Chapter 87:
Luo Zhi’er tasted the flavor, found it satisfactory, and only then served it to Shopkeeper Zhu.
Shopkeeper Zhu had been busy all day and was truly hungry; he had only eaten a couple of bites casually at noon.
Earlier while looking at the account book, he ate some fried pine nuts that made his mouth bland; now eating this cold acorn jelly…
He picked up his chopsticks and tasted it, finding it very appetizing, sour and tangy, not like ordinary jelly which is tender and smooth, but with great chewiness and excellent texture; this thing was novel and delicious, he couldn’t stop eating it!
“Shopkeeper Zhu, what do you think of this acorn jelly?”
“Hehe, Luo Niangzi, you know the answer already; the taste is naturally very good!”
“This isn’t just about the taste; the ingredient made from oak bean powder can enhance people’s physical resistance, promote bone development in children, and women who eat it can benefit for beauty… and so on…”
“Hehe, Luo Niangzi came so late specially to make this delicacy for Little Second Brother to taste; I wonder what the price of this thing is? What’s the selling method?”
Luo Zhi’er smiled sweetly: “Shopkeeper Zhu, this acorn jelly looks simple but the actual process is tedious and complex, with requirements for shelling, drying, grinding into powder, water temperature, stirring, spreading to cool, and the use of seasonings for the cold dressing!”
Shopkeeper Zhu nodded, signaling her to continue.
“I’ll just sell the recipe. If Shopkeeper Zhu needs me to deliver the acorn fruit, I’ll naturally do so without hesitation; if you want to acquire it from others, I, Luo Zhi’er, have no objections at all.”
Shopkeeper Zhu thought for a moment, “Then naturally acquiring from Luo Niangzi would be the most hassle-free for Little Second Brother.”
“Good! No problem!”
“As for the price of the recipe, for the complete set from grinding powder to serving, how about ten taels?”
“Ten taels?”
Luo Zhi’er had thought it over; this was a simple dish, similar to modern cold fern root powder; she wouldn’t take too much, and Yumian Tower had been good to her.
Shopkeeper Zhu hadn’t expected her not to open her mouth like a lion; after all, Yumian Tower’s business had picked up recently, and she deserved great credit; he was just afraid she would turn hostile like her mother-in-law, flipping faces over benefits—he had seen plenty of that in his life!
“You won’t regret it?”
“Fixed price buyout, no regrets after the deal!”
“Good!”
Pure! Decisive! Not greedy! Working with someone like this is reassuring!
As for how much to deliver and how often, that still needs to be decided based on actual selling conditions!
As for the deposit, she hadn’t mentioned it! She figured Shopkeeper Zhu could still acquire the goods from others; if she couldn’t provide enough, it would be trouble…
They signed the contract, money and recipe exchanged on the spot.
“Shopkeeper Zhu, I have one request: in the future, if anyone from my family or others inquires about the source of all the recipes, you must keep it strictly confidential!”
“On this point, don’t you trust Little Second Brother?”
“I naturally trust Shopkeeper Zhu; I just don’t trust some people in my family.”
“I understand! Hehe!”
Luo Zhi’er would deliver acorn fruit in the future, but she was afraid her mother-in-law, Old Li Tou, and others would get greedy for silver, grow suspicious, and come probing!
“As for how much to deliver each time and how often, the acorns I brought today are all ground into powder; I won’t take silver for them—I’ll give them to Yumian Tower for promotion!”
“Tomorrow, Shopkeeper Zhu can make them into jelly, launch it as a new product, and give small portions to guests to try!”
“Good!”
This idea was good too! Why hadn’t he thought of it…
Luo Zhi’er came down from the second floor; Li Sanmao was already waiting a bit anxiously.
He was afraid she would be bullied!
He had seen her going up and down the stairs several times, not knowing why, and then going to the backyard kitchen; with Chang Qing following, he held back from asking!
They were politely seen out.
Outside it was pitch black, with sparse firelights dotting the streets.
Illuminating the streets of Taoyuan Town.
Li Sanmao shouldered his empty bamboo basket, the two walking side by side, “Wife, everything okay?”
The things in the bamboo basket were all gone; judging by the waiter’s attitude, it should be settled!
“Mm, all settled. In the future, besides delivering termite mushroom oil, we’ll also deliver oak beans; whenever I have time, I need to go to the mountain to pick them!”
“Oh!”
“You’ve worked hard, wife!”
Besides that, he couldn’t say anything else! He wanted to help, but he still had to hunt and do farm work; he could only help her in his spare time…
He didn’t have the nerve to ask how she had taken on another oak bean business.
When leaving home, the oak beans packed in the bamboo basket had aroused their suspicion; Luo Zhi’er’s explanation was to apologize and bring some mountain goods to Shopkeeper Zhu—what did they have to give?
Zhou Shi was sullen, “You were told to settle it, and your solution is to take things to apologize?” Old Li Tou coughed awkwardly!
This was also right; it was just that the family had nothing good to give!
These acorns weren’t valuable and had no use; they were picked by Luo Zhi’er, so he was happy to see it!
Li Sanmao almost didn’t recognize her anymore; in his view, this matter shouldn’t have been easy to settle, probably requiring huge breach of contract compensation, and the business likely scrapped.
He was afraid Yumian Tower would demand breach of contract and compensation, and she would be upset!
Why had she taken on another oak bean business?
He was really curious how she had convinced that Shopkeeper Zhu!
“But… it’s not confirmed yet! It might be settled in the next couple of days!”
“Oh, like that…”
“San Mao, here’s what I’m thinking: if in the future the demand for acorn fruit is large, could we acquire it from the villagers?”
“Because you know I’m quite fat, and I still have to pick mushrooms and do housework, I might not pick enough; we can buy low from the villagers, then sell to Yumian Tower!”
“That would naturally be good… let’s do that!”
His heart was uneasy; his parents might not be willing to spend silver to acquire it!
Luo Zhi’er and Li Sanmao exited Taoyuan Town’s city gate; unlike the modern era with streetlights, they groped along in the dark, and there was no moon tonight.
Li Sanmao took Luo Zhi’er’s hand; it was soft, but something in her palm poked him, “Hiss…”
Luo Zhi’er pulled her hand back!
“What’s wrong? Wife, let me see?”
Li Sanmao grabbed it and looked closely; he could see several large blisters on her palm! Some had broken skin!
“Your hand has blisters?”
“Mm, my heel too!”
“Wife…”
“Sigh! Forget it, it’s fine; these blisters on my hand are from grinding acorn powder; I’ll apply some ointment when we get home! As for my foot, walking back will just be a bit slow—you’ll have to bear with it!”
If not for his mother, she wouldn’t have needed to butter up Shopkeeper Zhu and grind acorn powder for over two hours!
Nor climb the mountain all day and then walk half the night…
Li Sanmao felt a bit heartbroken; he huffed on it for her, but there was nothing else he could do!
He thought for a moment, threw the bamboo basket on the ground, and squatted down, “Come, wife, I’ll carry you on my back!”
“You sure?”
Luo Zhi’er saw his determination was strong and didn’t want to hurt his pride…
“Uh… alright then!”
She climbed on smoothly!
With a thud, the two fell flat on their faces!
Speechless!
Getting home took about two hours!
Plus the time earlier for cooking and talking business, another one or two hours; by the time they got home, it was midnight!
Li Zhenzhu, Li Daqiang, and the others had put out their lights; Old Li Tou’s room was still lit!
Mainly because Zhou Shi had been greatly frightened today; she was afraid Luo Zhi’er couldn’t settle it—her organs, her family’s Gui’er…
Tossing and turning, her stomach hungry too!
Old Li Tou had said that for the next few days, she, Zhou Meizhen, wouldn’t get a single bite of the family’s grain; she didn’t deserve it! Otherwise, roll up her bedding and leave!
As for Li Gui, she hadn’t dared mention it to Old Li Tou; knowing she had nearly harmed Li Gui, she couldn’t stay in this family; Old Li Tou would probably just throw her a hemp rope and let her end it herself!
