Chapter 50: Arrangements

“Grandpa Li, there’s really no need to praise me. My abilities are limited, and this is all I can manage. It doesn’t take much effort,” Gou Ye replied with a silly grin.

“So you’ve come to see me today—not just to tell me about your plans, I suppose. Is there anything you need my help with?” Seeing Gou Ye’s earnest expression, the village chief, Old Li, couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

“All I ask, Grandpa Li, is that you gather everyone here again tomorrow morning. I’ll take note of who wishes to participate, and in a few days I can let the blacksmith know how many tools we’ll need. There are many different snacks this time, so after I explain everything, it will be up to everyone to decide what they’d like to do.”

“Alright then. Tomorrow morning, at the hour of Si, I’ll assemble everyone in front of your house.”

Gou Ye thanked the village chief for his support, then hurried home. As soon as he stepped inside, he called out, “Yun Niang, Yun Niang, I’m back!”

Yun Niang quickly came downstairs and made a “shh” gesture, signaling Gou Ye to keep his voice down. “Brother Gou Ye, Mother was coughing badly just now. After giving her her medicine, I let her rest.” She sighed softly as she finished.

Now that they were alone, she threw caution aside and embraced Gou Ye, burying herself in his arms, her expression dark with sorrow. “Brother Gou Ye, could you invite Doctor Hua again? Mother’s illness comes and goes—on good days she moves about freely, but on bad days even speaking is difficult. Watching her cough breaks my heart and fills me with dread.”

Gou Ye patted her back gently, comforting her. “Don’t worry, Yun Niang. Auntie will be fine. In a few days, I’ll go to town and bring Doctor Hua here myself.” Yet inwardly he sighed. Even if Doctor Hua came, there might be nothing to be done. Judging by her symptoms, Yun Niang’s mother was likely suffering from a lung disease, and in these ancient times with such primitive medicine, it was as good as incurable. To think he’d traveled here from the modern world and still found himself helpless.

Although he was a bit hungry, under the circumstances he couldn’t bring himself to ask Yun Niang to cook. He simply made his way to the dining room and prepared a simple bowl of dumpling soup. The fragrant steam rising from the bowl finally brought a hint of a smile to Yun Niang’s face.

She leaned in, sniffing deeply. “It smells wonderful, Brother Gou Ye. This is the first time I’ve seen you cook.”

Gou Ye scratched his head, embarrassed, then set the bowls and chopsticks on the table. “I can’t really cook. I learned this dumpling soup long ago because it’s easy and fills you up. Whether it tastes good or not, I have no idea.”

Yun Niang ladled a spoonful into her mouth, her eyes widening in delight. “Mmm, Brother Gou Ye, it’s delicious! Will you make it for me often from now on?”

“Of course. As long as you like it, I’ll make it for you whenever you want,” Gou Ye replied fondly, ruffling her hair.

After several days of delay, Gou Ye had fallen behind on his manuscripts. He had no time to join Yun Niang on the rooftop to admire the moon. After eating, he rushed to his study to catch up, and while there, drafted a complete list of possible snacks.

The next morning, before the hour of Si, the village chief had already gathered the villagers in front of Gou Ye’s house. Many looked ashamed, standing purposefully at the back of the crowd.

To ensure everyone could see, Gou Ye had Dali set a table at the door, and he stood atop it. Looking out over the villagers, he cleared his throat and called out loudly, “Dear neighbors, thank you for gathering here again. I believe the chief has already informed you all. On my recent trip to town, I discovered some business opportunities suitable for us. Today, I want to hear your opinions. As for what happened a few days ago, there’s no need for anyone to dwell on it. I, Gou Ye, have put it behind me and hope you will too. We are one village, one family, and should help each other. Besides, I will be participating in this venture myself, so there’s no need to feel indebted to me.”

At that, a young man in the crowd, unable to contain himself, shouted, “Just tell us what the business is! There’s nothing to do right now, and I’m going mad with worry!” The villagers burst into laughter.

Gou Ye chuckled as well, took the list Dali handed him, and spoke loudly, “Don’t be impatient, everyone. I’ll tell you now. On this sheet of rice paper, I’ve listed all the businesses I think we can manage. What kind of business is it? When I went to town, I noticed that there were very few varieties of food available, only a handful of choices for people to eat. But here, I have a list of nearly twenty different snacks—enough to satisfy all kinds of appetites. Our job is to make these twenty-some snacks.”

Just then, a man called out, “Young Master Gou, I can’t even cook—how am I supposed to make snacks?”

Gou Ye motioned for him to be patient and continued, “Listen, everyone. Not only will I teach you how to make all these snacks for free, but I guarantee you’ll learn quickly. This business requires little investment and yields high returns. However, I must be honest: even if the business is simple, I can’t guarantee everyone will make money. Success depends on skill and personality. If you scowl all day, no matter how good your snacks are, no one will buy them. If you’re too shy to talk, even if you’re selling gold, no one will know.”

“So, I want to make this clear from the start: the business is simple, but not everyone will succeed. If you want to try, sign up today. In a moment, I’ll post the list on the railing. You can pick what you like and let me know. If it turns out not to work, or if you want to quit before a month is up, just return the tools I provide you at no cost. If you decide to continue long-term, then each month I’ll collect twenty percent of your earnings. This covers the cost of hiring a cart to take your goods to and from town, as well as the tools. Once the tools are paid off, they’re yours to keep.”

At that, Aunt Wang stepped forward bashfully, head lowered, and asked in a small voice, “Gou Ye, can I do this business?”

Gou Ye laughed and addressed the villagers, “Anyone with nimble legs and the courage to talk to strangers can do this, regardless of gender—excluding the very old and the very young.” With that, he had Dali paste the rice paper list on the railing.

“Alright, I’ve posted the list of snacks we can make. Anyone interested can sign up with Yun Niang—just give your name and the business you want to try. In a few days, I’ll arrange for the tools to be ordered.”