Chapter 37: Can a monkey guarding a jujube tree keep it safe?

"I look so ordinary; if they had that idea about me, they would be even more mistaken."

A few casual sentences brushed the matter aside. Some old customers, having nothing to do, also ran to her stall.

"Young Lady, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. News travels really fast; everyone knows already?"

"Of course. The small town isn't that big; it spread throughout the whole town by morning. If you don't buy maids, buy two dogs. Dogs are the most useful for guarding the house; thieves are most afraid of dogs."

"Whose family has dogs? Fierce ones? If they give birth, I'll buy two."

"I'll ask around for you. When there are some, I'll call you?"

"Alright, I'll thank you here first."

Qiao Mai arranged the goods she was selling one by one on the table. There were quite a few people surrounding her stall; they were all people who heard the news and came to care about her. Qiao Mai busily set up the boiled quail eggs.

"Come, come, come. Thank you all for your concern today. I'm treating everyone to taste quail eggs for free."

"Aha, you have new products again?"

"Yes. By September, I won't be selling watermelons and ice cubes anymore. I've got some new food items; everyone please support me."

"Don't worry, as long as it's delicious, there will be plenty of repeat customers."

Qiao Mai grabbed a few quail eggs for everyone present. "It's just like eating chicken eggs; peel off this outer skin and you can eat it."

Everyone tasted them and nodded. "Why do your quail eggs have a salty and fragrant taste?"

"This is called five-spice quail eggs. Let me tell you, these eggs are not only delicious but also have medicinal value. Children eating them strengthens the brain, elderly eating them relieves edema, and eating them often treats anemia."

"Really?"

"If you don't believe me, take the eggs and ask the doctor at the medical hall?"

Someone actually took the eggs to the medical hall, and when they asked, it was indeed the case. When they came back and said so, the surrounding crowd immediately exploded.

With such great benefits, they definitely had to buy some for the elderly and children at home.

"How are they sold?"

"One wen each."

"Give me twenty."

"I want some too; I want fifty."

In a little while, half of a basin of quail eggs remained, and those who finished buying didn't leave.

Some wanted a watermelon, some wanted a few blocks of ice, and others wanted strawberries and sweet melons. They hadn't set up the stall for several days, and everyone was holding back their energy, wanting to have a good meal.

She hadn't eaten breakfast after being busy all morning. When there were no customers, she sat down to rest and casually picked up a sweet melon to eat.

At this time, Yuan Jiaqi came to the stall holding the child. "Greetings, Young Lady."

Qiao Mai saw it was him and was about to get up when he hurriedly said:

"You've been busy all morning; it's the same if we talk while you're sitting."

"Is the child better?"

Although she said that, Qiao Mai still stood up.

"Much better. The fruit is appetizing. The child couldn't eat, but he ate quite a bit of fruit. That sweet corn was also very delicious. His fever broke this morning; we just came back from the medical hall."

"Where is the child's mother?"

"She died during childbirth!"

"Oh, can he eat eggs?"

"The fever has broken; he should be able to, right?"

Qiao Mai took a quail egg from the basin, peeled it, and handed it to the little boy's mouth.

"Have a taste; it's very delicious."

The little boy looked at Yuan Jiaqi. "Can I eat it, Daddy?"

"If you want to eat, then eat!"

The little boy opened his mouth and ate the quail egg. "Thank you, Auntie!"

"Auntie doesn't have anything else, but I have a pile of delicious things. If you like eating them, come find Auntie."

Yuan Jiaqi felt a bit embarrassed. "The child had a fever last night, and I didn't go over when something happened at your house. I'm truly sorry."

"The child is important. There were so many people there. Did you come just for this?"

"Yes."

"You are truly particular. Are you educated?"

"I studied for a few years, but then I didn't continue."

"No wonder you speak so gently. It's not easy for a man to raise a child alone. In the future, if you have something to do, leave the child at my place. I'm at the stall during the day and usually at home at night, unless I go to the prefecture city to stock up."

"Thank you very much!"

The little boy was eating the quail egg happily. Qiao Mai saw he liked it and immediately wrapped a dozen or so for him in oil paper.

"Take it. Auntie doesn't want your money. If it's delicious, eat more. These eggs don't keep overnight; they'll spoil in this heat."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Yuan Jiaqi nodded slightly at her. "Thank you. We're going home now."

"Go, go. Let him drink more plain water."

The father and son left. Qiao Mai sat down, washed her hands clean, and took out her embroidery work to start embroidering.

She had just embroidered a few stitches when Lu Sanniang came over.

"What eggs and corn did you have Ruxin take back? They were all quite delicious. Why aren't you selling corn today?"

"I just brought them back to let everyone have a taste first. I'll put them on sale in a few days."

"I think you should put them on sale tomorrow. They really are delicious. Anyway, you're setting up a stall; selling one more item means earning one more item's money."

"I see you've fallen into the money pit."

"It's all because of you. Your stall earns more than my embroidery manor. When I have time, I'll grab a few of those... what are they called... from your place and raise them at home to try."

"They are called quails. Remember to raise them indoors. Quails like warmth and can't stand the cold; they are very fragile."

"However you raise them, I'll raise them. Besides eating them at home, sending some to friends to build relationships is also good."

"These little things are quite easy to raise. With water and food, you don't have to worry about them for several days. Just go collect the eggs when it's time."

"Mm-hmm!"

Just as they were talking, a carriage stopped in front of her stall. She thought it was someone coming to buy things, but who knew that when the carriage window was lifted, a big and a small head smiled at her.

"So Big Sister really is setting up a stall here."

Qiao Shi's face darkened. She got a headache seeing these two siblings. Lu Sanniang was a self-familiar person and immediately asked.

"Young Lady, are you here to find my younger sister?"

"Yes. Shall I come down and we can talk slowly?"

The coachman drove the carriage to an empty spot inside. Two girls and a boy got off the carriage.

They came to the stall, and Shopkeeper Lu called the maid in the shop to move over three chairs.

"Sit, sit."

Qiao Shi looked at them without even a smile and even frowned tightly.

"How did you find this place?"

"There was nothing to do today, and the weather is so good, so I brought my younger brother over to try our luck. The fruit is all eaten up, you understand."

"You came here, but I can't take any out. There are only these few items at the stall. If you want to get those fruits, you have to go south."

"I think these at the stall are fine too. You don't know, just take these berries for example—the ones in the prefecture city aren't as good as yours. And these sweet melons—they aren't as fragrant and sweet as yours either. What is this in your basin?"

Asking and asking, the two siblings' eyes stared at the quail eggs, swallowing their saliva.

"These are eggs, quail eggs. They are eggs laid by a type of poultry called a quail."

"Can I taste one?"

Qiao Mai looked at this pair of foodies and helplessly took a few, placing them in their hands.

"Eat. Remember to peel the skin."

Shopkeeper Lu looked at the interaction between Qiao Mai and the siblings and was a bit curious. Why was she unhappy instead when customers came to buy her things?

After finishing the quail eggs, the little girl pointed to the basin.

"I want all of these."

"It's hot. If you don't eat them before night, they'll spoil, and you'll get a stomachache."

"No matter. Don't you have ice here? Just put a few blocks in, and that'll do, right? Besides, I estimate that before we reach the prefecture city, the eggs will be eaten."

Qiao Mai curled her lips. Thinking about it, can a monkey guarding a jujube tree keep it safe?

"Do you want anything else?"

"Yes, yes. I discovered that your family's watermelons are also better than others'. Not only is the skin thin, but they are also sandy and sweet. My younger brother only likes eating your family's melons."

Qiao Mai let Shopkeeper Lu watch the stall for her and went to the general store to buy a few baskets.

She packed ten watermelons; even numbers were easy to calculate, and the other party wasn't short of money, so the more the better.

She packed a basket of sweet melons. Yes.

Qiao Mai packed them one by one, while Wang Jiaru sat on the side chatting with Shopkeeper Lu.

This little girl could really talk. Not only did she tell how she and Qiao Mai met, but she also told her own name, address, and the story of her younger brother getting injured and hitting his head when he was young.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 38 =====