Chapter 24: Discussion on the Eve of Business Commencement

Li Su deliberately slowed down his movements, explaining each step and the points to watch out for as he went along.

Gradually, the members of the Li family realized that the fourth child really did know how to cook! What’s more, his gestures in the kitchen were different from theirs—there was an elegance to every movement. It seemed that being a scholar truly set one apart, even in mundane tasks like cooking, which, under his hands, acquired a certain grace and charm.

How wonderful it was to be educated—one could do anything with ease. The Li family, lacking the words to express this feeling, simply knew that it was worlds apart from their own way of cooking. It was as if, instead of preparing a simple meal, he was crafting a work of art.

Once Li Su finished, he stepped aside. “Who wants to give it a try?”

The Li family exchanged glances and all took a step back. They’d been too absorbed in watching his every move to pay attention to the actual process—and the aroma had left them somewhat dazed and unable to concentrate. If an outsider had been teaching, they would have made a serious effort to learn, but this was their own fourth child. Their hearts wandered, thinking it didn’t matter who learned as long as someone in the family did. They just didn’t want Li Su to notice how inattentive they’d been, so they all stepped back, surprised to realize that none of them had really learned anything.

Standing right at the front was Li Zhengping, who hadn’t moved.

Li Zhengping: “???”

No one dared meet her gaze; they all looked away, guiltily.

Gritting her teeth, Li Zhengping said, “I’ll give it a try.” Though she had been watching attentively, she was still worried she might not do it well.

She stepped forward and began, following her memory of the movements. Li Su offered guidance from the side.

When she finished, Li Zhengping stood to the side, feeling like a criminal awaiting sentence—at once anxious and hopeful.

Li Su praised her, “Third Sister, you did very well. Excellent. Who wants to try next?”

Receiving his praise, Li Zhengping brightened instantly—she’d been complimented by the fourth child!

“Sister Ping really is the best cook in the family. Maybe she should be the one to handle this? The steps are too complicated for me; I can’t even remember them,” Feng Cuicui suggested, seeing that no one else was willing to step forward.

“So it’s settled, then?” Li Su didn’t press them, seeing they truly found the process too complex to remember.

They all nodded in unison.

Now that the tension had faded, the Li family realized the aroma in the air was even richer than before—it was so appetizing that even if someone were boiling shoes, it might smell delicious.

“For dinner, we can put the vegetables in and cook them. Everyone can have a taste,” Li Su said, noticing their hungry gazes fixed on the pot.

A few of the younger children, returning from play, sniffed the fragrant air. “Is Uncle making something delicious again?”

Exchanging glances, they dashed into the kitchen. Li Ziru, the youngest, couldn’t keep up with her siblings. “Wait for me!”

Li Zixi stopped, turned back, and scooped up Li Ziru in her arms, running together.

“Thank you, Sister,” Li Ziru said, wrapping her arms around her neck.

Li Zixi loved the atmosphere in the Li household—no one bullied her or her mother here, her siblings included her in their games, and if anyone outside insulted her, her brothers and sisters would always defend her. Particularly little Ziru, who, despite her size, seemed to have sway over many of the children.

“You’re back? Wash your hands and get ready to eat,” Li Su called out as he saw the children.

“Uncle, what delicious thing did you make today?” Li Ziru asked in her soft, childish voice.

“You’ll see soon. Go wash your hands first.” The children were filthy from play, covered in dirt.

Li Su fetched water and supervised them, making sure they washed thoroughly.

The four children obediently scrubbed their hands clean, knowing their uncle liked tidy children.

Once they were done, Li Su led them to the table.

The Li family gathered around for dinner. It was just a pot of ordinary vegetables, but somehow it was so delicious!

For the first time, the Li family realized that cabbage, wild greens, and radishes—things they ate all the time—could taste this good. Another bite of rice, and it was heavenly.

In the end, not even a drop of soup was left—it was all mixed into the rice and eaten.

The children ate with gusto, their mouths burning from the spice, but unwilling to stop.

Li Su had intended to rinse the vegetables for the children to make them less spicy, but they would rather endure the heat than miss out on the flavor.

“Do you think people would buy this if we sold it?” Li Su asked.

The Li family nodded vigorously. The aroma alone would attract buyers, not to mention the taste.

Li Su felt reassured. “Good. Once the busy farming season is over, we can start selling.”

“I don’t think we need to wait that long. With so many people at home and the curved plow, the work goes quickly,” Feng Cuicui said, eager to start earning money, since there were many mouths to feed.

Now that they finally had a way to make money, there was no reason to delay.

The rest of the family agreed—no one would pass up an opportunity to make money.

“It would be best if we could start tomorrow!” Li Zhengqiang exclaimed.

“Even if we wanted to, it’s not possible by tomorrow. The pushcart I ordered isn’t ready, and we still need a stove, which hasn’t been made yet. There are many things to prepare—how to divide the work, for example. None of it has been planned out,” Li Su replied, surprised by their eagerness. He’d thought there was still time before the end of the farming season and hadn’t felt pressed.

The Li family scratched their heads—was it really that complicated? Perhaps they’d underestimated the task.

“Fourth, tell us what we need to get ready,” Li Daping asked.

Li Su explained everything, and their impatience subsided. It really couldn’t be rushed.

“The main thing is how to divide the work. For now, the only certainty is that Third Sister can handle the base ingredients and buying groceries, but who will sell in the street? That person needs to know at least basic arithmetic, or they won’t be able to keep track of the money. We’ll need lots of bamboo skewers—who will make them? Who will wash and prepare the vegetables?” If these roles weren’t sorted out in advance, it would cause trouble later, even among family.

The Li family looked at each other. All these tasks really did need to be divided ahead of time, or things would descend into chaos.

And knowing arithmetic? That was tough.

They fell silent.

Li Su asked, “Do you still think you can open a stall tomorrow?”

“The most important thing is how to split the earnings.” He wanted to help the family prosper, not create discord over money.

Though his brothers and sisters were all good people, money matters required careful handling.

Feng Cuicui didn’t see it as an issue. “Just give all the money to me. I’ll keep it safe, and anyone who needs it can come to me.”

“Mother, my brothers are married now—their own families need some money as well.”

His siblings looked at him in surprise. Share the money with them? This…

Immediately, they shook their heads, thinking it best to do as Mother said—let her handle the finances.

Li Su pondered for a moment. Having Mother manage the money was important, since the whole family lived together, but the smaller households would need their own funds as well.