Feng Yun got straight to the point. “Madam Xu, I want to buy the recipe for your sugar snowballs—twenty-five taels.”
Xu Anyan did not answer immediately. Twenty-five taels was too low; it definitely needed a higher price.
Feng Yun was not in a hurry either. She waited patiently for a response. After she bought five jin of sugar snowballs that day and brought them home for her family to try, everyone said they were delicious.
That was when she came up with the idea of buying the recipe outright. Low cost, high profit.
After a few days of observation, she realized the sugar snowballs sold extremely fast. As long as she secured the recipe, she would be able to earn back the cost within a month.
“Thirty taels. I also have two conditions. If you agree, I’ll sell it,” Xu Anyan finally said.
She had her own considerations as well. Although sugar snowballs were profitable, they were seasonal and would eventually stop production. So she planned to expand into other ventures.
Feng Yun smiled lightly. “What conditions?”
Xu Anyan stated her requirements. “I hope you won’t raise the price and will continue selling at my original price. Also, for the sour fruit supply, I can recommend someone to you.”
Hearing this, Feng Yun found both conditions acceptable and immediately agreed. “Alright, I agree. Let’s draft the contract now.”
She took out brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from a nearby table and began writing the contract.
Xu Anyan was slightly surprised at how readily she agreed and momentarily didn’t keep up with the pace.
Soon, Feng Yun finished writing two copies of the contract. She stamped them, signed her name, pressed a red fingerprint, then blew dry the ink and placed them in front of Xu Anyan.
Looking at the elegant handwriting on the paper, Xu Anyan felt nothing but admiration. After carefully reviewing it and finding no issues, she signed her name and pressed her fingerprint as well.
A person’s name represented their dignity, so the original owner had written hers very beautifully. Xu Anyan suspected she might have only practiced those three characters.
Then, as she wrote down the sugar snowball recipe while also explaining it aloud, Feng Yun laughed and said, “Madam Xu, there’s no need to explain—just write it down.”
Xu Anyan sighed helplessly. “To be honest, my handwriting is a bit… hard on the eyes.”
Feng Yun: “……”
After taking the two sheets of paper, she believed it. The handwriting not only took up space—it was indeed hard on the eyes.
It was clear Madam Xu only cared about her own name.
To make it legible, Xu Anyan wrote in very large characters, which wasted quite a bit of paper.
After that, she also told Feng Yun about Old Man Li’s stall location, figuring it was good to help where she could.
“Madam Xu, here are thirty taels of silver.”
Feng Yun pushed three silver ingots of ten taels each in front of her.
Xu Anyan picked them up and stuffed them into her clothes. “Alright, deal done.”
Just as she was about to leave, Feng Yun stopped her again and handed her three boxes of wrapped pastries.
“Sister, wait a moment—take these with you.”
Xu Anyan: “……”
A moment ago it was “Madam Xu,” and now it was “sister,” and even gifts were being given.
“No need, Manager Feng. This is too much,” she refused.
Feng Yun smiled. “Don’t be so formal. Just call me Sister Feng. Take them—consider it a gift for the two little ones.”
Although Madam Xu looked young, she was decisive and capable. Since she was willing to sell the recipe, she likely had other ways to earn money. In business, building connections was natural.
The change in attitude came quickly. Although Xu Anyan hadn’t fully adjusted yet, she responded immediately.
“Alright, Sister Feng. Then I’ll accept them. Dabaо, Xiaobao, say goodbye to Aunt Feng.”
The two children immediately said in unison, “Goodbye, Aunt Feng.”
Feng Yun beamed. “Madam Xu, your two sons are adorable. My grandson is about the same age.”
Xu Anyan was shocked. She’s so well preserved.
…
After leaving Baiwei Residence, it was almost noon.
Xu Anyan brought the two children home. Xiaobao tugged at her skirt and asked, “Mother, did we earn money?”
Dabao looked curious. “Mother, will we still sell candy in the future?”
Xu Anyan: These two really understand a lot.
“We won’t sell sugar snowballs anymore. Mother sold the recipe,” she said proudly, her voice cheerful. She had indeed made a small profit.
The two children exchanged a quiet glance. As long as Mother is happy.
When they returned home, Xu Anyan suddenly remembered there was still a basket of hawthorn in the storage room. Since she wouldn’t be using it anymore, she might as well sell it to Feng Yun to recover costs. So she hired a cart outside and had everything delivered to Baiwei Residence.
That night, when Jiang Huan returned from duty and washed his hands, he went to the main room to find Xu Anyan.
“Have you prepared the sugar snowballs you were going to make today?”
By the dim light of an oil lamp, Xu Anyan was keeping accounts casually. “No need to make them anymore. We won’t be selling them.”
Jiang Huan frowned in confusion, about to ask when Xiaobao jumped in first.
“Mother sold the sugar snowballs!”
Dabao followed, “Mother sold the recipe for making candy to Aunt Feng!”
Xu Anyan looked at the two little tattletales helplessly.
Jiang Huan understood immediately. So she sold the recipe.
Had she already given up after only a few days?
Seeing his expression darken, Xu Anyan explained, “Sour fruits are seasonal. In another month or so they’ll be gone. If I want to make them again, I’ll have to wait until next year. Besides, I have other things to do.”
She explained. Whether he believed it was his business.
After hearing this, Jiang Huan’s expression eased a little, but he was still worried. After all, it was hard for a person to change habits formed since childhood.
“Alright. Then take care of Dabao and Xiaobao these days. I’ll go now.”
After he left, Xu Anyan looked sternly at the two children.
“You two little tattletales.”
Dabao looked wronged. “Mother, I didn’t.”
“Mother is bad, blaming me and brother,” Xiaobao said, rubbing his eyes, sounding very aggrieved.
Xu Anyan was speechless. No tears, just thunder.
She could only coax them. “Mother was joking.”
But Xiaobao only got louder, as if trying to make sure Jiang Huan could hear it and misunderstand again.
Xu Anyan put on a stern face. “Stop crying. If you keep crying, I’ll make you sleep with your father.”
Instantly, the room went quiet. The two children knew she was serious.
Good—now that’s more like it.
“Are you still crying?”
Both shook their heads immediately. “Not crying. Going to sleep.”
They climbed back into their blankets obediently, though their eyes were still wide open.
“You’re not sleeping?”
“Mother, tell a story,” Xiaobao said.
“Tell ‘Little Rabbit Be Good,’” Dabao added.
“Alright.”
She composed herself and began: “On a bright and sunny morning, the little rabbit was playing in the grass…”
Before even fifteen minutes passed, steady breathing could be heard. Both had fallen asleep.
She covered them with blankets and lay down as well. Her mind was still racing. She now had thirty-eight taels of silver. It still wasn’t enough to open a shop, so she would have to keep selling at the stall.
What else could she do? What else did she know how to do?
Her thoughts kept shifting until she eventually drifted into sleep.