Ordinary observers in fast time travel

After leaving the pharmacy, Shi Jia went to the grain shop next door and bought twenty catties of rice. After leaving the rice shop, he went into the general store and bought two catties of salt and five catties of sugar. On his way back to the market, he also bought two catties of meat.

Despite carrying 30 pounds on her back and holding the heavy little one in her arms, Shi Jia didn't feel the heaviness at all and returned to the market with light steps.

"Sister-in-law."

Shi Jia saw Wang Tiehua waving at her from afar. She quickly walked through the crowd to her side, only then noticing that the woman who had just bought hawthorn cake was standing in front of them.

"Is there something wrong with the hawthorn cake?" Shi Jia's heart pounded, and she had a bad feeling.

"No, no!" Before the woman could speak, Wang Tiehua answered impatiently, "Sister-in-law, she wants to buy the recipe for hawthorn cake."

Wang Tieshan nodded, and the two looked at Shi Jia expectantly.

Shi Jia looked at the woman with some surprise.

Hongliu nodded. "My wife thought the hawthorn cake you made was delicious and wants to buy your recipe."

"How much?" Shi Jia asked. The recipe could certainly be sold, as long as the price was right.

"Twenty taels of silver, what do you think?" Hongliu's tone was indeed confident; twenty taels of silver for a prescription was an exorbitant price.

Shi Jia shook her head, "Too low."

"Too low?" Hongliu scratched her ear, incredulous. She wanted to curse, but couldn't bring herself to say it, so she just took a few deep breaths. "How much do you want?"

Shi Jia took in her reaction and said, "Fifty taels."

"Fifty taels!" Hongliu's voice suddenly rose, startling the Wang siblings. People around also looked over in confusion, their eyes seemingly gleaming with wolfish light.

Where is the fifty taels? They turned their gaze to Shi Jia and his group, and the Wang siblings instinctively hid behind Shi Jia.

Shi Jia looked completely at ease, and given her coarse linen clothes, she didn't look like a wealthy person at all, so they turned their attention to Hong Liu.

"Cough cough." Hongliu's face flushed red instantly. She quickly covered her face and whispered, "Fifty taels is too much!"

Shi Jia shook her head, "This is a family recipe passed down through generations. I'm only offering fifty taels because you're kind and easy to talk to."

“If you buy this recipe, you can use it whether you open a pastry shop or a restaurant in the future.” As Shi Jia spoke, she suddenly had a bright idea. Since she had money now, why not just live in the city? And buy a shop to start a pastry business?
"Ahem, if you think it's too expensive, then forget it." Shi Jia changed his mind and looked at the Wang siblings. "Pack your things, it's getting late, or we'll miss the oxcart back to the village."

"Huh?" The Wang siblings were listening intently and didn't react for a moment. They looked a little dazed.

“Wait, fifty taels of silver, I really can’t make that decision. How about this, you come with me to the manor and talk to my young mistress,” Hongliu said quickly in a low voice.

Shi Jia thought for a moment and nodded, "Okay!"

After saying that, she told the two to pack up their things. "Huh, you've bought everything?" Shi Jia was a little surprised. Those things were meant to be concealed, but she hadn't expected them all to be sold.

"Yes, sister-in-law sold them very quickly. We were just about to come find you when this lady arrived." Wang Tiehua clutched the money bag and handed it to Shi Jia as if to claim credit.

Shi Jia smiled and took the money bag, praising, "Xiao Hua is great, your sister-in-law will buy you candy later."

"Mmm." Wang Tiehua licked her lips, then quickly shook her head. "No need, no need, sister-in-law, keep it to buy grain."

Shi Jia patted her little head and smiled, "Alright, hurry up and pack your things, the girl has been waiting for a long time."

"Oh, oh." Wang Tiehua smiled shyly at Hongliu.

Hongliu didn't speak, but a blurry figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind—her mother. In her hazy memory, her mother's face always wore a look of sorrow. With many children in the family, they often had to survive on wild vegetables…

She shook her head. That was a long time ago. Why think about it anymore?
She watched quietly as they packed their things, then quietly led them away from the bustling streets and onto a wide, clean street. This area was filled with the residences of officials and merchants; ordinary people rarely came here.

"You all wait here, I'll go report to the young mistress." Hongliu led the group through a small door into a small courtyard. There was a lot of noise coming from the back of the courtyard, which seemed to be the kitchen. Shi Jia patted Wang Tiehua on the shoulder, "Don't look around."

Wang Tiehua pulled her head back, sticking out her tongue sheepishly. Unexpectedly, she met her brother's gaze, who was looking at her reproachfully. She quickly hid her face behind her sister-in-law.

On the other side, Hongliu approached the second young mistress with a nervous expression.

"Please forgive me, young mistress, I couldn't find the prescription." Hongliu knelt down with a thud.

Lu Xing'er, who was taking small bites of hawthorn cake, blinked. A recipe? What recipe? The old woman serving her, Lu Mama, frowned. "What's the reason? Does that person refuse to sell?"

"No, it's because the money isn't enough," Hongliu quickly explained what had happened.

“Fifty taels is indeed too much.” Granny Lu frowned, but Lu Xing’er next to her pouted with a dissatisfied look on her face, so she immediately changed her tone, “But if Madam wants it, let alone fifty taels, we will buy it even if it’s a hundred taels.”

Hongliu breathed a sigh of relief, then heard Granny Lu ask, "Is she in the backyard?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll go take a look." After saying that, Granny Lu turned to look at Lu Xing'er, only to meet her bright, sparkling eyes. The words she was about to say caught in her throat. "Ahem, does the young mistress also want to take a look?"

"Mmm." Lu Xing'er's eyes lit up, and she quickly put down the hawthorn cake and stood up. Granny Lu was alarmed and quickly supported her hand.

"Be careful!"

"Hongliu, go prepare a sedan chair," said Granny Lu.

"No need, I've been lying in bed all day, my bones are all soft. Let me walk around, Granny." Lu Xing'er quickly pleaded with Granny Lu, and Granny Lu, of course, couldn't resist Lu Xing'er's persistent pleas.

Lu Xing'er's courtyard was not far from the main kitchen. The group walked slowly for a quarter of an hour before meeting Shi Jia and the others.

Lu Xing'er looked at Shi Jia curiously, "Did you make the hawthorn cake?"

Shi Jia nodded.

"I want to buy your prescription."

"Okay, fifty taels."

"Granny Lu, give me the money." Lu Xing'er looked at Granny Lu, who looked distressed. "Miss, how many times have I taught you? Why are you still so naive? What am I going to do?"

Granny Lu sighed and took out a fifty-tael silver note from her bosom. "The prescription?"

"I told you to write it." Shi Jia could see Lu Xing'er's naivety, but it had nothing to do with her.

Granny Lu frowned.

Shi Jia explained, "This recipe has been passed down in my family by word of mouth, and as you know, most of us are illiterate."

"Row."

Soon, Granny Lu asked someone to bring pen and ink to write.

"Granny Lu, here you go." The maid handed the written recipe to Granny Lu. Lu Xing'er peeked at it, very curious. "This is the recipe? It seems very simple. Can it make such delicious hawthorn cake?"

The next sentence is a question to Shi Jia.

"Of course, if you don't believe me, I can give you a free demonstration." Shi Jia put away the silver notes in a good mood.

With this money, they won't have to worry for the next few years. (End of Chapter)