Free Web NovelChapter 256: Chapter 256: Fishing
Gu’er’s mind wandered as she rolled out the dough. For one portion, she sprinkled soaked raisins and crushed walnuts over the flattened dough. The other portion was plain. She rolled the dough into a large, date-like shape and placed it in a pan to bake.
While that was baking, Gu’er made a paste.
The paste was just flour and water mixed into a slurry, then heated over a low flame until it became thick and sticky.
After about fifty minutes, the dough had risen to twice its size. Gu’er put on gloves and took it out. She cut a few slits into the surface of the loaf with the nuts and fruit, then brushed the paste over it.
Once she finished brushing it, Gu’er put the loaf back into the oven.
Gu’er was feeding firewood into the stove when her mind drifted. Lost in thought, she pricked her finger on a splinter from the wood.
Gu’er pulled the splinter from the pad of her finger.
She looked at her hands. ’Although I’ve been trying to take care of them, I have to haul goods and do manual labor. My hands can never be as smooth and delicate as a young lady’s from a wealthy family. Still, they’re much better than when I was back in the village.’
Gu’er thought back to her life in the village. ’Honestly, I really miss the days I spent living with the Sun Family. There were no beatings or scoldings. I could go up the mountain whenever I wanted and do whatever I pleased.’
’I remember the joy and satisfaction I felt when I first started earning money. Even though I was only making a few jiao or a few yuan back then—nothing like the thousands or tens of thousands I’m making now—the feeling was much stronger than it is today.’
’I remember the refreshing feeling that spread through my whole body when I came home every day and washed my face with water—the deep comfort that came after a hard day’s work.’
’I remember standing there with Sun Jiaming, our eyes meeting in silence, a tender affection blooming in my heart. I loved that feeling. It was so sweet.’
Now she was in the city. She had earned money. She was going to rent stalls in the Soviet Union and open her own private mall in the city. Next year, she would buy a big house and probably a car, too. And yet, Gu’er felt she still missed her life in the village.
Gu’er sighed. ’Maybe things are developing too quickly, and I’m having trouble adjusting. Maybe, at heart, I’m just a woman who prefers a quiet life. I’m not cut out to be a career woman.’
’But since I’ve already taken this step, I have to keep moving forward, one steady step at a time.’
’Opening the mall isn’t just about me. I have Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, Dingzi, and Liu Yuan behind me, not to mention the fifty employees and my dad. I have to be responsible for everyone. Opening a mall is no simple task; there will be plenty of trouble ahead. I have to summon my courage and face each day with a positive attitude. I have to make the mall a success, make it thrive. Making money is what really matters.’
’Then there’s the Soviet Union. I have to deal with the issue of its collapse. Before the collapse, these two stalls will definitely need a lot of goods. How to ship them over and what goods to choose are also problems that need to be solved.’
’Also, if I buy a house next year, Sun Jiaming and I will have to plan our wedding. Since I promised to marry him in two years, I can’t delay it. Life after marriage will surely be different from life before. How to run the business well while also living a good life with Sun Jiaming... these are all things to consider. I don’t have time to think about anything else. I have to move forward with determination.’
After thinking all this through, Gu’er checked the time. Almost an hour had passed. She took the bread out of the oven.
The crust of the Daliba had turned golden brown. The aroma was fragrant and enticing.
Gu’er placed the Daliba on the cutting board. It was still too hot to eat, so she would taste it after it cooled down.
The bread was done, and it looked quite good. Gu’er glanced out into the yard. The others hadn’t returned yet, so she washed the rice first and started steaming it.
They had brought some meat and vegetables when they arrived. She couldn’t wait for them to get back with their fish, so Gu’er went ahead and made a few dishes.
"Gu’er! Gu’er! Quick, grab a bucket! Look how many fish we caught!"
Just as she was taking the soup off the stove, Gu’er heard Li Zhi’s shout.
Gu’er grabbed a bucket and went to meet them. Seeing the fish they had caught, she couldn’t help but laugh.
"Wow, the fish you caught are huge."
Gu’er laughed at the three men.
Dingzi’s expression didn’t change, and Sun Jiaming just smiled. Only Li Zhi had the gall to lift his chin and say, "Of course! You know who you’re dealing with."
Gu’er couldn’t hold back her laughter. She reached for the bucket, but Sun Jiaming grabbed it and carried it to the kitchen.
The fish they had caught were only about the size of a finger. Stewing them was out of the question, but they had worked hard to catch them, so she couldn’t just throw them away. Gu’er and Sun Jiaming quickly cleaned them together. While Sun Jiaming carried the meal to the kang table, Gu’er fried the fish.
"You know, this fish is actually really good. Way better than the fish in the city."
Li Zhi praised it as he ate. He ended up eating more than half of it himself. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
"Of course. The fish here are completely wild. They grow slowly, so how could they not be delicious?"
Gu’er glanced at him.
"The bread you baked is delicious too! I think it’s even better than the Daliba I’ve had in the Soviet Union and Harbin. Especially the one with raisins and walnuts. I love it."
Li Zhi added, trying to flatter Gu’er. They had all come together, but while they were out fishing, Gu’er had stayed home baking bread and cooking dinner. She had really worked hard. Besides, he wasn’t lying; the bread Gu’er baked was genuinely tasty.
"I think it’s not as sour as the ones from the Soviet Union, but it’s more fragrant and better suited to our tastes," Sun Jiaming offered his opinion.
Dingzi nodded in agreement.
Gu’er’s eyes crinkled into a smile. The defining characteristics of Daliba were its golden-brown color, its rich wheat aroma, a hard, crispy crust with a soft interior, a slightly salty flavor with a subtly sour aftertaste, and a chewy texture that became more fragrant the more you chewed.
’Compared to the ones from the Soviet Union, mine isn’t as sour, but I think the taste and texture are better this way. Now I have two versions, plain and with nuts, which gives people more options. Since they all think it’s good, it will probably sell well.’
"Then let’s call ours ’Gu Xiang Daliba.’ And from now on, the Gewasi won’t be called Qiulin Gewasi, but ’Gu Xiang Gewasi.’ What do you guys think?"
Gu’er felt they couldn’t use the same name as the one from Qiulin Mall in Harbin. Since they were making it themselves, they could give it their own name. Later, she could go and register it, and it would become their own brand.
"Okay, Gu Xiang it is. It’s easy to remember and sounds nice."
Li Zhi nodded. If Gu’er hadn’t suggested it and he had been asked to name it, he would have said "Gu’er’s Daliba," which he had to admit didn’t sound as good as "Gu Xiang."
"Alright then. I’ll make it a couple more times to perfect the ratios, and then I’ll teach someone else. Who do you think would be a good person to pass this skill on to?"
Gu’er had someone in mind, but since it was a joint business, she didn’t want to make the decision alone. If they also had suitable candidates, they could all discuss it.
Her words had barely left her lips, before Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, or Dingzi could speak, when they heard someone calling from outside, "Jia Ming! Jia Ming, are you home?"
