During famine years, I had a divination slip in hand, and my whole family ate chicken, duck, fish, a

It wasn't that she was proud, but the ominous fortune she received today made her feel uneasy.

After the money was handed over, the shopkeeper said again in a solicitous manner,

"Second Miss, would you like to have lunch at my humble abode today? We just closed a big deal worth a hundred taels; would you do me the honor of treating us to a meal?"

"You're too kind, shopkeeper. Today is the grand opening of my shop, and I was originally planning to book a table here as well."

Ye Qingqing waved her hand, "But I'll do it myself. Please, innkeeper, prepare a good meal for me. There will be ten of us in my family for lunch."

The shopkeeper smiled and said,

"Hey, congratulations! May your business prosper and your wealth increase!"

"Don't worry about the dishes, I'll have the head chef prepare a few signature dishes, and I'll even give you two extra to ensure the whole family is happy."

……

After leaving Fushunlou, Ye Qingqing went straight to Miss Zhen's shop.

As soon as she entered, she smelled the medicinal odor of tanning agents. Rows of colorful fox, rabbit, and deer skins hung on the shelves.

Ye Qingqing opened her mouth and called out, "Auntie, I'm here!"

Miss Zhen was behind the counter. When she looked up and saw Ye Qingqing, her charming eyes curved into a smile.

"Oh, Er Yatou's here? Come in and warm up! Brother Youliang... you're here too, please come in!"

"Aunt Zhen, I have something good for you."

Ye Qingqing took the bearskin from Zhao Laoda's hand. "Take a look at this."

She laid the bearskin out on the counter, and Miss Zhen's eyes lit up. She reached out her fair and slender hand to touch the leather first, and then turned it over to check the color of the fur.

She looked at it over and over again, then clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"This hide is quite nice, Er Yatou! It's black, shiny, and thick-haired. The skin is intact and undamaged. Did you peel off the fascia along with it?"

Da Zhuang's cooking skills have improved!

Ye Qingqing grinned, raising an eyebrow triumphantly, "Of course, my father taught me personally!"

"That's right! How could someone raised by your father be bad?"

Miss Zhen smiled and looked up at Ye Qingqing, a hint of amusement flashing in her charming eyes. "Second girl, how much do you want for this hide?"

Ye Qingqing said frankly, "Aunt Zhen, you're the expert, just name your price."

Miss Zhen thought for a moment, then extended a hand to her.

"I'll accept this amount."

Ye Qingqing raised an eyebrow. "Fifty taels?"

That price is truly sincere.

"Hmm, fifty taels."

Miss Zhen nodded and said frankly, "I won't lose money at this price; I'll just earn 10% or 20% less."

If it were anyone else asking for that price, they'd be dreaming!

Ye Qingqing couldn't help but smile.

"Okay, thank you, Auntie."

Miss Zhen told the shop assistant to take the hides to the backyard, then took Ye Qingqing's hand and warmly greeted You Liang and Cuicui, saying...

"You've come all this way, come on, come with me to the back pavilion for a seat. We're having lunch here today, nobody's leaving!"

The heated pavilion in the backyard was warm and cozy. Miss Zhen personally brewed tea, and the two sat facing each other and talked.

"Girl, your business is booming!" Miss Zhen said, holding her teacup, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "Bear paws, bear skin, wild vegetable stalls... your father never dared to dream of these things before."

"It was all just a coincidence." Ye Qingqing took a sip of tea. "Aunt Zhen, how's business at your shop?"

"It's alright, leather goods sell well now that winter is here," Miss Zhen sighed. "It's just that we don't have enough manpower. I'm thinking of hiring another assistant, but I'm worried that he won't be able to handle it well."

"How about we ask Zhao's second son to lend you a hand? He's quick-witted and doesn't need to be told what to do."

Miss Zhen's eyes lit up: "That's great! I find that child pleasing to the eye too."

As the two were talking, Ye Qingqing suddenly remembered something, took a piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to them: "Oh right, take a look at this, I wrote it."

Miss Zhen took it and glanced at it. It was a prescription, listing several medicinal herbs and their proportions. She looked at it twice, then looked up: "Is this an improved prescription for nitrate bark?"

"Hmm, I've been thinking of adding a few ingredients that should make the leather even softer," Ye Qingqing said. "Try it, and if it doesn't work, we can change it again."

Holding the prescription, Miss Zhen's eyes welled up with tears. She wasn't related to Ye Qingqing by blood, but she genuinely treated the girl like her own niece. This child was not only capable, but also cared deeply for her.

"Okay, I'll try it today." She carefully folded the prescription and tucked it into her bosom. "Girl, your aunt hasn't spoiled you for nothing."

After leaving Zhenji Pizza, Ye Qingqing led her whole family to Li Chunyan's vegetable shop.

Before I even reached the door, I could hear a great deal of noise coming from inside.

"Boss lady! How much is this shepherd's purse?"

"Any bitter herbs left? I didn't manage to get any yesterday!"

"Is this fish alive? How much is it?"

Li Chunyan's voice squeezed through the crowd: "Don't rush, don't rush! One at a time! Shepherd's purse is three coins a bundle, bitter greens are two coins, bracken root is four coins... As for fish, it depends on the size, this big one is fifteen coins, this small one is ten coins..."

Ye Qingqing stood at the door, almost bursting out laughing. Her sister-in-law, who had told her yesterday that she "didn't know if it would sell," was now hawking her wares like a seasoned pro.

Zhao Lao Er was helping to stack the goods when he saw Ye Qingqing arrive. He quickly squeezed over and said, "Master! You've finally arrived! My sister-in-law has been so busy today, she hasn't had a break since we opened!"

Ye Qingqing peeked inside and saw that the shop was crowded with people. Most of the wild vegetables in the bamboo baskets had already been sold, and the silver-whiskered fish in the wooden basins were jumping around, attracting a group of people to watch the spectacle.

Li Chunyan looked up and saw Ye Qingqing, her face lighting up with a smile. She was clutching a handful of copper coins in her hand: "Second Girl! You're finally here! Guess how much we sold this morning?"

"How many?"

"Over five hundred coins!" Li Chunyan whispered, her voice trembling with excitement. "It's only half a morning! Over five hundred coins! That's more than our family earns from growing a whole season of corn!"

Ye Qingqing patted her shoulder: "Sister-in-law, stay calm, this is just the beginning."

"Yes, yes, stay calm, stay calm." Li Chunyan took a deep breath and turned back to greet the guests.

Ye Qingqing stood in the shop for a while and watched as people came in an endless stream to buy things. There were residents from the town, people from restaurants and hotels who came to buy supplies, and several well-dressed young women who came specifically to buy wild vegetables to try.

Zhao Lao Er leaned closer and whispered, "Master, someone from Fushunlou came by and said they want to buy our wild vegetables and fish on a long-term basis. The price is negotiable."

"I'll talk to their manager later." Ye Qingqing nodded.

Seeing that it was almost lunchtime, Ye Qingqing waved her hand: "Big brother and sister-in-law, put this away and go eat."

"Eat? Where do we eat?" Li Chunyan wiped her hands, looking completely bewildered.

"Fu Shun Lou restaurant, it's booked."

Upon hearing this, Li Chunyan's face turned green: "What? Fushunlou? How much does a meal cost there? Erya, let's bring our own steamed buns!"

"Save the steamed buns for tonight." Ye Qingqing said without further ado, pushing her towards the door. "We're happy today, let's eat out."

Li Chunyan was half-pushed, half-dragged onto the oxcart, muttering all the way, "What a waste... Second daughter, you earn a lot of money, but you can't squander it like this..."