Chapter 363

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

By the third day, the weather had cleared up.

The family's corn was pretty much all cut down; all that was left was husking the corn.

Husking corn is a particularly slow, tedious job.

Originally, Chai Mi had planned to keep using Sun Baihe after the corn cutting, but seeing her work speed, it wasn't very ideal.

Besides, she was Chai family clan kin; it was really hard to say too much. So Chai Mi decided not to use Sun Baihe for husking corn.

A few days later, the sky finally cleared. Chai Mi's corn field was finally finished being cut. In the afternoon, Chai Mi returned from the county early and went straight to the field.

The work was basically about done.

Chai Mi walked over and helped for a while, then said: "Second Uncle, Dongzi, you've worked hard. The field work counts as finished today. I'll settle the wages with you tonight."

Chai Youlu straightened his back, pounded his sore lower back, and revealed an honest smile: "Finally done cutting! This blazing sun is better than rainy days!"

Sun Baihe didn't go to the field today; she was at home preparing the "farewell meal." When Chai Mi returned home, the dishes were already on the table, more abundant than usual, with meat and eggs. Sun Baihe wore a relaxed smile, seemingly full of anticipation for the upcoming corn husking work.

After eating, Chai Mi didn't delay, taking out the money she had prepared long ago. She first counted out several bills and handed them to Chai Youlu: "Second Uncle, you and Dongzi worked nine full days total. You count as a strong laborer, twenty-one a day, nine days one hundred eighty. Dongzi is half laborer, fifteen a day, nine days one hundred thirty-five. Total three hundred fifteen yuan." The money was counted clearly.

Chai Youlu took the thick stack of money, rubbed his fingers on his trouser legs before taking it, his face beaming: "Ai, good! Good! Chai Mi handles things clearly!"

Sun Baihe watched with a beaming smile, thinking the later corn husking wages wouldn't be small either.

Chai Mi turned to her and also counted out money: "Second Aunt, you worked the field for two and a half days at the start, counting as two and a half full days, fifty yuan. Later five days cooking and picking up Xiu'er, this work is lighter, but still counting you twenty a day, five days one hundred. In the middle one and a half days you had something and didn't come, adding up to one hundred fifty yuan. You count it." She handed the money over.

Sun Baihe happily took the money, pinched the thickness with her fingers, politely saying: "Aiya, family, why count." But she still quickly flipped through it, confirmed it was correct, and tucked it into her pocket. She rubbed her hands, asking with a bit of anticipation: "Mi ah, then... when do you think the corn husking work will start? Husking corn is a slow, grinding job, Second Aunt I'm fast, definitely won't delay your business."

Chai Mi wore a gentle but slightly apologetic smile, tone calm: "Second Aunt, the corn husking work... it's like this, these two days in the county I happened to run into a group organizing to husk corn, seven or eight people, no need to provide meals or anything, many people work fast, I figured the wages were suitable too, so I agreed to them first. Look, the earlier corn cutting and cooking also troubled you, just take this chance to rest at home for a bit."

The smile on Sun Baihe's face froze instantly, like a basin of cold water had been poured on her. She stared blankly for a few seconds, voice rising, with obvious unwillingness: "What? Not using me anymore? Chai Mi ah, this... wasn't it agreed long ago to use me for husking corn? County people? Can their hands and feet be as nimble as mine? Besides, isn't family working more reassuring?" In her heart she rapidly calculated; husking corn was slow but wages were calculated at strong laborer daily rate, she could earn at least a little over two hundred! Now it was all bubbles!

Chai Mi wasn't rushed or flustered either: "Second Aunt, I'm at ease with your work, you're an old hand too. Before it was said after cutting corn we'd see the situation. Now it just so happens there are many people on that side, you know our family situation too, one lying in bed, another needing to go to school, it really worries me sick, I thought finding a few more people to finish early would be clean and done. And the wages there are settled too. You've been tired earlier too, resting a few days is good. If there's other odd jobs later, I'll call you again."

Sun Baihe felt so stifled inside, feeling the cooked duck had flown away. She opened her mouth, still wanting to argue a few more sentences: "But Chai Mi ah, this..."

Chai Youlu at the side, having pocketed his share of wages, seeing his wife still wanting to entangle, hurriedly smoothed things over: "Alright alright, Baihe! Chai Mi has arranged it, outside people working isn't bad either. We've settled the earlier wages cleanly, Chai Mi didn't shortchange us. You just quiet down a bit, go home and rest." He just wanted to leave quickly, didn't want to make things unpleasant over this.

On the kang, the silent Chai Youqing also slowly spoke, voice calm: "She Second Aunt, Chai Mi has arranged it all... just... let it be..."

Sun Baihe looked at her own man, then at the silent Big Brother on the kang, then at Chai Mi's calm but brook-no-argument face, understanding in her heart this matter wasn't negotiable.

A lump of loss and dissatisfaction blocked her chest, making her complexion not too good. She heavily "Ai!"'d once, pouted her mouth, muttering in a low voice: "Fine fine, you Old Chai Family have the final say. Got outsiders and forgot family... saves me the trouble!" Though full of unwillingness, she ultimately didn't make a fuss anymore, just angrily turned her head to the side.

Chai Youlu seeing her like this, hurriedly pulled Dongzi to stand: "Then... then Chai Mi, we'll head back first ah. If anything, you speak."

"Ai, Second Uncle walk slowly, Dongzi walk slowly." Chai Mi smiled and saw them to the door.

Before going out the door, Chai Youlu turned back and said in a low voice to Sun Baihe: "Go on! What are you still standing there for?" Sun Baihe only then unwillingly followed out the door, muttering complaints quietly all the way, but ultimately didn't turn back to argue.

The room quieted down. Chai Mi walked to the kang side, looking at Chai Youqing. Chai Youqing also looked at her, his eyes seemingly also holding a trace of relief? He said in a low voice: "... Good... quiet..."

Chai Mi smiled, turned to tidy the bowls and chopsticks. Chai Xiu leaned over, asking in a low voice: "Sister, really not using Second Aunt for husking corn?"

"Not using for now, wait two days I'll find people again. I feel Dad's waist should be fine too, it's been seven or eight days, though it hurts, walking and such is okay. In another two days, when he's better, he can just take you to school." Chai Mi had her own plan: "Otherwise, really can't handle it all."

And the cut corn needs a few days of sun anyway.

The most key thing is the family still doesn't have a vehicle, it's especially awkward.

The ox definitely still won't do, although the calf is almost a month old, going down to the field to work definitely won't work.

Might have to buy a donkey or something.

Otherwise, this crop can't be hauled back.

But this has to wait until some free day to go to the market fair or entrust someone to buy a donkey.

Can't buy a tricycle, right.

After all, just this bit of corn, four or five years of harvest, is scorching enough to buy a tricycle.

Right now, the County No. 1 Middle School snack stall business can't stop. That's the family's most important cash source besides the field food.

Chai Xiu is studying, needs pick-up and drop-off daily; Dad Chai Youqing strained his back rushing the harvest a few days ago, though he can barely move, heavy work absolutely cannot let him touch it, needs recuperation; Mom Su Wan has to take care of Chai Xin who's not yet one year old... a thousand threads, like a tangled mess wrapped around Chai Mi's heart.

She cut through the mess with a sharp knife, sending Sun Baihe away, just for a peace and quiet, to be able to focus on proper business.

"Sister, I'm off to school!" A crisp voice broke the morning quiet, Chai Xiu ran out carrying her schoolbag.

Chai Mi acknowledged, gaze following her younger sister's light steps. At the courtyard gate, Chai Youqing was already pushing that bicycle waiting. His movements clearly still carried stiffness, hand on the handlebars not daring to use too much force, waist slightly bowed, every step careful, but fortunately he could move on his own. Father and daughter had no extra pleasantries, Chai Youqing slowly pedaled on, Chai Xiu nimbly jumped on the back seat, then went to school.

Chai Mi withdrew her gaze, turned back into the room.

In the main hall, Su Wan was using a small spoon to feed Chai Xin sitting on a high stool rice paste, the little guy babbling and waving little hands, paste smeared all over his little chin.

Chai Mi just wanted to lend a hand, the door curtain "shua" was lifted, Song Qiushui burst in like a gust of wind.

She sported a pair of heavy dark circles, obviously hadn't slept well, tone urgent and fast: "Chai Mi! Hurry up! Today no matter what we have to go early! Yesterday I heard someone say, that side seems to have propped up a new stall again!"

"More is just more, the County No. 1 Middle School gate is such a big area, can it be just our family doing business?" Chai Mi said with her mouth, but her hands obviously sped up.

These years, doing a little business to support the family isn't easy, many are red-eyed with envy, those following the trend to copy are even more numerous.

But competition, never was something she feared.

"This time it's not the same!" Song Qiushui leaned in closer, lowered her voice, with worry: "Doesn't look like a student parent doing a bit of food on the side, the scale is quite full! Yesterday Zhao Xiaojuan told me, that one is also pushing a modified iron-sheet snack cart, covered with white cloth... looks like... also selling fried stuff?"

Chai Mi's heart "geleng" dropped, hand movements paused.

The dumpling business is the foundation their stall stands on.

This ordinary people learning is also useless.

But fried chicken, fried skewers and such, this technical content is actually pitifully low.

Basically just look a few times and you'll know it.

In later summers, the streets were full of vendors selling fried skewers, so the barrier to entry for this category wasn't high; if someone really figured out the trick and copied it, then used a low-price dumping tactic, the trouble would be truly big.

She didn't say more, speaking briskly: "Let's go! Leave earlier today!"

On the road, more and more people starting the autumn harvest appeared.

As for the area around Ke County, there's a big river near the county seat, so the crops there are relatively better.

Around Chai Mi's home, total crop failure and poor harvests are more common.

Chai Mi was silent all the way, her mind rapidly calculating various possibilities and countermeasures.

The appearance of competitors — this kind of thing is actually relatively too common.

What this world lacks least is competitors.

You do something to earn a bit of money, and immediately people nearby will all follow along and do the same thing.

The annoying part of the problem is, whatever you do, she does too.

Then vicious competition starts, all kinds of price cuts.

It's just fucking dog.

But this is unavoidable.

Arriving at the County No. 1 Middle School gate, their usual stall spot — a relatively spacious corner diagonally across from the school gate that doesn't block the way.

Sure enough, right opposite them, separated by only a dozen or so meters, a new stall had already been set up. That stall was more "professional" than their Inverted Donkey — it was an obviously newly welded iron snack cart, painted blue, with a rain canopy on top.

A thin, tall man in his forties was busy working; he wore an apron stained with dark brown oil, his movements carrying a deliberately showy briskness. With a clatter he lifted the white cloth covering it, revealing fried chicken legs and wings, arranged neatly and tidily; beside them were also placed a few common fried dough twists, fried dough sticks, and other flour foods.

A strong fried fragrance mixed with an indescribable, seemingly over-oxidized greasy staleness drifted over on the morning wind. Already several early-arriving stall owners were curiously crowding around, craning their necks.

"See? I told you!" Song Qiushui steadily parked the Inverted Donkey at the old spot, unloading things while pursing her lips, pointing with her chin at the opposite side, "Look at his oil wok! That oil looks wrong at a glance — black and murky; compared to our clear bright oil, the difference is obvious!"

Chai Mi's gaze sharply swept over the other's oil wok. The oil in that wok showed a deep turbid brown; the rolling bubbles were large and viscous, hanging a thick layer of dark oil grime at the wok's edge. This oil was clearly old oil used for a long time, repeatedly deep-fried who knows how many times, and might even be mixed with inferior oil.

A faint "hala taste" seemed even stronger.

She had a clear idea in her heart: the opponent wants to seize the market with low prices, so cost control must be ruthless; this oil quality is the breakthrough point.

Generally when Chai Mi and Song Qiushui fry chicken, the oil is new each day, and afterwards they pour out all the used oil.

As for whether the poured-out oil might be taken by others to make gutter oil, that's not something Chai Mi can care about.

At this moment, that thin tall man also noticed them, especially when he saw Chai Mi examining his oil wok, his eyes flickered, then he opened his throat and shouted loudly, with a deliberately manufactured enthusiasm: "Come come come! Everyone come look! New stall opening, great luck! Try it fresh! Secret-recipe big chicken leg, only two fifty! Fragrant big chicken wing, one piece is enough! Compared to other places —" he deliberately dragged out the tone, his gaze provocatively sweeping across Chai Mi's stall, "cheap...... value you can see!"

"Pah! Cheap goods are no good! That oil smell has a stench of hala taste! Would be weird if you didn't get the runs after eating it!" Song Qiushui cursed in a low voice, her hands not stopping, nimbly lighting her own stall's stove fire, heating the oil wok.

Their oil is fresh rapeseed oil bought daily from the proper oil mill in town, clear and transparent; the cost is quite a bit higher, but it buys peace of mind: "Students' mouths are picky, their stomachs tender too; eat once and feel something's off, or get an upset stomach, and they won't come back next time; reputation collapses, stall is finished."

"Most crucial is, if something really happens from eating it, that's not just a matter of the stall closing."

Relatively speaking, on the fried chicken side, Chai Mi has already reached a point of almost no profit; this is different from selling dumplings, where the profit is very high.

For instance this chicken leg, three yuan each, Chai Mi doesn't even make money.

The other side sells at two fifty each......

Chai Mi: Hehe.