Chapter 20

The next day, Yun Pianpian got up before dawn to prepare the sugar syrup, while Xiao Changyuan helped her light the fire.
Together, they quickly made thirty sticks of candied hawthorn and thirty sticks of mixed candied hawthorn and tangerines.
Xiao Changyuan helped Yun Pianpian bundle the straw holder, and she skewered all the candied treats onto it.
The tree, like display of candied hawthorn and tangerines looked quite festive.
Just then, Xie Yu arrived with an ox cart to take them to the county town.
Yun Pianpian climbed onto the cart and casually took a stick of mixed candied hawthorn and tangerines from the straw holder, handing it to Xie Yu.
“Try this, A Yu, it's on the house.”
After witnessing Yun Pianpian's gesture, Xiao Changyuan's pale, icy, handsome face instantly turned green.
All that suffering he endured yesterday to finish those two sticks of candied hawthorns had been for nothing.
The memory of that unbearably sweet and cloying taste that had tormented him made his face alternate between green and pale.
Xie Yu, unaware of the complicated backstory behind this stick of candied hawthorn, smiled as he took it from Yun Pianpian's hand. He took a bite, and his beautiful peach, blossom eyes suddenly lit up.
“This candied hawthorn is absolutely delicious!”
Yun Pianpian asked with a beaming smile, “A Yu, how much do you think this stick of candied hawthorn could sell for?”
Candied hawthorns was popular everywhere, the key was setting the right price to make it worthwhile.
Yun Pianpian had carefully researched the market: in the town, candied hawthorns sold for three coins a stick, while in the county town, it went for five or six coins. Naturally, she had to sell in the county town to make more money. She had bought candied hawthorns many times in the county, but the quality varied greatly. To cut costs, many vendors used beet sugar instead of rock sugar to make the syrup. Candied hawthorn made with beet sugar was not only sticky on the teeth but also inferior in taste compared to the rock sugar version.
Yun Pianpian's candied hawthorns, on the other hand, was made with traditional rock sugar. Each hawthorn berry was large and plump, and the sugar coating was sprinkled with sesame seeds, so it naturally deserved a higher price.
Xie Yu, munching away, replied, “Candied hawthorn in the county town usually sells for five or six coins. But Sister Pianpian's candied hawthorn looks better and tastes amazing. I think it could easily sell for ten coins. If you set up shop outside the Pear Garden Teahouse, you might even get more.”
Yun Pianpian nodded, “Then it's settled. I'll sell it for ten coins a stick when we get to the city.”
Xie Yu chuckled in agreement, quickly finishing the candied hawthorn in a few bites before taking the reins to continue driving the oxcart.
Yun Pianpian turned around and saw Xiao Changyuan's green, tinged face, assuming he was upset about not getting any candy.
She plucked a stick of candied hawthorn from the bundle and handed it to him.
“Husband, if you want some, just eat it. No need to stand on ceremony.”
Xiao Changyuan, who had forced himself to eat three sticks of candied hawthorn the night before, felt his face turn pale at the sight of the offering.
He lifted his dark, cold eyes and refused coldly, “I don't want any.”
Yun Pianpian studied his face, pale with dark circles under his eyes, and thought he seemed unwell.
Suddenly, it dawned on her. “Husband, do you have a toothache?”
Otherwise, why would the sugar, obsessed tyrant pass up candy?
She patted his shoulder and let out a long, helpless sigh. “I told you to eat less yesterday, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you know what a toothache feels like, don’t you?”
With an expression that said, “If you don’t listen to your elders, you’ll learn the hard way,” she looked at him pityingly.
Xiao Changyuan turned his pale, handsome face away.
He didn’t want to talk to a fool.
When they reached the county town, Yun Pianpian and Xiao Changyuan carried the bundle of candied hawthorn straight to the teahouse entrance to sell.
Many people had never seen candied hawthorns before, so quite a few stopped to ask about the price. Upon hearing it was ten coins, some hesitated, thinking it too expensive, but even more chose to give it a try. In about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, Yun Pianpian’s candied hawthorn had completely sold out.
“I never expected candied sweets to be so popular. It seems we can make more to sell in the future.”
Yun Pianpian began planning ahead. As the foot traffic outside the teahouse dwindled, she had Xiao Changyuan carry the straw pole of candied hawthorns to the Pear Garden theater district.
When they arrived at the Pear Garden Teahouse, the remaining dozen or so candied hawthorns were quickly sold out. Overjoyed, Yun Pianpian took Xiao Changyuan to a nearby restaurant for a meal. She walked along the road, laughing all the way: “I made nearly six hundred copper coins today!”
The bright sunlight fell upon the young girl's smug little face, making her indescribably radiant and captivating.
Xiao Changyuan watched Yun Pianpian expressionlessly.
She's this happy over just six hundred coins.
She really is easily satisfied.
At the restaurant, Yun Pianpian ordered three dishes, one soup, plus two desserts. This was her first time dining out since arriving in ancient times. The restaurant's food had its unique rich oils and dark sauces, and Yun Pianpian unknowingly ate until she was stuffed.
She patted her round, full belly and muttered, “Next time I definitely won't order so much.”
Xiao Changyuan poured her a cup of tea without saying a word.
Yun Pianpian held the teacup, drinking tea to cut through the greasiness. After finishing one cup, she raised her almond, shaped eyes, shining brightly as she looked at Xiao Changyuan.
“Then let's go shopping later to walk off our meal!”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Changyuan slightly furrowed his brows. Although he had countless reasons not to want to accompany her shopping, he didn't refuse her.
This meal cost Yun Pianpian one hundred eighty copper coins, but she didn't feel particularly heartbroken when paying because both she and Xiao Changyuan had the ability to earn money. She knew they would quickly earn back whatever they spent.
Life should be enjoyed in the moment to make it worthwhile.
The two left the restaurant and wandered around the market, buying quite a few things.
As the weather grew colder, Yun Pianpian bought two thick new outfits in advance for herself and Xiao Changyuan.
The two rode back to Jiangjia Village on Xie Yu's ox cart. While browsing a pastry shop, Yun Pianpian had conveniently bought a package of osmanthus cakes for Xie Yu.
Xie Yu's tastes were the same as Yun Pianpian's, both had childish preferences.
The two often discussed on the ox cart which shop had delicious pastries and which ones didn't taste right.
Xie Yu particularly liked every pastry Yun Pianpian brought him.
“Thank you, sister Pianpian.”
Yun Pianpian smiled and said, “You're welcome. You always take us to the county town, A Yu, you've worked hard.”
Xie Yu replied cheerfully, “It's nothing, it's all on the way anyway.”
Xiao Changyuan didn't like how close Yun Pianpian was getting with Xie Yu.
Especially when Yun Pianpian smiled so dazzlingly at Xie Yu every time.
This dislike would reach a peak he could no longer endure.
After returning home, Xiao Changyuan’s face turned as cold as an iceberg as he looked unhappily at Yun Pianpian.
“Wife, I want to buy an ox cart.”
Yun Pianpian was taken aback. “Why do you want to buy an ox cart all of a sudden?”
“I don’t like riding someone else’s ox cart to the county town.”
Yun Pianpian tried to persuade him, “But we don’t go to the county town often, only once every seven or eight days. Buying an ox cart would be too wasteful.”
Xiao Changyuan remained unmoved. “We have money.”
Yun Pianpian spoke earnestly, “But having money doesn’t mean we should spend it like this. Didn’t you tell me just a few days ago to be frugal?”
Xiao Changyuan replied without changing his expression, “I suddenly changed my mind today.”
Yun Pianpian was left speechless.
Yun Pianpian: “...”
Well, a tyrant is a tyrant. If he didn’t change his orders on a whim, how could he be called a tyrant?