Business at Gong Lisheng’s cold noodle shop has been really slow lately; selling ten servings of stir-fried cold noodles at lunchtime is considered a good day.

In the evening, with the scorching sun gone and the temperature dropping a bit, the shop sees a few more customers.

But it’s still not full.

There were four small tables in the shop, yet they remained empty.

The day’s earnings barely covered the couple’s food and drink; as for rent, that was out of the question.

There was nothing to be done. It was hot outside, and stir-fried cold noodles were even hotter than ordinary hot food—so hot that customers had to blow on them after they were served.

Even in the dead of winter, a bowl of it could make you break a light sweat; in the summer, eating it felt like standing in front of a furnace.

Unless someone really had a taste for it, customers would never choose it.

Still, when his father was in charge of the kitchen, that’s just how business was at the shop.

So he wasn’t worried; after all, when you added it all up over the course of a year, it was definitely better than staying home to farm.

But he never expected that now he’d actually stumbled upon a new dish!

Once he entered the county town, he parted ways with Bao Beiyuan and drove his mule cart back to his own shop.

Arriving at the shop entrance, he looked closely and saw only one table occupied by an old acquaintance: Cheng Sheng and his wife.

His wife, Guo Cuihua, was sitting by the door fanning herself.

As soon as Guo Cuihua saw him return, she jumped to her feet: “Husband, you’re finally back! Brother Cheng is curious about the ‘preserved eggs’ Xiao Yuan mentioned—hurry up and get him a serving to try.”

Cheng Sheng also stood up, stepped out of the shop, and approached the mule cart: “Mr. Gong, is this what you call ‘preserved eggs’?”

He hadn’t had cold noodles in days; craving just a taste, he’d dragged his husband over today despite the heat.

But Gong Lisheng wasn’t there!

Chen Cuihua’s cooking skills couldn’t hold a candle to Gong Lisheng’s, but since they were already there, he still ordered two bowls of stir-fried cold noodles and asked where he’d gone.

After hearing Chen Cuihua’s explanation, his curiosity was instantly piqued.

“Preserved eggs?”

“What kind of food is that?”

“That’s right, these are preserved eggs. You timed your visit perfectly—I’ll whip up a serving for you two right away. They taste absolutely delicious!”

Gong Lisheng grinned as he lifted a basket of preserved eggs from the mule cart.

Five hundred preserved eggs—enough to fill five baskets to the brim.

He motioned for Chen Cuihua to carry the remaining four baskets into the shop, while he set about preparing the cold preserved egg salad.

He had just learned how to make this dish at the Jiang household and couldn’t wait to recreate it.

Seeing him so excited only made Chen Sheng even more curious.

Chen Sheng helped Chen Cuihua carry the preserved eggs back to the shop. When he reached the cast-iron stove used for stir-frying cold noodles, Chen Sheng grabbed four shelled preserved eggs and was about to scoop up water to wash off the lime residue clinging to their surfaces.

When he saw the true form of the preserved eggs, he gasped in surprise: “Are these chicken eggs?”

Chen Cuihua and his husband, Gao Jianbao, both looked over at the sound.

The shop was small, so the two spotted the preserved eggs in Gong Lisheng’s hands at a glance.

Chen Cuihua let out a surprised “Eh.”

Gao Jianbao craned his neck as well.

Is this what a chicken egg looks like?

It’s strangely beautiful.

Gong Lisheng chuckled, “You never would’ve guessed a chicken egg could look like this, would you? And the best part is, it tastes great!”

“Cuihua, wash a cucumber for me. I’ll slice it up and toss it with the preserved eggs for a cold salad later.”

Chen Cuihua replied and hurried off to the backyard.

Gong Lisheng, mimicking Ye Li’s technique, sliced one of the preserved eggs into four wedges, ensuring each piece had a bit of yolk.

Once finished, he arranged the wedges one by one on a plate. Their striking appearance made Chen Sheng chuckle: “They look so good, I almost don’t want to eat them.”

“Don’t worry, once you take that first bite, you won’t be able to put your chopsticks down.”

After saying that, Gong Lisheng went back to peeling garlic.

A cold-tossed preserved egg dish isn’t complete without garlic!

He chopped the garlic cloves into fine pieces, placed the cucumber Chen Cuihua had washed in the center of the plate after giving it a light slap, and then took out a bowl to prepare the dressing separately.

He poured the prepared dressing over the plate, and the cold-served preserved egg dish was ready.

Gong Lisheng placed the plate on the table and invited Chen Cuihua and Chen Sheng to sit down and try some.

Chen Sheng curiously reached for his chopsticks, but the preserved egg was too slippery; he tried three times and still couldn’t pick it up.

He simply picked up the bowl of cold noodles and scooped the piece of century egg into it.

The century egg contained vinegar; its subtle sourness mingled with the aroma of stone-ground sesame oil, instantly whetting everyone’s appetite on this sweltering evening.

He shoveled the preserved egg into his mouth.

The first thing his teeth touched was the runny yolk.

A rich, mellow flavor he’d never experienced before exploded on his tongue. This unique texture overpowered the seasonings, making him focus solely on the preserved egg itself.

Chen Sheng’s eyes widened: “Delicious!”

It really was delicious!

Gao Jianbao said nothing. He stared at the half-eaten preserved egg on his chopsticks, chewing slowly and savoring every bite.

The first bite felt strange.

He couldn’t detect the texture of an egg at all.

But he had to admit that, though strange, it was indeed fresh; the egg had a clean, refreshing mouthfeel, and the yolk was surprisingly soft and chewy.

So unique.

He popped the remaining half of the preserved egg into his mouth and couldn’t resist reaching for another piece on the plate with his chopsticks.

Gong Lisheng had no time to notice Cheng Sheng’s reaction; he was worried his cooking skills weren’t up to par and that he wouldn’t be able to recreate the deliciousness he’d tasted at the Jiang household. So, he immediately reached for a preserved egg as well.

He popped the preserved egg into his mouth, closed his eyes, and chewed a few times. Then he relaxed, a smile spreading across his face: “That’s the taste!”

“Did you learn this from Jiang Fulang?” Chen Cuihua asked.

“Yes, what do you think?” Gong Lisheng nodded.

“Delicious. No wonder Xiao Yuan kept raving about it and insisted you try it.”

A smile spread across Chen Cuihua’s face as well.

Eating this on a hot summer day was so refreshing; she loved it.

“You bet! That kid’s got a good heart—Bao Beixing isn’t even worthy of tying his shoes! I’ve already made plans with him to come over for drinks tomorrow evening. You’ll have to whip up a couple extra dishes.”

Gong Lisheng said.

“Alright, I’ll go buy the meat first thing tomorrow morning,” Chen Cuihua nodded.

Chen Sheng, who was standing nearby, overheard the couple’s conversation and couldn’t help but remark: “Xiao Yuan really is hardworking. He’s been delivering drinks to my house these past few days, and he’s always right on time.”

“These preserved eggs really are delicious, Boss Gong. Give me a bowl to take home, and I’ll bring the bowl back to you tomorrow.”

Gong Lisheng smiled at this—what a great start!

But first, we need to agree on the price.

He spoke up: “We’re old acquaintances, so I won’t beat around the bush. I buy these preserved eggs from Yezhaopo—the small ones are two wen each, and the large ones are three wen each.”

“I plan to serve two small ones per bowl, along with a cucumber, for seven wen.”

“That works out to just two wen profit per bowl.”

Cucumbers are cheap this time of year, but they use plenty of seasoning—let’s count that as one wen.

Add the four wen for the preserved eggs, and the total cost comes to five wen.

As for the miscellaneous tasks like sourcing ingredients and washing dishes, that’s nothing. If they want to make money, they have to put in the time and effort.

Don’t let the small two-wen profit fool you—if he sells enough to move volume, he can make a decent sum by the end of the day.

He stood up and picked two preserved eggs from his backpack—one large and one small.

He placed the two eggs on the table so Chen Sheng could clearly see the difference: “If it’s the large one, the bowl costs two wen more—nine wen in total.”

“See if you can accept that price. If so, how many exactly do you want?”

Chen Sheng stared at the two preserved eggs for a moment, then smiled. “I accept it. Boss Gong is a fair man. I have a big family, so bring me six bowls of the large ones—fill up a whole basin.”

“Alright, I’ll go prepare them right away.”

It was indeed a great start to the day.

Gong Lisheng smiled and said, “You two are the first customers today, so I’ll throw in a small one for free.”

“Mr. Gong is so generous,” Chen Sheng said immediately.

Gao Jianbao also smiled and said, “Then the two of us wish Mr. Gong great success in business.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare dream of getting rich—as long as business is better than before, that’s enough.”

Gong Lisheng was very realistic.

Did he really expect to get rich from preserved eggs?

How many bowls would he have to sell every day?

Even if he worked himself to the bone, it wouldn’t be possible.

However, he was lucky today. While he was preparing Chen Sheng’s cold-served preserved eggs, another customer walked into the shop.

The cast-iron stove was right at the shop entrance, so anyone wanting to enter had to pass by it.

And the preserved eggs looked truly remarkable.

The people of Beiyang County had never seen such beautiful eggs before.

So, the two customers asked curiously what he was slicing.

As soon as Chen Cuihua heard this, she immediately invited the two customers to try the cold-served preserved eggs on the table.

To be honest, preserved eggs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.

But they look so appealing that many people who haven’t tried them are willing to give them a chance.

And since Gong Lisheng was a skilled cook, he prepared this cold dish of preserved eggs to be fresh and refreshing. Consequently, after tasting it, the two customers bought a bowl for themselves.

And just like that, business took off.

The next day, when Bao Beiyuan arrived at the cold noodle shop carrying a braised chicken, not only were all four tables filled, but there were actually people holding bowls and lining up outside the door!

Bao Beiyuan was a bit puzzled. Was business really this good?

As Gong Lisheng was scooping the cold-mixed preserved eggs from the bowl into a customer’s bowl, he caught a glimpse of Bao Beiyuan out of the corner of his eye and called out with a smile, “Oh, Beiyuan, look how busy we are! Come on in and sit down for a bit.”

Bao Beiyuan looked at him. “Brother Sheng, why is everyone bringing their own bowls and plates?”

“I give them plenty of dressing. They take it home, add some other dishes, and the whole family eats it with steamed buns and flatbreads. Isn’t that better than sitting here in the shop eating it plain?”

Gong Lisheng explained with a smile.

This was a great idea he’d come up with yesterday when Cheng Sheng and his wife had taken a bowl home.

If customers ate at the shop, he and his wife would have to wash the chopsticks and bowls.

But if customers brought their own bowls, it would be much easier for them—they’d just need to toss the preserved eggs in a dressing, and each bowl would earn them two wen.

So, whenever someone came into the shop, he’d offer them a free taste of the preserved eggs while suggesting this idea.

Most of the customers in his shop were local residents.

After hearing his words, nearly everyone who intended to buy preserved eggs brought their own bowls from home.

“That’s a good idea,” Bao Beiyuan nodded. He glanced at the shop, which was packed to the brim with people. Was business really this good after just one day?

Just then, Chen Cuihua entered the shop through the back door carrying a large bowl of minced garlic.

Spotting him, she immediately invited him to take a seat.

He stepped inside and handed her the braised chicken: “Sis, business is going great.”

“Look at you—why bring this? I’ve already made four meat dishes today!”

Chen Cuihua teased him playfully.

She took the braised chicken and placed it in the cupboard, intending to have Bao Beiyuan take it back later.

However, when it came to the shop’s business, she beamed with joy: “I was standing at the door calling out to customers, and since the preserved eggs really are delicious, the place filled up in no time.”

She’d been calling out to customers since yesterday evening, holding up two shelled preserved eggs as she did so.

Her calls, combined with the appealing appearance of the preserved eggs, instantly drew people into the shop.

Of those who’ve tried them, eight out of ten say they’re delicious.

This noon, she was still standing in front of the shop, calling out to customers.

She was just doing the same a moment ago.

And so business picked up.

The crowd was as thick as when her father-in-law was in the kitchen.

But this work was much easier than stir-frying cold noodles—no need to light a fire, just slice the preserved eggs and toss them in a dressing. A serving was ready in the blink of an eye!

So far today, she’d sold over fifty servings of cold preserved egg salad.

Earning two wen per serving, she’d easily made a hundred wen.

Just yesterday, she’d thought this business wouldn’t make her rich, but now it looked like it might actually bring in a tidy sum for the two of them.

Business at the cold noodle shop exceeded expectations. So, the next day, when the private school was closed, Jiang Ji rushed out of the school carrying his basket and was intercepted by Bao Beiyuan, who had been waiting at the gate all along.

Bao Beiyuan had come to place an order for preserved eggs: “The cold preserved eggs are selling quite well; I reckon we’ll run out by the day after tomorrow. If the preserved eggs made by Brother Datong, Sister Liu, and the others are ready, there’s no need to take them to town to sell—Brother Sheng will come by to pick them up.”

The preserved eggs made by Ye Li were always ready a few days before those of Jiang Tong, Jiang Liu, and Jiang Yu, so the three of them should have finished theirs by now.

In fact!

He smiled and said, “If business keeps going this well, I’d like to buy the preserved eggs from the other two brothers’ families too.”

Jiang Ji was a bit surprised. “Is business really that good?”

“You bet. Sister Cuihua’s a great huckster, and the preserved eggs themselves taste great. There’s even a line forming in front of the shop now.”

“Well, that’s wonderful. When I get back, I’ll tell Brother Datong and Brother Xiaoliu and Brother Yu that whenever Brother Sheng has time, he’s welcome to come to the village to pick them up.”

Jiang Ji agreed.

Those three would definitely be happy to do so.

It would save them a trip to the Ye family’s place.

However, thinking of Bao Beiyuan’s situation, he said, “I’m off work these next couple of days. Why don’t you come over to my place? There’s not much farm work to do, so we can go for a walk in the mountains together.”

As soon as Bao Beiyuan heard this, he shook his head: “If I go, Brother Li will have to throw a big feast for me. I still haven’t figured out how to repay him for that pork floss you gave me last time—all I’ve done is thank him verbally.”

“I won’t cause any trouble for Brother Li.”

“Besides, that little hill behind your village isn’t worth seeing. If I take a day off, Brother Li will lose over twenty wen.”

With that, he steered the conversation back to the preserved eggs, reminding Jiang Ji not to forget to say hello to Ye Liang, and then he was off in a flash.

Jiang Ji could do nothing but sigh. Once his figure had disappeared from view, he clenched the basket in his hand and set off at a brisk pace toward home.

He walked briskly and jogged along the way. By the time he reached home, he was drenched in sweat, but it wasn’t dark yet.

The sun had set in the west, and the light had dimmed, but summer days are long, so the light at that moment could still be called bright—though it had taken on a pale orange hue from the setting sun, unlike the midday sun.

This bright, pale orange sunlight spilled into the dilapidated courtyard, filtering through the deep green jujube leaves, creating a scene so beautiful it made him smile involuntarily.

In the courtyard, Ye Li sat crouched by the well with a frown on her brow, a twig in her hand, learning to write from Jiang Mai.

Jiang Ya stood on the other side of Jiang Mai, his little bottom sticking out, one small hand braced against the ground, the other clutching a twig as he studied intently.

Watching this scene, Jiang Ji raised an eyebrow. His dear Fulang really knew how to fool a child.

Just look at Ye Li’s face right now—so full of deep-seated resentment. Who would have thought that Ye Li’s knowledge of idioms runs so deep?

With that thought, he stepped into the courtyard: “I’m back.”

Hearing his voice, the three by the well all looked up. Then, the adult and the two children dropped their twigs and walked/ran toward him with smiles.

“Slow down.”

He crouched down, hugged the two little ones rushing toward him, kissed each of their little cheeks in turn, then stood up, took their small hands, and in a few steps reached Ye Li.

Ye Li pulled a handkerchief from his robe: “Wipe your sweat. Next time you come back, take a carriage—save your energy.”

Jiang Ji took the handkerchief with some surprise—it was good that he’d actually remembered to bring one along.

But after hearing the second half of Ye Li’s remark, he shook his head. “Sitting in the schoolhouse all day makes my bones ache. It’s good for my health to get some exercise.”

There was some truth to that.

Since the private school didn’t have morning runs or calisthenics, he really should get more exercise.

Ye Li didn’t try to persuade him further, but said, “Dinner’s ready. Shall we eat?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Ya, without waiting for Jiang Ji to reply, immediately grabbed Jiang Ji’s large hand and shook it, saying, “Big brother, big brother! Brother Li made fish soup—it smells so good!”

Jiang Ji smiled and ruffled his little head. “Then let’s set the table.”

Little glutton.

Today’s fish was bought by Ye Li.

Making fish soup is simple: first, pan-fry the crucian carp with scallions and ginger, then add boiling water and simmer briefly until the broth turns milky white.

He also added some tofu and green and red bell peppers, creating a vibrant splash of green against the creamy white broth. It not only smelled delicious but looked absolutely stunning.

However, worried that the two little ones might choke on fish bones, he used a fine, unused piece of burlap as a strainer to filter the broth before serving it to them.

The two little ones didn’t mind that the fish soup had been strained through burlap; they held their bowls and couldn’t stop drinking.

Jiang Mai couldn’t even spare a thought for whether Jiang Ya might wet the bed; the slightly spicy, fresh fish soup had won over his little tummy. He’d already downed two big bowls himself—how could he possibly stop Jiang Ya now?

Just the soup alone was enough to make his belly round and full in no time.

Unable to take another sip, he set down his bowl and looked over at Jiang Ya.

Jiang Ya had just put down his bowl as well. As their eyes met, Jiang Ya smiled and wiggled his little body: “Erge, that was so good.”

Jiang Mai nodded, then patted his own little belly—he really was quite full.

“Come on, let’s go out and play.” He stood up, reaching out to take Jiang Ya’s little hand.

Jiang Ya beat him to it and ran off: “I’m going back to my room to get my pinwheel.”

Hearing this, Jiang Mai hurried after him.

The courtyard was already pitch black; night had fully fallen.

Jiang Ji called out, “Slow down, don’t trip,” then turned to look at Ye Li, who was sitting across from him.

Ye Li was eating fish; afraid of getting a bone stuck in his throat, he sat by the oil lamp, slowly picking out the bones.

Jiang Ji also picked a piece of fish from the small bowl. While carefully removing the bones, he began talking about the thriving business at the cold noodle shop.

Ye Li was surprised at first, then delighted: “Sales have really picked up. Xiao Liu is coming over tomorrow; I’ll tell her about it. Her preserved eggs will be ready by then, too.”

According to Jiang Liu’s plan, tomorrow or the day after, they would ride in Jiang Tong’s oxcart with Jiang Yu to deliver all three sets of preserved eggs to the Ye family.

Now there’s no need for all that hassle.

Seeing how happy he was, Jiang Ji smiled along with him.

A sweet smile filled his heart.

But when he thought of the scene he’d witnessed on his way back, Jiang Ji found it hard to keep smiling.

However, Ye Li’s face had always been right up his alley, and now, with the lamplight casting a soft glow, he found himself staring at her face again and again. Eventually, his mind grew fuzzy, and he couldn’t help but ask, “You can actually read, can’t you?”