Jiang Qingli neatly arranged the cut tofu cubes on bamboo trays and glanced up at the sun.
The early summer sunlight had already become somewhat scorching. She narrowed her eyes involuntarily as fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
“Brother Wang, we need to hurry. The tofu has to dry in the sun for at least two hours first. The surface moisture needs to evaporate before it can be properly pickled,” Jiang Qingli said, wiping her hands, urgency evident in her voice.
Wang Dagou carried over a bundle of freshly cut straw, bits of chaff still clinging to his rough fingers.
As he looked at the tender white tofu cubes, he hesitated to speak. Earlier, he had agreed to Jiang Qingli’s method on impulse.
But now that he thought about it carefully, if this spoiled tofu killed someone, he would be finished. It would not matter if he ended up in prison himself, but what if Xiao Jun was dragged down with him?
Hearing the concern in his words, Jiang Qingli sighed inwardly.
This honest tofu maker had already been bent under the weight of life’s hardships.
Taking the straw from him, she swiftly spread it out in a shaded area. Her movements were so practiced that it seemed as though she had done it thousands of times before.
“Just trust me,” she said deliberately, raising her voice to sound more confident.
“When I was at my parents’ home, I watched my grandmother make this before. The mold has grown evenly, which makes it perfect for making Hairy Tofu.”
In reality, the original owner’s grandmother had never known how to make tofu at all. Jiang Qingli silently apologized in her heart.
But if she wanted Wang Dagou to believe her, she had no choice but to say it.
She picked up a piece of tofu and brought it to her nose. Beneath the rich soybean aroma, there was already a faint hint of the distinctive scent of fermentation.
“Take a smell. This mold fragrance is exactly right.”
She handed the tofu to Wang Dagou and watched as he cautiously sniffed it. Gradually, the tension in his brows eased.
While they were busy working, a small figure peeked out from inside the house.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Wang Jun asked timidly, “Dad, aren’t we making tofu today?”
Wang Dagou immediately waved him over.
“Junzi, come help this big sister spread the straw. We’re making something new today.”
The three of them worked until the sun had begun to sink toward the western horizon.
Jiang Qingli carefully layered the sun-dried tofu cubes into a large earthenware jar. With each layer, she sprinkled salt, chili powder, and a small amount of baijiu.
When it came time to seal the jar, she deliberately left a small gap.
“It needs a little airflow, otherwise the fermentation won’t work properly.”
This was the first card she intended to play in establishing herself in this era, and it had to be played well.
While Wang Dagou followed her example and arranged the tofu, he suddenly slapped his thigh.
“Oh no! Director Yu said we had to bring it over this afternoon…”
“No rush.”
Jiang Qingli wiped her hands and continued, “It needs enough time to marinate before it develops the proper flavor. Later, just take one jar of samples over and tell him the new product still needs additional curing. Ask him to wait another two days.”
In truth, the Hairy Tofu was already edible at this stage.
It simply had not absorbed enough flavor yet, and the taste would be noticeably inferior.
At the very least, however, it would prove that she had not been lying and that the product was safe to eat. Three days later, once the flavors had fully penetrated the tofu, it would undoubtedly impress everyone.
People in this era mostly survived on corn porridge and sweet potato gruel. A plate of Hairy Tofu alongside those simple meals would be incredibly appetizing.
Just as she was speaking, the familiar ringing of a bicycle bell sounded from outside the courtyard gate.
Yu Weidong pushed his bicycle into the yard, a trace of irritation still lingering on his face.
“Old Wang, didn’t we agree this afternoon…”
“Director Yu!”
Jiang Qingli quickly stepped forward.
“You came at the perfect time. The new product has just been made. Please give it a try.”
Half convinced and half doubtful, Yu Weidong accepted a piece of tofu and cautiously took a bite.
His brows furrowed at first, then gradually relaxed. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment longer.
“Huh? This flavor…”
“How is it?”
Wang Dagou was so nervous that his palms were sweating, and even his voice trembled slightly.
“Interesting!”
Yu Weidong broke off another piece.
“The initial taste is a little strong, but the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes. Old Wang, who would have thought you had this kind of skill?”
The knot in Jiang Qingli’s chest finally loosened.
Taking advantage of the moment, she said, “Director Yu, this Hairy Tofu really needs three full days of curing before its flavor reaches its peak. You see…”
As she spoke, she lifted the lids from more than ten freshly prepared jars one by one.
Looking at the rows of jars lined neatly beneath the eaves, a sense of pride welled up inside her. They represented an entire day’s hard work from both her and Wang Dagou.
Yu Weidong stared at the jars filling the space beneath the roof and finally revealed a smile that had been absent for quite some time.
“Good! I’ll come personally to collect them in three days.”
The tofu already tasted excellent now. If it truly became even more flavorful after three days, then even Limin Commune’s Five-Spice Dried Tofu would not be able to compete with it.
With that thought, Yu Weidong made a decisive decision.
“If the quality remains stable, we’ll purchase it through negotiated pricing. The price will be thirty percent higher than ordinary tofu.”
By the time Yu Weidong left, the evening clouds had already dyed half the sky red.
Staring at the jars of tofu, Wang Dagou’s eyes suddenly reddened.
“Little Jiang, you’ve saved the lives of both me and my son…”
“You’re exaggerating, Brother Wang.”
Jiang Qingli waved her hand awkwardly.
“When this batch of tofu sells for a good price, you’ll have to treat me to a proper meal.”
“Absolutely!”
Wang Dagou wiped his face, then suddenly remembered something.
“Oh right, this technique…”
“Don’t worry.”
Understanding what he meant, Jiang Qingli smiled.
“I’ll teach you the complete process. From now on, I guarantee that our Hongxing Commune’s Hairy Tofu will become the most sought-after specialty for miles around.”
She spoke sincerely, but she knew very well that keeping the recipe to herself would be useless.
Without cooperation from the supply and marketing cooperative, no matter how good the recipe was, it could never realize its full value.
But by giving it to Wang Dagou, she could help him and his son secure a livelihood, while also potentially creating another path for herself in the future. It was a win-win situation.
The two chatted and laughed as they sealed the final batch of tofu into fermentation jars.
Neither of them noticed the pair of malicious eyes watching everything from around a corner.
Su Keqing let out a cold laugh.
Her lips, coated with cheap lipstick, twisted into a cruel and mocking smile.
So this was why Jiang Qingli had suddenly changed her behavior.
It turned out she had fallen for the widowed tofu seller.
How shortsighted.
Su Keqing tugged disdainfully at her floral dress, her heart filled with contempt.
All those efforts she had spent trying to get close to Jiang Qingli had not been wasted after all.
Little did anyone know that she found every conversation with that fool unbearable. Just looking at Jiang Qingli’s face full of fat made her want to vomit.
Meanwhile, after finishing the final jar of tofu, Jiang Qingli finally realized how late it had become.
“Oh no, Brother Wang! Xiaohua is still waiting for me to go back and eat dinner with her…”
Wang Dagou hurriedly wiped his hands on his apron and turned to retrieve a snow-white block of tofu from a nearby bamboo basket.
“Take this with you. Brother Wang doesn’t have much at home, but there’s certainly no shortage of tofu.”
Jiang Qingli was not the type to refuse out of false politeness.
If she declined, Wang Dagou would undoubtedly feel guilty.
She accepted it openly and thanked him.
“Oh right, Brother Wang. When you go back to the village later to haul soybeans, could you pass a message to my parents? Tell them Xiaohua will be staying here for a few more days and won’t be coming back yet.”
At first, she had considered writing a letter and asking Wang Dagou to deliver it.
But after thinking it over, she abandoned the idea.
If she actually wrote a letter, the old couple would probably rush over first thing the next morning in a panic to see what had happened.
After all, judging by the original owner’s usual behavior, did she look like someone who would ever sit down and write a letter?
Wang Dagou was momentarily stunned before suddenly smacking his forehead in realization.
“Oh! You mean Shen Family’s elders? Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the message gets to them.”