Chapter 15 - Dishonest, a Man’s Mind
Chapter 15: Dishonest, a Man’s Mind
Three days later, in the early morning sister Fang sent over a batch of tools required. Sister Guihua also came. The three of them worked for quite a while before tofu was successfully made.
Once fresh tofu was made, Mo Qianxue displayed her culinary technique and cooked a few dishes with tofu.
Tofu tasted smooth and tender, appetizing and refreshing. Sister Fang and Guihua, who never had this kind of dish before, so devoured that they almost swallow their tongues.
Here, there wasn’t any type of pollution, so the taste of tofu was also particularly delicious. She also used the bone, from which the meat had all been scraped out by the hateful sister Zhao, to make some soup with which to stew the tofu. Therefore, the tofu naturally tasted extradentarily delicious.
Packing some tofu for the two, Mo Qianxue let them go back home and come here tomorrow morning.
Sister Fang refused to accept the bowl of tofu, hesitating, “Dear sister, shouldn’t we give some to village head and elders? After all, we’re just a few women. If anything happened, we need men to stand in front of us.”
Mo Qianxue replied with a smile, “Thanks for you reminding, otherwise I really forget this. Truly, we should send some to village head and elders. After lunch, would you go together with me?”
How could she possibly forget that so much tofu made today was gift to others? What would be made tomorrow was for selling.
Hearing Mo Qianxue’s words, sister Fang stopping insisting the courtesy and accepted the bowl and left. Such delicious food. Of course, she wanted to bring some back for her husband and children.
Six hundred cents per month and only-day work each day? And she ate and took at the same time. Sister Guihua had never thought of such a good thing would happen to her.
Her two hands rubbed against each other, saying a little shy, “Sister Ning. How can I take this? I’ve just worked for no more than half a day and just ate here. Then, how about I help you wash clothes…”
“Sister Guihua, we have many days ahead. Tofu is delicate food. If we make too much for once, it’ll go sour anyway.” Mo Qianxue smiled while tucking the bowl of tofu onto the hands of sister Guihua, half comforting and half joking, “If the tofu sells good in the future and we have to make more, don’t complain of tiring.”
Taking over the tofu, sister Guihua’s eyes turned totally red. Ever since her husband’s death, there wasn’t a person who was so nice to her. Everyone accused her for bring bad luck to her husband. Even her maternal families stopped contact her.
This sister Ning was really a good person!
“Don’t say this sister Ning. Though I’m thin, but I have a lot strength.”
“…”
When Ning Shaoqing came back from teaching at school, Mo also cooked for him a feast of tofu dishes.
Looking at these unique dishes, Ning Shaoqing’s eyes lit up. After tasting each of them, he put down the chopsticks and asked calmly, “Are these the food you want to sell? Taste good, indeed. But how do you plan to sell?”
Since he rarely cared what Mo was doing, she told him the whole story of selling menu at Baiyunju, the restaurant. She also revealed some of her thoughts.
Of course she wouldn’t sell it on the street. Her plan was to sell tofu to Baiyunju. As for what the restaurant would do to it, she didn’t care.
A thing like tofu appeared mysterious before coming to existence, but once it was there, anyone who knew a little about pharmacology or who was clever would sooner or later figure out the mystery of brine.
This technique was too shallow with a threshold too low, so it was definitely not a key to long-term benefit.
Therefore, what she wanted was only the first bucket of gold.
As for how Baiyunju would deal with tofu, an insignificant food,which was hard to preserve and transport, she didn’t want to bother to care.
Her energy should be placed on long-term plans, such as how to start a factory of soy sauce or vinegar and other products that could be sold across the country or even perhaps the whole continent.
Ning Shaoqing remained silent for a while, then he made a small smile and said, “Show me the contract you signed.”
To her surprise, he should be so interested in her business. Readily, she took out the contract and handed him with a grin.
If they wanted to get along, they had to get to know about each other. This would be a good start when he tried to know her and accept her…
Ning Shaoqing read the contract while Mo Qianxue made her own calculation in her mind.
Finishing reading it, Ning Shaoqing pretended to be casual to fold it and insert it into his front pocket. He still didn’t have her calligraphy work yet. He had wanted to appreciate her plum-flower-like writing last time he saw it.
Why did he want the contract which was useless for him? Mo Qianxue didn’t make of it when Ning Shaoqing made a faint smile, saying, “Did you draft the contract yourself? Quite good!”
A hint of pride rose up in Mo Qianxue’s heart. Of course! Her position as a little boss in modern time wasn’t obtained by mere luck. A contract, seemingly simple, had a lot hidden traps to be studied carefully.
“Yes, then, the seventh young lord said we needed a contract, so I randomly wrote one in two copies!”
Randomly? Though Ning Shaoqing didn’t believe it, he still gave her a faint smile, “The contract means no constraint on you. You can totally do as you wish, whether in terms of menu of dishes. If you’re too busy to deal with everything, I can help you with accounting.”
Indeed, times had changed. Before, the accounting was tens of thousands of gold and silver, but he was impatient to manage it. Now, however, he should voluntarily help her with cents of tofu accounting because of concern for her.
Since Ning Shaoqing was willing to help, of course she was readily happy to accept the offer. Though she didn’t value too much on the small tofu business, it could function as a start for them to build a harmonious relationship. So why not?
“That’s really good. I’ll listen to you, sir. With you behind me, it can’t be bad.” The high hat of praising must be put on him.
Ning Shaoqing’s face didn’t change, obviously not caring much about the high hat. Instead, he praised her, “Utilizing Baiyunju to start the fight and exploring the tofu market without spending much time and energy. It’s indeed a great plan of yours.”
The two talked for so long for the first time. While having the meal, the two never felt more harmonious.
In the afternoon, M Qianxue, together with sister Fang went to send tofu to village head and elders. They chatted awhile at each of their homes; it was not early when they came back. Sister Guihua also sent over two pieces of new clothes.
Mo Qianxue had chosen the color of light blue for herself and Navy blue for Ning Shaoqing.
The light blue dress was edged with a rim of sapphire blue. A few small plum blossoms were also embroidered on the front split, making the dress especially elegant. It fitted Mo Qianxue very well. She turned a circle with satisfaction.
“Sister Guihua, you really have great needlework that the dress fits me perfectly even without taking my measurements in advance. The embroidering is also great. The flowers are vivid to life. I look really good in it.”
“Sister Ning, you yourself are pretty. The former clothes are wide and large in dim color, so it didn’t make you beautiful.” Sister Guihua helped her groom the dress while praising her with a smile.
“It’s all because of your talent. In the future, I’m sure I will trouble you again…”
“Your like of it is already flattering me. No trouble at all. Don’t be over-polite with me…”
The two laughed and chatted for another while when Ning Shaoqing got in the door holding some books. He was instantly shocked at the sight of Mo Qianxue standing there in the light blue dress, refreshingly beautiful.
Seeing Ning Shaoqing came back, sister Guihua hurriedly stood up to say that her daughter Nier was waiting for her to cook dinner and left.
After seeing sister Guihua to the door, Mo Qianxue half-danced over and turned a circle, smiling, “Sir, is this dress that I had Guihua made for me pretty? Does it fit me?”
Ning Shaoqing took a glance at the dress on her, his faint smile mixed with ghosts of sorrow, replying, “It’s beautiful.”
Getting the answere she’d like to hear, she took out the navy blue robe, “This is for you. Go get changed to check whether it fits you or not.”
Ning Shaoqing took over the robe with a complicated expression. But he merely said yes and turned to take off the gray coat.
Mo Qianxue laughed in amusement. This dishonest man. He was so shy! Hadn’t she seen him in inner clothes? Since he turned around to change, she also quickly took off the new dress.
When Ning Shaoqing put it on and turned back, thought it was still the same person, his new look lit up Mo Qianxue’s eyes.
Just a simple navy-blue robe, matched with a dark green belt, his temperament changed at once.
His eyes were as clear as bright ripples of a peaceful late, and his figure was as tall and elegant as towering trees!
What a traditional handsome man! Mo Qianxue made a thousand thumbs to him in her mind. Moving in small steps over and helped him with the robe, she smiled, “Sister Guihua’s needlework is excellent. Your robe also fits well. What a shame that I’m not good at needlework, otherwise I’ll make you a robe personally.”
Mo Qianxue pulled the split and the corner in a natural way, but Ning Shaoqing flushed a little and coughed. Then he noticed that Mo Qianxue changed back to her old dark red dress, frowning, “The new dress is pretty. Why did you take it off?”
“I’m cooking in a while. I don’t want it to get dirty. Also, I’ll go down town tomorrow for business, so just leave it for tomorrow.”
Mo Qianxue sounded light, but Ning Shaoqing heard the words with sadness.
The two chatted a little and then Mo Qianxue went to cook.
Ning Shaoqing gazed at the light blue dress that had been neatly folded on the bed, his eyes almost flooding with grief and loss for one time and warmth and love for another. Finally he also took off the new robe.
Folding it clumsily, he put it right on the light blue dress.
One light blue and one navy-blue, the two pieces stayed next to each with intimately. Ning Shaoqing sat on the edge of the bed, stroking the two pieces and his lips curved in a good-looking smile.