Chapter 29: Comrade Lu, the Artisan

At this very moment, in the capital city, a group of people shared the exact same sentiments as those in Lu Jiao'er's hometown in Guangxi Province.

Beyond just the ointment for rheumatism and leg pain, those who had skeptically purchased her cold medicine, fever reducers, painkillers, cough suppressants, and diarrhea medication had all since discovered their remarkable efficacy.

The results were swift.

This was especially true for the painkillers, cough suppressants, and diarrhea medication, which showed particularly striking results when used by the elderly and children. Some children, prone to weak stomachs and frequent diarrhea, would usually require a week of agonizing treatment, often involving intravenous drips, to recover.

Yet, for Lu Jiao'er’s diarrhea medicine, only three pills were needed—or rather, a single pill was enough to stop the symptoms, and the remaining two were merely taken for consolidation, as parents were anxious to ensure the children were fully recovered.

Furthermore, once they had finished her medicine, the children regained their vitality, returning to their usual state: eating, drinking, and sleeping well, turning back into adorable little angels.

For the elderly, the effects of the painkillers and cough suppressants were even more astonishing. Many seniors found that after taking just three doses, they had not experienced a recurrence of their ailments for days.

After experiencing it firsthand, the residents of the alley had only one feeling: they hadn’t bought enough.

Such medicine had to be stockpiled; it was a necessity. It was no longer a question of price, but a question of whether one could even get their hands on it.

"Little Lu, we won't ask for a discounted price anymore. Please, just make some more medicine and sell it to us. Your medicine is just too effective!"

"That’s right, Little Lu. It was our fault for being blind to your talent. From now on, we’ll pay whatever price you set, no bargaining at all."

"Little Lu, shall I introduce you to someone at the traditional Chinese medicine procurement station? I can get them to sell to you at a lower price, how about that? As long as you agree to make medicine for us!"

Several people from the alley took turns trying to persuade Lu Jiao'er, acting as if they could resolve any obstacle just to get her to make more medicine.

Unfortunately, Lu Jiao'er was about to let them down this time.

"I won't do it, I can't do it, and I don't plan to. I’m starting to study for my exams soon. I’m going to take the college entrance exam next year, so making medicine has to be put on hold for now."

She shook her head at them without hesitation. Making more was out of the question; she had agreed to make them in the spring, and she wouldn't produce a single batch before the spring arrived. No matter who came to persuade her, her answer remained the same.

In short, Lu Jiao'er was unmoved by any plea.

Fortunately, the people in the alley dared not offend her. Those who had heard the news and sought her out were even more cautious. Apart from her ability to create effective medicine, her background as a military spouse meant that no one would dare to easily cross her.

However, from that point on, the residents of the alley became incredibly warm toward her. Everyone greeted her enthusiastically whenever they saw her, and they would occasionally bring her little gifts—homemade pastries, steamed buns, pancakes, or perhaps a radish or a head of cabbage. It was an eclectic mix, mostly inexpensive items.

Since they were showing such goodwill, she couldn't just turn them away, and after all, these were her customers.

So, as the New Year approached, Lu Jiao'er made three pots of brown sugar cake and delivered a portion to every household in the alley.

Her steamed brown sugar cakes were perfectly sweetened, light, and fluffy, with a delicate, fragrant aroma. Fresh out of the steamer, they looked delicious, and once someone took a bite, they couldn't stop.

Before she had even finished her deliveries, people came running out.

"Little Lu, this brown sugar cake you made is delicious. You could totally sell these!"

"It’s true. A skilled artisan is different; you’ll never go hungry no matter where you go."

"It's so good! Little Lu, if you ever sell these, I’ll definitely be your first customer."

"With a flavor like this, I could eat it every other day."

Those who had tasted the cakes chimed in with jokes, but they meant every word—they would genuinely buy something if it tasted that good.

Lu Jiao'er: "..."

Selling them was out of the question; she didn't care for such small change. Everyone knew that while the catering business had decent margins, it was exhausting, dirty, and high-cost, not to mention the strict requirements for food safety and hygiene.

If she had to face that every day, she would be bored to death.

Moreover, having experienced the rapid technological development and the glorious era of the country decades later, and having even traveled to the world of cultivation, who didn't know that the products for women and children were the most profitable and the easiest to sell?

Most importantly, she was quite proficient and skilled in those areas, and she planned to rely on that market to build her fortune in the future.

A few days later, the New Year began.

Lu Jiao'er and the aunties from the alley had successively purchased three chickens, thirty eggs, five fish, five jin of pork belly, two large pig trotters, ten ribs, two pig stomachs, half a set of pig intestines, half a set of small intestines, ten jin of mutton, five jin of beef, ten jin of seafood, and had stockpiled nearly a hundred jin of cabbage, potatoes, and radishes.

It was fortunate that she had bought these items separately. Just cleaning the pig stomachs and intestines had taken an entire day.

Lu Jiao'er then made fish balls and beef balls and had the chickens slaughtered in advance. She wanted to rest for the two days before the New Year, so she planned to start preparing the feast on New Year's Eve.

Regardless, whether it was hot pot or barbecue, she was going to have it all.