The house was out of white flour.

Steamed corn cakes required white flour to improve texture and add stickiness.

Before making lunch, Ye Li tucked some copper coins into his pocket and went to Aunt Qiumei’s house to buy five pounds of wheat and one pound of flour.

Though the stone mill at home was specifically for grinding tofu, it could manage to grind flour as well.

Before grinding, the wheat needed washing. Upon returning home, he had Jiang Ji rinse the grains while he kneaded dough to make noodles.

Corn cakes day after day—he was sick of them already.

With four mouths to feed, one pound of flour wouldn’t suffice. He added a generous amount of cornmeal to the clay basin and cracked in two eggs.

Just as the dough was kneaded, Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya returned carrying bundles of pig feed.

The two little ones set down their baskets and dashed into the kitchen.

They were thirsty and wanted water.

Upon entering the kitchen, Jiang Ya gasped when he saw Ye Li preparing to roll out noodles. “Brother Li, are we having noodles for lunch?”

“Yes. Not just noodles—I’ll make a sauce with eggs and tofu too.”

Ye Li said with a smile.

Jiang Ya immediately gasped—he wanted some!

But they’d already eaten eight eggs for breakfast that morning.

“Brother Li, are we going to have eggs every meal?” he asked, eyes wide.

Jiang Mai, beside him, stared at Ye Li without blinking.

At this rate, they’d finish all their saved eggs in two days, right?

Ye Li knew what these two little ones were thinking. But eggs were their most basic source of nutrition—no milk, no meat. If they wanted something decent to eat, eggs were their only option.

Eggs weren’t just versatile with other ingredients—they could be prepared in so many ways themselves… He paused slightly, a new idea forming in his mind.

He knew exactly what to do next!

His tone softened as he explained, “We’re earning money now, and I’ve thought of another great way to make more. Don’t worry—we can afford eggs.”

Jiang Ya’s little face froze at this: “A new way to make money?”

Jiang Mai also froze: “What kind of way?”

“It’s a secret for now! This afternoon, I’ll send your big brother to the county town.”

Ye Li teased them with the mystery.

The two little ones, thinking of tofu puffs and big skewers, paid close attention to his words. They dashed off to find Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji finished washing the wheat and returned to sharpening his sickle.

The two chattered excitedly as they announced the big news to Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji listened, his long eyebrows furrowing slightly. Where did Ye Li come up with so many ways to make money?

He sent Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya out to chop pig feed, then continued sharpening the sickle and shovel.

Soon, lunch was ready.

Ye Li called the three brothers to eat, while Jiang Ji washed his hands and entered the kitchen.

“Come sit down and eat,” Ye Li called to him.

Once he sat at the table, Ye Li said, “This afternoon, buy two pounds of lime in town, then get some sawdust from the carpenter. I have a big use for it.”

“Making a new dish?” Jiang Ji asked.

“Yes,” Ye Li nodded.

The new dish he intended to create was none other than preserved eggs.

Preserved eggs are not the same as century eggs. Preserved eggs are made from chicken eggs, while century eggs are made from duck eggs.

Preserved eggs are amber-colored, translucent, and beautiful.

They are entirely different from the dark, blackened century eggs.

As for the most crucial aspect—the taste—they certainly hold their own against century eggs. When served cold, they are exceptionally delicious.

Moreover, preserved eggs were incredibly simple to make, posing no conflict with his tofu puff business.

They also stored exceptionally well—ready to eat even after half a year.

Even if they didn’t sell immediately, there was no need for worry.

Of course, with him around, they’d never go unsold.

Truthfully, he preferred making spicy strips.

Spicy strips paired better with flatbreads.

But there were no beef tendon noodles here.

And spicy strips made from rice just don’t have the right texture.

Of course, tofu skin could be used for spicy strips.

But the texture would be nowhere near as substantial as beef tendon noodles.

Besides, with the red oil sesame sauce already available as a condiment, why bother making spicy strips from tofu skin? He could just have Ye Liang buy some tofu skin and sell it alongside the tofu puffs.

But his brother was late today—their family had already started eating.

Jiang Ji didn’t know Ye Li’s thoughts had drifted far away. He held back his questions, finally suppressing his curiosity. He simply said, “Alright,” and picked up his chopsticks.

He and Ye Li were indeed closer than before. He was certain Ye Li wouldn’t snub him casually.

But if Ye Li just grinned and said “It’s a secret,” he’d still feel awkward.

As long as Ye Li didn’t clearly tell him the reason, he’d feel awkward.

So he didn’t ask.

He’d rather die than ask.

He lowered his eyes to the large bowl of noodles before him. The top layer was glistening with sauce, oily bits of scrambled egg mixed with diced tofu, all dotted with vibrant green sweet potato leaves. The sight alone was mouthwatering.

After a morning of hard labor, he was famished.

The pale yellow corn noodles peeked out from beneath the sauce. He stirred them with his chopsticks, wanting the noodles to coat evenly.

But after just two stirs, he flipped up a palm-sized, golden-fried egg from the bottom of the bowl.

He froze, then recalled Ye Li’s words from that morning: “I’ll give you an extra piece of scrambled egg at lunch.”

Now he felt terribly guilty. Glancing left and right, he saw Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya both bent over their bowls, focused on shoveling noodles into their mouths. He quickly stirred again, using the noodles to cover the egg.

Only after covering it completely did he breathe a sigh of relief.

He turned toward Ye Li.

But Ye Li merely raised an eyebrow at him, then tapped his lips twice with his chopsticks.

The meaning was unmistakable.

He pressed his lips together and lowered his head to eat.

After just one bite, a villager came to buy tofu.

He rose before Ye Li could, fetching the scale to weigh the tofu for the customer.

As the villager carried the tofu away from the kitchen, he picked up his bowl of noodles, offering to see the neighbor off.

Standing in the courtyard, he devoured the large portion of tender scrambled eggs, thoroughly eliminating any evidence of Ye Li’s “favoritism” towards him. Only then did he leisurely carry his bowl back to the kitchen.

After the meal, Jiang Ji took the fifty wen Ye Li had given him. He first went to Jiang Dahu’s house to have Jiang Liu come to his place for an “interview,” then headed straight for the county town.

When Jiang Liu arrived, Ye Li stood in the corner by the outer wall, gazing down the path leading into the village.

The villagers of Yezaopo lived scattered at the foot of the slope, not neatly arranged house by house. The Jiang family resided in the southwest corner of the village. Looking past their own courtyard, one could see the village entrance.

Jiang Liu was puzzled. “Brother Li, what are you looking at?”

“Watching my eldest brother. Why hasn’t he come yet today?”

A flicker of worry crossed Ye Li’s face.

“He must be held up by something else. Brother Li, don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Jiang Liu tried to reassure him.

Ye Li could only offer this prayer himself. He withdrew his gaze and beckoned Jiang Liu into the courtyard.

Jiang Liu wore a braided plait, tall and slender with regular features.

But having worked the fields since childhood, her oval face was sun-darkened, lacking the fair complexion of girls sheltered from the elements.

Her hands were dark, not only rough but calloused thickly across the palms.

Jiang Dahu had no sons, and with heavy farm duties, they used her like a boy.

Though only sixteen, unlike the sixteen-year-old high school girls from Ye Li’s past life, she was already a strong laborer in the Jiang household.

She didn’t find grinding the millstone the least bit tiring. The moment Jiang Ji told her about it, she immediately dropped her half-eaten lunch and hurried over.

Now, following Ye Li into the courtyard, she spoke up before Ye Li could say a word: “Brother Li, how about I try pushing the millstone for you first?”

“I’m strong and can push it really fast.”

Ye Li smiled at her words and said, “Alright, give it a try.”

Jiang Ji hadn’t finished drying the wheat he’d washed, so he fetched some soybeans instead, asking Jiang Liu to grind them into bean flour.

Jiang Liu, accustomed to farm labor, was a year younger than Ye Li but possessed greater strength. She turned the millstone with apparent ease.

As she pushed, she surreptitiously observed Ye Li.

Her eyes betrayed unhidden unease.

Ye Li pretended not to notice. As he added beans to the mill, he asked, “Jiang Ji mentioned that Second Uncle has arranged a marriage for you. Are you unwilling?”

Jiang Liu hadn’t expected this question. After a moment’s silence, she replied, “The man isn’t handsome, and he’s too old—over twenty. His family is poor, too.”

“What did Second Uncle see in him?” Ye Li asked, surprised.

“The man has seven brothers. My father likes that they have many sons, thinking more sons would mean less bullying in the village.”

Jiang Liu clenched her teeth silently, a flash of resentment in her eyes.

Just because she had no brothers, she had to endure this.

She refused to accept it!

She would never marry him, not even in death.

Ye Li never imagined this was the reason. He looked at Jiang Liu with sympathy.

Jiang Dahu had truly lost his mind.

He was mad with longing for a son!

“Xiao Liu, once your brother Ji returns from private school, come to work for us. Ten wen a day. You can leave after grinding the grain each day.”

“Really?!” Jiang Liu stared at Ye Li, her face lighting up with surprise.

Before coming, she’d expected five wen!

Of course, even if he’d offered just three wen, she’d have accepted.

As long as she could earn money, she’d do any heavy labor!

But now it was ten wen—three hundred wen a month!

What a huge sum!

But she quickly regained her composure: “Brother Li, your offer is too generous. Please lower it a bit. I’d feel awkward accepting so much.“

What unmarried girl could earn three hundred wen a month?

Brother Li was being far too kind to her.

”Why would you feel awkward? I should be embarrassed. You won’t be grinding just this handful of soybeans—you’ll be grinding twenty jin of them.”

Ye Li shook his head.

He’d originally planned to offer seven or eight wen coins. This job was in the village, the work time was short, and surely someone in the village would be willing to do it.

But now the one applying was Jiang Liu, a pitiful little girl. If he offered too little, he simply couldn’t live with himself.

After all, even his cheap husband, a grown man, had to grind continuously for over an hour.

Jiang Liu pleaded a few more words, seeing Ye Li’s sincerity in offering the payment. She was not only deeply grateful.

Her eyes even welled up with tears.

She wanted to earn money. She wanted control over her own marriage.

She wanted to hire a husband!

Didn’t her father constantly complain that no one would take care of him in his old age?

Didn’t he always feel that daughters who married out were just a waste of raising?

Then she wouldn’t marry!

She’d hire a man instead!

And all of this required money.

A lot of money.

She thanked Ye Li repeatedly, making Ye Li feel both ashamed and sympathetic.

Ah, in the end, it all boils down to poverty.

Making money—she must make as much money as possible!

If his cheap husband went to buy lime and sawdust, then he could buy some eggs. He’d make preserved eggs today, and they’d be ready for sale in half a month.

He handed fifty wen to Jiang Liu, asking her to buy some eggs from the villagers.

With the realm at peace and favorable weather in recent years, prices remained stable.

Eggs varied in size and were typically sold by the jin, priced at ten wen per jin. Fifty wen could buy forty to fifty eggs.

With limited funds at hand, he decided to start small—just fifty pickled eggs for the first batch to test the waters.