Tuesday 10 January 2023

ESWHYMY 68




Chapter 68 Sujiaxiang


On the eighth day of November, in front of Su Family’s shop. You Jin lit the firecrackers hanging in front of the door and pulled off the red cloth that covered the signboard. ‘Sujiaxiang’ officially opened for business.

Inside the shop, Wu Ya-er, who was standing in front of the counter, was a little nervous. Because her talent for making snacks wasn’t as good as that of Er Ya and Chen Xiao He, she was assigned by You Jin to serve the customers. However, Wu Ya-er grew up in the village. Where could she have such experience? Naturally, she felt uneasy.

Seeing her nervousness, You Yin, who was standing beside her, comforted her in a whispered voice: "There's nothing to be afraid of. Just give the customers what they want to buy and collect the money!"

She was completely like a shopkeeper. The flinching and timid expression between the brows and eyes when she first came to Luohe Prefecture had long disappeared. It was replaced by a graceful demeanor and a steady mentality.

The smell of sulfur after the firecrackers were set off mixed with the scent of snack wafted through the bustling streets. Coupled with the clapping and shouting of ‘buy two get one free’ from You Jin, customers were actually entering the door not long after opening.

A well-dressed young woman walked into the shop with small steps and asked, "What snacks do you have?"

Seeing a customer coming to the door, You Yin raised a smiling face and brought up the snacks that You Jin had prepared in advance and cut into small pieces: "Madam, please try it. We currently have eight kinds of snacks in our store. The first three day of opening, there’s a buy two get one free!"

In the mentality of must eat the freebie, the young woman picked up the bamboo stick on the plate and stuck a small piece of snack into her mouth. Then her eyes lit up slightly. She tasted all the other seven flavors. Only then, she nodded in satisfaction: "Then wrap me a sweet-scented osmanthus red bean cake and four-color cake!"

Although Wu Ya-er standing at the counter couldn't open her mouth, her hands and feet were very agile. She packed the two snacks that the woman asked for in a short while. You Yin smilingly explained: "Madam, our store just opened and doing ‘buy two get one free’. We’re giving a small portion of snack. Which one do you want?"

"Then chrysanthemum crisps!" The woman paid the money and left Sujiaxiang with the snack. Inside, in You Yin’s hand was the snack shop's first income. She was overjoyed.

Sujiaxiang was positioned as a mid-to-low-end snack line. The most expensive four-color slice cake and chrysanthemum crisp were only 1 coin a portion. The cheap and easy-to-get osmanthus mung bean cakes were only 20 wen a piece. Compared to those big snack shops that cost a few coins or even a few silver liang for a snack, Sujiaxiang’s price can be said to be very common folk-friendly.

With its good location, You Jin's loud shouting, and the scent of snack that wafts far away with the autumn wind, many customers were attracted to Sujiaxiang on its first day of opening. When it was time to close, Mrs. Su, You Zhu and the trio in the back kitchen were all too exhausted to raise their hands. But they were all overjoyed. The more tired they were, the better the business was!

You Jin and Wu Ya-er installed the door panels one by one and tidied up the front of the shop a little bit. Then everyone came out from the back door, got into the mule cart that You Jin had hired early in the morning, and hurried out of the city to Wuliqiao before the city gate closed.

Yu Lan, who had been waiting at home for a whole day with Su Family’s few children, saw Mrs. Su, You Jin, and the others had finally returned. She rushed to greet them: "How was it?"

You Jin was afraid that there would be many people in the store. And with how little You Ling, You Luo, and You Cho, it wasn’t impossible for them to be abducted by kidnappers in a blink of an eye. So Yu Lan and You Bao were left at home to guard the children.

Mrs. Su's tired hands hugged little Eighth, who was stretching out her arms to hug her. Then she jollily went to the kang, saying: "Business was great! IMy arms are exhausted to the point that I can't lift my arm."

Mrs. Su's main task was to prepare the recipes. Er Ya and Xiao He were the ones who took on most of the work that required a lot of strength, such as making the dough. Since Mrs. Su's was drained, don’t need to mention other people.

Though everyone was very tired, they were delighted. Before the opening, You Jin had told Er Ya trio that they would be paid on a monthly basis. The better Sujiaxiang's business was, the more money they could get. So the three of them put in even more effort.

In the East Wing, after calculating today's income, You Jin locked the silver in the small wooden cabinet that was specially used for storing silver liang. Then she dragged her tired body out to talk to everyone: "After a few days and the business is doing this well, I’ll recruit a few more people back.”

Seeing her coming out, everyone expectantly looked at her. Everyone was curious about how much money they had earned today. You Jin didn't delay and merrily revealed: "We all earned nine silver liang today!"

This was the net profit calculated out by You Jin roughly after deducting the cost. Although there was still a big difference from the daily progress, it was already a very good result.

"Nine liang! So much!" Everyone was stunned. They didn't expect to earn nearly a month's income of the canal worker's dormitory in just one day.

You Jin hugged the clingy little Seventh into her arms and smilingly spoke: "Today is the first day. I estimate the business will be better tomorrow. We will have to work harder tonight." The raw materials for making snacks were prepared overnight in advance. This way it can reduce a lot of burden on the second day.

You Yin and Wu Ya-er had already prepared dinner. The family of fourteen was divided into two tables. After a hearty meal, Mrs. Su and the others started to work again with their sleeves rolled up. Fire burned. Beans were washed. They were busy until ten pm before washing up and going to bed.

***

In the early morning of the next day, the door of Sujiaxiang had only been open for a while before a wave of customers came to the door. Many of them heard from the neighbors yesterday. There were repeat customers. After one morning, their income had already caught up with yesterday's total income.

For today's lunch, You Jin went to the West Market to buy fourteen meat buns and came back. Everyone in Su Family ate it with nothing and continued to work.

In the back kitchen, Mrs. Su was busy carefully knocking out the pastries in the molds. This batch of molds was created by You Jin. She got Yu Lan to draw a sketch first before getting them carved out by a famous carpenter in Luohe Prefecture. Each pastry had the words ‘Sujiaxiang’ printed on them. In a way, it was a good way to advertise themselves.

"If we go on like this, we will be drained thin after these few days." Mrs. Su happily remarked to Er Ya and Xiao He who was vigorously kneading the dough.

You Zhu, who was stirring red bean paste at the side, replied: "Yes, Eldest Sister had said that we will have a day off after working this period! The business is so good that I can’t bear for the door to close and not make money." This sentence amused the back kitchen into pursing their lips into a smile.

For the sake of hygiene, You Jin had made everyone wear a lotus-colored handkerchief on their heads. It was paired with the off-white narrow-sleeved top, and a lotus-colored pleated skirt. The very gentle color scheme made customers who came in to buy cakes find it bright.

The business on the second and third days was blazing. After the three days of trial operation, You Jin’s cash box received a total of forty-three liang. Although the business gradually declined from the fourth day, it had always been able to maintain a daily net profit of seven or eight liang.

When the first snow fell this winter, You Jin bought three fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls back: "From now on, you two will help in the kitchen. Cui Cui, you will learn how to serve customers from Zi Su."

Zi Su was Wu Ya-er's new name. At Yu Lan's suggestion, You Jin changed all the newly bought maidservants to the names of spices. Er Ya was renamed □□. Xiao He changed her name to Bai Zhi. It complemented the snack shop.

With three helpers added to the snack shop, Mrs. Su can finally be freed from here. She only came to the city in the morning to help with some preparations. Before lunch, she went home to mind two youngest who had been neglected by her for more than one month.

"It's snowing now. I'm afraid there will be fewer visitors." Zi Su, who was wearing a beige padded jacket, rubbed her fingertips that were slightly red from the cold. Looking at the snowflakes outside, she couldn't help feeling a little worried.

You Jin put the silver she had just received into the drawer and replied without raising her head: "It's okay. The business operates as normal. There's no need to be anxious."

It was almost December now. The weather in Luohe Prefecture was a little better than Cuifeng Village. The snow in winter wasn’t so heavy. In addition, Su Family now had money. Everyone can eat and wear warm clothes. This winter wasn’t too difficult.

Holding the wooden tray full of red bean paste pancake, □□ opened the curtain with one hand and came in with a smile: "Miss, newly baked red bean paste pancakes."

Also under Yu Lan's suggestion and insistence, everyone had changed their way of addressing Su Family’s sisters to Miss. The boundary between master and servant had gradually become clear.

"En, put it on the shelf." You Jin looked at the newly baked pancakes. All of them were golden in color and exuded the sweet taste of bean paste. Quite attractive.

***

Xiao Lin Feng, who had already returned to the capital and came back to Luohe Prefecture, was still riding his beloved horse. Behind him was a string of guards. This was the final result of a game between Xiao Lin Yu and Xiao Family’s old Ancestor. Though he didn’t like so many people behind him, it was better than staying at home and being bored.

He rode the horse and slowly moved on the street. He wasn’t afraid of the snowflakes getting his clothes wet, because he was also wearing a quality white fox cloak. It can be said to be extremely coquettish. Suddenly, he smelled a sweet smell in the cold wind and his mouth continuously salivated.

After swallowing hard, he asked a passer-by in front where the origin of the fragrance obviously came: "What is that in your hand?" It smelled so good!

The passer-by saw that he was a good-looking child and he didn't mind his rudeness. He took a bite of the pancake and the steaming red bean paste was exposed. That tangy aroma made Xiao Lin Feng’s gaze become fixated. The man pointed to a lotus-colored sign not far away that fluttered in the wind: "I bought this red bean paste pancake from Sujiaxiang snack shop up ahead there."

After hearing this, Xiao Lin Feng's eyes lit up. He urged his horse and trotted to the door of Sujiaxiang. Before he got off the horse, he was so seduced to a frozen state by the scent inside: "It smells wonderful!"

The guards who followed all the way weren’t surprised. Xiao Family’s Youngest Young Master loved and knew how to eat. This was an open secret of Xiao Family. It was a major driving force behind Xiao Family’s involvement in the restaurant industry. Old Ancestor, Master, Madam, and Eldest Young Master all doted Youngest Young Master. In order to satisfy Youngest Young Master's appetite, the manor in the capital nurtured a dozen or so cooks alone.

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3 comments:

  1. So happy they are having good business!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I cant read the new name of Er Ya. I can only see two square 😅

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. in the raw, it's also squares. Can't translate something i don't know 😅

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