The lean meat was cut into thin strips, then marinated for a while with sweet potato starch, soy sauce, and cooking wine.
During that time, Qiao Mianmian sliced green peppers into thin strips, then cut lotus root and pork slices to make soup.
With Madam Lin around, the Qiao family’s meals couldn’t improve overnight, but today’s meal was already quite good.
Qiao Mianmian deliberately kept a bowl of braised pork offal for the family. Once the shredded pork with green peppers was stir-fried, they could start eating.
The green peppers were bright and fresh, contrasting with the dark-colored shredded meat. The meat glistened with oil. After one bite, Qiao Jiaxing exclaimed again, “Fifth Sister, if you set up a food stall with your cooking skills, your business would definitely be a huge hit!”
Lin Xiahe nodded in agreement. “Before, a lady from the embroidery workshop brought me some crispy fried pork from Fumanlou. I don’t think it tasted as good as Fifth Sister’s cooking. Mother, since Fifth Sister cooks so well, why don’t we set up a stall for her? I won’t go to the embroidery workshop anymore. Helping at home would be much more comfortable.”
She worked as a cleaner at the embroidery workshop. Because she wanted to learn some skills, she sometimes stood nearby to listen when the master taught, but privately, many people mocked her for not knowing her place, saying she was like a toad trying to secretly learn skills beyond her station.
However, she had never told her family about these things.
Madam Lin smiled. “Your Fifth Sister is still young. How could she run a stall as a head cook? I’m already satisfied with what we have now.” Her heart felt sweet, so even though there was meat again at the table, she only glared at her husband instead of scolding him.
Qiao Mianmian’s goal was to set up a small food stall. Right now, she was using her father’s stall, and since she couldn’t offer dine-in service, the income wasn’t much—still far from her goal of getting rich.
But her mother definitely wouldn’t agree now. She would have to earn more money first before she could persuade her.
After the family finished eating, Madam Lin took a packet of tea leaves to visit the matchmaker to discuss Lin Xiahe’s marriage.
Zhang Shi wasn’t her biological grandmother, but she had watched Lin Xiahe grow up. Knowing the marriage was nearly settled, she pulled Lin Xiahe into a room.
She took out a silver ring. “When Wangchun got married, I gave her one too. You sisters grew up in our family—you are our children. Since both families have agreed, I’ll give this to you first.”
“Grandmother, I…”
“Don’t cry. Marriage is a good thing.” Zhang Shi wiped her granddaughter’s tears and patted her hand. “Your mother is a good woman. For the sake of her five children, she lives frugally. Just now at the table, if Mianmian hadn’t put meat in her bowl, she wouldn’t have taken any herself. Lin Xiahe, no matter what happens, you must always remember your mother. She has had a hard life.”
“I know, Grandmother.” Lin Xiahe sniffed.
Zhang Shi’s eyes also grew moist. “Alright, go wash up. You still have work tomorrow.”
Lin Xiahe agreed. After returning to her room, she sat beside her younger sister and leaned her head on her. “Mianmian, I will definitely earn a lot of money in the future!” She didn’t want to see her family struggle anymore.
“Me too.” Qiao Mianmian had already prepared the braised offal and vegetables for tomorrow. Without discounts, business at the market might not be as good, but fortunately, they had reached a cooperation agreement with Chunxi Restaurant.
After a good night’s sleep, at dawn, Qiao Jiawang went to deliver the braised offal, while Qiao Mianmian went to the market with Madam Lin carrying their load.
Today, Qiao Mancang was selling meat. Madam Lin set down her load and took the pork offal he had collected to the river to wash.
After selling for three consecutive days, many people already knew how delicious her braised offal was. By noon, half her customers were regulars and half were new. When most of it was sold out, she packed up and prepared to go home.
For three days in a row, she had sold out before noon.
That day, it was time to discuss the next steps with the owner of Chunxi Restaurant. After selling out, Qiao Mianmian brought her older brother and father with her.
Both men were tall and strong. She brought them along to create an impression—that her family was large and formidable.
“Father, Brother, let me handle the talking later,” she instructed before entering the restaurant.
Manager Sun had already been waiting. “Miss Qiao, you’re finally here. Please come in for tea.”
Over the past three days, the Qiao family’s braised offal had been selling out quickly, but he understood that scarcity increased value. He followed Qiao Mianmian’s strategy, announcing that the first three days were promotional, with limited new dishes, and that official sales would begin tomorrow. Many regular customers were already looking forward to it.
“Business is thriving, Manager,” Qiao Mianmian said with a smile as she sipped her tea.
“It’s thanks to you. Your family’s cooking is excellent. Let’s sign a contract today.” He took out a document. “From now on, your family will deliver eighty bowls of braised offal daily. I’ll pay eleven copper coins per bowl, but you can only supply us. What do you think?”
He planned to sell each bowl for forty-five coins. Without having to cook it himself, he would save on labor and fuel, making a huge profit.
“I agree to supply only your restaurant, but that changes our original plan. We intended to sell cheaply and in large quantities. At that price, we wouldn’t earn much.”
Qiao Mianmian smiled. “I heard you plan to raise prices tomorrow. At eleven coins per bowl, you would earn at least thirty coins profit per bowl. Of course, I understand you have expenses. I won’t ask for an outrageous price. Let’s set it at fifteen coins per bowl—the same as our market price. We earn, and you earn even more. A win-win.”
Manager Sun had expected a small increase, maybe one or two coins—not four. He frowned slightly.
“Manager Sun, you’ve seen how well our food sells. Our whole family works all day just to make a living. I’m straightforward—if this works, we cooperate happily. If not, I’ll have to look elsewhere.” She stood up as she spoke.
“You’re quite impatient, young lady,” he said quickly, asking her to sit. Even at fifteen coins, he could still make a lot. After thinking it over, he agreed. “Alright, it’s settled. We’ll sign a six-month contract first. If we increase supply later, we’ll sign a new one. Is that acceptable?”
Qiao Mianmian agreed. Qiao Mancang quietly reminded her that they were illiterate.
“We’ll take it back and have Scholar Xu look at it,” she said. They had helped Madam Xu before—now it was time for Xu Mingxuan to return the favor.
Qiao Mancang agreed. On the way, he moved quickly, but before going to the Xu family, he went home to get a crucian carp. “We shouldn’t ask for help empty-handed. Madam Xu isn’t in good health—this will be good for her. Jiawang, go with Mianmian. I’ll help your mother carry the offal from the river.”
They split up. Qiao Mianmian and her brother went to the Xu family, but Xu Mingxuan wasn’t home. Fortunately, Madam Xu could read and checked the contract for them. There were no issues.
“Thank you for your help, Auntie. My father said fish soup is good for your health,” Qiao Mianmian said with a smile as she folded the contract. “But could you keep this matter confidential?”
Madam Xu looked puzzled.
“Doing business becomes troublesome when too many people know,” Qiao Mianmian explained.
“I understand,” Madam Xu said.
As she watched Qiao Mianmian leave happily, she suddenly thought that the girl was quite good—articulate and healthy, unlike herself.
Her eldest son had died of illness, and she herself was frail. If something happened to her, who would her younger son rely on?
With that thought, she decided that when choosing a wife for her younger son, good health would be the top priority.
Qiao Mianmian signed the contract with Manager Sun, sealing it with fingerprints. Eighty bowls a day at fifteen coins each meant a daily profit of about one tael of silver.
Manager Sun paid half a month’s deposit in advance. The silver felt heavy in her hands, and she was afraid of being robbed, so she let her brother carry it.
It was the first time Qiao Jiawang had held so much silver. He was so nervous that he sweated all the way home.
Only after they arrived did he dare to breathe deeply. His voice trembled as he said, “Father, Mother… we brought back the silver.”
“Wait!” Madam Lin quickly closed the door, then weighed the silver. “E-eighteen taels! Oh my heavens, I’ve never held this much silver at once. Mianmian, my good daughter, let me kiss you!”
She had been worrying every day about earning enough money to buy a new house. Now, with this income, that dream was within reach. She hugged her daughter, kissed her, and cried with joy. “Dear, our family finally has hope!”
Qiao Mancang was deeply moved as well. He had never imagined their family could reach this point.
Everyone was happy. Seizing the moment, Qiao Jiaxing raised his hand. “Since it’s such a good day, shouldn’t we celebrate with something nice to eat?”
“You greedy child!” Madam Lin laughed. “Your father secretly saved a pig trotter today, knowing about the deal. Mianmian is already cooking it.”
If she hadn’t smelled it, she wouldn’t have known.
“Mother, we earn money so the family can live well,” Qiao Mianmian said, acting spoiled. “If we only work without eating well, we won’t have the strength to work. Don’t be so frugal—we’re getting better.”
Madam Lin tapped her forehead. “You don’t manage the household—you don’t know how expensive daily necessities are. Living in the city costs money even for firewood. Even the neighbor has to pay for water. You all spend too freely. I’ll keep the money. Go wash up—it’s getting late.”
Seeing everyone happy, she didn’t say more and went to lock the silver away.
Qiao Mianmian went into the kitchen. The pork trotters were simmering in the pot. With a gentle poke of her chopsticks, the meat slipped off the bone. The skin glistened with a rich brown color, making one’s mouth water just by looking at it.
She simmered the sauce until it thickened, then served the pork trotters. The tender meat was broken into small pieces and soaked in the sauce.
“Dinner’s ready!”
At her call, Qiao Jiaxing quickly set the table.
Rice was placed at the bottom of each bowl. Each person took a piece of braised pork trotter. Qiao Mianmian preferred a mix of lean and fat. She poured a spoonful of sauce over it, mixed it with the rice, and took a bite. The chewy rice and rich sauce made it impossible to stop until the bowl was empty.
“Burp.” Qiao Jiaxing rubbed his round belly in satisfaction. “Ever since Mianmian started cooking, our meals have become so much better.”
Qiao Mianmian also let out a satisfied burp, still tasting the rich flavor of the pork trotter rice. She drank a large gulp of cold tea and went to the door to rinse her mouth.
Just as she stood there, she saw a scruffy, ragged man knocking on Aunt Wu’s door.
She didn’t recognize him.
After a moment, Aunt Wu opened the door, froze, and then cried out, “My son, you’ve finally come back!”