CHAPTER 135: CHAPTER 135: POTATO NOODLES

"Where do you usually hang your personal clothes to dry after washing?"

Liu Pei blushed and said, "You’ve been to the educated youth dormitory, so you know it’s not big. We usually hang outer clothes in the yard, but all the female educated youth have a mutual understanding to hang personal clothes inside our rooms."

So it’s not drying but rather air drying indoors.

Although they feel dry to the touch, it’s entirely different.

Moreover, most of the people use menstrual pads at this time.

Menstrual pads are inherently less hygienic, and for families with poorer conditions, they’re only replaced once a month.

For various reasons, it’s very common to get gynecological diseases.

"When I went to the educated youth dormitory last time, I noticed there was a backyard behind the girls’ room, but it hadn’t been cleared. After you go back, you can discuss with the girls about clearing the backyard, just enough space for you to hang your personal clothes."

"The backyard is right behind your room, the boys can’t get there, and the village folks don’t usually visit the educated youth dormitory, so they won’t easily see it. Although it’s a bit troublesome, it can help you solve a big problem."

As for the issue with menstrual pads, Lin Xiang didn’t mention it.

Even if she brought it up, she wouldn’t be able to solve it, so it’s better not to bring it up and add to the trouble.

"That’s indeed a solution. I’ll discuss it with them later."

Although Liu Pei knew that the chances of other female educated youth agreeing were low, she still had to try. What if they agreed?

"It’s getting dark. You sit on the back seat, and I’ll take you back. Otherwise, it’ll be too late, and it’s not easy to navigate in the dark."

"Okay, sounds good."

Lin Xiang rode the bicycle swiftly and reached the Li Hua Team in twenty minutes.

She first went to the team office to return the bicycle. Since she only rented it for half a day, Accountant Xu only charged her twenty cents.

When Lin Xiang came out of the team office, she found Liu Pei still waiting for her.

They walked to the Lin Family’s house and parted ways, with Liu Pei returning to the educated youth dormitory.

Lin Xiang opened the courtyard gate and heard voices from the main room.

"You’ve come back, girl." Fifth Aunt greeted Lin Xiang loudly, "Don’t cook tonight, come to my place to eat."

"Did something happy happen to Fifth Aunt?"

Fifth Aunt chuckled, "Didn’t I go back to my mother’s house around noon? My elder brother and other siblings didn’t know about the mess my sister-in-law made, and I didn’t hide it for her. I told all about it in detail, and it nearly got my mother to make my brother’s family separate."

In those days, divorce wasn’t common; family separation was already a big threat.

Mr. Dang Sr. came from a military background and paid great attention to his children’s education. The Dang siblings weren’t particularly prominent, but they had proper values and were very united among themselves.

When the mother mentioned family separation, the eldest son-in-law of the Dang Family immediately panicked and berated the eldest daughter-in-law, who had sneaked home, until she promised repeatedly not to do it again.

To comfort Fifth Aunt and Chunya, the mother decided to give them two pounds of bacon and three sausages, and no one in the family objected.

"What your family gave you last time, you brought it all to us, and your family doesn’t have anything for the new year. This time, keep it for yourselves to eat; we have plenty."

"It’s different this time," said Fifth Aunt, "If it weren’t for the girl helping me today, I would have fallen into the Zhao Family’s trap with the ’help’ of my good sister-in-law. This meal is to thank the girl. Second Sister-in-law, you can’t decide for her."

Lin Xiang laughed, "I can’t keep refusing Fifth Aunt’s kindness. How about you steam a bit of the bacon, and I’ll cook some potato noodles for us to try out a new flavor?"

"A new flavor? Is it still spicy noodles?"

"No, this time it’s made from a broth of beef bones, called three-flavor potato noodles, using your potato noodles, Fifth Aunt. The broth should be about ready; you go ahead and start cooking, and I’ll bring over the noodles once they’re done."

"Alright then, I won’t delay. I’ll head back to start cooking now."

Half an hour later, Lin Xiang and Mrs. Lin carried a bowl of cooked potato noodles to Fifth Aunt’s house.

Fifth Aunt was very generous, slicing up half a pound of cured meat and a sausage, more than enough for them plus a few more people.

"I told you to make less, why make this much?" Mrs. Lin said, "Your family is big, so you should keep more for the New Year."

"Got it, Second Sister-in-law, just this one meal, the rest I’ll save for the New Year."

Lin Xiang placed the bowl on the table, and Dong Sheng attentively went to get bowls.

Lin Xiang divided up the potato noodles.

Dong Sheng was the first to eat. As he slurped up a strand of potato noodle, he smacked his lips, "Tastes great. I thought these three-flavor potato noodles, looking so mild, wouldn’t taste as good as spicy noodles, but it tastes completely different."

"Indeed, I always thought spicy noodles were a bit too hot. They tasted good, but my stomach always burned afterwards. But these three-flavor ones are fragrant and tasty, I feel like I could eat another bowl," Fifth Aunt said.

Mrs. Lin, not picky at all, stayed quiet and just kept eating one strand after another.

After eating, she wiped her mouth, "Girl, now that the sweet potato noodle supply is sufficient, when are we setting up a stall?"

Given how good the sweet potato noodle business is, missing one day means missing out on quite a bit of profit.

Sitting at home with nothing to do, it’s better to go earn money.

Lin Xiang opened up the note where she had recorded market times and locations and found that tomorrow’s location was not too far from the town hospital, about a ten-minute walk.

She could easily go after the lunch rush, then take the ingredients to the hospital and rent a stove to cook for Lin Yun, without delaying anything.

"We’ll go tomorrow."

"Lin Yun is still not back, so tomorrow we’ll have Old Five and Chunya come along, or else just the two of us won’t be enough."

"Alright, same time as always. I’ll go early tomorrow to get the cart ready."

Chunya was also full of anticipation.

She didn’t find the work tiring at all for a day, and the girl paid her twenty cents as her wage!

The wages she had received these past few days, her parents didn’t take, letting her keep them all herself.

Early the next morning, Fifth Uncle, as usual, came to knock on the door early, and together with Lin Xiang, they loaded everything onto the cart.

"We only have two aluminum pails, one for the spicy noodle broth, and the other for the three-flavor broth, so there’s no space left for porridge. So we need to adjust our pricing."

Mrs. Lin asked, "How much are you planning to sell each bowl for?"

In Lin Xiang’s mind, the price was still ten cents.

Aunt Ge’s spring rolls also sold for eight cents, and her sweet potato noodle costs were definitely higher than the spring rolls, so selling for eight cents wouldn’t make sense.

"Previously, we sold it for ten cents and included porridge, now selling it for ten cents without porridge, not sure if everyone will accept it." Mrs. Lin muttered softly.

However, she didn’t dare to influence Lin Xiang’s decision.

"We’ll find out when we get there."