1980: I have a spiritual spring

Chapter 38 The Hope of the Whole Village
Shashi.

A small snack shop.

The Qiao brothers occupied one of the tables, on which were placed three bowls of delicious food, a traditional breakfast dish from Shashi, Jingzhou, Hubei Province – Yuan Dou Pao Nuomi (glutinous rice soaked in soybean paste).

(Soybean curd soaked in glutinous rice tastes really good, recommended)
This Yuan Dou Pao Nuomi (glutinous rice soaked in pea soup) is made by soaking steamed glutinous rice in a rich bone broth and pairing it with soft, simmered peas (locally called "Yuan Dou" or "Xu Wan Zi"), creating a unique savory and delicious flavor that is the soul of Shashi's breakfast.

According to local legend, its history can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period. In later generations, it was selected as one of the seven must-eat delicacies in JZ City. Local people regard it as a carrier of nostalgia, and migrant workers often make a special trip to visit it after returning home.

Qiao Erhe, in later generations, naturally ate many of these local delicacies.

However, this was the first time that Qiao Dajiang and Qiao Sihai had tried this traditional snack. It wasn't that Cenhe Commune didn't sell it, but rather that the two brothers had never had the opportunity to go to the commune for breakfast before. They always ate breakfast at home, so they never had the chance to taste such a delicacy!

The taste of that one bite was absolutely amazing.

As Qiao Sihai ate, he exclaimed in amazement, "Second Brother, you're amazing! I remember this is your first time in Shashi too, right? How did you find such delicious and cheap food?"

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Didn't I just ask around?"

Qiao Sihai said admiringly, "After I came to the city, I felt that everything was unfamiliar. You are amazing, Second Brother. It's as if you are very familiar with the city."

Qiao Erhe said, "When you're out in the world, the most important thing is to be bold and careful. If you don't understand something, ask someone. Don't be like a mute, or you'll suffer."

Qiao Sihai nodded, then stuffed another mouthful of glutinous rice soaked in soybean paste into his mouth, eating it with great relish.

Qiao Dajiang wasn't idle either, stuffing mouthful after mouthful. The triple texture of "chewy rice, fragrant beans, and rich broth" was truly irresistible.

Soon, a large bowl of glutinous rice soaked in soybean paste was gone. This dish originated from the food culture of dockworkers after the opening of Shashi Port. It was a high-calorie, portable food created to meet the needs of high-intensity labor. It was very filling.

Qiao Sihai let out a satisfied burp and asked, "Second Brother, are we coming here to sell eggs again tomorrow?"

Qiao Erhe shook his head and said, "It's a bit troublesome to travel back and forth to sell eggs here. We won't come tomorrow. Anyway, they are just ordinary eggs. We'll pick some to sell at the commune tomorrow and see if the market there can handle them."

As for this place, we can come here every few days to sell the eggs that we can't sell at the commune.

Qiao Sihai nodded and said, "Alright, then we'll go to the commune to sell eggs tomorrow. It's getting late, so let's hurry up and catch the bus, lest we miss the bus back to the commune. Walking back would be a nightmare."

Qiao Erhe hummed in agreement and looked at his elder brother, asking, "Brother, are you full?"

"I am full."

"Let's go now that you've eaten!"

"Ok!"

……

in the afternoon.

At the Bagua Center at the entrance of Qiaojiawan Village, most villagers, apart from the elderly and children, gathered.

In the morning, the Qiao brothers left Qiaojiawan carrying eggs, which made the villagers who saw it extremely envious. They wished they could raise egg-laying chickens immediately and sell eggs like the Qiao brothers.

The large crowd gathered here isn't just there for gossip; they're there to see if the Qiao brothers can actually sell all those eggs, which is crucial for them. After all, they plan to raise laying hens next year, and selling eggs is their biggest source of income. If the Qiao brothers can't sell their eggs, they'll have to reconsider their large-scale egg-laying hen project.

Although the supply and marketing cooperative will buy any number of eggs as long as the seller is willing to sell, the purchase price offered by the cooperative is naturally lower than the market retail price. With a large quantity of eggs, the price difference can be substantial.

While waiting here, everyone chatted absentmindedly about other things, occasionally craning their necks to look outside.

Among the crowd was Qiao Tiejun, the production team leader, who was smoking a pipe. He said to Huang Hongmei, "Hongmei, your chickens started laying eggs today. You can make money every day from now on. Can you start making preparations for your eldest son's wedding?"

Huang Hongmei said with a smile, "It's time to start preparing for my eldest son's wedding. I'll go find a master to choose an auspicious day another day."

Qiao Tiejun took a puff of his pipe and exclaimed, "Hongmei, you're really lucky. All your children are hardworking, especially your second son. He's not only capable but also bold and smart. In less than three months since the land was distributed to individual households, he's already built such a large side business. You're really amazing!"

A woman of similar age spoke up: "Hongmei, your second son is not young anymore. Would you like me to help introduce him to a potential partner? It would be wonderful if both your eldest and second sons could get married at the same time!"

Women in my country are born with a knack for matchmaking, especially after the age of thirty, when they enjoy introducing potential partners to their relatives and friends.

Now that someone had spoken up, the other women's matchmaking desires also erupted, and they all offered to help introduce potential partners, even setting their sights on Qiao Sanduo. Their enthusiastic attitude was almost overwhelming for Huang Hongmei.

Huang Hongmei repeatedly declined, saying, "Well, my second and third sons' marriages aren't in a rush. Let's settle my eldest son's marriage first."

"Alright, after we settle your eldest son's marriage, I'll introduce a potential partner to your second son. Let me tell you, my niece is really quite good."

“Hongmei, my niece is truly outstanding. If your second son finds a partner, you must consider my niece.”

"Don't argue with me, my cousin is the real virtuous wife and loving mother..."

"..."

Just as the women were arguing about finding a partner, someone with sharp eyes shouted, "They're back! Erhe and the others are back!"

Upon hearing this, everyone else immediately fell silent and turned to look towards the village entrance.

"It really is Erhe and his two brothers."

"I wonder if they've sold all the eggs they picked out this morning?"

"They must have sold out. Otherwise, why would the three brothers have come back so early?"

"That's true, these eggs must be sold out."

"My God, almost 1000 eggs, and they sold out so quickly?"

"Are all the people in this city so short of eggs?"

"Look at what you're saying. These days, who doesn't need eggs? City people don't raise chickens, so it's normal for them to be short of eggs."

"It seems that large-scale egg-laying hen farming is indeed a good way to make money!"

"..."

(End of this chapter)