Chapter 151: Skilled in Making Money

They bought ten coconuts in total, none of them overly large. Half were used to stew chicken, and the other half were reserved for making coconut milk jelly.

The chickens were small hens raised by the seaside residents themselves. They bought two, which, once prepped, fit perfectly inside four of the coconuts. Inside the coconuts, alongside the chicken meat and scraped coconut flesh, they added only a little salt, ginger slices, goji berries, and red dates. The large pot was set up for double-boiling for two and a half hours.

Once the chicken was simmering, Chen Xin began preparing the coconut milk jelly.

After opening the coconuts, she poured out the coconut water, mixed it with milk that had been pre-boiled, and stirred in an appropriate amount of sugar. Separately, she used ice water to dissolve gelatin sheets, slowly adding them to the coconut milk and stirring until well combined.

Chen Xin made six portions of coconut milk jelly. Four of them included diced fruit mixed in, while the other two were low-sugar versions with reduced sweetness. These four were placed in the refrigerator to chill, setting completely within four hours.

Lunch was expertly prepared by the housekeeper. Various seafood passed through her hands, transforming into a spread of culinary delights on the table. Knowing that Chen Xin favored spicy food, the housekeeper also prepared two dishes: spicy stir-fried clams and pungent, spicy yellow croaker, both of which tasted exceptionally wonderful. Although the heat wasn't quite as blazing as what Chen Xin was used to in her hometown, the balance between the spice, freshness, and natural sweetness made it impossible to put down one's chopsticks.

Grandpa Zhou was particularly fond of the coconut chicken; he finished an entire crock of it by himself. Of course, half of the chicken meat inside had been removed beforehand, replaced with softer, easily digestible ingredients.

When Zhou Yu and the others returned from their afternoon outing, they found Zhang Zhang and Grandpa Zhou holding glass bowls, happily eating jelly.

"Grandpa, what is this?"

"It's the coconut milk jelly Xiao Xin made. It's delicious!"

Given his advanced age, Grandpa Zhou had been advised by his doctor to limit his sugar intake, so he rarely ate sweets. However, the coconut milk jelly Chen Xin made this time was very low in sugar, with just a tiny bit of diced pineapple added for a sweet-and-sour flavor that stimulated the appetite. Combined with the easily digestible nature of coconut milk, even a slightly larger portion posed no problem for him.

Compared to Grandpa Zhou's relatively plain-looking bowl of jelly, the one Zhang Zhang held was far more vibrant in color. A generous variety of tropical fruits had been diced and piled high into the bowl, creating a mound of red, white, and yellow.

"Sister Xin, I want some too!"

Several teenagers, drenched in sweat, roared into the kitchen, eager to sample this so-called coconut milk jelly.

Aside from the jelly, a large watermelon had also been chilled. Seeing the boys return, the housekeeper had already briskly sliced the watermelon and placed it in a large basin. Now, she carried it straight out, setting it under the tree in the courtyard for help-yourself snacking.

Zhou Sheng seemed almost possessed, carrying his camera with him wherever he went. Unlike the other sweaty boys, he looked much the same coming back as he had when he left, save for a few slightly damp strands of hair at his temples. In weather this hot, not sweating at all would mean falling sick.

Quietly, Zhou Sheng pressed the shutter from various angles, capturing the lively scene in the courtyard. In particular, the photo of Grandpa Zhou and Zhang Zhang sitting across from each other, the old man and the youth earnestly eating their coconut milk jelly side by side, was enough to melt anyone's heart.

Under Chen Xin's guidance, Zhou Sheng had also registered his own blog account. He categorized his photos, selected the ones he felt were best, and posted them alongside very simple descriptive text.

Zhou Sheng was not fond of literature, so his descriptions lacked heavy ornamentation; even his emotions were expressed with profound restraint. Yet, anyone who looked at the photos could deeply feel the mood behind them.

Chen Xin also posted updates: seaside barbecues, daytime delicacies, and the serene little courtyard, paired with her graceful, lyrical prose. Together, they presented a picture of vibrant yet tranquil and unhurried daily life in a coastal farming village.

The follower count on her blog was already extremely high. Beneath this particular post, crowds of people were clamoring for the address, eager to experience a pure, uncommercialized seaside fishing village lifestyle.

In her replies, Chen Xin explained that the small coastal town where she was located was a centuries-old maritime defense stronghold. Life here was peaceful, though it moved at a somewhat leisurely, unhurried pace. As a result, in terms of tourism, the available activities were relatively few. Of course, for friends who purely wanted to sample local delicacies and experience the life of a fishing family by heading out to sea, it was well worth a visit.

Consequently, someone direct-messued her, asking her to help arrange a place to stay and mentioning plans to bring his girlfriend over for a vacation that weekend.

Normally, Chen Xin would not refuse a reasonable request from a netizen. Upon receiving the private message, she sought out Zhou Hao, hoping to ask for his assistance in making arrangements.

However, at this point in time, aside from a few famous scenic spots, other areas had yet to develop farmhouse-style tourism. This old town, in particular, saw very few people staying overnight for leisure; travelers were mostly just passing through or visiting relatives, with only a few basic inns near the pier.

Since visitors were coming to experience a fishing village homestay, they certainly couldn't stay at an inn near the dock. The environment there was noisy and the accommodation conditions were poor, guaranteeing that guests would come once and never return.

"Sister Xin, Sister Xin, our family has space for guests! Can you arrange for them to stay at our house?"

Among Zhou Yu's companions was a dark-skinned boy, short and sturdy. He had been sitting close to Chen Xin, listening to the conversation between her and Zhou Hao. After building up his courage for a long time, he finally couldn't help but step forward to recommend himself.

"My mom's factory went bankrupt, so she's been doing odd jobs, and my dad works on a fishing boat, so he's rarely home. My mom and older sister are great cooks, though my sister also works at the fishery—two days on, one day off. Our house isn't far from the pier either; it's right by the sea just past here. Do—do you want to go take a look?"

Chen Xin exchanged a glance with Zhou Hao and nodded. "Alright then. Why don't we go take a look right now? If it's feasible, you guys can start preparing early."

Dropping what he was holding and quickly wiping his hands, the dark-skinned boy stood up and led Chen Xin to inspect his family's place. Chen Xin also dragged Zhou Sheng along, suggesting that having him take a few photos would add to the credibility.

A group of boys all loved joining in the fun. Moreover, two of the dark-skinned boy's classmates also came from families with less-than-ideal financial situations, so if Chen Xin's plan worked out, they wanted to join in too.

The dark-skinned boy hadn't exaggerated; the condition of his family's house was quite decent, far superior to a simple fisherman's hut. According to him, their old house had a history of over a hundred years, with only the kitchen and the outdoor drying terrace having been newly rebuilt.

Chen Xin took a tour of the premises. The exterior condition of the small two-story house was quite good. They had renovated it a couple of years prior, replacing the roof tiles and repainting the exterior walls with coating. However, the interior was far too crude; the beds were old-fashioned wooden frame beds that creaked noisily when sat upon, lacking even mattresses.

Chen Xin pulled the dark-skinned boy aside, pointing out step-by-step what needed to be remodeled and where a proper bathroom should be built. She even wrote it all down on paper for him, making it easier for him to consult someone and calculate how much the renovations would cost.