That evening, she wrote down all the snack recipes she could remember. She hadn't made them in years, and wasn't sure if they would turn out.
However, she had the general idea, and her elder sister-in-law, who cooked frequently, should have no trouble with dough preparation and proofing.
If it still didn't work out, she could let her try more. She was sure to gain something from it.
The kerosene lamp in the study burned for over an hour before it was finally extinguished. Fan Zehao was concerned for his wife, but he couldn't neglect his elder brother and sister-in-law. Family matters were a place where fairness was often absent, and kinship took precedence.
The next morning at breakfast, Zhao Jiaqi was startled. The recipes she had only given out the night before were already being served today. Her elder sister-in-law was truly efficient.
Fan Zehao looked at the lump on his plate, rolled up and filled with vegetables, eggs, and even sausage. He pointed at the food with a bewildered expression and asked the person beside him, "Wife, could this be what you made from the recipe you gave Sister-in-law last night?"
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and nodded, "Yes, Sister-in-law is indeed very skillful. I drew a picture and wrote down the ingredients and instructions on the side. And here we are eating it today!"
Housewives truly had a talent for cooking. Her elder sister-in-law was also in the food business, so anything she was given, she could learn and do well. She had to admit, her sister-in-law was quite capable.
Fan Zehao didn't know how to start eating. He found the egg-stuffed pancake a bit strange, though he couldn't quite say whether it was good or bad. However, looking at the green, yellow, and oily pancake, he felt in his heart that this thing would be delicious.
With a crunch, the flavors of the sauce, eggs, and sausage filled his mouth. It tasted alright, and with a sip of soy milk, it was quite a delicacy. Most importantly, he had never eaten anything like it before, and it felt quite novel.
After finishing one egg-stuffed pancake, Xiao Mi brought out freshly made Roujiamo. Seeing more delicious food, Fan Zehao immediately regretted it. He had just eaten two, and what's more, he had drunk a whole bowl of sweetened soy milk. Now, smelling the fragrant meat, he was truly struggling to resist.
He reached for another one. This time, he didn't ask his wife, because he knew it must have been made from the recipe his wife had provided.
"It's delicious! This is clearly more fragrant than the egg-stuffed pancake, and the egg inside is more flavorful than a regular boiled egg. I bet this can definitely make money!"
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at his sturdy build and said with a chuckle, "You think the Roujiamo is delicious because you love meat. Some girls prefer lighter flavors and would find the stuffed pancake tastier. Everyone has different tastes, so there are different choices for breakfast!"
The prerequisite, of course, was that there had to be a variety of breakfast options to choose from. Otherwise, even if one wanted to choose, there would be nothing to choose from.
As soon as Zhao Jiaqi finished speaking, the fried cakes arrived. Now, Fan Zehao's stomach truly had no more space. He could only watch his wife take small bites, especially as he saw the brown sugar flowing out from inside, which made him incredibly envious.
Who would have thought that a grown man would actually like sweets? How had she never noticed this before?
Zhao Jiaqi put down her chopsticks. She had eaten a small portion of each item, and her stomach was already full. This showed that her elder sister-in-law had made them in generous portions.
"They only received it last night, and Sister-in-law made it this morning. They must have been tinkering with it last night after they couldn't sleep!"
Fan Zehao didn't think much of it. He said, "If you want to make money, isn't that how it is!"
"Only by enduring hardships that others cannot, can you earn the silver that others cannot. So, they will be working hard for a while. Once they are proficient, it will be easier. When Fan Chen returns, he can help them both, and then my elder brother and sister-in-law will have it easier!"
If he continued like this, then when Fan Chen got married, his elder brother and sister-in-law could retire, right? Enjoy their old age, go dancing and singing with friends.
But, she saw her elder brother and sister-in-law were still in their prime. To retire so young and look after their grandchildren seemed like a waste of their age.
However, it seemed that women here generally considered themselves old at thirty-five or thirty-six, and ordinary wives were not even considered.
Oh my heavens, the thought of that scene made Zhao Jiaqi shiver. She quickly pushed those images out of her mind.
She was determined to let her daughter and son get married only after they turned twenty-five, as she didn't want to live such a monotonous life early on.
Her thoughts were selfish, but if her children truly wanted to get married and were of age, she thought she would grant their wish.
After the meal, her elder sister-in-law arrived with dark circles under her eyes, but she appeared energetic and in good spirits.
She came straight to the point, "Sister-in-law, how did the taste turn out!"
Zhao Jiaqi gave her some suggestions for the snacks: "The stuffed pancake is too big, and the pancake skin is a bit thick. Also, the egg should be stuffed inside the pancake skin. This aspect needs improvement."
"Secondly, the filling for the stuffed pancake can be changed at any time. It doesn't have to be potatoes or carrots. You can use seasonal, inexpensive vegetables, but you need to get the seasoning right!"
Wang Zhaodi listened carefully, taking note of everything her sister-in-law said, intending to make changes immediately upon returning home.
Seeing how attentive her elder sister-in-law was, Zhao Jiaqi also adjusted her attitude and commented on the other snacks.
"Overall, there are no major flaws, just minor details that need adjusting. Other than that, some people like spicy food, so you can add some chili oil, and if they don't like it, you can omit it."
Wang Zhaodi listened. The overall direction was correct, and the rest was easy to adjust. She was immensely grateful to her sister-in-law. After she left, Zhao Jiaqi thought the matter was settled, but who would have thought that lunch would consist of the same items.
Fan Zehao feasted on what he hadn't had enough of in the morning, eating with relish. Zhao Jiaqi watched him, shaking her head.
Before her elder sister-in-law even arrived, Zhao Jiaqi sent someone to tell her that this time, the preparation was perfect.
When Wang Zhaodi heard this, her confidence grew even stronger. That evening, there was another meal. This time, it wasn't soy milk, but lotus leaf congee. She had heard her sister-in-law say that lotus leaf congee was best in the summer.
For the entire day, eating meals was like opening a blind box. The main focus remained the same, but for the items served, you had to guess, and you might not even guess correctly.
After a few days of practice at home, everyone in the Wang family's meals were accompanied by burps that smelled of egg and meat. On this day, Wang Zhaodi announced that the shop had been simply set up, and she was ready to go out and earn money.
Zhao Jiaqi was finally relieved from having to eat those things, and she immediately welcomed the news, presenting her with a thousand taels of silver as a congratulatory gift.
"Sister-in-law, please accept this bank note. I'm giving you this in advance for good luck. We should believe in these things when doing business!"
Her sister-in-law brushed her off with a few words and accepted it with a smile. She didn't stand on ceremony with Zhao Jiaqi. Their friendship of over ten years meant they understood each other, and polite words would only strain their relationship.