The name of the shop was simple, and it was quite busy with customers coming and going.
Jam was a relatively rough product, and she hadn’t expected it to be anything fancy or high-end.
“What is jam? I’ve never even heard of it.” The shop assistant was stunned and thought for a long time but still couldn’t figure out what it was.
Their pastry shop had been open for decades, yet here was something they didn’t even recognize.
“That’s exactly it! Young man, take a look—this is jam. It’s made from a secret family recipe. If my family hadn’t fallen on hard times, we would never have used it to make a living.” As she spoke, Zhou Xing revealed a faintly sorrowful expression.
Seeing this, Xie Yuan was slightly stunned. He didn’t expect his wife to be so good at acting. He wondered if she ever put on an act in front of him as well…
But thinking that she was doing all this just to sell the jam and support the family, his mood calmed.
“That’s right. This is my wife’s family recipe. You might as well try it.” Xie Yuan scooped a spoonful with a small bamboo spoon and handed it to the assistant.
The shop assistant looked at them suspiciously, but seeing Xie Yuan wearing a scholar’s headscarf, he seemed like an educated man and unlikely to be deceptive.
At that moment, Zhou Xing also took a bamboo spoon, tasted the jam herself, and said, “It has a lingering sweetness, with a rich aroma. This jam uses quite a lot of medicinal ingredients and sugar. It can nourish the body and blood for both men and women. It can be brewed into drinks or used as cake filling.”
The assistant saw that the jam was clear in color and thick in texture. When he tasted it, it was indeed as she said—fragrant and sweet. He nodded repeatedly.
“Please wait here for a moment. I’ll go call our shopkeeper.”
Their shopkeeper had been worrying about new products.
Although Wang Ji Pastry Shop was an old establishment, many new competitors had recently emerged. Without new products, it would be hard to maintain their position.
This was like someone sending a pillow just when he was feeling sleepy. If he secured this deal, the shopkeeper would surely value him more.
The assistant hurried inside, and soon a chubby middle-aged man came out from the back.
“So you’re here to sell jam? Let me take a look.” The shopkeeper panted as he spoke, then picked up a bamboo tube, sniffed it, and nodded. “Let me taste it.”
“Mm, this is well made, with generous ingredients.” After tasting it, he said, “My surname is Wang. How much do you plan to sell this jam for?”
Jam was somewhat similar to meat sauce, but harder to make and required a lot of sugar and seasonal fruit.
He had once asked his kitchen to make jam before, but the flavor was not as rich as this. He didn’t know why.
The assistant said this woman claimed she had a secret recipe—perhaps it was true.
If the price was right, he intended to buy it. Jam could be used for drinks, pastries, or decoration—indeed a valuable new product.
“One bamboo tube costs one hundred wen!”
Zhou Xing stated the price clearly.
This had been discussed earlier. The price was based on the cost of sugar and was not an exaggeration.
The shopkeeper felt relieved upon hearing it. Sugar was indeed expensive. It seemed they were only earning hard labor money.
“Alright, I’ll take all ten bamboo tubes. However, I need to see how it sells first. If it sells well, I’ll place more orders. Where can I find you then?”
The shopkeeper spoke directly to Zhou Xing, realizing she was the one in charge.
“Five days later, we will come again,” she replied.
The shopkeeper instructed the assistant to settle the payment and also gave them two pieces of peach pastry.
After leaving the shop, both of them felt slightly dazed.
They hadn’t expected their first business attempt to go so smoothly without rejection.
Xie Yuan also found it unbelievable. One tael of silver was earned so easily. Previously, when he copied documents in the prefectural city, he could only earn enough for basic living.
Was his wife some kind of money tree?
Zhou Xing, however, was already thinking about buying more supplies. There were too many necessities—clothes, shoes, bedding, oil, salt, seasonings, and grain.
As they walked, a commotion caught their attention.
Ahead, a shop was surrounded by a crowd, with cheering voices coming from inside.
“Fellow, what’s happening up ahead? Why is it so lively?” Zhou Xing asked a woman nearby.
The woman glanced at their clothing and guessed they were outsiders, likely refugees.
“Because of official policies, all of you will eventually become part of Shuiquan County. The prosperity of Shuiquan Town depends on having more people.”