Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 28

“Your mother swam a lot when she was young and built up real skill. This Dongjun River may seem deep to the villagers, but for me it’s nothing at all! Catching fish is easy, so you really don’t have to worry!”

The little bun was clearly swayed by Ying Su’s words, but he still looked uneasy and refused to relent.

Ying Su stood up and went into the house, bringing out two wooden buckets. “Baby, let me show you something, but don’t get mad!” With that, she placed the two buckets full of fish right in front of him.

The little bun stared at the mass of wriggling fish, not knowing whether to be angry or happy. For a moment he was completely at a loss for words.

Ying Su chuckled. “Baby, I caught these fish last night. I planned to take them to town today to sell for some money. So stop worrying already. Your mother really has no problem catching fish.”

The little bun looked at the buckets of fish and suddenly recalled that yesterday his mother had also carried two buckets to town. He realized with a start, “Mommy… were those buckets yesterday also filled with fish?”

Ying Su scratched her head, giving him a cheeky smile and winking. “You’ve seen right through me! My son really is clever!”

The little bun was speechless again. After a long silence, he finally said, “Mommy, how could you keep this from me?”

“I only hid it because I was afraid you’d fuss about it with me!”

Ying Su pulled the little bun to sit down by the fire again, putting a grilled fish into his hands. “I know my own limits very well, so stop worrying. Our family is short on money right now, so I went into the river to catch fish and earn some. Once we’re no longer short of money, I won’t go anymore.”

Holding the grilled fish, the little bun’s mood sank. “Mommy, it’s my fault. If I could earn money to support the household now, you wouldn’t have to do this! I’m useless…”

His eyes turned red as he spoke, tears welling from guilt.

Ying Su quickly soothed him. “What nonsense are you saying? You’re still young. I’m counting on you to take care of me when I’m old! Right now it’s my job to raise you. Once you’re grown and capable of earning money, then you can take care of me.”

The little bun nodded. “Then I’ll hire maids for you, so they can serve you every day!”

Ying Su couldn’t help laughing, pinching her son’s adorable cheeks. Her heart nearly melted at his words. The two sat by the fire, eating grilled fish together in a warm and cozy scene.

After the meal, Ying Su took the little bun to Li Dalang’s house. They arrived just in time as Li Dalang was hitching up his ox cart. Hearing that Ying Su wanted to go sell fish in town again, Liu Chuncao helped load the two buckets of fish onto the cart.

Once in town, Ying Su set up her stall in the same spot as before. But luck wasn’t on her side this time. No one paid attention, and only after a long wait did someone come by, look over the fish, and finally buy one.

Most of the morning passed, and she still had a bucket and a half left. Growing anxious, she called out hoarsely to attract buyers.

A woman selling shoe soles at the stall to her left finally spoke up, “Sister, you don’t know yet, do you? The fish sellers on this street all copied you. No matter the size, they sell them all together, and for cheaper than your price. That’s why your fish aren’t selling now.”

Ying Su smiled and thanked her. So, she had been copied, that explained the lack of business.

Packing up her things, she lifted the buckets and headed toward Southwest Street.

The shoe-seller woman thought she was giving up and sighed. “It’s really hard to make money these days!”

“Shopkeeper, there’s a woman here saying she wants to sell a recipe,” a waiter whispered to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper looked up from his abacus, frowning. “What kind of woman?”

“Dressed rather poorly, just an ordinary village woman,” the waiter replied.

The shopkeeper’s frown deepened and he waved his hand impatiently. The waiter immediately understood and said smartly, “I’ll chase her out right away!”

“Wait.” The shopkeeper suddenly changed his mind. He put down the abacus, as if something occurred to him. “I’ll go take a look.”

Ying Su stood in the main hall, ignored by everyone. A waiter carrying dishes passed by, grumbling impatiently, “Move aside!”

She stepped back a couple of paces, watching the bustling diners with a faint smile.

“That’s the woman,” the waiter pointed her out to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper looked at her, and his eyes lit up. Approaching, he asked, “Madam, you’re the one wanting to sell a recipe?” His gaze shifted to the two buckets of fish by her side.

Ying Su recognized him as the same middle-aged man who had bought ten fish yesterday. She nodded. “Do you have a kitchen? I can cook the dish for you to taste before we discuss the price.”

The middle-aged man looked at her, seeming hesitant. “This… The kitchen is very busy cooking for the guests right now. It wouldn’t be convenient to let you use it.”

Ying Su curved her lips. “Is that so? Then I guess this dish has no fate with your restaurant, it’s a pity.” She looked quite regretful.

The shopkeeper’s expression shifted to a faint smile, his tone ambiguous. “From your words, it sounds like not buying this recipe would be a loss for our restaurant?”

Ying Su’s bright face carried absolute confidence. “Of course. No one else in all of Daqing can make this dish. It’s one of a kind. If you don’t buy it, the loss is naturally yours.”

“Don’t speak so boldly. You’re just a village woman with little experience. Aren’t you being overly arrogant?”

The smile faded from the shopkeeper’s face, his sharp eyes scrutinizing her. He recalled that the young master had already looked into her background, just an ordinary peasant woman. Yet the confidence and bearing she displayed now was far beyond that.

“Whether I’m bluffing or not, you’ll know as soon as you try. Honestly, I’d find it a waste of time to lie just to fool you.” Ying Su raised an eyebrow, her tone calm.

The shopkeeper’s frown deepened. Remembering the scene in the street yesterday, he thought, ‘This woman is clever. No harm in giving her a chance. If she really can provide a new dish, it could be useful.’

“Since you’re so confident, refusing you would seem unreasonable. I’ll take you to the kitchen and see if there’s a free stove.”

With those polite words, the shopkeeper led the way. Ying Su lifted her two buckets and followed him to the back kitchen.

Inside, the kitchen was a flurry of activity. Several cooks greeted the shopkeeper, but when they heard that Ying Su had come to sell a recipe, and recalled what she had said earlier, each of them grew displeased.

“This little lady isn’t very old, but her tone is awfully big!”