Chapter 19: It Will Definitely Work

Gu Yu was only on a temporary leave at home; after some time, he would have to head out again.

In truth, no one in the Gu family, not even Ji Sisi, knew exactly what Gu Yu was doing now. After serving in the military for several years and earning promotions, he was transferred to a special department that required strict confidentiality. Even the book she had read didn’t elaborate much, as Ji Sisi understood some military affairs had to remain classified.

Since Gu Wei and Gu Ning were still minors, Ji Sisi found it difficult to manage everything alone and needed an assistant.

To be honest, Ji Sisi was somewhat dissatisfied with her mother-in-law. Lin Jinghua was a kind-hearted woman with a gentle nature, which, unfortunately, had led to her children being bullied within the Gu household after the eldest son’s death.

However, Ji Sisi had become part of this family. Since she wished for her husband and his younger siblings to live better lives, it was inevitable that the family, especially her mother-in-law, would need to change.

Therefore, Ji Sisi planned to take her mother-in-law along on outings as a form of experience and growth. She was confident that the two women traveling together would be safe. Lin Jinghua was also hardworking and could help Ji Sisi with many tasks.

“Mom, aren’t we supposed to earn money now? I think we could set up a stall selling snacks outside the station,” Ji Sisi suggested.

Lin Jinghua was startled. “Sisi, what did you say?”

Ji Sisi repeated her idea and tried to persuade her gently. “Mom, there are so many of us; we can’t rely on Yu alone to support us. Plus, we need to support Wei and Ning’s education, and eventually, we’ll need to build a house — all of which requires a lot of money.”

Hearing this, Lin Jinghua’s eyes welled with tears again. “Sisi, it’s all because I’m useless. I’ve only been a burden to you.”

“Mom, don’t say that. My own birth parents were heartless. Even if it wasn’t for you all, I’d still need to earn money to support myself. Besides, times have changed. It’s no longer only men who must earn for the family. They say men and women are equal now; we women can work and earn too.”

“Earning your own living and spending your own money — isn’t that wonderful?”

Ji Sisi said a lot. Lin Jinghua was beginning to waver but was still timid.

After Gu Yu finished washing the dishes and came out, he first shared his wife’s idea with his son and sought his opinion.

Gu Yu’s initial reaction was refusal. Though he was a capable man who always helped with household chores when he returned, deep down, he still held traditional views that earning and supporting the family was a man’s duty and responsibility.

But when he looked into Ji Sisi’s eyes, suddenly he couldn’t bring himself to voice any objections.

He knew his wife was not like other women. Besides her strength, she was independent, capable, and unique. Suddenly, Gu Yu felt he shouldn’t suppress Ji Sisi’s behavior and ambitions.

If she was destined to be an eagle, he shouldn’t clip her wings.

It didn’t matter if she didn’t earn money; he could just work harder himself. Letting his wife take her mother out to see the world and relax was fine too.

So what was meant to be a refusal turned into, “Oh, is there anything I can do to help?”

There actually was something. Ji Sisi could prepare the ingredients herself, but the kind of handcart needed for the stall wasn’t available on the market. According to system rules, it probably couldn’t be obtained at any checkpoint either, so she shared her idea and request with Gu Yu.

In Ji Sisi’s mind, this man was capable and strong. Entrusting this task to him should be no problem.

Of course, she didn’t notice the strange look that crossed Gu Yu’s face when she mentioned the handcart. Instead, she smiled and said, “Yu, I know you’re amazing; you can definitely do it.”

No matter what, he had to say yes. How could a man admit defeat in front of his wife?

Turning away, Gu Yu stubbornly wiped his face. It was just carpentry work — humph, he could handle that!

Ji Sisi planned to sell tea eggs, after all, she currently possessed a fortune of a thousand eggs.

Eggs were always a hard currency, no matter the era. Even if those obtained from checkpoints ran out, she could buy more herself, though the profit might not be as high.

Tea eggs, as one of China’s most famous traditional snacks, were simple to make and easy to carry. Selling them at a station was ideal.

Of course, this was just the initial plan. After earning the first batch of money, Ji Sisi intended to gradually expand her business.

Her confidence stemmed from her cooking skills. Even Lin Jinghua, who had cooked for decades, was amazed. “Sisi, you’re incredible. The dishes you make are super delicious.”

“It’s nothing special. Cooking tastes better when you’re generous with oil,” Ji Sisi replied.

Lin Jinghua knew it wasn’t just that. “Is it because you’ve practiced a lot? Were you the one doing most of the chores at home?”

“Yes, I did the laundry, cooking, and all the housework.”

In fact, this was not only a reflection of the original owner’s life but also of Ji Sisi’s previous life.

Perhaps she was born without the favor of her parents.

In this world, she encountered people like Ji Liguo and Zhu Jiahui, who boasted about selling their daughters.

In her past life, Ji Sisi never knew parental love. After her parents' divorce, each formed a new family. From then on, unloved by either father or mother, she was tossed back and forth like a ball, struggling to survive in the cracks.

To please her parents, Ji Sisi honed excellent cooking skills, but both her biological father and stepmother, as well as her mother and stepfather, treated her as a free maid.

Once she could live independently, she cut off contact with both sides.

Thus, Ji Sisi learned early on that only by becoming strong could she live well; no one else could be relied upon.

Though her daughter-in-law spoke calmly, Lin Jinghua felt deeply pained. Such a good child—why didn’t her in-laws cherish her and treat her better?

Trusting Gu Yu’s capability, the handcart should be ready soon. Meanwhile, Ji Sisi had already started preparing the tea eggs.

If others were starting a small business, they might have worries, but Ji Sisi knew the future economic trends.

Without hesitation, she took out a hundred eggs. Luckily, her mother-in-law, younger brother-in-law, and younger sister-in-law were all strong and helped her clean them thoroughly.

After boiling, she cooled the eggs with cold water, then gently cracked the shells without breaking the inner membrane.

She placed them into an iron pot. Ji Sisi had prepared a spice bag in advance containing tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon, dried chili, and ginger, all wrapped in fine mesh cloth.

She put the spice bag into the pot, added water, and began to simmer.

When the water boiled, she added some soy sauce and sugar.

Fortunately, during their previous outing, Gu Yu had given her some money and vouchers; otherwise, Ji Sisi would have struggled to explain how she had so many quality ingredients.