Chapter 15 Expanding Business

Chapter 15 Expanding Business

Chapter Summary: Brother-in-law, New Sister-in-law...

"Selling steamed buns! Hot steamed buns!"

"Freshly fried dumplings! Three coins a pack, ten coins for three packs, don't miss out!"

"Oh! Uncle Li! One pack costs three coins, how about three packs for ten coins?"

"...Stop causing trouble! Go away!"

"spit!"

"They're here! They're here!"

"Hurry up! Stop shoving!"

The morning sun rises over Jingyang Ridge and gently sweeps across the bustling market in front of Yanggu County.

At the corner of the county town, Yun Ge, with a willow basket slung over his left hand and rubbing his empty belly with his right, was pacing around, trying to figure out how to ask Uncle Li for a few dumplings when suddenly a commotion arose behind him.

Yun Ge turned his head and saw that something had happened on the other side of the street. The villagers who had been walking slowly just moments before suddenly quickened their pace and jostled each other to get through.

"What happened?" He grabbed one of them and asked loudly.

"Wuhan University has set up stalls!"

Fearing he might delay, the man broke free and shouted at the top of his lungs. More passersby, infected by the eagerness and urgency in his tone, rushed over with great interest, even though they didn't know what was going on.

"Wuhan University?"

Upon hearing that Wu Da had brought steamed buns, Yun Ge's face lit up with joy. He tightened his grip on the basket on his wrist, pushed through the crowd, and strode forward.

"Make way! Make way quickly!"

"Why are you pushing me?"

"What are you doing causing trouble, Yun Ge!"

Yun Ge glared at his surroundings and spat to those around him, saying, "I want to say something to Wu Da!"

He ignored the shoving and complaining from both sides and just kept charging forward.

After finally squeezing to the front, where everyone was sweating and sweltering, Wu Da was already on the verge of saying, "Wu Da, a steamed bun, please!" But Wu Da waved his short, thick fingers, wiped the sweat from his forehead, closed the last lid of the steamer, and, beaming, announced to the crowd, "Sold out for today! Everyone, come early tomorrow!"

"It's gone again?!"

"How much did that woman buy just now?"

"Twenty! They said the kids in the family wouldn't eat anything else, only their steamed buns with mulberry sauce!"

"..."

Yun Ge, who was leaning over the stall, listened to the discussions around him and was suddenly dumbfounded. He lifted the lid to take a look, grabbed Wu Da, and said incredulously, "Wu Da, sold out again?!"

"Sold out! All sold out!" Wu Da laughed heartily and proudly, rubbing his hands together. "Brother Yun, hurry up early tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow again! I've been up early for three days and haven't managed to grab anything yet!" A neighbor couldn't contain himself and shouted, pressing the shoulder of the person in front of him.

Those around them echoed the sentiment.

"Wu Da, please make an exception for us! We left before dawn to prepare the 'Top Scholar Cake' for your wife!"

"Yeah yeah!"

Ever since the Wu family's steamed buns made their debut and gained fame at the summer banquet of Qingchen Academy, the scene before us has become the daily routine for Wu Da's stall in front of the county.

What's more, several scholars were delighted by the exquisite designs of each type of steamed bun and gave different names to the different designs.

Those decorated with ingots are called "Gold Ingots"; those depicting peonies are called "May Flowers"; those shaped like scrolls are called "Ten Thousand Scrolls"; those printed with an official's hat are called "Easy to Pass the Imperial Examination"...

Hearing the conversation behind him, the quick-witted Yun Ge's eyes darted around, and he said to Wu Dalang with a shameless grin, "Wu Da, we're neighbors, so please be lenient! I'll pay you the money first, and leave me two gold ingots tomorrow, how about that?"

"Why is Brother Yun allowed to make a reservation?!"

After returning empty-handed for three consecutive days, the young man grew impatient and shouted, "Wu Da, I'll pay first! Tomorrow, you must leave two 'Deng Ke' (a type of scholar) for me!"

"I can pay first!"

"And me! I want four Mayflowers and one Ten Thousand Volumes!"

"..."

The commotion gradually escalated into a cacophony of voices and chatter.

Seeing that the group was pushing and shoving him forward, Wu Da retreated repeatedly, his hands clenched, sweating profusely with anxiety.

A local resident, unable to bear it any longer, loudly reminded him, "Wu Da, did you write down what kind of cakes everyone ordered for tomorrow, and who paid for them?"

Wu Da's eyes widened, his face fell with anxiety, and after looking around for a moment, he grabbed Yun Ge, who was standing right in front of him, and said in a gruff voice, "Brother Yun, can you read?"

Yun Ge tilted his head back and thought for a moment, then nodded and grinned slyly, "I can do it, Wu Da, what benefits will you give me if I write for you?"

Wu Da looked up at the huge crowd surrounding the stall, took off the handkerchief from the carrying pole to wipe his sweat, and then turned to him and said, "Write this for me, and I'll treat you to wine tomorrow! I'll also treat you to those two gold ingots, how about that?"

"Brother is so generous!"

Yun Ge stood up with a broad smile, turned to the gentleman next door who wrote letters for people and borrowed paper and pen. He returned to his stall, waved his hand, and said to the crowd in a loud voice, "Line up! One by one! Give the money to Wu Da, and tell me what kind of pancake you want!"

"Move! Line up!"

"Three Mayflowers!"

"Two gold ingots!"

"Three! Three gold ingots! Wu Da, keep the money safe!"

"..."

Half an hour later, on Zishi Street, at the Wu family's residence.

"My wife!"

Pan Yue was busy at the stove when she heard the sound of the door opening, unloading, and closing. She glanced up, then looked out the window at the sky and asked curiously, "It seems like we're selling slower today than the past few days. Is it because the new flavors aren't appealing to the people of the county?"

"Quite the opposite!"

Wu Da, waddling around with his ridiculously short stature, squeezed into the kitchen, pulling out the order form he had carefully hidden all the way from his pocket. He grinned at Pan Yue and said, "Look, my wife! What's this?"

"This is?"

Pan Yue got up, took it, and looked at it in the sunlight.

"Old Lady Li, Mayflower, three; Zhang Sanlang, Gold Ingot, two; Zhao Sanniang, Easy to Pass the Imperial Examination, two..."

Pan Yue paused, glanced at the order in her hand, then looked at him and asked, "An order from the county magistrate? Has he paid for it?"

"Payment received!"

Wu Da untied the bulging money pouch from his waist, weighed it in his hand, and smiled broadly, nodding repeatedly, saying, "If it weren't for the fact that each load contains at most ten fan baskets, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to finish writing on a single sheet of paper!"

The afternoon sunlight slanted through the window, and the dry firewood in the stove crackled and popped.

A ray of sunshine slanted across the hall. Looking at the heavy money bag in his hand, Pan Yue's furrowed brows relaxed, and her clear eyes shone.

More than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye, and the people of the county are only more enthusiastic about the "flowery steamed buns".

Having withstood the test of the market, perhaps it's time to expand operations and open stores!

That evening, after Wu Song returned from the county office, the three of them ate as usual. Pan Yue did not leave the table in a hurry as usual. Instead, she asked the two of them to stay for a while, brewed a pot of tea, and, with the bright moon and gentle breeze, slowly said, "There is something I would like to discuss with you two brothers."

"What's troubling you, my lady? Please speak freely!"

During the meal, after drinking two cups of wine, when they began to discuss matters, Wu Da, sitting opposite them, already had flushed cheeks and glazed eyes.

Pan Yue gently stroked the edge of the teacup, pondered for a moment, then frowned slightly and said, "Judging from the situation of our family's steamed bun business over the past half month, ten baskets a day is not a problem, twelve baskets is also possible; if it is during the New Year, I'm afraid twenty baskets would be no problem either... However, a carrying pole can only carry a maximum of ten baskets, and it is too much of a waste of time for Wu Da to travel back and forth to Zishi Street every day."

"What does my wife mean?" The two brothers looked at each other, wondering what idea she had come up with.

"What I mean is..."

Pan Yue raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the two men, and said seriously, "If you two are also willing, why don't you save up some money for a while, and then go to the county seat to rent another shop? Firstly, it will save Wu Da the trouble of going to and from Zishi Street every day, and secondly..."

She turned to look at the somewhat cramped kitchen outside the main hall and said slowly, "I will use this place to develop new products; if there are urgent orders from neighbors or villagers, whether for weddings or funerals, they can also be completed here without affecting Wu Da's daily stall."

Pan Yue turned to the two Wu brothers, her eyes probing, and asked, "What do you two think?"

"Perfect!"

Before he could finish speaking, Wu Da waved his hand, his eyes shining with anticipation for a future brimming with wealth, and said, "No need to travel back and forth to the county seat, there's plenty of time! We can welcome guests as soon as we open the door!"

"But there's no need to be frugal!"

Wu Song had always blindly trusted her. He tilted his head and thought for a moment, then took the money pouch from his waist, presented it with both hands, and said as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "This is my monthly salary that was just paid today. Yunyun, take it!"

"No!"

Pan Yue waved her hands repeatedly: "Your monthly salary is what you earn after a month of hard work; it's fine as long as it helps with household expenses..."

"belch"

Before he could finish speaking, Wu Da let out a drunken hiccup, snatched the money pouch from Wu Song's hand, stuffed it into Pan Yue's hand, and grinned, "An elder sister-in-law is like a mother! Since Second Brother is willing to give it to you, Madam, please accept it!"

The saying "the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother" was like a needle hidden in cotton, subtly and densely pricking Pan Yue's heart, causing her to tremble slightly.

Looking up and seeing Wu Song's calm expression, he subconsciously looked away, picked up his money bag, and nodded slightly, saying, "In that case, I'll go to the county office tomorrow to see if there are any suitable shops for rent!"

"I'll have a relaxing day off tomorrow!"

Wu Song straightened his back and said happily, "I'll go with Yunyun!"

The next morning, Wu Da carried steamed buns out the door, followed closely by Pan Yue and Wu Song.

Shangguan Jian'ai was well-known in the village.

Before today, Pan Yue had never fully understood the meaning of these eight characters until she arrived at the bustling county town.

"Does the captain have some free time today?"

"These vegetables were just picked this morning, please don't mind them, boss!"

"Captain, come and take a look at my stall. Take whatever you like!"

At first, the shops on both sides vied to offer vegetables and fruits, hoping to catch the eye of Captain Wu and have him accept one or two. But after turning a corner, some nosy old woman, after inquiring, shouted, "Captain Wu is still unmarried!"

The young women and wives of each household glanced around, but in the blink of an eye, the wind that had swept through the narrow alley suddenly changed direction!

"Oh dear! I have offended you, sir! I deserve to die!"

The hairpin-wearing maiden stumbled and, by sheer coincidence, bumped right into the burly head constable Wu, leaving a trail of fragrant breeze.

"Captain, upstairs!"

Before the beautiful woman in his arms could get up, a sweet laugh came from above. It was the young lady from the Li family who had opened the window. When Wu Song looked up, she shyly closed the small window with plum blossom patterns.

"My lord, my wife greets you!"

Wu Dutou looked bewildered. He picked up the handkerchief that Li Xiaoniangzi had thrown down, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, Gao Jia San Niang, who was coming from the opposite direction, swerved sharply and crashed straight into his arms...

Within a narrow alley of only three or four miles to the left and right, there were about 30 to 40% more unmarried girls than usual.

In just a few steps, the burly Wu Dutou was already adorned with red and green, three flowers in his hair, four silk handkerchiefs at his waist, and eight sachets in his hands... so full that his two hands could not hold them all.

He said he was accompanying her to look at the shop, but she was squeezed out of the crowd.

Under the archway at the alley entrance, Pan Yue, squinting at Wu Er surrounded by beauties under the scorching summer sun, felt a mix of emotions.

Unfortunately, Wu Er was oblivious to the situation.

Surrounded by a group of young women, laughing and chatting, they had already used all their charms. Wu Erlang, in the center, still looked bewildered, and no matter who approached, he would look up at her first.

Yet he accepted everything offered. No matter who offered him a sachet, handkerchief, or hairpin, he carefully put it into his bag, as if afraid of being impolite.

Perhaps it was the intense summer sun, but Pan Yue felt the sunlight coming over the wall was becoming increasingly dazzling. In just a moment, beads of sweat dripped from her temples, blurring her vision. It felt as if a fire was burning inside her, crackling and burning relentlessly under the warm summer sun.

"Hey! Wu Dutou, you're quite the handsome young man. Have you ever taken a liking to any young lady?"

Her inner anxiety and confusion reached its peak when two flamboyant matchmakers, swaying their hips and waving handkerchiefs, pushed and shoved each other into the alleyway, speaking without restraint.

Why are you squeezing in?

Pan Yue shouted angrily, spreading her arms to block their way, and yelled, "Can't you see the alley is already packed with people?"

"spit!"

The two matchmakers, one fat and one thin, were taken aback.

The plump matchmaker, with a red peony on her head and a face full of fat, trembled slightly. She glanced at her while waving her fragrant fan, and said with displeasure, "Madam, you're so nosy! Who are you to him, meddling so much!"

"I!"

"Yo!"

Before Pan Yue could finish speaking, another fragrant breeze wafted over her.

The thin matchmaker, half a step behind, swayed her willow-like waist and walked with delicate steps. Her round fan half-covered her face, and her gaze, half-mocking, lingered between the matchmaker and Wu Song for a moment. She then turned and winked at the plump matchmaker in front of her, saying meaningfully, "Sister, you're so confused! Younger brother-in-law, new sister-in-law, look at that short, scrawny man, and look at his brother… ha! What kind of relationship do you think they have?"

"you?!"

In both her past and present lives, Pan Yue "hates" Jinlian the most and is most afraid of repeating the mistakes of Pan Jinlian in the original story. Now, she is being framed by that matchmaker for no reason...

A ray of sunshine swept into the alleyway, and Pan Yue felt a buzzing in her head. She waved her hand to block the matchmaker's unshielded lips.

Who knew that the matchmaker, though thin, was actually quite agile. When Pan Yue reached out, she assumed Pan Yue was about to resort to violence and dodged her. At the same time, she gave her a look, and the fat matchmaker in front of her immediately understood. Her eyes gleamed, her chest jiggled, and she lunged at Pan Yue.

"That'll teach you to mind your own business!"

Pan Yue felt a powerful force attacking from behind, causing her to lose her footing and fall forward. The ground in front of her was getting closer and closer, and she instinctively closed her eyes in fright.

"Yunyun?!"

A startled shout, distorted in tone, swept in with a chilling wind.

"boom!"

No one saw how he made his way through the crowd. When they came to their senses, only two matchmakers remained at the alley entrance, disheveled and looking bewildered.

Below the archway, the fine hairs swayed and dust swirled, but where was Pan Yue's shadow, inside or out?