Chapter 20: Not as Impressive as Your Wife

The kitchen was fully equipped with all the necessary utensils, including a coal stove, which had been delivered by Gu Yu's friends after County Magistrate Chu helped settle them into their new home.

Everything was put to good use. At that moment, white, peeled eggs were tumbling in dark, soy-colored broth, releasing a fragrant, mouth-watering aroma. It wasn't just Lin Jinghua and her two children who were tempted—even the stoic Gu Yu couldn't help but swallow hard. His wife was truly, incredibly capable.

Ji Sisi didn't intend for the family to eat them yet; the tea eggs hadn't fully absorbed the flavors. After simmering on low heat for half an hour, they would need to steep in the brine overnight to reach their full potential.

Gu Yu did not disappoint. By the next day, he had cobbled together the pushcart she wanted. It met her requirements perfectly: the frame was welded with iron bars to hold the coal stove securely, and a lower shelf provided extra space for supplies. Gu Yu had been remarkably thoughtful—knowing that cooking in an iron pot while vending would be impractical, he had managed to find a large iron basin that could sit directly on the stove. Whether they were setting up at the bus station or peddling through the streets, it was incredibly convenient.

Ji Sisi gave him a thumbs-up, beaming. "Yu, you're amazing! I can't believe you managed to build something like this."

If this were the future, Gu Yu could have been a professional street vendor. Flustered by his wife’s look of surprise and admiration, Gu Yu blushed, though his dark complexion hid it from the others. Shy and unsure of how to respond, he busied himself by meticulously wiping the cart down. He placed the sealed coal stove onto the cart, packed a dozen or so honeycomb coal briquettes, and carefully set the iron basin filled with the brined eggs onto the stove.

Ji Sisi brought her mother-in-law along so they could look out for one another. Naturally, Gu Yu insisted on joining them for their first day. Gu Wei and Gu Ning, not wanting to stay home idle, also offered to help. Although the two children were technically "townies" who had attended the county middle school, they rarely went out to play and were perhaps even less familiar with the county seat than Ji Sisi. They had never had any pocket money, and their relatives in the Gu family had never allowed them to wander freely.

Lin Jinghua was a different case entirely. After the death of the eldest Gu brother, she had barely stepped foot outside their courtyard, let alone explored the town. She lived a life of total seclusion. In truth, she was a bit intimidated; the streets were filled with people riding bicycles, and the rows of houses were dizzying. There were so many novel things she had never seen before.

Noticing her mother-in-law’s wandering gaze, Ji Sisi smiled and said, "Mom, once we earn some money, we’ll buy a bicycle, too."

Gu Yu coolly poured cold water on the idea: "I don't have a bicycle ration coupon."

*You dog of a man, go stand in the corner,* Ji Sisi thought.

Fortunately, he wasn't beyond redemption. He added, "I'll find a way to see if I can get one." When he was on active duty, he had received a bicycle as a reward. He had sent it home through an acquaintance, intending for his younger siblings to use it for school. Instead, when he returned home on leave, he found his uncle riding it. The family hadn't even known it was a gift from him; for the sake of "family harmony," and because his mother and siblings were still under the Gu family's thumb, he had kept quiet. Looking back, Gu Yu wondered how he could have been such a coward. He should have endured, split from the family sooner, and taken his mother and siblings away—any hardship would have been better than the torment they endured.

The group marched to the station with high spirits. While the station wasn't large by Ji Sisi's standards, it served as a stop for many medium-to-long-distance routes, ensuring a steady flow of passengers. Business awareness had yet to fully bloom, so the area outside the station was barren, with no other stalls or shops in sight.

The market price for an egg was about five cents. Ji Sisi had checked at the supply and marketing cooperative, so she priced her tea eggs at ten cents each. After all, she had added spices and put in the effort to cook them. Once the stove was lit, the savory aroma of the tea eggs began to drift across the station entrance. Many passengers who had just disembarked were lured in to buy one to try. Once they tasted the fragrant, spicy tea eggs, they couldn't resist buying a second or third. Those who could afford to travel generally didn't mind spending a few dimes.

Seeing the business flourish, even the initially nervous Lin Jinghua began to beam with smiles. She had worried that no one would buy eggs at such a high price.

Before long, Lin Jinghua was silently keeping count. *They must have sold thirty, maybe forty already?*

Even Ji Sisi was surprised. As the first person to "eat the crab," she had underestimated the demand for various products now that the policies were relaxing. They had only brought fifty eggs to test the waters, and now there were only about ten left in the basin. Ji Sisi had initially wanted her family to try them, but Lin Jinghua, Gu Yu, Gu Wei, and Gu Ning all shook their heads. They couldn't bear to "eat their profits." They were happily calculating: if they sold all one hundred eggs, even after deducting the cost of the eggs and spices, they would make at least three yuan. If they could make three yuan a day, that would be ninety yuan a month—more than most factory workers in the county.

In reality, Ji Sisi didn't care much about this small sum; this was just a way to test the path forward. That was why she brought her mother-in-law and the family along—to get them accustomed to the work so they could help her. Ji Sisi was clear-headed; while having a sign-in system was a blessing, she couldn't rely on it entirely. The system was just a tool; she needed to find a way of life that suited her and the Gu family. They needed money for bicycles, education, and eventually, a house.

With money in their pockets, Lin Jinghua gained some confidence. She stayed behind with her children to watch the stall while Gu Yu went back to retrieve the rest of the eggs. Ji Sisi claimed she was going to look around to see if there were other business opportunities. Of course, that was just an excuse. When she had first arrived at the station, she had seen a red exclamation mark floating above the main gate.

Walking to a secluded corner, Ji Sisi whispered, "System, check in."

*Ding! Congratulations, host, you have received one bicycle ration coupon.*

*Oh, nice!* Just what she needed. She had been worrying about how to get a coupon to buy a bike, and here it was. Ji Sisi’s inner self stood with hands on her hips, laughing wildly: *Gu Yu, oh Gu Yu, looks like your wife is a step ahead of you, isn't she?*