Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 43

The two of them had been wandering through the free market for over an hour.

Chen Qian had already spent next month’s salary in advance and dared not spend another cent. She could only watch Ye Fangfei shop with wide eyes, silently panicking about the scolding she’d face at home.

Ye Fangfei, meanwhile, was busy picking out gifts. She bought each of her two dads two sleeveless shirts to wear while working. Each of the two moms received a light floral blouse, perfect for the warmer weather.

For Shen Zhanqiang, she bought a crisp white shirt and a pair of sneakers. Since he had been helping at the shop since the start of the holiday, she figured a little reward was in order.

Fangfei had brought 200 yuan with her today; now she had just over thirty left. The priciest items were the two pairs of leather shoes and three skirts she bought at the department store—together they’d cost more than 120 yuan.

Thinking a bit more, she also bought some vests for her brothers, a pair of silk socks for each of the sisters-in-law, hair ties for her nieces, and small frog toys for her nephews.

The haul wasn’t huge, but everyone was remembered. She tried her best to balance what she gave between her maternal and paternal families.

Fangfei thought to herself: if anyone has a problem with this, they should look at themselves first—there was no need to bring it to her attention.

Back at the shop, she distributed the purchases.

Ye Sanhu and his wife were on the day shift and were just finishing up, preparing to head home. Fangfei had them carry the shirt she bought for Zhou Hongyu and packed a few of the freshly baked egg cakes for the nieces and nephews to enjoy.

Ye Xihu watched his sister lugging packages toward their maternal home, then glanced at the kitchen where Sun Xiujü and Shen Cuiluan were preparing dinner.

“Little sister,” he said with a smile, “the other day, you asked me to take some egg cakes to Cuilan. Tingting really liked them. Today, pack a few more and have Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law take them along.”

Fangfei froze. When had she asked Xihu to take egg cakes to Shen Cuilan? She hadn’t even remembered that Shen Zhanxun had a married sister.

But she couldn’t blame herself—ever since arriving in this world, she’d been buried in shop affairs and hadn’t yet met Shen Cuilan. In fact, she didn’t recall the name appearing in the original story either.

Suddenly, a fleeting thought flashed through her mind, almost slipping away before she could grasp it.

“Little sister?” Xihu called gently, noticing her dazed expression.

Fangfei snapped back to reality, smiling brightly. “Xihu, no need to remind me. I was just about to pack some for Cuilan. Since Tingting loves them, we’ll take plenty. There’s even some fatty intestines left—let’s take that too, for Cuilan and her husband to try.”

She knew Xihu was helping her save face with their parents, in case they thought she favored her maternal family. She responded with a string of polite words, then reminded Ye Sanhu: “Third Brother, tell Cuilan we miss her and Tingting, and invite her to come stay a couple of days with the kids when she has time.”

Sun Xiujü, overhearing, stepped out of the kitchen. “Fangfei, you’re so busy every day, yet you think about Cuilan and Tingting and have your brother deliver egg cakes. I feel a little guilty.”

Fangfei smiled gently. “Mom, why would you feel guilty? Cuilan is my sister. Isn’t it only natural to send her something to eat?”

“Not everyone would,” Sun Xiujü said, patting her hand. “You’re generous and don’t fuss over small matters. Your father and I both appreciate it.”

The praise made Fangfei slightly bashful.

Just then, Shen Jianhua and Ye Laifu returned through the back door. They were primarily in charge of cleaning intestines and pig heads. Having finished their tasks, they had gone for a short stroll.

Fangfei greeted them and then hurried to the nearby shack where she baked egg cakes—she wasn’t used to being praised so openly.

That day, the evening shift was handled by Ye Dahu and his wife, from six in the evening until midnight. The night shift ran from midnight to seven. The day shift lasted longest, allowing each brother to rotate and care for their families.

Schedules weren’t rigid. If something came up at home, the brothers would simply switch shifts among themselves.

Fangfei didn’t worry about the scheduling, as long as the work got done.

Now, everyone at home has learned how to make egg cakes. She hardly needed to supervise, and Shen Cuiluan could handle minor issues.

At the shop’s opening, Fangfei still helped with braising meat. Now, even that was unnecessary.

Sun Xiujü had mastered the ingredients and timing. Rising at five each morning, she prepared braised meat that rivaled Fangfei’s, practically a master chef. Fangfei intended to give her an extra five yuan monthly starting next month as a bonus.

Fangfei focused mainly on greeting customers and experimenting with new desserts, all while preparing for potential risks.

Egg cakes weren’t complicated; any bakery could make them. But their shop had gained a reputation, and it wouldn’t be long before others tried to emulate them.

If a competitor opened nearby, it wouldn’t ruin them, but it could affect business. Fangfei wasn’t the type to sit idly by. She had to think ahead, ensuring she never ended up in a passive position.

After dinner, Fangfei and Xihu went to the front shop to tally sales and record expenses. They reconciled the day’s accounts and planned ingredients for the next day.

Xihu said, “Little sister, this morning I went to the slaughterhouse and ran into a friend at the food factory. He said they use saccharin for baking.”

“I went to the free market. Saccharin is cheap—just two yuan a big bag, much cheaper than sugar. If we switch, we could save a lot,” Xihu added.

Fangfei shook her head. “Xihu, the taste differs. Sugar and saccharin produce very different results. Our costs might be higher, but for long-term business, we can’t cut corners on ingredients.”

Having come from a family bakery, she knew saccharin well. While cheap, pastries made with it had a slight bitterness and metallic taste. People might not notice at first, but after tasting their egg cakes, the difference would be clear.

“Our baked goods are sold directly, without middlemen. Prices are comparable to supply stores, but the taste is far superior,” she explained.

Xihu understood. “If it were you, which would you choose?”

“The better-tasting one, of course,” he said without hesitation.

Fangfei smiled, secured the accounts and money, then teased, “Xihu, when did you give egg cakes to Cuilan? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Xihu glanced toward the backyard. “The ones that didn’t look perfect—those you didn’t want to sell—your brother and sister-in-law took home. Even if your parents are understanding, they might not feel comfortable. A couple of days ago, I delivered the package you asked me to take. Cuilan received it.”

“Next time, make sure you remember both sides of the family,” Fangfei reminded.

“Got it, brother,” he replied.

Fangfei hadn’t thought much about it. Those imperfect egg cakes were cheap, but she preferred giving them to her nieces and nephews for nutrition.

Her brothers worked diligently in the shop. Though paid, they never stopped; even during meals, they hovered by the oven.

The old-fashioned oven still produced hundreds of pounds of egg cakes daily—a yield Fangfei hadn’t anticipated.

She wanted to treat them well. All broken or misshapen egg cakes went to the children at home, not sold.

Now, Xihu’s reminder made sense: the paternal side also needed attention. Shen Zhanxun also had grandparents, and Fangfei planned to have Cuiluan deliver some egg cakes to them in a few days.