| TBBOTOF | 334
After Wei Zhonghong left, the oven—this was a separately built oven, specifically for baking mud—came into use.
Not just any mud was baked, but a special kind called "Tang soil," which will not break into pieces after being baked at a low temperature. It broke into pieces before, and the children didn't like it.
After lighting the fire, Tang Xu changed clothes and then went to the kitchen to prepare the meal.
Time passed quickly. By the time he had taken a bath and lay down on the heated kang at night, the moon was already high in the sky.
Looking ahead to another new year, Tang Xu suddenly felt emotional as he watched the children growing up.
"I’m getting old."
Wei Dong paused just as he was about to wrap his arm around Tang Xu’s waist, a look of confusion in his eyes. "You’re only twenty-two, how are you old?"
Tang Xu blinked, reached out to poke his husband’s firm face, and grinned. "It’s just that seeing the kids grow up makes me feel old. In a few more years, Xiao Xi will be looking for a wife."
As he spoke, he started counting on his fingers. He had been married to Wei Dong for five or six years now.
Life had been good—he didn’t need to worry about food and clothing, and they had a big house to live in. His younger siblings had grown up smoothly, and his own children were lively and adorable.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the family was full of love and harmony.
Tang Xu smiled at Wei Dong and couldn’t resist giving his husband a big kiss. "I’m so happy!"
Wei Dong narrowed his eyes, pulled Tang Xu directly into his arms, lowered his head, and took a bite—
After a long night, when Tang Xu finally woke up and climbed out of bed, the sun was already high in the sky.
Luckily, he had a habit of stocking up on food. Every five days or so, he would make a big batch of buns and dumplings to freeze. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been any breakfast for the whole family.
“The New Year is almost here. Dad and the others should be coming back soon. Tomorrow, take the cart into town and check—see if we need to bring their things back in advance.”
Although the family didn’t lack anything, thanks to the money earned from their shop, Wang Cuicui and Tang Erhu would always bring back a lot of goods whenever they returned. Just one cpw cart might not be enough to carry everything.
Tang Xu, holding half a bun, puffed out his cheeks as he chewed while speaking.
When he got up, he realized his legs were sore and weak, making it impossible to walk properly.
So, after washing up, he simply climbed back onto the heated kang, set up a small table, and ate in the warm comfort of his nest.
The little ones had been clamoring to see their dad since early morning, but after running around outside in the cold, Wei Dong stopped them at the main hall, telling them to warm up by the fire before coming over.
Swallowing the last bite of his bun and taking a sip of porridge, Tang Xu noticed that Wei Dong hadn’t said a word. He raised his head and looked at him. “Why aren’t you talking?”
"The caravan will leave after the New Year," Wei Dong said, lifting his hand to wipe away a grain of rice stuck to Tang Xu’s lips.
His voice carried a hint of reluctance. "After dropping them off, I also need to help settle things at the shop. This time, I’ll probably be back later than usual."
"After the New Year? When exactly?" Tang Xu put down his bowl and pressed for details. "After February 2nd?"
Wei Dong sighed helplessly. His fingers playfully pinched the soft flesh of Tang Xu’s cheek. "I’ll leave on the 16th."
They would still spend the Lantern Festival together as a family. Only after that would he set off.
Tang Xu pursed his lips, took another bite of his bun, and after a long moment, he gave a small nod. "Alright, I understand."
"Bring all the goods from home. We’ll need more in the future. If we’re transporting from Yongcheng, what we have won’t be enough to sell."
As Wei Dong finished speaking, Tang Xu had just swallowed his bite of bun and responded, "We only have so many. Even if my aunt and your aunt add another hundred or so, too many would be hard to dry properly."
Wei Dong raised an eyebrow, watching him, waiting for what he was going to say next.
Tang Xu finished the last sip of porridge in his bowl, wiped his hands and mouth, then said, "Our family has been attracting a bit too much attention these past two years. You realize that, right?"
From selling skewers and liangpi at the beginning to Wei Dong now running trade caravans, even people in the village—whether they knew them well or not—had started talking.
Not all of it was jealousy, but there was no doubt that many had been murmuring about how much silver they must be making.
Ever since they bought land and built a courtyard, more and more people had been coming around to take a look.
Tang Xu had originally considered raising a few big dogs to guard the house, but with so many children running around, he worried the barking would be constant. So, he dropped the idea.
Now, thinking back on it, he brought it up with Wei Dong. “I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it’ll work.”
Wei Dong stacked the bowls and dishes together, signaling for him to continue.
“You’ve been traveling for trade these past two years and haven’t been around the village much, so you might not be fully aware of the situation here.”
Wei Dong raised an eyebrow. “What situation?”
“Jealousy.” Tang Xu smacked his lips and let out a small snort. “Last time my Auntie came over, she mentioned how a lot of people have been making snide comments about her, saying she must’ve made quite a bit of silver these past two years. They even said that she looks wealthier now.”
Wei Dong chuckled. “And she didn’t snap back at them?”
“She said there wasn’t much to say—her waistline has grown half an inch, and my eldest uncle’s back is even broader now.” Tang Xu shrugged, spreading his hands.
“But that’s not the point. What I mean is, if only our family keeps making money, at first, people might just be envious, but over time, it’ll start to rub them the wrong way.”
Wei Dong nodded slightly, acknowledging the truth in his words.
"Our family is in the food business, and anything that goes into people’s mouths absolutely can’t have issues. So I was thinking, why not share a bit of the profit and bring the village into it? If they make money too, they’ll naturally feel grateful. When the time comes, they’ll help maintain our business rather than resent it." Tang Xu slowly laid out his thoughts, sneaking a glance at his husband’s expression.
Wei Dong nodded again but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
Tang Xu rubbed his nose with a bent finger. "What do you think?"
Wei Dong made a sound of acknowledgment and asked in return, "You want them to make things at home, and we just collect the goods?"
Tang Xu shook his head. "That wouldn’t work. My idea is that once our new courtyard is built next year and we move into the new house, this place will be left empty. We can convert the backyard into a small production line. People can come in the morning, go home at noon to rest for two hours, then come back in the afternoon. We’ll pay them a daily wage."
A single wen might not seem like much, but for farmers who relied on their crops, earning around a hundred wen a month was quite a sum.
"It’s best to hire the village women who cook at home. Besides tending to their front yards and backyards, they don’t have much else to do. If they work for us, they’ll earn money without interfering with their household duties. They’d definitely be willing."
Wei Dong raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you worried they’ll steal our recipes?"
Tang Xu waved his hand dismissively. "We've been supplying seasoning packets to Fuyun Restaurant for so long without any problems—what does that tell you? It means not just anyone can figure out our formula. And even if they did somehow learn it, do they have the means to sell it? Our village isn’t that big. If someone really tried to pull something shady, wouldn’t they be afraid of us showing up at their door?"
Tang Xu prided himself on having some foresight. His kids were growing up, and a lot of his energy had to go into raising them.
The elderly and younger ones at home also needed care. Making cured and braised duck was time-consuming, so it made sense to hire people to help.
And this wasn’t just about saving himself effort. This move would also silence some of the jealous gossipers. If things expanded even more, he could hire more workers, gradually turning their small workshop into a proper factory—then open chain stores!
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, his eyes practically glowing.
"What do you think? Will this work?"
Wei Dong nodded. "It’ll work. You can start by hiring a few and testing it out."
Tang Xu responded with a couple of enthusiastic nods, grinning from ear to ear.
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