Chapter 31: Popsicles on the Market

Sun Shi suppressed the cold smile in her heart and pulled Li Jinbao back to the east room.

"Mother, is the Huang Family Young

"I'm not sure either..."

Sun Shi frowned and added, "However, since your father said the person's illness was cured by a divine physician, and now so many people outside have seen him riding a horse on the main street, perhaps he really is better."

"Mother, since he is cured..."

Li Jinfeng's face revealed a hint of shyness as she tugged at Sun Shi's sleeve, "Then let me marry over there."

"Absolutely not!"

Sun Shi decisively refused, "Your aunt has already decided to marry over there, why would you still want to marry over? What if the news of the Huang family young master's recovery is just a rumor!"

"Oh, Mother, the Huang family is so wealthy, this minor illness must have been cured. How could something so many people have seen be fake?"

Li Jinfeng continued to tug at Sun Shi's sleeve, acting spoiled: "In any case, Mother, just find a way to let me replace my aunt and marry over; I will definitely be filial to you in the future."

Sun Shi frowned and said nothing.

She did not look favorably upon this matter, feeling that things were not that simple.

At this moment, Li Shoude entered the room.

Li Jinfeng simply ran up to him and pleaded in a soft voice: "Father, I am your own daughter, let me be the one to marry the Huang family young master!"

"Didn't you cry yesterday saying you would rather die than marry into the Huang family?" Li Shoude glanced at her sideways.

"Father, that was because I wasn't sure if the Huang family young master's illness was cured yet..." Li Jinfeng bit her lip lightly and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Since he was cured, she was certainly a thousand times willing to marry over!

That was a wealthy gentry family in the county city; marrying in would mean endless glory and wealth!

"Enough, your grandmother will make the decision on this matter," Li Shoude said indifferently.

How could he not know his own daughter's thoughts? But now that the Huang family young master had suddenly changed from a sickly person into a hot commodity, how could his mother let this opportunity pass?

"Father, I am your own daughter, how can you not help me!" Li Jinfeng stomped her feet in anger, becoming quite relentless.

Seeing this, Sun Shi hurried over to comfort her: "My Feng'er, are you stupid? Once your father passes the imperial examination, there will be many wealthy young masters waiting for you to choose from; why fight to marry that Huang family young master?"

"But, Mother..." Li Jinfeng was still somewhat unconvinced.

"Be good, Feng'er, listen to Mother. Just wait patiently for two more years. Once your father earns his rank, there will be plenty of golden sons-in-law waiting for you to choose from, guaranteed to be a thousand times better than that Huang family young master!"

"Alright then..."

After Sun Shi talked her through it, Li Jinfeng finally agreed reluctantly.

In truth, she didn't necessarily have to marry that Huang family young master; she just couldn't stand Li Xiufang's arrogant, nose-in-the-air attitude.

Hmph, what was there to be proud of? She would definitely marry into a family even wealthier than the Huangs in the future!

That day, Jiang Xiaoxiao and her mother climbed out of bed as soon as the sky brightened.

After finishing breakfast and feeding the chickens and sheep, the mother and daughter went to town early.

Upon arriving in town, they first found a deserted spot, and Jiang Wei took a square box out of her space.

The box had handles on both sides, a lid on top, and two coin-shaped holes opened on it, serving both as finger grips and as vents for the cold air to escape.

The interlayer on the sides and bottom of the box was filled with ice, and the inside was lined with a layer of straw to provide insulation and delay the melting of the ice. This was the simple "ice cabinet" Jiang Wei had ordered from the carpentry shop along with the molds.

Inside the box were the snow cakes they were to sell today.

The mother and daughter did not huddle in the shade to sell the snow cakes like last time, but instead found a street corner where the sun was particularly scorching.

It was not yet noon, and pedestrians were coming and going; the weather had already begun to heat up.

The mother and daughter were not in a hurry, standing on the street with an umbrella, calling out.

"Selling snow cakes! Cold and refreshing snow cakes, five wen each!"

With the scorching sun in the sky, the weather was so hot that people were dripping with sweat. The mother and daughter had not been standing there long before they were already drenched in sweat.

This weather was truly too hot!

Jiang Xiaoxiao took out her water bag and took a large gulp; she felt the clothes on her back were almost soaked through with sweat.

Seeing this, Jiang Wei took a snow cake out of the ice cabinet and handed it to her: "Eat one first to cool down."

Jiang Xiaoxiao took the snow cake and took the opportunity to glance into the ice cabinet. It must be said, even in such sweltering weather, the ice inside had not melted, and the snow cakes remained frozen solid.

The effect of this simple ice cabinet was truly quite good!

Jiang Xiaoxiao took two bites of the snow cake in her hand, and wisps of coolness instantly spread through her mouth, making her feel much cooler all over.

She squinted her eyes in satisfaction. The taste of this snow cake was not as creamy and sweet as ice cream, but the texture was more refreshing and icy; by comparison, it was more like a shaved ice texture, making it more suitable for consumption in the heat of summer.

At this moment, a passing child tugged at his mother's hand and pointed at Jiang Xiaoxiao, "Mother, I want to eat that!"

The child's mother, drenched in sweat, looked over and immediately spotted the ice cabinet placed in front of Jiang Wei. The two coin-shaped holes were still emitting wisps of cold air, and one look at the contents told her it would be very refreshing.

"Young lady, what are you selling?" the woman asked, leading her child forward.

Jiang Xiaoxiao held up the snow cake in her hand: "It's a snow cake! Cold and refreshing, it's delicious! Buy one, Auntie!"

The woman looked at the snow cake in her hand, seemingly tempted, and asked, "How much for one?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao said, "Five wen each."

This price was something she and her mother had discussed on the way there.

Although the production cost of snow cakes was much lower than ice cream and it wasn't necessary to sell them so expensively, considering the season for eating them was only a few months long and they wouldn't sell once autumn arrived and the weather cooled down, they might as well sell them for a bit more.

If they still didn't sell, they could lower the price then.

"Then give me two." The woman did not hesitate and took out ten wen directly.

Jiang Wei took the money and handed the woman two snow cakes.

Jiang Xiaoxiao sized up the woman's attire; although it couldn't be called luxurious or wealthy, the satin she wore was neither new nor old.

She knew the price of their snow cakes was on the high side, but it wasn't excessively expensive. The poor might not be able to afford them, but for families with average conditions, they were still affordable.

Jiang Xiaoxiao quickly locked onto the target audience for their snow cakes.

At this moment, the woman who had just taken a bite of the snow cake suddenly let out an "ah" sound:

"So cold!"

She opened her mouth and exhaled, looking at the snow cake in her hand with uncontrollable surprise.

The refreshing, icy taste with a hint of milkiness—this was just too delicious!

Not only was it delicious, but it also relieved the heat!

After just one bite, the heat in her body had dissipated by more than half.

"Mother, it's so good! I want more! Buy another one!" the child tugged at the woman's sleeve and cried out.

"Alright, alright, Mother will buy you one."

(End of chapter)