wanwan's eyes lit up. His step-by-step plan sounded crazy, but upon closer thought, it was very feasible. For the first time, she realized Xie Sui was truly intelligent.
"Let's take it step by step, steadily. The policy is still unstable now. Don't get caught. The crime of speculation is very serious. Don't get yourself into trouble. No amount of money is worth it."
Xie Sui was touched. "Wife, are you worried about me?"
"No, I'm worried that our child will have no father."
Lin Wanwan vehemently denied it. Xie Sui chuckled. His wife was saying one thing and meaning another, he knew. He was already content to be able to talk so harmoniously.
After a good night's sleep, Xie Sui was woken up early by Lin Wanwan. She applied a wet towel to his face. Xie Sui endured his morning grumpiness. "Wife, can we find another way to wake me up?"
"Okay, a different one each day, no repeats. I can satisfy this request."
Lin Wanwan indicated that she had many methods, such as pinching his nose, banging gongs, or making him drink a lot of water at night so he'd wake up to pee.
The children, with their inexhaustible energy, had already woken up. However, their little faces were wrinkled, and they looked at Xie Sui for help because Lin Wanwan had told them to recite poems, and they weren't allowed to eat until they did.
"What poem are you reciting?"
"Quiet Night Thought."
"It's too difficult. Can Dad recite it?"
"Of course. Your father is educated, after all. Do you think little of me?"
"Listen carefully. Moonlight before my bed, I thought it was frost on the ground. I raise my head to gaze at the moon, the moon thinks of my sesame seed cake, oooooh, I take a bite, half the sesame seed cake is gone!"