Transmigrated as a Peasant Baby Who is Pampered by All

Chapter 438: Chapter 270: Shaving Bamboo Skewers

But except for Little Lucky Star, the others didn’t seem eager to go out.

Too tired, everyone felt they hadn’t rested enough, and Second Aunt wanted to tidy up and wait until tomorrow to take a look.

In the end, only Little Lucky Star and Wei Ziang went out with Wang Fu, and Second Aunt even gave some money to them, letting them buy what they wanted.

The kids at home seemed to have no worries in this area, as they were given pocket money and New Year’s money from a young age, letting them occasionally buy what they liked or save the rest.

There was basically no misuse.

Wang Fu greeted the cook and the assistants, then led Little Lucky Star and Wei Ziang out. After all, they had worked together for years, and there was some trust.

And Little Lucky Star and Wei Ziang recovered quickly, both well-rested and having eaten ice jelly to cool off, feeling refreshed and energetic.

”With the upcoming county examination, many people are coming to Fuzhou City, including students from various places and many merchants. Moreover, the city has strengthened security during this time to protect the students.”

Wang Fu led the two kids into the busy market, although he talked about the good security, he still kept an eye on them.

But soon he realized he was overthinking it. The two little ones held hands, curious but not running around, keeping a steady pace beside him.

Everyone did say before that ’Little Lucky Star’ was obedient and easy to look after, and it proved true.

”Uncle Wang, I want to buy some spices. Where can I find some?” Little Lucky Star had a clear goal.

”Spices?” Wang Fu thought for a moment: ”I’ll take you there.”

”Yes, yes, great!” Little Lucky Star nodded quickly, her excitement overflowing.

But soon, her excitement faded.

She stared, dumbfounded, at the fragrant shop where many pretty ladies went in and out.

”What’s wrong, Little Miss? Why not go in?” Wang Fu was about to enter the shop and noticed Little Lucky Star hadn’t followed, puzzled he turned and asked.

Little Lucky Star laughed helplessly: ”Uncle Wang, I meant cooking spices, not this kind of spices.”

This cosmetics shop indeed had spices, the kind made from various herbs and flowers into sachets, claiming effects like calming, warding off evil, blessings, and more functions!

But regardless of the functions, they weren’t what she was looking for!

Wang Fu was also taken aback: ”For cooking?”

He truly didn’t expect this. No, he never connected cooking with Little Lucky Star at all!

Little Lucky Star nodded: ”I thought of a new way of cooking but need some spices to try it out at home first.”

This world already has hot pot, though not called hot pot, but ’Old Soup Pot’.

Because when food is added to the boiling broth, it makes a ”gudong” sound, hence the name Old Soup Pot.

But in Little Lucky Star’s eyes, no matter what it’s called, it’s just hot pot. The broth can be made in various flavors according to personal taste.

Their family occasionally makes it too, using mostly bone broth or chicken soup as a base, making the hot pot incredibly fresh and tasty; the soup could even be drunk.

Of course, there were spicy ones, but with so many kids at home, the parents looked after them and basically never made anything spicy.

Actually, this spicy soup and hot pot broth are quite similar, easy to make. The only challenging part is controlling the cost and pricing.

It can’t be too high, nor a loss, since they serve the common folks’ business, it must be within others’ spending capability!

However, Little Lucky Star can’t say too much while on the streets, she can only wait to try it out at home and let Uncle Wang figure it out himself!

But Wang Fu, after hearing Little Lucky Star’s response, was first stunned, then surprised.

”Already have a plan so soon?”

He merely made an offhand comment in the morning, not expecting any results. He’s been in business for decades, even if Little Lucky Star is a Little Lucky Star, she’s still a child, right?

And already she’s figured out what to do?

Wang Fu had to admit, he was a bit startled.

No wonder the master and madam respected them so much, but always stayed neither too close nor too distant, interacting in the gentlest way, never forcing anything on the Jiang family.

Little Lucky Star calmly nodded: ”Yeah, but I need to experiment first. Uncle Wang, we’d better buy the spices now, or the shops will be closed if it’s too late.”

Wang Fu snapped back to reality, saying: ”No problem, you don’t need to buy them, there’s plenty in the store. When we get back, I’ll have Master Yang bring them out for you to use freely!”

After all, it’s still a restaurant. Even if business isn’t good, the necessary items might not be used yet, but can’t be missing!

Since they had nothing needed to buy, they simply strolled down the street to get familiar with the route, so if they come out to play by themselves later, they won’t get lost.

However, Little Lucky Star specifically took a turn at the market; besides the commercial streets, there was also a specialized market mainly occupied by outside merchants selling small trinkets brought from elsewhere.

Due to time constraints, Little Lucky Star didn’t look closely, just got a general idea of where the market was. Similarly, within Fuzhou City, the market streets have rough divisions of wealth, selling different goods.

Little Lucky Star considers herself not very well off, naturally wouldn’t go to those wealthy areas.

Well, at least for now, she wouldn’t go.

Then Little Lucky Star went to buy vermicelli, made from sweet potato starch. Because sweet potatoes are coarse grains, often eaten by the poor, it doesn’t appeal to the wealthy, hence very cheap.

Cheap is better; that’s exactly what she wanted. Little Lucky Star bought a big bundle. She’s eaten it at home before, but her mother thought she was too young, afraid she couldn’t digest it, so she gave her very little.

Although Wang Fu didn’t know what Little Lucky Star planned to do, he still bought ten pounds of dried vermicelli, waiting for Little Lucky Star’s next surprise.

The three soon returned, just in time for dinner. A bunch of clothes were drying under the eaves, and intimate clothing was hanging in their rooms, showing everyone had been busy.

In the evening, everyone had a better appetite, and Chef Yang prepared a lavish dinner.

But the restaurant business was worse at night, with only two customers eating, ordering two vegetarian dishes for less than twenty coins!

This business wasn’t just bad; it was dreadful!

Continuing like this, he’s afraid they can’t even cover the servants and cook’s wages every month!

Wang Fu wasn’t worried, but Little Lucky Star began worrying for him.

Despite the worry, they couldn’t make spicy soup right now.

Little Lucky Star told Wang Fu to buy more vegetables tomorrow. Not too many in quantity, just as many types as possible, and to choose the cheaper ones, not the pricey vegetables!

Although Wang Fu didn’t know exactly what Little Lucky Star intended to do, he agreed anyway.

His small restaurant was merely a front, just a public facade, and those who came along were all his own people.

Then Little Lucky Star asked Wang Fu to find some bamboo, just right since there were ornamental bamboos in the courtyard, although small, they would do.

So, under Little Lucky Star’s direction, everyone learned to carve bamboo skewers.

Though, no one quite understood what Little Lucky Star was up to.

The courtyard was cooler than inside at night. The Jiangs rarely read or embroidered by candle or oil lamp, so even the cook and the two assistants, twelve people in total, were all in the courtyard, carving bamboo skewers.

Some used kitchen knives, some wood cutting knives, some boning knives.

The knives weren’t enough, so Wang Fu had someone borrow a few more from the neighbors.

Carving bamboo skewers can easily cause injuries; bamboo splinters can easily pierce the skin, but thankfully, gloves weren’t scarce.

Indeed, more hands yield greater strength. One small cluster of bamboos, only about as thick as a child’s wrist, very small but relatively hard bamboo, roughly a dozen or so, were all finished within an hour.

But since this was everyone’s first time doing this, quite a bit was wasted, estimating there were at least eight hundred or a thousand finished.

Among them, Jiang Hu, Second Aunt, the cook, and Wei Ziang made the most skewers. Jiang Hu was accustomed to weaving from bamboo, and Second Aunt assisted him.

The cook naturally excelled due to his knife skills, as for Wei Ziang, it was somewhat unexpected, but considering he made short bows and wooden swords by hand before, some bamboo skewers were a piece of cake.

Finally, after the work was done, only a pile of bamboo shavings was left on the ground. Little Lucky Star had already gone to water the bamboo; their previously abundant ornamental bamboo now left with only a few unusable young shoots.

”Little Lucky Star, what on earth is all this for?” Xiao Xue shook her hand, not realizing it sooner, now feeling her wrist ache after finishing.

”To make something delicious, you’ll find out tomorrow.”

Little Lucky Star replied mysteriously, not forgetting to discreetly water that contribution-making cluster of bamboo with a bit of Spiritual Spring water.