CHAPTER 107: CHAPTER 107: KELP

"But I won’t nickel and dime you for this small amount. Just bring me a bowl of noodles when you’re packing up in the afternoon."

Lin Xiang retorted, "Auntie, let’s be honest here. Your pancake business is doing better now thanks to my advice. Not only did you not thank me, but you also don’t want to give me this small benefit? That’s not quite fair, is it?"

Lin Xiang originally meant it as a joke, but Aunt Ge actually started to seriously think about it.

After a while, she asked Lin Xiang, "I really can’t offer you a gratitude fee, so tell me how I should repay your kindness."

Lin Xiang waved his hand repeatedly, "No need, no need, I was just joking. Please, don’t take it to heart."

"Each matter is separate. Besides, you’re not wrong; ever since you gave me that advice, my pancake business has improved a lot. I can sell at least thirty pancakes a day now."

Lin Xiang stared at Aunt Ge for a while before suddenly asking, "Auntie, have you been facing any difficulties?"

Last time when he gave Aunt Ge a suggestion, she mentioned the market happened only once every half month, wondering why put in the effort.

It’s only been a few days, and Aunt Ge’s tone has changed. From what she just said, it seems she’s been attending the market almost daily recently.

Although the pancake cart isn’t as big and heavy as a handcart, Aunt Ge isn’t young anymore. Pushing the cart around different communes’ teams every day is quite exhausting.

Auntie Ge snorted from her nostrils, "I’m doing just fine!"

"Last time I said that, I didn’t expect the pancake business to do so well. Who would be silly enough to stay home all day when there’s money to be made?"

On second thought, Lin Xiang understood. In these times, people fear not hardship, but not being able to get food or earn money.

So Aunt Ge’s using her own hard work to make money isn’t something to criticize; on the contrary, it should be praised.

Lin Xiang took a big bite of the pancake, "Since you’re truly eager to repay me, why not sell me some seaweed? Lately, there’s been no leafy greens, and my spicy noodles are just noodles without veggies. The texture is too monotonous. If I add some seaweed, the taste will improve."

Aunt Ge couldn’t help but glance at Lin Xiang.

Because she mentioned selling, not giving.

"How much are you offering per pound?"

This question stumped Lin Xiang as she hadn’t bought seaweed before either.

"What do you think is a fair price per pound?"

"I haven’t sold seaweed before either!"

"That’s quite a coincidence; I haven’t bought seaweed either."

The two exchanged looks for a while before Lin Xiang burst out laughing, "How about this, I won’t spend money. I’ll trade fabric with you. You give me ten pounds of seaweed, and I’ll give you a bolt of cloth."

"A bolt? Are you sure?"

"It’s defective fabric, but the flaws aren’t obvious. Once made into clothes, you won’t notice. Tell me which pattern you like, and I’ll bring it to you tomorrow."

"From the way you’re talking, you have quite a bit of fabric?"

"Not too much, but there’s just enough for a slight selection."

Aunt Ge pursed her lips in thought, and after a while, she quietly asked, "Do you have any of the softer fabric suitable for making underwear? The pattern doesn’t matter, and more defects are fine."

What Aunt Ge was referring to were those fabrics that Director Chen later gave her for making thermal underwear, weren’t they?

Director Chen gave her a total of five bolts of such fabric, which Lin Xiang kept all to herself, not trading with the villagers.

She readily agreed, "Let’s meet up at the market tomorrow. You give me seaweed, and I’ll give you fabric."

Aunt Ge finally showed a genuine smile, "It’s a deal! I’ll make you two extra pancakes; your Fifth Uncle and mother have big appetites and might not get enough."

"Since we’re at this point in the conversation, why not give two more; my little cousin and I don’t have enough to eat either!"

Aunt Ge glared at Lin Xiang, the good impression she had just formed retracting by a tenth.

She hummed but her hands didn’t stop, adding more toppings to the pancake for Lin Xiang.

"Thank you, Aunt Ge. I’ll come find you tomorrow."

Lin Xiang returned to her stall with the freshly cooked pancakes. While she was conversing with Aunt Ge, Mrs. Lin had sold a few more bowls of spicy noodles and gave all the money to Lin Xiang.

Lin Xiang divided the pancakes, making sure each person got two.

Chunya stretched her neck to take a look, "These pancakes are eight cents each. Eight of them would be sixty-four cents. Girl, even if you’re making money, you can’t spend it like this!"

Lin Xiang swallowed the food in her mouth, "Chunya, didn’t Fifth Aunt say you hadn’t been to school for long? Your math is this good?"

"Is now the time to say that? Take these two pancakes back, I’m not eating them."

"I can’t return them." Lin Xiang took another big bite, "I told you I didn’t spend money, why don’t you believe me?"

"A bowl of spicy noodles is one dime. Even if you traded, you couldn’t get eight pancakes."

The rolled pancake in Lin Xiang’s hand was already finished, and to be honest, Aunt Ge’s cooking was quite good; those rolled pancakes were delicious.

She took a big sip of warm water, then said, "The pancake seller, Aunt Ge, I got to know her on the first day I set up stall selling sweet potato noodles. She only sold pancakes before, and I suggested putting some veggies in the pancakes to make rolled pancakes. The taste got better, and naturally, the business improved. She took my advice, and the business did get better. This rolled pancake was her treat to me."

"If I really spent sixty cents to buy a few rolled pancakes, my mom wouldn’t spare me."

Mrs. Lin opened her mouth quietly, "Am I such a stingy person?"

"No, no, you’re the most generous. Hurry up and eat the rolled pancakes, otherwise, they won’t taste good if they get cold later."

The main part of the market was still around noon, from ten to eleven o’clock.

Because some families came from afar, the journey back and forth alone would take several hours. Some came at noon, bought the things they needed, and then hurried back home.

So, after one o’clock, there was basically no business. Mrs. Lin could manage on her own, so Lin Xiang went with Chunya to stroll around the market.

"What do you need to buy?"

Chunya shook her head, "I don’t know. My mom has prepared most of the things needed for the wedding. I just heard you saying yesterday that you were coming to sell spicy noodles today, so I wanted to come along to see. If I find something I like and the price is right, my mom allowed me to buy one thing. She even gave me a dollar."

But during the busiest time at the market, Chunya was helping Lin Xiang sell spicy noodles. Now that it wasn’t busy anymore, quite a few people had already sold their goods and were packing up to head home. They went around but didn’t find anything she fancied.

"Why don’t we go to the supply and marketing cooperative next time when I visit the town and take you with me to have a look?"

"That works too."