Chapter 336: Chapter 336: An Ordinary Rainy Day

Tan Deming glanced at Tan You. "You’re not that overweight anymore."

What he meant was that he hoped Tan You wouldn’t lose any more weight. Honestly, every time he watched her do those exercises, he would wince from the sidelines. It looked like a form of self-torture, contorting her body into all kinds of positions.

Tan You disagreed. "I can’t do that. It’s not that I’m trying to lose weight for the sake of it. I just don’t want to be so out of shape that I get winded after walking a few steps. I don’t want to be like that."

Tan Deming shook his head. "Alright then, it’s your decision."

’His eldest granddaughter was very strong-willed. He wasn’t about to try and change her mind; he’d only end up being persuaded himself.’

"By the way, Tan Tao called yesterday. He said that since it’s raining today, they can’t open their stall. He was asking if you wanted to go hang out in the city. What do you think?"

Tan You shifted into another difficult dance pose. "I’m not going. There’s nothing fun to do in the city anyway. Why don’t you give him a call in a little while? If they don’t have anything to do, just tell them to come over for dinner. As it happens, I’m planning on baking bread this afternoon."

"That works, too. It’s rare for you to be willing to spend time with them. Of all the kids in the village, you only really talk to Tan Tao these days."

Tan You shrugged nonchalantly. "That’s because Tan Tao is a genuinely good person. Tan Wei is actually not bad either, but it’s a shame he’s closer to Tan Ying, so there’s not much for us to talk about. It’s not like I desperately need friends. I’m perfectly fine on my own."

"Is this that whole ’only fierce beasts walk alone’ thing you mentioned?" Tan Deming remembered her words perfectly and took the opportunity to tease her.

"Uh-huh. I’m going to take your three-wheeler out to buy some groceries in a bit. Rainy days are perfect for staying home and feasting." Because she was trying to lose weight, Tan You was normally very strict with her diet.

But she wanted to use the summer break to take good care of Tan Deming. Once she left for school, there would be no one to cook three meals a day for the old man. Even if she asked her grandparents to move to town with her, they probably wouldn’t agree.

’So I’d better take this chance to make sure they’re well-fed.’

Tan Deming looked a little worried. "Do you even know how to drive a three-wheeler? The last time you took it out, you crashed into someone’s fence."

Tan You started stretching. "That was then, this is now. Besides, it’s raining this hard. I can’t risk letting you go out. What if you get caught in the downpour and get sick?"

After a moment’s thought, Tan Deming didn’t press the issue. "Alright. I’ll wait for you at home, then."

After breakfast, Tan You donned a large rain poncho, hopped on Tan Deming’s electric three-wheeler, and headed for town. By the time she returned, she found Tan Tao and Tan Qin prepping vegetables under the eaves.

Seeing the electric three-wheeler pull up, Tan Tao rushed over to help Tan You carry her things. She didn’t turn him away. "Take these to the kitchen. I knew you guys were coming, so I already started the braising liquid this morning."

Tan Tao broke into a wide grin. "I can smell it already! Your braised meat is amazing."

Tan You shook her head. "Really? You work with all kinds of fried foods every day, and you’re still craving a bite of this?"

"It’s not the same," Tan Tao said emphatically. "The stuff you make is just on another level. Right, sis?"

Tan Qin, who was helping Tan You carry a bag of flour into the kitchen, nodded. "Yeah, Youzi’s food is the best."

Tan You smiled. "Alright then. I’m baking bread this afternoon. You can take some home with you when you leave."

The rain made it impossible to use the outdoor bread oven, so Tan You planned on using the electric one inside. Besides, with so many people in the house, many hands would make for light work.

"Youzi, you know how my dad’s been selling that ice jelly? Well, we’ve got copycats now," Tan Tao said suddenly, while helping Tan You clean a black fish.

Tan You turned to look at him. Seeing his neutral expression, she couldn’t help but smile. "And what are your thoughts on that?"

"I don’t really have any. It’s just like you said, Youzi, there will always be people who copy you. We just have to focus on running our own business well." He sighed. "But it’s not just that they’re copying us. They’ve started a price war."

Tan You said, "That’s pointless. At the end of the day, what matters is that your food tastes good."

"That’s why my dad just ignores them. We just keep running our stall and focus on maintaining our quality. Business isn’t as good as it used to be, but our regulars still show up."

Tan Tao sighed. "Why is making a living so hard? Now people are starting to sell fried skewers, too."

Tan You thought for a moment. "That kind of thing happens everywhere. If it gets too tough, why not set up a barbecue stand? You could sell some crayfish on the side, too. As it happens, I’m making crayfish today."

"I’ll think about it," Tan Tao said. "But you’re right. The second you start making money, someone’s going to copy you. It happens everywhere. You can’t stop it."

Tan You replied, "Then you just have to innovate and offer more variety. There’s no point in stubbornly sticking to just one thing, right? You have to learn to be flexible."

"For example, right now it’s hot, so your dad can sell ice jelly. When the weather starts to cool down, your parents could sell the fried skewers while you sell something else, like Oden or Malatang."

"If you want to go for something a bit more sophisticated, you could sell sushi, or various braised duck specialties."

"It all just depends on what kind of business you want to run."

The worried frown on Tan Tao’s face gradually smoothed out. "How do you make it all sound so easy? It’s like nothing can faze you."

"You’re just letting your worries get the best of you," Tan You said. "All those ingredients are readily available at the market. The most important thing is your secret sauce recipe. Just guard that well and don’t let anyone steal it. As for the rest, a successful business isn’t built overnight."

Tan Tao said, "I get it. My sister is tight-lipped, too. She won’t say a word."

Tan You patted Tan Qin’s ponytail. "Your sister is very trusting. You need to look out for her and make sure no one takes advantage of her."

"Don’t worry about that," said Tan Tao. "Right now, she trusts you more than anyone. She doesn’t believe a word anyone else says."

Tan You smiled and turned to Tan Qin with some advice. "That’s for the best. If a boy ever starts being nice to you, don’t be in a rush to get excited. The first thing you should do is be on your guard. Think about why he’s approaching you and what he might want."

"If anything happens, tell your parents and Tan Tao right away. They’ll never lead you astray."

Tan Qin nodded, snuggling close to Tan You’s side. Tan You couldn’t help but sigh. ’It wasn’t that she was a softie for just anyone; it was just that Tan Qin had truly had a difficult life from a young age.’

Tan Qin had a bad illness when she was little, and ever since, her mind had been a bit simple. She could understand what people said, but she was slow to react. The villagers called her the "silly girl," but Tan You never thought she was silly at all. On the contrary, she felt Tan Qin possessed a kind of wisdom that merely looked like foolishness.

’Children from poor families each had their own unique sorrows, while happiness was always cut from the same cloth.’ Thinking this, Tan You poked at the charcoal in the stove. "I’ve noticed you have a sweet tooth. How about you be my assistant this afternoon?"

"Today, I’ll teach you how to make the simplest kind of old-fashioned cake..."

Watching Tan You patiently guide Tan Qin’s hands as she taught her to make the cake, Tan Tao lowered his head and wiped his eyes. ’For kids from poor families like them, finding a path forward was just so incredibly hard.’