Chapter Twenty-Four: Selling Mountain Goods

After wandering around for quite a while, Chen Xin had sized up the situation and began directing the two men to buy, buy, buy. She wouldn’t let Brother Zhang pay, nor did she think he had enough money for all her purchases. Seeing the man’s embarrassment, Chen Xin smiled considerately and explained that the money she was using had been left by her brother-in-law. She had invested part of it earlier and the returns were good—enough to support both her and Zhang Zhang without issue. Brother Zhang knew about her breakfast stall, so neither man doubted her words.

“I remember telling Brother Zhang to stay in the provincial city and help me, but he insisted on returning home, saying he couldn’t leave Father and Mother unattended. I couldn’t very well ask him to ignore his parents, could I? So, this time, I brought back all the money my brother-in-law left us, except for a quarter that I set aside for Zhang Zhang’s education. I want Brother Zhang to use the rest to start an aquaculture project—this way, he can earn more, and still take care of his parents at home.”

Hearing this, her second brother-in-law nodded. It was certainly a better plan than his earlier idea of getting Brother Zhang a job at his workplace. The unit job seemed stable, but the income was meager. It was fine for one person, but for a family, it was barely enough to scrape by. His reasoning was that if Brother Zhang went out, he’d meet more people and have more opportunities to find a wife.

But Chen Xin’s proposal was sensible. If the household had a profitable venture, they wouldn’t fear young women refusing to marry in. Earning money at home while supporting parents—wasn’t that better than a unit job? The aquaculture project, though, was unfamiliar to him; he’d need to ask colleagues for advice. Their unit had some pilot projects, too. If the village could secure support from the town or county, he could suggest to leadership that a pilot site be set up here, giving him more chances to visit his in-laws.

Brother Zhang listened to their discussion but found most of it perplexing. Chen Xin was not in a rush; she patiently broke down the details for him. Some points her second brother-in-law could supplement, others even he was unfamiliar with, and after listening to Chen Xin, he felt he needed to study up as well.

It was a little past nine when Lei Bang called, saying he’d arrived at the edge of town and asking if Chen Xin had finished shopping. If so, he’d take them all back together.

Riding was much easier than walking. The things they’d bought were scattered into two baskets, with Chen Xin carrying two bags herself. She found Auntie and asked if she wanted to go with them, but Auntie said she’d arranged to return with others and still had things to buy, so Chen Xin and the men should go ahead. Villagers were used to walking and knew their limits well; they’d never buy more than they could carry.

With no need to wait for Auntie, the three of them headed straight to the town entrance and climbed into Lei Bang’s jeep.

“Hey, little sister, I was wondering if you could help me buy more smoked chickens—preferably mountain chickens—and some smoked meat and sausages. I’ve got a friend heading to the northeast to see his father-in-law, and he wants to bring some local specialties.”

“No problem. Brother Zhang knows the village well—could you recommend to Brother Lei which families make the most and the best?”

Brother Zhang, though taciturn, had lived in the village for thirty years and knew every detail. He immediately named two households and promised to ask if they’d sell.

To Brother Zhang, selling was no issue, but the price needed negotiation. Since he hadn’t given advance notice, most families were preparing these for their own New Year’s celebrations; selling meant their holiday meals would be simpler. If the price was too low, it would be hard to ask.

His expressions were easy to read. Lei Bang, sharp as ever, saw right through him and said as long as Brother Zhang asked, he’d handle the pricing himself, ensuring the villagers weren’t shortchanged.

Lei Bang was actually from a prominent official family, though few outsiders knew it. His background was deep, and he’d been sent to this remote area by his grandfather as a form of tempering after a serious dispute with someone. Most of the things he bought were for social obligations.

Back in the mountains, Brother Zhang led Lei Bang from house to house, collecting a trove of local delicacies: aged medicinal wines, rare wild game, all crammed into a snake-skin bag.

“This place is a treasure trove, but the roads are terrible. I hear from Brother Zhang that you came up with the idea for them to apply for funding to fix the roads?”

Chen Xin was kneading glutinous rice dough when she heard him and nodded. “Yes, the land here is good, the air is clean, and the fruit tastes superb—even the vegetables have a sweet freshness. They have potential, but lack planning and design. Development on the mountain is different from down below; they need professional guidance. My suggestion was just casual, but for any real progress, they must apply for government support and seek expert evaluation.”

This process was well-established in the future, but in this impoverished, remote county, Chen Xin’s proposal was innovative and highly feasible.

Lei Bang was a man of action. Though his work was in the military, he often dealt with rural affairs. Even if he couldn’t implement it himself, recommending the idea to the right people would earn him considerable favor.

He immediately asked Chen Xin for a detailed rundown of her proposal, even inquiring about which experts should handle the evaluation, leaving Chen Xin speechless.

“I have a notion—if this works out, I can guarantee your brother-in-law’s village will become a model site. All right, I won’t delay you further. I’ll head off now, but after the New Year let’s find time to have a proper talk.”

So, now they were siblings… Chen Xin had complaints but no outlet.

“Wait, just a few minutes. I’ll make you some ‘swan eggs’ to take on the road; they’ll stave off hunger.”

These so-called swan eggs were not real eggs, but a snack Chen Xin had tasted before.

She kneaded glutinous rice flour with water, just like making tangyuan, pinching out thumb-sized solid balls and rolling them smooth in her palm. After resting them briefly on a plate, she set a pot on the fire, poured in oil, sprinkled in brown sugar to melt, and kept the temperature high but not so hot as to burn the sugar. Then she carefully slid the dough balls into the syrupy oil. As they heated, they swelled to the size of a baby’s fist, their surface coated in molten sugar. This step required skill; too long and the crust would crack and become tough, ruining both appearance and taste. Finally, she scooped them out, drained the excess oil on a bamboo tray, and skewered them with sharpened bamboo sticks.

Because their size and shape resembled swan eggs, these glutinous rice syrup balls earned the name “swan eggs.”

Lei Bang had eaten fried dough balls before, but these syrupy balls were new to him. He eagerly had Chen Xin pack up a dozen skewers; if she hadn’t insisted they weren’t good cold, he might have wanted the whole batch.