Goldfield
Chapter 213: Ice Water

The starch jelly business at the pier kept Xiaocao busy for a while. Over the past few days, he had woken up at daybreak, staggered out the door with the starch jelly pot Madam Liu had made, and drove the donkey carriage with Xiaolian. On the way, he took a nap in the donkey car. Once at the dock, they boil chili oil, prepare seasonings, knead dough, roll dough, cook noodles, and then greet their first group of customers that day.

For other food vendors on the dock, summer is their low season. However, the business at the starch jelly kiosk of the Yu Family's sister grew with the heat of summer. Other people are trying to figure out how to make starch jelly. Although starch jellies are easy to make. The ingredients are hard to come by.

As a result, Xiaocao and his sister made sure to seal the basket containing seaweed. They also separate some of the noodle stalls into storage. People can come to stalls to eat starch jelly, but they can't go to someone's barn! Furthermore, the pot that cooked the seaweed was covered with a thick cover, which not only prevented one from opening it silently but also accelerated the boiling process.

This summer, for some reason, seaweed is flowing to the beach after the tides have receded. Xiaocao could not help but think that an earthquake had occurred at the bottom of the ocean causing the seaweed growing on the ocean floor to break off and float to shore with the tidal changes. Those who want to know the recipe for starch jelly will never think that seaweed floating throughout the sea is the main ingredient.

After a few days, the business finally calmed down. However, this business requires cooking, preparing ingredients, and keeping customers. Xiaocao could not do this alone, and Xiaocao's godfather had asked him more than once personally to find some free time to care for his godmother.

The doctor confirmed that Lady Fang was pregnant the last time they went to the city. Fang Zizhen treated him as if he was a phoenix egg, serving his every wish. He wished he could be by her side all day to protect her from falling or stumbling. Recently, some important people will come for an examination. He could not avoid it, so he asked his goddaughter for help. Her goddaughter's medical skills were good and she was skilled in recognizing the medicines that were beneficial to a healthy diet. He would only be relieved if his goddaughter took care of his wife.

Therefore, Xiaocao entrusted the Uncle of the Eldest Mother, who worked at the dock, to send a message to the Eldest Mother Aunt. Her aunt is currently unemployed at home and Xiaocao wants her and Xiaolian to work together to run this business. Although starch jelly stalls and cold noodles are small businesses, after deducting the cost of materials, the profit is decent. The two families could split the income and each got one tael, which amounted to thirty taels a month. There were only a few people on the dock who could surpass their business.

Mother's Aunt Eldest came with her youngest daughter the next day. Her eldest daughter, Liu Feifeng, is almost seventeen years old and has been engaged for two years. She was going to get married at the end of the year, so she had to stay home to prepare for her wedding! Madam Han planned to use the fifty taels she had earned from helping Xiaocao manage the stall with her eldest daughter's dowry. After all, his eldest daughter had worked hard.

Liu Feiying, the second princess, was fourteen years old and had just gotten engaged. Madam Han, after hearing from Xiaocao that getting married early was not necessarily a good thing, told her future in-laws to wait until their daughter was sixteen or seventeen to get married.

The in-laws agreed; they couldn't disagree. The Liu brothers have made a lot of money with their brother-in-law selling watermelons. Everyone in Xishan Village knew about this. The eldest son of the Liu Family did not have a son, so he took the money he earned and bought a shop for each of his daughters in the newly built port as their dowry. Her eldest daughter also got an additional fifty taels of silver for her dowry. This is a lot of money. Let alone the people in Xishan Village, no one else in the other nearby village would be willing to give such a large dowry to their daughter. Therefore, the doorway of the Liu Family was almost flattened by the number of matchmakers coming to their door.

After picking and choosing, Madam Han chose a family living in the suburbs for her second daughter. If this family existed in Xishan Village, they would also be considered an outstandingly wealthy family. This family had thirty mu of fertile land, and they had a relatively simple relationship. Older couples are known for their good temperament. My brother is married and has children. When the younger brother gets married, the older couple plans to separate the family and live with the older brother. The land and family property would be divided equally between brothers, and the younger brother would only need to give rice to the elderly couple to support them each month. This was why Madam Han chose this family for her second daughter, even though the family was not the richest of the people who came to propose.

The Liu Family's net worth continues to rise. Not only did Madam Han's second daughter get many applications, even her twelve-year-old youngest daughter was approached by people to ask her. However, Madam Han felt that her youngest daughter was too young and wanted her to live happily for another two years. Moreover, he believed that as long as his family continued to work with his sister-in-law for the next few years, they would continue to prosper. By the time she needs to find a husband for her youngest daughter, there will most likely be more options.

The eldest son of the Liu Family and his wife, Lady Han, were people who did not like to be silent. Right after the watermelon season ended, Liu Pei went to the dock to do some menial work. Brother Six has found him and asked if he wants to become an official employee. Liu Pei, who plans to sell watermelon at the end of spring each year, wisely rejected this offer. Temporary workers at the dock are not always able to get a job every day. However, due to Brother Six's relationship with Xiaocao, he assigned Liu Pei to work every day and even paid him the salary that ordinary workers received.

Madam Han stayed at home for a few days, thinking about what business to do as a side to make money. Before she could make a decision, her husband came home with good news.

“Xiaocao, Your Eldest Uncle said you came out with a new meal? He said you two are too busy and can't manage your own business. Let me come help you guys. If there's anything I need to do, let me know! ” Lady Han never doubted her little niece's cooking ability.

Madame Han was used to cooking at home, so it wasn't difficult for her to knead the dough and make noodles. Therefore, Xiaocao gave her a recipe for making cold noodles. As for her cousin, Liu Feiyan, she was nimble and fast like her mother. Therefore, Xiaocao had him bring cold noodles and starch jelly to the guests. In this way, Xiaolian only needed to make starch jellies and season cold noodles and starch jelly!

Lady Han and Liu Feiyan were both good workers. After the initial rush, they immediately handled their duties.

“Heh! How's it? Did you two help? ” Liu Pei and his eldest nephew, Liu Zhiwei, wiped the sweat off themselves as they came up with big strides after loading the cargo. Liu Zhiwei was also Brother Six's official employee now.

Madam Han took the finished noodles and put them in ice water, not forgetting to roll her eyes at him. She smiled, “Do you think we both ate for free? Making noodles means nothing to us. ”

Liu Pei had been thirsty for a long time, so he drank the water with a big gulp. Waves of coolness passed through his body, which was more pleasant than drinking cold water from a well on a summer day.

After finishing the ice water in one breath, Liu Pei let out a long sigh and exclaimed cheerfully, “Yan’er father bowl again! Xiaocao, where did you get this cool well water?

Liu Feiyan brought another bowl of water and said, “Dad, cousin sister is really impressive. On a hot summer day, he could make ice cubes. This ice water is cooled by ice cubes! ”

“Hot day, where can you get ice? Are you saying that our Xiaocao are immortal beings in disguise, with the ability to turn water into ice? ” Old Hao sits under the tent, with the summer heat hanging on him. Grabbing the fan in the shop, he excitedly fanned himself with it. After hearing their conversation, he jokingly entered a sentence.

Xiaocao also poured a bowl of ice water. There were even two ice cubes floating on it. The large clay jars in the noodle stalls have become his ice-making tools. The agar-agar kanji and cold noodles are all cooled with ice water cooled with ice cubes, making them more refreshing.

Old Hao opened his eyes wide and stared at the ice cube the size of a pigeon egg. He picked it up with his hand and clicked his tongue as he looked at it for a moment more before putting it in his mouth. He chewed it and it made a satisfying rattling nose!

The other person who came for lunch also wanted a bowl of ice water after seeing this. Xiaolian said with a smile as he peppered the cold noodles, “We only have one bottle of this ice, if we give it to you then we will not be able to cool the cold noodles and starch jelly. Do you want to eat flour gelatin and warm noodles? ”

Hearing this, all the honest dock workers laughed and gave up on this idea. One of the men, who was more witty, loudly said, “Xiaolian, we know that this ice water is not easy to get and we will not drink it for nothing. One bowl of ice water for one copper coin, what do you think? ”

Since someone brought money directly to his doorstep, they naturally could not let it hang. Xiaocao, who was making ice inside, came out after hearing this and hurriedly said, “Since uncle has brought him to this point, if we continue to decline then it will become unpleasant! Okay, in the future, we will add one more thing to the —— water ice menu! ”

Xiaolian anxiously asked, “Daughter, making ice is not easy. We don't have many people, will we be able to handle this job? ” What Xiaolian was trying to hinted at was that they only had one bottle of ice. Is that enough ice to sell?

Xiaocao smiled and loudly said, “If we can make it convenient for people, then it doesn't matter if we are a little more busy! Don't worry, it just makes more ice every day! ”

Xiaocao's intention was to let his father expand the stall and build an official storage room and put two large tanks inside. As long as the burp and water are proportioned and the water is placed in the iron bucket, then there will be no discomfort.

However, in the future, their water consumption will increase drastically, and water will have to be brought from nearby villages, making it troublesome. Nevertheless, if you have the money, you can even make ghosts work for you. They could hire people to help them transport water! Some copper coins for a wagon full of water, there were still people willing to do this kind of work!

After adding the ice water sales service, sister Yu's business became more prosperous. Everyone sweats on a hot day. After drinking a bowl of ice-cold water, it quenched their thirst and freed them from the heat of summer. With relief from the scorching summer heat, their appetite increases naturally. With a bowl of cold noodles and starch jellies to eat, one felt very comfortable!

With the help of Aunt of the Eldest Mother and her older cousin, Xiaocao was finally able to take the time to care for her pregnant godmother. Many trees in the mountains and the environment around the residence is cooler. Lady Fang also did not experience any discomfort like a pregnant woman. Every day, once in the morning and once in the evening, he would take a walk, as usual, enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Lady Fang's pregnancy is stable. Every day, Xiaocao checked his pulse. In addition, Xiaocao believed that Lady Fang should not perform any forced labor during the first three months of pregnancy, but proper exercise was still necessary. In terms of nutrition, Xiaocao makes different delicious dishes for her godmother every day. Faced with the beautiful Western Mountain environment and the company of her devoted goddaughter, there was nothing wrong with the woman's appetite other than not being able to bear the smell of seafood.

Xiaocao mischievously said, “Male sisters should be smart and devoted. She knew that getting pregnant was hard for godmothers, so she didn't want to make you suffer. ”

Madam Fang used her index finger to poke Xiaocao's forehead. She cradles her pregnant belly and reveals the brilliance of a mother's love.