516: Chapter 505: I’m Buying 516: Chapter 505: I’m Buying Sotis when she only described the thod for one dish, Junior Ms.
Qian could co up with other thods, though only with so modifications, the taste that ca out was still different.
In the eyes of the cook, a dish with a different taste was a different dish altogether.
She also learned many dishes she had never seen before, such as stuffed tofu.
She had never thought that after tofu was made too dry and cut into small pieces, frying it in oil would result in tofu puffs, which could be slit open and stuffed with various fillings.
Anyway, after she learned from her, everything she made for the Old Madam was well-liked.
Just as Junior Ms.
Qian was fretting over the children’s wasteful spending in the county town and wanted to learn more snacks to capture their hearts, Manbao and the three others were reveling in the county’s delicacies.
Even Datou and the others went to the city to have fun, though they were in different groups; each had their own little buddies.
Now that they were older and familiar with the county town, even the youngest, Si Tou and Sanya, could go play in town because their older siblings were taking them along.
But unlike their aunt, they only ca to town on the 28th to buy so “New Year goods” for themselves, not like Sixth Uncle and their aunt who had made a grand vow to try all the delicious foods in town.
Because of school, the children had indeed spent quite a bit of money this year.
The tuition and so major expenses were paid by the family, but they also had their own money.
When they needed to change a pen or buy ink sticks, they couldn’t resist taking out money from their aunt to purchase them.
As it went back and forth, their savings rapidly dwindled, so now they were all being frugal.
Datou and the others didn’t buy fabric for new clothes this year, and Daya and her sisters didn’t even buy new ribbons, sticking with their old ones.
After all, they didn’t have ti to help the family sell ginger and yams after they started school, hence no more inco.
For so reason, everyone began to miss Second Miss Fu unanimously.
If she were still here, every break when they delivered candy to her, they could earn a bit of money.
Alas~~
Manbao was also sighing, looking at the queue of people ahead and sighing.
Bai Shanbao peered forward and then said to Manbao, “That looks really tasty.”
It was soon their turn, and the stall owner asked, “Five wen each, how many do you want?”
After a discussion, they finally said, “We’ll take four!”
The stall owner then put four roasted persimmons on a plate for them, and Bai Shanbao, who was in charge of the money, paid.
The four of them took a table and huddled together to inspect, with Manbao noting, “The color is much darker than that of persimmons.”
Zhou Liulang lightly touched one with his finger and said, “It’s hot and soft too.”
Bai Shanbao sniffed and concluded, “And it slls better, too, a nice, refreshing scent.”
Bai Erlang swallowed, “I bet it’s very sweet.
How should we eat it?”
Of course, they imitated the others, picking up a reed stick nearby to eat with.
After sucking the juice inside the fruit, they ate the persimmon skins as well, contentedly saying, “This is really good.”
“It’s a pity we can’t eat anymore,” Manbao touched her little belly and said, “I’ve eaten so much today; let’s head ho and co back tomorrow.”
However, today they still hadn’t eaten at a restaurant.
The three sighed in disappointnt and then touched their swollen bellies, slowly walking back.
No way around it, they had just eaten until they were stuffed; if they walked too fast, they’d get stomachaches.
Unable to help herself, Manbao yawned.
On a cold winter’s day, soone who had just eaten was prone to feeling sleepy, and right now, Manbao really wanted to sleep.
Her eyes half-closed, she looked around, hoping to distract herself by observing the stalls and shops along the road, and that’s when she spotted a very familiar shop with a very familiar person leaning on its door, talking to soone.
As a polite child, Manbao naturally waved to him as she passed by, “Brother Shi, are you busy?”
Zhou Liulang, who was more familiar with Shi Xiaoen, also raised his hand in greeting, “Brother Shi, may you be prosperous in the New Year.”
This was just a common greeting; the siblings didn’t even pause in their step and continued yawning and moving forward.
Bai Shanbao and Bai Erlang only glanced at Shi Xiaoen and, not recognizing him, continued on.
Little did they know, Shi Xiaoen narrowed his eyes at the sight of them and imdiately called them over.
Leaning on the door, he lifted his chin and asked Zhou Liulang and Manbao, “I rember you said last year, if I were to sell my shop, to find you first.
Has your family bought a shop yet?”
Zhou Liulang was confused; when had he said that?
Manbao thought hard and rembered; it was after last year’s autumn harvest when she went to the city to buy bracelets for her family that she had run into him.
She scratched her head and asked, “Brother Shi, are you selling your shop again?”
Shi Xiaoen humd in acknowledgent and pointed to the shop behind him, “One hundred and twenty taels, two floors plus a small courtyard.
Interested?”
The person standing next to Shi Xiaoen was displeased and exclaid, “Eldest Master Shi, you can’t do business like this.
My offer is one hundred and twenty taels…”
“If you’re buying, it’ll be one hundred and fifty taels,” he said, “I can sell this shop slowly, even for one hundred and eighty taels.
You’ve haggled so much, I don’t feel like selling it to you.”
The prospective buyer was furious and shouted, “Shi Xiaoen, you’re practically bankrupt, and yet you’re still being arrogant.
This shop is bad luck; I’m not even sure I can make a business out of it if I buy it…”
“So if you dislike it so much, why do you still want to buy?” Shi Xiaoen wasn’t turning his nose up at the money, but he disliked the disparaging words the man said while haggling about his family’s shop, and coincidentally he saw Zhou Liulang and Manbao, so he simply changed his mind.
Even if Zhou Liulang and his sister didn’t buy it, it wasn’t a big deal; he could always sell it to soone else.
He couldn’t believe that a shop worth one hundred and twenty taels wouldn’t sell, especially since it was in such a good location.
If he wasn’t in urgent need of money, he wouldn’t sell it for this price.
Shi Xiaoen, seeing the stunned siblings, lifted his chin and said, “I’m not in a hurry to get the money today.
You can go ho and discuss it.
If you want it, bring the money tomorrow; if not, I’ll sell it to soone else.”
The offended buyer stord off, but was hesitant to leave, as he had already haggled the price to this point, and in reality, one hundred and fifty taels was also a lot less.
He was indecisive, and just as he was watching them, Manbao suddenly said, “Okay, we’ll take it, I’ll bring you the money early tomorrow.”
Now it was Zhou Liulang, Bai Shanbao, and Bai Erlang’s turn to be astonished as they all looked at her, “Manbao, that’s a lot of money, aren’t you going to ask your family?”
Manbao shook her head, her eyes sparkling, “I want to buy this shop myself.”
Zhou Liulang scratched his head and asked, “What are you going to do with it after you buy it?”
“Give it away!”
Zhou Liulang clutched his chest and asked, “To whom are you giving it?”
“To my sister-in-law!” Manbao’s eyes shone brightly, “Give it to my sister-in-law to open a shop, specifically to sell food.
Then I’ll have my sister-in-law make delicious food every day.
What we can’t finish, we’ll sell, nothing wasted, and Dad won’t stop from eating.”
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