Transmigrated into the fat wife of the future prime minister

Chapter 155 Crayfish

Xu Qingmeng glanced at the time, smiled, and said to Huiniang, "Let's go, we can have some cold watermelon when we get back from setting up the stall."

"Well, let's go."

Gu Yunyi had already told her that she should just listen to other people's business, so she didn't tell him about Sun Jingyi.

Xu Qingmeng wasn't one to meddle in other people's business, and she really disliked Sun Jingyi, who was neither straightforward nor willing to scheme against her.

This characteristic made Xu Qingmeng dislike her even more.

Fortunately, her and Hui Niang's stall has finally gotten on track, and their daily revenue has gradually stabilized.

Hui Niang took care of most of the tasks each day, so Xu Qingmeng didn't feel very tired.

The noodle shop was incredibly popular, and the owner even came to ask if they could add more noodles.

The shopkeeper was very honest, but she was thinking about the baby in her belly. Even if she wanted to agree, the reality wouldn't allow it!

The shopkeeper held only a sliver of hope, but seeing Xu Qingmeng's pregnant belly, he didn't say anything more.

After the shopkeeper left, Hui Niang sighed with emotion, realizing how incredibly successful the noodle shop was!
Xu Qingmeng glanced at the little chili powder left in the house, talked to Gu Yunyi, and then decided to go to the general store in the prefectural city to see if she could buy some.

Hui Niang originally planned to go with them, but Gu Yunyi felt bored spending all day cooped up in the house reading, so he offered to go with her.

So Hui Niang tactfully said, "It's really boring staying cooped up in the house all day. You two go ahead, I'll stay home and take care of Yuanbao."

Xu Qingmeng gave Gu Yunyi a reproachful look and said, "Well, we won't be setting up our stall today."

Hui Niang smiled and said, "Alright, go ahead."

As soon as the two left, Xu Qingmeng said, "Why don't you stay home and study instead of following me around?"

Gu Yunyi, however, disagreed, saying, "I just wanted to follow along and broaden my horizons!"

Xu Qingmeng had no choice but to say nothing more.

The two visited many shops one after another, but they couldn't find what Xu Qing was looking for. Just when she thought she had no hope, a shop called Liu's gave her hope.

Liu's shop doesn't have a very big storefront, but once you go inside, it's a completely different story—it's quite large inside.

There are also dedicated sections for seasonings and dried goods, all neatly arranged and categorized. Many of these seasonings are the kind that you'd only find in a pharmacy.

Now, everything is neatly arranged in this shop. Xu Qingmeng is dazzled by the sight, and her excitement is palpable. She makes no attempt to hide her joy.

This was the first time Gu Yunyi had ever seen Xu Qingmeng with such a surprised expression; she kept looking at the various shelves with wide eyes.

Cumin, wampee, ground pepper, fennel, galangal...

Xu Qingmeng's gaze swept over the various spices, and she was very excited.

Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper quickly came forward. Seeing the delight in the young woman's eyes, he was extremely happy.

Those who sell this stuff are most happy to encounter a discerning cook like this. They might think that this young lady, who is fair-skinned and clean, probably can't cook.

Who would have thought they'd misjudged her? The excitement in the young lady's eyes showed that she knew her stuff. It was worth all the effort they'd put into collecting these things from all over the country at such a high price.

The shopkeeper said, "I wonder what this lady would like? We have a very complete selection." "Dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns."

"Then you've come to the right place, madam. The dried chilies in our shop are all top-quality, and the variety is very complete. Not only that, but we also have Sichuan peppercorns and all kinds of other spices, all of which are absolutely authentic. Come, this way, please."

Xu Qingmeng smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, shopkeeper."

"No trouble, no trouble."

Xu Qingmeng and Gu Yunyi followed.

The shopkeeper was right. Xu Qingmeng knew at a glance that the Sichuan seasonings she wanted were not only complete, but also of the highest quality.

None of the ones Shen Jinwen found were as good as Liu's, but their prices were definitely higher than Shen Jinwen's.

"Shopkeeper, we need a lot, so please give us a fair price."

The shopkeeper was an honest man. Upon hearing that they wanted a lot, he didn't say anything frivolous. He simply took out an abacus, started counting on it, and gave them a price.

This is the price of the chili powder that Xu Qingmeng and her group need the most of. Buying more than 100 jin (50 kg) is surprisingly similar to, or even cheaper than, Shen Jinwen's price.

This surprised and delighted Xu Qingmeng. Gu Yunyi also knew Shen Jinwen's price, so it was truly a pleasant surprise.

Xu Qingmeng and Gu Yunyi discussed it and finally decided on six large bags, which would weigh about 300 jin (150 kg).

After Xu Qingmeng made her decision, she selected some Sichuan peppercorns and other spices to make enough ingredients for chili oil. She then spent a long time browsing the shop and bought a lot of what she wanted.

Xu Qingmeng understood that Gu Yunyi would be going back after the results were released, so she didn't buy much, only a little of each kind.

The shopkeeper was nice; seeing that Xu Qingmeng had bought a lot, he gave her the remaining spices and seasonings at wholesale price, which was much cheaper.

After Xu Qingmeng and Gu Yunyi paid the money, the shopkeeper promised to send it back to them later that evening.

Xu Qingmeng and Gu Yunyi walked on the road. Xu Qingmeng was very satisfied with the seasonings she had bought.

Before returning, the two went to the market again, and Xu Qingmeng unexpectedly saw someone selling crayfish.

Her eyes lit up immediately, and she excitedly tugged at Gu Yunyi's sleeve, saying, "Let's make crayfish for dinner tonight!"

Gu Yunyi looked in the direction Xu Qingmeng was pointing and saw a basin in front of the stall filled with lively crayfish, their shells tinged with a faint bluish-red, which looked very tempting.

However, Gu Yunyi had never eaten it before, but seeing Xu Qingmeng's excited expression, he was about to say something.

Then Xu Qingmeng said, "Paired with barbecue, it would be an absolute perfect match!"

"Crayfish? Barbecue?" Gu Yunyi raised his eyebrows. "Is this stuff tasty? And what is barbecue? Does it mean everyone gathers around a fire, each person holding a branch and grilling meat?"

Before Gu Yunyi could finish speaking, Xu Qingmeng had already squatted down in front of the wooden basin.

The green-shelled crayfish waved its large claws, splashing tiny droplets of water in the clear water. She reached out and pinched the back of one of the crayfish, and its tail snapped up with a "snap," startling the old man selling fish next to her.

"Young lady, be careful not to get your hands pinched!" The old man hurriedly handed over the bamboo tongs. "These are crayfish I caught this morning in the reeds. Don't be fooled by their hard shells; if you crush them in a mortar and pestle, they'll make an absolutely delicious soup."

(End of this chapter)