Cheng Loanloan took everything in.
She said nothing, letting Chun Hua and Dong Hua carry away two bowls. The four people in the third household each had a bowl of ice jelly.
She picked up two bowls, giving one to the Old Madam and the other to the Old Man. For the last two bowls, the second daughter-in-law, Madam Wen, spoke up, "Da Wang, Er Wang, you two share one bowl. Xia Hua, Qiu Hua, you two also eat one bowl."
Cheng Loanloan smiled. In just these few short minutes, she had clearly seen who was approachable and whose heart was more thoughtful.
She opened her mouth and said, "Da Wang, run quickly and get some bowls from your Eldest Aunt's house to scoop some ice jelly. There's as much as you want."
Zhao Er Wang quickly raised his hand, "I'll go too, I'll go too!"
The two boys quickly ran off.
Old Man Zhao stared at the smooth, clear substance in the bowl, a little hesitant. "Madam Da Shan, you said this is jelly, ice jelly?"
Old Madam Zhao felt a little worried. "Old man, I've lived for sixty years and never seen this. Why does it not look like something edible?"
Zhao Er casually said, "Eldest Sister-in-law definitely wouldn't bring something inedible. Just take a bite and you'll know."
He picked up the bowl and drank half of it in one go, instantly wide-eyed and agape. "No wonder it's called ice jelly. Eating it makes your whole body cool. Eldest Sister-in-law, is this really made from lantern grass? How could it be made?"
Zhao San also quickly took a sip and swallowed. "Why does it also have the taste of hawthorn? This stuff is too sour, I never touched it before, but put into this ice jelly, it's actually delicious..."
The youngest, Dong Hua, finished his in one gulp and wiped his mouth. "Eldest Aunt, I finished it. It tastes very sweet. I haven't had enough. Is there more?"
Old Madam Zhao glared at him coldly. "Opening your mouth to ask for food, has no one taught you manners? This is what your Eldest Aunt made to earn money. One bowl should cost at least one *wen*. If you want more, pay for it!"
Cheng Loanloan found this Old Madam truly adorable. She had inadvertently helped her solve a big problem.
She said with a smile, "I plan to sell this ice jelly for two *wen* a bowl, Mother. Do you think that's feasible?"
Madam Sun, on the other hand, gasped. Selling this for two *wen* a bowl must be crazy. Wouldn't it be better to buy a meat bun for two *wen*? Meat buns had increased in price, roughly four *wen*, so two *wen* could buy a plain bun. Why buy this snack that wasn't filling enough?
But she wouldn't kindly remind her. Let Eldest Sister-in-law go out of business and not earn a single *wen*. Then they'd see how partial the Old Madam still was!
She smiled and said, "I think two *wen* is still generous. This is only available in Dahe Village and Ping'an Town. Selling it for three *wen* isn't too much."
Cheng Loanloan had originally intended to set the price at three *wen*, but due to the natural disaster, many people in the village had no money. Three *wen* was a bit expensive, and she was afraid no one would buy it.
Two *wen* a bowl was not too cheap, and everyone could accept it, so she could also make a profit.
She observed for a moment. The ice jelly with brown sugar syrup seemed more popular. Those who liked sour flavors could also accept the addition of hawthorn. Both flavors were good.
Only after everyone had finished eating did she speak. "Then let's try selling it for two *wen* for now. I'll go to town tomorrow morning, so I'll go back and prepare now."
When she returned with her basket, Zhao Dawang and Zhao Erwang had already eaten two bowls of ice jelly. The two of them rubbed their bellies and sighed, feeling utterly comfortable.
This summer was extremely hot. Even fanning vigorously couldn't dispel the dry heat, but at this moment, a cool sensation spread from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.
Cheng Loanloan couldn't help but laugh, "You two can take this big pot of ice jelly home. It should be enough for everyone in the Zhao family to eat."
This particular pot was made from white flour, so it took longer to set and wasn't as smooth. It wasn't really suitable for selling, so to avoid waste, she decided to let everyone eat it.