bookrandom Chapter 130 was all sold.
Chapter 130 was all sold.
Cheng's mother smiled so broadly that her eyes disappeared. "An'an, bring Niannian and Xin'er over later. I'll take their measurements too. The leftover fabric from when you and your eldest sister finished making the dresses can make two more sets for them."
The little one is only four years old, so tiny that even a small piece of fabric wouldn't be needed to make a garment for an adult.
Cheng Ruoan smiled and agreed.
After the two children finished their studies at Doctor Hu's in the afternoon, Cheng Ruoan also invited Si Shaoheng, who was studying diligently in the study, and Doctor Hu. The four of them went straight to the front hall for dinner.
My older sister and Shaoyang weren't there when we ate.
"After returning from Youjian Inn today, two traveling merchants came to the town to order milk chicken cakes from your eldest sister."
Your older sister signed a monthly contract with Zhao Dongjia at the price you and he had agreed on before, and then she and your brother-in-law went out to collect milk and butter in a few neighboring towns.
"Don't even mention tonight, I'm afraid I won't be able to return tomorrow or the day after."
"How much have you ordered?"
"Both of them come to pick up their goods every five days, ten catties each, and they carry them to distant towns to sell."
Cheng Ruoan was curious about how these two people found them. Cheng's mother said, "They always stay at Youjian Inn when they come to Huangyang Town. They have a good relationship with Manager Luo. They must have heard about it from Manager Luo. They wanted to try something new, so they didn't order much."
"Your older sister said that they haven't found a reliable milk supplier, so they need to prepare in advance."
Huangyang Town is a transportation hub town. There are not many villages around the town, so naturally no one raises so many cattle and sheep.
Moreover, the oxen used for plowing in the Great Xia territory are all water buffalo and yellow cattle, which cannot compare to the milk production of dairy cows. When Cheng Ruotong makes sponge cakes, she even has to separate the butter herself, which requires a huge amount of milk.
Cheng Ruoan chuckled and said, "It's alright, orders will gradually increase. It's good to be prepared, especially since our own shop is about to open, and we also need to deliver goods to Youjian Inn."
"Yes, yes, yes, I've watched you two sisters start your own businesses, and now I'm the one who earns the least."
"No, Mother-in-law, it is I who cannot earn a single penny."
Niannian rummaged through her rice bowl, mumbling incoherently, "Daddy doesn't not know how to make money, Daddy only knows how to spend it!"
Instead of getting angry, Si Shaoheng laughed and put a meatball on her plate, saying, "Even eating can't shut you up."
The whole family is enjoying themselves.
The next day, Yang the bricklayer brought workers to renovate the back of Cheng Ruoan's house and repair the toilet.
At Cheng Ruoan's request, when they were renovating the front building, they put up scaffolding and covered it with tarpaulin so that passersby wouldn't see that they were renovating the shop.
Yang the bricklayer only brought a team of workers with him, including himself and his brother, making a total of nine people.
Apart from him and his brother, everyone else stayed in front to renovate the shop.
The two of them followed Cheng Ruoan directly to the side gate of the second courtyard, where they built a toilet under Cheng Ruoan's occasional on-site guidance.
After Si Shaoheng returned, the task of introducing the children to the world fell entirely on him.
Dr. Hu continued to teach Cheng Ruoan.
The construction at the Cheng residence lasted for seven or eight days. Occasionally, when Yang the bricklayer and his brother were unsure of what to do, they would ask Dapeng to pass on a message to Cheng Ruoan, asking her to come and take a look.
A common scenario is that Cheng Ruoan arrives at the toilet construction site with red eyes, her voice thick with the nasal congestion from crying, explaining to them how to do this and how to fix that.
Yang Liu asked his brother, Yang the bricklayer, "Does this Cheng Er Niangzi get beaten and scolded by her husband in the backyard every day? Why is she always crying?"
Yang the bricklayer quickly shushed him, "What nonsense are you talking about? Cheng Erniangzi's husband is a scholar who relies on the Cheng family to pay for his studies and the imperial examinations. How could he possibly beat or scold Cheng Erniangzi?"
"Then why does she cry every day?"
"Ahem, I heard that Second Madam Cheng is studying medicine. Perhaps she was scolded by her master and cried?"
"That's true. Boys start learning medicine from a young age, so it's natural for them to be boys. Besides, Cheng Er Niangzi is a girl, and she's only starting to learn medicine at this age..."
Cheng Ruoan, who had only started studying medicine at this age, was now wailing loudly by the newly built medicine shed in the backyard.
She clutched her left hand, which was covered in needle marks, and wailed, "I killed someone in my past life, and I'm studying medicine in this life. If there's a next life, I'd rather die than study medicine again."
Dr. Hu glanced at her, picked up a purple clay teapot, and sat back in his rocking chair.
"Crying won't help, cursing won't help. I've disinfected the acupuncture needles with alcohol. Just try to lightly prick the acupuncture points I just mentioned."
The winery hadn't been built yet, but Doctor Hu had already started teaching acupuncture techniques, so Cheng Ruoan could only take out some alcohol from her spatial storage to use for the time being.
She took it out and repeatedly told Dr. Hu that he absolutely must not drink it.
Upon hearing this, Dr. Hu realized it had the same effect as burning or boiling the daylily buds, and perhaps even better, so he gave Cheng Ruoan a reproachful glare.
"I know! Do you think I'm like Nian Nian? A big gluttonous girl!"
Cheng Ruoan, still crying, used sterilized gold needles to prick herself.
Fortunately, Xiaomian'er came with important news to rescue her.
"Second Miss, Blacksmith Wang returned from the countryside yesterday. He wants you to go to his place to get the iron plate when you have some free time today."
Cheng Ruoan excitedly jumped to her feet, her face beaming with joy: "Really? Big sister has been waiting for this baking tray for quite some time now, I'll go get it right away!"
Dr. Hu scoffed coldly, said nothing, and sent Cheng Ruoan away.
Two days ago was supposed to be the day Wang the blacksmith was to deliver the goods, but something happened at his home in the countryside, so he could only ask someone to pass on a message to Cheng Ruoan, and then he closed the shop and rushed back to the countryside.
Cheng Ruoan took Xiao Mian'er out to get the baking pan, and on their way back they encountered a carriage from Youjian Inn.
The person in the car was Manager Luo.
"Mrs. Cheng, are you going home? If you don't mind, please get in the carriage and come along." Manager Luo lifted the carriage curtain and spoke to Cheng Ruo'an, who had just been pulled down, with a smile as bright as that of Maitreya Buddha.
After he finished speaking, his wife also leaned over to the window and warmly invited Cheng Ruoan to get in the car together.
"Yes, Madam Cheng, we've come to the Cheng residence to find you. Come on up, let's go together."
Manager Luo's wife also has the surname Luo. She is the manager of the Zhao family's embroidery workshop in Huangyang Town. A few days ago, Manager Zhao introduced her to Cheng Ruoan.
To distinguish her from Manager Luo, Cheng Ruoan usually called her Madam Luo.
Cheng Ruoan and Xiao Mian'er exchanged a glance and replied to the couple with a smile, "Since Madam Luo is here as well, then we will take our leave."
Once inside the carriage, Cheng Ruoan asked, "Are you two going to the Cheng residence together on some important matter?"
Three days ago, Zhao Dongjia brought Luo Niangzi to the Cheng residence to pick up six hundred jars of cloud ointment from Cheng Ruoan. Even if they were restocking, it wouldn't be this fast...
Madam Luo and Manager Luo exchanged a glance before looking at Cheng Ruoan, smiling warmly, "It's not a big deal, but it's a joyous occasion!"
"Hmm? What's the good news?"
"Our hand cream workshop sold all three hundred jars of bamboo ointment at once!"