Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 51

On the tenth day of the first month, it was market day in Qiushui Town.

 

Last night, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan made five blocks of tofu. Two were sent to restaurants, and the other three were prepared for sale at the shop. Despite making so much tofu, Lu Yao was nervous, unsure if it would sell.

 

Starting from dawn, people from nearby villages began arriving gradually, mostly to secure spots for selling their goods.

 

As the tofu shop opened its doors, someone leaned against the entrance and asked, “Young man, what are you selling here?”

 

“We’re selling tofu, made from soybeans, and it tastes great. Would you like to try some?”

 

An elderly man, hands clasped behind his back, walked in and examined the tofu. Lu Yao cut a small piece for him to taste.

 

“How much is it?”

 

“Six coins per jin. If you have soybeans, you can also trade one jin of beans for one jin of tofu.”

 

“I’ll take a jin.”

 

“Alright!” Lu Yao swiftly cut a piece, weighed it, and said, “It’s just over a jin—one jin and two liang. Six coins will do.”

 

“How do I carry this?”

 

Zhao Beichuan used a wooden tray to carefully lift the tofu and tied it securely before handing it over. “Tofu is fragile; please handle it carefully.”

 

The old man picked it up curiously and inspected it. “Hey, you folks have quite the method!”

 

As he left the shop, someone outside noticed and couldn’t help but ask, “Old Li, what’s that in your hand?”

 

“Tofu. Haven’t seen it before, have you?”

 

“Where did you buy it?”

 

“The new shop up ahead. Six coins for a block like this.”

 

“How does it taste?”

 

“Surprisingly good!”

 

Hearing this, the crowd started flocking to the tofu shop. At only six coins, even families in tight circumstances were willing to splurge to try some, especially since it was much cheaper than pork!

 

Word spread like wildfire, and in an age without media, Lu’s Tofu Shop quickly became the talk of the market through word of mouth.

 

As more and more people came to buy tofu, the shop became overcrowded, and Lu Yao was so busy he barely touched the ground. Despite the cold weather, his back was drenched in sweat.

 

“Don’t rush; one at a time.”

 

“Don’t push from the back, or the table might topple!”

 

“Hey, who stepped on my shoe? You’ve ruined the sole!”

 

Seeing the commotion, Zhao Beichuan quickly stepped in to maintain order, asking everyone to queue up and estimating how many people the remaining tofu could serve. Those at the back were told to return the next day.

 

Xiaonian and Xiaodou sat nearby, helping count money. They had learned how to use the scale and could count up to one hundred. For every portion of tofu Lu Yao sold, they collected and counted the money before placing it in a bag, happily engrossed in their tasks.

 

By noon, all three blocks of tofu were sold out.

 

More than a dozen people were still waiting at the door. Having braved the cold for so long only to find the tofu sold out, they looked visibly disappointed.

 

Lu Yao quickly brought out wooden trays and handed them out, promising priority and a one-coin discount for those who brought the tray back next time to buy tofu.

 

This idea worked, and the crowd’s frustration eased. They left with the trays, reminding him, “Young man, your tofu sells well. Make more next time so we don’t waste a trip.”

 

“Got it! I’ll definitely make more next time!”

 

After closing the stall, Lu Yao was so exhausted that he couldn’t lift his arms. The two children were dizzy from counting money, and Zhao Beichuan, carrying the tofu molds, couldn’t stop smiling. He hadn’t expected tofu to become a hit in town!

 

—

 

A few days later, Zhao Beichuan brought back a large stone mill, costing five taels of silver. However, it significantly sped up tofu production.

 

The donkey, Dahua, was harnessed to the mill, its eyes covered with cloth. Zhao Beichuan’s job was to add water and soybeans while keeping an eye on Dahua to prevent any accidents.

 

They still made four blocks of tofu daily—two sent to restaurants and two for the shop. On market days, they made an additional two blocks, which usually sold out.

 

Each block of tofu brought a net profit of about 250 coins. Four blocks meant one tael of silver—a steady stream of income flowing into their home.

 

But it was exhausting. Within half a month, Lu Yao had visibly slimmed down, his sharp chin and ribs easily noticeable.

 

At night, Zhao Beichuan held him, heart aching. “Why don’t we make less tofu? I’m afraid you’ll overwork yourself.”

 

Lu Yao, too tired to keep his eyes open, mumbled in his arms, “This is the best time to make money. How can we stop? If it’s too much, we can hire someone to help at the shop…”

 

Although Lu Yao spoke casually, Zhao Beichuan took it seriously.

 

The next day, while delivering tofu to a restaurant, he approached Xu Bin to inquire about hiring help.

 

“Brother Xu, where do you find workers for your shop? And how much do you pay them monthly?”

 

Xu Bin chuckled. “Getting busy, are you?”

 

“It’s manageable on normal days, but the crowds on market days are overwhelming.” He thought hiring someone to grind the soybeans would free him to help Lu Yao in the shop.

 

Xu Bin lowered his voice. “Your tofu business is booming. Quite a few people in town have taken notice. Be cautious these days, or someone might steal your recipe.”

 

Zhao Beichuan frowned, understanding the warning, and quickly thanked him. “Thank you for the reminder, Brother Xu!”

 

“It’s nothing. Just thought it might help. Towns are different from villages—some people will do anything for money, regardless of morality or the law.”

 

“Understood!”

 

Xu Bin continued, “The restaurant staff were all introduced by friends, and they’re paid five taels of silver per month. If you’re looking for long-term help, you might as well visit a broker to buy a servant. That’s safer and reduces the risk of someone stealing your recipe.”

 

Zhao Beichuan thanked him again, deciding he needed to discuss this matter with Lu Yao.

 

After selling one block of tofu in the morning, Zhao Beichuan returned home early to grind soybeans. Meanwhile, Lu Yao stayed at the shop with the two children to sell the remaining block.

 

This year’s weather was harsh, with cold winds swirling into the room. Lu Yao got up to close the door, and the three of them huddled around the brazier for warmth. The only regret was the lack of sweet potatoes or yams to roast, which would have made a delicious treat.

 

“Sister-in-law, when are we going home?” Xiaodou asked, poking the coals with a stick, clearly bored.

 

“Tired? If you want, your sister can take you home to play. I can handle the shop myself.”

 

Xiaodou shook his head. “No, big brother told us to stay with you.”

 

Lu Yao reached out to ruffle his hair. “How about I tell you another story?”

 

“Okay!”

 

“What story would you like to hear?”

 

“Monkey King’s journey!” the two children said in unison.

 

Lu Yao had told Journey to the West seven or eight times, but the children still couldn’t get enough. So, he started from the beginning again. “A long, long time ago…”

 

“Bang!” Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and four or five burly men walked in.

 

The leader, a man with a rough face, pointed at Lu Yao and said, “Are you the one selling tofu?”

 

Lu Yao stood up and shielded the two children behind him. “Yes. Is there something I can help you with?”

 

“My elder brother ate your tofu yesterday, and now he’s vomiting and having diarrhea. He’s on the verge of death and lying in the clinic. What are you going to do about it?”

 

“Our tofu is made from soybeans, and we sell over a hundred jin daily. We’ve never heard of anyone falling ill from it. Could there be some misunderstanding?”

 

The man sneered. “I don’t care what your tofu is made of. My brother is dying. Either you pay me a hundred taels of silver, or you’ll pay with your life!”

 

A hundred taels? This was outright robbery!

 

Lu Yao immediately realized they were here to cause trouble. He gently patted Xiaonian and Xiaodou, instructing them to run back and find Zhao Beichuan.

 

Xiaonian looked at him worriedly but quickly pulled his younger brother along and ran out.

 

Facing so many people, Lu Yao didn’t dare act too tough and spoke softly, “Gentlemen, we’re just a small business. We can’t possibly come up with a hundred taels of silver. Isn’t this a bit unreasonable?”

 

“I don’t care. If you don’t have the money today, your tofu shop won’t stay open!”

 

Coincidentally, a few customers had come to buy tofu. As soon as they entered, they were chased out. “Don’t buy tofu here unless you want to die from it!” Terrified, the customers immediately ran off.

 

Lu Yao’s face turned red with anger. “What are you doing? If this continues, I’ll report you to the authorities!”

 

One of the men looked Lu Yao up and down, whistling lewdly. “This young man is quite good-looking. If you can’t pay, how about using your body to settle the debt?”

 

“You—you’re shameless!”

 

“Ha! I like feisty ones!” The man reached out to touch Lu Yao’s face.

 

At that moment, the door banged open, and Zhao Beichuan charged in. He kicked the man to the ground and shielded Lu Yao behind him.

 

“Ah!” The man fell face-first, eating dirt.

 

“You bastard, how dare you hit me! Do you even know who runs Qiushui Town? Brothers, kill him!” The group rushed at Zhao Beichuan, ready to beat him up.

 

But Zhao Beichuan wasn’t someone to be trifled with. Although he didn’t know martial arts, his brute strength allowed him to hold his own against four men. With punches and kicks, he quickly knocked two of them down.

 

Realizing they had met their match, one of them stammered, “Y-you’ve got guts. But we work for Master Si. Let’s see if your tofu shop can keep running after offending him!” They threw out their threats and fled.

 

Zhao Beichuan wanted to chase after them, but Lu Yao clung to his arm, trembling. “Don’t… don’t chase them. Your hand is bleeding.”

 

“It’s nothing. Don’t be scared.” Zhao Beichuan pulled him into his arms. It took a long while before Lu Yao calmed down.

 

After such an incident, they couldn’t continue selling tofu that day. Zhao Beichuan secured the doors and windows, and they carried the remaining half-block of tofu home.

 

On the way back, Zhao Beichuan’s expression was grim. “This morning, when I delivered tofu, Manager Xu mentioned that someone had their eyes on our shop. I didn’t expect trouble to come so quickly.”

 

Lu Yao paused in his steps. “They didn’t get what they wanted, so this won’t end here. If they spread bad rumors about our tofu, we won’t be able to do business anymore.”

 

But giving them money wasn’t a solution either. Even if they had that much silver, paying them would only lead to more extortion in the future.

 

The couple returned home, worried. Xiaonian and Xiaodou ran out to meet them as soon as they heard them.

 

“Sister-in-law! Big brother!”

 

Xiaonian nervously grabbed Lu Yao’s hand. “Sister-in-law, are you hurt?”

 

“I’m fine. Let’s go inside.”

 

Inside, Lu Yao found clean linen to bandage Zhao Beichuan’s hand, which had been injured during the fight.

 

As he wrapped the wound, Lu Yao pondered how to resolve the issue.

 

He understood the saying, “A common man’s possession is his sin.” He had thought such a small business wouldn’t attract envy, but trouble had come in less than half a month.

 

The only way to protect the shop now was to seek protection by offering the tofu recipe to someone influential. But the question was, to whom? And who exactly was this Master Si they mentioned?

 

With heavy hearts, neither of them slept well that night.