Today, the family’s one adult and two children had gone out to sell candy, leaving Lin Yuhe at home with nothing to do. She helped Grandma Lin tidy up the yard and clean the house.
They kept busy until lunchtime. Except during the busy farming season, when they ate three meals a day, the Lin family usually only had two meals, and today was no exception.
However, Mother Lin still made her a small bowl of noodles. “Yuhe, come and eat the noodles while they’re hot. Don’t let them get cold, or you’ll get a stomachache.”
“Mother, I won’t eat them. The white flour Maternal Grandmother sent—we can use it to make some steamed buns so everyone in the family can have some.”
Lin Yuhe thought of the steamed buns her two younger brothers had bought for her from town. At such a young age, they had chopped an extra load of firewood just to buy her those buns, gritting their teeth as they carried it to town.
When she saw their shoulders, raw and bleeding, her eyes grew wet.
“Alright—there’s still some white flour left! You eat first,” Lin Yuhe didn’t want to be overly sentimental and finished the noodles with tears in her eyes.
After lunch, the two brothers who had gone out to sell candy returned together. “Sister!” Lin Chang’an called out even before entering the courtyard.
It seemed that Changping was more composed than Chang’an. Hearing their cheerful voices, Lin Yuhe knew their harvest today must have been good, and there might even be a pleasant surprise.
“It looks like you sold all the candy you took today,” Lin Yuhe said with a gentle smile.
“Sis, you’re amazing! How did you know we sold all the candy?” Although a little surprised, Lin Changping calmly asked.
Lin Yuhe chuckled softly. Although the two brothers were twins born one after the other, their personalities and ways of handling things were completely different.
One was steady, the other lively.
“I guessed from the sound of your voices and your footsteps. The candy you took today must have sold out, which is why you’re so happy, right?”
Lin Yuhe poured two bowls of water for the brothers. “Tell me your good news!”
Lin Changping looked around to make sure no outsiders were present, then carefully pulled out the bulging pouch he had protected all the way. Just as he was about to pour it onto the table, Grandma Lin grabbed his hand.
“Go inside, look at it inside,” Chang’an went to close the courtyard gate.
Lin Yuhe glanced around the fenced courtyard and almost laughed. Closing the gate or not seemed to make no difference for this yard, but counting copper coins should indeed be done indoors.
When the two brothers returned, they said that except for the two pieces of candy used for sampling, the rest were sold at three coins each. Without even counting, she knew exactly how many copper coins there were.
Seeing Grandma Lin and the two grandchildren gathered around the table, each sitting on a small stool, waiting to count the copper coins, Lin Yuhe decided not to reveal how many coins they had earned today. She didn’t want to spoil the family’s fun of counting them.
“Clink, clink!” The sound of copper coins falling onto the table and knocking against each other was quite pleasant to the ear. Grandma Lin’s mouth fell open at the sight of so many coins.
The candy the two children had taken hadn’t even cost twenty copper coins in total, yet they had brought back so many.
The three excitedly looked at the coins, divided them into three piles, and each counted one pile. They counted a full three times before getting it right.
“Sis, do you know how many copper coins we sold in total? We’ve struck it rich!” Lin Chang’an’s eyes sparkled with excitement, overwhelmed by the joy of earning a few dozen copper coins.
“Hmm, 54 copper coins, right?” Lin Yuhe calmly stated the amount.
“Sis, how did you know how many there were? We counted three times before getting it right.”
"I only knew because I heard you all talking. You and your big brother are amazing, selling all the candy you took. Another day, I'll make you some other tasty treats."
Everyone enjoys being praised and encouraged, including the Lin family's twin brothers.
"Sis, tomorrow we'll take more and sell even more," Lin Changping always remembered to earn a little extra money for the family.
The two brothers were also restless. Telling Grandma Lin they were going to chop firewood, one took a rope and the other a notched hatchet as they stepped out of the courtyard gate.
It wasn't until mid-afternoon, when those working in the fields had returned home, that Uncle Lin was seen trudging dejectedly through the gate of the fenced courtyard.
Seeing him like this, Lin Yuhe knew today probably hadn't gone well. "Uncle's back. You've been running around all day—come have some tea."
"Second brother, how did the candy sell today? How many copper coins did you make?" Father Lin was a rough, straightforward man who only knew how to work and didn't read the room when speaking at home.
As soon as he spoke, Mother Lin, sitting beside him, pinched him. "Ouch, that hurts! Haitang, why'd you pinch me?"
"What do you think? Because you're dense, that's why. You're hopeless," she said, giving him a light slap on the back without much force.
Since Grandpa Lin and Father Lin were both out in the fields, Lin Yuhe, with nothing to do at home, had Mother Lin help her light the fire. They boiled plenty of water, which had now cooled and was just right for drinking.
She filled a bowl with water and pushed it toward Uncle Lin. "Uncle, drink up! From now on, our family shouldn't drink unboiled water. All drinking water must be boiled first so we don't get sick easily."
Uncle Lin, who had sat down as soon as he returned, hung his head as low as possible. "Yuhe, I didn't sell much candy today."
It turned out that after being rejected by the Third Shopkeeper of Caoji Pastry Shop, he grew angrier the more he thought about it. Seeing it was getting late, it was too late to go to the county town.
So he simply hawked his wares in the town where he'd been tricked. Relying on his silver tongue, he managed to sell nearly all the candy he'd brought.
"Yuhe, I gave the last two or three pieces to a friend's little daughter and didn't take any copper coins," he said. This friend was someone he'd met back when they were both itinerant peddlers, and they still got along well.
"And a few were taken by the Third Shopkeeper of Caoji Pastry Shop," Uncle Lin explained, adding that the Third Shopkeeper was likely trying to steal skills.
"Uncle, that's actually pretty good—you sold almost all the candy you took out."
Seeing Uncle Lin still looking a bit downcast, she comforted him, "As for that Third Shopkeeper trying to steal skills, don't worry. At most, he'll only manage to make the first kind. He can forget about the others—I know plenty more! There's a secret recipe involved."
Hearing Lin Yuhe say that her candy couldn't be easily copied lifted his spirits just a little. He pulled out today's earnings.
The moment the bulging pouch was placed on the table, Grandpa Lin—true to being Grandma Lin's husband—reacted exactly the same way. He picked up the pouch and headed straight into the main room.
"Changan, guard the courtyard gate. Changping, keep watch in the yard. Call out if anyone comes near."
Lin Yuhe couldn't help but smile wryly. Sigh, just a few copper coins have the elders all worked up. It's all because we're poor.
"Alright, Grandpa," the two brothers obediently took their posts—one behind the fenced gate, the other in the yard, eyes and ears alert in all directions.
The sugar powder bought yesterday had all been used to make candy. Seeing Uncle Lin return empty-handed today, it seemed she wouldn't need to go into the kitchen tomorrow.
However, considering the candy business, I still need to figure out a way. In hot weather, the candy easily melts and loses its shape, so I must lower the temperature.
This matter isn’t urgent. I’ll bring it up after the family finishes counting the copper coins and celebrating their joy!