I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

After Xiaoqi returned all the money for the sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil to Qiaoqiao, she also wanted to give her ten yuan as a teaching fee. Qiaoqiao accepted five yuan and said, "The five yuan was agreed upon, so I'll take it. I won't charge you any more teaching fees from now on, since you've already learned it."

Xiao Qi got anxious: "No way! We agreed on five yuan a month. As long as I sell kimchi, I have to pay you the training fee. Without you, how could I possibly make kimchi?"

"Xiaoqi, it was you who took me to pick vegetables that made me discover this business opportunity. Your profits have nothing to do with me. I saw your hard work. I only helped out. If you give me money again, I will not be your friend anymore."

"Yang Qiao, you're so kind! My mother says you're our family's Guanyin Bodhisattva."

Xiaoqi choked up. Yes, with just a little help from her friend, her family's situation changed dramatically.

Xiaoqi earned fifteen yuan a week. He used his meal tickets to exchange for meat tickets and bought a pound of pork belly to take home. The whole family was happier than during the Chinese New Year.

With a way to make money, Xiaoqi's family can eat meat once a month, and her nephews and nieces no longer have to drool over a bowl of noodles served to guests.

"Xiaoqi, I feel very accomplished to be able to help you. Now that the demand in our class has stabilized, we should expand our demand to other classes."

With more money earned, Xiaoqi can buy more jars and make more kimchi.

Of the more than eighty students in the history department, less than half need to buy kimchi, which means a sales volume of forty bottles. Even if each student consumes two bottles a month, only eighty bottles can be sold.

But Xiaoqi makes far more than eighty bottles of kimchi a month. She can make three large jars of kimchi every time she picks vegetables, and each jar can hold thirty bottles, so three jars would make ninety bottles.

Twice a week, there are 180 bottles in stock.

"If I can't sell them all, I can go door-to-door asking around. It's just a bit of work."

Xiaoqi was full of confidence. She used to sell vegetables this way, and she still had many regular customers.

"Xiao Qi, students are a huge resource, and we should make use of them. I have a suggestion: let's go to each department and find a partner. We'll give her one cent per bottle, and she can sell them and earn five cents per bottle. What do you think?"

"Then, would others be willing?" Xiaoqi hesitated.

"Of course I'd be willing! She doesn't have to contribute anything, she just earns five cents. Xiao Qi, I have a friend in the math department, I'll go ask him after school," Gu Tong'an said, patting his chest.

"Okay, send one bottle to your friend first, let his classmate try it, and if anyone wants it, ask your friend to place an order."

"If a third of the students in the whole school buy your kimchi, Xiaoqi, you'll be rich."

Qiaoqiao imagined that she would be even happier than if she were making money herself.

Clearly, Qiaoqiao's suggestion was very valuable. After Yao Hongbing let his classmates try the kimchi, they quickly ordered ten bottles.

Having no friends in other departments, Qiaoqiao and Xiaoqi took kimchi to ask if anyone was willing to partner with them.

The business took off, and Xiaoqi's sales improved. She sold at least thirty bottles a day and made a profit of three or four yuan every day.

Xiaoqi is more tired than before. Every day after school, she has to pick vegetables, walk home, and then bring the pre-ordered kimchi to school the next morning.

Fortunately, Xiaoqi's family provided a lot of support, allowing her third brother, Gao Xiaoliu, to come to school to wait for her every afternoon, so that the two of them could pick vegetables together and go home together.

If the weather is bad, Xiao Liu will bring dozens of bottles of kimchi to school the next day.

In the first month, Xiaoqi earned 115.5 yuan. She wanted to give Qiaoqiao 30 yuan, but Qiaoqiao refused. Xiaoqi did earn money, but it was hard-earned money.

Every day, she travels more than ten miles round trip, and doesn't get home until seven or eight o'clock in the evening. After dinner, she still has to make kimchi with her family. The next day, she has to get up before dawn to go back to school. If it were Qiaoqiao, she would definitely be exhausted by now.

Xiaoqi doesn't feel tired. What's tiring about making money? What she fears is having all that energy but not being able to find a way to make money.

While Qiaoqiao was struggling to decide what gift to give Sister Liu, Gao Bing from Liushan Commune, along with Wang Jiakun, the brigade secretary, came to deliver a gift.

Half the courtyard was filled with earthenware pots, all kinds of sizes and shapes.

When Qiaoqiao returned home, Zhou Zhonghai called out in the yard, "Qiaoqiao, you're back! Come and see! The kiln in your Liushan Commune is firing up! Secretary Gao has come to deliver gifts."

My goodness, so many!

Qiaoqiao pointed to a large vat and said, "Secretary Gao, is this a large water vat? My family doesn't need it."

Secretary Gao smiled and said, "You can grow lotus flowers."

In an era where even eating is a problem, who has the mood to cultivate lotus flowers?

"This is a medicine jar; my grandma has one."

Qiaoqiao picked up a small jar and looked at it from all angles; it was much more exquisite than her grandmother's medicine jar.

It was dark, with an opening for pouring medicine and a handle.

"This is for stewing soup. Stewing soup in an earthenware pot tastes better than stewing in a clay pot."

Qiaoqiao picked up a large earthenware jar, along with teapots, clay pots, earthenware pans, and teacups—she had everything! The only drawback was that they weren't glazed and weren't as nice as the ones from the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Vice Governor Zhou, our kiln has produced some bricks, and they're now available at the county supply and marketing cooperative, but sales are limited. Comrade Jiakun and I came today to see if we can get some from the supply and marketing cooperatives in Huailin. We're unfamiliar with this area, so we need your support."

Gao Bing explained his purpose.

"I called the purchasing department of the supply and marketing cooperative and asked them to take a look at the goods. The items burned in Maojia Village are of good quality, but the appearance needs improvement."

Zhou Zhonghai offered his opinion.

"We hired a craftsman to draw the designs. I have the sample drawings here. We'll burn whatever the supply and marketing cooperative wants."

Gao Bing took out a pile of blueprints from his briefcase.

Qiaoqiao selected a clay pot for stewing soup, a large teapot, and four teacups, and asked, "Secretary Gao, may I have these items?"

"These are all gifts for your family. Do you expect us to take them back?" Gao Bing chuckled.

"That's good, I'll take it as a gift."

Qiaoqiao was overjoyed; no housewife would refuse an earthenware pot.

It's not valuable, but it's very practical.

We had guests at home that evening, so Sister Hu took a large earthenware pot and stewed a pot of pork belly and radish soup. She had picked up the radishes from the market because she had too many left over from making kimchi, so she saved them to make soup.

Fu Sanjun and Director Zhang from the purchasing department of the supply and marketing cooperative arrived. The men sat at one table drinking, while Luo Meiyun, Sister Hu, Qiaoqiao, and Xiaowei sat at a smaller table.

Xiaowei really enjoyed the pork belly and radish soup. He ate several pieces of radish and pork belly, and finished the whole bowl of soup.

At another table, Zhou Zhonghai invited Fu Sanjun and Director Zhang to drink soup: "Firing kilns isn't something you can do just anywhere; the soil is the most important factor. The old folks say that if you have a skin condition, applying yellow mud from Maojia Village to the affected area will cure it the next day."

Qiaoqiao chuckled softly. Her father-in-law was exaggerating. However, Maojia Village had always been a kiln for firing bricks, including her grandmother's medicine pot, which was bought in Maojia Village before the movement and had been used for more than ten years.

"It's really good, the soup is very fragrant and sweet," Director Zhang praised.

"A clay pot costs three yuan. As long as it's not broken, it can last for twenty years without any problems."

"We also have a teapot with four teacups for only one yuan and fifty cents. A nicer teapot from the supply and marketing cooperative would cost five yuan. Our teapot may not look as good, but we can still glaze and paint it. Just tell Secretary Gao what kind of design you need."

Gao Bing took out the pattern at the opportune moment, and Director Zhang examined it carefully.