The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

Noticing that it was getting late, Ning Feng and Zhou Xueming didn’t want Chu Jinzhou to linger too much and instructed the carter to hurry away in the carriage.

Zhou Xueming watched the carriage recede into the distance before returning to the small courtyard to attend to the other guests.

Zhou Xueming didn’t voluntarily discuss Chu Jinzhou’s earlier presence, and no one else dared to ask either.

It was only a young man who had accompanied his master to the gathering that asked in a whisper once Zhou Xueming had entered the main hall, “Who was that imposing person just now, and what kind of an influential person would Zhou Xueming know?”

“You are young and wouldn’t know. Zhou Xueming was highly esteemed in the past, having passed the imperial examination, and even held a post in the capital city. We may not understand his exact status, but it was undoubtedly a prestigious one,” someone explained in a low voice.

Another person added, “He came back to the countryside, however, teaching, after being framed for being too virtuous and upright.”

“But Zhou Xueming is well-learned and respected by many, attracting the attention of an influential figure who invited him to tutor his young son. It’s likely the man who came just now is that student of Zhou Xueming’s.”

“I see,” the young man said with sudden enlightenment, his eyes full of admiration and envy. “Zhou Xueming is really impressive.”

“Naturally. You should spend more time with him and try to establish ties with some influential people. If you succeed, you’ll soar high in life…,” someone joked.

But no one responded to that comment.

Today, those who came to celebrate Zhou Xueming’s mother’s birthday may have partly come with such intentions, but just keeping such thoughts would be just that. This blatant expression, nevertheless, gave people an impression of low taste and unworthiness.

The gathering went cold and the person who made the comment was left looking foolish. He laughed awkwardly and sought others to talk to.

As if nothing had happened, the small courtyard once again resumed being lively.

Zhou Xueming entered his mother’s room to check on her condition. Seeing that the old lady looked quite fine, he looked at the bustling courtyard outside and thought of Chu Jinzhou’s unexpected visit.

He sighed deeply.

On the other hand, Zhuang Qingning, seeing Zhuang Qinghe running off after Zhuang Wencheng still fuming, was satisfied. Thinking that her disregard earlier must have enraged her to the core, she felt a sense of relief. She entered the tofu shop, added water to the beans, and was ready to make more tofu.

Zhuang Qingning soaked an additional eight jin of beans with the intention to grind more tofu and observe how well it would sell the next day.

Zhuang Qingning cleaned up and was about to leave after getting everything ready.

As soon as she left the tofu shop, she saw Aunt Wen already in the courtyard.

Aunt Wen’s hair was disheveled, and she had a sleepy look on her face, obviously having just woken up.

“Did I disturb your sleep, Aunt Wen? I’ll be quieter next time,” Zhuang Qingning said.

Aunt Wen didn’t answer and simply walked into the tofu shop and looked at the beans in the vat, “You have soaked more beans than usual.”

“The tofu business is going well, so I thought I’d grind more,” Zhuang Qingning replied with a smile. “But since we’re making more tofu, it’ll be more difficult carrying it all to the town. I’ve arranged for a bullock cart to come pick us up early tomorrow morning in town.”

Aunt Wen didn’t say anything, merely giving Zhuang Qingning a glance.

Used to Aunt Wen’s silence, Zhuang Qingning didn’t stay longer and went home.

At home, she didn’t have the leisure to nap, but instead rushed off to a small mound near the village entrance to collect some earth. She spread it out in her courtyard to dry in the sun.

After a refreshing nap in the afternoon, she woke up in the evening concomitantly grinded the dried earth and got rid of its clumps, sieved it out to get fine yellow earth powder.

She mixed the fine powder with salt water, then added the primary salted duck egg making secret recipe powder, finally adding the sieved yellow earth and stirring till it became a uniform thick paste. Once the paste was able to hold a duck egg, with half of it sinking into the paste and half remaining above, the consistency was just perfect.

She coated every duck egg with a thin layer of the earth paste and placed it in a large earthenware jar and closed its lid. And with that, the initial stage of the salted duck egg process was complete.

Given the current spring weather, the salted duck eggs should be ready in about thirty days…

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully salt-curing one duck egg. You just earned two portions of the primary salted duck egg making secret recipe powder, and +1 proficiency in making salted duck eggs. Once the proficiency level reaches 88, you can unlock the intermediate level secret recipe for making salted duck eggs.]

[Also, warmly reminding you that the secret recipe powder helps shorten the salt-curing period of the duck eggs. So, the salt-curing period can be halved. The higher the level of the recipe powder, the shorter the period.]

Not bad!

Zhuang Qingning’s lips curled into a smile. With this, the salted duck eggs would be ready in about half a month, saving a lot of time.

Very impressive.

[The system is a high-quality system!] (Proud face)

Used to the system’s shameless self-praise, Zhuang Qingning took it all in stride, like an old hat. She complimented Xiaowu a few times, then she led Zhuang Qingsui to their naps.

Perhaps because they had slept late in the afternoon, when the sisters woke up again, the sky had completely darkened.

Hurrying out of bed, they quickly prepared dinner and then rushed to the tofu-shop to grind the tofu.

Once the hot tofu was ready, Zhuang Qingning set aside tofu pudding and some hot tofu for Aunt Wen and started packing the rest of the tofu to wait for Bai San’s arrival.

Fearing that Bai San might be unfamiliar with the place and risk not finding Aunt Wen’s house, she waited for him outside Aunt Wen’s house early on.

Soon enough, Bai San arrived with the bullock cart. On seeing Zhuang Qingning, he gave a wide smile, “1 was worried I might be too early. Turns out, you are even earlier.”

“I was just about to wait here, lest you have trouble finding the place. As soon as I took my position, you arrived,” Zhuang Qingning retorted with a smile, leading Bai San to Aunt Wen’s house.

“This is the place?” Bai San asked in surprise after he parked the bullock cart, “Jingning, are you related to Mrs. Wen? Are you her daughter?”

“Uncle Bai, you’ve misunderstood,” Zhuang Qingning explained, “I only rented Aunt Wen’s tofu shop. We live in the same village but not that close. 1 know her, but that’s it.”

“Oh,” Bai San scratched his ear, “You must be quite capable to have rented Mrs. Wen’s tofu shop, given her temper…”

“Who said someone has a bad temper?” The voice of Aunt Wen suddenly rang out behind Zhuang Qingning.

Instantly, Aunt Wen, broom in hand, appeared at the door with an unhappy face.

Understandably, anyone being told they have a bad temper will feel uncomfortable, let alone the already notoriously irritable Aunt Wen.

Bai San quickly drew back his neck upon realizing he had spoken out of line. Seeing Aunt Wen glaring at him, he awkwardly chuckled, “Aunt Wen, long time no see.”

“You still remember this old woman?” Aunt Wen snorted.

“Of course, I remember.. How could I forget?” Bai San replied, grinning servilely, “Aunt Wen, have you been well recently?”