"Xinxin, are you planning to move to the town?" Gu Qingheng looked at Yang Ruxin, thinking that if she moved, he would also need to buy a property nearby.
"Not for now, but I do plan to tidy up this place. After all, we are going to do business, and in case we are late or something, we need a place to stay, don’t you think?"
Gu Qingheng nodded, "That’s a good idea, and Xiaofeng should start school too. He will definitely come to town then." Even if she didn’t move over temporarily, he would still need to buy a house in the area.
"Hmm." Yang Ruxin had Gu Yao push the cart into the kitchen next door and then lock the door. "Let’s go back." Tomorrow, she would have the materials delivered here, which would make it convenient to make soups or the like, but when they got home, it was time to divide the labor. She would run the stall, but the shrimp paste business must not be neglected.
Lu Gao was a clever man; with just a hint from Yang Ruxin, he quickly seized the opportunity. Now he had unified all the ship owners he knew, ensuring that all the large and small shrimp they caught were sold to him, and then he would deliver them to Yang Ruxin, earning a margin of one or two wen per catty. Although the difference was small, the sheer quantity made up for it. By his calculations, he could earn a few taels of silver a month, which was much less risky and more stable than fishing.
He even planned to lease out his own fishing boat to focus solely on this business.
Yang Ruxin approved of this because she also wanted to expand the scale of the shrimp paste production. It was clear now that the small stone mill at home was nowhere near adequate.
The group returned to the village where Xun Hui and the Feng Family had already prepared lunch. After eating, Yang Ruxin went to find the village chief. She intended to buy a piece of vacant land next to the courtyard where she lived to build a separate workshop for shrimp paste processing.
Upon returning from the village chief’s home and just entering the gate, she saw Sanni with a few children, all sitting in the courtyard with a mix of strange and melancholic expressions.
"What happened?" Yang Ruxin asked with a smile as she pinched Sini and Zhou Ying’s little cheeks, "Who owes you money?"
"Xinxin, you’re back?" At this moment, Xun Hui came out looking sheepish. "That...," she said, wringing her hands, obviously at a loss for words.
"What exactly happened?" Yang Ruxin frowned.
Yang Ruyu was inside, sleeping," said Sanni in a muffled and grumpy tone. "I don’t know what she’s up to."
"Yang Ruyu?" Yang Ruxin’s expression darkened immediately, "How did she end up in our house?"
"She fainted right at our courtyard entrance," Xun Hui hurriedly interjected. "The poor child has been crying nonstop until she fell asleep just a moment ago..."
Yang Ruxin glanced at Xun Hui and strode into the room. Indeed, someone was lying on her Kang bed, eyes closed, sleeping soundly. She couldn’t help but scoff, "Yang Ruyu, I know you’re not asleep, get up for me..." She was about to go forward and pull the blanket off.
"Xinxin..." Xun Hui followed her in and grabbed Yang Ruxin’s arm, pulling her outside, "This child is pitiful, her body is covered in wounds. Let her sleep for a while..."
"Big sister, she indeed has wounds all over her body," Erni nodded in agreement. "She was almost..." She couldn’t continue.
Yang Ruxin turned her head to look at Xun Hui and then at Erni, "Are you sure you want to keep her?"