WBSGVS Chapter 75 V1

Without someone to engage with, even the best performance loses its spark.

When Qingli covered her ears, Zhang Shuangshuang, who was used to throwing veiled insults, found herself losing steam. If the other party doesn’t care, then what’s the point of raging? Plus, it’s not like she could hurl every insult under the sun at her granddaughter—after all, Qingli’s ancestors are part of the Du family, too!

Growing frustrated, Zhang’s voice became softer. She exchanged a glance with Du Chuan, then looked at her granddaughter, who refused to even open the door, and silently turned away.

Nearby, He Dan had been listening to the commotion. She watched her in-laws slowly lose their fight, while Qingli, the target, remained unharmed. Frustrated, He Dan thought, This didn’t affect Qingli at all!

She felt resentment bubbling up but didn’t dare say anything to her in-laws. She stormed back home, sulking with clenched fists. It’s so annoying—Qingli can stand tall without asking anyone for help, while her circumstances are the complete opposite. The contrast made He Dan feel even more bitter.

Yet after this incident, He Dan realized that without a secret recipe, she couldn’t run a food business. As Du Qing had warned her, she lacked the talent. But she didn’t want to give up so easily.

Then, an idea sparked in her mind.

She’d learned during her recent sales venture that many people in town sourced clothes from Shenshi, where prices were much lower. Maybe she could give that a try?

One thing He Dan was good at was taking action. After struggling for nearly 40 years, she knew she had to be proactive or her life would be even harder. So, she started making plans.

How would she get to Shenshi?

First, she’d need to know where to get the supplies. Then she’d need the money for a train ticket, followed by the money to buy the goods. It wouldn’t be cheap.

Considering herself fully a part of the Du family, He Dan’s first instinct was to discuss it with her husband, Du Qing. But the moment she saw him, she held back and decided to approach her in-laws instead.

He Dan controlled the household finances, so there was enough for a train ticket. But she’d need at least 500 yuan to buy stock.

Her in-laws had half of her eldest brother-in-law’s pension saved up, and if they could loan her some, the first trip would be covered.

However, when He Dan eagerly brought up the idea to Du Chuan and his wife, they said, “We’re not getting involved. This money is saved for our retirement, and we’re not touching it. Don’t worry—when the time comes for the eldest grandson’s wedding, we’ll pitch in. No need to waste money on new schemes.”

It was like a bucket of cold water poured over He Dan, almost extinguishing her hopes. But unwilling to give up, she waited two days, then turned to her brothers for help.

This time, they readily agreed.

With the plan set, He Dan set out to gather more information on where to source clothing in Shenshi. She even gave a red envelope to one of the clothing vendors to get the address. After that, she and her brother bought their tickets and headed off with their combined savings and plenty of optimism.

While everyone was busy finding ways to make money, Qingli was no exception.

Raising a child is expensive, especially when the child is adorable, and Qingli loved dressing her daughter up. For example, did the little girl have enough cute clothes?

But Qingli’s current profits of just over two yuan a day weren’t enough. Originally, she planned to take it slow, enjoying life while building her business gradually. In this peaceful era, she had the skills to live comfortably anytime she wanted.

Now, however, she needed extra income.

Qingli didn’t want to open a store in town; it would be too much hassle and would take time away from caring for her daughter. After some thought, she returned to the black market. “I have a business proposal. Interested?”

“What kind of business?” asked the old man who greeted her.

Qingli took out some egg yolk pastries, red bean sticky cakes, snow-skin mooncakes, and salted egg yolk mooncakes she’d rushed to prepare. “Here’s the deal: you provide the ingredients and handle the sales, I’ll handle the production. We split the profits 30-70. What do you say?”

She opened the box, and a fragrant, subtly sweet aroma wafted out.

The egg yolk pastries and snow-skin mooncakes, in particular, looked irresistible.

The old man’s eyes lit up, and he asked, “You made these?”

“Yes.” Qingli nodded, inviting him to try.

Instead of tasting it himself, he led her to the courtyard, closed the door, and called others over. “Everyone, come see what we have here.”

The young men, though not usually fans of sweets, were immediately intrigued by the beautiful appearance of the treats. After tasting, they were thoroughly impressed. “Delicious!”

“Where did you get these?”

“Are they pricey? If we could sell these in the city, we’d make a fortune!”

The old man smiled, signaling toward Qingli. “They’re from her.”

Everyone turned eagerly toward Qingli.

Qingli smiled. “I made them. I’d like to discuss a partnership with you. How does it sound?”

The response was immediate: “Absolutely!”

They moved right to discussing terms, with no hesitation. The black market’s profits had dipped recently, so this was a rare opportunity to make something good. The flavors were exceptional, and even if the town couldn’t buy it all, the nearby city would certainly welcome them. After all, not many people had this skill.

The deal was struck quickly. Qingli’s ask was simple: she’d contribute her skills, and they’d handle the ingredients and sales. Her share would be just 30%.

Once everything was set, Qingli no longer had to sell in person daily.

Her partners delivered the ingredients to her and then picked up the finished goods for sale.

Her workload increased significantly, as she now had to make more treats. Every day, the delicious smell from Qingli’s kitchen filled the air. Even neighbors passing by would pause, drawn in by the aroma.

Soon, parents in the village would buy small treats from her to satisfy their kids.

On the second day of the partnership, the delivery person brought back five yuan from sales. Though she’d only made a small batch that day, this initial profit showed just how effective their distribution network was.

Both Qingli and her new partners were satisfied with the arrangement.

The two parties agreed to a larger order, and they would pick it up at the same time the next day.

The pickup person arrived at midnight, and Qīnglí made everything in advance to ensure the food was as fresh as possible for the customers.

By the third day, Qīnglí’s earnings doubled, and her partner commented, “You could make even more. Lots of people love these treats and want more, but we keep running out.”

Qīnglí waved a hand dismissively. “Too much and I’ll be exhausted. By the way, next time you come, bring some baking soda. I want to try making something new.”

The person looked slightly disappointed but brightened up at the mention of a new product.

Once he left, Qīnglí took Xiǎoyǔ back to bed. The past couple of days of late-night work had turned the once well-rested child into a little night owl.

Lying in bed, Xiǎoyǔ turned to her, eyes full of concern. “Sister, I can help you. Let me stay up with you, please?”

Qīnglí patted her on the head. “Kids should just have fun. Didn’t I give you candy to share with the kids in the village? How come you haven’t finished it?”

Xiǎoyǔ pressed her lips together, staying silent.

Qīnglí poked her gently on the cheek, enjoying the soft feel. “Not going to tell me?”

Xiǎoyǔ squirmed, covering her face briefly before lowering her hands, letting her sister keep poking her. Embarrassed, she murmured, “Sister, you work so hard to earn money, so I don’t want to share it with them.”

Qīnglí chuckled. “Didn’t realize I was raising a little money-saver!”

She’d bought a jar of candy, but unless Qīnglí specifically offered some, Xiǎoyǔ wouldn’t touch it. She wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t asked.

“All right,” she said. “Then just go play without it.”

Xiǎoyǔ looked uneasy. “I don’t want to play with them! They’ll mess up my clothes.”

Qīnglí smiled wryly. Xiǎoyǔ probably knew she wasn’t fond of doing laundry.

Though Xiǎoyǔ often tried to help around the house, she was only six, so her chores were limited to feeding the chickens, walking the dog, sweeping, and wiping tables. Laundry was too much for her.

Moved, Qīnglí decided not to push her. She thought about it and said, “You can help me, but you’re not quite strong enough yet. You’ll need to exercise each day to build up your strength.”

“I can do it!” Xiǎoyǔ said eagerly, grabbing her sister’s hand.

Qīnglí nodded. “All right. Starting tomorrow, we’ll go for a run around the village every morning until you’re tired.”

“Okay!”