Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 16

Ye Dahu checked the box—about ten ice pops remaining. With no one nearby, the three of them decided not to wait there and headed straight to the supply and marketing cooperative.

Two large locust trees provided shade near the cooperative, and they rested there while waiting for Ye Sanhu.

Zhang Meiling handed Ye Fangfei an ice pop.
“Little sister, you look so hot. Eat one to cool down.”

Fangfei, feeling sweltering, accepted it and held it in her mouth.
“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, have one too.”

Ye Dahu and Zhang Meiling both declined. Instead, they carried a large ceramic bowl to a nearby house and quickly returned with water.

“Little sister, we drank already, but you should have some too,” Zhang Meiling said, placing the bowl beside Fangfei.

Fangfei touched the water—cool to the touch. Looking at her brother and sister-in-law, whose faces were sunburned, yet they couldn’t even spare a five-cent ice pop for themselves, she felt a twinge of sympathy.

Zhang Meiling then reached into her schoolbag and pulled out a few cornbread cakes. She handed one to Fangfei.
“You must be hungry. Have a cake to fill your stomach.”

Having eaten an ice pop and half a bowl of cold water, Fangfei felt cooler, but her appetite wasn’t great. She broke off a small piece of cornbread and ate it slowly.

Ye Dahu finished the remaining water and went to fetch another bowl from a nearby house.

Taking a bite of cornbread, Zhang Meiling asked with some concern,
“Little sister, are you sure that person agreed to let us sell there tomorrow? Shouldn’t we have confirmed just now?”

“Big sister, he already said we could sell nearby. When we delivered ice pops earlier, he didn’t forbid us. Tomorrow, we can sell in the same spot,” Fangfei explained patiently.

Seeing them still puzzled, she continued,
“They’re the factory’s security personnel. Selling ice pops just outside the factory can look messy if we cluster too much. If a strict leader complains, the security might get blamed. That’s why we shouldn’t ask directly. By keeping a distance, we won’t interfere.”

Ye Dahu and Zhang Meiling were impressed. Ye Dahu looked at his little sister with admiration.
“How do you know so much, little sister?”

Fangfei smiled, trying to brush it off.
“Big brother, when I had nothing to do at the Shen family’s, I liked reading. I learned all these things from books.”

The excuse sounded plausible—she had always enjoyed reading newspapers and leisure books, and her family knew this.

Ye Dahu and Zhang Meiling nodded, not pressing further.

Just then, Ye Sanhu arrived hurriedly, pulling his cart.

Ye Dahu quickly helped with his brother’s cart, while Zhang Meiling handed him a bowl of water.
“Your big brother got this from a neighbor. Drink up.”

“Thanks, Sister-in-law,” Ye Sanhu said, wiping his sweat and finishing the water in one gulp.

Zhang Meiling went back to fetch another bowl and soon returned with more cool water.

Fangfei opened Ye Sanhu’s box—it was empty.
“Third Brother, finished selling?”

Excited, Ye Sanhu nodded.
“Not enough for everyone. Some people missed out and complained that I didn’t bring more.”

He looked at Ye Dahu.
“Big brother, are yours sold out?”

“Just a few left,” Ye Dahu replied.

Fangfei finished her cornbread and said to her brothers,
“You rest. I’ll check with the cooperative if they want any ice pops.”

It was lunchtime, and the cooperative had only a few customers. Some staff chatted, some dozed at the counter, and others paid little attention to the buyers.

Clearing her throat, Fangfei got everyone’s attention and cheerfully announced,
“Comrades, it’s a hot day! Would you like refreshing ice pop? Six cents each. If you need, I can deliver right to you, so you don’t have to go out in the heat!”

For employees working at the cooperative, a few cents were negligible. On a scorching day, who could refuse ice pops delivered to their hands?

“What flavors do you have?” asked a female clerk in a dress.

“Old-fashioned, red bean, and ice cream. Ice cream costs slightly more—eleven cents each.”

“I’ll have an ice cream,” another said.

“Me too,” said a third.

“I’ll take an old-fashioned ice pop.”

“Coming right up!” Fangfei noted their orders and prepared to fetch the treats.

An older woman interjected, scolding,
“Weren’t ice pops five cents each? Why are you charging six? Ice cream is ten cents elsewhere; why charge more?”

“You’re dishonest, young lady,” she said, glaring with a tough, beefy face.

Fangfei didn’t get offended. Smiling, she replied,
“Sister, on a day this hot, you have to let me earn a little delivery fee, right? I bring the ice pops to you without you leaving. Surely that service is worth a penny.”

Before the older woman could retort, the clerk in the dress giggled.
“That’s totally worth it! Hurry and bring the ice creams. This heat is unbearable; I need them to cool off.”

Fangfei sold nine ice pops and ice creams to the cooperative staff. The last two old-fashioned ice pops in Ye Dahu’s box were bought by a passing couple.

The siblings rested in the shade after finishing their cornbread, preparing to fetch more ice pops for the afternoon sales.

Zhang Meiling asked,
“Little sister, tomorrow we’ll sell at the electromechanical factory. Should we still deliver a few to the security staff?”

“No need every time. If we go there regularly, give them a few every three to five days—one ice pop each. Our business is small; we can’t afford to give too many,” Fangfei replied.

She continued,
“If they come to buy a few, don’t charge them. If they buy more, round off the price. We shouldn’t spoil them; they need to know our bottom line.”

The electromechanical factory was the largest nearby, with over 2,000 workers. The factory’s good wages meant workers were generous. Fangfei didn’t want her brothers-in-law to abandon this lucrative spot.

Ye Dahu and Zhang Meiling nodded repeatedly, impressed by Fangfei’s sharp mind and sound reasoning.

“Big brother, little sister, what if someone causes trouble?” Ye Sanhu frowned, his sunburned face looking fierce.

Fangfei explained what had happened at the factory and reassured them.
“Even small businesses encounter all kinds of people. The devil respects the king, but the petty are troublesome. That man today was strict, but not a bad person. Always stay polite—business runs on goodwill, not stubbornness.”

“But what if being polite doesn’t work? Some people will take advantage of it, like in the village. If we let them, they’ll think we’re easy to bully,” Zhang Meiling said.

Fangfei smirked.
“Simple. If they don’t listen to reason, then deal with them. If it’s too much, endure for now, then find the right chance to act.”

Her lawyer father’s words came to mind: if you aren’t sure of victory, it’s better to play humble than fight with empty hands.

Fangfei had always believed: a wise person doesn’t suffer immediate losses unnecessarily.

Seeing her brothers stare at her blankly, Fangfei realized she had sounded extreme. She nervously licked her lips and smiled awkwardly, quickly clarifying:
“Big brother, Sister-in-law, selling ice cream is a tiny business. With a few cents at most, as long as we’re polite, there won’t be any conflicts. Don’t worry.

“If a stubborn customer appears, it’s okay to take a small loss. Don’t risk a fight over a few cents. Think about our family instead.”