Chapter 17

Chen Youtian felt a bit pressured under the gaze of three pairs of eyes. He carefully recalled his previous experiences coming to the market and nodded.

As soon as Shen An saw him nod, he shouldered his own basket, grabbed Shen Ning, and dashed forward. Finding an empty spot large enough for both their stalls, he turned around, took off his basket, and claimed the two spaces first.

Chen Youtian helped carry the two buckets of tofu over and set them down. His task completed, he took his basket of eggs and squatted down in the spot Shen An had reserved for him.

Sang Luo looked around. To the left of their stalls were vegetable vendors, and to the right were vendors selling winnowing baskets. Further along, there were people selling malt sugar, eggs, hemp fibers, homespun cloth, mats, and brooms—a diverse array of mostly local produce. Besides the vendors, a few people carrying baskets were already wandering along the road, likely locals living nearby.

Shen An observed the neighboring vendors. Most were just standing there, occasionally asking passersby if they wanted to buy their wares. He then glanced at Chen Youtian, who was sitting silently on the ground with his basket, waiting honestly for customers. Turning his head, he asked Sang Luo, "Sister-in-law, how do we sell this? Should we shout?"

Concerned about their livelihood, Shen An was already feeling nervous.

"Yes, even the best wine needs to be advertised, and many people don't recognize this. But before that, we need to do some prep work."

As she spoke, she set up the two buckets. She pulled over Shen An's basket, moved the bamboo tube of sugar water into the basket where Shen Ning kept the lotus leaves, and had Shen An hold the pottery basin and bamboo knife. She then flipped her own empty basket upside down, took the basin from Shen An, and placed it on top. She tested it; it was stable.

"Perfect. The display stand is ready."

For food items, especially those that could be eaten without further processing, even if the product was good, leaving it on the ground would make it look unappealing. In her previous life, before she started her formal career, Sang Luo had spent plenty of time running stalls, so setting things up by using what was available was second nature to her.

She turned and called out, "A-Ning, the water for washing hands."

Shen Ning had been at a loss for what to do. Hearing Sang Luo call for help, her reaction could not have been more enthusiastic. She deftly fished out a bamboo tube filled with clean water from the basket, turned her back along with Sang Luo, and poured it out at the roadside so Sang Luo could wash her hands.

Once her hands were clean, Sang Luo fished a scrap of "fairy tofu" from the bucket. Balancing it in one hand and holding the bamboo knife in the other, she began cutting it into small pieces right above the pottery basin.

The way she insisted on washing her hands before touching the food drew the attention of the neighboring vendors. Seeing the emerald-green, wobbly substance in her hand—something they didn't recognize at all—an old woman selling eggs nearby asked out of curiosity, "Little lady, what is this you're selling? Is it something to eat?"

Sang Luo smiled. "It is indeed food. It's called 'fairy tofu,' and it's delicious!"

Hearing the unfamiliar name and the grandiose title of "fairy," the old woman craned her neck to look. "Never seen this before. How do you eat it?"

"It depends on your preference. If you have malt sugar or honey at home, just dilute it into a syrup, cut the tofu up, and pour it over as a topping—it makes a great dessert. If you prefer a savory taste, just season it with oil, salt, soy sauce, and some chopped green onions, and it can be served as a dish."

Her voice was clear and bright, and the curious vendors nearby heard every word.

Watching her flick the knife—*swish, swish, swish*—the emerald-green "fairy tofu" was sliced into neat little squares. With a tilt of her hand, they all fell into the earthen basin. The color looked stunning against the backdrop of the clay, and the vendors watching nearby couldn't help but salivate.

It actually looked quite appetizing.

***

As the onlookers processed this thought, Sang Luo picked up another piece of tofu from the bucket. With a few quick, deft strokes, more fairy tofu piled up in the basin. She cut so skillfully that the surrounding vendors just stood there and watched. After she had sliced four pieces, the bottom of the basin was covered. She looked up at Shen Ning. "A-Ning, add the sugar water."

Oh? Hearing the mention of sugar water, the old woman who had asked earlier raised her eyebrows and instinctively stretched her neck to look.

Shen Ning, finally having a task, eagerly brought over the sugar water, removed the bamboo stopper, and poured it evenly over the fairy tofu. She used the wooden spoon they brought from home to stir it until everything was well coated, then left the spoon in the basin.

"It's done, Sister-in-law."

The young girl had accomplished a major task for the first time, and her declaration was filled with a sense of achievement.

Sang Luo smiled and praised her, then turned to grab a small leaf from the basket. Seeing a few women carrying baskets not far away, she raised her voice and began to call out: "Fairy tofu! The best delicacy to beat the summer heat! A fresh treat you've never tasted before! Mixed with sugar water, it's a dessert; mixed with oil and salt, it's a savory dish. Good for both sweet and salty tastes! Only two coins for a large piece! Don't miss out!"

Her voice was loud and crisp, and combined with her catchy pitch, it stood out sharply among the cries of "Buy some vegetables?" "Need a winnowing basket?" and "Malt sugar here!"

Sang Luo continued, "Fairy tofu! Sweet or savory, it works both ways! A refreshing, cooling, detoxifying, and age-defying delicacy! Two coins—you won't lose out, and you won't be cheated, but you will get to taste a treat you've never had before!"

Shen An, Shen Ning, and Chen Youtian, who was squatting nearby guarding his wares, were all stunned.

Shen An swallowed hard. *My sister-in-law, usually such a quiet person... to earn money for the family, she can be this formidable!*

Shen Ning looked at Sang Luo with stars in her eyes: *My sister-in-law is the best!*

Chen Youtian: *...Selling things can be turned into such a song and dance?*

The small vendors nearby were also dumbfounded: *This young lady is impressive! Even though she's a new face, she acts like such a seasoned veteran.*

By now, Sang Luo held a small leaf in one hand and the wooden spoon in the other. She scooped a small piece of fairy tofu onto a clean, crisp, emerald-green leaf and handed it to the old man selling malt sugar who was closest to her. "Uncle, it's our first day setting up. It's a new treat; please have a taste."

The old man was flabbergasted, unsure whether to take it or not. If he took it, would he have to pay two coins?

Sang Luo seemed to read his mind and laughed. "It's a free sample! A two-coin portion is quite large, so please feel free to try a bit."

She extended her hand further.

Free to taste... The old man had never encountered such a good deal and hesitantly accepted it.

Sang Luo deftly went back to scoop a second piece, this time handing it to the old woman who had asked the first question. "Ma'am, you try some too."

The old woman looked at her suspiciously. "Are you sure it's free?"

Sang Luo smiled. "It's free!"

Hearing it was free, the neighboring vendors exchanged glances. Some were tempted to move, while others remained reserved. A tall man with a straightforward personality walked straight up to Sang Luo's stall. "Little lady, give me a piece to taste, too."

"Coming right up!"

She scooped a piece of fairy tofu and handed it over on a leaf. The tall man popped it into his mouth immediately, chewed, and his eyes brightened.

Sang Luo smiled. "Sir, how is the fairy tofu?"

The man nodded. "It's not bad. This stuff should taste pretty good savory, too." He leaned over to look into the bucket of fairy tofu and asked, "How big is a two-coin portion?"

Sang Luo reached into the bucket and pulled out a piece larger than her palm. She smiled. "Sir, if you take this home and slice it yourself, it's enough for a whole dish."

The man was quite satisfied with the portion size. "Alright, give me one."

"Coming right up!"

Sang Luo’s voice was exceptionally cheerful. A great start—their first sale!

Shen Ning was so excited she grabbed a lotus leaf from the basket and handed it over. Sang Luo took it, placed the piece of fairy tofu on the leaf, and leaned down to scoop a smaller piece from the bucket to add on top. She said with a beaming smile, "Since you're our first customer, I'll add a small piece as a bonus."

The man hadn't expected such a treat. He thanked her with a smile, fished two coins from his pocket, and handed them to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo quickly signaled for Shen An to take them, while she handed the lotus-leaf-wrapped fairy tofu to the man. "If you like it, come back again next time!"

The man nodded, took the package, and returned to his own stall.

Shen An and Shen Ning were so happy they didn't know what to do with themselves. Shen An held the two coins in his hand, his fingers trembling with excitement. "Sister-in-law, did we really earn money?"

Sang Luo's eyes crinkled with a smile. "The money is in your hand; don't you believe it?"

"I do! I do!" Shen An was overjoyed. He looked at the money and asked Sang Luo, "Sister-in-law, where should I put this?"

Sang Luo was busy, so she just gestured to him, "You keep it for now."

*My sister-in-law trusts me this much!*

Shen An’s eyes shone. "Sister-in-law, I will definitely take good care of it!"