novelraw Chapter 329 - 326: Striving to Live
Chapter 329 - 326: Striving to Live
Yao Xiuyun, Li Xiangyang, and Xu Dong also tried the vermicelli noodles. They agreed the texture was much better than the noodles sold in the East Market—softer and more tender, yet still satisfyingly chewy.
Seeing them all nod in praise, Captain Jin said proudly, "The people at the supply and marketing co-op’s purchasing station say our team’s sweet potato and potato vermicelli are more tender and chewier than what the other production teams deliver. Every time we send a batch, they rate it as first-class."
To ensure the vermicelli could sell for a good price, the team had even built a special room just for drying the noodles on overcast or rainy days.
Seeing him grinning until his face was a mass of wrinkles, Lin Lan smiled and said, "Captain Jin, if your team has a surplus of vermicelli, you can send it down to me. I’ll buy it at a twenty percent premium over the standard price for first-class noodles."
Captain Jin said happily, "We don’t have many noodles left, but we still have plenty of potatoes and sweet potatoes. I’ll have my people start making more tomorrow, and we’ll deliver them to you as soon as they’re ready."
Lin Lan nodded. "Also, you can organize your people to send chestnuts and walnuts down the mountain. As for persimmons, you can make them into dried persimmon cakes and send those to me."
Captain Jin shook his head. "The persimmon cakes we make don’t look very good, so they don’t fetch a high price." As he spoke, he got up, went to a large basket in the corner, and pulled out a string of dark brown persimmon cakes. "Have a taste. They’re sweet, not at all astringent. It’s just the color that isn’t appealing."
Lin Lan thought for a moment, recalling a method for making persimmon cakes she knew of. "If you want to make good persimmon cakes, you can’t just rely on sun and wind. Drying them out in the open won’t work."
"You need to build a drying house. You dry the peeled persimmons, press them into shape, and then pack them in large jars to bloom. Once the persimmon cakes in the jars develop a white, frosty coating, they’re ready to sell."
Captain Jin frowned. "A drying house? We’ve never seen one. How would we even build it?"
Lin Lan was in a difficult position as well. The ones she had seen were modern drying houses; she’d never seen a traditionally constructed one. "I’ve only heard others describe it. I’ve never actually seen one in person."
Jin Dachun, who had appeared at the main room’s doorway at some point, spoke up. "Dad, the house we use for drying the sweet potato vermicelli should work for the persimmon cakes."
Hearing that, Captain Jin thought it might work. He smiled. "You all must be tired today. I’ll take you to have a look tomorrow."
Seeing it was already pitch-dark outside, Lin Lan nodded. "Alright, we’ll go see it tomorrow morning."
Captain Jin’s wife and daughter-in-law readied the guest rooms. Lin Lan and Yao Xiuyun took one room with Little Douzi, while Li Xiangyang and Xu Dong took the other.
Little Douzi flopped onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
Lin Lan and Yao Xiuyun chatted for a bit before they too drifted off to sleep.
「The next morning」
The group followed Captain Jin and his son to the production team’s drying house.
The team members all tagged along. When they heard Lin Lan’s group was there to buy up winter squash, beans, and Sichuan peppercorns, they started chatting excitedly amongst themselves.
When they reached the drying house, Captain Jin unlocked a padlock and pushed the door open. Inside, Lin Lan saw that heated walls had been built along the room’s perimeter, with rows of racks set up in the center.
Captain Jin pointed to the heated walls. "On overcast days, we hang the finished noodles on the racks and light the fires to dry them out. It keeps them from going bad."
Lin Lan said, "You can give it a try this year. Once you’ve made a batch, send it down for me to take a look, and I’ll set a price for you then."
Captain Jin readily agreed, and they arranged for him to deliver the vermicelli noodles to the East Market in half a month’s time.
As Lin Lan’s group was leaving, they gave all the pastries and candy they had brought with them to the Jin family’s two children. They politely refused the Jin family’s offer of potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Little Douzi also whispered to Lin Lan, asking her to give his outgrown clothes to the younger boy.
The Jin father and son walked Lin Lan’s group to the foot of the mountain. They insisted on stuffing two handfuls of vermicelli noodles into Li Xiangyang and Xu Dong’s hands before finally turning back.
「That afternoon」
The group returned to the East Market. Yao Xiuyun and her husband drove Lin Lan, Li Xiangyang, and Little Douzi to Lexing before heading off in their car.
Tong Xinglan opened the courtyard gate, grinning at the three of them. "Cousin! Brother-in-law!"
Li Xiangyang nodded and carried Little Douzi into the courtyard.
Wangcai wagged its tail happily, weaving around his legs.
Hearing Wangcai’s happy whimpers, Little Douzi opened his eyes and said to Li Xiangyang, "Uncle, I want to get down."
Li Xiangyang nodded and set him down.
Little Douzi threw his arms around Wangcai’s neck. "Did you miss us? Were you a good boy watching the house?"
Wangcai tilted its head back to look at him. "WOOF WOOF~"
Tong Xinglan pointed at Wangcai. "Cousin, look! I think he understood you."
"Wangcai is a smart dog," Lin Lan said, looking at Tong Xinglan. "I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow!"
"It’s boring at home. It’s much nicer here." Tong Xinglan linked her arm through Lin Lan’s. "Cousin, my mom had me bring a bundle of red sugarcane, a jar of sweet fermented rice wine, and a bag of peanuts. I had to haul it all by myself from the stop to Lexing. I thought I was going to die."
Seeing the bundle of sugarcane under the eaves, which had to weigh at least thirty or forty pounds, Lin Lan gave an unsympathetic laugh. "You’re stronger than you look."
Tong Xinglan gave her a light, indignant smack. "Qiaohui, Zhigang, and I had a barbecue, and we saved some for you. Cousin, we were thinking of going to the movies this afternoon."
Lin Lan waved her hand with a smile. "Go on, have a fun afternoon. The real work starts tomorrow."
Qiaohui, who was holding a kettle to pour hot water for Lin Lan, turned to Little Douzi, who was holding his rinsing cup. "Little Douzi, want to go to the movies?"
Little Douzi turned to look at her. "Only if it’s a war movie."
Qiaohui laughed. "Uncle Zhigang says it’s about catching spies. He says it’s really good!"
Little Douzi raised his hand. "I wanna go!"
Lin Lan quickly cut in, "Go after you’ve had lunch."
They hadn’t seen any restaurants on the way back and had already finished all the snacks they’d packed.
Qiaohui suggested making a bowl of noodles for Little Douzi. Lin Lan nodded and said to Li Xiangyang, who was washing up, "Xiangyang, do you want noodles or should we heat up the barbecue?"
Li Xiangyang looked over his shoulder. "Either is fine."
After Little Douzi finished his noodles, Tong Xinglan went to the main room to get the bicycle. Lin Lan offered the three of them some money, but they refused it and rode off to Li Xiangyang’s house to find Zhigang.
Lin Lan saw two marinated carp, a plate of chicken breast, and a plate of pork belly in the cupboard. She had Li Xiangyang start the fire while she went to the vegetable garden to cut a handful of chives and two heads of celtuce. She also washed and sliced a couple of potatoes, and then the two of them began to grill under the eaves.
They grilled the chives and pushed them to one side. The pork belly SIZZLED on the hotplate, its fat rendering out. Lin Lan dipped a brush in sesame oil and painted it over the meat.
"Here, open wide!" Li Xiangyang grinned, picking up a piece of pork belly and holding it to Lin Lan’s lips. The moment she opened her mouth, he snatched it back, popped it into his own, and looked at her with a smug grin.
"So childish!" Lin Lan rolled her eyes at him and sprinkled seasoning over the fish.
"Don’t be mad. I won’t tease you this time, I promise." Li Xiangyang smiled and fed her a slice. He glanced over at the carrying basket, remembering Tong Xinglan had mentioned a jar of sweet fermented rice wine. "Little Lan, let me pour you some."
"Okay." Lin Lan flipped the fish over and continued to grill it.
Li Xiangyang took out the peanuts, then he saw the jar inside the basket. He finally understood why Tong Xinglan had complained about how heavy it was. He hoisted the jar out. "Little Lan, look! Your auntie made you a huge jar of sweet fermented rice wine."
He opened the lid, revealing a jar filled to the brim with milky-white sweet fermented rice wine. A rich, fragrant aroma immediately hit his nose.