Chapter 31: Someone in the Village Considers Selling Eggs in Town

Many middle-aged women and young wives squatted on the ground to inspect the eggs, naturally knowing how to tell the good ones from the bad.

"These goose eggs are truly excellent. Young lady, give me ten... no, make it fifteen. We agreed on a discount for a larger quantity, right?"

"I’d like to buy some chicken eggs, but I want duck eggs too. Dear, can I mix and match? If I buy fifteen in total, can I get them for a cheaper price as well?"

Yan Ziyue moved with nimble efficiency, greeting everyone with a calm and composed demeanor. "Yes, of course!"

"Whether you buy one type or a mix, as long as you take fifteen, you’ll get the discounted price."

She truly hadn't expected business outside the state-run factory to be this easy. Those women either brought their own baskets or ran home to grab one. For those who bought smaller amounts, Xiao Heshuo tied the eggs together with straw ropes.

Yan Ziyue and Xiao Heshuo were kept incredibly busy, yet there was no trace of panic; even the accounts were calculated with perfect clarity.

About half an hour later, all the eggs Yan Ziyue had brought were sold out. Those who arrived late missed out.

"Young lady, will you be back tomorrow? I came late and didn't get any."

"I heard from my neighbor that there were good, cheap eggs here, so I rushed over as fast as I could, but I was still a step behind."

Yan Ziyue wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled radiantly. "I won't be able to come back for another two days, but I'll bring more next time."

Those who didn't manage to buy any felt a bit regretful, but then realized that since they could just come back in two days, there was no need to dwell on it.

"Dear, it's a deal then. We'll come back to buy from you in two days."

"I just saw the eggs others bought; not a single one was bad. Plus, you get a deal if you buy more, and the price is good."

"Last time I bought eggs on the street, I picked them out myself, but when I got home, some were rotten. My husband said the seller probably swapped them while counting."

Yan Ziyue nodded with a smile and left with Xiao Heshuo, carrying their empty baskets. After walking some distance, she linked her arm through his, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Husband, let me treat you to a meal at a restaurant. I made money today!"

The feeling of earning money with one's own two hands was truly exhilarating.

Xiao Heshuo looked at her sun-flushed face, a sharp pang of tenderness piercing his heart. "No need, a bowl of noodles is fine. We have plenty of food at home; it’s not worth wasting money at a restaurant."

He knew that after selling those two hundred-plus eggs, she had made less than four yuan. It was grueling work.

Seeing that he was worried about her, Yan Ziyue’s smile only grew wider. "Then once I earn even more, I'll take you out for a proper feast."

Upon returning, she planned to calculate exactly how much she had earned that day. The couple each had a bowl of meat noodles at a street stall before taking a slow ride back home.

Just as they reached their front door, Yan Ziyue saw two or three village women sitting on the steps of their entrance.

"Mrs. Xiao, you're back?" The women stood up quickly, their faces full of smiles.

Noticing the baskets by their feet and the eggs inside, Yan Ziyue immediately understood their purpose. "Aunts, please, come inside and sit."

She opened the gate and invited them to sit in the shade of the courtyard. Xiao Heshuo poured them each a bowl of sugar water before heading to the kitchen to tidy up. The women sipped the sugar water, feeling deeply envious that Yan Ziyue had married so well. If they had known Xiao Heshuo was such a doting husband, they wouldn't have been afraid of him and would have married their own daughters to him.

"Mrs. Xiao, we heard you are buying chicken and duck eggs?" one of the women asked, rubbing her hands together in slight embarrassment.

Yan Ziyue smiled gently, maintaining a professional air. "I am buying various types of eggs, but my purchase price is on the lower side."

"Chicken eggs are four cents each, duck eggs are six cents, and goose eggs are eight cents."

"If you are all comfortable with those prices, and as long as the eggs are in good condition, I will take them."

The women did some quick mental math and felt the price was a bit low. "Mrs. Xiao, could you raise the price a little?"

Yan Ziyue’s smile didn't waver. "Aunts, the price I sell them for in town isn't very high. If I pay more to buy them, I’ll end up losing money. I’m running a business, not a charity."

In truth, this price was not low for the village or the surrounding areas. Those who traveled from village to village to collect eggs paid much less and often found various excuses to haggle. Two of the women exchanged glances and decided not to sell to Yan Ziyue, intending to take their eggs to town themselves.

"Mrs. Xiao, we can't sell at that price, so we won't stay any longer."

With that, the two women picked up their baskets and left. Yan Ziyue didn't mind; business was about mutual consent. If they didn't want to sell, that was fine—she wasn't short on eggs.

"Mrs. Xiao, I'll sell!" The remaining woman placed her basket in front of Yan Ziyue. "I have fifty chicken eggs and twenty duck eggs here. They are all the best and freshest; take a look."

Yan Ziyue asked Xiao Heshuo to bring over a basket. She inspected each egg and verified the count. Once finished, she paid the woman on the spot. "Aunt, please count the money to see if it's correct."

The woman’s face crinkled with delight as she took the money with trembling hands, counting it over and over. "No problem! No problem at all!"

"Mrs. Xiao, will you be buying eggs regularly?"

"As long as I don't say otherwise, I will continue to buy," Yan Ziyue replied. "If you have more eggs in the future, just bring them to me."

The woman agreed happily and left with her empty basket.

"Wipe your face and hands." Xiao Heshuo handed Yan Ziyue a damp towel. "I have a feeling the villagers are going to try selling in town now."

Yan Ziyue wiped her face and hands, unfazed. "If they want to sell in town, let them. To be honest, if selling eggs in town were that easy, the vendors already there would have been rich long ago."

The reason why it was difficult for villagers to sell in town was twofold: first, they were either too frugal or too greedy, mixing bad eggs with good ones. Second, some would cheat on the weight. Third, most villagers felt inferior when dealing with townspeople, making them easy targets for scams or too timid to approach shops. Finally, they assumed that selling at a stall would lead to fierce competition.

Seeing her lack of concern, Xiao Heshuo knew she had it all figured out. "It's time to study. You didn't do very well with multiplication last time, so let's focus on that today."

Yan Ziyue became spirited at once and pulled him into the main room to study. "I have no trouble with division, but multiplication... isn't that strange?"

Xiao Heshuo’s dark eyes filled with a faint, amused smile. "It's not strange; some people are just like that. Practice a bit more, and you'll get it."

Yan Ziyue took her textbook, notebook, and pencil from the cabinet and sat on the bench with Xiao Heshuo to study. One taught, one learned; the atmosphere was incredibly warm.

However, the atmosphere at the Yan household was far from warm.