"It's still early, go back to sleep for a while," Song Nianchu whispered softly.
Mu Yongnian rubbed his eyes, gradually regaining consciousness, and propped himself up to sit.
"Eldest sister-in-law, let me help you."
"No need, I already prepared most of it last night. There isn’t much to do this morning." Song Nianchu couldn’t bear to make a child wake up so early just to help her with chores.
"It’s fine. I went to bed early last night, so I’m fully awake now." Mu Yongnian started putting on his clothes as he spoke.
Seeing how sensible Mu Yongnian was, Song Nianchu didn’t know what else to say.
How could Mu's mother and Mu Jingmei not cherish such a good child?
In the end, Mu Yongnian still got up with Song Nianchu, helping her light the fire and prepare the ingredients.
By the time the sky brightened, Song Nianchu had finally finished cooking everything.
Looking at the large basin full of crispy fried fish, she felt a sense of accomplishment—though her back was aching terribly.
If she had to work like this every day, she’d surely burn out. She needed to find help soon.
"Yongnian, I’ll head out first. Haoxuan hasn’t woken up yet. When he does, boil an egg for each of you. For lunch, you’ll have to make do with the crispy fish again." Song Nianchu gave Mu Yongnian an apologetic look.
She really hadn’t had time to prepare other dishes for them these past two days.
"Eldest sister-in-law, don’t worry. The fish is delicious, and we all love it," Mu Yongnian assured her firmly.
"That’s good. Keep an eye on the house. If your mother or second sister come looking for you, just pretend you didn’t hear them. Wait for me to come back before dealing with them, understand?" Song Nianchu added, remembering how Mu's mother and Mu Jingmei had shown up the day before.
"Okay." Mu Yongnian nodded obediently.
After giving all the necessary instructions, Song Nianchu finally picked up her basket and left.
......
State-run restaurant.
Manager Li’s office.
"Nianchu, those jars of cumin squid you brought yesterday were also a hit. Starting tomorrow, I’ll take thirty portions of those too," Manager Li said with a beaming smile.
"Alright," Song Nianchu agreed with a nod.
"Here, this is your payment for today." Manager Li handed her a stack of bills.
Song Nianchu counted them carefully before tucking them away.
"By the way, Manager Li, do many out-of-towners come to eat here?" she asked.
"It depends. Some days there are more, some days fewer. But if visitors want a proper meal, they’ll definitely come to us." Though Manager Li didn’t understand why she was asking, he answered honestly.
It wasn’t that their restaurant’s food was exceptional—it was just that theirs was the only state-run restaurant in the entire county.
Where else could people go? Unless they brought their own provisions.
"Do you think those visitors would want to take some local specialties back with them?" Song Nianchu’s eyes gleamed thoughtfully.
Manager Li was sharp. The moment he heard her words, he realized she had another money-making idea.
"Nianchu, we’re old acquaintances now. If you’ve got something in mind, just say it outright," Manager Li urged.
"I was thinking—if visitors enjoy our food, they might want to bring some back for their families to try," Song Nianchu explained slowly.
"I’ve had customers take food to-go before, but wouldn’t it be inconvenient for out-of-towners? The dishes wouldn’t stay fresh for long," Manager Li frowned.
"Manager Li, do you remember what I used to pack the crispy fish in when I first brought it to you?" Song Nianchu had been waiting for this exact question.
Only then did Manager Li realize, his eyes widening.
"Glass jars! Canned goods!"
"Exactly. We could make more canned goods. With proper sealing, they’d last much longer, and visitors could carry them more easily. What do you think of this idea?" Song Nianchu asked.
"I think it’s brilliant! The chefs here even asked me if those crispy fish jars I got from you were store-bought canned food," Manager Li said excitedly.
"Should we give it a try, then?" Song Nianchu suggested.
"Sure—" Manager Li was about to agree when he suddenly hesitated. "But didn’t you say we should limit quantities? If we start selling canned goods, wouldn’t that mean unlimited supply?"
"That’s easy to handle. The cost of canned goods is higher, so we’ll raise the price accordingly—making it distinct from the dine-in prices. That way, it won’t interfere with our existing business," Song Nianchu replied without missing a beat.
"Ah! Why didn’t I think of that?" Manager Li slapped his thigh, then looked at Song Nianchu with admiration.
"Nianchu, your mind is truly sharp!"
"I just know a thing or two about food," she said modestly.
"No, no—you’re genuinely clever. From now on, if there’s anything you need, just tell me. If it’s within my power, I won’t hesitate!" Manager Li had a strong intuition that staying on good terms with Song Nianchu was crucial.
"Thank you, Manager Li," Song Nianchu replied with a smile.
"No need for thanks! But with all this—cooking and canning—can you handle it alone?" Manager Li sounded concerned.
He wanted to make money, but he also cared about the restaurant’s reputation.
If the quality dropped due to increased production, they might lose even the small profits they had now.
"Manager Li, you forget—Qinghe Fishing Village has plenty of people. This amount is manageable," Song Nianchu chuckled.
Manager Li’s eyes flickered.
"You’re planning to involve your whole village?"
"The quantity is too much for one person."
Manager Li studied her for a moment. Had Song Nianchu intended from the start to bring the entire Qinghe Fishing Village into this?
"Manager Li, I should get going now. I’ll deliver the goods on time tomorrow," Song Nianchu said, noticing his thoughtful expression and quickly cutting in.
"Alright, be careful on your way back." Once his train of thought was interrupted, Manager Li didn’t dwell on it further.
As long as they were making money now, it didn’t matter whether Song Nianchu worked alone or with her village. In fact, involving the whole village might even be safer—no need to worry about being accused of profiteering.
"Got it." With that, Song Nianchu turned and left.
After leaving the state-run restaurant, Song Nianchu didn’t go to the hospital to visit Mu Shi'an and Mu's Father. Instead, she asked around for directions to the county’s glass factory.
Once she had the location, she headed straight there.
The glass factory was built in the suburbs, surrounded by nothing but barren land.
Song Nianchu walked toward the security booth.
