Though Ye Li’s creativity never ceases to amaze him.

But this move clearly worked in his favor.

Jiang Ji obediently agreed, rinsed off briefly, then sat down on the stool.

This stool was custom-made for Ye Li by Jiang Tong.

Its seat was wide, with a one-foot-high backrest—specifically designed for Ye Li when frying food.

It was surprisingly comfortable, with the back fully supporting him.

Jiang Ji sat comfortably, carefully observing Ye Li’s technique.

This was Ye Li’s second demonstration.

Compared to the awkwardness of the first time, this was noticeably smoother and more fluid.

In any case, he soon had Jiang Ji sitting upright and pulled him up in one swift motion.

“What the hell?” Ye Li protested.

He hadn’t finished demonstrating yet!

He’d practiced this with his fingers as a tool multiple times!

“Sit still.” Jiang Ji pressed him onto the high stool, then leaned down to kiss him.

Now it was Ye Li who couldn’t sit still.

Leaning against the backrest, he hummed impatiently, urging Jiang Ji to hurry.

Jiang Ji had been waiting for those words.

However, Jiang Ji assessed the stool’s height and hummed in surprise. ” This stool is actually perfect.“

He didn’t need to bend over at all.

He asked with a smile, ”Did you plan this while you were making the stool?“

”…Like hell I did!“

Ye Li raised his hand and smacked Jiang Ji’s chest. ”Hurry up! Stop dawdling.”

Jiang Ji’s smile vanished at his words, and he began working.

Yet the more he worked, the more satisfied he became with the stool.

Not only was the height perfect.

It was also spacious.

He exerted less effort, and Ye Li enjoyed it more.

More importantly!

Though the shed was pitch-black, he could vividly imagine how irresistibly alluring Ye Li looked right now.

If he were like this, bare under the oil lamp…

He leaned down, kissed Ye Li’s lips, then said, “Ask Brother Datong to make us a bigger one for our room, just for us. Add a cotton pillow later so your back doesn’t get bruised.”

Ye Li pondered that image, feeling a stir of desire himself.

But his focus lingered more on the word “bruised”

How much did his dear husband cherish him?

His heart swelled with delight. He wiggled the foot Jiang Ji was holding, hinting that he should sit while Jiang Ji moved.

Jiang Ji did fancy trying something new, so he agreed.

But once they actually started, Jiang Ji found himself dissatisfied.

This was pure torture.

Besides, time was tight and the task urgent.

Any more delay and the night would deepen.

He simply picked Ye Li up again and, just like last night, indulged himself thoroughly!

After finishing, they both paused to catch their breath before seeking each other’s lips for a lingering kiss.

As Ye Li lay dazed in Jiang Ji’s embrace, only one thought occupied his mind: With Jiang Ji’s stamina, he’d gladly let him work like a beast of burden for days on end.

While Ye Li willingly tended to the pigs, in the county town, Bao Beiyuan pushed his newly bought unicycle, hurrying toward Gong Lisheng’s jelly bean shop.

He left home late today.

It was nearly noon.

No wonder—this was his first time setting up shop alone. Not only was he inexperienced, but he’d also been greedy, boiling sweet red beans and pearl-sized glutinous rice balls as toppings, then running to the ice shop for crushed ice.

After all that fuss, he hadn’t left until now.

Fortunately, he’d already informed Gong Lisheng, so he headed straight for the jelly noodle shop.

In summer, business at Gong Lisheng’s jelly noodle shop was average.

The heat made stir-frying the noodles even hotter, and at this time of year, people craved refreshing, appetizing fare.

Still, it was an established shop with a strong reputation and many regulars. By the time Bao Beiyuan arrived, all four small tables inside were already occupied.

Gong Lisheng himself was squatting by the shop entrance, clutching a large palm leaf fan. He fanned himself while making small talk with the customers.

Spotting Bao Beiyuan approaching, he immediately stood up, frowned, and said, “You kid! Don’t go following your brother’s example, opening shop in the middle of the day.”

Bao Beixing was getting more and more unreasonable.

He claimed it was too hot to stay in the kitchen and hadn’t opened the shop for three days.

Bao Beiyuan absolutely couldn’t follow his example.

Bao Beiyuan hurriedly explained, “Brother Sheng, I made two new condiments. Plus, with this heat, people need something cool to eat, so I ran out to buy ice. I was the only one handling everything, which is why I left late.”

“I see. What condiments did you make? Give me a bowl.”

Gong Lisheng’s expression softened considerably at this.

Bao Beiyuan parked his unicycle cart in front of the jelly shop.

The unicycle cart was somewhat smaller than a flatbed cart.

But a pole stood upright beneath the handlebars, allowing the cart to stand steadily on the ground without needing someone to hold it.

The clay pots, bowls, and chopsticks on top were placed securely and wouldn’t slide off.

Bao Beiyuan wiped sweat from his forehead, lifting the lid of a small clay pot to reveal honey-glazed red beans inside. “These are sweetened red beans.”

He opened another small pot. “These are plain rice balls without filling.”

“Huh, not bad at all.”

Gong Lisheng gave him a light tap with his palm fan. “You’re full of tricks, kid! I’ll go get bowls. Make two servings for me. Your sister-in-law Cuihua is here—she’s been craving soy milk rice dumplings forever.“

”Alright!” Bao Beiyuan agreed with a smile.

One bowl of soy milk rice dumplings costs ten wen.

For toppings, each scoop was two wen.

If both were added, one bowl would be fourteen wen; two bowls would be twenty-eight wen.

What a great start!

Just as he was feeling pleased, a middle-aged Fulang at the table near the door turned around and said, “Bao’er, you really started selling drinks?”

Bao Beiyuan looked closely and recognized the man—he must have eaten noodles at his shop before.

And the man even remembered him.

He quickly smiled and said, “Uncle, my drinks are cheap and delicious. Want to try one? I add crushed ice, so it’s nice and cool. One bowl will refresh you and beat the heat.”

Truthfully, during the summer, Gong Lisheng’s cold noodle shop offered free mung bean water.

Summer was hot enough, and stir-frying cold noodles made it even hotter. Without offering customers something to quench their thirst, businesses would suffer considerably.

But Gong Lisheng’s mung bean water? A whole pound of beans yielded a large pot of water, and the mung bean flavor was extremely faint.

Those who came for stir-fried liangfen weren’t usually short on cash—a pound of sweet potato starch cost thirteen wen, enough to make five pounds of liangfen. The cost per pound of liangfen was two wen and six li, and after stir-frying it in oil, a bowl cost seven wen.

Besides, stir-fried liangfen wasn’t a proper meal.

It’s a snack!

So those who came for stir-fried jelly noodles could usually afford milk tea.

Hearing Bao Beiyuan’s words, the middle-aged Fulang’s interest was instantly piqued—he was genuinely thirsty.

He stood up, drawing the attention of everyone else in the shop.

“What drinks do you have?” the middle-aged Fulang asked, standing before the wheelbarrow.

Just then, Gong Lisheng arrived at the shop entrance carrying two bowls. Hearing the question, he immediately began explaining: “Chen Sheng, this lad offers two drinks. One is jasmine tea—nothing fancy, but cheap. A whole jug costs just two wen.”

“The other is called soy milk rice mochi. Here, Xiao Yuan, pour me two bowls so Uncle Sheng can see.”

Bao Beiyuan took the bowls with one hand, sweetly calling him Uncle Sheng. He opened the clay jar of soy milk rice dumplings, first ladling in the tea broth, then adding sweet red beans, small glutinous rice balls, and rice dumplings.

He added an extra chopstickful of rice dumplings.

Finally, he sprinkled soybean powder on top.

The tea broth contained crushed ice. Though melted during the walk, its coolness remained undiminished.

Gong Lisheng felt thirsty too. Taking the bowl, his fingers brushed its cool surface. He couldn’t resist lifting it to his lips for a sip.

Cool and refreshing, sweet and delicious.

One mouthful instantly quenched his thirst.

Refreshing!

He smiled. “That’s the taste—delicious.”

Chen Shengben had already been drawn in by the generous toppings. Seeing Gong Lisheng’s reaction, he immediately said, “I’ll get a bowl too.”

Turning to his tablemates, he asked, “Husband, would you like some?”

A middle-aged man nodded. “Get it.”

Bao Beiyuan quickly agreed, then turned to Gong Lisheng: “Brother Sheng, can I borrow your bowls? I’ll give you a bowl of soy milk rice mochi later!”

Gong Lisheng frowned at once: “What are you giving? You’re just a small-time vendor—take care of yourself first. I’ll get you a bowl.”

With that, he turned and went back into the shop.

It’s just a few bowls—for serving tea. They’re easy to wash, no trouble at all.

Bao Beiyuan was deeply grateful and quickly thanked him.

Soon, Gong Lisheng emerged carrying two bowls.

He served Chen Sheng two bowls of soy milk rice mochi. Chen Sheng also took both toppings, but noticing Gong Li Sheng only took one chopstickful of mochi, he asked, “Aren’t two chopstickfuls the standard, Boss Gong?”

“Brother Sheng has helped me tremendously, always supporting my business. I always give him two chopstickfuls.”

Bao Beiyuan hastily explained, “But today, Uncle Sheng, you’re the first person besides Brother Sheng to buy my drinks. I’ll add an extra chopstick for you, too.”

Chen Sheng was quite satisfied upon hearing this.

But when paying, he slipped in two extra wen: “You’ve had your share of hardships, kid. As your uncle, I won’t take advantage of you.”

Bao Beiyuan held the coins, his heart filled with mixed emotions. There were so many good people in the world—except for his own brother.

He smiled and said, “Thank you, Uncle Sheng, for supporting my business.”

Other patrons watching this scene saw three more people rise to buy drinks.

So Bao Beiyuan sold another basket of soy milk rice mochi and two baskets of jasmine honey tea.

By then, Chen Sheng had already taken a bite of the rice mochi.

His family was well-off, and he’d sampled drinks from every shop in Beiyang County.

But rice mochi? He’d never tasted it!

The texture was magical—it made the pearl-sized soup dumplings feel almost hard by comparison.

He turned to Bao Beiyuan. “Bao’er, come home with me later. I’ll take all your drinks.”

Bao Beiyuan: “!”

Overjoyed, he eagerly agreed.

Gong Lisheng had just finished his bowl of soy milk rice mochi. Patting his belly contentedly, he chuckled, “Xiao Yuan, Uncle Sheng has a big family. Those two jars of yours probably won’t be enough to go around.”

Chen Shengfu’s family ran a dye shop, with over twenty people living under one roof.

This kid had good luck—he stumbled right into a big deal!

After two days of hard work, Jiang Dahu’s five mu of wheat were not only fully harvested but also transported home by cart.

Next came threshing and bagging the grain.

This work was also arduous, but Jiang Ji had been given three days off. Two days were spent harvesting, and he needed to return to private school by the third evening. Thus, when they returned from the fields that second night, Jiang Dahu told him to rest well tomorrow and not worry about the remaining tasks.

In the past, Jiang Ji would never have agreed.

But this time, he agreed readily.

He was now a man with a Fulang. With such a rare break, how could he let his Fulang guard the courtyard alone?

Besides, he’d already made Ye Li run around inside and out for two days straight!

On the third day, early in the morning, he let Ye Li sleep in while he got up to open the door for Jiang Liu and prepare breakfast.

Truthfully, he wanted Jiang Liu to rest for a day and let him take over grinding the grain.

But Jiang Liu refused—ten wen a day was too much to pass up!

So he rolled up his sleeves and headed into the kitchen to make breakfast.