Chef Hua
Chapter 195 - 121 Buying Land (1) (1st Update)_2

Chapter 195: Chapter 121 Buying Land (1) (1st Update)_2

She didn’t understand her younger sister’s meaning, but Meng Yuhuai and Jing Taihe both had already guessed most of it, and without saying much, simply smiled and shook their heads in unison.

Hua Xiaomai saw that she was still confused and decided not to discuss it with her for the time being, turning her head to look at Luo Yuejiao and changing the subject with a smile, "Today my family harvested chili peppers, would you like some? If you’re planning to grow them yourself, I could share some with you. But let’s get one thing straight, since these chilies are precious, if I were to give them to you for free, I’m afraid others might come asking for some too. So you’ll have to give me two copper coins, that way, even if others find out, I can justify it."

She was merely feeling that she usually got along well with Luo Yuejiao, and this girl was particularly straightforward, wanting her to get a good deal. Unexpectedly, Luo Yuejiao shook her head.

"I’d better not..." she hesitated and glanced at Hua Xiaomai’s face, "Sister Xiaomai, I know the peppers are good, but your family only harvested so little behind the house. If everyone comes asking for some, you’ll have nothing left. How about this, when you buy land and the peppers mature next year, I’ll come and pay for them, is that okay with you?"

Her considerate attitude made Hua Xiaomai feel especially comforted. She immediately linked arms with her and said with a smile, "That’s fine. Next year when the peppers are ripe, I’ll make sure to save some seeds for you. Even if there’s none left for others, I’ll definitely not shortchange you."

"Mm!" Luo Yuejiao nodded happily, thought for a moment, and her face showed a hint of shyness, "But Sister Xiaomai, could I ask you for something? If there are any leftover beef pinch buns from today, could you give me a few? I... I want to take them home for my mother to try this delicious taste."

This girl’s temperament, compared to Guan Rong, really was like heaven and earth. Hua Xiaomai for a moment didn’t know what to say, but after a pause, she responded with a smile, "What’s the big deal about that, to use the word ’ask’? The leftovers on the table will lose their taste once they cool down, so don’t take them home. When it’s time for you to have dinner at home, I’ll make a fresh batch for you to take to your mother and Sister-in-law Chun Xi to try. If they like them, I’ll make more next time."

Luo Yuejiao was so delighted she nearly jumped for joy, she grabbed Hua Xiaomai’s arm and gave it a shake, letting out a giggle of laughter.

...

After having lunch in the Jing Family’s courtyard, Meng Yuhuai stayed for a short while, then left with Jing Taihe, heading back to the south side of the village. Jing Taihe went back to his usual business at the blacksmith shop as usual. In the afternoon, true to her word, Hua Xiaomai indeed made a fresh batch of beef pinch buns for Luo Yuejiao to take home. In the evening, she went to set up her stall by the river.

After packing up her stall after the hour of the pig, Jing Taihe and Hua Erniang were waiting for her in the main room.

As soon as Hua Xiaomai entered the door, Hua Erniang rushed up to her, pulling her into the room, first poured her a bowl of hot tea, then eagerly asked, "Little sister, what exactly did you mean today when you talked about buying land to grow chilies? I also understood later that perhaps you felt there were some things that were not appropriate to discuss in front of sister Yuejiao. Now that it’s just the three of us, you must tell me quickly!"

You’re still pondering over this?

Hua Xiaomai found the situation somewhat amusing. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then turned her gaze towards Jing Taihe, "Brother-in-law, if Second Sister doesn’t understand, you surely must have grasped my meaning by now, shouldn’t you? Why haven’t you told her?"

Jing Taihe smiled naively, "I’m not sure if my guess is correct. Even if I told her, she might not take it seriously. It might be easier to wait for you to come back and tell her yourself, saving some trouble."

"Tsk, don’t be so secretive!" Hua Ermu banged on the table, "What sort of secret signals are you two exchanging? Why don’t you just come out with it?"

Seeing her in such a rush made Hua Xiaomai struggle to contain her laughter. She put down her teacup and looked straight into her sister’s eyes, lips pursed, "I ask you, Second Sister, does anyone in Fire Knife Village besides us have chili seeds?"

"Isn’t that obvious?" Hua Ermu glanced at her and said with a shrug, "The small amount of seeds we have was obtained through Meng Family’s Big Brother from Chunfeng Restaurant, Mr. Zhao, for us. How could other families have them? Such a precious thing was unknown to be edible in the past. Who would bother planting it in their yard?"

"So, do you think chili makes the dishes taste good?"

"Do I even need to say it?" Hua Ermu nodded vigorously, "Today really opened my eyes and delighted my taste buds. That small and bright red chili looks lovely, but unexpectedly, it also tastes so flavorful when eaten. It adds a nice touch to beef and flatbread, making them deliciously spicy and satisfying!"

"Hmm," Hua Xiaomai nodded, "If chili is so delicious, and yet nobody in our village grows it, what if I let all the customers of my food stall taste this great flavor? Then I buy a piece of land and plant it full of chili. When the harvest comes next year, do you think people will come to us to buy seeds?"

"Hey! That’s it!" Hua Ermu was momentarily stunned, then she smacked her palms together strongly, "Right! I don’t know about other places, but here in Fuzhe County, people have a strong taste for spicy food. Everybody would love chili! As long as there are people who want to eat it, there will certainly be people who want to grow it. With the only seeds in the entire Fire Knife Village in our hands, won’t they have to come to us when they want to buy some? Hua Xiaosan, you’re quite clever!"

Aren’t you the one who didn’t think of it yourself?

Hua Xiaomai chuckled inwardly, but outwardly she continued earnestly, "If the chilies we grow yield a good harvest next year, we can keep some for ourselves, and the rest can be sold to our neighbors. Previously, people said chilies couldn’t be bought for any amount of money. We don’t need to sell them for too high a price, as long as it’s fair, there’ll be no shortage of buyers. By then, we will surely make money."

"Okay, okay, it’s settled then!" Impulsive as she was, Hua Ermu was ready to finalize the plan, "This matter seems profitable indeed. There’s a guy in our village, Zheng Yakuai, who always deals with buying land and houses for people. Let’s find him and have him pick out a couple of good plots of land for us, preferably close to our home. Just one or two acres will suffice. Even if your brother-in-law doesn’t have the time to help, we sisters can easily manage it. Right, I’ll go find him tomorrow!"

In the midst of her excitement, she suddenly remembered something and looked up sharply, "But little sister, didn’t Boss Song from the Provincial City ask you to be the head chef for her? What are you planning to do about that?" (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it at Qidian with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)