Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 47
Early the next morning, Zhang Shu gets up to wash the potatoes. By the time Li Mujin wakes up, Zhang Shu has already cleaned an entire basket.
In the large wooden basin, both big and small yams are scrubbed spotless.
Li Mujin squats down and reaches out to help, but before his hands can touch the cold water, Zhang Shu quickly moves them away. “Go, I’ll get you some hot water from the kitchen. Wash quickly, but don’t freeze your hands.”
Li Mujin glances at Zhang Shu’s hands, reddened from the cold water, and feels a pang of distress.
Zhang Shu sees his expression and smiles. “It’s fine. I have a strong constitution. Washing a few of these won’t make me cold.”
Li Mujin purses his lips, squatting silently.
Zhang Shu looks at him, shakes his head, and quickens his pace.
Once the potatoes are washed, Zhang Shu scrubs the pot clean, pours the potatoes into it, adds a few scoops of water, and covers it with a lid. After drying his hands on a cloth, he walks over, pulls Li Mujin up, and leads him into the room. Sitting down, he places him on his lap.
“What’s wrong, Jin’er?”
Li Mujin doesn’t respond. Instead, he rests his head on Zhang Shu’s shoulder. After a long silence, he mutters, “Do you see me as an outsider?”
“No! Why would you think that?” Zhang Shu immediately denies it.
“Then why don’t you let me help? You do all the work yourself. I feel like I’m just eating without contributing anything.”
“I love you so much—how could I bear to make you work? I married you so you could enjoy life, not so you’d have to labor.”
“But I married you so we could support this family together—not so you’d work hard outside while I idle at home.”
Zhang Shu is deeply moved. Most people avoid work if they can, wishing for a life of leisure. But his Jin’er—why is he so foolish? He actually wants to work alongside him.
“Alright, we’ll do it together next time!”
After coaxing him, Zhang Shu takes Li Mujin outside to freshen up. Then they eat the porridge and boiled eggs Grandma Zhang has left for them.
The elderly couple had gone to the town market that day, hoping to see if anyone was selling cattle. If they find one, they plan to bring it back.
While waiting for the potatoes to cook, Zhang Shu and Li Mujin go to the backyard, pull up several green onions, wash them, and chop a large bowl full.
Zhang Shu thinks for a moment, then takes out a handful of cinnamon, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns from the cupboard. These are seasonings Grandma Zhang prepared for stewing meat. Using the back of a knife, he crushes them into a coarse powder.
Meanwhile, Li Mujin uses a colander to scoop up the cooked yams from the pot. He peels them one by one and places them on the chopping board. Zhang Shu then mashes them thoroughly. Working together, the two of them manage to process a large pot of yams within half an hour.
Since they’re making a large batch, Zhang Shu cleans a large wooden basin and scoops in several bowls of flour to mix into a batter.
Next, he adds the mashed potatoes, salt, chopped green onions, and the spice powder, cracking in four or five eggs. Using a rolling pin, he stirs everything together until the mixture is sticky enough to form into small cakes.
They shape and fry the cakes, placing the finished ones on a round bamboo tray lined with oil paper. It takes them nearly an hour, but eventually, they fill a large basin with crispy, golden potato cakes.
After finishing, Zhang Shu pulls Li Mujin aside to do the bookkeeping. As a child, he attended a private school and taught Li Mujin the characters he knew. Though neither of them writes particularly well, they manage.
“We fry a total of 123 potato cakes. We eat three, so we count 120.” Li Mujin forgets how to write the word “cake” and instead draws a small circle with two sesame seeds on top, writing “120” beneath it.
“We use half a can of oil, which should be about 25 at market price. We crack five eggs, at one wen each, so that’s 5 wen.”
Zhang Shu waits for Li Mujin to record the numbers before continuing. “We use four bowls of flour—just over two liters. Flour costs six wen per liter, so that’s 12 wen.”
“Potatoes are cheap, so let’s estimate these two baskets at 10 wen.” In reality, the potatoes are of varying sizes and wouldn’t sell for less than that. “Just mark down one wen for the seasonings and green onions.”
After totaling the expenses, Zhang Shu mentally calculates. Their total cost comes to about 50 wen, though aside from the half-can of oil, everything else is homegrown.
“Ah’Shu, how much should we sell our potato cakes for? If we sell them too cheaply, we might not even break even.”
“Buns in the county sell for one penny for two. They’re quite big, but mostly filled with wild greens and barely contain flour or oil. Even so, that shop has been selling at that price since Grandfather’s time, and changing it now wouldn’t be easy. But their profit margin is thin—they mainly sell for reputation.”
“Should we sell ours for two per penny as well?”
“No, we’ll sell one for a penny.” Something that uses so much oil can’t be priced the same as a cheap bun.
“But will people in the county buy them?” If it’s up to Li Mujin, he wouldn’t. He probably wouldn’t even spend a penny on two buns, let alone a single cake.
“We need to sell to the wealthier folks. They don’t mind spending an extra penny if the food tastes good.”
No one else is selling potato cakes yet—it’s a novelty. People will be curious enough to spend a penny to try one.
“If we can sell them for a penny each, we’ll make a profit.”
“Yes, it’s better than doing odd jobs.” That is, of course, assuming they can sell them.
As they imagine all the potato cakes selling out and turning into a bag of copper coins, they suddenly hear a loud “moo” from outside the yard.
Zhang Shu and Li Mujin rush out and see a black bull standing at their doorstep. Its horns aren’t particularly large, and it looks about three years old. Its big eyes are bright and gentle, giving it an obedient appearance.
Grandpa Zhang has returned with the cow, while Grandma Zhang is still chatting with the villagers behind him. People look on enviously—their family has acquired a powerful helper! In Shuitou Village, only the village chief’s family and the Lin family, who run the inn, own cattle.
“Grandpa, was someone really selling oxen today? How much did it cost?” Zhang Shu reaches out to touch the bull, reluctant to let go.
“It was a stroke of luck. A trader had driven a few oxen from another village to sell. This one is two years and nine months old—just the right age for work. The seller asked for six of silver. We consulted someone who knows livestock, and they said this ox has a strong frame and good teeth. It’ll be a capable worker. Your grandma and I discussed it and decided to buy it.”
The money Grandpa and Grandma Zhang saved for Zhang Shu’s marriage and wedding feast likely isn’t much to begin with. Now, after spending six taels of silver on the cow, there’s even less left.
But Zhang Shu isn’t worried—he can earn money. If their business takes off, they’ll recover the cost of the ox in no time.
Besides, having this ox brings them a great deal of convenience. He’s even considering heading to the village chief’s house later to see if he can borrow a little more money.
The next day, just after dawn, Zhang Shu feeds the ox at home, then harnesses it to the cart and sets off with Li Mujin, bringing along the small cakes they made. Before leaving, he tells his grandmother that they’ll be back late so she won’t worry.
The ox cart isn’t like a horse-drawn carriage—it can’t block the cold wind at all. So today, Li Mujin brings a quilt made of patched cotton to wrap himself in when it gets too cold. It helps block the wind as well.
They also bring a small stove, a pot of charcoal, and a large earthenware pot for cooking soup. This is something Zhang Shu thinks of at the last minute. Since their small cakes aren’t fried fresh on the spot, they won’t be as warm. He figures that offering a bowl of hot soup to customers who buy the cakes will be a good way to make up for it. The cart also carries a wooden board and a few benches—once everything is unloaded, the board can be placed on the cart and used as a table.
With so many things packed onto the cart, it’s a bit crowded, but neither of them minds. In fact, sitting close together makes it even warmer.
The ox cart is much faster than walking. Normally, it would take more than an hour to cover the forty-plus miles to town, but today, since they leave early, they arrive while it’s still morning.
The streets are bustling with people—hawkers shouting, customers bargaining, and others chatting or shopping. Zhang Shu has only ever come at noon before, so he has no idea there are so many people in the mornings.
After unloading the ox at the Lin Family Inn’s backyard, he hands a few wrapped cakes to Dongdong. Then, he and Li Mujin push the cart out together.
By the time they reach the market, the best spots are already taken. Zhang Shu and Li Mujin search for a long time before finally finding an open space to set up.
The vendors on either side of them are selling vegetables, which doesn’t conflict with their cooked food business, so no one has any objections. Zhang Shu sets up the board and leaves Li Mujin to watch the stall while he goes to the meat stall to buy some broken bones. He also buys a large white radish from the neighboring vendor, washes everything at the Qingshui River, then fills the pot and sets it on the stove to make soup.
To keep the pancakes clean, they place them in a basket and cover them with cloth to prevent dust from settling on them. Zhang Shu also sets out a plate with a sliced pancake so people can see what they’re selling.
After looking around, he takes a big bowl to a nearby hot tofu stall and buys a bowl of tofu pudding with the shop’s homemade sauce. He figures it will pair well with the pancakes.
Li Mujin, however, feels a little distressed. “We haven’t sold anything yet, and you’re already spending so much.”
“It’s fine. You need to eat to have the energy to work, right? Don’t worry—we’ll definitely earn it back today.”
Li Mujin knows Zhang Shu just wants him to eat better, so he suppresses his distress and eats the steamed buns they brought from home along with the tofu pudding.
Before the soup even finishes cooking, the fragrance of the pancakes attracts attention. Even though they aren’t as crispy as the ones fresh out of the pan, the aroma of fried food is still enticing.
A child, holding his mother’s hand, catches a whiff of the scent and immediately perks up. “Mom, it smells so good! I want to eat that!”
Zhang Shu glances at the child, noticing the silver lock hanging around his neck. His family is well-off—this will likely be their first sale.
The mother and child stop in front of the cart. While the child is eager, his mother looks less impressed. “I’ll buy you some hot buns later. These are cold.”
“No! This one smells good! I want this one!” The child’s eyes are brimming with tears.
Not wanting him to start crying, Zhang Shu quickly picks up a small cake with his chopsticks and hands it to him. The boy takes it and stuffs it into his mouth. His eyes instantly light up. “I want more!”
His mother frowns, clearly feeling a little awkward about Zhang Shu handing over food for free.
“Madam, if you don’t mind, you can try one as well,” Zhang Shu says, offering her another piece.
After taking a bite, the mother understands why her son likes it so much. He has a sharp nose for good food.
“How much?” she asks.
“One penny per piece,” Zhang Shu replies.
“Pack two for me.” As expected, she doesn’t even flinch at the price.
Zhang Shu wraps two cakes in oil paper and hands them over. “If you’re worried about them being cold, you can re-fry them at home—they’ll be even tastier. Or you can steam them; the texture will be just as good.”
The woman nods, looking much more satisfied. Holding her son’s hand, she sternly warns him, “Now that I’ve bought this for you, you’re not allowed to beg for more later. If you do, I’ll take it back and have your father deal with you.”
Zhang Shu grins and holds up the two copper coins for Li Mujin to see. “Look, we already earned back the money for the tofu pudding.”
Li Mujin takes the money and tucks it into the cloth pouch on his back. “I know, you’re amazing, okay?”
Zhang Shu chuckles, but then, as if remembering something, he suddenly turns serious. “Jin’er, when we have kids in the future, you can’t use me to scare them. If they misbehave, you punish them yourself—I won’t be able to do it.”
Li Mujin glances at him sideways. So Zhang Shu is willing to be the good guy while he plays the villain?
