Thoughts
The syrup from the top yam bean slowly dripped down onto the second yam bean, which had enough syrup on it to continue the descent.
Today was cold, and the hot syrup exposed to the air quickly formed a thin layer of sugar crystals, which looked incredibly beautiful.
Not to mention Da Tou and the others, even Man Bao couldn't help but swallow her saliva as she looked at it.
It looked so delicious.
Xiao Qian only had time to take a quick glance before quickly stirring the remaining yam beans.
The syrup would drip down, and since they didn't have anything to stick the yam beans on, they could only hold them in their hands. A few children accidentally got syrup on their hands and were reluctant to let go. They even stuck out their tongues to lick it, their eyes sparkling.
Man Bao looked at the yam beans in her hand and couldn't help but lick her fingers. It tasted different from the candies she usually ate.
Man Bao's eyes sparkled.
Keke also saw the real thing for the first time. When she saw Man Bao about to eat, she couldn't help but say, "Wait a little longer." Shouldn't we wait for the sugar to cool and solidify before eating?
Man Bao pursed her lips, holding the candy gourd and examining it. She felt that she shouldn't suffer alone, so she patted Da Tou and the others on the head, forbidding them to eat, and said, "Wait for the sugar to cool before eating." This is called ice sugar gourd. "It's not cold if we eat it now."
Da Tou swallowed hard and asked, "How cold does it have to be to eat?"
"I don't know," Man Bao also eagerly waited, but she quickly came up with a solution, "Let's go outside and wait." "It's colder outside."
Xiao Qian also felt that they were getting in the way, so when she saw them running out on their own, she stopped talking.
Lao Zhou didn't know what was happening in the kitchen. When he saw the children running out with a candy gourd in their hands, he was stunned.
Zhou Si Lang had just finished eating and was about to go back to his room to lie down, but when he saw what Man Bao and the others were holding, he immediately stopped and went to the kitchen. "Sister-in-law, I want to eat candied gourd too!"
"These items are all intended for children to eat." "I only made eight strings in total."
Zhou Si Lang was heartbroken when he heard this and thought for a moment before running to find Man Bao.
Zhou Wu Lang and Zhou Liu Lang, who were already resting in the house, heard Zhou Si Lang's voice and immediately opened the door. When they saw Man Bao and their nephews and nieces holding a candy gourd in their hands, they immediately salivated and went to see, "Did Sister-in-law really make this?"
"It's really amazing; it's no worse than the ones sold on the street." Da Tou, can you give Uncle Wu an apple to eat?
Da Tou was not very willing and turned away, showing his back to him.
Zhou Liu Lang went to find Er Ya and said, "You asked me to buy a headband for you last time, and I bought it for you."
Er Ya was reluctant, but still said, "Just eat one."
Zhou Liu Lang was happy, "No problem!"
His eyes began to glance at the others.
Zhou Si Lang and Zhou Wu Lang immediately considered which of the children owed them a favor.
Including Man Bao, they had all helped each other, and they had all been begged for help. The two of them smiled mischievously and started to scamper around the room, tricking one person here and another there.
Man Bao was the first to realize that something was wrong. At this rate, the three of them would end up with more yam beans. She hummed and refused to give them away, so she ran back and brought a big bowl, holding the candy gourd and eagerly waiting for it to cool down.
"Why don't we take them all off and then divide them evenly?" Zhou Si Lang happily agreed. When Man Bao mentioned dividing them evenly, she meant including the whole family.
Da Tou and the others who hadn't reacted yet saw Xiao Qian running towards their grandmother with a big bowl, and then they realized.
The children pouted, feeling a bit aggrieved, but they also knew that they had to prioritize showing filial piety first.
Qian Shi and Lao Zhou each ate one, and they patted Man Bao's head, saying with a smile, "It's delicious." They decided to give one to their brothers and sisters-in-law, and the rest could be shared among themselves and their nephews and nieces.
Man Bao happily agreed, but she couldn't just share with her nephews and nieces; she also included her four brothers.
But Zhou Da Lang and Xiao Qian Shi also each took one. Xiao Qian Shi ate while saying, "It's not in vain that I spent so much sugar."
Zhou Si Lang ate with relish and said, "Sister-in-law, yours is even better than the ones sold in the county town."
Xiao Qian Shi laughed, "You're just good at flattering people."
Man Bao immediately said, "Sister-in-law, it's not flattery; it's really better than the ones in the county town." Their candy gourds are made of sour hawthorn, and they're not tasty at all.
Zhou Wu Lang said, "It's still okay, but not as good as my sister-in-law's."
Da Tou and the others had already eaten so much that they couldn't lift their heads.
Xiao Qian Shi pondered, "Are they truly better than the ones in the county town?"
The four individuals who had consumed the candy gourds in the county town nodded vigorously, convinced that they never told lies.
Xiao Qian Shi was moved and looked at her husband.
But she didn't say anything. When everyone had finished eating, Man Bao reluctantly licked her fingertips. She was about to go back to her room to study when Xiao Qian Shi followed her.
Avoiding the family, Xiao Qian Shi asked softly, "Man Bao, how much does a string of candy gourds sell for in the county town?"
"Five wen for a string."
Xiao Qian Shi was amazed, "So expensive?"
You could buy five cooked eggs with that.
"A big string costs three wen," Man Bao added.
Xiao Qian Shi almost couldn't resist patting her head and asked, "Do you think anyone would buy candy gourds made with yam beans if your sister-in-law sold them?"
Man Bao nodded vigorously, "They definitely would." Yam beans are much tastier than hawthorn.
Xiao Qian Shi calculated the investment in brown sugar and realized that she could potentially make a significant profit, considering that the yam beans were sourced from the family and wouldn't incur any costs.
Xiao Qian Shi hesitated for a moment and said, "Then, should I make a few strings to try?"
"Okay, okay, sister-in-law, make them now."
If she made them now, she could eat a string, and then she could eat another one tomorrow morning…
Man Bao wiped her mouth and urged Xiao Qian Shi, "Make them tonight, and have Wu Ge take them to the county town for tasting tomorrow."
"I don't want them to take it; there's not enough for them to eat." "I'll have your eldest sister take it."
Whoever it was, they had to be made tonight, and they had to be tied up with straw, or the candy gourds wouldn't be easy to carry.
Deciding to make them, Xiao Qian Shi rolled up her sleeves and went out. She asked her husband to tie up the straw, and Man Bao also stopped studying and eagerly followed. She wanted to eat another string!
No, it would be best to eat two servings!